Page 8 of Heartless Monster

I steal a glance at Brogan as we walk in the kitchen, immediately noticing the way she’s staring off in la-la land while biting the corner of her lip.

My head shakes in disapproval, needing to make myself perfectly clear. “Some of those guys might be hot, but they all sit right below Rome on the asshole ladder.”

“Maybe I wanna sit right below one of them on that ladder, because then I’d be looking right up at the sexy asshole…literally.”

“Brogan!” I smack her shoulder playfully. “They’re all cold-hearted jocks, just like Rome.”

She laughs. “You’re such a drama queen.”

“Am not,” I huff defensively, now leaning against the kitchen counter. “It’s just…you're my little sister, Bro, and I don’t want you to get your heart broken.”

The sound of the guys’ masculine voices ring louder now that they’re directly below us. This is a three-story house with eight bedrooms and five bathrooms. We should not be able to hear them.

Brogan's eyebrows furrow as she locks eyes with me, her lips pressed tightly together. She sees the anger radiating from me. I can't stand being in this house, surrounded by those boys—Rome in particular.

“Lighten up, El. Mayhem is to be expected when high school boys are involved.”

“They’re just so damn immature. And Rome has been awful to me. You’ve seen it.” She just doesn’t know the extent of it.

“I have. But I also notice that you haven’t really given him a chance to be anything but awful. You’re constantly on the defensive. This isn’t easy for any of us, but we all have to make the best of it. You included.” Turning away from me, she grabs two bottles of water out of the fridge, passing me one.

She’s probably right. Brogan is always so positive and happy. Lately I’ve been even more of a downer than normal. I don’t like change. I had my entire life planned out less than a year ago, and moving to Willow Creek was not part of that plan.

“Well, I have to study tonight,” I tell her. “And if they think I’m going to listen to their antics all night, they’re in for a rude awakening.”

“Study?” Brogan chuckles before sipping her water. “Elodie. Tomorrow is the first day of the school year. What in God’s name do you have to study for?”

I’m not surprised that she’s surprised. Brogan doesn’t understand me. No one does.

“Advancing my studies is a beneficial approach to starting off the school year. To put it simply, I like to be one step ahead.”

Brogan shakes her head as a bout of laughter climbs up her throat. “You really are a visitor from another planet.”

The sudden thudding coming from the basement has my eyebrows caving in and I find myself clenching the bottle of water so tightly, I’m surprised the top hasn’t popped off. “How are you not pissed about all of this? Do you hear them?” I pound my foot on the floor, hoping they'll hear my frustration. “Shut up, down there!”

Brogan puts a hand on my shoulder and I inhale deeply, calming myself down as I untwist the top of my water. “Keep the beast inside, Elodie. Do not let it out.”

I like to think I do a good job at remaining calm in stressful situations, but ever since our mom told us she was marrying Grant, my anger has gotten the best of me.

I shake her hand off my shoulder, my mind flashing back to the day my life was flipped upside down.

Mom took my sisters and I shopping for the entire day. We had the time of our lives buying anything our hearts desired. Then, at the end of the day, she brought us to a quiet restaurant—which I now know was because she knew we wouldn’t make a scene, or so she thought. Her exact words were, “I met up with an old friend on our trip to Willow Creek last year and we’ve been dating. We’re getting married…soon.”

The beast Brogan speaks of was unleashed in that elegant restaurant. I sprang to my feet so fast I knocked over my chair, sending it crashing into the table behind us, which spilled the drinks of its occupants. If that wasn’t enough, I yelled at my mom and swore I would never forgive her if she married Grant.

I have—forgiven her, that is. But I’m still furious about the entire situation. We had a life in Bakersfield. My sisters and I have never lived elsewhere. My best friend, Maggie, is there. Not to mention, my boyfriend of eight months, who I’m pretty sure dumped me because “long distance relationships aren’t really his thing.”

Ever since that day last year where I found myself on my knees in the dark at the hands of a monster, I hate when others take any of my control away, and my mother took every bit of it away when she forced us to move in with this family.

“Ahhh,” Rome gushes mockingly as he walks into the kitchen. His hands over his heart and a smirk on his face. “I thought I heard voices up here. If it isn’t my delightful little sister…and you.” His eyes shoot to mine. “I thought maybe that was you stomping on the floor. Always making your presence known, aren’t you, Elodie?”

My gaze flicks upward, my body temperature rising as I gulp down the water and try to refrain from throwing my drink at him. “Please give me a warning before you enter the room I’m in, Rome. I’ll be sure not to take a drink of water at the risk of choking on it when I see your face.”

“I can’t help it,” Rome sings as he purposely bumps my side, making his way to the refrigerator. “I guess my face just has that effect on the ladies.” He snares a half-gallon of chocolate milk and squeezes the top, opening the carton. “Besides, it really wouldn’t break my heart if you did choke to death.”

I cringe at the sight of him drinking straight from the jug. “You’re disgusting.”

His tongue drags across his lower lip, licking up the excess milk, and my stomach curls.

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