One Step Closer

OSC/ Fifteen

One Step Closer/ Fifteen

                                 Criss awakened at her usual time, as she had done on school mornings…she laid out her outfit- a Jacinta cami top, a khaki fatigue skirt, an open stitch cardigan, and her Merkato sandals. She opened her bedroom door, only to pause to a living room conversation, she was hearing from Austyn on her phone.

                                 “Why are you concerned with him? He cares about me, and I care about him- it’s really none of your concern,” Austyn hissed in a whisper, as she paced between the living room and the kitchen, in a pair of grey “too small” pajama shorts, a pink tank tee, and fuzzy houseslippers. She had a couple of pinch clips in her hair, pulling it back and out of her face. “It is over! I told you that Friday night! I don’t wanna do this anymore- I really feel rotten about having to lie to Criss and Trish,”

                                 Upon hearing her name, Criss boldly walked through the door down the hallway, and into the living room. “Lie to me, about what, Austyn?”

                                 Austyn stood there, her face frozen with horror. She slowly pulled the phone away from her ear, as Criss approached her, with an interrogating look on her face. “What are you lying to me about, that has you whispering at six in the morning, Austyn?”

                                Austyn swallowed, as Criss grabbed the phone, placing it to her ears. “Hello? HELLO?!”

                                Criss then went through the phone…her eyes grew large, as she stared at the last number, which was her father’s number. She pressed the call send button…the call went straight to voicemail. She tried again, but to no avail. She then turned her attention back to her roommate. “What is going on, Austyn? What are you arguing with my dad about, that you are lying to me and Mom about?”

                               “I…I gotta go,” gestured Austyn, as she attempted to leave to her room. Criss dropped the phone, grabbing her by both arms, and pushed Austyn against the wall. “You supposedly didn’t wanna lie to me earlier- tell me the truth, NOW!”

                              Criss stared into Austyn’s eyes, sensing the fear and hesitation, that her friend was entangled in. Austyn looked down to the floor, as her lips primped…her eyes started to well with tears. “I- I didn’t mean for it to happen…it just did. You know I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you Criss…honest. I love you”-

                               “AUSTYN!”- she winced at Criss’s voice, as if she were being scolded. Austyn shuddered, as the tears began to flow. “The watch…he- he didn’t drop it on accident. I told him I didn’t want to do it anymore, but he was feeling really bad…”

                                The finality of it all started to sink into Criss’s head…it all made sense- the watch, the reason why he had come by unannounced, the reasons Austyn started acting funny about going to visit them, her mother’s suspicions about her father’s fidelity. The reason why her father made the face he did, when she broadcasted Hadrian’s commitment to Austyn.  Criss’s mouth dropped open, as she finally realized what had been going on. Austyn touched her face. “I’m so sorry Criss…I never meant to”-

                                “You BITCH! You filthy, lying slut!” shouted Criss as she slammed Austyn against the wall repeatedly. “I protected you! I brought you into our home- my mother took you under her wing! You were like a sister to me, and a second DAUGHTER to her! We trusted in you and believed in you- and you slept with my father?!?”