Liam managed to pull Charlotte away from Celine and she soon broke down in tears.
My heart clenched to see such a strong willed girl to break down like this.
"My mom's bracelet...mom.." she mumbled in between her cries.
I immediately went over to her and pulled her in my embrace.
"Charlotte. Please don't cry." I said while rubbing her back. She put her arms around me tightly as she clung onto me.
"This was the last thing I had of hers.. It's broken.." She sobbed.
"How did this happen?" I asked her.
She pulled away from me and glared directly at Celine through teary eyes. "She did this! This bitch did this!" She pointed at Celine.
"No, I didn't! Why would I do that?" Celine retorted back. Even she had tears in her eyes while Damien was holding her.
"How is it broken then? It was perfectly fine when I left it in the room a few hours ago. When I returned, I found it on the floor, broken." Charlotte cried again and this time Liam pulled her into his arms, saying things to calm her down while he gently rubbed her back.
"But that doesn't mean I broke it!"
"Who else would do that then?"
Celine went quiet. She glanced at me and I narrowed my eyes at her.
"Wait, when we left, no one was there in the house. Charlotte and Liam were out in the forest, Max was with his friends while you two were on a date. So, when you came back, was it broken?" Zack asked looking at Damien.
"We don't know. We didn't go in their room. When Liam and Charlotte returned, we were in the living room. Minutes later, she came fuming out of the room and attacked Celine. Shortly after, Max arrived and now you and Jennifer." Damien answered.
"You left the bracelet in your room?" I asked Charlotte who had managed to calm down.
"That bracelet is so important to me, Jen. I don't wear it all the time. I wear it only when I feel lonely or sad or when I miss mom because I don't want anything to happen to it." She replied. "I left it on the bedside table before leaving."
She glared at Celine again and pounced on her to scratch her face but Liam held her back just in time.
"You bitch! I will end you! I'll show you how you messed with the wrong girl!" She spat at her.
"Enough!" Damien yelled.
All the movement in the room stopped.
"I will not tolerate you insulting my girlfriend for something that she didn't do." He glared at Charlotte.
"Oh yeah? How do you know if she did it or not?!" Liam yelled back.
I was shocked. Charlotte was shocked. I looked at Zack and Max and they were shocked. Even Damien and Celine were shocked.
Liam was so sweet. He never retorted to anything that the guys said. But now-
"Were you with Celine the entire time you were back home?" He asked glaring daggers at Damien.
Damien hesitated but then shook his head. "I had gone out for a while to receive a call from one of my teammates."
"Celine, if you did this, please tell us." Max said in a serious tone.
"Of course she did this! Who else would do something like this?!" Charlotte yelled in frustration.
We all were staring at Celine who broke down in tears and covered her face. "Yes.. It was me who did this.."
Max and I gasped loudly.
"But it was not on purpose, I swear! I just wanted to have a look at my room. I saw the bracelet and picked it up. It was so beautiful that I couldn't just ignore it. I was observing it when suddenly it slipped from my hand and I accidentally stepped on it. I didn't knew it was your mother's. I am so sorry, Charlotte." She muttered through her cries.
So it really was her.
Of course.
Despite this, Damien was comforting her. I felt so pissed. How can he still-
"Why did you lie then?" Liam asked through gritted teeth.
"Because I was scared that she'll hate me. Jennifer and her already hate me and I don't even know why. I just want to be friends with them."
This girl-
Charlotte pushed Liam and walked out of the house with angry tears. "Please don't come after me. I want to be left alone." She said before disappearing.
The room was extremely quiet.
No one knew what to do or say.
"I am so sorry. I didn't mean to do that..." Celine carried on with her acting and all the boys except Liam seemed to buy it.
***
It was dinner time.
Charlotte came back a few hours later and simply locked herself inside the room.
No matter how much Liam and I pleaded her to open the door to come out for dinner, she didn't budge.
After we all had the dinner, the boys were in the living room, watching TV
while I was in the kitchen, washing the dishes when the witch herself walked in.
"Hey." She smiled at me.
"Don't try to act in front of me, Celine. I know you did it on purpose." I expected her to deny and carry on with her act in front of me but instead, she gave me an evil smirk.
"So you already know. Good, I don't have to act then." She rolled her eyes. "Listen, the boys are all mine. I'll get rid of the both of you very soon. Just wait and watch." she winked at me and left.
I stood there, frozen. Did she really just-
I can't believe this!
I need to talk to Charlotte.
So, I went to our room and started banging on the door lightly.
"Charlotte, I need to talk to you. It's important. Please open up." I pleaded to her but no response came back.
"Just listen to me once and then I'll leave. Promise."
"Jennifer, please... Just leave me alone in peace..I want to be left alone. I am begging you." She said in a very low voice and I couldn't get myself to nag her more.
As I was going towards the living room, I crossed paths with Damien and Celine who seemed to be going
to their room.
As she passed by me, Celine smirked at me while I glared at her.
She will pay for this.
I went near the couch and plopped down between Max and Liam.
"She's not opening the door and I don't have anywhere to sleep." I said with my arms crossed in front of my chest.
"Don't worry sis, you can sleep in my room with me for today." Max smiled at me.
***
After tugging me in, Max walked around the bed and laid down himself after switching off the lights.
He started to dose off to sleep while I just couldn't stop thinking about Celine's words. It was eating me up from the inside.
I needed to talk to someone, anyone.
"Max?" I called out.
"Hm?" He urged me to continue.
I suddenly felt at a loss for words. What should I say? How should I start?
When I didn't say anything, Max turned over and looked at me. "What is it, Jennifer? Are you alright?" He asked with concern.
"Um.. Yeah.. I am fine.. It's nothing. Good night." I turned my back to him and pretended to go to sleep.
But Max didn't seem to let go of this so easily. He got up and switched on the lamp.
"You know if my sister is being bothered by something I won't be able to sleep." He said rather sternly.
I turned around to find him staring at me, urging me to tell him what's wrong.
"It's about Celine." I sighed and got up.
He didn't reply so I continued. "She came to me when I was washing the dishes in the kitchen. She told me that she was just acting and she actually broke Charlotte's bracelet on purpose and would get rid of the both of us soon."
There. I said it.
Max widended his eyes and stared at me in shock. "But.. How can- I mean.. Celine was never like this. She was always so sweet and caring. Why would she do that?" Max finally said.
"So am I lying?" I stared at him in disbelief.
"No, of course not. I trust you, Jen." Max shook his head.
"It's just so... Unbelievable."
I looked away from him. Of course he would believe her more than me.
"I shouldn't have told you." I said in a cold tone and laid down on the bed but Max grabbed my arm and pulled me up again.
I didn't look at his face because I was just so mad.
"Jennifer, that's not what I meant! Please look at me at least." He pleaded but I kept my guard.
"I know her for so long and she's never done anything like that. Try to understand me, Jen." He placed his hand on my cheek and moved my head so that I look at him but I kept my eyes on my hands which were resting on my lap.
He sighed. "I am sorry, Jennifer. Please don't be mad." He sounded so sad that I eventually gave in and looked at him.
He grinned.
"Don't worry, I will not let Celine do anything to you. Whatever happens, I'll always trust you, sis." He smiled at me and I couldn't help but smile back.
How can I stay mad at him when he's always so sweet.
He let me keep my head on his arm while he hummed a sweet tune to make me sleep as he gently caressessed my hair. It was so good to have such a loving brother.
***
We were all eating breakfast in silence while Zack was sitting on the couch flipping through different TV channels with a bowl of cereal in his hands.
"Guys!" He suddenly yelled, catching all our attention.
"Ruth is on TV!" We all got up from the table, leaving our plates as it is, and sat down anywhere where we could find place to watch the news.
There was a picture of Ruth and the news reporter was talking about her running away from her house:
"Business man Colin Whites' daughter, Ruth Whites ran away from her house on the night of 12th August at around 11. The police has been searching all around the city but there's no trace of her. Ruth's father, Mr. Colin has been devastated by his daughter's disappearance-"
I looked over at Charlotte who was staring at the TV screen, looking mortified. Liam was sitting by her side, rubbing her arm to keep her calm but I could see that she was in a turmoil inside.
Suddenly they showed her father on the screen who had a sad look on his face.
"Ruth, my dear, wherever you are, please come back. I miss you sweetheart. I love you so much-"
Charlotte abruptly got up and started pacing around in the living room. Zack switched the TV off and everyone was quiet. I quickly glanced at Celine to see her reaction and she seemed to be in some thoughts.
Then I saw it... I saw her smirking to herself.
Oh shit. This is not good.
"Guys, relax. Look at her. She's unrecognisable. Nothing will happen. We are getting late for school. Let's go." Zack said and got up.
"She can't go to school." Liam denied.
"She will have to otherwise suspicions will be raised on her." Zack debated back. We all agreed to that one.
This is all going so wrong.
And I have a bad feeling that it's only going to get worse...