It was another long day at school for me, and I couldn't wait to get home. As soon as the final bell rang, I quickly gathered my things and made my way to the bus. I tried my best to avoid any attention from my classmates, knowing that any interaction would lead to teasing and bullying.

As I approached my house, my heart sank. I knew what was waiting for me when I walked through that door. My three older siblings, Thomas, Charlotte, and Olivia were all there, ready to make my life a living hell.

I took a deep breath and opened the door, steeling myself for what was to come. I could already feel their eyes on me, their taunting whispers filling the air. But I kept my head down and made my way to my room, hoping to avoid any confrontation.

But of course, that was wishful thinking. As soon as I crossed the threshold of my room, Thomas barged in, a menacing look on his face.

'What took you so long, worm?' he sneered, grabbing me by the collar of my shirt and slamming me against the wall.

I winced in pain but refused to show any signs of weakness in front of him. 'I-I had homework,' I stuttered out, hoping it would appease him.

But Thomas only laughed, tightening his grip on me. 'Don't give me that bullshit. You're just a pathetic little coward, Amelia. Always hiding in your room, too afraid to face us.'

His words stung, and I couldn't help but feel tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. But I refused to let them fall in front of him. I clenched my jaw and glared at him defiantly.

Thomas must have sensed my resistance because he suddenly let go of me and walked out, muttering something about me being a waste of space.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

I let out a shaky breath and sank to the floor, my body trembling with a mixture of fear and anger. I hated that I was so weak, that I couldn't stand up to my own siblings. But I knew that if I did, the consequences would be far worse.

I spent the rest of the evening in my room, trying to escape into the safety of books and music. But even that couldn't ease the pain that I felt inside.

As night fell, I knew I had to face them again for dinner. I mustered up all the courage I had and made my way to the dining room. But as soon as I entered, I wished I hadn't.

Olivia was already there, a wicked smirk on her face as she saw me. 'Look who finally decided to join us,' she said snidely, gesturing to the empty chair next to her.

I sat down, my hands shaking as I reached for my fork. I knew what was coming next, and I braced myself for it.

'Why are you so goddamn useless, Amelia?' Olivia spat, her eyes flashing with anger. 'Can't you do anything right? Can't you at least try to be a decent human being?'

Her words hit me like a ton of bricks, and I could feel the tears finally spilling down my cheeks. But I refused to make a sound, gritting my teeth and forcing the sobs back.

The rest of dinner passed in silence, the tension in the room palpable. I couldn't wait to escape to my room again and hide from the world.

As I lay in bed that night, I couldn't help but wonder what I did to deserve such treatment from my own family. But then again, maybe I was just a coward, as they often said. Maybe I deserved to be treated like this.