𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐘 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃

34. 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲

     Wanda looks at the twins with a glossed-over gaze, plastering a reassuring smile across her lips. "Your aunt . . ." She stammered with uncertainty. "She's going through some things, right? Sometimes, when people are upset, they do irrational things." Wanda purses her lips.

    "Why?" Tommy asked.

     "It's how sad people cope," explained Wanda. "They wanna make everyone around them feel their pain, so they'll do whatever they can to hurt those around them."

     Billy pouted. "But why would Auntie E hurt us?" He sniffles, and his body shutters as the tears swell in his eyes. "I thought she loved us."

     "She does! She does. It's just," Wanda didn't know what to say. How could she defend Eszter after what she did? "What she did was unforgivable, but I'm sure Auntie E didn't mean to."

     "Should we go find her?" Tommy wondered though he looked a little hesitant.

     But Wanda rubbed their arms. "No," she replied. "No. She knows what she did was wrong, and eventually, she'll understand."

✨

     Eszter lept forward with a huge gasp of air, stumbling on her weak legs until they gave out beneath her; the witch barely noticed how her knees scraped against the cement or her hands touched the thick grass underneath her fingertips. It was as if everything was blurry, and all Eszter could focus on was her breathing, which was short and heavy, shallow and like she was suffocating. All Eszter could think about was what had occurred not even two minutes ago.

How could Wanda do that? She's supposed to be my sister.

     But just like that, Eszter and Wanda were like strangers who stumbled across one another, ready to fight like they were bonded by blood. They were meant to take care of each other, not go at each other's throats, ready to fight one another. This isn't what Eszter wanted. She was angry--so angry.

     With the urge to let out a sob, Eszter could barely cope with the betrayal when there was this boiling heat flaring in her belly, and her mind was focused on one thing: anger. Eszter was sick and tired of feeling like everything was her fault; she was fed up with being blamed for everyone's problem. For once, once in her God-forsaken life, Eszter wants to feel like she's in control; she wants to make everyone regret pushing her into the corner.

     Eszter's breathing grew heavier as her chest heaved for air, slowly closing her fists while trying to control this overgrowing feeling inside, but it felt powerful. Eszter wasn't sure if it was because she was angry at Wanda's betrayal or if she was upset about how Wanda treated her. Whatever it was, Eszter had a difficult time controlling it.

     Just as Eszter pulled herself back to her feet, glaring at this perfect little world Wanda created, ideas were swimming in her head to get back at Wanda when she heard a shout from behind. However, it went unnoticed by the young witch, who was pouting angrily in her thoughts. Eszter eyed Westview with a strange look as if she hated everything about it.

     "Eszter!" The same voice called again, but this time, they were closer. As if out of breath from running, the voice became clearer, more distinctive. "Eszter, there you are!" Monica ran closer until she was nearly standing behind the teen, relaxing her brows in relief. "I need to talk to you, but we need to find Wanda. Where is she?"

     God, Eszter pitied herself so badly. How could she run away like a scared kid, running to someone to hold her? She's a freaking witch, for God's sake! A powerful one, at that. Yet, here she was, standing outside, crying angrily.