Natalia’s P. O. V

I’d run home and let myself in, taking my shoes off in the landing. My feet were aching. I wasn’t used to wearing boots and heeled shoes or running barefoot.

I’d just gotten out of a soak in the Jacuzzi – a luxury that required immense persuasion from Candy – and was about to put my clothes back on when I heard a car approaching my driveway. I quickly threw the clothes I’d been wearing on and tied my hair in a high bun to keep it from dripping.

I heard the voices of Hailey, Keily and Greg as they walked to my front door then my doorbell went off.

“Coming!” I yelled and leisurely walked down the stairs and to the door, unlocking it and leaning on the frame.

“Can I help you?” More than I already have…

Hailey and Keily were still gaping at my house so Trevor spoke, “We came to apologise. You really saved the day and we didn’t even thank you.”

I caught Keily rolling her eyes at the statement.

Hailey, having snapped out of her awe, lightly elbowed Trevor, “You and Keily didn’t thank her. Don’t lump us all in.”

“Right.” Greg chimed.

Hailey pushed her twin forward and gave her a meaningful look.

Keily rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, “Whatever. I’m sorry for not being grateful. Thank you for helping me.” She said, without an ounce of sincerity.

Trevor scratched the back of his head as he spoke, “I’m sorry for interrogating you instead of appreciating your help. I really shouldn’t have done that. Are we cool?”

I smiled, he seemed sincere, “Yeah, We’re cool.”

For a long time, he simply stared at my eyes. The atmosphere quickly escalated to awkwardness so I cleared my throat and opened the door wider.

“Come in.” I beaconed them inside.

Closing the door behind them, I had them take off their shoes in the landing – no way was I gonna let them mess up my floor, we’re not that close – and led them to the living room. Hailey gaped at everything while her twin tried to make her awe subtle.

“Why don’t I give you a tou-?”

Trevor interrupted me, “Why don’t Greg and I give them the tour? I’m starving. Would you mind if we could have something to eat?”

I blinked, peering at him, “Sure, you go on ahead. Just don’t go into my room.”

I started towards the kitchen while the boys led the twins upstairs. I didn’t trust that Keily wouldn’t cause trouble but I would hear it if she did.

I decided to bake cookies and make sandwiches. In thirty seconds, I was done making the dough and poured it into the baking tray. I’d put them in the oven and was cutting tomatoes for the sandwiches in record time when I heard feet approaching the kitchen so I slowed down.

“Whatcha making?” Greg asked

I glanced at him over my shoulder then turned back to my cutting, “Cookies and sandwiches.”

“Whoa. You’re fast. The cookies are already in the oven.”

“I was already making them before you guys dropped by.” I wasn’t proud of it but I was getting good at coming up with lies on the spot.

“Alright. Why don’t I take over with the cutting?”

I dropped the knife on the chopping board and stepped back, “Sure”

I busied myself with lettuce, ham and cheese for a while before I was interrupted by the strong, coppery smell of blood.

I whipped around to face Greg who was silently holding his injured hand with his good one. There was a cut across his palm and it was bleeding steadily.

I grabbed his wrist and led him to the empty sink, “Come on, let’s get you patched up.”

I turned the tap on and let it wash away the blood as I fished around for a bandage. I found one in an old first aid kit and wrapped it around his hand, tucking it in neatly.

“No more cutting for you.” I admonished and got back to what I was doing.

“Thanks.” He murmured after some time.

I smiled at him briefly before turning my attention back to what I was doing, “No problem. You should be more careful.”

He made a non-committal noise then helped me with the parts of sandwich making that didn’t involve a knife. Before long, we were done and the cookies only had a few minutes to go in the oven. I cleaned up while Greg went to call the others.

Soon after, I heard their collective footsteps move down the stairs and towards the living room where I placed the piled plateful of sandwiches on a coffee table and poured cranberry juice into five cups.

“Thanks, Ari.” Trevor mumbled with food in his mouth. I just smiled.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“Oh my gosh! Ari, your house is amazing!” Hailey gushed.

Greg swallowed before speaking, “Yeah, I didn’t know you were loaded.”

“Neither did I.”

Trevor looked up, “What do you mean?”

“Apparently, my mum’s from some elite family and she left a note for me to find her family’s legacy. This house is where she lived before moving to Florida before I was born.”

Keily rolled her eyes, “Why the hell would she move away from this?” She asked incredulously.

I shrugged.

‘That’s what I’d like to know.’

The timer on the oven went off so I got up to check it. When I was satisfied that the cookies were done, I took them out and put them all in a plate then carried it over to the living room.

Hailey was the first to try them, blowing on it before tentatively taking a bite.

“This is great,” She complemented, “You never told us you could bake.”

“I can bake.”

We laughed as she playfully shoved me.

For a while, we just spoke about things like what college would be like and if the girls could sleep over sometime.

“Of course you can sleep over.”

“Thanks.”

Keily suddenly let out an overly dramatic gasp, “Oh my gosh! Greg, what happened to your hand?”

He looked at said hand and chuckled, “I cut myself when I was helping Ari with the tomatoes.”

Keily suddenly exploded, “Why the hell did you make him do something so dangerous?! Now he’s hurt cause you were too lazy to cut he damn tomatoes yourself!”

‘What is her problem?’ Candy huffed.

I was about to counter but Greg beat me to it, “It’s alright, Kei. I offered to help.”

Keily gained a light shade of pink in her cheeks, “Why would you do that?” She mumbled to herself.

We resumed our conversation. Keily kept making snide comments while Greg and Trevor were glancing at each other every five minutes, silently communicating.

After a while, I picked the dishes up, taking them to the kitchen.

“I’ll go see if she needs help.” Keily suddenly announced then followed me.

‘What is she up to?’

Keily’s P. O. V

I glared at Ari’s back as she took the used dishes to the kitchen.

“I’ll go see if she needs help.” I announced as I got up after her, earning sceptical looks.

I walked in as she was hand washing the dishes.

‘Who does that these days?’ I glanced at her dishwasher.

“What do you want?” She asked without turning to me.

I decided to stick to my lie, “To see if you need help.”

She let out a dry laugh that was void of humour, “The fact that you think I’d believe that is almost funny.” She said as she put the first dish away when spared me a brief glance, “What do you really want, Keily?”

I smirked, “So you’re not as stupid as you act. All I want is to tell you to back off Greg.”

“What are you talking about?” She rolled her eyes as she put one of the last dishes away.

“I take it back, you are stupid. I’m talking about how you seduce him all the damn time like the slut you are. He’d never go for a whore like you.” I sneered.

“I don’t ‘seduce’ him and I’m not a whore, slut or stupid. Besides, you already have a boyfriend so you don’t have the right to be possessive with him.”

“Don’t deny what’s obvious. You’re a stupid, bitchy whore that’s just desperate to get in bed with him. It’s none of your business who I’m with, just back off Greg.”

She shook her head and picked the last plate up to put it away, “Spare me the petty insults. If you came here to have a go at me, do us both a favour and find yourself someplace else.”

“Don’t talk to me like that!” I growled in indignation.

Her already tight grip on the plate she was holding tightened, shattering the ceramic. She whipped around to face me, anger flaring in her eyes to the point that I could have sworn they flashed.

“I don’t know where you get off coming into my home and insulting me then telling me not to defend myself! I don’t know who the last person you probably bullied this way was, but I’m not your next victim.” With each word, she took a step closer, dripping blood from her hand on the tiles, till we were face to face.

My eyes widened as I backed up. Her eyes weren’t just flashing anymore, they were full on glowing now. As she stood there, she seemed to be internally battling herself. Her expression told of the desire to hit me. Even her hands were trembling, unable to decide which of her thoughts to follow.

“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll get the hell out before I do something I might regret.” Towards the end of her sentence, I could’ve sworn I heard two different voices from her.

Not wanting to get bitch-slapped, I heeded to her warning. Leaving the kitchen, I found everyone staring at me with disappointment evident in their gazes. Greg was the worst. His eyes held a mixture of distain, disappointment and disgust.

He’d heard me.

He’d heard every word I uttered to Ari and now he probably hated me.

Tears pooled in my eyes as I stared at him. I grabbed my bag and quickly let myself out. My vision remained blurry as I ran down Ari’s stupid, ridiculously long driveway and out onto the street where I hailed a cab.

“Central Park.” I mumbled.

With a silent nod, the driver started towards the destination. Buildings after buildings passed my view. Throughout the ride, I didn’t let myself think nor did I let a tear escape. I just sat there, numb, and watched the world.

Thirty minutes later, the cab stopped at my destination. Without a word, I paid the driver and got out. With my head down, I walked over to my secret spot – a hidden space between some boulders surrounded by trees. Silently, I crawled between the boulders and into the shaded space, sitting with my back against the rock.

I tried my best to stifle my sobs as I let the tears fall. I cried about everything that’d happened lately – the higher frequency of visions, the silent treatment I’d been getting from Dan and especially the whole situation with Greg and Ari.

‘Why do they like her so much? Why did I say that? Why doesn’t Greg like me the way he likes her?’

My mind churned with the ‘why’s?’ as I cried.

‘I hate her so much. Why do I hate her?’

Despite my behaviour with Ari, I was normally less mean than that. Sure, I had my fair share of mild mean girl moments but I’d never confronted anyone as harshly as I had in Ari’s kitchen.

Her mere presence infuriated me. She seemed so perfect while I was below average. I wasn’t even normal. Maybe Greg could sense the abnormality in me. Maybe that’s why he preferred her.

The annoying little voice everyone has in their heads chose that moment to support me, ‘She doesn’t seem normal either. Her eyes.’

‘It was just a trick of the light. She’s only human.’

Did I really believe that?