AVA

"Come, we are not going to sit here and act as though we care." Leigh opposes to the climate that set around the house after officer Ken had asked for our parents presence at the school premises.

"You don't care?" I asked him when he pulled me up from the living room couch, his hand in my hair, and pecked my lips. "She is your sister. Don't tell me you don't feel even a tiny bit of guilt."

He only smiled and walked us to the kitchen. I don't feel like it, but I can't say no, not even because I don't want to hurt him, but because I don't have it in me to be anywhere, he is not.

In the kitchen, he preheated the oven and started grabbing things from every angle.

I lean against the island, my head resting on my hands, and watch how effortlessly good he looks in the kitchen.

"I thought revenge supposed to feel good. Why do I feel bad?" I asked him as he mixed the ingredients.

He peeked up at me with one eye and smiled slowly until I could see his teeth.

"Ava, you're just too good for us, that's it."

I roll my eyes and scoff, "I hate to spoil your belief, but that's not true. I just wrecked my stepsister's vehicle, which is Christian money, not even hers. I have a devil in me."

He broke out of laughter that he struggled to control while I watched him confusedly from across the island.

When he was able to calm himself, he poked his hand into the dough and circled over to me.

I adjusted before he brushed some hair from my face and brought his finger stuck with dough to my mouth.

His luminous eyes were boring into mine; I was too captivated to break the contact as my tongue rolled around his finger, and I sucked on the incredibly delicious recipe he made.

Although I don't know what's more delicious, his finger or the dough, because even when I licked the entire dough from his finger, I kept on sucking while watching his breathing increase and his eyes close.

"Marina is home."

That quickly had me shoving him away, and he seemed to wake up from the moment with my act of karate.

"Easy!" He exhaled and followed my gaze while Marina was smiling by the door, holding some groceries in both hands.

"He was just making a family-" Shit! What is he making? "What are you making?" I turn over to Leigh, who seems at ease when on the other hand, I am literally going I pee my pants.

"Biscuit." He smiled at me.

"You know, I thought you're a dickhead, but you're kind of sweet," Marina said to Leigh and made herself comfortable in the kitchen.

My eyes widened with shock, and Leigh's narrowed with disbelief.

"Excuse me, did you just call me a dickhead?" He asked the woman who began refrigerating the stocks she brought along.

"You never called her when you left. That's not how to treat a girl when you want her."

I actually choke, and then an irrepressible cough flows through me.

She said, what?

I didn't pay much attention to either of them, but Marina was suddenly before me with a cup of water, and Leigh was holding me in his arm, tenderly patting my back.

"You are going to kill her." Leigh accused from above me.

"Me or you? This poor thing only thought of you, not me." She scowled at him. I wanted to tell them to stop, but I am much concerned about catching my breath. "I took an oath to break your head with a pot when I see you so here."

Before I could look over and stop them, Leigh was crying, "Ouch!"

"Marina, please," I begged the furious woman and collected the cup of water she was offering to me when the coughs subside.

She frowns and holds her hips, shooting Leigh a challenging glare from across him, "He will not break your heart ever again."

It was more of a command that I was curious for the answer also, so I turned over to Leigh with a crimson face; he had his hands up in defense.

"How do you know anyway." He jerked his head at the woman, then fled his eyes back to me, accusative. "It seems everyone around you knows."

"I didn't tell anyone. They just happen to be smart." I simply say and situated myself on the stool.

"I work here. I clean her room and do her laundry; of course, I would know. Just like I know what Lilith is up to."

"What's she up to?" Leigh quickly asked the woman.

She only smiles and says, "Not mine to tell." Our eyes narrowed at her while she walked away. She must have noticed because she added, "I thought you're baking for her of you're back to being an idiot?"

Leigh mumbled something under his breath and scratched his jaw when we were alone.

"Are you okay?" I worriedly asked him.

He turns over and sighs, giving a crooked smile.

"I want to take you and run away from here." He groaned, and I laughed while he hugged me.

My hands circled around him, and my head leaned on his chest as his was on my head.

"There is no devil inside you. It's just what we made of you here." He said above me.

"What?" I asked just as the front door opened and noises flooded through the house.

We pull away instantly, kissing briefly, and race to the foyer.

Christian was talking to someone outside the door; we stood in our position for two minutes until Lilith and Christian walked into the house and behind them was uncle Emmanuel and his wife.

Her dad rubbed his eye and smiled, exasperated by when the door was closed.

My heart was jerking in its ribcage, my stomach churning and my knees buzzing. I was getting dizzy.

Guilt is the most dangerous shelter you can think of. I thought I knew what I wanted, but my head is now disagreeing with me.

Lilith is like a ghost, pale and dehydrated. I hated it made me feel amused to see her like this, and I hated I wanted to run over and help her with water, a cup of IHOP coffee, anything.

I put her in this situation because I wanted her to feel how much she had hurt me. But right now, I am not even sure I am okay.

Luckily, Leigh helped me out and rushed over to the kitchen. Some seconds later came out with bottled water and scurried over to his sister, who was sitting on the foyer couch, looking down at the carpet.

"I don't know where to start." Christian exhaled, pacing back and forth. Behind him were my mom and his brother, and below him were his two children.

"Just let the girl rest. She's been through a lot for one day." Aunty pleaded the tensed man.

"I didn't ask her to drink or to start taking drugs." He thundered.

I swear I felt the ground beneath me shake.

Drugs? Lilith is doing drugs?

"I swear, dad, I didn't take any drug." Lilith croak. Her voice was shaky and hoarse. It's as if she had been crying.

Of course, she's in deep scum.

"Shut up, Lilith. I am trying to calm down." Christian yelled at her, and she squirmed, clutching Leigh's arm.

"I need some air." Christian declares and leaves the house abruptly without kissing my mom as he always does.

Uncle Emmanuel followed him as I was contemplating doing so.

While Aunty helped Lilith up from Leigh's arms and told mom she would take her upstairs.

***

The house we called home didn't have that warmth and didn't deserve that name.

Christian and uncle hadn't returned. Lilith was still upstairs with her aunty. Leigh was in the kitchen baking his dough, and I was sitting on the couch watching the black screen of the turned-off telly.

What have I done? was all that was running on my head.

"I am so so sorry. Ava. I am so so sorry." Mom whimpered and just hugged me.

It caught me by surprise, I didn't even know she was sitting next to me, but when I tried to pull away, I felt my shirt drenching.

Was she crying? Why is she crying? Did she know I was behind all of this?

I wanted to ask her, but she continued to cry in my chest; I didn't have the strength to rebel. So I hugged her back and let her cry out the remorse she felt.

Later, Leigh brought us a plate of biscuits and two cups of milk. Mom weakly thanked him, and he only smiled and walked back to the kitchen.

Fairytales says there are some food recipes that can mend a broken heart, Leigh's biscuits were among those recipes.

Mom couldn't help complimenting it for the second time while we ate.

Through the glass doors, I sight Leigh heading upstairs with a tray. It's probably Lilith's. Of course, he wouldn't forget his sister.

"He is a good child. I wonder how he does it." Mom says thoughtfully.

True.

"I am an adult. And I am barely holding up well." She smiled sadly and folded her leg on the couch. "I failed everyone around me. I should be making you those." She beckoned at the plates, and I nodded once.

That might also be true, but I gave her a smile to soften her melancholy emotion.

She grabbed my hand in hers and brought it to her feverish face.

"I will never let you down. You will see. You will see I am that woman that promised to look after you no matter what. You don't have to worry anymore."

Somehow, my heart melted inside my chest. This is all I emotionally needed and also what my guilt required to ignite.

I felt the burn. Hell, I wanted to confess. It was right here in my throat, blocking my breath.

I lean over, this time, and lay my head over her lap, ignoring that buzzing from my phone and just enjoying having a mother despite my flaws.