4

 

SIERRA

 

I made it halfway down the stairs before Taylor seized my elbow, stopping me.

 

“Where do you think you're going?" His eyes darted downstairs where Amy's friends were helping to welcome the arriving guests.

 

My eyes slid to his with chilling slowness, "Let go of me. Now.”

 

He drew me near, his furious breaths on my face, “I'm so sick of this childish behavior of yours! Go back to your room, drop your bags and come down to help out."

 

I savagely yanked my hand out of his grip. I had nothing to say to him.

 

"Don't make a scene, Sierra,” he warned. "It's the last thing everyone needs right now.”

 

"Don't be so rough with her,” my mother chided, "What if someone sees?”

 

I just wanted to leave.

 

Her hand rested on the bag strap, nudging it off my shoulder as she spoke, “Honey, we forgive you for the whole necklace thing, go change into a gown and help me entertain the guests for a while.”

 

I was the one manhandled, falsely accused and humiliated but somehow, they forgave me?

 

The string of tenderness and warmth I held towards my mother finally snapped as I snatched the strap from her.

 

They'd given Amy my spot at SilverCrest without batting an eye, given her my dress without asking me then accused me of being a thief just to seize my notes and hand it to her.

 

They wouldn't be satisfied until I was gone.

 

“Mom," Amy sauntered towards us, her makeup highlighting her pretty, delicate face. She was all smiles.

 

"You look so beautiful, honey. Don't you agree, Sierra?” my mother cooed.

 

I stayed silent.

 

Amy's fingers wrapped around our mother's arm, subtly dragging her away from me.

 

"Are you leaving because you're upset, sis?” She sadly asked.

 

"Won't you take pictures with me? Who knows when next I'll get to look this stunning?” She pouted.

 

With my mother's grip gone, I continued my descent down the stairs, ignoring them both. I strode past arriving guests at the door and headed for the grand gates of the mansion.

 

I could faintly hear my mother complaining, “I've tried coaxing her but she won't listen. She's being very unreasonable.”

 

"Let her go. Maybe the fresh air will knock some sense into her. Don't worry, mother. She'll return. She always does," Taylor dismissively replied.

 

The barbs of his words shouldn't have hurt, after everything they'd done to me, but it did. A foolish part of me just wanted them to care, to call me back and promise to treat me better.

 

But that was all it was: foolish longing.

 

As the steel gates slid open, I saw the black bus parked outside, a tall figure leaning against its surface.

 

This was my last chance to turn back.

 

I sucked in a breath and approached. The man's brown curls bobbed as his head snapped up. He was probably a few years older than me but the stern coffee brown eyes that assessed me looked older.

 

I handed over my documents and bag for searching. When he was done, he stretched a hand to shake me, his grip firm and dry.

 

“I’m Captain Antoine of the Redwall unit. Welcome aboard, Miss Thorne."

 

The door sealed behind me with a muted thud. Apart from the driver, Antoine and I were alone.

 

The bus pulled away from the gate, leaving the only place I'd ever known as home in the dust. I ignored the dull ache in my chest, hugging my bag for comfort.

 

Antoine sat across from me. His shiny badge glinted in the dim bus.

 

"As you've been recruited into a special combat unit, it's important to know our enemies are famous for tracking untrained recruits through blood ties," his icy gaze held my attention, "This means all form of family ties must be severed completely before we get to the base. I need to be certain you understand."

 

"I understand." My voice was firm.

 

"It can’t be undone. Your new family becomes your mission and your teammates."

 

I fought down my uncertainty and doubt, nodding firmly.

 

"I understand, Captain."

 

My phone vibrated in my lap almost immediately. His eyes fell on the device with distaste.

 

"Good. Turn that off and hand it in when you're done saying your goodbyes.”

 

The family group chat icon was on the screen and when I tapped it, pictures instantly flooded my screen.

 

I scrolled down with numb fingers. In one, her and mother were smiling brightly, in another she was feeding Taylor a slice of cake.

 

At the very bottom was a family portrait, all four of their faces pulled into warm, genuine smiles. There was a noticeable gap at the corner where I should've been but they didn't seem to care I was missing from the picture.

 

There was no message asking where I was or if I was feeling alright. Would they even know if I severed our family ties?

 

I caught myself typing a farewell message then deleted my words, turning it off and handing it to Antoine.

 

I had nothing to say to people who never cared about me.

 

“The severing process isn't easy," he warned, handing me a pill. I swallowed it dry, wincing at the horribly bitter aftertaste.

 

“The pill won't help with the pain but it'll prevent you from losing your mind. Ready?"

 

I nodded.

 

“Good. Hold on to something."

 

I didn't understand at first. Until the first wave of pain tore through my chest, as if my heart was being ripped in my chest.

 

I tried not to scream as the white hot sensation crawled down my spine, setting every nerve on fire.

 

Father's bond snapped first. It was originally a weak and frail tie, as if we'd both never learned to love each other properly.

 

Taylor's followed. When it snapped, I could've sworn I heard something within me crack. Salt filled my mouth as the world spun before my eyes.

 

It took me a moment to realize I was crying. A part of me didn't want to do this and resented them all for pushing me this far.

 

Amy's thread didn't take much to sever. No matter how much I loved her, she'd never reciprocated it and our bond had remained one sided.

 

I pressed my head against the headrest, struggling to suck in breaths as the vast emptiness growing within me threatened to suck me under.

 

I badly wanted it to be over but my mother's tie stubbornly held on, twisting at something deep within me. I gritted my teeth through the soul crushing pain, my brain rattling in my skull.

 

Warm blood trickled down my nose as I clenched my eyes shut, focusing all my energy in severing the first warm and comforting bond I'd ever known.

 

When it snapped, the pain ceased as suddenly as it began. My insides felt frozen and for a moment, I couldn't remember my name.

 

Captain Antoine remained silent as I struggled to ground myself.

 

As each time they'd forgotten I existed, betrayed me, chosen Amy over me or underestimated me flashed before my eyes, I knew I'd made the right choice cutting them off.

 

"Congratulations Sierra and welcome to the Redwall unit."