"UNMASKED''
I step out of the shower, water still streaming from my hair and shoulders, dripping onto the wooden floor in scattered puddles. Behind me, steam rolls lazily out of the bathroom, filling my room in a warm haze and fogging the edges of the mirror.
I stop in front of the full-length mirror, studying my reflection for a moment. On instinct, I flex my bicep, turning slightly to the side before letting out an unimpressed scoff.
Shaking my head, I walk toward my closet, a towel slung low around my waist. I pull the doors open and stare blankly at the rows of clothes hanging inside.
Most of them were bought by... him.
My uncle.
I don't even want to call him that anymore.
The thought alone leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
With one hand resting on my hip, I scan through shirts that either need washing or have been worn too many times this week. I tug absentmindedly at the towel around my waist, reaching deeper into the closet in search of something remotely clean.
Before my fingers can grab a white T-shirt.
The bedroom door flies open with enough force to slam against the wall making me jump.
Ruby stands shamelessly in the doorway, wearing an oversized gray hoodie that nearly swallows her black athletic shorts. Her fiery red hair is twisted into a messy but somehow intentional bun, and she's glaring at me with the same permanent scowl she seems to wake up wearing.
"Ever heard of knocking?" I shout, instinctively clutching the towel tighter around my waist. "It's called basic manners. Though I guess expecting that from a cavewoman like you is asking too much-''
The insult dies halfway through my sentence.
Because my eyes drift past Ruby's shoulder. Odessa.
For a full second, my brain completely shuts down.She's standing behind Ruby, perfectly composed, her hands folded neatly in front of her.
Heat rushes violently into my face.
Without thinking, I slam the door shut.
"..."
Silence.
Five frantic minutes later, I'm finally dressed in a clean white T-shirt and loose gray sweatpants.
I shove the pile of unfolded clothes back into the closet with both arms, forcing the doors shut before they can spill everything back out again.
Good enough.
Running a hand through my damp hair, I take one steadying breath before opening the bedroom door.
Ruby is standing exactly where she was and Odessa is beside her.
I deliberately avoid looking directly at Odessa.
"Hi, Odessa..." I say far louder than intended. "What brings you here?"
Smooth.
Real smooth.
Only then do I finally allow myself to actually look at her.
She's wearing an elegant black and white striped dress with a sweetheart neckline that accentuates her graceful posture. The long sleeves fit perfectly against her arms, and black kitten heels click softly against the hardwood floor. Her jet-black hair is neatly styled, gathered behind with a black silk bow that catches the afternoon light.
She looks...
Beautiful.
Far too elegant for this room. Her expression, however, is anything but soft.
"She's here to see you," Ruby answers before Odessa has the chance.
She looks between us with an almost mischievous grin.
"Well..."
She turns around casually. "I'll leave you two alone."
A second later, she's gone, disappearing into her room before the door clicks shut.
Odessa walks past me without another word.
"We need to talk."
I blink, instinctively following her inside before quietly closing the door.
"You look really pre—"
I catch myself.
"...Talk about what?"
She doesn't answer immediately.
Instead, her eyes slowly travel around my room.
The unmade bed,books scattered across the floor.,half finished sketches and a mountain of crushed Monster cans covering my study desk.
God.
I move before she can say anything.
"Ignore that."
I hurriedly scoop the cans into the trash bin, each metallic clang somehow making the silence even louder.
Only after clearing enough space do I lean back against the desk, folding my arms.
Odessa sits on the edge of my bed.
Her hands rest neatly in her lap.
"Ethan knows," she says quietly.
My eyebrows knit together.
"What do you mean?"
"He knows... that we know."
A knot tightens in my stomach.
"Does that mean—"
"No."
She shakes her head gently.
"He told me everything."
Everything.
The word hangs heavily between us.
She absentmindedly tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear before beginning to pick nervously at one of her fingernails.
I straighten.
"It's okay."
My voice softens.
"You can tell me."
She finally looks up.
"He admitted he killed Eugene."
The room suddenly feels smaller.
"He said... It started because of jealousy."
She pauses.
"He hated your father."
I don't interrupt.
"He said Eugene wasn't fit to run the company. That he spent more time sculpting than managing the business. He said your mother was addicted to drugs... constantly partying... and neither of them really paid attention to you."
I slowly exhale through my nose.
"I know."
The words leave my mouth almost automatically.
"I remember."
Images I haven't thought about in years begin surfacing.
My father is standing silently in his studio. Dust floating through the sunlight.Half-finished marble figures staring back at him.
Sometimes I'd peek through the cracked doorway.
He'd be talking to them.
Like they were listening.
I swallow.
"But..."
I look back at Odessa.
"That still doesn't explain why he killed him."
She nods.So she tells me everything. About the company,the resentment and the ugly lies Ethan hid behind polite smiles.The jealousy that slowly poisoned him until murder felt justified.
The more she speaks...
The more I notice something else.
She keeps defending him.
Not openly.
Not intentionally.
But every explanation sounds less like condemnation...
...and more like justification.
"He felt overlooked." "He was desperate.' "He thought he had no other choice."
"Wait.". I interrupt ."That doesn't give him the right to murder my father."
The room falls silent.
Odessa lowers her gaze.
"No..." she whispers. "It doesn't."
She stares at her hands for several long seconds before speaking again.
"My mother knew."
I blink.
"What?"
"She knew what Ethan had done."
My hands that had been folded grip the desk till my knuckles turn white.
"But she loved him too much to ever turn him in."Her voice is hollow.
Silence settles over us like heavy fog .Neither of us speaks. Neither of us knows what to say anymore.
Her mother was a fucking psycho,well i can't say that anyone is this family wasn't. Everyone has an ugly past,things they buried under but like I know the truth always comes out. I feel sorry for Odessa for finding out she was living with a lunatic. Maybe we shouldn't be curious about certain things. But i want to know where things will go now.
Eventually...i break the silence.
"So..." My voice sounds strangely distant. "What now?"
Odessa smiles well, something close to it which deepens the dimple on her right cheek. It's a small detail but i catch it.
"I always wanted to know what kind of person my mother really was."
She stares at the floor. "I hated being kept in the dark."
A quiet humorless laugh escapes her. "But after learning the truth..."
"I think I was happier not knowing."
I watch her quietly.
The warm glow from the bedside lamp catches the edges of her face, making her look almost unreal.
"...Even now," she murmurs, "I still don't think I've figured her out."
I let the silence linger before asking the question that's been bothering me.
"So what now?''
That's when she looks up and smiles,a genuine one this time,"That's actually why I came.". "There aren't any more suffocating rules. And we don't have to sneak out anymore.
"And..." A playful glimmer appears in her eyes. "You can officially date me now."
"...What?" i stare. "Wait,seriously?." A grin slowly spreads across my face.
She simply nods.
" But how did you convince him? I ask with actual surprise,then giving her a skeptical look i ask "...And what exactly do you mean by officially date you?"
She laughs loud leaving me rolling my eyes.
Before I can protest, she leans forward and gives me a quick peck on the lips.
"You don't have to worry about that anymore." She stands, smoothing invisible wrinkles from her dress. "So..." she leans to pick up her purse from where she left it on the bed. "Dinner tomorrow at 7 pm sharp and don't even think of being late."
"Hold on." I quickly straighten up. "You're serious?like is Ethan's actually okay with this?-this is kinda suspicious don't you think?
She steps closer until she's standing right in front of me. Then she gently cups my face ,her hands are cool against my warm skin. "I know this is a lot-sudden but trust me.''
There was never any chance I was saying no.
"...Okay." The word comes out as nothing more than a breath. Her smile widens and then she lets go. Turning gracefully, she walks toward the bedroom door and i follow without thinking.
We make our way downstairs together. As we reach the bottom of the stairs we see Edna is serving lunch to the younger foster kids at the dinning table.
Several curious pairs of eyes immediately lock onto us.Like security cameras tracking every movement.
Odessa politely says goodbye before stepping outside. I close the front door behind us. We stand together on the porch beneath the fading afternoon sun.
She adjusts the strap of her purse.
"And try not to overthink everything I told you."
I nod.
Before I can reply...
She rises onto the tips of her heels.Another quick kiss and then she's gone.
I remain standing there, watching her figure disappear farther and farther down the quiet street until she finally turns the corner and vanishes from sight.
Only then do I realize...
I'm smiling.
Still blushing then I clear my throat and head back inside and the moment I open the front door—
Ruby and John are standing directly in front of me.
Matching smirks stretched across their faces.
They've clearly been waiting.
I stop.
"...What?"