Rowan avoided me for what seemed like centuries, but in all reality it was just a few days. I didn't know why he was avoiding me but I was afraid to ask. It's been so long since I've had a friend that I didn't want to push him away or make him think I was too clingy.

I couldn't stand sitting at home alone with my thoughts, I needed to get out of this house and do something to get mind my off of things. My first idea was to take Dakota to the park. It had been a while since me and him had went to the park. He loved it when I pushed in the baby swing.

Dakota was in his crib looking up at the ceiling. He must have just woken up from his nap. "Hi buddy." I smiled picked him up underneath his arms. Once I had him on my hip I grabbed his socks that were on the floor. He must have kick them off again. I put his feet into the socks and tickled his foot. He gave me a laugh and smiled.

We went down the hall past Raven's room. Her door was shut and her music was blaring through her stereo speakers. No wonder Dakota was wide awake. I bet he didn't get a nap at all. Poor kid.

Raven was pissed at mom and dad for them grounding her. She thought she would get off easy for getting an F on her French test. No way were my parents going to let that slide. She was supposed to be studying for the make up test she was going to be taking tomorrow.

I rolled my eyes as I walked down the steps. Of course, she wasn't going to actually study. Any second dad was going to go into her room and take her speakers away. She was lucky that she still had her cellphone. Mom and dad believed that she only needed it for emergencies.

Dad was sitting in the front room in his lazy boy chair with it leaned back watching a football game on TV. He didn't pay me any attention as I walked in front of him to the kitchen where mom was washing dishes from supper.

"Hey mom is it okay if I take Dakota to the park?" I asked.

Mom turned around and whipped her hands on her dish towel. "Sure. That would be nice. He's probably bored sitting in his crib. I just haven't had the time to play with him with Raven and everything else that's going on." She sighed.

I knew how bad mom felt for not giving Dakota some extra attention but tonight was a wild night. Raven went completely crazy teenage girl. "Don't worry mom. Raven is in her room right now go ahead and take a nice warm bath. Dakota and I will go have some fun at the park." I bounced him on my hip. "Isn't that right?"

"Thank you so much Lennon." Mom said walking over to me and giving me a hug.

"No problem mom. I'll let you know if we'll be late." I hugged her back smelling her perfume from this morning.

I went back to the front room and grabbed a jacket for Dakota out of the closet and sat him in his stroller sitting by the front door. Dad looked up from the TV briefly and asked where we were going. I replied with, "Going to the park for a bit." He nodded his head and turned his attention back to the game.

The walk to the park was a peaceful one just what I needed to clear my mind. There was no loud music, no arguing and no him. There was just the sound of birds chirping in the trees and Dakota babbling. For once I felt safe. I didn't feel the need to run and hid from the world. It was a huge step up from a few days ago where I could barely get out of bed.

"You ready to go on the swing buddy?" I asked, as I locked the stroller in place. I unbuckled him from his seat and lifted him up into the baby swing. He giggled as I pushed the swing forward. His laugh was more than enough to put a smile on my face.

Dakota was so insistent and I hoped he would stay that way forever. I didn't want him to turn into a monster. I hopped that my brother would know the meaning of no. Even if my parents don't tell him the true meaning, I would. There was no way I was going to sit by and watch something horrible happen if I could prevent it.

As I pushed Dakota's swing I looked around the park. I didn't know what I was looking for, but my eyes scanned the park with a purpose. Rowan. Rowan wasn't here. I didn't know why I thought he would be. I knew there was a bigger chance of him being at the beach than at the park.

By the small pond in the middle of the park there was a group of teens my age, a few of them I recognized that went to my school. He was with them. I felt the urgent need to run. I wanted to grab Dakota and leave. That's exactly what I did. I stopped the swing and put Dakota back in his stroller. He gave me a disappointed look but I continued on with my plan.

I needed to get the hell out of here now.

I unlocked the wheels and took off like a mad woman. Trying to get out of there as fast as possible without him noticing me. Just before I got to the edge of the park I stopped to tie my shoe after debating whether it was worth the time.

"Sissy!" Dakota yelled and pointed off in the corner of the park.

"What do you mean Dakota?" I asked him confused. I was right beside him.

"Sissy!" He yelled, reaching over the stroller pointing off in that direction again. My eyes followed his finger and on the playground equipment, I saw Raven. She was sitting there with a group of kids that assumed where in her grade. I noticed a few of them were girls that had stayed the night at our house, but I couldn't remember their names.

This whole time Raven had been playing us all. She wasn't in her room listening to music and she sure as hell wasn't studying like she was supposed to. I grabbed my phone and texted my parents. My mom replied and told me to go ahead and come home, to not confront Raven that her and dad would handle it.

"Sissy!" Dakota yelled again. I told him to be quiet but I was too late. Raven looked up from her phone and seaw me standing there with Dakota. I hurried up and walked out of the park. I knew she was going to blame me for whatever mom and dad were going to when she got home.

Raven arrived home soon after I did. She didn't even bother to sneak back into her room through the balcony door. She walked straight in through the front door. I put Dakota down for another nap since earlier I knew he didn't sleep a wink. I had a feeling he wasn't going to be getting any sleep now either.

"Where have you been young lady?" Dad yelled.

"Why don't you ask your perfect daughter?!" Raven hissed. I looked down at my lap before deciding it would be better for me to just go to my room. As I was going up stairs I heard Raven cry out, "That's not fair I need my phone!"

She must have gotten her phone taken away, because when she came up stairs, she was empty handed. Serves her right she knew better than to sneak out with mom and dad home. She was just asking for trouble.

"How dare you!" Raven yelled as she stormed into my bedroom.

"How dare I what?" I asked.

"You snitched on me." She crossed her arms and glared at me. "Why would you do that to me? You're the worst sister in the world. I hate you. Why can't you just be normal? Why am I stuck with a freak for a sister?"

Each word she said cut deeper. Freak? Was that what I really was? How could the person I've been trying to protect, hate me?

"If you were to die tonight, there would be no way I would go to your funeral." She said and I felt the tears fall before I realized that I was even crying. I got up from my bed and ran out of my room. I whipped the tears with my sleeve and went down stairs taking the steps two at a time.

How could she say something like that?

Dad was at the end of the stairs waiting for Raven to return with all of her electronics. He was confiscating all of her devices including her stereo speakers.

"What's wrong honey?" He asked looking my tears.

"Nothing. I'm going to go out for a bit. I'll be home before ten, okay?" I asked to make sure he was okay with it.

"Just make sure that if you need a ride home to call me and I'll come pick you up. I don't want you walking home in the dark." I nodded my head and took out my phone.

"I'll be over at Rowan's if you need anything."

I just needed to talk to someone that would understand things. Someone who wouldn't judge me. Rowan was a good person, he would try to make me feel better. He would tell me that everything my sister said was a lie.

That was, if he wanted to speak to me at all.

Hi guys hope you like this chapter. Let us know what you think.

Was Raven going to far with her actions? What do you think will happen at Rowan's?