Do we truly know those we consider as our family?
This is the last year before the beginning of the rest of Cara and Mia lives!
Mia Carter still has one more year to spend on Angel Island before leaving, with her best friend, for Montreal to pursue...
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Chapter 5 - Lies or Paranoia?
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Austin - Friday, 1:02 PM
I'm waiting for Mia in front of my motorcycle. We made good progress this morning despite the rough start to our interaction. It's nice to work with her. Maybe I should suggest working together more often. Of course, she would refuse.
I finally see her coming out of the building and approaching me. She's wearing shorts and a white top with an open orange patterned shirt. Her outfit would be quite classic if it weren't accompanied by a ton of rings and gold necklaces, giving her a surfer look. I'd love to see her on a surfboard one of these days.
Her expression remains serious as she reaches my side and takes the helmet I offer her. "Ready?" I give her a glance as I settle on the motorcycle, and she sits behind me.
"If you are too." The now familiar sensation of her body against mine sends pleasant electric shocks through me, and I catch a whiff of her perfume despite wearing my helmet. It's a citrusy blend, as if she just stepped out of the shower. I start the engine, and she leans in a little closer. I might become addicted to this if we keep going like this.
After riding for about ten minutes, we finally arrive in front of Cara's house, and I park on the side of the road. I feel Mia tense up against me, as if she hesitates to separate her body from mine for a few seconds. Or maybe I imagined it because a second later she's already in front of me, releasing her brown curls from the helmet. I get off the motorcycle as well and turn off the engine. With a determined look, we head towards the front door.
Cara's mother welcomes us on the porch, in a state as pitiful as the day before. Her eyes are red, and they immediately remind me of my father. She's not sober. Considering she's a public figure in town, it unsettles me to see her like this. To the point that if I had bumped into her on the street, I might not have recognized her. Mia throws herself into her arms, and we settle on the couch. Cara's mother slumps into the armchair across from us. Our shoulders brush against each other, and I hold my breath for a second.
"Ethan told us that Cara would have come back last night," Mia begins, and I feel Mr. Ward's gaze turning dark. She doesn't respond. "Mrs. Ward? Cara came back, didn't she?" My voice is deeper and louder than Mia's, which startles both of them. The house is so quiet that my own voice has an effect on me.
"Mia?" a familiar voice comes from the hallway, and Mia straightens up so abruptly that I feel her waver, and I grab her hand to steady her.
Long brown hair appears at the entrance of the room, and a young girl joins us. I had only seen her a few times before, but I recognize Cara's sister. At the age of 10, with her red glasses and denim shorts, she looks frightened.
