Trembling With the Strings

“Why, Gracie? Why?” Darius asked me, falling back onto our bed. I sighed, closing the door softly behind me. “I just manage to get rid of your parents, and then you drop another kid into my house. Why?”

“Darius, she’s my sister. What was I supposed to do?” I asked him, stepping up to him. He shot up into a sitting position, giving me the shoot me now! look.

Before he could say another word, the door was shoved open. We both jumped. Then Katelynn walked in, grinning.

“Hi, sissy! What’s going on?” she asked me, walking up with her hips swaying in her little mini shirt and cropped shirt. I didn’t really understand the point of all that.

“Oh. Darius and I were just talking,” I mumbled quietly, wishing she wasn’t so in-your-face all the time.

“Oh.” She grinned, linking our arms. “Hello, Darius.” She sounded a little obnoxious, like she’d been drinking. “Are you two going to stay up here all day or come join the party?”

“What party?” he asked, standing up.

She giggled, pushing him back onto the bed. He narrowed his eyes, but I think it was just out of confusion. “I was speaking in tongues, silly. I just mean come downstairs. I’m lonely.” She blew him a kiss before skipping out the door.

“Did she just push me?” he asked, not too happy. I helped him up, kissing his cheek.

“I think she’s feeling a little tipsy. Please, she doesn’t know what she’s doing.”

He kissed me quickly, sighing and opening the door. “Shall we?” I walked out the door with him at my heels. Unfortunately, Katelynn was there right when we got down the steps. She immediately linked her arm with Darius, pulling him away from me and telling him that he had to meet her new friend. I sighed, heading outside to check on Marcella and Demetrius.

“Marcy?” I called, glancing around. Where was she? Marty ran up to me, throwing his arms around me. “Hi, sweetie. Where’s Marcella?” He pointed to the barn. I told him to go eat lunch, so he took off for the house.

I wasn’t sure if she was in the barn or just around it, so I checked inside first. I opened my mouth to call her name, but pursed my lips: she was in there, but she wasn’t alone. She was kissing on some boy, but who?

He mumbled something, and I immediately recognized his voice.

Lyndell.

I turned around, leaving quicker than I came. He had been making out with Marcy when he had supposedly been so in love with me? I didn’t know whether to cry or slap him across the face!

I opened the door to the house, trying to get that image out of my head. I saw Darius with Yvette and my sister latched onto his arms. He glanced over at me, his face lighting up. He pushed them off, striding up to me and twirling me around in the air. I smiled as he pulled me close.

“I love you, too, honey,” I teased, tapping his nose lightly and giggling. He raised an eyebrow, kissing me softly.

He released me only to grab my hand, asking if I would like to join him for a long, hot bath. I told him to go start the water.

I couldn’t help but notice Yvette and Katelynn glaring at me as he darted away. I’ll admit that had mostly been a show for the little maid girl.

“Gracie, is something going on between you and Darius?” Katelynn demanded, slamming her foot on the ground. I bit my lip.

“Uh, well, I’m marrying him,” I muttered, cringing as she glowered even more.

Fortunately, Darius came back down and picked me up, holding me to his chest. “Ready, baby?”

I nodded, watching my sister and the maid as he carried me up the stairs.

Had my sister already been corrupted?