Ariella's biggest desire in life has always been such a simple one. She wants to be 'normal.' Unfortunately, that one simple wish has never been within her grasp. Coming from a long line of witches is bad enough, but she's even more different than t...
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After a quick shower, I throw on my usual outfit of distressed jeans and a vintage band t-shirt. I've always been obsessed with music, and Lucien is always giving me new shirts featuring my favorite bands. The shelves in my closet hold an almost endless supply of them.
Checking the time on my phone, I realize I'm running out of time. With a dark grey knit beanie pulled over my still damp hair, I hop down the hallway, trying to pull warm winter boots onto my feet. My usual converse won't cut it with the snow that fell last night.
When I finally make it downstairs, I'm glad to see that Julian isn't waiting for me. Rushing to the kitchen, I accidentally bump into River as I round the corner of the stairs.
"Watch where you're going, freak!" River spits with an ugly sneer.
With a roll of my eyes, I attempt to step around her, but River's arm shoots out to grab the banister, effectively blocking my path to the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, I turn to face her and wait to see what vitriol she's going to spew at me this morning.
"Explain to me how a freak like you managed to get in with the most popular kids at school on your very first day when I've barely been able to have a conversation with them in the three months I've been at that school."
"Maybe you should try being a little friendlier. They don't strike me as the type to appreciate your attitude or the way you treat the people around you," I say with a careless shrug.
With a fierce glare, she steps closer to me, bringing us nose to nose. Her proximity immediately makes me uncomfortable, but I refuse to let it show.
Up until this instant, I'd hoped that when Micah and Oliver didn't affect me too badly, that I was becoming accustomed to being around people. Now, it seems like certain people just affect me differently than others. Which makes no sense if my parents were right about it just being social anxiety. Maybe I should ask Lucien about it.
Before River can open her mouth to make what would no doubt be a scathing remark, Uncle Ben rounds the corner. When his eyes land on us, he stops in his tracks and quickly assesses the situation.
"River, leave your sister alone. Get to school," he says, his voice conveying his irritation with her recent actions.
She huffs angrily, but she's smart enough to know now's not the time to argue. Without another word, she stomps out the front door, slamming it behind her- the loud bang causing both of us to wince.
Once she's gone, Uncle Ben gives me a disapproving look. "Eventually, you're going to have to stand up to her. She's never going to stop as long as you let her get away with it."
I don't respond since I've already figured that much out for myself. I just don't know if I'm ready for it or not. I've never enjoyed insulting anyone; it's just not my style. On top of that, I don't want to push my sister even further away than she already is. I still hold a tiny bit of hope that maybe one day we can have a better relationship. If I fight back, it could escalate the situation and widen the already endless chasm between us.
