The Secret The Cheerleader Doesn't... - Chapter 39: Chapter 39

Ani's Pov
Pacing around the kitchen, I start naming off everywhere I think they could be. I went by the school three times today to see if the twins were there but the faculty said they weren't. I drive around town looking for them and when I couldn't find them, I called Jaelynn. She told me to wait at the house as she went to go get them, but I've been panicking for over an hour now... tempted to call the police.
Soon the front door unlocks and Jaelynn comes in with them, "Take your clothes off before coming in." Quickly, I run to them and scoop them into my arms. I didn't realize they were muddy and had bruises/cuts on their face, I was just relieved they were home.
When I pulled back and looked at them, questions came falling out, "What happened? Where were you two? Who did this? Why did they do this? Do they go to their school? Have they been harassing you? What are their parents name!"
"Mom!" Jaelynn shouted, causing me to stop, "They were fighting...."
My shoulders dropped a little and confusion settled in, "Why were you fighting? Where were you fighting?"
"Behind the school, before we got to the gate," Jakob said, "the teachers didn't see us... Jessika and I... we were angry at one another and fought... that's all."
"What started it?" I asked.
"I messed up a play," he said, shrugging, "I went brain dead is all."
Turning to Jessika, I took on a stern tone, "Jessika Maeve Meryl, that is not an appropriate reason to get physical with someone. Physical altercations are never the correct choice! Your brother has been nothing but kind and caring... for you to disrespect him like that... how disappointing."
"Wait mom," Jakob spoke up but I lifted a finger.
"Why did you let your emotions control you? What has been bothering you?" I asked.
I watched her closely, waiting to see any signs... however the sign I found was tremendously big and... overwhelming, "What made me hit him? Pummel him to the ground and sock him over and over again? You. You were the cause."
"What?"
She shoved me away, having me fall back a bit and charged upstairs. Jaelynn went after her while Jakob helped me, "Are you okay mom? Jessika has been... well... it's not going good mentally right now... we all are kinda messed up right now."
As I got to my feet, I looked at Jakob and asked, "You didn't mess up a play, did you?"
He stood there, hands on his sides and muttered, "It's better if we stick with that story."
~
Cassie's Pov
I pulled up to the hospital, taking a good look at it. Winters's money can go a long way.... a very long way. The building was huge. It's walls were paved with stained red stones and had large crystal windows. It felt as if I was staring at some castle.
Going in, I waited in the line until I got to the front desk. The young woman behind the counter asked, "Name and patient ID?"
"Cassidy and Patient A4821DS2," I said. In mental facilities, you have to give the Patient ID due to abuse issues. If the patient's abused came to see them, they wouldn't be able to get access without the ID. The ID is only given to people the Patient lists, so it's unlikely an abuser will have such information.
"Room 307," she smiled and cleared the door for me. I headed down a long purple hall until I found the elevator and went to the 300s floor. When the elevator doors popped open, I walked down the blue hall and found her door.
It was a small thing, painted a light tan. It was stable and clean, neat and tidy. To me, it was odd that she laid behind the door because she wasn't any of those things.
Not stable, not clean, not neat, not tidy... how ironic it was she lived here.
Clicking the number in and waiting for it to buzz, I open it up to see her taking a nap. How identical we are. Her blonde hair was in perfect curls. A few more wrinkles were added to her complexion and she was paler than before. She was peaceful as she slept - an adjective I thought was impossible to be used on her.
Taking a seat in one of the big brown chairs, I watched her for a bit. If anyone was to see her, they wouldn't think she did such horrendous things... that she would force her fingers down my throat so I would puke up the food I ate... that she beat me with books, belts, chimney picks, and threatened me with weapons.... no one would think she would humiliate me, degrade me, force me into believing I was some disgusting piece of shit... that I deserved death.
It was impossible to see her as that, because as she slept she appeared as an angel. It almost seemed as if a halo hovered over her head.
As I watched her, I remember the times she would call me fat and then kick me in the stomach. How she would lock all the cabinets in the house and unplug the fridge so I couldn't get water. How she would force me to puke or would beat me if I didn't.
I remembered how she made me drink "slim teas" or "protein shakes" so I would feel full and not want food. I remember how she would force me to workout until I was either bleeding or dying.
I remembered it all as she dreamed, because the woman in front of me seemed perfect and kind.
But I knew the demon that lived under her skin... the thing that looked through her eyes. I knew it and I knew it well.