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Nick's Point of view
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"Oh B.J...where are you my little love dumpling...B.J..." I called out. If I didn't find her soon, she'd run and tell someone else in this family who'd blab their mouth to Mom and Dad.
"B.J... B-" I turned around and ran straight into her. "Oh there you are. How are you? You doin' okay? You know I really like that sw-"
"If you're trying to bribe me or compliment me to death you can forget it."
"Me?" I pointed to my chest. "And why would I do a thing like that! You know, us being the closest out of all of us I'd expect more from you. You should have shame pouring out of your ears young lady," I said sarcastically.
"You know if you wanted to bribe me you should have done it earlier." I followed B.J. to her room that is next to mine. She began folding towels with a blank look on her face.
"Are you saying I'm too late to drive you around for a month?"
"Yep. Although that may help."
"And giving you half of my allowance."
"I'm afraid so." She shook her head and continued to fold.
"I'm too late? You told! Who!? B.J.!"
"Will you please stop yelling in my ear Nick. I'm developing a headache. Now if you'll excuse me." B.J. picked up the empty laundry basket and carried it to the appropriate room.
"B.J.! How could you rat out on me like that? Your own flesh and blood..."
"Bye Nick."
"B--"
"Ciao. Audios, Au revoir...whatever. Take a hint and go. Will you?" I brought my hand up and began rubbing the back of my neck. I gave her one last glance but she didn't look back at me. It was when I was heading back to my room that I heard the most valuable words of the day.
"It's too late for me to tell," she paused and turned around to face me, a smile stretched across her face, "because I promised myself that I wouldn't." I felt my heart leap, maybe there would be a chance for me to still see Amanda.
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Amanda's Point of View
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"Jakob, why did you tell!? Your own flesh and blood," I said pestering him in the middle of the upstairs hallway.
"Amanda, what are you deaf? I said I didn't tell! Get a clue." He tried to walk past me, but I pushed him back.
"I thought I could trust you."
"Am-" I cut him off.
"You used to do the same thing when you were my age! Heck, if you weren't over 18 you'd do the same thing to this day!" I went on.
"I didn't-"
"We used to be so much alike, now I can't even name one simple similarity.
"If you would li-"
"Hypocrite." Jakob gave up trying and we were eyeing each other. My words obviously stung him, but his actions had done the same.
"I can't believe you Amanda. You'd believe your own instincts over my word."
"Yup."
"Well you're right, we don't have anything in common. You're not my sister, we're not even related. I would NEVER disobey your trust by telling Dad something that I knew you'd get in trouble for." We both heard our Father's footsteps behind us, but Jakob continued anyway. "And I would NEVER, call you a hypocrite. NEVER." He pointed his index finger in my face. "And you know what else I will NEVER do? I will never talk to you again, lie for you, or stick up for you, even if your life depended upon it. Now get out of my face before I make you regret ever existing." I stayed put and watched him shake his head and laugh. "It's fine, stay there. Realize that you made a mistake for ever accusing me of telling on you." He pushed aside and began muttering as he walked away. "Dumb gypsies, couldn't even drop you off at an orphanage."
"That is the biggest load of crap I have ever heard in my life." I turned around to see Jakob stopped dead in his track. "The least you could do is tell me the truth, but no, you had to lie. You know what? I hate you." My voice was now just above a whisper. The hallway was silent, trying to make out the words I could barely hear myself. "You took away the one thing in the world that I needed, that I wanted. The one person that could help me, that did help me, when Mom died. And I hate you for that. And I hope Mom hates you for it too. And you know what else? I hope she comes back to repay you for everything you have done in the last day," I called out and finally headed back to my bedroom, slamming my door behind me.
I felt my hands shaking, my heart pounding, and my palms sweating from all of the anger that had been, and still is, built up inside of me. I was going to the bathroom to take a cold shower when I heard my door burst open.
"Take it back," Jakob yelled.
"No."
"Take it back!"
"NO!"
"She's dead, and you know it! And yet you still had to bring her into this..."
"Yeah, Jakob, I KNOW she's dead. I have to live with it for every single day to come. And the one escape I had is gone, because of you. I refuse to take it back."
"Take it back!"
"NO! Get out!" I screamed, hoping he would listen. I had never seen Jakob this angry before, and now that I had, I was scared to the core. He was a strong man, and there was no way that I could compete with him if I had to.
"You stupid little-" Jakob raised a hand up, ready to slap me but I cut him off with my words.
"Go ahead, do it. Try and scare me and see if I care! No wonder she never loved you." I turned around and headed to the bathroom, but I didn't make it. My words had obviously set Jakob off and he grabbed me, wrapping his arms around my rib cage.
"TAKE IT BACK!"
"NO! Get off of me!" I let out a blood curdling scream as he threw me outward, nearly slamming against the wall but hitting the floor instead.
Our Father rushed in just before Jakob slapped me across my right cheek.
"Jakob, what do you think you're doing? What the heck? Go to your room! NOW!" Jakob glared at me one last time and I felt a tear slide down my face.
Once he was out of my room I felt safe enough to talk again.
"Thank you." My Father outstretched his arms and helped me to my feet. "I was-"
"And you." He glared at me with even more anger and resentment than he had before. "I heard everything you said to him. You know this had NOTHING to do with Jakob. He kept his mouth shut just like you had wanted to, and just like you think he didn't. It doesn't take a genius to figure out where you go these days."
"Dad..."
"And how dare you bring your Mother into this." He backed away from me. "Most Fathers would disown you for a comment like that. Don't think that we haven't been through the same thing you have. We're in this together, or at least we WERE." I watched as he took another step backward and exited my room. I just stared after him with pain and realization of the whole event taking over. What had I done?
