Under The Weather

1

before . . .

I waltzed into my living room; it was March 7th – My 18th birthday.

"There she is, my lovely sister!"

My older brother, Christopher, came around the corner - an exaggerated smile stuck to his face.

Chris was a very built, childish 18-year-old. Despite all of his shortcomings, he could be very supportive and serious when he needed to be.

Perhaps that was why he was so likeable at school?

Or maybe it was the just fact that he was on the football team.

That seemed like the more realistic answer.

I turned my head toward his beaming grin, "Since when was I your 'lovely' sister?"

Chris had never called me that unless he wanted something - like money or a favour at school.

I shook my head lightly while letting out a small giggle.

"Li, I was being nice." He flipped his head and began to strut the opposite way – pretending to be sassy.

A smile crept onto my face, as I followed after him, "You're so weird."

"But you still love me though, right?"

I sighed as we left the house side by side.

***

"Happy Birthday to you!" My friends rowdily sang around the lunch table, receiving looks from other students sitting in the cafeteria.

I didn't mind that they sang loudly.

It was like a tradition. On someone's birthday, we'd make sure they were the centre of attention.

"I'm so excited for your party this weekend," Rachel had been one of my closest friends in High-school.

Mainly because she was everything I wanted to be, pretty, smart and most of all popular.

What teenager wouldn't want that?

She let out a moan of disgust as here eyes landed behind her, "Isn't that your step-sister?"

Her slender finger pointed to Ophelia.

Ophelia and I were as close as me and Chris were.

When my Mom told me she'd found someone, I was quick to write her off since the last guy was a huge dick and I assumed my actual Dad was just like him since he up and left us years before I was even a toddler.

But when Michael introduced himself, he turned out to be great and so did his daughter, my sister, Ophelia.

She and Chris were the best siblings I could ever ask for.

Lia was always optimistic in the worst situations. She always there for me, no matter what I did, her and Chris would always be there to hug it all away when my Mom or Step-dad couldn't be.

"C'mon, let's go pay her a visit, Smiley." They all got up at the same time, approaching Ophelia.

I didn't know why Rachel was disgusted by my sister.

She was always nice to her no matter what she Rachel said to her.

It wasn't like we hadn't done this before, made fun of others for a laugh, but this was my sister.

We'd agreed that after what Jamie had gone through, they would never do it again.

"This is exactly what I was talking about girls."

Jamie was in the bathroom, stuffing her bra, presumably after what we had said about her being 'as flat as a pancake.'

"Please, leave me alone." She hastily grabbed her bag and attempted to rush out the door.

"Why would we do that," Rachel blocked her way smiling, "when the fun has only just started."

The memory always left me with a bad taste in my mouth and a pang in my chest.

I had spent most of my time thinking about her and yet I still couldn't get over that feeling.

That indescribable feeling.

"Smiley?" I was snapped back into reality at the sound of Rachel's soft tone, "You okay?"

I never understood how she could go from mean and condescending to calm and sympathetic.

I reluctantly nodded my head, giving her a small smile.

They ambled closer to Ophelia, like wolves preying on their next kill.

Each step they took drew the moral dilemma in my head closer to an end.

'Bailey, you can't let them do this.'

'Stop them, Bailey.'

Still, my body hardened like stone

It was as if I had been tricked by Medusa herself.

"Hey, Ophelia!" Rachel beamed in a patronising voice, smirking.

My eyes scanned the area trying not to think about it.

It couldn't be my fault if I just didn't involve myself

"Hi?" Ophelia was always so awkward in social situations, she was amazing at calculating a complex equation or writing an in-depth essay but could never get the words out when it came to other people.

Rachel shoved her lunch onto the ground and placed her face, inches away from Ophelia's.

The noise made me flinch.

I wanted to tell her to stop but still, my body froze up, gawking at the scene unfolding in front of me.

Rachel slammed her hands down, intimidating her with a threatening tone, "Look here, you little piece of trash."

Ophelia's eyes began to gloss over - just like Jamie's used to do.

She was scared.

As soon as I Ophelia's eyes wandered to me, I could no longer stay muted.

I lunged forward, grabbing Rachel's shoulder.

I now stood in-between Rachel and Ophelia, "Back off Rachel."

Rachel glared outrage at me, "Bailey?"

Her voice was soft despite the look stuck to her face.

"She's my sister." I looked back at her, "She's off-limits."

"Jamie wasn't."

My eyebrows scrunched in anger.

"You know what." I stood up straight, "Don't bother coming around on Saturday, you're not invited."

Rachel stormed off into the hallway, her cohort following close behind.