I opened the front door and was greeted with rose petals going up the stairs. I smiled and made sure to grab my phone from the kitchen table before someone else found it or I forgot it again. I had just put it in my bag when I heard noise from upstairs. I walked up the stairs, skipping a few in my hurry and then I heard a crash come from my room. I opened the door and found Devin, shirtless, with his pants unzipped and almost off. Even worse, I found my sister—my sister! —half naked with only a bra and some underwear on.
Devin looked like a deer caught in headlights. My sister looked over to me with a shocked expression on her face, unsure what part of herself to cover.
My mouth opened to speak but nothing came out. My heart had been ripped out from my chest and stomped on by Devin and my own sister. I was devastated and thoughts of telling him my feelings were slapped in my face. I felt as though the world was laughing at me for actually wanting to tell Devin the truth, for even having the feelings in the first place.
I don’t know when the tears started to fall, probably when I realized Devin had just been playing a cruel joke on me. I know we were only dating for appearances, but it was at least supposed to be somewhat real. Would he have cheated on me if we really had been together?
“CJ, let me explain.” Devin’s voice brought me back to reality and I couldn’t handle what was before me.
“Don’t talk to me, Devin,” I said, backing out of the room.
“This isn’t what it looks like.”
“Looks like you were about to have sex with my sister! How many others have there been?” I demanded but I didn’t want to know.
“No one! And we weren’t about to have sex! The lights were off, she tricked me,” he shouted, pointing at my sister, who looked indignant.
“You’re going to blame my sister, really? You’re even worse than I thought! I hate you, Devin Malone!” I yelled, right about the time Mitch opened the front door.
“What’s going on up there?” he called. I’m sure he noticed the rose petals.
“Your best friend just ripped out my heart and your sister stomped on it!” I looked over to Devin. “I will never forgive you. And you,” I pointed at Emily, “I’m through with you,” I sobbed and ran down the stairs and out the door.
I found myself driving aimlessly until I couldn’t see through the tears and finally pulled into an abandoned parking lot. My phone was ringing and chirping unceasingly until I finally turned off the ringer. I sobbed in my car, hating myself for feeling anything for Devin, hating myself for getting into this mess in the first place.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized my mistake. I never should have agreed to go out with Larissa and Zach. I never would have danced with Devin, I never would have enjoyed his reaction to my dancing. I never would have seen Eric and had the need for Devin to comfort me. Larissa never would have thought me and Devin were dating starting this whole mess in the first place.
If I had a time machine, that’s the moment I would go back to. No! I would go back to when I was young and tell myself not to even think about Devin Malone. I would tell myself he would only hurt me and deceive me and make my life miserable, yet wonderful at the same time. How could I love him still after everything he’d done? I hated him for making me love him.
When it finally was past late, I drove back home tentatively. I had turned my phone on and had thirteen text messages and four new voice messages. I only looked at the ones that weren’t from him.
What happened, Chris?
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Sent from the iPhone of Mitchell Walsh
Mitchell just told me what happened.
But I’m not sure he really knows
what happened. How are you?
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Sent from the iPhone of Megan Walsh
Where are you, Chris? I’m trying not to worry.
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Sent from the iPhone of Mitchell Walsh
Megan finally told me a little of what happened.
I’m trying not to kill my best friend. Are you safe?
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Sent from the iPhone of Mitchell Walsh
Devin left, Christy. He was upset, you should listen
to what he has to say. Emily told us what she did.
You also need to hear her out.
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