Where The Light Doesn't Reach

23.

I've always known things are much worse at my house than the Kanes'.

It's just a fact that when you compare the two, this house is located somewhere in the nine circles of Hell.
Honestly, now that I've gotten a taste of what an actual family is like, it only seems to make the fall that much harder.

Everything started again after dinner.

"You know, Faith just adores dogs." The man laughs, a sickeningly sweet smile on his face.
A fraud.

"Oh really?" My mom smiles, glancing wide-eyed to the skinny blonde sat on the sofa next to her boyfriend.

Her boyfriend. That constantly cheats on her. With me. Without my consent.

She's kind of a victim too, in a way.
She seems nice.

"Absolutely," Faith beams, "I volunteer at the shelter down the street from our dorm. It's a nonprofit so I don't get paid, but it's worth it since I get to be around all the puppies!"

She brings out her phone, showing my mother pictures and videos of the animals she works with. The two are enamored, both cooing at the creatures on her cracked screen.

All while he has his eyes somewhere else—

That's right, they're on me.

I'm gonna be sick.

"Well Greg said he'd let me take one home once we graduate and move in together." Faith tells her, and the older woman happily claps her hands in excitement.

"That's a wonderful idea!" She beams, bringing the man's attention away from burning a hole into the side of my head and back to the topic at hand. "Just make sure the two of you don't disappear on us, okay?" She teases. "I want my oldest to visit me every once in a while, it gets lonely here without you."

My chest aches, even more so than it already has from all the anxiety, fear, and nausea that's been building up for the past half hour.
Ever since my parents showed up at the same exact moment I had come downstairs to put my plate in the sink—
With him in tow.

Faith seems like such a wonderful person. Why couldn't he be happy with her?

"Aw mom, don't say it like that— what about Carter? He's always here." Greg motions towards me, as if reminding everyone that yes, I still exist.

Ironic, considering he's the one person I wish didn't notice me.

Our mother blinks before pursing her lips. "Yes, you're right - however he tends to disappear."

The atmosphere becomes awkward, and Faith looks unsure what to do. I shrink further into the corner of the couch while Greg huffs out a laugh. "Oh come on, it was only a couple weeks! I've been gone for months."

Everyone visibly relaxes with his attempt at lightening the mood and I scowl at the fact that I'm the only one who knows just how fake he is—

He's a wolf in sheep's clothing.
A demon in disguise.

"You know, Faith and I were just talking about how nice it'd be if you brought Carter along sometime when you visit our campus—"