My True Self

Christopher Banks is a 16 year old with strawberry blonde hair. He absolutely loves blueberry pancakes, and hates it when people pick on his brother. He also loves spending his free time by picking on his brother, what kind of brother would he be if he didn't? He doesn't really like his father but loves his mom and how understanding she is. He is skinny but very strong, he plays football for his school.

Steven Banks is the father of Christopher and Andrew. He is 48 and can't stand the blueberry pancakes. He hates when Christopher picks on Andrew, he loves his wife, and loves when the kids are gone. He’s kind of weak and hates that his son is stronger than him.

Mary Banks is the 43 year old mother of Andrew and Christopher, and is married to Steven. Unlike her husband, she loves when Christopher picks on Andrew, she thinks it’s cute. She  loves when the kids get good grades, gets a little upset when they don’t, but she understands. She doesn’t know why they all, except Steven, love blueberry pancakes.

Andrew Banks is 13 years old and loves blueberry pancakes. He acts like he hates it when Christopher picks on him, but really likes it. He absolutely loves his mom and Christopher. He loves his dad when he isn’t drunk and wishes he wouldn’t drink anymore, because then his family could be happy again.

Sixteen year old Christopher Banks is at home on a Tuesday morning. Sitting at the breakfast table is his mother, Mary, his father, Steven, and his little brother, Andrew. His mom calls him into the kitchen for the second time that morning. He runs in, gets a dirty look from his father for running in the house and immediately stops because he knows what will happen if he doesn't. He sits down at the table next to his brother.

“Whats up little bro?” Christopher exclaims as he sits down.

Another dirty look flashed on his father's face and andrew tries to look like he does not enjoy his brothers teasing.

“Knock it off, Christopher!” his dad says in a threatening tone.

“I’m just teasing him. He knows that, mom knows that, you know that even though you fail to accept the fact that we actually get along sometimes and aren’t always fighting.” Christopher says, immediately regretting it.

“I don’t know why you always fight with me, you know i will win.” Steven says practically screaming. “You know what fighting does to my nerves. I think you’re just trying to kill me.” he said jokingly even though Christopher was actually trying to make his temper run wild.

“Enough you two. Steven, Christopher is not trying to kill you. Stop acting like everything is a personal attack. Christopher please don't pick on your brother in front of your dad.” Mary says quickly trying to calm them both.

“He is NOT my dad, he is my father.” he mumbled under his breath. His mom being the only one who heard it, was very confused as to why Christopher felt the need to always call Steven his father, never his dad.

They ate quickly after the argument and head their separate ways. Christopher hops in his car and drives to the nearby high school, ALHS (Abraham Lincoln High School). Andrew barely catches the bus to his middle school, Palms Middle School. Their mom goes to the hospital where she works, and their father goes to the office to crunch some numbers. Christopher begins to think about  how he loves the hectic mornings, such as this one. Everyone eats their blueberry pancakes, father complains about how they always have blueberry pancakes and orange juice, Mary then lectures him, “If you don't like it then you can wake up at five in the morning and make breakfast for yourself. Until then, stop complaining.” Steven rolls his eyes at Mary and continues to eat his breakfast. Christopher continues thinking about his family all the way to school. He wonders how his mom can stand his father. He wonders if Andrew dislikes his father as much as he does. He wonders about the special trip his father has planned for the next day.

He pulls into the school parking lot and gets out of his car. His best friend, Robin, ran over to Christopher, his short midnight black hair waves in the wind.  They do their special high five they do every morning and walk into the giant building. They make their way into the cafeteria and sit down. After a while Christopher gets a text from his father. Why did you get such a bad grade in chemistry, i never made that low of a grade my entire high school career.  He knew his father was lying because his mom told him his father never got good grades. His mom was glad Christopher didn't turn out like his father.  When you get home you are grounded.  Christopher was very confused because he had an A in chemistry, but he knew his mom would help him figure it all out tonight.

When christopher walked in the door his father was standing in the living room with everyones bags packed and ready for the trip. When Andrew and Mary got home they all jumped in the car and headed off. They drove for hours everyone fell asleep at one point, all except for Steven and Christopher. Steven had hoped that Christopher would have fell asleep before they got there but he didn't. Christopher knew his father and knew that this trip was not meant to be fun. His father was planning something. Christopher was taking mental notes of things they passed on their way. When Steven pulled up to a camping site Christopher was confused. They all got out of the car and walked around for a minute until Steven called for them to follow him down a hill. While they were walking Steven was telling them stories about how ‘he used to come to this exact camping site’. Christopher still didn't feel right. Something is off about all this. He just couldn’t shake the feeling that this was gonna end up bad. When they got to the bottom of the hill they watched in fear. There were two large bears headed right for them. They turned around to ask Steven what to do but he wasn't there. He was now at the top of the hill. Christopher and his quick thinking saved everyone. He grabbed a large stick and threw it at the larger bear, hitting it in the eye so it would go away. The other bear got a heavy large rock on its foot. It laid down and left them alone.

The next day Mary spent the entire morning yelling at Steven. Andrew and Christopher got tired of hearing it so they went out for ice cream. When Christopher and Andrew got home they found their mom on the floor with bruises all over her body. Christopher quickly told Andrew to run to the neighbors house to get help. Andrew did as he was told and ran off as fast as he could. Christopher ran over to his mom to figure out what happened.

“It was my fault i told your father that he was stupid for taking us there.It made him very angry when i told him that he isn’t a good father.” she whispered, he voice shaking.

Then he went to the kitchen and got two ice packs. He took them to his mom while Andrew was at the neighbors trying to get help. Christopher walked over to his father who was almost passed out on the couch and started going off. His screams so loud people in Alaska could have heard him. Christopher started to cry just a little. Not because he was sad his father wasn't the man he used to be but because he was so angry that this happened to his mom and brother instead of him. With one large breathe he started screaming and throwing his arms to express how mad he was.

 “Why would you do something like that? Over blueberry pancakes, that is so stupid! You're supposed to be the man in this house, so start acting like you are! Stop acting like some stupid playground bully and start acting like a father!” he left his father to his half empty beer and walked over to his mom to help her.

“I’m gonna get you and Andrew out of this place i promise.” he whispered to his mother. “I promise!”

The next morning they woke up to find Steven gone they all prayed that he wouldn't come back. After that Christopher took his mom to the hospital to check them out. His mom had a sprained ankle, a broken wrist and an aching back. When they got home Christopher took Andrew to his bedroom to play while Mary checked the answering machine. They got a call from the police department, and were told that Steven had been seen wandering around a hallway in an old building that had not been used in years and  was almost falling apart. He suffered from a mild head injury due to a wooden board falling on his head so all he could do was rest in bed which was good for Mary and Andrew because he wouldn’t be able to hurt them. But it didn't last for long.

Later that week he started beating them again. Christopher knew his father wouldn’t beat him and he also knew he wouldn’t beat his mom and Andrew while he was around. He started staying home every now and then to make sure his father wasn't hurting anybody. One day he got tired of Christopher being there and tried to smack him. Christopher threw one punch and his father was on the ground.

When his father got up he was so mad he went off on his family. His wife was the first, he strangled her, almost to death. Christopher grabbed Andrew and they ran to their neighbors house and locked the door. Their neighbor called the police while Christopher slipped out the back door and snuck back over to his house. He looked in the window and watched his father go to the bedroom. Christopher knew what he was doing. HE IS GETTING A GUN! Christopher ran into the house picked up his mom with no struggle and ran across the street. His father came out of the bedroom and saw she was gone and knew Christopher came and got her. The only thing Steven could do is drag his drunk butt across the street to his neighbors house to try and hurt them there. He couldn't because the door was locked but he sat on the porch waiting for them to come out. The cops showed up with in 5 minutes of the call being made. They took Steven to prison and locked him away for 20 to life.

Mary and Andrew are forever grateful for Christophers brave acts. “You saved our lives, that's what makes you special. You always thought it was your strawberry blonde hair, freckles, and dimples but it's really your courage. You are one of the bravest people i know.” Mary said with tear filled eyes.

Andrew threw in a few words too. “You are more of a dad than Steven ever was. I love you Christopher.”

In that moment everything started making sense. Mary had always wondered why she was mom and Steven was father it's because to Andrew and Christopher he wasn't a dad he was a father, he was just the man that made her pregnant. Christopher had never realized that Andrew looked up to his so much. He never realized that he was almost like a dad to Andrew.

Fifteen years later steven was let out for good behavior. He thought of his family and wondered how they were doing. He was sad because of the way he treated them. He began to walk down the street and think of what his life could have been like. He unknowingly walked into a diner. He sat at the counter and ordered blueberry pancakes and orange juice, he then paid and left. He walked

away without thinking, walked into the street and got hit by a car. He didn't die on impact but didn't live for long once he reached the hospital. His family was called and told about the accident but they weren’t sad, of course Andrew was sad because he was still hoping for his mom and father to get back together at twenty eight . He knew it would never happen because of the awful way his father treated them, and for the simple fact that his mom was remarried and happy this time.

They were all happy now. Christopher who was now thirty one had been a social worker for ten years now. He had wanted to be a social worker since he was sixteen because he wanted to make sure he could help kids like him.  Mary got remarried but decided not to have more children for the simple fact that she was now fifty eight. Andrew became a military man at the age of twenty one and was shot in the leg in war so he got honorable discharge. He now has a wife and two little girls who get along very well with Christophers son and daughter.