Chapter 34: Garber's POV

Garber’s POV

My mom’s screams from inside the house would have had me bothered at this point, but the sight of this female in front of me had me shaking to my boots.

“That boy will be the end of me,” I could hear her scream from the inside.

“Wait till you find out I fucked a boy,” I thought to myself and rolled my eyes.

My rolled eyes, however, got stuck when I heard ‘soft’ knocks on my door.

“Open up,” her voice reached my ears through the window clearly. I wondered why.

Then my brain answered my subconscious… “Maybe because she’s screaming.”

Yeah, that made a lot of sense.

I closed my eyes, took in a deep breath, then looked at her with the most forced smile I could muster on my face.

“Garber, I’m back,” she said with such a cheerful tone that I would have believed it was a good thing if I didn’t remember the reason why she had to go in the first place.

“Shouldn’t you be in boarding school?” I asked, and she gestured for me to wind down the window, which I obediently did.

This was Rina, my not-so-little sister who, despite being five years younger than me, had tried to end me more than five times.

No kidding.

“Don’t you miss me?” She cocked her head to the side, giving the effect of a predatory clown.

“Oh, I…” I couldn’t bring myself to lie or say the truth at this juncture. Miss her? She was a monster who caused terror wherever she went. Rina found joy in people’s despair. How could I miss that? The person who gave me my first nightmares.

“You should look happier if you missed me. I heard Mom and Dad are getting divorced,” she said and pulled open my door, jerking me to the side.

“Come. Let’s go inside,” she said, and I nodded.

“How long will you be here for?” I asked more confidently now that I was behind her. I couldn’t see her, but it felt like she had eyes at the back of her high ponytail.

“Oh, I withdrew from that school. They were no fun,” she said as she bounced into the house. Then I remembered Rolly, and even though he was the one I hated the most, it was a fact that he had saved my life.

It was the truth that he appreciated life and would come running when I needed him, and that’s why I rushed forward to save him from the horror that was my sister.

“Where are you rushing to?” Rina asked from behind me. I gulped without turning to look at her, then answered. “I want to clear the living room before you enter. It’s a bit messy.”

“Aww, you’re such a sweet brother. You remember my OCD even though I’ve been away for two years,” she said, and I nodded nervously.

“Mom!” I shouted as I entered. She glared at me and asked, “WHAT?”

I pointed at Rolly enthusiastically, then said, “Rina is back.”

“Oh. She got the assignment. Stall her for a bit,” there was a bit of panic in her voice as she turned to look at Rolly, who had confusion on his face.

I went back outside, all smiley, and said, “Why don’t we go pack your things together?” I suggested.

“The driver can do that,” she said, then paused for a moment. “Are you trying to hide something from me?”

“No, why would I? I just want to know if you got me any gifts. After all, you didn’t inform anyone that you were coming,” I said as I continued to walk with my back as she continued towards the house.

“You don’t deserve any gifts, though,” she said with a shrug and let out her harsh laughter that made her look even more scary.

“Oh, that’s right,” I effortlessly agreed with her, knowing the consequences of not doing so. “I will get you some gifts then,” I chuckled and scratched the back of my head. I had reached the door, and there was no way to stop her anymore. I just hoped that Mom was able to hide Rolly fast enough.

“Open the door.”

She said, and I nodded and did so. “Welcome home,” I said as I peered into the house for any signs of Rolland. Luckily, it was just my mom walking out of the dining room with a glass of juice.

The moment she saw Rina, her hands shook, and she rushed up to her with a hug.

“Oh my sweetheart, I’ve missed you so much. You didn’t inform us, I would have thrown a welcoming party,” Mom sobbed into her arms so dramatically that I almost fell for her act.

Missed my foot!

“Well, I told Dad. You would have known if you were together,” Rina didn’t seem moved by the act at all, but she patted Mom’s back. “Don’t worry, I’m here though,” she said.

“Oh my dear. You don’t know how sad I was after you were sent there, and they wouldn’t even let me call you,” my mom said. But I remembered clearly how two years ago, my mom was so happy she went to an overnight party to celebrate the fact that phones or any devices at all were not allowed in Rina’s school.

Rina, of course, wouldn’t know that. She was already locked up in the prison excuse of a school.

And now, she was back.

When I remembered how she had said they were no fun earlier, I shivered.

That place was supposed to curb her of her evil, but it seemed that she had unleashed even more terror for them to have agreed to release her two years ahead of the planned time.

Mom was put in an awkward position. Rina, of course, didn’t care as she picked up a towel and started to pick the glass on the ground.

Her OCD.

“Let me do that,” Mom hurried and volunteered.

“Sure,” Rina stepped back and announced. “Anyways,” she turned to look at me, and the moment our eyes met, I instinctively held my wrist and started swiveling my watch while tapping my feet rhythmically on the ground.

“I invited Dad over for dinner.”

“Uhn? Why?!” My mom reacted faster, cutting her hand in the process. “Ouch,” she winced in pain as blood dripped.

“Why else?” Rina rolled her eyes but didn’t react or show any sympathy at Mom’s injury, and so I also didn’t dare. “I missed you, of course. I have every right to eat dinner with my parents, divorced or not,” she said.

“Oh yes, yes, my darling daughter is right,” Mom agreed, and as much as I wanted to ask if Rolly had successfully gotten out of the house, I decided to keep quiet. I couldn’t afford to draw any attention to myself with the weight that was already making me feel sick and terrified of the days ahead.

*Whe else is terrified Of Rina?*