"And what makes you think that?" Lucas said.
Troy only looked at his brother as he made his way to a seat closer to his sister.
When he was seated, he placed his hand on his sister's shoulder to gain her attention.
Temi had been so engrossed in her thoughts, she forgot about her brothers and turned her head the other way.
But after sometime, she felt a cold hand on her shoulder.
Turning her head in the direction of the hand, she saw Troy's hand on her shoulder.
Slowly raising her head to look up, she found her brother to be looking at her.
Giving her a little smile of encouragement, Troy turned his head to look at Lucas, who still stood there and got the shivers from his brother's stare.
"Are you still standing here?" Troy asked.
His brother's voice sent him to the floor as his knees gave way.
Although, he had been firm about not leaving, he knew his boundaries and who to deal with.
So thinking that, okay, this was his brother and this was something that concerned his sister, he should be at least involved, right?
But unfortunately, when you think you're the master of the lion, you would have to first pay the price...
So no matter how determined Lucas was to stay, his brother's voice and authority shook him off the way.
Though he was vigilant, whatever his brother would say, would get him to move.
But his brother's voice unconsciously broke him out of his shell and brought him back to reality, causing his knees to give way, making him fall to the floor.
Seeing this, Temi couldn't hold herself as she bursted out laughing.
Bryan that had been silent for long, now laughed really hard, he held onto his tummy as it hurt badly.
Even Troy was a bit surprised.
Of course he had wanted to insert fear inside of his brother, he didn't expect him to get so frightened and fall to the ground so easily.
So he too, burst out into an uncontrollable laughter.
Lucas on the ground felt a bit embarrassed.
Though, he had wanted to make an impression that he was not going, he couldn't believe he had given in to his brother's command, that was way too simple too.
So getting up from the ground, he dusted himself up (even though there was no speck of dust on him, he did so for fashion), and then looking at his brother, he hurried inside the house and to his room, leaving the trio to have their discussion.
Watching his older brother go, Bryan sighed as he shook his head in negation.
"I know that one day, Lucas wouldn't be like this anymore...!"
"I just hope he won't be like this forever!" As soon as he said that, he carefully jumped down from his big sister's laps.
Both Temi and Troy looked at Bryan, and then at themselves in slight confusion.
Didn't he just say that Lucas wouldn't be like this forever?
Then what was he saying that he hoped...?
They both shook their heads as they laughed it off.
Their brother was still young after all.
"What's funny?" Bryan asked.
Troy looked at his little brother and then looked at his sister before pulling out his phone, leaving them alone as he plugged the ear pods into his ear.
Turning his look at his sister, he asked;
"Aunt Temi, what's funny?"
Temi, still laughing, shook her head as she said;
"Nothing Bryan, it's just...!" She took in a deep breath of air as she turned to look at her brother Troy for help.
But as soon as she turned her eyes to look in his direction, he lowered his eyes.
As if Troy had been watching them all along and was listening to all that they were saying, but had used the ear pods as an excuse to not be involved in their conversation.
He thought he had succeeded in doing so, but Bryan spoke up.
"Keep on doing what you're doing Troy...!" Little Bryce said.
Troy still pretended not to have heard what his little brother had said as he went to the music app on his phone and began playing some songs and placed it on the highest degree of loudness, just to avoid being found out again.
Although Bryan had spoken, he had expected a reply. But when his brother didn't answer him, he assumed he hadn't heard him and that he himself (that is Bryan), had been assuming things.
So looking up at his sister who had a small smile on her face Bryan returned the smile as he whispered;
"Don't mind him, he thinks he's fooling us, but meanwhile, he's fooling himself...!" And then he turned to look at his brother and then back at his sister as he said;
"He's fooling himself big time!" He whispered.
"I can hear you!" Troy said.
Bryce turned to look at his brother.
"I thought you couldn't hear us?" He asked.
"How come you hear us now?" He asked again.
Troy knew he couldn't answer that question, so turning to his sister, he said;
"When are you guys gon' be through with what you're talking 'bout?"
"Cause we've got somethin' to talk 'bout...!"
"Well she's my sister!" Bryan said as he hugged his sister tightly, unwilling to let her go.
"As if you weren't given birth long after two (2) of us followed!" Troy said as he rolled his eyeballs.
Bryan pouted and then looking at his sister, who smiled down at him, and giving him a warm hug, Temi said;
"Go on Bryan, Big Bro Troy nd I have something to discuss...!"
And with that, Bryan turned and looked at his brother Troy as he narrowed his eyes at him and then, bringing two(2) of his fingers close to his eyes, he pointed those same fingers at his brother's direction, and then turning back, he gave his sister a big (but very short) bear-hug, and then ran off.
But not without sticking out his tongue at his brother.
Watching him go, Temi looked at Troy with a smile in her face as she asked;
"Do you have to be that aggressive?"
"If you're not aggressive with that little fella, we wouldn't get to discuss the way we want!"
Troy replied as he removed the ear pods from his ears and placed them, alongside his phone, onto the table as he turned his attention to his sister.
Analyzing his sister, he studied her for sometime, before asking;
"How are you?"
Temi that had been silent looked at her brother as she answered;
"I'm good!" Her response was curt and almost silent as Troy could feel the sadness emanating from her.
Lowering his head down, he played with his phone, while thinking of what to say.
"What did Mum and Dad tell you?" Troy suddenly heard his sister ask him.
Raising his head up to look at her, he met her eyes.
He could see that her eyes were already teary red.
Asking that question with her voice choked, Troy could feel a thorn in his heart as he could feel what his sister was feeling.
The thought of being treated like a murderer in her own home, in the midst of her own family members, not strangers...
Not being able to live peacefully, but always with the thought that you might kill someone sooner or later...
The thought of when seen, your little siblings that were so close to you, would turn the other way when they see you coming...
And your parents also very wary of you, although they still relate with you, they're also cautious and watchful...
The feeling of insecurity in your own home, among your own family members...
Was a feeling one wouldn't want to experience.