𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒 (𝟏𝟖+)

25. SICKENING

- PRESENT -

"Hey Sis, welcome home."

I blink a few times taking her in. She's dressed like how I used to dress. Her hair is done up in the same way I used to do it when I worked for Scott, when I was with Scott. My stomach twists in an uneasy fashion as I realize she's trying to be me. He tried to replace me with my own blood, my own twin sister.

"Little Love, meet Little Dove." Scott holds out a hand to Marina, beckoning her to him. She complies, walking directly next to him with a twisted look in her eye. She plasters on a smile for him, looking at him like he's the only thing in her universe. The sight makes me want to gag. "What?" Scott looks at me as he pulls Marina into his chest and places a kiss on the top of her head. "You've nothing to say to your sister? You know, the sister that's been in complete peril this entire time? Do you truly believe that's how I'd treat your family?" He gives her one more kiss as he stares me down.

"That's an interesting choice of words considering the reason I met you was because you were going to kill my mother."

"Your mother?" He laughs loudly like that's a big fucking joke. "She was never a mother to you, Little Love. Come on, don't look so angry. You know it's the truth."

I clench and unclench my fists feeling something boil in the pit of my stomach akin to burning lava. Now, I've been manipulated before, this is no new thing to me. I've always said that people do shitty things. People will hurt you, it's somewhat of an inevitability. But this, this was entirely new to me. I could expect it from the world, from Scott, but from Marina... now that was an entirely new feeling of betrayal, one I'd never felt before.

"Marina," I try to keep my voice as level as possible, trying not to let the emotion seep through. "I understand why you might think this is a good idea, but it's not. He, this, is not the answer." I know the allure Scott has. I know what it's like to need a father figure that's been absent from your life. I know what it's like to crave that attention but I would never hurt her to get it. I would never hurt someone I claim to love because I was hurting. No, other people's pain should never be the salve to soothe your inner burns. That is exactly what he was doing and, even though I hate to say it, so was she. Unfortunately for me, it was my pain and me that they were choosing to use to feel some sort of better.

"Really Malyssa? Everything seems pretty perfect from where I'm standing." She snuggles her head into Scott's chest. It's a chest she might think holds some sort of emotional comfort, some sort of solace but it doesn't. What she also doesn't know is that the attention she craves, that love from a father figure she so yearns for, is not in that shallow heap of lies she's snuggling into.

"Come with me." I plead with her and reach a hand out to her even though all I really want to do is slap her. "Please."

"Come with you?" She pulls out of Scott's arms and looks at me like I've just said the most ridiculous thing in the universe. She saunters up to me saying, "why on earth would I want to come with you, Malyssa?" She even laughs, like this is some sort of sick comedy.

"This isn't you, Marina. This life, the things you're doing because of him, it isn't you." She cocks a disbelieving brow at me. "Marina, I'm serious. You're only here because he wants to get to me. Don't you realize that? This whole charade you're playing at isn't you." Unfortunately, it's me. It's the epitome of my past traumatic events she's trying to embody.

"What are you even talking about, Malyssa?" She chuckles sinisterly again as she walks up to the bed. "You're always so serious. Everything is so serious to you. Why don't you lighten up for a change? Not everything is about you."