Listen to Older by Sasha Sloan
                

I picked up the pregnancy test with shaky hands and read it. I stopped breathing as I stared at the two pink lines. I could feel my body shaking. There had to be a mistake, or the device was faulty.

How is this possible?

"It was one line, I promise. I don't know how ... Ciara, you saw it.Tell them," I stuttered, looking to my sister for help.

She said nothing.

"I will try it again. Give me some time."

"I can't put up with you anymore. You will always trash this family's name. Get your stuff and leave," Mom said.

"The test is wrong," I cried. "You have to believe me. I don't know him. I just saw him for the first time."

I searched their faces for any indication that they believed me, but when Dad shook his head in disappointment and Mom cried more, I knew I had to try harder.

"Mom ..."

"Stop, please," she said, staring at me with puffy eyes and tears wetting her cheeks. "You ruined this family like it's nothing.Why him, Cassandra?"

I opened my mouth to explain, but she continued, "You were using Grey all along. Who are you?" She looked at me like I was possessed and beyond recognition.

"It's me, Mom. It's me, Chloe," I said, trying to touch her but she pulled away from me.

She frantically shook her head, like she didn't want to believe a word from my mouth.

"Dad?" I turned to him to say something, but he remained silent, like he always did, turning a blind eye when I needed him.

He always agreed with Mom.Even if she chose to poison us, he'd pick her side. Sometimes, I wondered if we even mattered to him. He hardly ever stood up to her, even when she yelledand criticized him. He was like a ghost around her with no sense of self.

"Dad, please hear me out."

He turned away and walked to the backyard. My heart sank as tears brimmed my eyes. He shut the door without looking back.

"Dad!" I screamed.

"You were hell-bent on attending the wedding because you couldn't stand the thought of him getting married to Sofia." Ciara jabbed my heart, not helping my situation.

"No. I told you why I wanted to go to the wedding."

"You lied!" she yelled.

Who is this person, and what has she done to my sister?

"Grey was a good guy.Even though I never admitted it, he was much better for you than that man," Mom said.

I didn't know what to say to her.If no one was ready to believe me, then why was I trying?

"Are you ready to become a mother, Cassandra? Do you know what people are going to say about you? About this family?" Mom asked.

I whimpered, not knowing the right words to say.

"I'm not pregnant.You have to believe me," I pleaded.

"You know, I always had a feeling you were hiding something, but this isn't close to what I thought it'd be," Mom cut in with her teeth clenched. Her veins bubbled out of her forehead.

"Your sister told us what you did. I can't believe you did all that behind our backs. You fooled us.You never changed, and you will never change. What you did behind our backs is enough to convince me you're not the daughter I raised."

"What?" I looked at Ciara for an explanation.

"Are you going to deny what you did after you returned from the camp?" Mom asked.

I looked away from Mom. I didn't know what mattered anymore—proving I was not pregnant or convincing my parents I was still the same daughter they loved.

"Oh mom, she snuck out every night to see her fourth boyfriend the son of a druglord, who tried to rape her." Ciara smiled wryly at me when she was done talking.The expression on her face was almost unsettling, like a snake about to bite.

My heartbeat stopped, and my tears froze. I turned my head slowly to look at my sister, who used to keep my most perilous secrets secure. All I could see was red.If someone had told me the person I was staring at was my sister, I would've laughed and called them crazy. Ciara was like my twin sister even if she was five years older. She was my best friend, and we had grown up, doing everything together. We'd developed our language and always confided in each other. Now, I could not recognize the person staring at me with cold eyes. I'd thought she'd always have my back.

My sister had crossed her heart not to tell anyone, especially my parents. That night was something I never wanted to recall. I'd had nightmares for months after that horrifying incident. But she'd just spilled it like I hadn't cried my eyes out that night, to the point that I had gotten a fever.

I heard my mom gasp, my body numbing as her intense eyes burned me with ice. The truth was out—the truth that had diverted my mom's attention to my past instead of the situation at hand.

"Is it true? Did that really happen?"

I swallowed, nodding.

She went pale, covering her mouth to suppress her sobbing.

"Mom ..." I tried to touch her, but she stepped back, as if physical contact from me would kill her.

"I'm sorry." I sniffled, lips quivering.

"Before you leave, just know we've cut you off. You don't need us in your life anymore. I don't even know who you are.Leave and never come back," Mom said, staring at me like she didn't recognize me.

"I do need you, Mom," I said with a shaky voice.

"I don't think so. If it were up to me, I would take your last name away. You don't deserve to be called a Simpson," she said sternly."I don't care if you're pregnant; neither do I care if you are having an affair with an older man. You went against every rule, just for your pleasure and stupidity! You were already out of my life the first time you even thought about it. Seriously, Cassandra, drugs and sex? I taught you better," my mom said, bawling her eyes out like she was the victim.

"I have given you everything I could, and it's never been enough for you. Leave right now. I can't even look at you," she said and turned away.

"I'm not leaving." I shook my head.

Mom turned to look at Ciara, ignoring my protest.

"Get her out of this house. Your suitcases are already outside. I hope he makes you happy." She sniffled and headed for the stairs.

I ran to hold her back, but Ciara got in the way.

"Mom, please." I tried pushing past my sister, who was stopping me.

"Mom!" I screamed.

Ciara pulled me to the door until I was outside the house. She shut the door behind her and refused to let me in. I stiffened. I wasn't ready to accept the fact that my parents just kicked me out. I pulled away from my sister's hold, gazing at her villainous demeanor. A two-headed witch with multiple personalities.

What did I do to her?

"Why now? You promised!"

"Why?" she asked, stepping forward slowly. "Remember I told you I was dating Sofia's cousin." I knew where this was going. "He dumped me over the phone immediately after he got the news.According to him, he couldn't date someone related to the person who made his family a thing for mockery."

"You didn't have to go this far!" I snapped.

I didn't care if she was five years older than me. If she hadn't said that, I would have gotten a chance to convince Mom.

"He was going to propose, Chloe!" she screamed. "Sofia told me he was going to propose!" she sobbed.

I knew marriage had been her last ticket of escape to be away from my mom's controlling grasp.

"But then he heard what had happened at the wedding. You just had to steal my happiness like you always do," she said with pure disdain, like she wouldn't mind killing me on the spot.

"You really believe I'm pregnant? You saw the test.There was one line. I don't know how it suddenly turned to two," I asked softly.

"I don't know what to believe anymore.You were never who you said you were from the beginning, pretending to be the perfect daughter in front of Mom and Dad when behind their backs, you're wild and crazy."

"You're supposed to have my back and help me through this.Not add more fuel to the fire!" I yelled.

"You did that yourself. I only opened their eyes to the truth. It wasn't going to stay hidden forever, Chloe," she retorted.

"They didn't have to find out this way," I whimpered.

"Well, now, they know.You're welcome," she said, as if I were supposed to thank her for spilling my secrets.

"Don't do this, Ciara. I'm your little sister, the one who holds on to you tight during thunderstorms and steals your food when you're not looking," I reminded her.

My words got to her because she looked away, trying to shake the memories off.

"Ciara?"

"I have my own life to worry about. I lost my best friend today and now a sister. I was also about to become someone's fiancée." She forced the tears down.

"I'm still your sister," I mumbled. Weakness consumed me, like her words had sucked out my remaining oxygen supply.

"I hope you're happy."

She turned to leave, but I held her back.

"Don't leave me too. Please talk to them."

"You chose this path right when you turned fourteen."

"I changed when I met Grey.You know that."

"I don't know you!" she said, pulling her hand away.

"Ciara, wait." She ignored me entered the house, slamming the door.

And she was gone.

I ran to the door and knocked.

"Mom! Dad! Ciara! Please let me in." I pounded my fists on the door with tears flowing down my cheeks. "It's not true."

No one came.

"I'm still your daughter. You can't just kick me out," I whimpered, my face all wet and my nose runny.

"Please," I begged, resting my back on the door.

I flung the pregnancy test away, enraged and devastated. Leaning on the door, I slid slowly to the ground and broke down. The only people I'd thought would have my back wouldn't even hear me out. I waited, hoping someone would open the door and let me back into the house, but nothing happened.

An hour passed, and I was still waiting. My neighbors pulled into their driveway, staring at me as they exited their car. I expected them to walk up to me and ask questions and maybe help, but they walked straight into their house. They weren't just my neighbors. I was their babysitter—favorite babysitter, according to Mrs. Darnley.

I picked up my phone from my purse and called my sister, but it went straight to voice mail. I was about to call my mom when a sleek black SUV stopped in front of my house.

A man who looked to be in his mid-forties stepped out. His bald head glistened under the blazing sun. He was short. I guessed he was five feet tall. His round stomach made his tux look tight, like if he stretched both arms, the buttons wouldn't hold anymore. His thin legs reminded me of a cartoon character from Despicable Me. He adjusted his tux wouldn't hold. He walked toward my house. I cocked a brow at him as he got closer. He didn't climb the steps. He gave me a firm smile and stood straight, like he was being controlled. I noticed the white gloves on his hands.

"Hi, I'm Morris." His accent was hard to place.

"Can I help you?" I asked, not wiping my tears away or composing myself, like my mom would want right now.

"I'm here for Miss Chloe Simpson."

I stared at him closely."Are you a journalist?" I asked.

"No," he answered with the same neutral expression.

"Then, what do you want?"

"Mr. Sanchester sent me to get you."

"Tristan?"

"Yes, Miss Simpson."

"Why?"

"I was asked to keep an eye on you to make sure you're okay, but you don't look good. I informed Mr. Sanchester of your situation, so he sent me to come and pick you up."

He sent someone to spy on me?

I chuckled humorlessly at first and stared at him, waiting for the truth. "Wait, you're serious?"

"Yes, ma'am," he replied with his fingers intertwined and placed in front of him.

Should I trust him? What if he's a hit man, sent by the Novas to kill me?

I stared at him for a while. He had none of the qualities of a hit man from what I had observed. I closed my eyes and rested my head on the door.

It seemed my parents didn't plan on letting me back into the house. They wouldn't take me back even if they knew the truth. It didn't matter if Tristan had lied or not. I had already broken their trust.

I had nowhere to go, no relatives that I knew of who would let me stay with them. Mom had control of my account because she was the one who'd opened it for me, and she'd made me quit my last job because she didn't like me coming home late. So, I had nothing.

My head hurt from crying and shouting. I felt hungry and thirsty. That was the least of my problems right now. I needed Tristan Sanchester's location, so I could murder him, and he'd just made it easy for me.

I stood up with a sigh. "Take me to that asshole," I said, clenching my fist.

I turned around, and my heart skipped a beat as I noticed my suitcases were missing. Morris was waiting for me with the door open, gesturing for me to enter. Gosh, he is weird.

I walked to the car, taking the backseat. I stared at my house as we pulled out of my driveway. I wiped my tears away and tried to toughen up. I saw my sister staring at me from her room. I raised my middle finger, pointing at her frigid face.

My phone rang as my house disappeared from my view. I reached for it quickly, wishing it were my dad calling me to come back home, but I felt disappointed when I saw it was my best friend, Belvina.

"Hey, Vina," I said weakly.

"Are you really pregnant by Tristan Sanchester?"

"No!"

I heard her exhale in relief.

"Gracias a Dios. But is it true? The whole love thing?"

"Of course not."

"I was telling my parents he was lying, but they won't even listen to me.Are you okay?"

"No, my parents kicked me out."

She gasped. "Ay Dios mio. No way! They believed that devil? I was kinda convinced at the beginning.Wow, he is good." I could tell she was eating from the way she spoke. From the sound, I concluded it was her favorite Paqui tortilla chips.

"It's not that. Ciara told them everything," I told her. My eyes stung as I replayed my sister's betrayal.It hurt so much more than any heartbreak I'd experienced.

"That two-faced puta. So, what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to his place, so if you hear on the news about the murder of Tristan Sanchester, don't be shocked. Just make sure you come to my trial and visit me every day in jail." I saw Morris look back at me with a horrified expression.

"I understand your rage, Chlo, but listen to me. Take a deep breath, exhale, and go get that motherfucker! I'm here if you need backup."

I smiled for the first time since the shit that had gone down in the church.

"Do you know why he did it?"

"He won't tell me." To be honest, a part of me felt relieved and happy that someone believed it was a lie.

"Have you thought of taking a pregnancy test? Maybe go live on the internet and show everyone the result," she suggested.

"I did, but something weird happened. I'm so confused and frustrated right now. I'm not sure if I'm in my body." I was tearing up again. My head was tearing apart.

"Lo siento, cariño. What happened?"

I told her about the pregnancy test, and she went silent for a while. I was scared she might believe the whole lie too. There was no way I was carrying a baby. How was that even possible? Was I? The pregnancy test had come out positive, and I didn't know how.

"What in the Virgin Mary?" she gasped. "Còmo? Have you started drinking again?" she asked.

"No. You know I would never lie to you."

"Se. I know.You should have bought, like, five different pregnancy tests to test the accuracy."

"I will figure something out after I'm done with Tristan Sanchester," I said, mentally assuring myself I could get out of this mess.

"I know I still live with my parents, but if you need anything, please let me know. You could sneak into my room and stay with me without my parents knowing."

"No, it's fine."

"I love you, Chloe.Please don't go on YouTube. The comments there will lead you to suicide."

"It's on YouTube?" My heart stopped beating.

"Yep, two million views already."

I groaned, moving my already-messy hair back.

"We'll make that shithole pay for what he did.We'll fix this," she said loud enough for Morris to hear.

"Thanks, Vina. I feel better now. It means the world to me that someone believes me."

"Always. I will believe you, even when I'm old and suffering from Alzheimer's. No one's going to change that. I was so worried about you after I saw the news. I will call you later.My mom is back from the store, and I'm supposed to be making lasagna," she said quickly.

"Okay," I sighed in a low tone.

The rest of the ride was silent, and I almost fell asleep. I didn't know when we arrived until Morris came to open the door for me. I got out, looking at the luxurious three-story glass house, trying not to gape at the building as we went inside.

Everything inside looked expensive and well-furnished. I could see my reflection on the sparkling floor. There was a patio between the dining area and a large door leading outside, an exquisite interior that one could stare at for hours. I was in a bad mood, so I didn't bother looking around. I took a seat and stared at the large screen TV. I still felt so much rage. It was a wave of intense anger that channeled all my emotions and darkness, desperately in need of release.

This is not the package I asked for when I wished to move out. There is a difference, Fairy Godmother.

I felt so broken.All it had taken was a lie for my life to take another turn. For everything in my past I'd desperately kept hidden to come to light.

Why did Grey judge me on what happened in my past? He knows very well I'm done with that part of my life. Is it possible I got too drunk and forgot any details about meeting Tristan Sanchester? I have been sober for three years, and I have stayed celibate. There is no way I slept with him without having any memory of it.

I took off my shoes and leaned back on the seat. My legs felt numb, and breathing became exhausting. I felt detached from my body as I stared into space.

Am I really pregnant? I need to go to the hospital.

"Your suitcases are in your room.Would you like something to drink?" Morris appeared at my side.

"I'm not here to stay. Where is he?"

"He's out with a friend."

So, he was hanging out with his friend while I suffered from his lies.

"Morris," I called, sitting up on the plush leather couch.

"Yes, Miss Simpson?"

"Please call me Chloe."

"I don't think I can do that, miss."

I didn't have time to argue.

"What does your boss treasure most in this house?"

"The paintings on each wall. They're very expensive, and they mean a lot to him. And his achievements, like awards from around the world." He sounded proud of his boss as he spoke while I just smiled in my head.

"Could you bring them all here?" I could keep myself entertained before he returned.

"Sorry?"

"I want all the paintings and awards.Now, please."

He hesitated but walked away quickly after I stabbed my menacing eyes into his.

"You messed with the things I treasured most, and I will mess with yours." I knew I couldn't compare both, but I needed to cool off. Smashing those paintings and awards seemed like a good solution.

I stood up when he was done gathering everything. I stretched my arms and flexed my neck, preparing my muscles for the activity. I smashed each painting to pieces, screaming my rage out. I crashed the awards on the glass table, breaking it in the process. I broke more things as I recalled what had happened in the church and at home. I grabbed one of the glass shards from the center table I'd broken and waited for Tristan.

The place was a mess when I was done, and I was panting heavily from the work. I slumped on the couch and looked at Morris. He seemed horrified with his jaw dropped and eyes rounded. He reached for his phone and made a call.

That's right, Morris. Make the damn call.

END OF SAMPLE

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