Wilting Violet (Sinister Series 3.00)

Chapter Thirteen Contracts

December 5, 2015, 2:03 pm, Violet's POV

    "I'm tired of tryin' to be normal. I'm always overthinking. I'm driving myself crazy. So what if I'm fucking crazy." I sing into the mic allowing all my emotions to go into my chest and then out my mouth. The Music room is soundproof, so despite the loudness of the soundtrack and my vocals, I am not technically disturbing the Heirs.

    'I'm tired, I want to sleep in my own bed, and I'm so close. It has got me thinking, why tell them at all... but whatever brain wrap they've done to me has my mouth fixed to tell them the truth. Especially when Itzal keeps offering to take me Christmas shopping... or trying to plan for us to go to a Christmas market.'

    'Leonard is worse. He is planning legitimately cute Christmas outfits for the twelve days of Christmas. And by cute, I expected lingerie, but they are Christmas-themed long-sleeved onesies complete with foot-covered pant legs. So here I am singing about going crazy... Why do I even care? They wouldn't have any reservations in leaving me without a word.'

    'Camile has not done any Christmas planning, but before my Calculus Final on Monday, he did what could be called the bare minimum of kindness, but yet and still, the other Heirs did nothing. I couldn't understand the non-graded Review Packet and was near tears, thinking I would flunk. So he took my packet from me, and I thought he was messing with me... but he grabbed a notebook and went through every last question with me. Even went so far as to explain anything I missed.' I shake my head and trail off my singing as I suddenly feel guilty. He had his own finals, but every day this week, he studied my work with me... no matter the subject... no matter the difficulty. And he stayed until I understood, then left without a word. Bare minimum, Violet.' I remind myself and hang the mic up.

    'Victor's presence was more like for himself, but still about me. All the Heirs stayed away mostly except for meals and Camile's help, but during random snack times, Victor would appear at my Living Quarters door with a plate of food. He had to make some of it himself because it wasn't bad, but it didn't taste like Camile's food. Then he would stay in the doorway staring at me like a creeper until I ate it. He never entered the room to make me eat, but it seemed very important to him that I was hydrated and fed... too important.'

    "FINE!" I yell at myself, so suddenly, I jump as the sound ricochets around the vocal booth. I unhook all my stuff, grab my phone and the remote from the stand next to the door, throw open the door, and force myself to walk down the stairs. Once I reach the foyer, I lay my finger on the receiver and press each Wing one at a time. Then I walk to the sitting room, 'it is the punishment room, is it not?!' I throw myself on the chaise and wait for them to find the beeping signal on the remote. Itzal arrives first from his Wing and frowns at me after looking me over for a problem.

    "We are waiting for the others, have a seat." I offer, but I note how much of an order it sounds like when he frowns at me hard.

    "Excuse you?" Itzal says, and I sigh.

    "Please?" I say, and he frowns harder and sits on the sofa across from me. The front door beeps, telling the world it is being opened. Then, Leonard strolls into the room, sits beside me, snatches the remote from the sofa, and turns off the constant beeping.

   "Leonard." Itzal says, warningly at Leonard, who ignores us both as he glares at the remote murderously for several moments, 'Great, he isn't even mentally present!'

    "Never mind," I say and get up to leave despite the question Itzal is about to ask, but then hands push my shoulder back down, forcing me to sit. I breathe in the familiar notes of mahogany wood and spice and sigh. Victor is not going just to let me leave... he is too nosy for that.