Companion

Chapter 17: A Power Struggle

"Wait what?" I cover my mouth to keep from spitting out my food. Edge was obviously expecting this reaction.

"She's my sister."

"Wait, okay. You have some explaining you need to do."

"Maddy is my younger sister. She was always kind of a daddy's girl, and I always got along better with my mother."

I want to make a momma's boy joke, but it doesn't seem like a good time.

"But, yeah. Dad didn't like mom, mom didn't like dad. Family politics."

Edge starts eating.

"Can you stop staring at me? You're making me uncomfortable."

"Sorry," I mumble, staring down at my plate. His sister? Maddy's his sister?

"Yeah. She is."

"Shit, I said that aloud didn't I."

"You did."

"I'm sorry, it's just...all a bit much."

"I get it."

Silence. We eat in silence. My mind is racing.

Violet and Victor are twins. Edge and Maddy are brother and sister. Victor, Violet, and Edge all grew up together. What about Maddy? Did Maddy hang out with them too? Why did Edge's parents not like each other? What is this with family politics? I hope I'm not saying this out loud...

I look up at Edge, who's not paying attention to anything in particular. Okay, I'm good.

"Do you have any siblings?" Edge asks me. I think for a second before shaking my head.

"No. No, I don't."

Edge nods, and I can tell he's thinking, although I'm not quite sure what he would be thinking about.

+++++

A cry rings through the house, making me shoot straight up, off of my pillow. I take a nice, deep breath, pressing my head against my forehead, recovering from the shock.

There's another outcry.

Edge.

I tear my blankets off of me and head to Edge's room as he begins yelling more, and more, and louder, and louder. I slam the door open, but I can't help but watch, not quite sure what to do.

Edge is lying on his back, his arms and legs pushing into his mattress. His head is whipping back and forth with each cry. I rush to the side of the bed, and shake his shoulders, hoping he doesn't hit me or anything, like I did to him.

"Edge!" I hiss, "Edge, wake up!" I keep shaking his shoulders and calling, until his head shoots up off his pillow, and he just sits there, looking at everything around him, stopping to look at me. He seems confused. I don't think he knows where he is quite yet.

"Hunter?" He whispers in a way I can only describe as incredulously.

"Yeah," I whisper back, "Yeah, Edge, it's me. You're okay. You're fine." I try to remember how he got me to calm down. I awkwardly sit on the side of the bed. If the blinds were open, I could see out the window. Which is really a good thing because that would've been seriously distracting and I really need to focus right now.

"Are...are you alright?" I venture, still staring at the closed blinds. I can hear Edge sigh, then I can feel the mattress moving as he sits next to me on the side of the bed.

"Yeah. I'll be fine."

I can tell he's lying, but I just go ahead and let him. Sometimes it's better to keep lying to yourself and others, just in case you wind up believing it.