The Art of Knowing [Completed]

12. • rotten apples •

[to all who wish to be fought for. to all who allowed that one person to slip away with the secret notion that they would come back.]

• • • •
"Well, don't you look thrilled," Shay murmured halfheartedly towards her older brother as she met eyes with his mundane green eyes.

"I'm ecstatic." Ryan's words cut through the silence without hesitation. Pure sarcasm oozed out of his lips while he drove. After 3 whole days, the idea that he could ever forget New York and Cassandra behind seemed impossible. The familiar and dreadful atmosphere he could feel engulfing him was sickening as his car drove, the vehicle inching its way that much closer to their parents' prestigious estate.

"Believe me, I think everyone in this car would rather be in New York or something," Shay reminded. "But only one of us was bitten by the love bug." Ryan's emerald eyes rolled in annoyance as usual, only to listen to Shay's chuckles faintly in the background of his thoughts.

"Oh, no." Ryan mumbled under his breath, only to feel an unsettling wave of dread drape over every fiber of his being.

The pair remained dumfounded once Ryan's car turned into the luxurious garden and its curved driveway into the sophisticated house. It'd been quite a drive to suburban Chicago all the way from downtown, and yet even after arriving, the content feeling he should've felt about seeing his parents was merely nonexistent. His lack of enthusiasm felt out of place and selfish most of the time, but after coming to terms with his parents' inability to change, he finally understood the feeling was justified. Deafening silence was now palpable inside of the car as they sat there. Only then did they noticed another vehicle parked in front, and it was a vehicle they both knew too well. Ever since their parents aspired and conquered their roles as the city's socialites, the inevitable sea of new 'friends' followed- including the Carson's. Bitter taste of bile burned in the back of Ryan's throat at the sight of the car, fully aware about what he was about to encounter. Regardless of the fact that the Carson's dearest daughter Jess had openly cheated on him, he doubted the act would even be mentioned at dinner. In fact, the very idea that his parents had invited the Carson's over for dinner in spite of their knowledge of Ryan's embarrassing flight back with the ring in his pocket made his skin crawl. His parents had changed significantly, and painfully for him, it seemed like he was the only one who noticed or even cared.

"Well this should be interesting for you," Shay remarked after a while.

"This is going to suck." Ryan mumbled complaints as the car was parked promptly. It took everything he had to actually step out of the car. He was going to his trial and there would surely be no witnesses up to his defense; although in a just world, Jess would be the defendant. Swift anxiety engulfed him once he thought of the possible questions that would be asked about his impromptu trip to New York. While he wouldn't throw Shay under the bus, he wasn't going to lie about most of the trip either. It was the least he could do after being savagely betrayed by his almost fiancé.

He held his breath as he walked up to the door, all while Shay remained far behind on the phone. A wave of bitterness and anger draped over him the minute he stood feet away from the door, only to then press his finger against the doorbell with a subtle wish that no one would be home. It was silly thought, he knew, but the possibility brought joy to his heart, nonetheless.

It only took several minutes until the door had officially swung open as it revealed the one person responsible for Ryan's utter disdain. Her jet hair glowed effortlessly as always- pampering herself was something she wouldn't spend a day without. The strands cascaded over her shoulders voluptuously while her hazel eyes glimmered happily towards Ryan, as if all that had transpired was nothing but a mere dream. Despite her commanding presence, Ryan stayed unaffected, his hands stoically inside his jacket pockets with a rigid expression. After all she had done, it took quite the nerve to be the one to open the door of his family's home. His jaw stiffened significantly at the sight of her and it was only a matter of time before the boiling rage resurfaced due to her chipper mood.