Blythe Tatum expected her freshman year at university to be nerve-wracking, though nothing out of the ordinary. The beginning of her school year starts off as averagely as possible, though Blythe soon finds herself caught up in an unexpected and ine...
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"You look like shit."
I study the image of Talia pulled up on my laptop with an irritated expression, sticking my tongue out at her mockingly. As much as I've been avoiding speaking to my sister, I'd figured that simply calling her would be better than having to deal with my mother harassing me about my lack of communication with my sister a dozen times a day. So when Talia had surprised me with a FaceTime call, I'd found it best to just answer.
My sister and I don't have too much in common, though the one trait we seem to share is our brutal honesty. I think that's about where the similarities end, besides our shared passion for writing. Even our appearances are drastically different. My sister and I share the same bone structure and striking blue eyes, but there seems to be more differences in our genetics than anything else. Whereas I can barely tan even during the summer and can hardly keep my dark brown waves from tangling together, Talia had been graced with an olive complexion and sleek black hair that always cascades perfectly straight down her shoulders. I notice as I study her image pulled up on the screen before me that she has cut it a little shorter than normal, opting for curtain bangs that make her appear more mature. I don't comment on this change in her appearance.
"Thanks," I mumble under my breath in response to my sister's former blunt statement and rude greeting.
"Have you been taking anything?" Talia questions. She leans her face closer to the camera, as if forcing me to stare up her nostrils is somehow going to help her figure out if I've become a druggy.
"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" I mutter to myself. "For your information, no I have not. I just need to catch up on sleep. That's all."
For a moment, I consider telling Talia about the strange hallucinations and blackouts I've been experiencing. The most recent vision is the only delusion I clearly remember out of all I have undergone so far, though the dream had felt so familiar I'm certain I've experienced it before. Plus, I know for fact that I have blacked out more than once, usually when I'm hanging out with Jacob. However, I decide to refrain from sharing this information. Talia would no doubt tell Mom I'm having a fainting issue, which would only result in our mother overreacting and adding to my already overwhelming pile of stress.
"I see." Talia nods, scooting back from the camera slightly. "I remember my college days. I think I relied on three times the recommended amount of coffee to keep me awake. And I didn't even take on any extra credits like you have. Writing for TheCardinal basically ate up all of my free time."
I bite down on my bottom lip hard. The Cardinal is the exact reason I had been avoiding chatting with my sister. I hadn't wanted to admit to my sister that I'm not even a writer for Redwood's paper—especially considering Talia had been so convinced I would follow in her footsteps. The truth is embarrassing. I don't want my sister to know I'm envious of her. More than that, I don't want her pity when she inevitably finds out that I am not, in fact, writing for the paper.
