The S.O.L.O.ists

Chapter 45

I sigh, "Annica, it's my family. Let me worry about whether I'm adopted or not. Is that clear?"

She blows a couple of stray hairs out of her face in defeat, "Okay."

And after she says this the room falls into a deep silence. This causes my heartbeat to hike up a few notches and I find myself struggling to keep still. D*mn, maybe I should take a pill right now I'm feeling a bit more moody than usual.

"Hey Kenton?" Annica puts a hand on my knee.

"Yeah?"

"Can you follow me downstairs?"

"Uh . . . why?"

She gives me this look that stops me from further questioning and I follow her down the stairs and through the French doors to the living room. Much to my surprise she sits down on the couch and pats a spot on the cushion beside her indicating that she wants me to sit there.

"What's wrong Princess?" I sit down beside her and put a hand on her thigh, "is something wrong?" She doesn't respond and looks up at me, "Remember when I flipped out the moment you mentioned the study, our first day here?" I raise an eyebrow, "Yup. How could I forget? You literally had something short of an anxiety attack." She swallows, "Yeah. The whole story would probably piece everything together for you. Like the library situation, my hatred for my mother, my relationship with my brother and my dad's death."

Wow. The story that could literally tear her apart about just thinking about it is finally going to be revealed to me . . .

And so she continues, "I don't know . . . Wait. I need to do this."

Deep breath.

In.

Out.

"It started on a cold day. My brother and I's 9th birthday to be exact . . .

===

Mom and Dad's shouting stopped around half-an-hour-ago. I'm pretty sure they're still arguing somewhere in the house.

I don't know what's wrong with me but I keep crying. Maybe it has something to do with Dad taking away so many needles with my blood in it.

Is it because I'm scared?

Outside the snow is really coming down hard. I wonder if it's because Mom is mad. The room always gets colder when mom is angry. Dad is always the calm one in their arguments. And they've been doing it. A lot.

I can feel Carter sleeping heavily right now. Twinstinct, is something that Kenton would call it, when my brother and I would know what the other is doing or thinking.