As I open the door to aunt Opal's house, the dimly lit fireplace and a circle of chairs comes into view. They want me to talk again. I don't want to forget about Wrenley like everyone else did. She's my sister.
"Have a seat, Lucius." Opal mutters, her gentle smile sickening. She's faker than her teeth. I grumble under my breath, kicking my shoes off and sitting across from Opal and Taylor. They want to talk about my obsession with Wrenley.
But it isn't an obsession! I want—need, to find her. If nobody else is willing to look, even in the cold, I'll do it myself! "You can't keep obsessing with her anymore, Luci. She's been gone for ten years." There's that word again. Obsess. Even aunt Opal doesn't want to say her name. She's afraid it'll trigger me and I'll start screaming like Luce used to. I hate realizing I'm just like Luce.
"I'm not obsessed." I somehow managed to keep my tone low and stern, yet I was fighting it. I wanted to stand up and throw stuff, break the vases and threaten them with everything they love. They know I'm not well.
Aunt Opal frowns slightly, and I can see the illumination of her glittering tears due to the firelight. Uncle Taylor sighs, his brown eyes flickering away. He's upset and I've made the tension thick. I know aunt Opal wants to send me away, send me back to Luce, or wherever they'll accept me. But she can't. She doesn't want to ruin her reputation as my "life saver."
Bullshit.
"Luci, she isn't coming home." Opal whispers, and my jaw clenches. I stand up abruptly, my brows furrowing and my hands balled into tight fists. I dig my brittle fingernails into my skin, allow myself to act as if they are talons, and take out my frustrations on my skin. "She'll come home! But you won't tell me anything!" I bark, and my voice cracks in the middle of my speech. They both jump, stare at each other, and get up. Opal wants to reconstruct me. She wants me to be just like Daniel. Get perfect grades and have no behavioral issues, yada yada. Interesting fact: that will never fucking happen.
"You need to calm down, little boy." Taylor points an accusing finger at me, his expression tight and stern. He always plays bad cop when it comes to family meetings. I don't consider them my family.
I feel the bubbling with my stomach, the brew of slurred insults and vexed screams, but I manage to keep it under wraps. My head snaps in his direction, and I narrow my eyes sharply. The air is thick and Opal is crying. I feel no remorse for my outburst. They need to care about Wrenley, too!
"First, tell me what happened to Wrenley." My voice is quiet and threatening, and Taylor's expression seems to tense up. He doesn't like being talked back to. Opal audibly winces, placing a hand to her forehead. "Go to your room!" Taylor barks, and I turn my head downwards. I can hear Daniel waltzing in, and the snickering from his throat. I spin around, and trudge up the stairs. My throat is burning and my head is sweltering. It feels like the harsh reality of my life and cold winter winds have caused me to become irritable.
Who am I kidding? I've always been an asshole.
