Uprising (41 page)

“But what if I have no idea who I want to be?” he said sadly, his .

“Be you. I’ve met you and I like you just fine,” I crooned.

He smiled and rubbed my arm with his overly warm hand.

“Thanks, Sherry.”

“No problem. Now. You want to play something with me?”

I motioned towards the piano keys in front of us.

“I don’t know how to play.”

“I wasn’t under the impression that you did, Ryan,” I joked. “I can teach you a little. Here.”

I played the first few chords of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and then let him mimic me. He laughed when he got it right the first time.

“Ha! Will you look at that.”

“I told you. It’s easy once you figure it out.”

We did the next chords and he followed. We laughed as we kept playing and finally finished the song. Then we played it again.

“So,” Ryan said and looked me right in the eye. “Was this a display of metaphor? You showing me how I can mimic you on the piano just like I should mimic the rest of human behavior? Do you think that would help me to adjust better?”

“Well...” I dragged out. “I hadn’t thought of that, Ryan, but it sounds like you worked that all out on your own.”

“Well, it’s sound advice, I guess,” he said seriously.

“I guess,” I joked. “See, you didn’t need my help after all,” I said and bumped his shoulder with mine.

“Sure I did. Thank you, Sherry. I mean it. You have always been good to me.”

“You think too little of yourself. You are worthy of my friendship, Ryan. You don’t have to thank me every time I do something for you. That’s what friends do.”

“I’ve never had a friend before. I have no idea what they even means.”

“Well, now you do. We’re friends. You can ask me anything, talk to me about anything and I’ll always tell you the truth. Ok?” I said and smiled.

“Ok,” he said smiling too and it was strange how uneasy it seemed. I realized he didn’t smile too much, he had a good smile. “Now. Play something for me. Something more advanced than children’s rhymes.”

I smirked at him and turned back to the piano to play. It was almost supper time now, as I could hear them banging around in the kitchen. I began to play and had only gotten about twenty seconds into it when I looked around and saw Merrick coming down our hallway to the commons room. I watched him as I played and saw he was still angry and sleepy looking as he gazed at nothing and no one. His face was drawn and tight and his eyes were dark with no sleep.

He found my gaze, like he subconsciously sought it, and we locked gazes. Mine was pleading and his was defiant. My breathing was suddenly erratic and my chest ached anew.

I saw that I wasn’t going to get anywhere with him today and it I didn’t want him to see me burst into tears so I tore my gaze away and murmured my goodbye to Ryan, spouting something about being tired and made my way back to the laundry room briskly before collapsing on my pallet once more and pulling the blanket over my head. Wanting to see no one, hear from on one, speak to no one. Trying desperately to forget Merrick’s kiss with Piper and the way he had been so, so angry at me. Pushed me, looked on me with disgust and rage. I’d actually been afraid of him and I never thought that would ever have been possible.

So I cried, big fat hurtful wretched tears in the dark and prayed no one came looking for me. All the while, wondering what the in the world went wrong.

Breakfast?

“Breakfast now?” Cain asked as he rubbed my arm soothingly. “You gotta get up sometime. It’s morning again. You need to eat something.”

“Ok.” I let him pull me up and we went.

He grabbed my hand as we walked, easily and casually, swinging our arms slightly. Strangely it felt more friendly than intimate. Like he was trying to show me I still had a friend and he’d be my friend through all this until I was ready to be more. I wondered about Sherry. If he still felt crazy about her.

We entered the kitchen and he sat me down in a chair and got me some coffee, to which I murmured my thanks. It was horrid and lukewarm but I drank it because I needed it.

There were others in the kitchen with us. Piper and Polly, who were eyeing me but I tried to ignore them. Jeff and Marissa were sitting at the table with me. Eating a late breakfast together as well.

Cain set a bowl of oatmeal in front of me and one for him across from me. He sat down and smiled.

“Mmmm. Oatmeal,” he said with fake enthusiasm.

I chuckled under my breath and smiled back. Thankful for him at this moment. Otherwise I would have just sulked in my room, alone.

I felt someone behind me and turned to look. It was Piper.

“Good morning, Lillian.”

“Morning, Piper,” I said and felt odd about her speaking to me, which she never does.

“So, Cain, how have you been?”

“Fine, Piper.”

“Really? Are you sure about that?”

I turned to look at her. What was her problem? Why was she badgering Cain?

“Yes. Fine. Thank you for your concern,” he all but spat out.

“What’s going on? Is this the drama you were referring to?” I ask.

“Oh, he told you then?” Piper chimes almost happily, coming to stand beside the table beside us.

“Told me what?”

“That Merrick and I caught Cain and Sherry in the hall two nights ago.”

My heart stopped a couple beats and then picked back up violently. I heard other gasps to echo mine and looked over to see Marissa and Jeff just as stunned as I am.

“What?” I ask.

“Shut up, Piper. You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Cain said and shoved his chair back, taking his bowl to the sink.

“Don’t I?”

“What is she talking about, Cain?” I ask softly and hoping he answers me, that nothing happened.

“I’m talking about Cain and Sherry practically- what is it you humans say- ‘getting it on’ in the hall outside your room that night, the night of the ambush. Merrick is so upset. He’s even refused to let Sherry stay in their room with him.”

“What?” Jeff said but nobody answered him.

What? My head spun. Merrick and Sherry fighting? Those two were like glue to each other.

“Shut up, Piper! If that’s the case then why did you come get me yesterday morning, huh? When Sherry was crying, you came to Lillian’s room, where I was all night, and woke me up to go to Sherry,” Cain said and I could see his high color getting higher.

“Because you caused all this! That’s why! I figured you should be the one to comfort her, though in my book, she doesn’t deserve any,” Piper said and walked out with Polly in tow.

But something was terribly wrong with Polly. She hadn’t said a word the whole time and it wasn’t like her to miss an opportunity for drama. And she’s so pale. And her eyes are so cloudy and gray. She slinked behind Piper like she was tethered to her and had not a care nor a bit of strength.

“Cain, what is she talking about?” I asked him again.

“Yes, Cain. What the heck is going on?” Marissa asked after me, she looked almost angry.

Cain sat back down, turned to me and spoke.

“This is the drama I was telling you about. For some reason, Merrick and Piper claim they saw Sherry and I in the hall making out that night. Outside your room. Piper, I could see making all this up but Merrick? I don’t know what’s going on but...he really believes he saw us, Lillian. It’s weird. He was furious yesterday.” He ran his hands over his head a few times then linked them behind his head and leaned back in his chair. “Yelling at Sherry, pushing her off. I’ve never seen him that way. Especially with her.”

Marissa and Jeff scooted their chairs back and left then. Their sudden departure and silence speaking volumes.

I pondered what he was saying. Did he expect me to believe him? That he was caught making out with Sherry, whom he confessed to me earlier to having feelings for, but it was Merrick who was making it up? What in the world is going on here?

“So...you’re saying Merrick didn’t catch you.”

“I’m saying I didn’t do it. I wouldn’t do that to her or him.”

“Cain.” I gauged my words carefully and looked around for eavesdroppers, saw none. “You told me you had feeling for Sherry.”

His eyes went wide and then he refocused and spoke quietly.

“Yes, I did. But I would never act on it. She’s married. Besides, I wouldn’t have told you but you figured it out. I was trying to move on too, remember?” he said referring to me moving on, per our earlier conversation.

I couldn’t disagree or judge him for that but the rest of his story was a little ridiculous.

“Ok. So you got a little carried away and got caught. Denying it isn’t going to make it just go away,” I say softly.

“I didn’t do anything! What is wrong with everyone? Am I that untrustworthy that no one would believe me when I say I flat didn’t do something? Sherry is the most loyal person in here and no one believes her either.” He scooted his chair back too, loudly. “What is going on here?”

He left then. Leaving me feeling strangely guilty and weird and off kilter.

I went to find Sherry.

I found her a while later after searching everywhere. She was hunched over on a pallet in the utility room. She was perfectly still, eyes open, staring at the wall. I wondered how long she’d been in here.

“Sherry? Honey, are you ok?”

As much as I liked Cain and didn’t appreciate him kissing someone the same night he had kissed me, though I had kissed Mitchell a few nights before so how much room did I have to talk, Sherry was my friend and I hated to see her so broken down.

“Lillian, something is...happening. I’m going crazy or something.”

”Why do you say that? Because you gave in to Cain and kissed him? He can be very charming.”

“I didn’t!” she yelled suddenly and sat up.

Oh no. Not this again. Not Sherry. She didn’t seem the lie and weasel type to me.

“Sherry. It’s ok. Tell me what happened.”

“Nothing. I went to check on you but you were asleep so I sat in the hall with Cain outside you’re room and we talked. I hugged him. But I always hug him, it was nothing new. Merrick has seen me hug him a hundred times. That was it. He went back in your room and I went back up the hall. Merrick said we were kissing, like really into it and there was no way he mistook it for hugging him. I have no idea what he’s talking about.”

“Sherry. It’s me. You can tell me. It’s ok, I won’t judge you.”

She burst into a hysterical round of tears and I felt like the utter worst friend and consoler.

“Sherry. I’m sorry,” I tried to touch her shoulder but she pushed my hand off.

“That’s it. I can’t take this anymore. Nobody believes me! I have to talk to him,” she said breathlessly as she got up from her pallet.

“You mean Cain?”

“No! Merrick!”

And she proceeded to make her way out of the room, into the hall and to the commons room with me following after her.

I saw Merrick there, looked like he was waiting for something but he didn’t seem upset to me. He seemed his normal chipper self. I could only stop. Pray for Sherry and stare at the train wreck about to happen.

As soon as he saw her his eyes lit up and he reached his arms out for her to walk into but she stopped and stared like a deer in the headlights. He spoke.

“Honey? What’s wrong?”

He made a step forward. Concern etched all over his face. She stepped back again.

“Merrick?” she asked softly.

“What’s the matter, babe? Did something happen?” he asked and then reached for her again.

She stood perfectly still and let him wrap his arms around her and then he kissed her sweetly on her lips, cupping her jaw in one hand. She let him kiss her but didn’t participate and he pulled back. “Something’s wrong, I can tell. Tell me what’s the matter, sweetheart.”

Wow. Three endearments in one minutes time.

“Merrick?” she asked again.

“Sherry. What is it?” he asked, getting more impatient.

“You...believe me?” she choked out through tears.

“About what?”

“About what? Is this a joke?” she asked and appeared more confused than ever.

I was right there with her and then I saw Cain come walking back down the hall. He stopped dead in his tracks and stared at them too in total confusion.

“What do you mean? What’s going on?” Merrick asked.

“You don’t remember? You...you thought you saw Cain and I...” she looked over at Cain for a second and he looked back at her astonished and shrugged, “..you thought you saw Cain and I kissing.”

“What? What are you talking about?” Merrick asked incredulously and looking none too happy. “You kissed Cain?”

“No! You thought I did. You really don’t remember?” she asked, breathing the words.

“No, I think I’d remember that.” He scowled. “Did Cain kiss you?” he asked softly and looked back at Cain for a split second.