4: She's being him.

Connie.

             *13 years ago *

I quickly ran up the stairs with Sarah trailing behind me, and all the way, she kept on giggling.

“Sarah, you're going to get us caught!”

“Sorry,” she whispered and giggled again. I had no idea what she found so funny, but clearly she wasn't getting the whole concept of hiding.

“8...9...10! Ready or not, here I come!”  Casey finished counting.

Well that's just great! I haven't even found a hiding spot yet. I got to the very top of the staircase, and I simply opted to hide in the hallways.. In plain sight! Pretending to be a lamp... They do that in cartoons and it works!

Casey would never suspect it. It was the last place he would look... Probably because I was hiding in plain sight. Immediately he climbed up those stairs, he'd simply just spot me!

I realize now how dumb that was... How lousy I was at playing hide and seek. Hiding in plain sight? Seriously young me? How did I even come up with something that pathetic?

But I guess I wasn't the only dumb kid playing hide and seek. Sarah was hiding behind a flower pot for crying out loud! A flower pot that was just above the steps. Who hides behind small flower pots?!

I mean sure, mine wasn't any better, but I tried. Plus my father prohibited me from hiding in closets, under beds, in short, I'm not allowed to hide in any tight spaces. So as you can see, I didn't really have many options.

I heard little steps coming up the steps, and I took my position as a lamp. I caught a glimpse of Sarah giggling. Wow, she really knows nothing about hide and seek.

“Boo!” I heard Casey's voice, and a little squeal from Sarah, “After all the games we've played, you're still pathetic at hiding. Don't you ever learn?”

And I heard Sarah say something like, “... Not as easy as you think,”

They were now talking in distinctive voices, and it was hard to hear what they were saying. All I knew was that I was getting impatient. Standing still like a lamp isn't an easy task.

But then Casey raised his voice a bit and I was able to hear some parts of what the conversation was about.

He said, “... know what she did... what you people said about us... envy us... not going to get what you want, not from us!... going to remain poor for the rest of your miserable lives... make sure of that... PAY!”

And afterwards, I heard Sarah screaming. It was a really loud horrific scream, and I wonder how my parents didn't hear it. Or maybe they did, and they just assumed we were playing tag or something.

Panicked, I totally forgot all about the game. I got to the stairs where Casey was as fast as I could, and I could only watching horror as Sarah was rolling down the stairs... Step after step after step, until she got to the very bottom. A huge lump formed in my throat when her body went limp.

As fast as my little legs would permit me to go, I quickly rushed down the stairs.

“Sarah? Sarah!” I called but got no response.

I knelt down next to her and tapped her. Supporting her head on my lap, hugging her small figure, hoping she'd at least open her eyes.

“Sarah please wake up. Open your eyes,” still no response.

She had a little cut on her head. It wasn't really a big deal, but it was enough to freak out little me.

“Sarah please open your eyes! I'll let you have my dessert for a month,”she'd do anything for desserts, so the fact that she didn't reply even when I mentioned it, freaked me out even more.

I looked up at Casey, who was still at the top of the stairs, and I saw absolutely no remorse for what he had done... No mercy or guilt whatsoever. I expected him to call for help... It was the least he could do... But he just stood there, staring!

“Casey go get help,”

Did he go to get help? Did he even move? Of course NOT!

“Sarah come on. Fine, I admit you're a better actress than I am. You've won the bet,now open your eyes,” I was getting desperate. I was literally on the verge of breaking into tears.

After getting no response from Sarah, or a reaction from Casey, I did what I should have done from the very beginning.

“Mom! Dad! Anyone? Help!” hugging Sarah even tighter.

I looked up at Casey one last time, and all that was able to come out of my mouth was,

“Casey what have you done!”

                      *now*         

“Sweetie? You good?” my mom snapped me out of my thoughts, “You kinda just zoned out on us for a second. Everything alright?”

“Um... Yeah. Everything's fine. I'm just tired I guess. Winning first place at cheer camp wasn't easy. It's been a long day,”

“I can tell,”

“You should go and rest dear, remember that you still have an even busier day ahead of you Madam president,” dad chuckled.

“Yes Mr. Mayor,” I smiled at him and rolled my eyes. Giving both my parents a hug and a kiss in the cheek.

I turned to Sarah,“You coming?”

“Y... Yeah,” she stood up from the table, “Good night aunt Sylvia, uncle Dan,” she hugged them... My parents insisted that she calls them that.

We headed upstairs. And all the while, I couldn't stop thinking... Could that incident thirteen years ago be the reason Sarah still seems scared of Casey? And what were the two talking about that day? I didn't dare ask any of them. I was too mad at Casey to talk to him, and Sarah was too traumatized to talk about it.

“Sarah?” I  began, unsure of whether I should continue or not.

“Mmm?”

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure,” she answered without even shooting me as much as a glance. She doesn't like maintaining eye contact either.

We were now at the top of the stairs, heading to her room since it was the first door in the hallways.

“Are you... Are you scared of Casey because of what he did to you when we were five?”

“What?” she pretended to not have heard me the first time. How do I know she's pretending? Because she immediately tensed up the minute I asked. But I'm going to play along... Just this once.

“You know... When you two argued or something? When he...” I cleared my throat, unsure of whether to continue or not. None of us have ever mentioned that incident since it happened, “What made Casey push you down the stairs?”

We stood outside of her bedroom door, and her hand tightly gripped the door knob. She was really quiet. She didn't look at anything in particular, just stared off into space.

“Sarah?” I saw her visibly swallow hard, “If you don't want to talk about it them that's fine u guess... I'll see you tomorrow then?”

She nodded slowly and entered her room. She didn't want to talk about it, and u wasn't going to pressure her to do so. Though all the time I talk to her I feel like I'm pressuring her to talk.

The girl doesn't say much... She doesn't say anything at all, she just nods or shakes her head or gives one word answers.

Sarah is great. She's smart, and kind, and beautiful, even though she doesn't believe it... But she's just too quiet. Which I think is the main reason people take advantage of her.

Being loud and talkative myself, I'm usually used to being surrounded by people who are louder, if not as loud as me. So sometimes, hanging out with Sarah can get... How do u say this in the most polite way possible... Boring!

But then I guess that's just her... The new her anyway. I miss the talkative Sarah, the one who always had something to say, the one who wasn't afraid to speak her mind, the Sarah who would laugh at everything! The adventurous Sarah who wasn't afraid to take any risks.

I really wonder what happened to that Sarah.

Sarah.

That was... Intense! But I was expecting something like that from Connie... She always had a thing for poking her nose where it didn't belong. I'm sorry for saying that, but it's true. She has the wrong type of curiosity... You know, the one that got the cat killed?

I just wasn't prepared for her to ask that specific question. I'm not sure if the reason we argued that day is why he hates me, or maybe it's because he got severely beaten up by his father for pushing me down the stairs.

The image still gives me nightmare. It was probably the longest day of everyone's lives. And Connie, well, she wouldn't stop crying. I don't know which hurt her more, seeing her cousin get beaten up, or seeing her friend on a hospital bed.

Anyway, I'd better go to bed now, and wake up early tomorrow morning... Leave this place before Casey gets here. I know for a fact that he'll come to spend time with Connie... And I don't want to be here when that happens.

********

I jerked awake! I had droplets of sweat on my forehead... My heart was beating rapidly. I had yet another nightmare about Casey. This guy torments me even in my dreams.

And to add to my panic mode, I heard a soft creaking sound outside my room. All the hairs on my neck stood up... And I felt totally on edge.

I crept to the door and opened it slightly. What if someone had managed to break into the house? Oh Lord! We could all be in danger!

But that was probably just me being paranoid, overthrowing the entire situation. Their place has heavy security. How could someone have snuck in?

It turned out to only be Connie, making an attempt to sneak out of the house if I'm not wrong.

She was wearing a pair of blue jeans, a white top and a denim jacket hang on her shoulders. A simple outfit that still looked great on her. Her hair was in a messy bun, with some loose strands hanging from her forehead, making her look super cute. I sometimes really envy her beauty.

In her hand, she carried a pair of white sneakers, while the other carried her phone and car keys.

If she was trying to sneak out without being heard, well she was failing at it terribly. Even with no shoes on, she could still be heard. So much for tiptoeing. She'll wake the entire house up!

I just never knew that Connie was one to sneak out in the middle of the night! Was she going to a party? I thought she hated parties! Or maybe she was going to a late night date? She broke up with him! Or just a drive around town? Nah! She's too dressed up to simply be going for a drive!

This was so unlike her... The Connie I knew wouldn't sneak out of the house... Especially not in the middle of the night.

Perhaps tomorrow I'll find out the truth... But now, I didn't see a single thing! I was asleep the whole time.