Not My Obsession

explanations

"First, we will explain the practical joke." Cristiano said.

"Ok, so it's not hard to record dad's voice on many different occasions to make it seem like he was actually talking to you. After the party, that you were attending yesterday, we found a note from dad saying he left on a business trip. We all know he doesn't care about where we are. There's also no way the coaches would be able to face him and tell him that his kids hate soccer and always ditch. The reason we had to do this was because we knew this was the only way we could get you to come home. We have been putting off a discussion for months now. Makeup and clothes can't disguise you as much as you think they can, ya know." Thomas told me.

"Now about the grades." Cristiano said.

"We are all smart." Thomas's words practically just slapped me in the face.

"No. I'm not. I get C's...just like dad expects. An-and so do you. I've seen your report cards." I stutter.

"What makes you think geniuses like us can't rig the system? At first we bribed the teachers to change are grades, then we figured it out ourselves. As soon as dad was finished checking, we would change it back to all A's. That's where mom comes in." Cristiano finishes.

"I don't get what this has to do with mom. Oh yeah, there's nothing this has to do with her." I snap at him.

"Yes, there is. Why are so still so...upset about her? This was almost 10 years ago, starting next Thursday. I thought being popular would get some sense into you about what's important." Cristiano snaps right back at me.

"You. Are. A. Jerk." I tell him with a straight face.

Cristiano clenches his fists tightly, almost like a threat, and Thomas sees it the same as I do.

"Cut it out." Thomas yells.

The room goes dead-silent.

"You guys are acting ridiculous. If you don't care about mom then your self-centered jerk...but Cristiano, you care. Your just too afraid too admit it."

"Let's move on," Thomas continues.

"Ok, so what do we know about mom? Or about something we like or are good at but dad isn't good at?" Cristiano asks.

"Mom has secrets. In the diary she gave me, it had a note. It said she had many secrets we may never know. I also," I stutter.

Could I reveal my love of dance? What about singing? Or acting?

No!

"It's not hard to hear you singing upstairs all the time, ya know. We aren't as in "love" with soccer as everyone thinks, too, don't worry." Thomas says.

"I mean, just cause we're amazing at soccer, doesn't mean we have to like it, right?" Cristiano says, more than actually asking.

"Ok...so I still don't really see what this has to do with mom." I say.

I realize my whole body now had goosebumps.

"Well, not liking soccer, your love of...the arts, being smart, that stuff. That's definitely not dad and you know it." Thomas says.

"And then we face reality. Mom doesn't like soccer and dad...well you already know what he's like with soccer." Cristiano says, a tad bit awkwardly.

"Mom was a selfish jerk!" I exclaim.

My face turns as red as a cherry.

"I'm sorry. I don't know where that came from. Really, mom is NOT a jerk. It's just...well...you guys already know, don't you?" I question, already half-knowing the answer.

"Well, yes. Mom faked liking soccer just to marry a millionaire. From there...she designed the house, spending millions, knowing she wouldn't be able to live in it for long but wanted to leave the selfish person, dad is, with 3 kids and 10 less million then he used to have." Cristiano finished.

"What do you mean she knew she wouldn't be able to live in her house for long? Did she know about TB then?" I ask.

I'm scared. Why would she do that? No sane person would ever do that. The redness from my cheeks slowly faded and I went right back to goosebumps.

"We should tell her, right?" I hear Cristiano whisper.

"I'm right here, ya know. I can hear you. Just, just tell me."

"Ok. Fine. Well, you see, we're rich enough for mom to buy illegal drugs to fake her death. She didn't like dad and well, remember that for some reason there wasn't a wake? We think it was because they...couldn't find her body. She must've escaped, somehow." Thomas said, a little scared from his own words.

"And you were the closest to her, so...we think you may be able to help us find her."