Page 38 of The Stranger

I’ve only been intimate with one man—Kayne. Unlike her, who’s had a revolving door of conquests in her relatively short life.

“A few months ago, you were engaged to be married … it didn’t take you long to jump into bed with someone else. If that doesn’t scream whore, I don’t know what does.”

The laugh that bubbles out of me could almost be described as manic. “You were fucking Kayne while we were still together. What does that say about you?”

“Now, now, girls,” my mother says, entering the hallway. “You are sisters … you shouldn’t be fighting.”

“Hah,” I scoff. “Sisters, what a joke. A true sister would never sleep with her sibling’s fiancé behind her back.”

“Delilah,” my mother scolds. “We’ve been over this.”

“We’ve been over nothing,” I yell. “You all just expect me to accept what happened … well, I’m sorry, I can’t. What she did was wrong … on so many levels. I would never?—”

“Never what?” Abigail retorts smugly. “Do that to me? That’s exactly what you did … you stole Spencer.”

“You are crazier than I thought if you believe that. He was never yours to take.”

“Abigail has a point,” my mother chimes in. “You could’ve dated anyone … why did it have to be Spencer? You know how your sister felt about him.”

Of course, she’s going to defend her. These people make me feel like I’m borderline insane.

“What she felt for him was delusional and completely one-sided … he didn’t even know she existed until he came here for dinner.” Tears sting my eyes as I stab my finger in my sister’s direction. “The same goes for her! She could’ve jumped into bed with anyone else, but she chose my fiancé. My fucking fiancé!”

My mother gasps, placing her hand on her chest. “Delilah.”

“It’s true. I hate to break it to you, Mother, but it was no secret that your precious Abigail was a sure thing with all the boys in high school. Why do you think they fawned all over her? She had quite a reputation.”

“She’s lying!” Abigail shrieks, but we both know I’m not.

“Wasn’t it you who once bragged about sleeping with the entire football team?”

“Ahh,” Abigail screams, tugging on her own hair in frustration. “Why are you so hellbent on ruining my life?”

Pot, kettle.

I shake my head in disbelief. “How do you figure that?”

“Spencer was my future … not yours.”

“And Kayne was mine, you spiteful, vindictive, narcissistic, gaslighting troll.”

“Delilah! That is enough,” my father bellows from the front room.

I can’t even with these people.

My sister gives me a smug smile, and something inside me snaps. “I hate you!” I roar.

They are words I never thought I’d say out loud, but right now, I mean them with every fibre of my being.

Abigail’s cunning smile grows as she leans in and whispers, “Don’t get too comfortable, Lilah … I took Kayne from you and now I’m going to set my sights on Spencer.”

“Thankfully, skank isn’t his style. And why are you so obsessed with the men I date? Do you enjoy my sloppyseconds, Ab?” The words are out of my mouth before my brain even registers what I’m saying.

“Fuck you,” she sneers.

I reach for the handle of my suitcase, preparing to flee to the safety of my bedroom. Tears of pure rage are now clouding my eyes, so when my sister raises her hand and violently slaps my face, I don’t even see it coming. I certainly feel it, though.

Slamming my bedroom door behind me, I wipe my stinging bottom lip, only to find blood on my fingers when I pull my hand back. Abigail is having a complete meltdown in the hallway—crazy bitch—and my parents are trying to console her.