Starting Off Wrong [𝐠𝐱𝐠]

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟒: 𝐒𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐲?

"Are you alright, Odette?" Hearing my sister's name, I immediately perk up and ask, "What?" All the girls look at me, waiting for an answer. I fake a laugh and say, "Yes, of course I'm alright."

"Okay," Magnolia says, hesitant and slow. "You just seem a bit ... " "Off," Suri finishes. "Are you worried about anything?"

"Me? Why would I be worried?" I pick at the broccoli in my lunch tray. "There's nothing to worry about," I quietly say so only I can hear.

"Maybe you're just mistaking worry for excitement," Karina suggests. "I mean, Friday is your big day."

I shake my head and say, "I'm just going to a school soccer game." "But, and correct me if I'm wrong, you're going to see Everest," Aurelia teases. Maybe it's better to pretend that is the problem. It'll make them lose any further suspicion that something else is wrong. If they keep asking me, I'll be sure to slip up sometime.

"Yes, I guess you're right," I nod. "I just can't wait for this week to be over." I take a bite from my salad as the girls continue talking. Aurelia continues looking at me, sharing a concerned look. I offer a smile to her to show her I'm okay. She smiles back, but when she looks down at her plate, her face returns to a worried state.

If only she knew, it's killing me too. I just want to scream into a pillow.

I would have done that last night if Aurelia wasn't in the same room as me. Odette's phone call has made me nervous since the morning, She may be intimidating me with empty threats, but it's working anyhow. I can't concentrate on anything else. I might go crazy.

"Time to go girls," Magnolia says, followed by a sigh. "I swear lunch gets shorter and shorter with each passing day." We all stand up with our trays, and start heading towards the exit.

"Odette," Aurelia calls me, speaking softly. I turn towards her. I notice she lingers a bit behind the group, so I slow my pace to match hers.

"You're not worried about Everest, are you?" Aurelia looks so troubled, it kind of upsets me that I can't tell her. I want to, so horribly bad. I wish the circumstances were different. I wish, I wish I were the bad sister. If I were the bad one, I would have come here on my own terms and I wouldn't have to pretend to be anyone else.

"I'm fine, Aurelia," I say, my voice coming out harsher than I wanted.

"I'm sorry," I quickly apologize, not wanting anymore arguments. "I guess you're right. I am stressed, but it's nothing for you to worry about." I pause before saying, "Just my own personal matter." Now, that isn't lie. These are personal matters, they're just not what she probably thinks they are.

"Well, I'm here if you ever want to talk about those matters," Aurelia says. "Thank you," I say, smiling. Aurelia smiles back as we throw our remaining lunch away.

We quicken our pace to catch up to the other girls. "I desperately despise my drama class," Karina groans. "I love the subject, but I hate the class." "I have the same feeling for english," Magnolia says.