Finally I reach the school and rush into the principal's office. I find Peter sulking on the couch, bruises on his face, and Flash Thompson sitting next to him, looking far worse than my brother. "Mr. Thompson, you are excused." Flash stands and leaves the room. The principle looks at me and gestures to the seat next to Peter. "Please, take a seat." I comply and notice Peter scoot away from me ever so slightly.

      My heart aches in my chest, but I remain sitting up straight. "As you know, a fight had sparked in the halls today." The principle adjusts one of his pens so they are all perfectly parallel. "We have reviewed the footage taken of the encounter and the school board agrees that punishment must be met for both of the students involved." I nod. It's not fair that Peter has to take any sort of punishment, not when Flash has tormented him for years.

      Still, he attacked someone, and though it's completely out of character for him, it can't go left unnoticed. "I understand." The principle nods and rests his intertwined fingers on his desk. "Good. We were considering in class suspension, but at the honest input of another student, we know that Eugene has a key role in Peter's behavior." I glance at my brother and he turns away from me. I frown, but face the man once more. "Detention will be given to both offenders for a week."

      I nod, and take a deep breath trying to keep my emotions under control. When I can't control my emotions, then my abilities go out of whack. "That seems fair." The principle nods. "You may take your brother home. School ends in 5 minutes." I nod, then he excuses the both of us from his office. Once we are outside I stop Peter. "Peter-" He jerks my hand off his shoulder. I sigh. "I just want to talk. If something is going on with you-"

      Peter whips around at me. "You aren't my keeper Pey!" My shoulders deflate. "I know I'm not Peter. But I am your sister and it's my responsibility to-" Peter cuts me off once again. "To what? You don't have to know everything about me. I can keep things to myself. I'm 15, not 5." Anger begins boiling in my chest. "I know that! But Peter, there's a point where secrets become dangerous." My hands begin to shake. I need to talk down.

      "You're the one to talk!" I look at Peter, shocked. "What?" Peter's face begins to become red. "You've got dangerous secrets too!" I shake my head. What is he talking about? "Mom and Dad. You never talk about them, and when I ask all you say is that you don't want to talk about it!" And there's a reason, but I can't tell him. Peter would never forgive me. "And the gloves!" I crease my brows and look at my hands.

      "You always have them on. Why? And don't give me the OCD excuse, I know that isn't true." He growls out. I rub the palm of my hand. "You don't get to talk to me about secrets when you never tell me anything yourself." The spark of heat in my chest begins to spread to my hands. "Peter-" I take a deep breath. If this goes on any longer, I might lose control. "No! I'm done listening to you!" I close my eyes for a few seconds and I turn away.

      My eyes burn, and not in the way of wanting to cry. This is me losing control. Finally, I get my breathing under control and turn around, only to find that Peter is gone. "Peter?" I call out. I walk further down the sidewalk hoping to spot him, but he's gone. "PETER!"

۵

      I jog up to my uncle a few blocks away from the school. "Any luck?" I shake my head, biting on my lip. Peter has been missing for an hour and after no luck finding him on my own I called my uncle. The city isn't safe. Peter could get hurt.

       Ben sighs worriedly and looks around. "You go that way. I'll go this way." He says pointing in two different directions. "If we can't find him in 2 hours, call the police." I nod and we jog off in our separate directions. I keep my hands stuffed in my pockets as I begin losing control again. If I don't find him soon, I may lose it completely and nothing good will come from that.

      "PETER!" I yell out as loud as I can. At this point, hopelessness has set in. What if we never find him? If Peter is gone... it'll be my fault. I can't- I won't let him get hurt. My brother, my responsibility.

      As I walk around the streets, calling out Peter's name I hear sirens approaching. An ambulance speeds past me on the street, followed by two cop cars. A horrible feeling sets in my stomach. I turn on my heels and run in the direction of the sirens.

      When I arrive on the scene I see the cops and Ambulance surrounding a figure on the ground. A crowd begins to form and I swallow bile back down. I run through the crowd and Once I see who it is, I fall to my knees.

      The paramedics, lean back, frowns on their faces. The man below them lays dead still, blood pooling underneath him, a bullet wound in his chest.

      I stare at the lifeless eyes of my Uncle. "No!" I jump to my teeth and rush to his side. "Ma'am-" An officer tries to pull me away, but when he touches me he jerks back in pain. I burned him.

      "No! Uncle Ben, No!" My sobs rein throughout the street, and I look up at the officers. "What- What happened?" They share a look. "A convenience store robber shot him as he ran. I'm sorry." A sob escapes my lips as I look at my uncle. "My brother-" I look up again, wiping away the tears, a mission in my eyes.

      "My brother. We were looking for him but-" I can't say it so I shake my head. "Please, I need to find him." The officers nod and walk away talking through their walkies. "Oh god-" I turn away from Ben and vomit on the sidewalk. As I wipe my mouth I realize something.

      "May." I spit vomit out of my mouth and shakily pull out my phone and dial my aunt. She answers and I tell her I am going to be arriving at the hospital soon. The paramedics put my uncle on a gurney and I follow them inside the ambulance.

      This can't be happening.