Aunt Carol gave my head a squeeze. “He doesn’t know what he’s missing.”
“No matter what happens with you and Jake,
your aunt and uncle will always love you.”
I nodded, tears blurring my vision.
9
As I was walking back upstairs to finish
packing, I found someone sitting on my bed.
Brittany smirked at me. “Jake, take me to your room, you don’t mind, right?”
Looking at my usually immaculate sheets now
wrinkled by Brittany in her outdoor clothes, I felt
rage rising.
I turned towards Jake, my voice shaking with
<
anger. “Why did you bring her into my room?”
He gazed at my contorted face.
“Brittany just wanted to see photos of when
you were little, what’s the big deal?”
I froze, my heart sinking.
I noticed the opened drawer.
My photo album in Brittany’s hand made me
rush forward and grab it from her.
I said, “Who said you could touch my stuff?
“Didn’t your mom teach you not to go in
someone else’s room and mess with their
things, or are you raised in a barn!”
Jake’s face darkened, but his gaze softened as
he looked at Brittany.
174
<
“Riley, is that how your mom taught you to
speak to your guest?
“You think you’re so smart, but you act like a
toddler.”
Looking at the ice in his eyes made my tears
start to fall.
Jake walked a few steps and came up to me,
reaching out.
“Give me the album!”
With tears running down my face, I held my
hands behind my back.
“It’s mine…”
Before I could finish, he leaned down, wrapped
his arms around me and snatched the album.
Because I was pulling hard, he tripped back,
and the photos fell to the ground.
The photos scattered across the ground made
me weak.
The photos showed my childhood with Jake.
Brittany pointed at one of the photos and
shrieked.
“What is this?!”
Knowing what the photo showed, I kneeled
down.
Before my fingers could touch the photo, it was
crushed under her shoe.
I winced and started rubbing my hand.
After I rubbed my hand, Jake snatched the
photo from under Brittany’s foot.
<
8:07
He looked at me, his eyes filled with shock.
“Riley, did you…”
10
My heart fell to my stomach.
454
In the photo was a photo of Jake sleeping when
I was seventeen.
That day, I lost my mom’s necklace at the
swimming pool.
Jake dove down for hours to find the necklace.
Brittany looked at Jake.
She glanced between Jake and me.
“Jake, you and your sister…
“You’re
“You’re…”
Jake dragged me forward, his grip so strong he
nearly crushed my wrist.
“Brittany, let me explain.
“Riley, tell Brittany we aren’t together!”
Looking at his cold, indifferent attitude made
me force his arm away.
“Jake, let me go!”
He panicked and ripped the photo into pieces.
And threw the pieces at my face.
“Riley, you like your brother? It’s disgusting!”
The photo paper scraped my face.
My line quivered and I said “Vou slent with
<
8:07
My lips quivered, and I said. “You slept with your sister, our levels are about the same!”
Jake couldn’t respond, his face white.
454
In that moment, I realized how cold, selfish and
fake he was.
In front of them, I picked up the pieces.
Jake thought it was okay and was conceited.
He knew how much I liked the photos.
I lit the pieces on fire.
After the smoke rose, I got rid of the fog in my
eyes, and said, “I used to like him, but I don’t
anymore.”
