Poker Face ✔

Chapter 31

When I walked into my bedroom that day, I couldn't help but feel like everything had changed, despite knowing that nothing really had. I couldn't help but think about how I had witnessed the death of three of my relatives during my nineteen years of living. I walked through my bathroom where I found my reflection in the mirror, before I knew it, my nose was bleeding. I grabbed the roll of toilet paper and used it to pinch the tip of my nose. I used to get nose bleeds often when I was real young but one day they just stopped. It got so bad that I would wake up in a pool of blood.

I stood beside the sink, overly aware of the cold bathroom tiles under my feet while I waited for my nose to stop bleeding. When I dropped to my knees, a figure appeared behind me. He didn't look at me with pity, like the others. He followed my movements and sat me, squeezing my hand. Before I knew it, my nose stopped bleeding and hot tears began flowing. I hugged my good friend tight.

"Hey" John sighed, holding me in his arms.

Sometimes things felt like they were too much for my shoulders to bare on their own — my worries were so different to the average person my age and I couldn't help but be so conscience of that.

It seemed that many things in life should have gone very differently.

My parents should have never have been married and my mother should have been with uncle Jason. That way, Dad would have grown  up before becoming a parent — but if I'm being honest with myself, I don't think he was ever cut out for that role. Uncle Nate, however, I think was made for to be the leader of this family. He's been doing it since he was eighteen.

"Did you know?" I looked up at him.

I didn't recognise my voice. It was shaky and low. It was as though it belonged to someone else.

"Yeah" John admitted.

"Maybe it was Karma?" I pondered.

"How do you figure?"

"I think children inherit the sins of their parents. I think all the shit that happens to us is penance for our crimes and those of our family" I admitted.

John didn't say anything, he just held me tighter as I wept into his chest.

The next day, I was told to help assist in the wedding preparation.

"Why do we gotta do cake taste testing?" I rolled my eyes.

"You get cake" Lila pointed out. "Quit complaining"

"I'm just saying that shouldn't the bride be doing this?" I looked to John who sat beside me.

The three of us sat around a small, white circular table.

"Yeah but she's busy" John informed.

"Aunt Kat's giving Christo a shot at a job" Lila explained to me.

My stomach churned. Christo was Vanessa and John's baby. I guess they're getting him started young. That didn't sit right with me.

"So it's just the three of us?" I looked away from Lila.

"Oh I forgot to mention" John started, "one of my groomsman coming"

"Well where is he then?" Lila raised a brow curiously.

"He's running a little late" John explained.

"Alright so we have red velvet, chocolate mud, lemon, and vanilla. Enjoy guys," the dazzling waitress smiled, placing a single slice of each of the four flavours onto the table before disappearing into the distance.

We each took a teaspoon and began taking a small spoonful of our assigned cake. I started with red velvet, John with chocolate mud, Lila with Vanilla, and the lemon just sat there, waiting for the groomsmen.

"Hmm" Lila smiled, slowly chewing her vanilla. "How can something so simple taste so good?" She said her thought out loud.

"This mud" John said before slowly swallowing his chocolate mud cake. "Is pretty damn good"

"How's the red velvet Taylor?" Lila asked just before I had a chance to have a taste.

Suddenly my cell began buzzing. I narrowed my eyes at the number. Why was Chace calling? I wondered.

"Hello?" I pressed my flip phone against my ear.

"Tay" He cried. "I'm sorry to do this but we need you back immediately" his voice broke.

My eyes widened in fear.

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Its Chris" Chace admitted, "he's flipped, we need you back, come alone. I'm outside with the limo"

My heartbeat accelerated.

"Alright, I'm on my way" I nodded, pulling my phone away from ear. "I'm sorry John, I need to go"

"Why what's—" Lila started but I had already started walking quickly in the opposite direction.

My shoulder collided with someone's arm, I turn my head at the figure who walked passed me to find a man in a suit. My brows furrowed at the man I the distance, something about it gave me an odd feeling, but I ignored my instincts and continued waking outside where I slid into the backseat of the limo.

Chace sighed in relief before slamming on the pedals.

"What's going on?" I cried out.

"I was at the coffee shop when Kat called me and told me to go pick you up—"

"Why? What's wrong with Chris?" I repeated, glaring at the back of Chace's head.

"I don't know the details but all Kat said was that he's lost it" he explained whilst speeding down the street.

Lost it?

"Why is Kat calling for me?" I wondered.

"I think you know the answer to that" he softened his voice.

Yeah I guess I did. I knew Zac and Chris like the back of my hand. I was the closes people to them — perhaps the only person who could get through to them when they needed it. I had always feared the day that Chris would be hit with everything all at once. Is that what had happened? Had he finally processed what's been happening around him and it tripped him over the edge? Beads of sweat formed on my forehead thinking about what was waiting for me in the family's home.