A Gun To My Heart

5

We sit at the table. My mom and Calix are always talking together, while Aries and I just exchange glances. We've probably only said seven sentences in two hours.

"How does the food taste?"
"Amazing."
"I'm glad you like it."

I smile. Like it was you who made it, and not some poor chef trying to survive.

"What are you thinking about? You seem lost in your thoughts."

"Oh, just my friends. I miss them."

Lie. I'm thinking about all the ways I can make you fall in love with me. Just for my wicked mom to succeed with a plan, I don't even know what is.

Failure. My eyes darken at the thought, and I try to rip the thought apart. Not. Now.

I rise from my chair and look Calix and Aries in their eyes. "Thank you for the food. It was delicious. I'm just going to catch some breath of fresh air if you don't mind? The garden looks spectacular."

Calix doesn't even think anything about my words, fully absorbed in my mom's beauty.

You're a fool.

"Of course, Maeve. Aries. Join her, would you please?" My smile fades a tiny bit, as I watch him rise from his seat. His eyes meet mine, and he reaches out his arm. I take it and we walk through the garden.

Our muscles are strained, not wanting to touch each other. I try to focus on the sun and the beautiful environment. "Why are you here?" He asks me, and I turn my face towards him.

That was unexpected. I clear my throat and look at his eyes. Hazel. Still dead. "Because my mom wanted me to get to know you."

Make you fall in love with me.

He stays quiet and takes a step from me, leaving my arm free. I immediately walk longer down the pathway. The pathway is made of different crystals. Rose quartz, amethyst, aventurine, citrine.

"Do you know it's crystals?" He asks me, wanting to show off his knowledge. I shake my head, smiling. Lie.

He doesn't smile back.

"Why do you lie so much?" He asks again. My heart stops. How?

"You're very easy to read, Maeve."
He comes even closer. My smile fades, and I furrow my brows in confusion.

"Rude. Why would I lie? What would I lie about?" I fire back, fixing my eyes on his. I will not back down. I will continue to lie.

He laughs showing his small dimples on each side. "Another lie." He says, but his voice is tighter. He's getting annoyed.

I furrow my brows yet again. What is he doing? How is he doing this? He's cornering me mentally. Into a trap. What do I do? Just admit to everything?

Foolish.

"You really think you are something, trying to tell me that I'm lying. I don't know where, or how you're getting this information from. But it's certainly not true." I sneer, plucking a rose from the ground before I walk away - leaving Aries standing alone. Staring into nothing.

Thoughts cloud my mind with a dark, thick fog as I fall on the puffy bed. "Maeve Ambrose," mom's voice shouts, as she slams the door close.

I close my eyes, not wanting to hear another word escape that filthy mouth. She drags me off the bed, and her hand leaves a burning sensation on my cheek again.

I don't even try to fight it. Fight her.
I just need peace.

"What did I see out there? You made him mad." Her hand points out to the garden. I fight the urge to rip her long, red nails off her fingers. Please just leave me, I want to scream. But I can't.

"For once, I think I find something you're useful for, only to find out you're failing miserably."

I'm a failure. I know.

Her hand touches me again. Leaving the same burning sensation lingers on my cheek.

"I should've brought Sabrina here instead. You're useless. Even for the smallest task." She spits at me, and storms out of the door, not even bothering to close it properly. Tears fill eyes. But I won't let them drop. Not for her.

I sit there in silence, playing the scenario over and over in my head. You're useless. Even for the smallest task. My eyes close slowly, only to open again after hearing something small fall over in the hallway.

I see Aries trying to put the small decoration back onto the long table. When he turns around his face is blushing, and his eyes are filled with concern. Like you care.

It's an act. I tell myself. He has fooled you twice now. I repeat, closing the door slowly while he's watching.

Don't let him fool you for the third time.