Cimorelli Oneshots

Hidden Love (A Cimorelli Story)

"You told me you cared."

Her eyes bore into me, sharp and unforgiving.

"I- I do care," I say, trying not to stumble over my words.

"Really?"

She tilts her head to the side, as if contemplating my words.

"Last time I checked, caring was telling your sister you loved her. Comforting her when she was hurt. Talking to her when she was trying to have a conversation. Asking her why she hasn't eaten for days on end. Noticing the bruises and scars all over her body."

"I, uh, didn't know. And um, I, uh-"

She cuts me off.

"The worst part is her ignorance. She thinks she's the perfect sister, a role model, but all she does is disappoint us."

"I-"

My voice fails, my eyes turning down toward the ground.

She nods curtly, reaching out and lifting my chin so I stare directly into the face. Her eyes meet mine. There's no warmth to them, no love. Just a dark, emotionless pit.

She lets her hand fall away, stepping back. Then she spins around and walks away, her heels clicking on the metal floor. The sound echoes through the hallway, bouncing through door and straight into my heart.

It hurts, but I don't know why. I didn't think I cared- or maybe I thought I shouldn't care.

She turns for a moment, her cold and calculating gaze falling onto me.

"Just remember, you did this to me. And I will never forgive you as long as I live."

Then she straightens up and walks away.

I fall to the ground, gasping for air. My insides churn with guilt, stabbing me with accusation after accusation. I shake my head wearily. I don't even know what happened. I don't.

Or maybe I do.

Everything seems to come crashing down- every part, every little bit of the carefully crafted life I've built. I'm buried in my own twisted lies. They whisper to me, haunting my memories, my thoughts.

I want to tell her everything. I want to run after her, hug her with all my might, speak the the truth. Let her in. But I don't have the strength- or the courage- to do so.

So I just sit there, dazed and confused, wondering how this all came to be.

FLASHBACK

I'm sitting on a blanket in the park. It's a beautiful day- the sun is shining, the brids are chirping, and laughter fills the air. We're having a small picnic with a couple of family friends. I glance to my right and find my sister, smiling at me.

"Wanna play?" she asks, her eyes sparkling.

She's boring, and a little brat. I don't want to have anything to do with her. So I scan my surroundings, twisting my head from side to side, pretending to see nothing. After a moment or two, I shrug.

"Guess no one's there."

She sits back on her heels, dejected. Then she runs over to our mother, tapping her on the shoulder.

"She won't play Momma. She won't play!"

My mother turns around and looks at me.

"Play with your sister."

"What sister?" I say. "I don't have one."

Then my sister bursts into tears, and runs into my mother's open arms. Mom slowly shakes her head at me, disgust and disappointment etched along the lines of her face.