“WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOUR HANDS?”
He grabbed both of my hands suddenly but gently to have a look.
“Nothing, I just touch those chains and…” I tried to explain but Mark cut me off.
“What? Chains? How can you injure your hands like this while only touching the chains? It looks like it is burned” Mark looked at me accusingly like I have committed some unspeakable crime.
‘Does he think I was playing with fire?’
“Oh, I…” I made another failed attempt to explain myself but to increase my frustration, this time, Oliver cut me off,
“There was a mild acid on the chains” he explained calmly.
“Acid on the chain? Why?” I asked in astonishment as I removed my hands from Mark’s.
“And why are there so many weapons in those two closets?” I asked while pointing towards the two closets I proudly left open.
Mark turned towards the closet and his eyes widened in shock.
“Woah! Why do you need so many guns and are those axes, spears, and shovels, I don’t even know what to call those on the sides! why are you guys collecting all of this?” he asked while narrowing his eyes to adjust his vision. My poor brother must be thinking he saw something wrong.
“Oh that…. You know how uncles like to hunt animals. It is what they like to do during winter breaks” Oliver replied with an uncomfortable smile.
He went there and closed the doors immediately interrupting our discovery before turning towards us.
“Do you really need so many weapons to hunt for animals? What are we hunting? Polar bears? Or wolves?” Mark asked with a mocking smile.
“Small animals like rabbits, birds, or sometimes deer too” Oliver replied calmly.
“Then why do you need to put acid on the chains?” I added suspiciously.
“There are some animals which are always out of control no matter how small they are! You need to tie them in order to protect yourself from animal bites! They keep on attacking unless they are dead!” Oliver replied, but I could sense frustration in his voice.
“Oh, I see” Mark was satisfied with his answers but I was still in suspicion.
“By the way, is that real silver?” I asked in confusion.
“Real silver? Are you kidding me? Do you think we can afford real silver chains? Have seen how giant those chains are?” Oliver asked with a chuckle but I narrowed my eyes at him,
“We are still living with Uncle Pete” he said in confidence dissolving all of my suspicion.
Knowing how miser Uncle Pete was, Mark and I ended up laughing.
“Good point” I replied, nodding in agreement.
“OH! I FORGOT!” Mark made another attempt to tear up my eardrum.
“Stop screaming like a banshee!” I growled angrily.
“She is right! Stop doing it, r*scal, you really have some high pitch vocal cords!” Oliver added in frustration.
“Oooppsss, sorry” Mark replied with a small innocent smile while covering his mouth.
‘He is not guilty at all’
“What is it?” I asked in an unbothered tone.
“I have good news for you” Mark said while looking at me with a sly smile.
Whenever he smiles like this, there is nothing GOOD for me in the GOOD NEWS.
“No bloody, no!” I replied, shaking my head from left to right in a big no, without even knowing the bloody news.
“Oh yeah!” He said while looking like a sloth with that wide smile.
“Can someone tell me what is going on?” Oliver asked in a confused tone while scratching his head.
“We are going for a trip in the forest to see the waterfall” Mark announced excitedly.
“What do you mean, ‘We’?” I asked in suspicion.
“All of us, all the cousins, ofcourse!” he said smiling sheepishly.
“There is no ‘Us or We’, You are going on that trip with YOUR cousins” I replied with a definite tone.
“Come on, Rose. They are OUR cousins. You are part of the family” Mark replied in a disappointed tone.
“No, I don’t think so. I am just a stone in their way which they badly want to throw away. Also, only you look like the rest of the family. I look different, and I feel different” I said aggressively.
“You don’t look that different! Mark is right. You are part of the family” Oliver said rolling his eyes.
“Said by the person who looks different too!” I replied returning the eye roll, he just chuckled at my childish behavior.
As the words came out of my mouth, I realized how right I was. Oliver, just like me, looks nothing like the Blue family. He is taller than Mark, has beautiful hazel green orbs, even he has chestnut brown hair. He is more muscular than any of them and his face is sinfully angular.
‘How can Mark not notice that and notice every unnecessary detail?’ I shook my head internally in disbelief.
“Well, you are right, little demon. Oliver does look different” Mark nodded.
Finally, I knocked some sense into his brainless head.
Hearing Mark, I came to the realization of what I just did, I looked at Oliver, he gave me a disappointed look and then just looked down.
‘Stupid me! Can’t you keep your blabbering mouth shut, you dumb Barbie’ I chided myself internally.
“You are very different than the rest of….” Before Mark could complete his statement, I shouted,
“You…!”
“What?” Mark jumped in shock.
“You are trying to change the topic. I am not coming to that forest trip” I said shifting Mark’s attention from Oliver. I don’t want him pondering on it. It worked like magic as his pea-sized brain lost its focus again.
“Oh, Rose! Why are you always so stubborn? You never listen to me whenever I try to persuade you for something” Mark said with a pout.
Because it never ends up good for me!
“Don’t make that puppy face. Doesn’t work on me!” I replied but internally I was screaming.
‘I am lying, am so lying, it works every freaking time, stop making those eyes at me!’
“Rose, you can’t be so mean. You have to come. You know, tourists call it, Paradise Waterfall, It is so so beautiful!” Mark said with such assurance like he is already there swimming in the water, mesmerized by its beauty.
“It will become River of Hell for me in no time” I replied, giving him the knowing look.
“Rosey!” Mark said while holding my arm.
“Oh shut up! Don’t Rosey me! Get the hell out of my room” I replied while pointing towards the door.
“Umm, Rosey..” Oliver said in a low voice like a kid wanting to ask for candy.
“Yes, Oliver” I turned towards him with a small smile.
“It was my idea first. I wanted to show you the paradise waterfall..” He explained but stopped as he felt Mark’s burning gazes on him.
“… I mean I wanted to show both you and Mark but then everyone included themselves in the plan” he modified the statement, Huh! I know it, even Mark knows it, but look at that satisfied smile, he is so happy with the alteration.
How childish!
‘I won’t say I can go to hell for you, dear Oli, but atleast, I can visit that waterfall on Earth’ I thought in resignation.
“Okay” I replied with a deep sigh.
“What?” Mark sounded so disappointed.
“Really? You will come?” Oliver asked excitedly, maybe a bit shocked as well.
“Yeah, now get the hell out of my room, both of you! before I change my mind, I need to change” I said pointing towards the door.
“Okay, thank you” Oliver smiled sheepishly.
“Anytime” I replied casually.
‘Anything for you, Oliver.’
“Seriously, thank you so much for everything” His words were holding deep meaning and it didn’t take a lot of time for me to understand what he was trying to convey.
“Don’t mention it. You are always welcome” I said meaning every word.
“What about me?” Mark asked in desperation, he is a self-important as***ole.
“Get lost” I said with a smile.
Once they were out of my room, I locked the door and opened my bag.
As the weather gets extremely cold at night here. I was intending to wear three layers of clothing.
I wore brown jeans, a white thermal camisole, and a Beige knitted top. I wore a brown furry jacket and completed my look with a pair of black boots.
I put some moisturizer and lotion on before putting on a light natural makeup.
As I came outside, I saw everyone waiting in the living room.
I saw Oliver and Mark standing in the corner. Ignoring everyone else in the room, I moved directly towards them.
“Are you dating each other? You are always together!” I said startling Mark a bit as he jumped a bit.
‘Hehe’
“Jesus, you are a shadow monster and It’s called bromance, little demon” Mark said while patting my head.
I swatted his hand away from already ruining my hairstyle.
“You are looking absolutely gorgeous” Oliver complimented like a gentleman.
“Thanks, Oliver. You are looking nice too” I replied with a shy smile.
“He just put a jacket on the top of his regular clothing. What is so special about it?” Mark said while showing off himself, who I now noticed has changed his entire appearance.
“Face makes a huge difference, Markie, you won’t understand” I said earning a chuckle from Oliver.
“Hey!” Mark shouted offended.
“By the way, Oliver is right. You are looking good. The ample amount of money you put into skincare and makeup to paint your face really does pay off!” Mark teased me again.
“What? Really?” I heard Laina’s not so surprised voice.
“This is all fake?” Asked Nova
“Have you done plastic surgery too?” Her twin, Eva, added evilly.
I immediately regretted my decision to come with them. I should have just stayed in the store room. Everything was so peaceful there.
“Of course not! I was just teasing her. She is all real. You guys get excited at everything” This time even Mark was upset with their behavior.
“Oh, we were just asking, Mark” Laina said in disappointment.
‘They almost ruined their facade. Are dear uncles not paying for their acting classes anymore?’
He didn’t reply and turned towards me.
“Don’t get mad. It’s not the first time. Now you get why I avoid these gatherings?” I whispered to Mark.
“Don’t worry, Sissy. I won’t let anyone bully you this time” he replied with the promise.
I nodded in reply.
We started our journey towards the forest and my crazy b*tches cousin tried to pick on me every now and then but either Mark or Oliver was making them shut.
I thought the torture ended by Mark’s and Oliver’s aggressive debate, but I changed my mind immediately when I heard the next one,
“Rose, it must feel so nice to play the victim and make every guy take your side”