Tarnished Love by Bianca Borell
FILIP
I’ll tell Damien on Bria’s birthday. This week has been crazy, but with all the expansions happening simultaneously, how can it be any different? I haven’t even had a moment with him alone. Monica has been glued to his side, it grates on my nerves and even in the jet, on the flight home she is with us.
“I don’t understand why she refuses to have a party.”
“Because she likes privacy, Monica.” Compared to you, but I swallow the last part.
“Yes, whatever. The princess does what she wants.”
“Monica.”
“What, Filip, she’s right.” I can make excuses for him for not knowing, but she knows damn well. I shake my head at her while she shrugs.
When we enter the mansion, I grab her elbow.
“Monica, you know about Bria, stop taking his side.”
“She deserves what happened to her, Damien didn’t.” My mom appears and Monica slips on that smile, full of sugar, nauseating me. My mom kisses me on my cheek and retreats with her. I ball my hands at my sides.
“Filip,”
“Hi, Dad.”
“What is wrong?”
“There is something about her.”
“She’s your cousin.”
Yes, this always shuts me up.
In my old room, I button up my shirt with my phone propped between my ear and shoulder. “How are the photoshoots going?”
“Tiresome. My boobs will fall off from the cold.” She giggles, and the image and the sound go straight to my pants.
“Shall I come to warm you?” The fact I would proves how bad I have it for her.
“The flight takes ten hours. I’ll warm myself by then.”
“Naughty. I like that.”
“How are things going?”
“Everyone is their charming self.”
“You sound off.”
“I am, this charade tires me.”
“What about the truth?”
“No one can handle the truth.”
“Yes, I get that impression.”
“I’ll talk to him at Bria’s party.”
“Wait for me.”
“Chloe, I need to do this alone. He has to see that I care about you.”
“Oh.”
“Shut up. I have to go.”
“Have fun.” I don’t say fun has nothing to do with this, it’s just a thing I have to do.
***
“Sis, happy birthday.”
“Thank you, Filip.” Just polite, no warmth, nothing else. Will it ever stop hurting me? I doubt it. As if she senses my pain, Sophia appears and snatches me away.
“Thank you,” I whisper. She nods, we don’t need words.
I glance at my watch, wondering why neither Monica nor Damien is here. It’s the gasp fleeing Sophia’s lips that makes me turn around, and my blood stops circulating. What the fuck? Damien saunters toward the table, hand in hand with Monica. I look at everyone else, surprise etched on their faces. Bria loses all traces of color, again reacting to him, but this time it persists. Her fingers tremble on the glass of water, and Alex glances from her to Damien, pure hatred. I wanted a reaction, but this might be the kind that will kill her. What did you do, you fucking idiot? I hoped you would save her not kill her.
I can’t be here, but Sophia presses a hand on my thigh, shaking her head. Yes, right, we bear it. I run a hand through my hair, zoning out. Only our parents seem to believe their bullshit story, but I know better. This is his last strike, he won. When Monica says they had feelings since forever, I pin her with a glare, and there’s a moment when her mask slips and reveals the snake she is.
Bria reacts as everyone has learned to accept, with grace, toasting with them, but her mask cracked too. What will she do now? Because if I am sure of anything, this changes everything. Can I lose her for a second time? I couldn’t bring her back, and now Damien pushed her too far.
Over the cake, their eyes meet as he cuts the cake, because my sister succumbs to feeling something, and it weakens her. She excuses herself, and I stare after her, the goodbye lingering in the air. When Monica starts with the theory that Bria might be pregnant, I have enough and retire. How can my parents entertain the idea? They should know better. I don’t say goodbye when I speed off.
“Where are you?”
“I’m flying home.”
“Filip . . .” Sophia needs to talk too, it’s not that she hasn’t seen the same hideous things as me. But I can’t in this moment.
I shut off my phone. I don’t want to feel, to think.
