She turned around to leave but halted at the door, tilting her head. “Sarah, if I were you, I would leave this house now and fast,” she said, probably as a warning, her voice dripping with malice.
“And why should I leave now and fast?” I asked, mimicking the tone of her voice, trying to act all calm and collected.
She chuckled, the sound cruel and whispering of secrets, probably a new torture to unleash. She flashed me a smile without responding and made her way out of the room.
With a loud bang, she slammed the door behind her, leaving me drowning in the meaning of her vague words.
What is she planning to do now? As if messing with my closet wasn’t enough…
My heart started pulsating with implications; I felt a knot tighten in my stomach as a pang of unease washed over me. I couldn’t help but feel concerned by her words from earlier.
Why does she want me to leave?
No matter how I tried pretending to be nonchalant, her last words kept hitting me like a hammer, breaking down every wall of my defense.
I exhaled slowly, trying to clear my mind of all the dark possibilities. I needed to figure out a convincing explanation for my strewn clothes and the disheveled, spatially dressed surprise I left at the doorway.
I changed into a decent white lacy blouse and jeans, even taking a jacket along with me. I just felt like it; who knows, she might want to freeze me at lunch. I chuckled at the stupid thought, grabbing my room key from the bedside table. Now I had learned the habit of locking my room even though I was at home; I couldn’t risk giving Erin another chance to mess with me.
I left the room and descended the flight of stairs with slow, cautious steps, stalling for the inevitable discussion.
I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and gave myself a sense of confidence and assurance.
“I can do this. I can expose that psycho,” I muttered, drawing deep breath, but I couldn’t help but wonder why I was still feeling nervous despite my determination.
“Sarah…” Miss Ross called, abruptly jolting me from my thoughts. She smiled warmly, her eyes locking onto mine in a penetrating stare. “Are you just going to stand there?”
“Oh… no, I… am coming…” I stammered slightly, finally uprooting my legs from the ground and walking towards the dining room.
“Sarah, wait…” Miss Ross stopped me, placing her hand on my shoulders, her face calm with a hint of amusement.
“I saw the fabric design around the house…” she said, a smile slowly spreading on her face.
I sighed, understanding her hint. “Miss Ross, don’t misunderstand, please. It was Erin playing games with me…” I explained, not ready to dive deeper into the explanation.
It wasn’t worth it; Erin would deny it anyway.
Miss Ross patted my arm and said with a motherly warning, “Erin has already cleaned up your mess, so don’t…”
“Please, let’s not make a big deal out of this,” I interrupted her, my tone pleading. “Please…”
She shrugged and walked towards the dining room, and I followed behind her.
The smell of grilled duck lingered in the air, swiftly wafting into my nostrils. I inhaled the mouthwatering aroma, my diaphragm relaxing under the soothing smell of my favorite. Yeah, food does have effects on me.
I settled on one of the chairs right beside the new guest, and i regretted the moment I glanced at her. Her gaze was piercing, sharp enough to cut through steel. Her eyes flickered under the bright light of the room, honey-brown eyes-the one thing she and Mr. Clinton had in common.
Instantly, I escaped her sharp gaze, piling my plate with enough food to last for the night, because I wouldn’t want to come back for dinner if she was going to continue staring at me like that.
“Oh girl, are you still embarrassed?” she asked, her voice surprisingly soft and gentle, a stark contrast to her penetrating gaze.
“Um… yeah… a little…” I replied with a wry smile, looking away immediately after our eyes met.
I’m not scared of her… yeah, I’m probably scared of her dark brown fierce and penetrating eyes.
“Bon appetit…” Erin arrived with a small bowl stocked with tomato paste, a wide smile playing on her lips.
Her expression almost made me gag; her fake smile, her exuberant voice, and her behavior were more than just annoying. It was… I was short of words to call her, but she deserved a master’s in deceit.
“Hey Sarah, you look great in that blouse,” Erin winked, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Unlike the um… bra and stuff…”
I kept my face devoid of any emotions, but inwardly my head was screaming. I WANT TO TEAR THIS GIRL APART!
Erin bit her lips and winked as she sat on the chair opposite me, a triumphant smile plastered on her face.
I let out a breath I didn’t even realize I was holding due to anger. I stuffed my mouth with duck, hoping it would distract me from her provocative gaze.
I noticed Mr. Clinton was absent. I gazed at the spot he usually sits in as I recalled what he had said earlier.
I really don’t have a good feeling about this discussion. I just wish I had a sharp tongue and persuasive voice to make him believe me.
I finished my meal fairly quickly and dabbed my mouth with a napkin. I was ready to storm off before Miss Ross’s voice sounded opposite me.
“So fast?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “I haven’t introduced you yet..”
I tried not to roll my eyes; the introduction might take all day, and I didn’t have the luxury for chitchats at the moment.
I glanced at the woman beside me, a wide grin spreading on my face. “Oh… Hello, Miss… I am Sarah, and you are definitely Miss Ross’s sister because I can see the resemblance,” I said with a slight bow, a small gesture of respect.
She chuckled, her gaze fixed on me.
I was sure she wanted to say something, but I didn’t let her speak. “Um, exams are approaching, and I need to go study. See you around later.”
The woman nodded. Though her gaze was penetrating, she had a warm smile; she seemed not to be the talkative kind, unlike Miss Ross.
I flashed a smile at Miss Ross; she returned the smile before returning her gaze to her plate.
Before I could stride out of the dining area, Erin cleared her throat to call my attention as she stood up. “Excuse me; let me go join her,” she said, chuckling in between her words.
Erin winked at me, a smirk playing on her lips. She then walked toward me, quickly closing the distance before I could even storm off. She wrapped her hands around my arm, leaning on my shoulder.
“Let’s go meet Mr. Clinton.”
“Will you just leave me alone?” I whispered-yelled, dislodging her hands from mine. My face scrunched up in annoyance.
“You two, come with me.” Mr. Clinton suddenly appeared in front of us. He crossed his arms, his expression serious.