There's Always A Plot Twist | Wattys 2023 ✓

10| The Egg

"Hey Amber, you okay, you look a little...grey?" Asanti stands behind the sofa Amber and Arlo are sitting cosily together on.

She has her head trapped in her phone, the white light classing with the amber overhead lights.

"It's just my dad." she replies, covering up the truth with a perfected smile. "He's just a little worried about me."

Asanti lazily rolls his eyes. "I'm so done with every kind of daddy; they give you nothing but disappointment and maybe a credit card or two."

"You see, when you say shit like that, I have no idea if you're joking or not." Freddie utters on his way to get another drink.

"Someone has to keep you on your toes." Asanti retorts, reassuringly putting a hand on Amber's shoulder as he can tell there's more troubling her, before going on his merry way.

Arlo peers down at Amber's phone, his eyes catching the hurricane of threats and curses coming through in tiny blue boxes. 

He frowns, taking her phone from her and turning it off. "You're staying here tonight."

"That'll only make things worse." she whispers back, stroking the baby hairs at the back of his neck.

"You're staying here. I want to keep you safe." he repeats, locking eyes with her, sensing the fear hiding just behind her visage. "There's no way I'm going to let him put his hands on you again."

"That was one time-"

"-Amber, it's not happening. He's dangerous with it, you know that, and so do I, alright."

Amber kisses Arlo's cheek, snuggling closer to him whilst scrolling through the abusive messages behind closed eyes, unable to shake the anxious feeling that keeps her hairs standing on end.

Meanwhile, Asanti momentarily ducks into his room as more guests arrive for the house party, wanting to change his outfit for the fourth time after seeing what some of the others are wearing.

Only, upon opening his door, Asanti discovers Lance holding the collection of files he spent the entire summer curating. "What are you doing? Why are you going through my things?"

"It dropped on the floor when I sat on your bed...is it true?"

Asanti looks over his shoulder before stepping inside, slamming the door shut behind him. "Is what true?"

"This." Lance replies, shaking the binder in his hands. "Is she really your sister?"

Asanti sighs, locking the door, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. "I can explain-"