Page 9 of Losing Faith

She rolls her eyes at me as she pushes me out of her grasp. “You’re the one who said older men are better.”

An older lady glances at us, her eyes wide, and I plaster a smile on my face as I shove Harmony in front of me.

“You’re making me look bad. Get in.” I unlock my car and she only laughs at me.

“Since when did you care about being perceived as the good and responsible older sister?” She raises one brow and I falter as she calls me her sister.

I’m aware that’s what I technically am to her, but it doesn’t feel that way considering we didn’t grow up together.

I ignore her before walking to the driver’s side.

“Speaking of your responsible sister, where does Satan think you are?” I steal a glance at her and a guilty look covers her face.

“She knows I’m here.” She keeps her eyes forward and I simply stare at her until she caves and turns back to me. “Okay, that’s a lie, she thinks I’m at a friend’s house.”

I nod in return. I know I don’t have the best relationship with my biological family; I haven’t spoken to most of them in years, but it still hurts when I’m reminded just how much they hate me.

“What did Ana say when you got home yesterday?”

Harmony is quiet for a beat as she picks at her nails and a smile touches my lips as I stop picking at my own nails. Ana is the middle child between us and she makes it her whole personality that she raised Harmony and is a twenty two year old mom to a seventeen year old.

“She asked about you.”

I roll my eyes at her lie as I start the car. “Stop trying to make me feel better.” I can see her shoulders slouch in the corner of my eyes before she tries again.

“She mentioned something… something I actually wanted to ask you about.”

I prepare myself for her to bring up my addiction, knowing Ana loves to throw that one in my face. I can feel Harmony watching me and after a beat, she builds the courage to speak up.

“She said I shouldn’t hang out with you, but I reminded her about what my therapist said about mending my family.”

I steal a glance at her and I hate that she even needs therapy.

“Ana said we’re not family because you chose the Hales…”

I let out a scoff as I grip the steering wheel tighter. I’m about to open my mouth and say every awful thing I can about a girl that lost her title as my sister a long time ago, but I bite it all back. Up until a few months ago, I hadn’t seen Harmony since she was a baby, and it wasn’t until she wanted tomend her familythat we started to get closer.

No progress has been made with her family because our bio mom is still using and I’m not going back there. I told her she could mendherfamily and get to know me separately but we aren’t a part of the same family anymore, and I don’t think she’s come to terms with that just yet.

“Is it true?”

“What?” I steal a glance at her as I snap out of my thoughts.

“Did you leave us with mom when we were babies to go live with the Hales?” She sounds torn and a bitter feeling takes over me as I realize this is the narrative her sister has of me.

“I was a baby, too, Harmony.” I look over at her at the red light. “I wasfourwhen I met Sire. When I met August and Sage, the twins, you had just been born and your dad was beating me upside the head. I wasseven.”

She flinches.

“You and Ana were always with your grandma and I was with the Hales. I grew up with them and when I moved in with them at fourteen, it wasn’t because I hated you, I just—” I cut myself off and someone honks behind me before I can continue.

“You just what?” she voices as if she desperately needs to know.

“I didn’t leave you and Ana. I was escaping that house. It had nothing to do with you. You were fine with your grandma, and if she wasn’t such a bitter old hag, maybe I would’ve stayed.”

I let out a frustrated breath before slowing down the car. I remind myself that I answer her questions because I would also want to know if I were her. She was a baby when our lives were falling apart and I’d want to know what happened, so that’s why I put myself through hell and answer everything she wants to know about my childhood.

“I just don’t understand why Grandma didn’t take you in with us. Why did it matter to her that we had different dads?”

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