SISTERHOOD (BOOK ONE) | HE-KIND SERIES

DECEPTION

"He is deception."

My back bumps into a wooden chair. The pungent odor of stewed greens wafts into my nose. Stretching my arms, I can almost touch both sides of the kitchen.

The screen door swings open, and laughter enters. Her arms wrap around his chest, and he sits her on the table, wrapping her legs around his waist.

He spins around, her heels clunking to the wooden floor. I stare in disbelief as he guides her down the cramped hall beyond my vision, where bedsprings crush under their weight.

The hair on my arms stands while warmth floods into my bloodstream. She's like me and she seems more than happy with a he. For a moment, I hear nothing more than the lone fly bouncing against the window.

I wander down the hall to the threshold and inhale the heaviness of the air. It feels different.

Exotic.

I must enter. My feet cross the threshold into the room.

Their lips are no longer together. "I love you," he mumbles into her curly hair as she gasps for air. One hand caresses the brown skin of her cheek while the other slides between her legs, underneath her skirt.

"I love you too," she replies. Her hands wrap around his dark neck, pulling his lips to hers again.

While they kiss, his hand creeps down her thigh, removing her undergarments.

My skin buzzes as he swings his thigh over, straddling her. His strong hands clasp her ribcage, deepening the kiss. His lips then trail down her neck while her eyes close, mouth parted.

"My Pa will be home soon," she gasps. Her fingers caress the waves of his hair as he speckles her chest with kisses.

"It's ok, we can make it quick." He pulls the lengths of her skirt over her stomach.

She freezes, her dark eyes examining his. "What are you doing?"

"Loving you." He locks his lips on hers as his hand works his belt free.

She tries to pull away, but his weight is too much. "No," she protests. "This isn't right. Not like this."

Like the flip of a light switch, his demeanor changes. He rolls off the girl with a sigh and reaches for his shoes on the floor.

While he puts on his shoes, the girl touches his shoulder, but he jerks away. "Darren, I'm sorry," she apologizes. She draws up the comforter up over her body. "You know I can't-"

The he stands abruptly and cuts her such an intense glare, even I must look away.

"I don't have anything to say to a liar," he says. He runs a hand over his hair before walking out the door.

I look at the girl on the bed for a moment, wishing I could comfort her in some way as her mouth hangs open, searching for words.

"A liar?" she finally yells. She races barefoot down the hallway after the he walking down the porch.

He turns halfway, his dark face illuminated by the porch light. "You said that you loved me," he accuses.

The girl crosses her arms over her chest. "I do love you, it's just-," she fumbles for words.

The he shakes his head and draws closer to her. "If you love me, you'd show me. I'd do anything for you."

She stands there for a moment biting her lip. In this moment, her youth is evident. "Fine," she relents at last. "But we have to hurry."

To pass I must witness.

I stand in the room, watching her pain through the mirror. My stomach churns as the seconds go by. Her pain becomes my pain, and it just won't stop.

Darkness ensues.