Drowning in Disappointment

The twin sisters lived right next door to me in our quiet suburb.

Ever since we were toddlers, they fought over which one of them would get to marry me.

Our parents always joked that no matter which girl I picked, our families would be joined forever.

But when we finally reached the age to settle down, they both claimed those years were just childish nonsense.

The very next day, they started fighting over a different guy named Jasper.

To make Jasper laugh, they pushed me into a freezing river over six feet deep, knowing full well I couldn't swim.

As I thrashed in the water, desperate and gasping for air, they pointed at me and giggled.

"Look at him flailing around like a drowning mutt. Isn't that just the funniest thing you've ever seen?"

They only pulled me out when I was seconds away from losing consciousness, all to satisfy Jasper's cruel curiosity.

That was the moment my heart turned to ash, and I moved far away from that city.

But later, they started searching for me like they had completely lost their minds.

1.

The biting wind sliced through my soaked clothes on the walk home, making me shiver uncontrollably.

But the chill racking my body was nothing compared to the ice in my heart.

Before I even reached my door, Vivienne's name flashed on my phone screen.

Her voice was sharp with annoyance the moment I picked up.

"Silas, where the hell are you? You only had to soak in the water for a bit to make Jasper smile. Why are you making such a big deal out of a little joke? Get your ass back here."

Before she could finish, her sister Quinn chimed in from the background.

"Jasper won't cut his birthday cake until you're here. He thinks you're actually mad at him and it's ruining his mood. We worked so hard to make him happy, so stop being a brat and move it."

A bitter taste filled my mouth as I listened to their baseless accusations.

I tried to find my voice to respond, but my vision suddenly went black.

When I finally opened my eyes, the sterile smell of disinfectant filled my nose.

The nurse standing by my bed didn't hold back her lecture.

"You young people really have no respect for your health. You're lucky a Good Samaritan found you. Walking around in wet clothes with a high fever like that? You nearly kicked the bucket."

I closed my eyes and stayed silent.

The nurse asked me to call my family to come stay with me.

I waited a long time before whispering, "I don't have any family."

During my two days in the hospital, neither of the Foster sisters called me once.

Before they met Jasper, they used to call me a dozen times if I was even thirty minutes late for dinner.

They would panic, asking where I was and offering to come pick me up.

Now that I had been gone for forty-eight hours, they hadn't bothered to send a single text.

On the day I was discharged, I paid my own bills and took an Uber back home.

Before I realized it, I was standing in front of the Foster family's front door.

I shook my head at my own habit and turned to leave, but Jasper's voice drifted through the cracked door.

"Silas hasn't been back in two days. Shouldn't you girls give him a call?"

Vivienne let out a mocking snort.

"He's just throwing a tantrum. He'll crawl back eventually. Besides, his parents are dead. Where else is he going to go? He'll show up looking like a kicked dog sooner or later."

Quinn jumped in to agree with her sister.

"Jasper, you're just too kind for your own good. Silas was being a buzzkill the other day. Letting him suffer outside for a bit will teach him that we don't actually need him around."

"But still..."

Jasper didn't finish his sentence because Vivienne covered his mouth with her hand, whispering for him to be quiet.

"Don't let that loser ruin our mood."

Jasper glanced toward the door as if by accident and locked eyes with me.

A smug, triumphant grin spread across his face.

I understood everything in that instant.

He knew I was standing right there. He did it all on purpose.

I clenched my fists, my entire body trembling with a mix of rage and heartbreak.

That night, I went back to my own house.

It was the first time I had stepped foot in my parents' old home since I moved in with the Fosters after their funeral.

In the middle of the night, my phone buzzed with a call from Jasper.

As soon as I answered, I heard the sisters screaming at each other.

They were fighting over which floor Jasper should sleep on.

This scene used to happen every single day when I first moved in with them.

Vivienne lived on the second floor and Quinn on the third, and they used to fight over who got to have me on their level.

Back then, I solved it by alternating floors every week just to keep the peace.

Listening to that familiar arguing now felt like a knife twisting in my chest.

I hung up and opened a travel app.

I booked a one-way ticket to my remote hometown for the day after tomorrow.

2.

The next morning, I walked into the Fosters' house and saw Vivienne making breakfast while Quinn brewed coffee.

They both looked up at the sound of the door.

Their eyes were filled with nothing but mockery when they saw it was me.

Quinn, always the blunt one, didn't hide her disdain.

"Oh, look who decided to show up. I thought you were so tough, trying to threaten us by running away. Why are you back?"

"By the way, Jasper is staying in your old room now. You can go ahead and move your stuff into the small storage closet under the stairs."

That closet was where the cleaning lady used to keep her supplies.

I looked at Vivienne, hoping to see some spark of protest, thinking Quinn had gone too far.

Instead, she just looked worried about Jasper.

"I'm worried Silas staying here will make Jasper uncomfortable. Maybe it's better if he just goes back to his own house for good."

Quinn nodded aggressively.

"He's not even part of this family. He's just been leaching off us. But Jasper is different. He's sensitive. I don't want him feeling awkward because Silas is lurking around."

It was hard to believe these were the same girls who clung to my sleeves at my mother's funeral.

Back then, they begged me to move in, promising they would take care of me forever.

Now, I was just a leech who didn't know when to leave.

I couldn't wrap my head around how human hearts could change so fast.

Before I could say a word, Quinn grabbed my arm and shoved me toward the door.

"Get out of here before Jasper wakes up. I don't want him seeing your face and getting depressed."

Vivienne's voice followed me as the door slammed.

"Change the keypad code too. We don't want him sneaking back in whenever he wants."

I didn't even get a chance to tell them I just came to get my passport and ID.

I took a deep breath, went to the government office, and reported my documents as lost so I could get temporary replacements.

Then, I called a real estate agent.

I decided to sell the house my parents left me.

It hurt to let go of the memories, but I knew I was never coming back to this city.

After that, I went to the grocery store to buy ingredients for a decent meal.

I had always been sickly, and the Foster sisters used to take turns cooking for me.

They used to say outside food was poison and they couldn't stand to see me get sick.

I remembered posting a status once about craving a specific spicy peanut satay burger.

The next day, Vivienne presented me with a gourmet, homemade version.

I noticed small cuts and burns on her hands and asked what happened.

She tried to hide her hands behind her back, acting like it was nothing.

"I just got a little messy in the kitchen trying to get the recipe right for you."

I felt so much guilt and love for her in that moment.

"I was just craving it, Vivienne. You didn't have to go through all that trouble. I could have just ordered takeout."

She frowned and told me she would never let me eat low-quality food as long as she was around.

Quinn was the same, staying up all night once to learn how to bake my favorite cake from scratch.

Back then, their mother used to joke that it was a shame polygamy was illegal, or I could have married both her daughters.

Now, all of that felt like a fever dream from another life.

But it didn't matter anymore. I was leaving tomorrow.

When I unlocked my front door, I was shocked to see the sisters and Jasper sitting comfortably in my living room.

I cursed myself for not changing the entry code the moment I got home.

3.

"Silas! You're back! I really wanted to see your childhood home, so the girls brought me over. You don't mind, right?"

Jasper stood up and greeted me with a fake, sparkling smile.

Before I could respond, Quinn snapped at him for only mentioning Vivienne.

"Jasper, if you don't give me a hug right now, I'm going to be very offended."

Jasper laughed and played along, making a big show of being a gentleman.

I ignored the circus and walked straight into the kitchen to start cooking.

Quinn used to be so jealous of my attention.

If I spent five minutes longer talking to Vivienne, she would pout for hours.

I used to tease her for being a brat.

She would just grin and say she was only like that because it was me.

I thought I was special to them, but I realized I was just a placeholder until someone better came along.

While I was chopping vegetables, Jasper wandered into the kitchen, looking nervous.

"Silas, why are you being so quiet? Are you mad that I'm here without an invitation?"

"I didn't mean anything by it. I just wanted to see the environment you grew up in."

I didn't even look up from the cutting board. "You've seen it. Now leave."

Quinn stormed in immediately, her face darkening.

"Silas, what is your problem? Jasper is just being friendly! He wants to be your friend, you jerk!"

"Honestly, I should have kicked you out of our house years ago if I knew you were going to be this ungrateful."

Vivienne walked in behind her, looking equally disgusted.

"You're being pathetic, Silas. Apologize to Jasper right now."

I slammed the knife down and let out a cold laugh.

"You break into my house and demand an apology from me? Are you insane?"

Jasper's eyes welled up with tears on cue.

"Silas, I know you hate me, but please don't yell at the girls. It breaks my heart to see them sad."

The sisters immediately rushed to his side, cooing and comforting him like he was a wounded puppy.

Vivienne glared at me with pure hatred.

"What is wrong with you? No wonder people used to bully the hell out of you in school."

The words hit me like a physical blow, making my head spin.

In middle school, I was small and quiet, which made me an easy target for bullies.

Kids used to call me horrible names and treat me like trash.

Once, they locked me in the music room overnight.

I sat in the dark corner, shaking with terror until the sun came up.

It was Vivienne who braved a thunderstorm to find me.

She searched every single room in the school until she heard my sobbing.

The next day, Quinn hunted down the security footage and dragged the principal into it.

She made sure every single kid who touched me was suspended.

It's true what they sayDthe people who know you best know exactly where to twist the knife.

Vivienne saw my face pale and seemed to realize she went too far, but Jasper interrupted before she could apologize.

"Silas is clearly upset. Maybe I should just go."

Quinn immediately turned her attention back to him.

"Don't be sad, baby. I'll go home and make you that special honey-glazed pear dessert you like."

That was my favorite dessert.

Quinn had spent weeks in a cooking class just to master it for me.

Now, it was just a tool to comfort her new favorite toy.

I watched them leave, my resolve to move away hardening into steel.

But later that evening, the three of them pushed my door open again.

Vivienne was holding a takeout container with a smug look on her face.

4.

I stared at them in confusion, wondering what kind of game they were playing now.

Vivienne set a bowl of spicy peanut satay noodles in front of me.

"I made this myself. Taste it and tell me if it's as good as the old days."

For a split second, my heart softened.

But then I remembered the freezing water of the river and their laughter on the bank.

"No thanks. I'm not hungry."

Vivienne froze, her expression shifting from pride to irritation.

"I went out of my way to bring this to you, and you're going to be a dick about it?"

The silent standoff lasted for a minute until I finally gave in, wanting them to just leave.

I figured since I was leaving tomorrow, one meal wouldn't kill me.

But after two bites, the flavor felt wrong.

I looked up at Vivienne. "Why does this taste different?"

She smiled triumphantly. "I added a secret blend of ground beef and extra peanut butter to the sauce."

The chopsticks clattered to the floor. I stared at her in horror.

"Vivienne... you know I have a severe allergy to beef and peanuts!"

She rolled her eyes and waved her hand dismissively.

"Oh, please. Jasper was curious if someone could actually be allergic to both at once. I told him you were probably just being dramatic all these years."

"Look at you, you're fine. Stop acting like a victim for once."

Quinn nodded, checking her watch.

"See? Two allergens and he's not dead. Jasper, I win the bet! You have to take me to work tomorrow!"

Without another word, they turned around and walked out, laughing with Jasper.

The moment the door clicked shut, my throat began to tighten.

I gasped for air, scrambling to find my EpiPen, only to realize all my medication was still at the Foster house.

I managed to dial 911 before my vision failed and I collapsed.

When I woke up, the smell of bleach was back.

The doctor told me I was lucky to be alive and that I needed to stay for observation.

I didn't sleep a wink that night.

The next morning, I checked myself out and went straight to the airport with my packed bags.

I didn't forget to change my home's entry code on the way out.

I told my real estate agent I'd give him a five percent bonus if he handled everything without calling me.

As the plane prepared for takeoff, my phone lit up with dozens of calls from the sisters.

I turned the phone off and didn't look back.

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