Somehow, you've become some paranoia

 

It was so unexpected. How was this happening? Liv couldn't imagine her brother ever doing anything nice for her. OK, so she got that gift card (over a hundred dollars from Amazon) at Christmas from him, but so what. 

She fumed at his presence, and to have that girl with him too. How could he? But Liv's things were boxed up and he moved them to his truck without a word. Finally, he mentioned it was something their mother felt he needed to do.

She only gave him a small frown and hugged herself. Why was everything going to shit? All right, it was true she'd been in a shitty mood for quite some time now. She couldn't explain it. It was like she was becoming a monster of her own doing. Jade was being distant too. She didn't want to talk about Tristan. She didn't want to know how awful he could be.

Now it felt as if the pit of her stomach was raw. She didn't want to eat and as much as she wanted to spit words with a vengeance. She hadn't.

"I don't know what you want to hear from me," Tristan said as the boxes were finally in the bed of his truck. "I know Rico still means a lot to you."

But she felt numb. She wasn't sure there was anything that meant much to her. Yes, this had been her home yet, she could blame this all on Sammie (who had hardly ever spoken to her, but she'd said plenty to Rico, evidently). It was as if she wanted to believe Rico hadn't been true to her. He'd fallen for someone else. Except, there was no evidence. Oh, a few texts here and there, but he was always on the phone with Gabe. It was like he was his best bud at the moment. Yes, Rico had them and she didn't. And it was probably her own doing.

"I hope it'll be a good year," Tristan said. "You need to make it your best. You've grown up. I know you don't really need Mom and Dad, but...I..I think they need you..if..if you'll just let them."

Naturally, he left it at that. It would be her call. "We..we just have to be." Tristan pressed his lips tight as if he didn't really want to say it. "We have to be kind to each other."

Oh, he'd left her in an unsettling mood. How could he say something like that? What was he thinking? How she used to hang on to his every word when they were little and she couldn't even let him take a bath alone. They talked so much then. They said they'd always be there for each other.

"We'll live together. It'll be great," she'd smiled then as if she couldn't possibly wait for them to grow up together, but little by little life changed. He changed. If only she could remember the moment it happened. But she couldn't. And now look at him. It was as if he was a new different person. Liv could hardly stand it.

And that smile on his girlfriend's face was just sickening. Of course, she had nothing to say to Rico either. Yes, she wanted another life too.