Page 11 of Little Liar
It is,I sign lazily, my eyes on her as she looks back at the view.
My heart isn’t made of stone. It’s filled with poison.
What would she do if I did kiss her? Would she kiss me back and become my little secret, or would she run to our parents and get me kicked out of the family?
Maybe she’d pull away from me but wouldn’t tell a soul.
The risk is fucking big, but I want to feel my lips on hers so damn badly.
Ultimately, as she wraps her arms around my waist and rests her head on my chest, we watch as the sun reaches the horizon, me inhaling the strawberry scent of her hair and running my fingers through the soft strands like I always do.
Even this isn’t normal. I know it isn’t, but I don’t care.
We can’t be close like this in front of our parents or our friends. I was already thrown to the other side of the manor because I kissed her on the lips during a board-gamecelebration. It was innocent, but Mom and Dad lost their fucking heads.
So we’re only close like this in secret. When we go for runs together or sneak into one another’s rooms to cuddle, or when I hold her hand while she tries to calm down from a nightmare.
There’s a boundary that society created, stopping me from falling in love with my sister, and I want to tear that boundary to fucking shreds and keep her. I’ll set fire to it and everyone who stands in my way.
I love Olivia, but I’m not sure it’s the same way I grew up loving her anymore. It’s stronger, violent, and I have a feeling if she ordered me to get on my knees and kiss her fucking feet, I’d do it. Anything she asked, I’d do.
Fuck. I’m so screwed. Dad is definitely going to kill me because I can’t feel this way about my own damn sister.
“I need to tell you something,” she says quietly.
What?
“Do you remember a while ago Mom was talking about the tradition of arranged marriages that run in our family?”
My teeth crush together as I think about the first time I was told Olivia would be paired up with someone and taken away from me. Yes, I fucking remember. How could I forget one of the worst things I’ve ever heard in my life?
“Well, it’s already started.”
I frown and look down at her, waiting for her to elaborate on what the fuck she means by that. She’s too young, too fucking innocent to get thrown into that life.
“Um…” She hesitates then buries her head into my chest, muffling her voice. “Mom is arranging dates already.”
My entire body seizes, and I pause stroking her hair.
“The first date is this weekend. Me and Mom are going over to his house to talk with his parents. He’s a little older than me and really wants to meet me.”
This is ridiculous. She’s only sixteen.
Gracing her with any response would result in an argument. I’d tell her no, she’d tell me to fuck off, and then we’d give each other the silent treatment for an entire day before one of us snuck into the other’s room.
“I hope he’s nice though. Imagine he’s mean? I’d need to send my big brother to kick his ass.” She’s giggling, but I’m still, silent as always, and I think I might pass out from rage.
I’m imagining him in a body bag.
Bloodied.
Ripped to shreds.
Diced and minced and pulverized.
No longer in existence.
No one will ever be good enough for Olivia.
