I Left the Triangle They Thought I Needed Chapter 04

James stormed up to me, his face twisted with rage.

“What did your family say to Natalie yesterday?”

“She’s so strong, and she cried all night.”

I looked at him. “So you were with her last night? All night?”

He hesitated. Then he said, “Does that matter?”

I shot back, “Doesn’t it?”

He gritted his teeth. “Yes, your family paid for Natalie’s school. But that doesn’t mean you get to control her.”

“Control her? We never did that. I never did that.”

“Did we ask for money back? Did we demand gratitude?”

I was shaking by the end.

Natalie ran over from the distance, her voice trembling.

“Please stop. Both of you. Please.”

James pulled her into his arms like it was the most natural thing in the world. His eyes were full of concern for her.

I stepped back.

They didn’t actually hate the ocean.

They just didn’t want me around.

I was the extra one.

I turned and stumbled away, not wanting to see any more.

Waves lapped at my ankles.

I pulled out my phone and typed.

I sent it and turned off my phone, walking further down the beach.

Natalie’s voice came from behind me.

“Emily, wait.”

I didn’t stop. She ran up and blocked my path.

Natalie smiled, completely different from the act she’d just put on.

“Would you say I won?”

I just looked at her.

“Doesn’t it get tiring, pretending all these years?”

She shook her head, still smiling, but her words were poison.

“Remember when I tutored you in high school?”

“Every time I explained something, I made it harder so you wouldn’t understand. Your grades kept dropping.”

My foggy brain cracked open.

“The food poisoning last month? I didn’t cook the pasta all the way through. I told you it was done, and you ate it.”

“While you were in the hospital, James was with me the whole time. He was so happy.”

My hands started to shake.

“People need comparisons, you know? And you and I make the perfect one.”

I stepped closer to her. “Do you really hate me that much?”

She tilted her head. “I just don’t want you to be happy. Why should you get to live in the light?”

“I didn’t want your charity. Every time I ate at your house, your mother looke at me like I was beneath her.”

“So you decided to destroy me?”

She touched her stomach and flashed her diamond ring.

“I didn’t want to do this. But you pushed me. You’re the one who kept inviting me on your dates.”

“Of course I was jealous of you. That’s just human nature, right?”

I slapped her across the face.

“I invited you because I didn’t want you to miss out on good food. I wanted you to have nice things.”

She touched her lip, a little blood seeping through. She didn’t cry.

“I never asked for your help. Stop acting like a saint.”

“Surprise.”

She covered her face and said nothing.

James hurried over, saw the scene, and shoved me hard.

“Emily, you are insane.”

“If anything happens to Natalie, I will make you pay.”

I fell hard onto the sand. A wave crashed over me. Before I could get up, the current grabbed my legs and yanked me under, a riptide.

Saltwater filled my throat. I heard James scream my name.

“Emily!”

I clawed at the water, but the current was too strong. It dragged me deeper.

The light faded.

I thought I would see my life flash before my eyes.

I didn’t.

The last thing I thought about was the shrimp. Thirteen for Natalie, two for him, one for me.