It All Started with a Lie

Chapter 12

Screw fun, I'll get enough enjoyment out of watching the life drain from his eyes. "What the fuck did you just say?" The sound of my voice slaps the smile off his face instantaneously.

"Woah, chill man. That's not what I meant. I was just joking." He stands, holding his hands up as if that will prevent the terrible things I plan to do to him.

The only thing that stops me from lunging at him is the knowledge that my sister may still only be a few feet away from me. I don't want her to see me like this, like the cruel man I am. But I can't just let him get away with saying those kinds of things about her either. "I didn't mean it like that," he continues, trying to defend himself. "I didn't realize you two were close."

The more he speaks the more my chest burns and is only soothed by the image of his bloody tears. Birth defect. I clench my fist, desperately trying to calm my anger. "She was in a house fire," I give him an explanation he doesn't deserve to know.

He nods eagerly as if I am giving him an out. "Right, yeah that totally explains why she looks like that, fire will mess you up." His eyes widen as he registers his words, and I take a step closer to him. He backs up until he is pinned between me and the shelves of candy and trembling.

"Woah, hey, calm down!" A body slides between us, pressing her hands to my chest, attempting to push me back. "No need to cause a scene."

I can see the relief in his eyes as she gets between us, and the sight pounds in my head and I'd do anything just to wipe that look off his face. I grit my teeth. "Go away, darling." She's already seen the extent of my violence, what is another time? But I can't seem to push myself past her.

She tries to meet my eyes but I won't look at her. "No."

I wait for her to add more, but that is the end of her sentence. Wick practically hides behind her. "Look man, let's just forget I said anything and finish our shopping."

"Exactly, I'm sure whatever he did is not worth getting banned." She was right. This is the only store near campus, but I do not live on campus and I can live my whole life never stepping foot in this store again if it means making him pay for what he said about her. I ignore the voice that tells me that he wouldn't have anything to ridicule her for had I protected her like I was supposed to; she should have gotten out of that house first, not me. She should not have scars for people to laugh at.

"I didn't mean what I said, okay, your sister is beautiful."

At the mention of Beatrice, her head whips around to look at him but she does not falter in her position between us. "What did he say about Richard?" She asks me, as if he is not even worthy of being spoken to.

I will not repeat it, I will not. The look on my face however seems to be enough explanation for her. "Of course his sister is beautiful. Did you say otherwise?" She stares him down.

He stutters, tripping over his words. "No, I didn't mean, I guess technically I—" he sucks in a sharp breath. "I didn't mean it. She's stunning, really. Gorgeous. I didn't mean what I said. She's totally fuckable. I'd definitely fuck her."

The blood drains from my face but I don't get the chance to strangle him. "You son of a bitch!" She yells, jumping for him.

I catch her by the waist before she makes it to him. She writhes in my grip, kicking me with her feet as she desperately tries to reach him, her long nails like claws as she points them at him. He screams at the sight of her anger, a scream that is so high, it is hardly audible. He is far more terrified of her than he ever was of me and I don't bother to bite back my amusement at that fact. "That's not what I meant!" He repeats for the dozenth time and when he doesn't see her intensity soften, he practically scrambles away, saying something about me not needing to worry about the groceries and that he will handle the rest. He mutters a quick 'crazy bitch' under his breath to which she shouts after him. "Come say that to my face, coward!" And tries to reach for him again.