Empathy

Chapter Eight

I completely forgot about Gemma.

I forgot my sister stormed out of the house.

I was so preoccupied with Mom and trying to help her that I forgot that Gemma even existed for more than a second.

I placed the ice cream down on my nightstand. I took out my phone, pulling up Gemma's contact profile on my phone. Quickly, I pressed the call button. The call led me straight to voicemail.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit!" I chanted to myself. "Why aren't you answering me, you damn child?" I threw my phone to my bed, the device bouncing a little as went.

I'm going to admit that I do swear a lot. I've been trying to tone it down for the last couple of months and in Mom's presence, but when I'm on my own, all bets are off. I swore like this when I was really mad.

Sighing, I placed my phone in my pants pocket. I directed my eyes to my bedroom window, next to my bed.

"I must be out of my mind," I told myself. I straightened my bomber jacket on my body. I dusted off my pants, feeling the bump of the phone in it. By my window, I saw how much of a drop it would be.

I'm not the best at math but I'm pretty sure a fall from the second floor would injure me. Quite possibly badly injure me.

"Really, I must be completely out of my mind."

I'm actually considering leaving my house through my bedroom window to find my sister. And what are the possibilities that I won't get lost either? Granted it's only been an hour since she left the house, it doesn't take long for anyone to have a head start when given the chance.

The Vayle household was a two floor building, the second floor having the bedrooms and the second bathroom in it. It was an interesting shade of blue that wasn't quite a mixture of green, red, or even yellow, let alone a simple. Single blue color. The garage, which held my father's car, was below my bedroom, giving the floor a cold tinge to it during the winter months in the Midwest.

Again, I must be completely out of my mind to do what I'm about to do.

Taking a deep breath, I swung one of my legs out of the window, the light breeze caressing my leg as if a loved one would. I blew out a breath, a jittery....something running through me.

"Marvel?" Gemma asked from below me. I looked down, seeing my younger sister standing in front of bedroom window outside. She had her hands on her hips, bow shaped lips pursing in distaste. I noticed that her normally bushy, curly hair was flattened, creating the illusion that her hair was longer than it actually was. Dark eyeshadow coated her eyelids, emphasizing the brown of her orbs. "What are you doing?"

"I was going to look for you," I said. I felt an awkward smile made its way to my lips.

"By climbing through your window?" she questioned. One of her eyebrows were raised suspiciously.

"Yes?" I suggested. I felt my shoulders lift up slightly.

My sister shook her head. "You're unbelievable." Gemma moved away from my window, journeying to the front door of our house. "Don't lean so far forward, sis, you won't die, but I'm sure you won't be the same after a fall like that," Gemma remarked, a small... quirk of the lips, let's say, cracking her face open.

"Wait," I called, my voice becoming high. "Wait, Isla James!" My legs went back into the bedroom, feeling numb from the wind. With my entire body in my room now, I opened the door to find Gemma in the hallway, just a foot away from me, about to enter her own bedroom. "Gemma, hold on a second," I said. She had her door open a crack.

Gemma sighed, taking her hand off of the handle. "What do you want, Marvel?" she asked in a defeated tone. It was just like the last time we were in the same room together, I couldn't feel what she was feeling. I thought it was only because there were two other people in the kitchen, and then Aunt Beth, but no, I really couldn't feel what Gemma was feeling.

And that really pissed me off.

"Where were you?" I asked, my teeth grinding together unpleasantly.

"I was out."

"That's not an answer, Isla James," I growled.

Gemma raised an eyebrow at me, her lips pursing to one side. "Oh, so we're using full names now, Marvel Rae?"

"Don't use my name against me," I responded.

"You don't use mine against me, either," Gemma said. Her reaction to that had her hands going down to her hips. "You know I hate my full name."

I closed my door, standing in the hallway with her. "Why were you out? What could have possibly been more important?"

"You went out before I was.. Why am I the one being interrogated? Why aren't you?" she asked, her brows furrowed in anger.

"Because I'm older and you know I have plans with Luna and Peri every second Friday, no matter what," I said, feeling my own anger for the first time in a while.

Gemma let out a bitter laugh. "Of course, you're the oldest. You can get away with more stuff, can't you?"

I gawked at her. "What are you talking about? When has that ever been the case?"

"Please, Marvel... not right now, okay? The fight with Mom really has me tired out," Gemma pleaded.

I pursed my own lips. "I'm guessing that there was much more going on with that argument?"

"Of course," Gemma said, not missing a beat. "But every little thing will set off Mom now. I was just doing my homework and I needed something from her. When she couldn't help me with that something, I wanted to leave and talk to someone who understands my pain."

I gestured to myself after hearing her story. "Gemma, I'm right here. We can share the pain of losing Dad together. Plus, I could've been the one to help you with your homework. I already did that," I commented.

"God!" Gemma exclaimed. "Marvel, it's not all about Dad and it wasn't the homework I needed help with. It was never about the homework." She glared at me. "You really don't understand anything."

"I understand plenty!" I snarled. What the hell was she getting at?

"You know what, Marvel?"

"What?"

"It's not any of your business. Just leave me alone." She turned back to her own bedroom door. "You're good at that and I'm good at leaving you alone, too."

The door closed, leaving me in an uncomfortable silence.