Charity Case (Scarlett Johansson)

6

It's been two weeks since Scarlett had brought me home and if I'm being honest, the past weeks weren't so horrible but the obvious tension is still there between Scarlett and me. She took me shopping for clothes, shoes, accessories, some furniture for my bedroom, and the necessities. I didn't like the idea of her spending money on me, well I don't like the idea of anybody spending money on me in general, but she insisted and basically forced me. I am appreciative of everything she bought me and I made sure she knew that. 

There's also been this tension between Colin and me which only seems to grow on a daily basis. I assumed that Colin just never liked me to begin with but what he did and told me a week ago proved those assumptions to be correct. Now I'm listening to him talk shit about me to Scarlett.

"Scarlett I haven't been able to spend some time with you, alone, these last two weeks because of McKenna!" the volume of Colin's voice raises up a bit. 

"Would you keep it down? The girls are only upstairs," Scarlett scolds him and by the sound of it, she was frustrated as hell. I'm sitting at the top of the stairs eavesdropping on their conversion. I mean, yes I know, it's rude and disrespectful to eavesdrop but on my way out of my room, I overheard Colin mention my name so I had to stick around to hear what he had to say about me. 

"Scarlett do you not see what McKenna is doing?" Colin says lowering his voice a little bit. I frown at his words, what the hell is he talking about now?

"What are you talking about?" Scarlett apparently had the same question as me. 

"Do you not think it's weird McKenna appeared just out of nowhere? Like what if her plan all along was to trap you and ruin your life? Maybe she's working for someone. What if she's told to gather as much private information about you and everyone else around you just so they can use it to their advantage?"

What the actual fuck is this? Is he really accusing me of being a con artist? What the actual bullshit. 

"Are you fucking hearing yourself Colin? She's fucking 15 years old. She's my daughter and I don't appreciate you talking about her like that. And I'm pretty sure I ruined her life not the other way around." 

My heart melts hearing Scarlett stand up for me but that's something I would never admit to her. At least not anytime soon. 

"I'm just saying, maybe she's a con artist. What if she's not even your actual daughter? What if your actual daughter was adopted by someone else and McKenna's just posing to be her to get money from you?" 

I feel my chest tighten from hearing his words and I bite the inside of my cheek to try and stop the tears I feel coming. 

"I swear to God Colin if you continue to talk like that about McKenna I will slap you. You know what? I think it's best if you go home tonight because I can't even look at you right now." I flinch at the venom I hear from Scarlett's voice. 

I get up and rush into my room and into my bathroom locking the door behind me. I walk to the furthest wall from the door and slid down the wall sitting on the floor. I pull my knees to my chest and bury my head between them feeling a panic attack threatening to consume me. 

'It's fine, breathe, and calm the fuck down McKenna. Nothing will happen. Nothing will happen. You're safe. Scarlett won't hurt you.' I tell myself over and over again until I notice my breathing coming back to normal. 

I lift my head up and rest it on the wall sighing when I feel the beads of sweat forming on my forehead. 

I jump slightly when someone knocks on my bathroom door, "Kenz?" I hear Scarlett's soft voice from the other side of the door. "You okay in there?" she continues.