My face morphed into a deep frown mirroring the anger bubbling inside me. My chest stiffened as my heart did the thing it could do best-pounding and slamming my fear in my face. An intense battle brewed within me, one I couldn’t quite escape nor find a weapon for defense.
Why can’t I beat her at her own game? I guess I am not the cunning type, but at least I should have some manipulative skills. It might help in situations like these. I couldn’t fight back now that I had the chance alone with Mr. Clinton to narrate the battle going on; she had appeared out of nowhere to make sure she remained on the winning streak.
“Thanks, Erin, that is very thoughtful of you,” Mr. Clinton approved with a soft smile, taking the mug from her.
“It’s nothing, Mr. Clinton,” Erin cooed, turning to me as she stretched out the other mug to me. “Take it, it’s cinnamon tea.”
I hesitated, peering into the tea, my expression a mix of anger and suspicion. Finally, I took it, placing the mug on the floor. “Thanks, Erin,” I faked a smile of approval as she continued with her charade of fake kindness.
“Great! Can I hang around to listen to the lecture?” Her eyes darted between Mr. Clinton and me, seeking approval. “I am a fan of science.”
“Everyone is a fan of science, but not everybody is good at it,” I snapped, keeping my voice low and steady. I then morphed my face into a warm smile, glancing at Mr. Clinton, who was staring daggers at me.
“That was a bit rude, Sarah,” he admonished, his eyes narrowing.
Despite my conscious effort to conceal my anger and disgust for Erin, it still ended up plastered on my face, and Mr. Clinton caught sight of it.
“I didn’t mean to be rude; I am just not comfortable with others spying on my lecture,” I said, eyeing Erin, who just gave me a faint smile. It seemed she understood my hint.
“Sarah, I haven’t decided to tutor you yet, and apologize to her; it won’t kill you,” he scolded, his expression serious.
“No, no, no, Mr. Clinton,” Erin interrupted, waving her hands. “No need to make a big deal out of a small matter. Sarah is right, though; I’m not good at science…”
Mr. Clinton didn’t speak; instead, he fixed his piercing gaze on me. He didn’t need to speak for me to know what to do.
“Fine. Erin, I’m…” I hesitated, a lump forming in my throat. I exhaled sharply, glancing at Erin. Underneath her smile, I sensed the smug look radiating from her. “I’m sorry.”
She patted my shoulders, exuding a friendship gesture that I found really provocative. “We are good, Sarah, we are good,” she said, still holding that slimy smile on her face. She then pulled a chair beside us, her eager eyes beaming with feigned enthusiasm.
Mr. Clinton, upon seeing Erin’s enthusiasm, decided to go against his earlier refusal. “Okay then, I’ll tutor you, but for only twenty minutes because my mother will call me to pick her up soon,” he said, glancing at the time on his phone.
My shoulders slumped down in defeat as I melted into my seat. Anger brewed inside me as I fought the urge to escape her suffocating presence, but I had no choice but to follow up on the tutorial because I needed it.
When my eyes locked on Erin, she winked, a triumphant smile on her face.
Shortly, Mr. Clinton began the tutorial, and I tried to stay focused, blanking every thought of Erin and constantly avoiding her gaze, as her annoyance was a distraction itself.
Erin participated in every question raised, overshadowing me as the sole purpose of the tutorial. I didn’t mind, but I grabbed everything needed to pass my exams. I didn’t really care about the limelight, but I still wanted the lesson to end soon.
Twenty minutes later, the lesson was wrapped up. Mr. Clinton tossed the book over to me and stood to leave, rewrapping his bathrobe. “I’ll be back in less than an hour,” he said before leaving us in silence, which crept in.
“Smart move, Sarah; I am impressed.” Erin’s ominous voice sounded, echoing through the room. The silence that had settled in just moments before was shattered, replaced by an air of tension.
I kept my expression unreadable as I looked at her. “Impressed by what exactly?” I asked, keeping my voice steady, hiding the disgust that seemed to be turning into a usual response to her annoying utterances.
“You see, Sarah, I’ve been watching you,” Erin continued, her voice dripping with unsettling intensity. “I know all about your little plan. And I must say, I’m intrigued.”
The room grew silent again, closing in around us like a thick fog.
“What plan?” I asked, breaking the impasse, but Erin just chuckled, a low, menacing sound.
“Oh, don’t play dumb, Sarah. I know what you planned to do earlier, and I’ll tell you this,” she paused, her face darkening. “Don’t mess with me, or you will make matters worse.”
I chuckled, shutting my fears out; I refused to feel intimidated by her threats. “Erin, your days in this house are numbered….”
“Blah, blah, blah,” she cut me off, waving her hands casually. “You don’t seem to get it, do you? Who will believe you if you told them I tried to hurt you?”
“You did hurt me-not try,” I corrected her statement, my eyes blazing with anger. I stood up, attempting to walk away, but she grabbed my wrist, yanking me towards the pool. My body jerked helplessly against her grip as she successfully dragged me along with her.
“Let go of me, you bitch!” I hollered, struggling to break free. Twisting my arms, I forcefully dislodged myself from her, and my butt collided with the tile.
Shit, I hate to be weak. I winced, climbing back to my feet.
She snorted derisively, staring at me with crossed arms. “Wow, much for the feisty princess; you can’t even release yourself without hurting yourself in the process.” Her eyes rolled to the back of her head in mockery. Swiftly, her demeanor shifted to a dangerous aura. “And that’s what will happen if you dare rat me out.”
My heart skipped a beat as I froze, my eyes fixed on her menacing grin. The sudden shift in her demeanor sent a shiver down my spine, and I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. She is not only a freak but a psycho, I thought, my mind racing with fear.
Not wanting to continue the argument, I turned around to leave, but before I could take a step, I felt a sudden push on my back. I lost my balance, and my body plunged into the deep pool.