Strained

Chapter Four

I sat at the edge of my bed, going back and forth on how I was going to tell Dara and my mom about this mess. There were details about my life I had kept my family from, which obviously hadn't been working. My Gran and now my Aunt had been murdered and maybe if everyone had been on the same page that wouldn't have happened. The guilt consumed me, but where I would have reached for the Amulet in the past, I was trying to make it better for the future.

I didn't want to lose anyone else.

Phantom, who sat to my right, was anxious about my decision as well. He had been always pushing me to tell my mom about what really happened that night at the cemetery. All of my friends had covered for me, illuding that I had been the one to kill Knoll. The very idea that I could kill someone still baffled me, but I had and Knoll hadn't been the only one. Sure, technically Sarah Good had already been dead, but that didn't change that I was the reason she wasn't here today.

I had trauma and the only way to start working on it was to come clean.

"I'm doing it," I told him as I pushed off my bed. I paced to my bedroom door, not wavering in my decision.

"Good, want me to come with?" He purred alongside my leg. I looked down at the gentle Familiar I had grown close to. Phantom was always around like a comfort blanket. I nodded, opened the door and we went downstairs.

Dara was flipping through the channels, a look of determination on her face. My mom was reading a book in the recliner next to her. Neither of them looked up when I entered the room. They probably assumed I was on my way out. They were still in their Pj's while I had my street clothes on. It was Saturday and they were taking it easy. They all looked so cozy, the only thing I wanted to do was join them.

"Hey, guys I was hoping to talk," as I said this I cringed. They were my family, but it suddenly felt awkward. My mom raised her eyebrow but set her book down after putting a bookmark carefully inside. Dara looked at my mom, then back to me.

"Oh God, you're not back with Daniel, are you? Damn, I was actually starting to like Jamie." I rolled my eyes at her. She was being dramatic. Gently, I pushed her. She groaned and flicked the TV off.

"No! I'm still dating Jamie. That's not what I wanted to talk to you guys about." I stifled my frustration. This was already hard and Dara wasn't making it any easier. Then again that was her forte.

"Just checking," her lips curled into a smirk. I knew she was messing with me, but it made me feel guilty. I had created this reputation for breaking up with Daniel and then getting back together. I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

"What did you want to tell us?" My mom asked, snapping me out of my daydream. I wet my lips and sat straighter. I went to form the words but came up blank.

"I want to be honest with you guys," I started. "In the past, I thought by keeping certain things from you it was protecting you. I don't think that's the case anymore." I felt tears prickle the back of my throat. "Daniel's family is divided," I paused. I didn't know what to say next. Nothing in my life had prepared me for this conversation: my ex-boyfriends Aunt wants me and my friends dead and has manipulated most of his family to side with her. Yeah, that just didn't roll off the tongue.

"What does that mean?" My mom leaned forward, sitting at the edge of her seat.

"Well, you know how we tried to break his family Curse, but we failed?" They both nodded. "Most of his family doesn't want the Curse to be broken and they think we can still break it. I guess they've been watching us, waiting to see what we do. Daniel thinks we're all in danger. I had to tell you guys, I'm tired of the secrets. I can't lose either of you," I trail off, overcome with emotion.