Desire

❣︎ T H I R T Y ~ E I G H T ❣︎

I tear my gaze away from Margot's figure vacating the scene that I'm sure will soon be a shitshow.

I turn to look my mother in the eye as she stares at me from across the table, arms crossed over her chest.

"Really, mom? What was that?" I ask, my voice hard and unforgiving. She shifts on her feet at my tone, not really expecting the anger that emits from me

Somehow with margin I thought everything would be different. I thought she would at least get along if not like her.

I've known this girl for years and mom knew that, she just didn't want to accept that I wanted more than a friendship with her.

"What? I only said what we were all thinking." she gestures to Anita who scoffs, looking away. She then goes to Dad for support but he shakes his head, leaning back in his chair.

Nobody is on her side with this one. She went too far. Not only with what she said about Margot, but James too.

"Mom this has to stop." I say, trying not to raise my voice at her but the anger in my heart that's been building up for years is making it really hard. "I understand you want to abide by tradition but it's becoming a chore to keep you happy."

Her mouth drops open. "Well, it can't be that hard if you two never manage to succeed." at this point Dad is standing.

"Padma! I am tired of sitting back and watching you treat these children like experiments. I'm done defending you're honor when you clearly don't want it to be defended." she's taken aback. Again.

"But—"

"Mom you're just pushing me away. You're pushing Anita away. We both love you, and we will always love you. But you really can't keep choosing tradition over the happiness of your children." she opens her mouth to say something.

Anita cuts her off mid-sentence. "You have got to change, ma." I nod to my older sister and she grabs her things as I grab mine.

Dad gives us his goodbyes and I drive my sister home and back to my house.

I open the door, immediate darkness fills my senses. No lights are on, it's completely silent. I walk through the halls and into my bedroom to find a sleeping margin in my bed.

I undress myself, pulling the covers off of her limp body and climbing into bed. I pull the duvet back over the both of us, leaving gentle kisses along her chest before lying my head in the crevice of her neck.

She rearranges herself underneath me. "Kenji." she breathes in a whispered tone. Her voice carries a heavy deal of drowsiness.

"You're back." she drags her hands up my back and grips the hair at the nape of my neck.

I kiss her earlobe. "I'm back."

I lift my head off of her shoulder. "I'm sorry, M. I'm so sorry for what she said. It wasn't—" She places her index finger against my lips.

"Shhh. It's not you're fault. Sleep, Kenji." she says, eyes closed and voice gentle. No louder than a whisper.

I listen to her plead for me to forget it ever happened.

"I love you."

-filler chapter