After my maths class I was walking alone going to my biology class. Brat saw me and came running.

“Hey,” he said. I kept walking as he followed me.

“Hi,” I said not even looking at him.

“What happened to you? I waited for you for our date and you never pitched and then you disappeared just like that,” I looked at him straight in the eye, how stupid did he think I was?

“I’m late for my next class Brat,” I tried to move but he blocked my way.

“At least talk to me over lunch today,” I stared and said nothing.

“Please,” he said after a pause.

“Ok then meet me at the cafeteria,” I said and walked away. I’m not sure if I’m correct but I could swear he was pleased; I saw a smile on his face.

At lunch time he was already at the cafeteria with his friends when I walked in. I went straight to their table, Michelle and her friends were there too, but sitting at the opposite table.

“Hi guys,” I said and I looked again in the direction where Michelle and her friends were sitting. They were staring at me and for once I couldn’t care.

“Hey, where did you disappear to all these days?” Chad asked half teasingly.

“I was around,” I faked a smile.

“Really?” Brat asked and he looked serious.

“We’ll be right back,” said Chad, he and Nick left. Now it was only Brat and I, we were quiet for a while.

“Well I’m listening Lee, what happened to you?” he finally said.

“Your girlfriend and her friends are what happened. Brat, you know I really did like you a lot actually, but you just didn’t. You knew that you had a girlfriend that you love and you still tried to play me. Listen here, I’m not settling for anything less, you hear me? I’m nobody’s second best,” I was trying so hard to avoid his gaze.

“I hear you Lee, but I wasn’t trying to do that to you. I don’t know where you got this girlfriend thing but Michelle’s not my girlfriend. We’re just in the same team, we just hang out together that’s all,”

OK, now I was confused because everyone at school knew that they were dating.

“I’m no fool Brat,”

“Lee, Michelle and I are not an item, please believe me. We never were and we never will be,” I wasn’t sure whether to buy this or not.

“The truth is I love you. I want you to be my girlfriend. I fell for you from that very first day and it has been always like that ever since,” well at least he managed to put a smile back on my face.

“She came to me the other day and commanded me to stay away from you, she thinks you’re her lover,” I explained.

“She’s out of her mind,”

“No, you gonna have to go and clear things with her if you’re really serious about me,” I said.

“Ok then I will, now will you go out with me tonight? For real this time?” I couldn’t say no even if I wanted to and there was no point of me playing hard to get.

“Yes,” I said.

“Cool,” he said and stepped closer to kiss me. And well, I kissed him back. As soon as we pulled away I was so embarrassed. It was unlike me to kiss a guy in public, though I just did it most of all at school.

That Friday day night I had the best time of my life. Brat took me to some restaurant, then we went to catch a movie. And then later we went for a walk just to get to know each other better. It was really awesome. I got home by 12:30 in the morning and dad didn’t seem to have a problem, probably because it was my first date.

Saturday morning when I went to join them for breakfast they were all quiet as though they’d just received bad news. I walked doubtfully towards the table, not really sure what to expect. I greeted everyone as I sat down, no one was smiling and so I had to ask.

“What’s with ya’ll this morning?”

“Lee-Ann, sweety,” dad spoke

Wait, did he just said ‘sweety’? Oh my word! When was there last time I heard that from daddy, probably ten years ago. So there was something going on, I told myself.

“Your sister just told us about your conversation yesterday on your way to school,” he added. I had already forgotten about that, all I could think of was Brat and our date.

“Oh,” I said.

“And sweetheart we are really sorry. We didn’t realise that we were hurting you,” mom added too.

This was great, seeing my family finally admitting their mistakes and taking the blame. So that meant I was going to be taken seriously for the first time in my life.

“I hear you guys and honestly I’m over that. Yesterday my whole world changed, I started a new chapter of my life. And if there’s one thing I don’t do is hold grudges. So ya’ll forgiven, even you Brandon,” I said half teasing and everybody laughed.

It was the first time I shared a real laugh with my family in like forever. From that moment I started realising how much love I had for my family no matter how they were, I loved them anyway.

From that day my whole life changed, I was no longer invisible. I spent more time with my family, at school well, it was a different story. I still had no friends but it didn’t bother me anymore because I had Brat who I spent most of my time with and I loved him to bits.

Kim and I both decided we were cool with how things were between us. We would just hang out occasionally. I had a new BFF now, my sister, though she was two years older than me and was in varsity but we still hung out together a lot now.

If there was one thing I learned from my experience was to be able to speak out. You see most of the times we get hurt by the people we love the most unknowingly. That’s why it is important for us to speak out and let our feelings be heard all the time, rather than sitting around and be miserable.

Believe me, that’s no life at all.

The End

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Tell us: Did you ever experience similar family troubles like Lee? How did you handle it?