"So, I get to call you sister now? "

Those words alone coming from Rachel made her cringe. She never imagined being a sister to Rachel. She couldn't understand why it was so easy for Rachel. Maybe she was used to having her father introducing new siblings to her every week, but she wasn't!

Her mother was a perfect wife and mother, who hid nothing from her family, not until last night was she aware of how delusional she was. She didn't know how to take it, she concluded she wouldn't take it at all.

After she left yesterday with Nathan, she cried and cried, he consoled her. She sought for answers, she couldn't think straight, but she couldn't talk to her mother. She felt so disgusted at her mother, she didn't have the nerve to talk to her even after she came back home, very late .

She had heard the knock on her bedroom door and ignored it even when she heard sniffs from her. She couldn't believe her perfect mother had been lying to her for the past seventeen years. She wondered if her father knew about it too and kept it from her. But you can't stay mad at a dead person, so it was all her mother. She can't take this, she won't take this, if Rachel was liking for how to pick on her because of this information, she wasn't getting it off her.

"I'm not your sister! " She came back at Rachel with a rush.

She expected Rachel to roll her eyes, walk off or huff. At least, do something annoying but she didn't. In fact, she did the complete oppositely. She held her hand,

"All my life, I longed for a sibling, a sister to play with dolls in doll houses, a brother to fight with and most importantly, a mother to come home to and discuss girls issues with,but fate has always been against me. My mother abandoned me and my father when I was young, for a better life because my father was hung up on this lady he loved all his life. Dad promised her to be faithful but mother kept feeling insecure, always suspecting dad and stuff, always felt paranoid that dad would leave her one day. But he didn't, in fact, he stayed true to his words. But mom left. Leaving me with dad. " she sniffed, looking everywhere but at Wren. "After mom left, dad was devastated, he was abandoned by the two women the meant a lot to him, so he started sleeping around. And no, my dad didn't come back introducing me to new siblings, that wasn't the case. Even if it was, it was better than coming home to meet new women on the dinning table with him. "

Wren's eyes softened when she heard what Rachel narrated and immediately felt sorry for being so insensitive . For some reason, she couldn't help letting go of busty blonde bitch Rachel. And it was unfair to keep thinking the worst of her.

"I'm so sorry."

"No, no. You really don't have to be. You also don't have to be my friend either. I get it that you hate me, I've always been cruel to you because I always saw you as a threat. Nathan was the only thing that meant the world to me, and you had him wrapped around your little finger."

"No, no -"

"I see, Wren. " her smile was weak and her face sad. "I was afraid he was going to, you know. And Tristan fancied you a lot, so, yes, you were a threat of to me. The only way to keep you out of my way was to be cruel to you."

"Well, well." Wren was shocked at the revelation, yet at this point , she couldn't get mad at her. She was being so honest. This was why Nathan loved her!

"The boys, they adored you, and always talked about you. Tristan too, saw you as a challenge, a dare, a puzzle he had to fix."

"He didn't have to." She rolled her eyes at the mention of his name.

"Tristan is that type of person. Always going up for a challenge. "

"You also know he hates Nathan, right? Was that because of you?"

Wren saw her blush an her eyes twinkle.

"Yes. Not like I enjoyed it. I only saw Tristan as my friend, yet he was possessive,and rude. It's in his nature to take whatever he wants, at all cost, even when our parents had set us up together, he immediately welcomed the idea. Another reason I was with him was to make him not go at Nathan. Again,he's a lonely kid. He has lost everything because of his father, and the only thing, the only way I could make him happy and not make him feel like he lost everything, was to be his girlfriend."

"That really isn't your call to make. He's a big boy. And didn't you think it'd hurt him more that you only did it for him because you felt sorry for him? And you were hurting Nathan on the other hand."

"Yes, he found out and was very mad. That was why he came after you, which was the most insensitive thing anybody could do."

Wren didn't want to talk about how Tristan tried to use her, she just wanted to fast forward to the next thing. As much as she claimed she was over all of that, she still felt sick .

"But Tristan isn't all that evil mastermind. He's sensitive and kind hearted. He hides it under that arrogant, selfish self of his. I'd do anything to make him happy, but to jeopardize what I have with Nathan."

"What I saw him do with Andrea doesn't speak so much of his sensitivity. What he did to me doesn't either-"

"I know, he was hurt and he-"

"Can you please stop making excuses for him? I'm beginning to think he sent you to say all these things." Her anger was rising and she held onto the seat handle she sat on, looking at the school body as they made their way home, wearing tired faces and loose school uniforms.

She didn't want to talk about Tristan, she hadn't for a long time and wasn't about to do so now.

"I'm not trying to make excuses for him. You just have to give him a chance to make you see reasons with him. He makes a lot of stupid decisions when angry, but believe me, he regrets them."

"To be honest with you, I don't see he'd be that way. I'm a boring nerd. There's nothing special about me." Wren couldn't believe she was admitting that to herself. "Who isn't interested in social life and would rather snuck up in her room reading a book that go to parties. I'd rather wear comfortable clothes than wear fashionable ones that are ill fitting and expose my body. I'm not even tall, neither am I skinny with blonde hair. So, there's nothing about me to interest Tristan. And now I get it, I was a fool to think he maybe liked me for me. I really don't want to talk about it, I'd rather talk about something else, sister. "

The mention of sister brought a smile to Rachel's face, the kind of smile Wren hardly see on her face. Not the fake smile she always wore but a genuine one, then she thought she saw her eyes glisten with tears.

"Yes, sister. " she sniffed. "Just think about what I told you." She added, making her roll her eyes.

"You know, for a sister, you could be a real party pooper. I'm with Ryder now."

"Speaking of, we have to hang out more, if that's fine with you, anyways." Her smile faded. She hoped she would say yes, but Wren had a lot to take in, she hadn't fully accepted what was thrown at her, she had a lot to process, to her, all that happened yesterday still felt unreal. Rachel Robbins couldn't possibly be her frigging sister!!

After Rachel left, Wren walked to the lawn only to find her best friend munching down a carton on milkshakes and burger. Not just that, she was crying.

"You and the bitch now, huh?" She blurted, without looking at her face.

Wren was taken aback, this couldn't be the reason she was crying, right?

"Is this why you're crying?" She mirrored her thoughts.

"No, dummy. I came to share my predicaments with you,only to find you having a heart to heart with her. I guess I'm alone after all. " she bit hard into her burger, making Wren bite back a snort from escaping her lips. She concluded she was going to tell her bestie all about it.

"Guess the biggest twist, that bitch, coincidentally had to be my sister. Isn't my life such a game!"

"What do you mean, sister ?"

She wasn't eating the junk again, she turned to face Wren squarely, giving her the you can't be serious expression.

"Yes, I'm drop dead serious. I only found out last night."

"It's already stale news! You could've told me everything yesterday! I feel we're drifting apart! And when college comes, we'll grow even farther apart, starting from decreased number of texts, down to nothing!"

Wren didn't know the deal with Mona up until now. High school was already coming to an end and everyone would go their separate ways and forget all about the past.

"I don't understand why you'd act all touchy now, when you continually ditch me with Ian, makes me wonder if I'm your best friend or him!" Wren didn't know where this came from, maybe she was just as hurt as her friend was, and had bottled all of her feelings in up until now. "And now you two would go to the same college live the perfect college dream with the love of your life, now tell me who among the two of us is lonely!"

She saw her friend's eyebrows slide down, her perfect face into a frown as the tears slid down uncontrollably. As much as she was sad for making her feel sad, she couldn't help the anger surging through her veins. High school didn't end the way she hoped it would, her father's death, Tristan's betrayal, the mixed friends coming in and put of her life, the revelation of having another father. All of it was too much for her, too much to handle, too much to swallow. She just learnt her life from the beginning had always not been true and she was scared she wouldn't get into Harvard as the list came out and she was put on wait list. This wasn't how she planned he life to go, now she had to deal with what life had thrown at her.

"I'm so sorry, Wren. But it's not only you having a hard time. Ian didn't make it to UC and we're breaking up before college begins, long distance relationship isn't a thing for him and-"

Wren couldn't believe Mona was still talking about herself and Ian .

"I just wish you were less selfish and more sensitive."

With that, she ran away from her, to where she knew gave her peace, the waters, coolness against her skin, she longed for it. She wanted something to calm her down, make her feel less alone and it was the waters. She got to the school swimming pool and removed her jacket, shirt, unhooked her skirt and let it fall to the ground as she was left in only her underwear and she dived in. The school premises had been vacated and she was glad she had the whole school to herself, to think and to breathe. She couldn't believe even Mona didn't take what she just told her seriously, it was always about herself and her loving Ian. She let herself fall under the water, crying, he hair floating at the top. Then she paddled the water with her hands, flapping her toes swimming- from one end of the pool to the other. She had become better by the day and even faster, she loved the wave of water passing around her, the cool water against her skin and the rush of water hitting her head. This, would do, she forgot about everything, about everyone And was lost in her own world, she didn't want to be found either. When she thought it was okay, she began swimming to the bank, when she pushed her head out of the water, she met a pair of green eyes, scaring her.

"Shit!"

She fell back into the water. And she heard his voice again, this time around, laughing.

"Go away!" She cried.

Her skin flushed, she felt so embarrassed, she was in her underwear for chrissakes and Tristan is the last person she expected to see her in these. She regretted why she didn't wear a swimming trunk under her uniform.

Not everyone swims to let out their frustration, Wren.

She huffed, this was so embarrassing, coupled with the fact that she didn't want to see this handsome devil. She hid her body under water, and pointed at him, biting back her quivering lips.

"Stay away from me!"

He walked from one point of the pool to the other, like he was weighing his options and for once Wren thought he was really going away, then he stopped on his tracts and pointed back,

"What about ... No? " then he squatted. "What's the name of this school again?" His eyebrows met, like he was really confused.

What stupid question?or is his brain booting?

"Caves-"

"Of course! And you realize that's my last name, right? It's not in my nature to walk away from what rightfully belong to me."

She rolled her eyes, she knew he wouldn't give up without a fight and it was so annoying. It was getting dark and she was feeling cold already.
He stood up again, pacing around and Wren had the urge to walk up to him and claw his face.

"But when you cry to your mother, telling her you want to leave, that doesn't really speak of this glorious attribute of yours. " she smiled, that was his Achilles heels.

"Nah, my father is a douche." He said it so rawly, his arms wrapped around his chest and the other hand rubbing his chin like he was thinking of something.

"Talking of fathers, you were at my house that day? Now I've fixed all the puzzles together. You're the one my mom always talked about, Lisa's daughter? I should've known earlier."

Wren rolled her eyes. "Good luck in finding out. Now leave. I need to get back home."

"Oh, I'm not stopping you. Go ahead, lollipop." He looked like he was enjoying this. He always derives pleasure in seeing her miserable, after all.

Then she dared to swim out, but she couldn't, her underwear a were the really embarrassing ones, her panties had polka dots and her bra looked like a life jacket.

Then he laughed again, and started unbuttoning his shirt, his hard chest coming into view.

"You've got to be kidding me! Tristan, you're not getting into this pool."

"Watch me." With that, he pulled his trousers , he was left in a black underwear which didn't help her eyes.
She started swimming far from him, she didn't know why her heart was already racing and she felt uncomfortably hot.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" His voice came and she felt trapped. "You've been avoiding my calls too. Why, Wren?"

"Are you serious right now? Don't play dumb, it doesn't suit you, douche. Oh, should I say like father like son?"

"I'm nothing like my father!"

There and then, they both felt the tension rise in the water. It wasn't as cool and soothing as Wren had earlier presumed, it was hot and uncomfortable, she sought for covers.

****

Finally, these two talked. They we're bound to, anyways one way or the other before they leave High school.

How are you my precious muffins 😚
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Now hit the vote button and send in your comments.

Te Amor