Deep in thought, I was watching Clay walk off to the train station when someone patted my shoulder. I turned around to see a boy with the most beautiful, dreamy brown eyes I had ever seen. In fact, they weren't just brown. They were flecked with green. They were the colour of the richest chocolate. His eyes were so fascinating they were like the colour of the earth, littered with the colours of our planet. In the depth of his eyes I was able to visualise everything: my hopes, dreams, desires, ambitions and secrets. The whole world was reflected with them. I felt like I was having a conversation with him just by looking at his eyes. His lustrous black hair was swept to one side and his tanned cheeks were sprinkled with freckles.
I found myself just staring at him, open-mouthed.
"Hi," he said warmly and gave me a smile. "Do you know where the nearest bus stop is? You see, I've just moved here with my Mom,"
"Um... ohhh.. it's.... just down the road ... then take a left and ... you'll see it..." I babbled, for some reason not being able to form a sentence. "Okay, thanks," he replied, giving me a smirk and then winking at me. "I'm Nico by the way. And you are...?"
"Uhhh... Sarah....No! Blair...Wait! No, I'm... Robin..." I cursed under my breath. Sarah? Blair? This Nico guy probably thinks I'm an idiot. However, he just chuckled and said, "I guess I'll see you around then?" "Yeah... Okay!" I exclaimed. Nico shouldered his rucksack and walked off. I gave a sigh of relief when he walked off. He seriously needed to leave before I made a huge fool of myself and did something stupid.
I sat on a bench whilst waiting for my Mom to pick me up. I sat in the soft rain, small pellets of water spitting on my hands as the remainder of the drops quench the scattered puddles decorating the asphalt. Through one of the pools of rainwater, the familiar colour of my Mom's car was brought to my attention. I stood up and ran over to her. "Sweetie, your soaking!" my Mom laughed and pulled me into the car. "We can get bubble tea today, my treat," "Sure!" I exclaimed and smiled. "How are you feeling now?" "I could be better," she admitted. "But there's no point sulking all day. We've got to make the most of how long we both are alive for. And they do say, you only live once! Saying that, I have been mourning all day," She gave me a sad smile so I gave her a hug and we drove back home so I could get changed.
I washed and dried my hair and pulled on a ripped denim jacket over my favourite dark red crop t-shirt. I slipped a pair of black jeans on and joined my Mom. "Ready?" she asked. I nodded. "Your cousins will be joining us too," My cousins? Oh no. I hated my cousins: Aidan and Olive the twins. They were both my age but super irritating. They were always gossiping about other people.
"Wait, WHAT?" I almost screamed at my Mom. "Why?"
"I know you guys don't get along but I have to look after them tonight because their parents are going out for their anniversary," After my Dad and Brooke's death, the thing on their mind was to go out for their anniversary? And Dad was my Auntie's brother too. People are thicker than I thought. I stared at my Mom in disbelief. "I know you're probably thinking that after everything that happened, it's silly that the thing on their mind is their anniversary but they wanted something to take their mind of it. We're not the only people who feel upset, you know," my Mom said, basically reading my mind. I sat sulking on the sofa and then the doorbell rang several times. That's one of Olive and Aidan's hobbies: ringing the doorbell a million times until someone opens the door. My Mom opened the door, greeted them and beckoned me to come into the car.
...
When we arrived at the bubble tea place, I was glad. Only because I didn't have to be stuck in a small car, listening to Olive and Aidan babbling on about something dumb that no one cares about. I ordered a vanilla milk bubble tea with strawberry bubbles and sat opposite Olive and next to my Mom. Olive had ordered what sounded like a disgusting combination: chocolate milk with passion fruit bubbles. My Mom made the usual small talk with my cousins and then got up to go to the toilet.
"Ooooh, she better be careful..." Olive laughed "What?" I said, confused and glared at her. It was probably Olive being Olive and making up some gossip nonsense.
"I don't think she knows," grinned Aidan and elbowed Olive. "Oh!" she giggled. "She doesn't know about her Mom going to prison?" "What the hell are you on about?" I asked dubiously. "Your Mom went to prison. What else do you want us to say? She did something to your older sister," Olive smirked, whilst slurping her bubble tea.
"She killed her," Aidan said nastily. "What?! Brooke?" I questioned, obviously very confused, I raised an eyebrow at her.
"No, silly..." Olive sneered. "You had a sister even older that Brooke. Her name was Paris. One drunken mistake and she died," I had no idea why Olive and Aidan were finding this conversation so amusing. I was just about to ask another question when my Mom returned from the toilet.
"Ready to go home now?" Mom queried, whilst picking up her drink "Yeah!" chorused Aidan and Olive while smirking at me.
I found myself staring at Mom the whole way home. What if what Olive and Aidan said was right? Everyone was acting rather suspicious lately. Axel, Clay's Mom and even Blair. Well that confirmed it. I would ask her when we arrived back at our house.
...
I stepped into the lavish living room whilst Olive and Aidan raced each other up the stairs so that they could pick their bedroom. "Mom!" I called loudly. "Yes?" Mom answered and sat beside me on the soft, bouncy sofa, pulling a fluffy, pink dressing gown over her t-shirt. "Can I ask you something?" I asked, looking right into her dark green eyes. "Of course, you can," she replied and picked up a magazine from the smooth, marble coffee table, idly glancing at it. "Did I have an older sister called Paris?" I inquired, watching her carefully for her reaction. Mom froze and dropped the magazine on the silky, grey carpet in surprise. "Who told you that?!" exclaimed Mom, obviously trying to change the topic. "Never mind that!" I cried. "Did I and did you got to prison!?" I realised what I said was a bit... well.... jumping to conclusions if you know what I mean. Olive and Aidan could've been lying. My Mom shook her head, her vibrant, orange hair suddenly looking lifeless against her pale skin. "Yes, I did..." she muttered, from her reaction, I could tell that Paris did exist.
"Why?! What happened?!" I cried, getting impatient. I watched as a tear trickled down my Mom's freckly face. "Your Dad killed her," she murmured, burying her face in her hands. "How? Why?" I asked, pressing my Mom for as much information as possible. "I guess you deserve to know..." Mom mumbled and put an arm around my shoulders. I shrugged her arm off.
"Your Dad and I.... were at a party.... oh we were having so much fun.... but your Dad got a little drunk.... and... and I drove him home and he got angry at poor Paris.... she was only 5 and.... he beat her up... a bit too hard and she... she... died..." Mom sobbed into the fluffy, pastel pink heart pillow next to her. I stared at my Mom is disbelief. I took her hand and said,
"Olive told me that you killed her and went to prison," "That's just it! When your Dad realised what he'd done, it was too late. I'd already called the ambulance and police. However, your Dad said that I had to go to prison instead of him and say that I killed Paris otherwise he would kill our next child. I was currently pregnant with Brooke, you see...." Mom whimpered.
"And why does Olive and Aidan know more about this than ME!" I yelled. "Why didn't you tell me!"
"I honestly don't know how your cousins know... maybe their Mom told them..." Mom snivelled.
I was fuming. Why the hell did Olive and Aidan get told about what happened and not me? I stamped up the stairs, slammed my bedroom door and tried to have an hour of intense sulking.