Top One

"Axel, that accident shouldn't happen again, alright?" Mom says sternly at me as she sits at the side of my bed.

We've just been discharged, me and Annalouie, after staying for a week in the hospital. My wounds have recovered from falling off the stairs. I'm feeling fine although I tire easily. But I heard Annalouie is still a bit weak and has stopped talking again. Even Dr. Spencer can't make him speak anymore.

"You can't hurt Annalouie! Never, ever hurt him.”

"But, mom, he attacked me first!" I say emotionally, my eyes water at the subtle accusation from mom's voice.

"He can't do that." Mommy says softly, wiping the tears at the corner of my eyes. “And even if he did actually do that, Annalouie is just a kid. He's your little brother so you should look after him. If you think he did something wrong, you have to correct it instead of fighting back. You must be a good example for him."

“But he wanted us gone! He hated us!"

"Did he say that to you?"

My lips quiver. Annalouie didn't exactly tell me but I can feel it. From the way he looks at me. No, he stares at me so intently, it frightens me. His eyes terrify me so much that I know he's thinking badly about me. He hates me! He wants me gone!

“Your accusation is baseless, Axel." Mommy tucks me under the covers, kisses my head before standing up. "Remember, you have to be a good boy, Axel. Behave like a real Webbers son.”

I am a good boy! That Annalouie is the bad one. Him and his drawings and his creepy, green eyes!

[Axel: sixteen years old; senior high]

"Man, I've been slacking off!" Jethro says beside me while holding his grading card, bringing me back from the memory lane.

I blink and shake my head. Why the hell did I remember those nasty memories? I open my own card and stare at my grades. Not surprising. Nothing new. Jethro must've noticed my somber expression and peers at my card. I didn't try hiding it and even move it to the side so he can take a better look.

"Whoa! Smug much!" Jethro comments drily.

"Come on. It's not like you're not used to it. I always get straight A's since the beginning."

"How did you even do it?" Jethro frowns while uselessly comparing our grades that are so far apart. "I mean do you even study? We're always together, man. I can't believe my grades are so far from yours."

"Hmmph!" I smirk, leaning back to my chair and clasp my hands together at the back of my nape. "I do study at home. Plus, I have a tutor every weekend, that's why."

"Hey! You didn't mention about having a tutor!"

"Dad made sure we have one. I mean, I have one coz the freak at home doesn't study at all." I suddenly bolt up from my seat and start packing up my things.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going home. We don't have classes anymore. Mr. Connor hasn't settled his case, so..." I sling my bag on my shoulder, pulling the laptop bag as well before starting towards the door. "Ta-ta!"

I frown a little when Jethro doesn't follow after me but I just shrug my shoulders. Lately, I noticed he's been staying behind after classes. Oh, well. Maybe he's targeting a girl to date and can't tell me about it just yet. I harrumph and walk leisurely outside the campus. Must be nice.

The Webbers chauffeur is waiting at his usual spot by the gate, holding the car door open for me. I stop on my tracks seeing Annalouie is already inside, sketching on his book again while listening to something on his earphones. He didn't raise his head even if I know he feels my presence.

My forehead slightly creases for a frown but I quickly flatten it out and slide into the car beside him. We rarely share a ride home. This is a rare occasion. He most of the time comes home at night although I don't know what a thirteen-year-old like him do that'll require coming home late. Not that I care though.

I look outside the window and watch the same old scenery when the car starts to glide away from the campus. When I get to college, I'll request to dad that I'll live in a dorm or in an apartment. I don't want to see Annalouie in the house anymore. I've tortured myself way too long, too much.

After that staircase accident, I started avoiding Annalouie altogether. In turn, he also stopped following me although I kept catching him still staring at me, watching me from afar. Maybe dad also warned him not to do what he did to me just like mom warned me not to do what I didn't do to him.

I still believe what happened wasn't my fault. He wanted to push me off but no one believed me. They even gave Annalouie better attention after that as if he's more important than I was. He had added visitors since then that he talked with in the private room and he continued drawing as per Dr. Spencer's advice.

When he was nine, I remembered being so jealous of him when dad gifted him a studio during his birthday. It was a building in the city where he can draw to his heart's content. He's even had people around to help him frame up his drawings and decorate it up to the walls. His drawings that I couldn't understand yet people cried about.

I remembered bawling in my room back then because of jealousy. Why did he need a building just to draw? Couldn't he draw in his room instead? At the library? I heard he even had a private bedroom there he could stay at when he didn't want to return home, provided a bodyguard and a nanny were with him.

When I had my birthday the same year, dad gave me a game console but I didn't feel happy about it. I felt it was so cheap compared to what he gave to Annalouie. When I told mom that I wanted a building, too, she asked me what I'd do a building for. When I couldn't give her an answer, our conversation ended, reminding me again to be a good boy.

Now that I'm a bit older, I now know that what I felt back then was the bitterness of unfair treatment. We're both their children and they told us we're brothers. Yet, the treatment I received was never equal to what they give to Annalouie. Even now, Annalouie still remains their priority.

I frown. What could he have that's so special? He's not sick as far as I'm concerned so why do they treat him so preciously like he's a breakable glass? I glance at him and jerk my head away in shock. The freak's staring at me again. His green eyes are darker and droopy, making him look sleepy. Or is he glaring?

"What?" I snap irritably.

He shrugs his shoulders but doesn't answer. I scowl at him and turn to the window once again. What a freak! All throughout the drive, I feel Annalouie's gaze on me, pinning me to my seat that I can't move an inch. I swallow hard, squirming on my seat while praying the car would fly so we can get home fast.

I don't know why I still feel creep out by his stare. It's disconcerting as if he can see right through me although that's such a ridiculous thought. He's not a mind reader. Annalouie is just a freak. A rude creep who has no manners and delicacy of a real Webber heir.

As soon as the car parks at the garage, I quickly fly out of it without waiting for the chauffeur to open the door for me. I can't wait to abandon the freak and his creepy glares. I open the front door and fly up my bedroom, dropping my things and change out of my clothes.

When the servant knocks at my door for dinner, I take my card with me downstairs. "Hello, mom, dad!" I greet happily while waving the card in my hand. "I'm top one in our class again!"

“Oh, you are?" Mom confirms with a grin. "Congratulations!"

“That's really great, son!" Dad enthuses just in time Annalouie arrives in the dining room. "How about you, son, how are your grades going?"

Annalouie, of course, doesn't answer and just hands his card to our father before sliding into his chair in the dining table. F*cking rude! I know the freak is slacking off. We're worlds apart when it comes to our grades. So I give dad my card as well so he can make comparison.

"You've really maintained your grades, Axel. That's good!" Dad commends while nodding at my card and ignoring Annalouie's. "You should try asking Axel about your lessons, Annalouie, if you have difficulty with them. Or better yet, take one tutor I've been suggesting to you before."

“I'm good." Annalouie says as he begins eating without us. "The exhibit is next month. I told you, didn't I?"

I frown, sitting on my chair before looking at dad. It seems all of us don't know anything of what he's talking about, both mom and dad frown as well, their eyes going wide as they stare at Annalouie. Instantly forgotten, my card slips from dad's hand as his attention shifts to him.

"Exhibit? You're going to hold one?" Dad asks in surprise while his eyes start to water.

"Finally?" Mom asks for confirmation, also tearing up a little.

Annalouie shrugs, nods his head and resumes eating. What the hell's his problem? Can't he give a proper answer to our parents? They're old and deserve respect! As if Annalouie feels me glaring at him, he picks up his head and meets my gaze. I didn't cower this time and stare back at him.

To my shock, he smirks. It's so slight and brief I could just be imagining it. But I know he did. He smiles. It's a smug smile which raises my hackles and the urge to smack his face overwhelms me. I withdraw my eyes and look at my plate before I can forget my sanity and attack him across the dining table.

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