Page 37 of Seven Days

I nod at him and dig my stiletto into Jace’s ribs. “I’m fine.”

“Hold the show for me,” he flashes me a smile identical to our father’s, right down to the dimple, before jogging off to find Nora.

I look back down at the pathetic waste of life below me. “I’m going to enjoy this, Jace. I hope you know that. You were lucky to even breathe the same air as my sister. I always knew you would peak in high school, how fucking sad.”

The crowd parts as Brady drives the car up to where I’m standing. He gets out and tosses me one of his golf clubs. I catch it in the air and jump onto the hood.

“Pick him so he can watch.” I make sure tho drag my heels over the obnoxious red paint while I wait for him to look up at me. “Do you know what makes me angry?” I look at Jace and wait for a response.

He stubbornly refuses to say a word.

“Oh, big mistake.” I laugh as I bring the club down on the windshield of the car with all the force I can. The sound of glass breaking and shouts from the crowd fill the air. “Ready to answer the question yet?”

“You’re a fucking psycho.” This idiot can barely stand and he’s still being a punk.

“Yes,” I look at him patronizingly, “this isn’t news. I warned you what would happen if you hurt my sister.” I bring the club down again, shattering more of the windshield.

“That’s my dad’s car,” Jace is finally starting to look worried. “I get it. Point made.”

“You don’t sound sincere, Jace.” I look around trying to find some other way to punish him. My eyes land on a pile of bricks. I jump off the hood and walk over to the pile lifting a few of them into my arms.

“No, Elle.” Jace shakes his head, wincing at the pain I’m sure it causes. “Stop. You don’t understand. Don’t.”

“Too late.” I slide behind the wheel of the car, slightly upset at the thought of ruining such a good car but consequences must be faced. I turn the car on and slip it into neutral. It’s about twenty feet to the cliff and straight down into one hundred and fifty feet of water.

Brady and Sloane both look a little uneasy. Nora and Alina are no where to be seen so I assume they went home. I make and hold eye contact with Michael who nods at me in complete solidarity. He comes and stands behind the trunk, waiting for me to put the bricks over the gas pedal.

“Elle! Stop! It’s not funny anymore. I’m sorry, okay? I was so mad about the break up that I wasn’t thinking clearly.” One of his eyes is already swollen shut. “I just loved her so much, you know? When she broke up with me I lost my shit. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I-“

“I don’t care about your excuses.” I walk back to join Michael as Brady flanks my other side. It doesn’t take much to push it over the edge. Murmurs and muffled laughter are the only sound until the car splashes down into the pit of black water.

Jace drops back down to his knees and runs his fingers through his hair as the taillights disappear into the dark depths. He mumbles something incoherent as his head shakes back and forth slowly. Then he lifts his gaze to mine, his eyes resigned and empty. “You have no idea what you just did.”

I walk past him without saying anything. The adrenaline high of protecting my family is fading quickly. I just want to get home and check on Nora. I cut through the crowd with my head held high, I’m not ashamed of who I am.

#

“Elle!” My father’s voice booms from the other side of my bedroom door along with his strong fist against the wood. “Family brunch in ten minutes.”

I crack one eye open and fumble for my phone. The lock screen is full of notifications I don’t want to deal with so I set it back down and fling the covers off. Normally I’d go super casual with my clothing choice on a Sunday morning but today is our actual birthday. The entire family is here, my aunts and uncles, cousins, and grandparents. For that reason I grab a pair of jeans and a green tank top.

I showered when I came home from the party last night so I take my hair out of the two braids I put it in and finger comb the waves out. My morning routine only takes five minutes. I’m dressed and walking down the hall when Nora’s door opens.

I wait for her at the top of the stairs. She’s wearing black shorts and an oversize off the shoulder shirt. Her hair is hanging loose around her shoulders, falling nearly all the way down her back. I know what she’s doing, hiding behind her hair. Her figure is fuller than mine, soft where I’m all hard muscle and lean lines. She thinks the only beautiful thing about herself is her glossy black hair but she’s so much more than that.

I wish we could switch places for a day so she could see herself through my eyes. How gorgeous her bright blue eyes are in the bright sunlight. How just her very presence can calm my chaos.

“Stop.” Her voice is quiet but stern. She knows exactly what I was just thinking and it annoys her.

“Morning, wombie,” I say with a bright smile, using the nickname we gave each other years ago. “How’d you sleep?”

“What is this ‘sleep’ you speak of?” A yawn slips from her lips as she says it.

“Sleep is what happens when you close your eyes and let your mind drift away on a sea of violent fantasies.” I sweep my hand out dramatically.

An amused snort comes from behind us. “You would, psycho.”

I turn and look at my little brother, annoyed because I have to tilt my head back now. He’s already taller than our dad and he’s barely seventeen. “Put some clothes on, pleb.”

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