Amara's POV:
The tension between Ruby and me had reached a boiling point.
Our arguments had grown more frequent, the undercurrent of desire and frustration fueling the fire between us.
One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, the simmering hostility finally bubbled over.
"You think you're so high and mighty, don't you?" I spat out, my voice dripping with resentment.
Ruby's eyes blazed, her temper flaring. "At least I don't play the victim card all the damn time."
Liviana, sensing the brewing storm, retreated to her room, leaving us alone in the living room, where the air crackled with electricity.
Ruby's POV:
Amara's words struck a nerve, igniting a fury I could barely contain.
"You know nothing about me or my life. Don't act like you've got me all figured out."
Her eyes flashed with a mixture of anger and hurt.
"And you know nothing about me either, so stop pretending like you've got it all together."
Before either of us could say more, the ringing of a phone interrupted our argument.
It was my father, his voice hushed and urgent. He and my mother were called away to handle a situation within the mafia, leaving us in charge of Liviana.
Amara's POV:
As the reality sunk in that we were responsible for Liviana's well-being, the anger between Ruby and me seemed to dissipate, replaced by a shared sense of duty.
We might not get along, but there was something bigger at stake now.
Ruby sighed, her frustration giving way to worry.
"We can't keep fighting like this, not with Liviana here."
I nodded, reluctantly agreeing. "Yeah, you're right."
Ruby's POV:
For the first time, there was a truce between us.
We might not have liked each other, but we both cared about Liviana's safety.
As we settled into an uneasy silence, the weight of our new responsibilities hung heavy in the air.
Liviana emerged from her room, sensing the shift in the atmosphere. "Are you two fighting again?"
I exchanged a glance with Amara, both of us caught off guard by Liviana's perceptiveness.
"We're not fighting," I said, my tone softer than before.
Amara's POV:
Liviana didn't look convinced, but she didn't press the matter further.
Instead, she wandered over to where we sat and squeezed herself between us on the couch, a small smile playing on her lips.
It was as if she could sense the tension and was determined to bridge the gap.
Ruby's gaze softened as she ruffled Liviana's hair. "You're too nosy for your own good."
Liviana giggled, a sound that was like music in the midst of chaos.
As the night wore on, we found ourselves talking – about inconsequential things at first, but gradually delving into more personal topics. It was a strange sort of bonding, a connection that felt fragile yet significant.
Ruby's POV:
As the hours passed, Amara and I fell into a rhythm of conversation, our words flowing more easily than they ever had before. Liviana chimed in with her own anecdotes, her presence a soothing balm to the wounds of our ongoing arguments.
In that moment, I could almost forget the complexities of my family's world and the mess of emotions between Amara and me.
As we settled into the night, Liviana's head resting on Amara's shoulder, I felt a strange sense of peace – a respite from the battles we faced both within and outside of ourselves.
For a brief moment, the tangled webs of our lives seemed to untangle, if only just a little.
