WITHIN THE EMPIRE

I pushed my pain against the glass window of the gallery and watched the people inside move around as if they had all the time and money in the world. There was soft music playing in the background, and paintings on the walls. I had to smile at every customer who walked by.

"Bella, can you cover the counter for just a minute?" my boss yelled from the other side of the room.

"Oh yes," I replied hurriedly, although my telephone was still ringing against my leg. I recognized before it was in my hands: Ethan's school.

The missed call was final when I unzipped my cell. It seemed my heart sank. I cautioned Ethan not to get himself into trouble. He assured me that he would. But promises from a sixteen-year-old did not tend to stick.

When I called back, the receptionist was fatigued. "Miss Bella, Ethan did not attend his previous

I closed my eyes for a moment and maintained my tone firm. "Thanks. I'll speak with him."

I gripped my phone close to my body after hanging up. It was if I was leaving behind my little brother, whether by work or pleadings.

I closed my eyes tightly and maintained a steady voice. "Thanks. I'll speak with him."

Hanging up, I held my phone firmly within my grasp. My younger brother was slipping further and further away from me, and whether I worked like a slave or begged of him, it was like I was slowly losing him.

A woman came up to the desk with a big smile on her face like nothing was amiss. "Do you have a price quote on these?"

"Yes, of course," I said, pulling myself together, walking her through the details. My voice was screaming.

Hours later, after I was finally done with my shift at work, my feet were killing me. I hurried home from the crowded streets of the city, carrying the grocery bag that I'd had the fortune of acquiring. It was a small, outdated apartment with the sound of Ethan's video game ringing out when I opened the door.

He never looked up once. "Hey!" He said, taking attention from the monitor on the table.

"That's it? Only hey?" I thumped the purse on the table.

He cocked an eyebrow and looked at the computer screen. "You are always doing something at the gallery. How can I possibly receive her? Welcome home, sister?"

"Don't begin," I cautioned, removing my shoes. "Why did the school telephone me today?"

His hands paused briefly before he shrugged. "Maybe they like you."

"Ethan." My tone was acrimonious this time. "You missed class. Again. What is wrong with you? Why would you do this, Ethan? Why would you do this to me? Why are you being so recalcitrant?

He abruptly shifted his head, anger flickering on his face. "Nothing's wrong. I just despise school. Everyone at school stares at me like a piece of garbage. Like I don't fit. Like I'm some swine that couldn't socialize. I loathe feeling that way, and it is killing me. It makes it impossible for me to inhale within that pit, and I need to escape before I die from suffocation."

I softened, then my chest tightened. "You're not trash. You're better than all of them. But you can't keep running away. You have to brace yourself, Ethan. You can't keep running every time, things won't work out that way, it won't, Ethan. You just have to endure."

He snorted and went back to the game. "So easy to say. You don't have to sit in their halls. I wish you were standing in my place so you would at least experience a little of what I'm experiencing."

I sat next to him, my tone softer now. "I'm doing my best, Ethan. Double shifts just to keep us above water. But it can't come from me if you don't try the same. Please. You have to at least try. It isn't simple when you are not in their class; it can't be. But believe me.your life will become a better one when it comes to both of us.

Silence for a moment. His jaw locked. "Yeah, all right. I'll try," he said.

It was no promise that I trusted, but it was all that was available. Since I understand him so well, he is not likely one of those promise-keeping individuals.

Much later that evening, after dinner was done, I washed the dishes while Ethan was relegated to his room. The city outside was raucous, tense. I slumped against the counter and massaged my temples. My life was pulled too thin– work and bills and Ethan and if I did just one thing wrong, it would fall apart.

Somewhere in the city were men like Alex Monroe– men who owned high-rises and made life-or-death decisions that changed worlds. Men whose life was foreign enough from mine it was a different planet. Men who slept and woke up with money. He'd never take the trouble of noticing a girl like me, would he? And yet I'm not even his type, so why would he?

Shook the thought back and went to see Ethan in his room before bed, too. But it was closed, no sound within. I tapped gently. "Ethan?"

Nothing. "Ethan," I said once again, but I was mute.

So, I swung open the door. The bed was empty. The window was slightly open and the curtains were fluttering with the night breeze.

Then my heart dropped. Where the hell was he at this late hour? Where could he have gone at this time of night? He could have at least let me know his whereabouts. But all I knew was that he was gone. And I had no idea where he had gone.

My heart stopped when I glanced by Ethan's room and saw that his bed was vacant, blanket thrown haphazardly on the floor. For a moment, I hoped that perhaps he was in the kitchen, perhaps he was at the bathroom. But silence of the apartment spoke otherwise.

I ran to the window and my chest tightened up– I saw a flash of him at the end of the street vanishing into darkness with two lads whom I did not know.

"Ethan," I whispered, panic climbing up my esophagus. Involuntarily, I grabbed my coat and my keys fell out of my shaking hands. I did not concern myself that it was after midnight or it was a risky city for a youth of his age. I just knew one thing which is that I had to locate him before something went wrong. And I ventured out into the night before trouble was caused by him.