A Tangled Web We Weave (Completed)

22. Go Ahead and Cry Little Girl

Cal

"Can you believe the nerve of that guy?" I growled, putting my arm around her waist. It was a few days after seeing the kiss and we had walked in the house as Israel and Bri drove away. Israel just posted on his Snapchat story and Bri is sitting on his lap. His lap. Andy had started making cookies, trying to distract me.

Andy sighed. "Honestly, I feel bad with him." At my look, she blushed. "Sorry, Cal, but I really hate her." She reached for the baking soda, stepping away from me

I rolled my eyes. "But c'mon, he doesn't deserve her. He's-he's-"

"Respectable, intelligent, not to mention attractive." She shrugged. "You're right. He deserves better."

"An-"

"Cal, your sister is spoiled, arrogant, self absorbed, and has a habit of putting others down in an effort to save her drowning self esteem."

"Watch it. That's still my sister you're talking about." I wrapped my arms around her waist and rested my head on her shoulder, but she turned around to look at me.

"For years, your sister has been the bane of my existence. She tortured me for a long time for simply being smarter than she was, just because I wouldn't help her cheat." She crossed her arms, pushing a little away from me. "Israel's biggest downfall in my eyes is that he puts up with her."

I stood glaring at her. "Maybe we should change the subject before I say something I regret." I started walking away from her, but stopped when I felt a hand on my arm.

"I'm sorry, Cal. I won't bring it up again if you really don't want me to." She sighed. "For years, she's been the one person I haven't been able to get along with ever."

I turned, pulling her into a hug. She finally stopped doing the thing where I touched her in the smallest way and she froze. I liked it gone. "How did this whole thing get started?"

She opened her mouth and then closed it with an almost audible snap, pulling out of my arms. She almost ran back into the kitchen. "I'm warning you right now, I cannot cook, bake, or do anything with food except eat it, so this is going to be interesting."

"Andy," I sighed, following her. "We need to talk about it-"

"Actually, I think we need to stop talking about it, like you suggested."

I nodded reluctantly. "What book are you reading right now?"

"How do you know I'm reading a book?"

"Babe," I said, giving her a look.

"What?"

"I know because I know you."

She blushed. "Hamlet. Again." She reached for the spoon. "But voice lessons are taking up so much of my time right now." She covered her mouth with eyes wide as she met my gaze, plopping the last ball of cookie dough on the metal sheet.

"Wait... you sing?"

"Um... no?"

"Why didn't you tell me you could sing?" I rounded the counter to try to intimidate her.

She backed away, smiling and shaking her head. "I'm not that good, honestly. That's why I'm taking lessons."

"Sing something."

She shook her head firmly. "No, you really don't wanna hear me sing." She reached past me, grabbing the pan of cookies

I narrowed my eyes and whirled towards the stairs. "I'm getting my phone charger, but I will hear you sing when I get back."

I bounded up the stairs and had barely reached the door to my room when I heard her scream. My heart stopped, dropped, and began racing. Stepping down the stairs as fast as I could, I skidded into the kitchen and froze when I saw her sitting in the corner where to cabinets met, her slender fingers covering her face. "Andy, are you ok?"

She looked up, tears streaking down her face, her phone clenched tightly in one of her hands. "No, Cal, I'm not," she snapped and put her hands back over her face.

Crouching beside her, I brushed her arm. She flinched away so violently, she hit her head on the cabinet. Crying out in pain, she started to sob. "He's back, Cal, and I can't go back to that, I can't do that again."

Sitting next to her, I cleared my threat of all the emotion clogging it. "Who's back, Andy?"

She looked up, wiping the tears from her eyes, and scrambled to her feet. "I'm sorry, Cal, I've got to go."

She grabbed her things and she vanished.