The Perfect Family

17

   The next morning I rolled over, Max gone. How nice. I stood up, about to leave the room before I spotted a row of pictures. I hesitated before walking over to them, glancing through each one. It was all of them sitting around happily. What happened to this family? What happened to make them go insane and start kidnapping girls and then killing them? I stepped away from the photographs, walking out of the room the same question flying around my mind.

      Why?
———

      After changing, I slowly walked downstairs to the kitchen almost squeaking when I saw Paisley sitting at the table stiffly.

        "Paisley?" I asked walking into the kitchen, a big grin on my face.

    "Hey Autumn." She replied, pain laced in her voice.
"What's wrong with you?" I quickly asked her sensing—knowing-something was going on.

      "I was stabbed Summer. What do you want me to do? Be cheerful and run around? No. Sorry this isn't the time to pretend everything's ok. I'm tired ok? So leave me alone and go back to adoring Max." She mumbled standing up, and limping towards the attic.

      I watched her go, my eyes wide. What the hell? Since when did someone younger roast someone older than them. I stared down at the ground realizing I was right. Except the part where I was adoring Max. It was just one kiss, nothing more than that. Maybe. Could it be? I collapsed into Paisley's abandoned chair and rested my face into my sweaty palms. I was a mess. Here I was KISSING Max when I should be planning our escape. And to top it all off, Paisley was suddenly yelling at me?  And where in the world was Nicole?! 

        I took a deep breath before standing up, only to run into McDreamy himself. He grunted clutching his stomach as I shyly stepped back. Heat creeped up my neck as I felt his eyes travel over my face.

   "Hey Summer." He silently murmured. Even though it was possibly 95 degrees outside, I shivered. I glanced up smiling.

  "Hey." I simply said my voice cracking. I glanced back down wringing my hands, the atmosphere suddenly uncomfortable. I tilted back on my heels wondering what to say when a loud shrill voice interrupted the uncomfortable silence.

   "Maxxx! Where are you?!" A voice cooed before a girl around our age stepped into the kitchen. She grinned nodding towards me before running towards Max engulfing him in a hug, that nearly sent him crashing into the table. Man what a sight that would have been. 

 "Hey babe. What are you doing? You weren't supposed to be here until 4 tonight..?" He asked slowly pushing her back. I stared dumbfounded at him. I felt my jaw slowly hang open before I closed it tightly, anger boiling through my body.

         "I'm sorry to interrupt this 'love' fest, but who the hell is she?" I nearly screamed shoving Max's arm, taking several steps away. His face fell, before he started shaking nervously. 

      "This is Sydney, Summer. My..girlfriend?" He slowly sounded out, the words seeming to pain him. If those words pained him, he has no idea what they did to me. I felt what Paisley felt. A knife driving straight through my chest is what those words felt like. I staggered back, the room beginning to sway. 

   "Summer..?" Max asked before I crashed to the ground, the world falling black.

MAX'S POV 

   "Oh my god.." 

    Those were the only words I could muster out as I watched Summer's body fall to the ground. What have I done? Sydney began to laugh and I whirled around, feeling anger take control.