Aubrey, the Star

21: infrared

Aubrey

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infrared - "part of the electromagnetic spectrum that we cannot see with our eyes but can feel as heat. It is made of waves released by hot objects, such as stars."

Mariah's acrylic nails were digging into my scalp.

I screamed from the stinging pain. She fisted my hair into her hand. My body cowered beneath her grasp. I tried scratching at her legs and arms. Where I felt skin, I tried to inflict the most damage. She pushed away from me roughly. My head bounced against the wall like a basketball. I groaned, falling to the floor in a heap.

In a daze, all I could hear was the clicking of Mariah's heels as she circled me. She was the huntress and I the prey. A faint ringing could be heard in my ears. I prayed I didn't have a concussion.

"So someone told me Jameson spent the night with you last Saturday," Mariah said. Her voice was all bark and bite. The venom was stinging with her words. The surprise wasn't lost on me. Of course this was about Jameson.

My eyes cut to Charlotte. The only way Mariah would've known about Jameson being at our house was because she felt the need to blab about it. Anger began to stew inside of me. The constant violation of privacy was something I'd never get used to at Chellgren.

I was still so surprised Charlotte was choosing to treat me, her sister, like this too. If I had the choice, I wouldn't have bothered to know that she existed. What good was a sister anyways?

The sudden jerk of my chin sent a sharp pain around my neck. Mariah cradled my face in her hand like I was a child. I was on the floor with my legs tucked folded underneath me. My arms were the only things keeping me upright.

"Tell that someone to mind her own fucking business," I said, seething.

The one thing Mariah couldn't match was my anger. I was always angry like the Hulk. If I had the ability to go green like he did, I don't think I'd ever know my true human form again. Mariah was vicious. I was a walking flame. All she had to do was light a match and I'd blow.

Charlotte stood before me. She was tall and steady behind Mariah like a lapdog waiting for her owner to throw a bone. My sister didn't bother making eye contact with me. I really wanted to believe she felt a little bit guilty for how she was treating me. Was Charlotte really this kind of person?

Then, I remembered who her mother was.

I guess Charlotte was a lost cause. That was too bad...for her.

"Remember it's up to me to determine whether you have business or not," Mariah said. "When it comes to Jameson, everything that has to do with him is my business. Whether you like it or not."

Her fingers put pressure around my chin. I jerked out of her grasp, pushing at her legs. She crumpled to the ground, falling flat on her butt. I wasn't going to allow her to have the upper hand. Jameson was a guy making his own decisions. I wasn't about to be handled this way because of him.

"You're a fucking bitch!" Mariah shrieked. Her hand was holding her finger. I rolled my eyes because she broke a nail. "I'll tell everyone you're a whore!"

"That's fine, Mariah," I said, slowly struggling to get up. I managed to make it to my knees. That bump to the wall really took its toll on me. Damn! This bitch really packed some power. "You can tell everyone I'm a whore. There's no one here that matters enough to me. I don't care what they think."