Playing Heart Games

Level 45: Listen

VIOLET

I'd ruined everything.

Mom spent the rest of the evening apologising to me. Then the next morning, during breakfast, Alissa stood in the kitchen doorway and gave a stilted apology. Before she disappeared back into her room.

I'd thought I'd wanted her to say sorry. I'd imagined it. Imagined it making me feel better.

But seeing her bloodshot glare didn't make me feel better.

Seeing mom's eternally blissful expression be replaced by constant concern didn't make me feel better.

Seeing the way Ken glared at Alissa didn't make me feel better.

It had been two weeks since I'd messed up. Alissa attended family meals in silence. She left for school before I came downstairs in the morning. Mom and Ken kept apologising to me.

The picture-perfect family mom had wanted was in fragments. All because I couldn't keep my mouth shut.

A knock came from my door.

I sat up, shutting my textbook. I glanced at the clock: 10:00pm.

"Yes?"

"Sweetie?" Mom's voice. "Can we come in?"

We?

"Yes."

The door swung open. Mom stepped inside, biting her lip.

Alissa followed.

My eyes widened.

"I know these last two weeks have been tough," mom said carefully, her eyes glued to her hands. "But you two—you two are sisters now. Sisters fight, but they make up at the end of the day." She took a breath, then met my gaze. "I've spoken to Alissa and she thinks that you two need to talk."

I glanced at Alissa. She was glaring at a wall.

I really doubt that mom.

Mom stepped back. "So, I'm going to head downstairs and leave you guys alone. I love you both." She left the room.

I blinked as the door shut.

My gaze slid to Alissa.

She spoke without looking at me, her voice monotone, "I am very sorry for what I did."

Then she turned and started to leave the room.

"Do you really expect me to believe that?"

The words came out of their own accord. With a jolt, I realised I was angry. She pretended to my mom that she wanted to make amends, then she came in here and lied straight to my face.

She didn't feel bad. She didn't feel guilty.

She didn't even care.

Alissa turned, glaring at me. "Yes."

I scoffed. "You're really something."

She scowled. "Fine. No, I'm not sorry."

I stood. "Get out."

Alissa stepped towards me. "No, I'm not sorry, because you're a spoilt brat who gets everything she wants and you didn't deserve him."

"I'm a spoilt brat?" I laughed. "Look where we are! This is your home, your family. Apparently, my mom wasn't enough for you, you had to take my boyfriend too!" I yelled. "You have everything! You don't even care if what you do hurts me, or anyone!"

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that I had to tiptoe around this family because I didn't want to ruin anything. I'd tried since the moment we'd met to get her to like me. I always tried. And she hadn't cared enough to keep her hands off my boyfriend.

"You're hurt?" she snorted. "You want to know the truth, Violet? My mom doesn't give a shit about me. My dad doesn't give a shit about me. And then you come in," her voice dropped to a mocking tone, "Violet with her perfect grades, and her perfect mother, and her perfect attitude. And you get everything. You get your dad, you get my dad, you get your mom. Without even trying."

My mind went blank, the words I was about to shout dissolving. "What?"

"Do you have any idea what it's like to have a father who doesn't care about your existence half the time? Then, suddenly, when he's dating a woman with a daughter, he's a family man, and he wants to go on family trips to the Bahamas, and he wants to go shopping and bond with his family."

I parted my lips, but no words came out.

She was crying.

Alissa was crying.

"You show up, and you get the perfect family, and the perfect father and the perfect mother. And then I find out, the one thing I have, the guy I've had a crush on since forever is dating the perfect daughter of my dad's new wife." She choked out a laugh. "And you get him too."

I swallowed. "Alissa..."

She swiped her forearm over her face, scowling. She stepped back, towards the doors. "This isn't my family, it's yours. So, congratulations, you won."

She stalked out of the room.

I stared, frozen.

What had just happened?