Masks Always Fall

Chapter 27

I was curled up in bed reading when Zahara bounded into the room, throwing herself down onto the foot of my bed with a smile. As usual, her favorite stuffed bunny was clutched under one arm.

"Whatcha reading?" she asked, crawling up to peer over my shoulder at the pages. I showed her the cover - just some fantasy novel I'd picked up from the library.

Zahara made a face. "Boring!" She grabbed up her bunny instead, making it dance across the bedspread as she babbled in a silly voice. "Look at me, Emma, I'm hoppin' and poppin'!"

Most of the other kids found it weird that Zahara still played with stuffed animals at 15. But I thought it was sweet how she managed to hold onto her sense of wonder and imagination despite all she'd been through before coming here.

Smiling indulgently, I watched her play for a few minutes before grabbing another toy off my nightstand - a plastic horse on wheels. "Hey look, it's me on my trusty steed, coming to save you from the big bad wolf!" I made clip-clopping noises as I raced the horse towards her bunny.

Zahara's giggle was music to my ears. In moments like this, the heavy weight of our pasts seemed to lift. We were just two kids without a care in the world, if only for a little while.

Just then the door banged open, and McKenna sauntered in with her usual look of disdain.

"Ugh, you're both so immature," she scoffed, eyeing Zahara and I with contempt. Zahara shrank back instinctively, clutching her bunny closer.

I set my jaw, leveling McKenna with a glare. "No one asked for your opinion."

"Like you'd know a good opinion if it slapped you," she sneered. Her abrasive presence was like sandpaper on my calm mood.

Getting up, I moved to stand protectively in front of Zahara. "If you've just come in here to criticize us, you can leave."

McKenna rolled her eyes dramatically. "I came to remind you it's your turn to do chores. But I can see you're too busy playing kiddie games."

With a parting sneer, she flounced back out, closing the door with more force than necessary. The slam made Zahara flinch.

Sighing, I turned to give her a reassuring smile. "Don't listen to her, okay? You can play as long as you want."

She smiled back gratefully, cuddling her bunny once more.

I gave Zahara a hug and told her I'd be back soon before heading downstairs to tackle the dishes. Sure enough, the sink was overflowing when I got to the kitchen. I sighed loudly, rolling up my sleeves to get to work.

As I started scrubbing, McKenna slinked into the room, immediately catching my eye. She leaned back against the counter with her arms crossed, watching me like a hawk.

My hands worked stubbornly as I ignored her gaze boring into me. But after a few moments of her silent judgement, I had to ask, "What do you want?"

"Just observing the good little worker bee," she smirked, picking under her nails disaffectedly.

I rolled my eyes. "Well find somewhere else to observe. You're distracting."

"Aw, is the wittle baby getting irwitated?" she cooed in a mocking baby voice.

Turning to face her with soapy hands on my hips, I said sternly, "Knock it off, McKenna. I'm not in the mood for your attitude today."

She scowled but pushed off the counter, sauntering away with a parting dig. "Careful or those suds will ruin what's left of your few remaining brain cells."

"I can see now why your family didn't want you," she whispered, voice dripping with cruel satisfaction. "Ugly, useless, unwanted - that's all you'll ever be."