A Sister's Love

Chapter 16

"What do you mean? Punished for what?"Darrel was in a complete panic mode.

'Raymond always punishes by push ups! I can't do them! He's gonna tell me do them and then I won't be able to and then I will humiliate myself and everyone will hate me! Then Nick won't like me. Ryan and Lilly too! Oh my god!'

"-and so you will be punished with a 100 pull ups." Darrel's train of thoughts ended bringing her to the real world and she had heard only the last few words but they were enough to make her heart race faster than Usain Bolt being chased by dogs.

"Why so many? Are you crazy?"

"Well, you are the first time I am training a young girl,so I don't really know. And I didn't lessen because, aren't you the ones chanting men and women are equals?"

"In a different way. But I can't do that many! I don't know how to do pull ups anyway."

"So push ups then?"

"I don't know that either! Why do I have to do them again?"

"You woke up late."

"So? I had a long week and there was no reason for me to wake up early! So I didn't miss anything and I am not be punished."

"That's not how things work. You have to maintain the same routine everyday. Didn't you do that back when you were in your school?"

"No. Well we had a schedule but on the weekends we came home and so I slept and wake up anytime! Mom and Dad weren't against it."

"And what about the times you stayed in school?"

"That never happened."

"Oh okay. Well you have to learn to do pull ups. And you will learn today by doing 20."

"Not today! Please! I am super tired and all that."

"Yes today."

"Ugh! I hate you."

"The feeling's mutual. Come to the office in the evening. Eat light too."

"Wha-" but that's all Darrel got to say as Raymond walked out the room. She was confused but she shrugged and walked into the kitchen to see Lilly cooking something.

"Lill!"

But Lilly looked at her, scoffed and walked out of the kitchen leaving Darrel speechless.

What's wrong with her? Or is it me? Oh my god! What if I did something wrong? Maybe I did something so horrible and now I have forgotten it! Maybe I did something offensive unconsciously! '

She ran up to Ryan's room and knocked quickly. Hearing no response, she tried opening the door and fortunately for her it was open. She went in to see the room empty.

The slightest bit of excitement that had built in her vanished and her shoulders sagged in sadness. She tried to go to Nick's room and had the same results. She hardly knew many people but the ones she knew had completely vanished. Some other people were around but they weren't there for her. They were minding their own business.

She felt her heart breaking and started thinking about any mistakes she could have made which led to their hatred toward her. She wanted to know and she racked her brain trying to think of all the things she had done in the past few days.

Drawing blanks she trudged inside her room and then almost had a heart attack as a loud 'Happy Birthday' was screamed. She blinked and Lilly, Raymond, Ryan and Nick were all inside her room. Well the room had been completely transformed with decorations and adorned with gifts.

Darrel felt happiness and confusion flow through her and she ran to the group and they pulled her in a hug. Pulling back after a few second she voiced her confusion and they all laughed.

"That's dedication alright! You forgot your own birthday! Are you crazy? We just tricked you from the time we woke up. Woke you up for school even though we knew there wasn't any and then scared you into thinking that we were mad at you. It was all a part of the plan. C'mon. Cut the cake and enjoy your gifts."

The rest of the day was spent gleefully and the next day passed like a breeze. On the morning of her second week to school, Darrel was quite excited as she decided she would confront Aiden about his make up. That would help with her mission and give her something to work on.

"Hey Daina!" Darrel was walking in the corridors as she heard Aiden's voice behind her. She turned around quickly only to bump into him and then falling down. Laughing she stood up as Aiden grinned sheepishly and apologized.

"It's okay. What do you want?"

" I was wondering if you got the e-mail detailing the project we have to work on."

"E-mail? I never checked. Sorry."

"Well we are paired together. So where should we work on it?"

"Today? I don't know. What about your place?"

"Mine? Oh no! It's busy. Yours?"

"B-busy. How about the library at school?"

"I'm fine with it."

"Okay! See you later!"

Later that day Darrel went to the library and saw that nobody was inside. She sat down and started on her homework and after a long half an hour Aiden entered and then rushed to her apologizing over and over again. She remained calm and poised about it even though she was a little angry at him. Thinking that ignoring him for a few minutes would be good enough she started her work again and it wasn't long before Aiden broke the rule of a library.

"Look Darrel, there is no easy way to put it. And I am sorry that I have to tell you about this. But this needs to be done. I thought of many ways and then finally ended up with the easiest yet the hardest way out. You are one trustworthy person an dare clever too. I need your help."

"With?"

"Look. I haven't been honest with you or anyone at the school. The truth is that I am actually not Aiden."