ALLURING ━━ E. sinclair¹

ㅤㅤㅤᵠᵘᵃʳʳᵉˡ

"WHERE ARE you going?" I stepped into the room, the sound of zippers and silence answering me.

"Yoko's room. Thornhill said I could crash there for a few nights."

"You don't have to." I hated how weak that sounded. Hated that I meant it. "Wednesday talked to Weems. You and Xavier won't be punished."

She zipped the bag without even looking up. "Am I supposed to thank you?"

My chest went still. "I already apologized. It's over." The words came out louder than I meant.

She turned then, just as thunder cracked. "Over?" Her voice sharpened. "Tonight was just the icing on the birthday cake you couldn't bother to blow out while it was still in my hands."

I shut the door behind me. My fingers were ice.

"You and your sister use people. Doesn't matter who. Doesn't matter what it costs. We could've died tonight because of her obsession."

"But we didn't," I said. "We're closer to figuring it out. That's what matters."

She inhaled, slow and shaking, her stare drilling through me.

"I've tried," she said. "God, I've tried. I thought if I just kept putting myself out there, maybe you'd finally see me. Thought of your feelings, made excuses. Told everyone you were just shy. That the whole serial-killer thing was just surface."

"I never asked you to do that." My hands curled into fists. "you said you tried? I've spent every damn day here trying to guess what you want from me. You kiss me, then go off kissing some guy who didn't even show up to the date he planned?"

"He accidentally stoned himself."

"Right. Of course he did." I stepped closer. "Why did you even kiss me at the Rave'N, Enid? Was that just another game? Just something to screw with my head?"

She looked away. I couldn't stop.

"I hate that I believed you for even a second."

"What the hell is your problem?" she snapped.

"My problem? My problem is that I let you in. Let you see the parts of me no one else gets to. And you threw it back like it was trash."

She blinked. Like maybe she'd say something. Like maybe she'd even try to fix it.

"Get out."

"Claire—look, I didn't know—"

"Get the hell out, Enid."

She took a step forward like she might touch me, and I backed away like it burned. Her eyes were glassy. So were mine.

And then she was gone. Door closed.

I stood there, hands shaking. Walked to her bed like it might explain something. Touched her sheets like they'd give me an answer.

How can someone so soft be this cruel?

I collapsed onto her pillow. Hugged her stupid stuffed animals like they were worth anything. Cried so hard I couldn't even smell her perfume anymore.

My fingers brushed my lips. Still trembling. Still remembering hers. That scent that used to make me feel safe. Now it just made me sick.

She has this grip on me. Doesn't even realize it.

The little girl warned me—told me I'd be alone, In solidary with my sister. Maybe this was how it was always going to end, maybe it's inevitable, But for the first time in my life.

It didn't feel good.

When Wednesday found me, she froze. Looked around. Pieced it together.

"Claire," she whispered.

She walked toward me, slower than usual. Sat beside me.

"I'm sorry."

something in me shattered.

I broke down in her arms, let everything out while she sat still, fingers running through my hair like it was the only thing holding me together.