Living With The Emerson Girls

Chapter 15

~Zachary's Point of View~

I tried to process Ariel's words.

"Mr. Hills raped Carolynn?" I echoed.

"Think about it... I doubt Mr. Hills actually cares whether you and Carolynn are together. She must be emotionally unstable, and Mr. Hills is worried someone is going to find out. So he's trying to blame you for it."

"Ariel, that's ridiculous. Wouldn't his DNA be all over her?"

Ariel turned to look at me, her mind, once again, miles ahead of mine.

"How many days has it been since the party?"

"Ariel, Mr. Hills is a freak, but I don't think he raped Carolynn. That's just gross."

"Well, then who did?"

"I don't know. But Mr. Hills is obviously trying to protect someone."

"Zac, who saw you with Carolynn at the party?"

"A bunch of- Oh. No. No. No."

Something clicked, and I felt sick. I didn't need to answer Ariel, she had already read the expression on my face. There were witnesses who would speak in Carolynn's favor, even if they weren't particularly fond of her. Mr. Hills would make sure of that. Everyone knew that Carolynn and I had gone to that party together.

"But Ariel- I can't, no... No. No. No."

"I hate to say I told you so," she took a hold of my hand in her lap, sympathy on her face, "things like these happen with Carolynn. Mr. Hills is a powerful man."

"Shit. Shit, shit, shit."

"I give it a week."

"For what?"

"For the entire town to hate you."

*****

~Athena's Point of View~

There was no moment in time in which I had hated my twin sister more than I did now. I had locked myself in my room to paint; Anger steadied my hand always. The thinnest and most delicate stroke was the product of rage brought upon by the color green.

In the other room, I heard Zac and Ariel laughing and giggling like idiots.

And I was upset.

Ariel always got everything she wanted. She was the perfect child, after all.

"My Ariel, she's so intelligent and athletic and talented and better than everyone around her," I mimicked anyone who ever spoke of Ariel.

The worst part, though, was that my anger was unjust, as Ariel hadn't done anything to me. She didn't know what my feelings were. Ariel was perfect, so hating her was a sin.

I exhaled carbon dioxide, which was not only a product of respiration, but of lusting thoughts and dirty chemicals cycling through my veins. The paintbrush slipped as I thought of his lips pressed on mine-

"Dammit."

The pattern had smeared. I stepped back to take a bitter look. It wasn't too bad; It could be incorporated.

Something burned and heaved inside me when Zac had kissed me, which I am sure is part of the natural feeling you get when an attractive boy puts his lips on yours. 

But the feeling was still there, burning and heaving on.

*****

 ~Zachary's Point of View~