One Last Time (COMPLETED)

Sister Sister

Dear Mia,

Do you remember Chess? He was a sweetheart. There's a video of him on our old flashdrive, I was just thinking about him today. Definitely go watch it, it'll have you crying too.

M.F

My mouth grew dry at the mention of Chess. We'd always used the name of our childhood dog as a cover for the flashdrive that we kept with all videos that weren't to be seen by the public eye. It held years of not-so-innocent videos of the two of us, and the fact that she was mentioning the small device when I'd had it in my possession and on me since we were in seventh grade was unnerving. Setting Max in the swing beside my foot, I crossed the room to where my duffel bag sat on top of the bare mattress the boys had finally moved into the room this morning. Not that I spent much time in here when Tanner was home. I had found the only way I could catch even a wink of sleep was when I was tucked securely in his arms, as if my subconscious were latching on to the fact that he was protecting me even as I dozed off.

My purse sat on top of it, and the moment I reached it, I pulled my wallet from inside and dug through the coin pouch for the flashdrive. Once it was in my hand, I grabbed my laptop and sat on the edge of the bed, one leg still hanging off and foot pressed against the cold tile as I inserted the drive into the USB port on my computer. I felt my stomach start churning when I opened it on my computer and was immediately greeted with a video of Maya making out with some guy Freshman year of high school. Quickly scrolling down so I could avoid any of my own videos. My breathing hitched when I saw the newest addition to the videos. Bracing myself, I opened the MPV, and watched my sister's face light up the screen. She was in her bedroom at the Weekly, the twins could be heard crying distantly in the background. A loud bang sounded from the other room, and she looked behind her before she walked away from the camera.

"What's so fucking urgent this time, Maya?" Parker snapped, appearing in the doorframe. Though he still looked the same; mess of blonde curls, blue eyes full of irritation with a hint of amusement in there, and had a light stubble lining his jaw, it was as if with Maya's death, a whole darkness washed over him and changed his aura altogether. "I was busy."

My sister handed a folded piece of paper in her hand over to her best friend towering over her. He eyed her for a moment before he took the paper and read whatever it said. "Is this a joke?"

"I need to get out of here, Park." The sound of her voice earned a quiet whimper out of me and I had to touch the back of my hand over my mouth to keep a sob from breaking through and waking Max. "Whether or not this is some warped joke or not, they know my every move, they've been in here when I'm not. I'm in danger. My kids are."

"Call the police." Parker offered with a shrug, handing the paper over. "If you're in fear of your safety and life that's your best bet."

She shoved him so hard and suddenly he actually staggered back. "You promised me when we were kids that you would protect me. That you had my back."

"I have had your back, Maya!" he growled, pointing his finger at her accusingly, "For the last fourteen years I have bailed you out of every God damn situation you've gotten yourself into. There's some shit I just can't do, May. And I'm not going to allow you to drag Mia into this shit either."

"That isn't your decision to make!" my sister spat angrily, slapping her hands against his broad chest again and glaring up at him. "You know as well as I do if Mia finds out your trying to fight her battles for her she'll hate you."

"She'll thank me eventually!" he retorted bitterly, then made a gesture around the room, then behind him toward the living room where the twins were. "This? All of this is a problem of your own creation, Maya. The kids, this hellhole, you being stalked or whatever, this is because you just don't know how to shut up and keep to yourself."