The Art of Knowing [Completed]

9. • faithful •

[to all secretly in pain, masking the hurt with your undeniable strength. you matter, and there's always someone willing to help.]

                                   • • • •
The pair walked over to the rented vehicle, a pregnant silence engulfing them both with the exception of their car doors shutting. The blonde's enjoyable demeanor had subsided substantially due to the dreadful reminder of her questionable decisions. She sat in the passenger seat in deafening silence as the brief checkups on her makeup were the only noticeable movement by her. She wouldn't dare to look at her brother, who was probably shooting daggers at her as he drove, just for the chance of avoiding the inevitable.

"You're not doing that ever again," Ryan muttered. His hand gripped the steering wheel tightly, fully aware his little sister would do anything to avoid the conversation. Shay delayed her response. She rolled her eyes in annoyance once more at the words she'd been waiting for.

"Just drop it. Please," bitterness coated her words, the sudden urge to cry now engulfing every fiber of her being. The shimmering headlights from the surrounding cars beamed against her skin as she looked out the passenger side window, a noticeable tear glistening down her face. She hated feeling this way. There was no other way to describe it than being an irrefutable waste of space. The fact that the throbbing of her cheek was barely a surprise pained her even more. Wealth was the one thing that never disappointed anyone, and it was the one thing she identified herself with. Her eyes shut tightly in pain, subsiding the urge to sob audibly.

"I'm not dropping it, Shay. You promised," Ryan muttered painfully with a slight grimace as he glanced at the road. "You said you wouldn't do this again. How am I suppose to help if you're the one willingly walking into trouble over and over again?!"

Evident frustration coated Ryan's voice as Shay gazed at her lap. She held the folded paper in her hands rigidly. It was the only image of herself she'd ever cared to treasure. There were plenty of gorgeous pictures of her throughout the years, yet the specific sketch by Cassandra had scaled the thin coat of lies in her eyes and heart. It wasn't long before she'd come to believe that without her prestigious title, she was worth nothing. As she opened the folded paper, a clear depiction of herself came into view, and that's when she noticed things about herself she never cared to pay attention to. Her smile was alive, and eyes shimmering. It was a drawing she would cherish. The simple sketch was now officially something to look at in order defeat everything she had trained herself to believe.

"One of these days, you're going to appreciate everything I do for you," Ryan uttered grimly. Her attention was finally captured by her brother as he drove, her eyes sadly staring at his side profile while her plumb lips quivered subtly.

"I do." Shay's words were barely audible, but it didn't stop Ryan from hearing them.

"Then act like it," he countered. She knew the right he had to be so angry at her, after all it wasn't the first time he'd flown over to her rescue with little knowledge from their parents. He knew the wrath that could be faced by those prestigious socialites. The thought only aided in his compassion towards his sister every single time she called.

Her mind wandered off to Princeton and the dreadful day that had marked her forever. Cold regret nipped at her skin as she thought of it, the possibility of her brother not helping her was enough to make her shiver. The particular event never faltered in draping terror over her. The similar feeling of immense regret seeped through her at just the recall of the situation she, along with Ryan, promised to put behind them.