I back away from Carter and frantically look towards Damon. His entire demeanor falls and it feels as if the room dropped fifty degrees. Damon's eyes go dark, cold; his face tightens into a deadpan fixture. A chill runs through my veins as I realize just how bad this looks.

"Damon, I swear, it's not what it--."

"You too?"

That's all he asks, but it cuts so deeply into me. He's come so far, and I just destroyed all hope for any future relationship with him; Carter has destroyed him twice. I need to fix this, fast. I need to explain.

"Damon, it's not what it looks like, I was playing him for information; I was only going to go as far as I just did on his cheek!" I snap my head towards Carter, "This is your fault! Tell him that you put me up to this and that I never did anything!"

"Hey, if she wants it, she wants it. I'm not going to hide the truth from my brother."

I feel like the wind's been knocked out of me. Carter glances in my direction and smirks. The bastard meant for this to happen all along! He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep with me like Damon's ex, so he did the next best thing: deceive Damon into thinking so. And of course Damon would jump to that conclusion; no one else has ever proven otherwise. I open my mouth to scream expletives at Carter, but it's shut like a trap door as soon as I see Damon's fist connect with Carter's jaw. I gasp and Carter falls backwards onto the floor. Damon stumbles forward a bit from the momentum of his punch, but he smoothly regains posture and stares down over his brother. Damon rubs his red knuckles and Carter rubs his red jaw. Then, Damon turns and we make eye contact; however, he's not looking at me, it's as if he's watching past me, like I don't even exist to him anymore. He walks out the door without saying a word; I spin around towards Carter, fuming.

"You bastard! What the hell is wrong with you? Why do you insist on crushing anything good that comes your brother's way?" I scream.

"Because he took it first."

"What?"

"I've always lived in the shadow of my brother! My best was his mediocrity! He has always been the smart, talented, and achieving one, and he's never even had to try! It has always come so easy to him." He yells back.

I stand there stupefied and in awe of the idiot in front of me, "So, after all these years, you've made his life hell all because of your petty jealously? If that's really the kind of person you are, then you should live in Damon's shadow because you don't deserve the light."

I rush out of his office and sprint down the staircase. Bursting through the metal door, I see Damon just getting out of the elevator and making his way towards the door. I jog through the lobby and reach him just as he leaves the building. Reaching forward, I grasp his sleeve and pause to catch my breath. He doesn't say anything, he doesn't even turn around.

"Damon," I gasp through strenuous breathes, "You have to let me explain."

He doesn't respond.

"Damon, please!"

"I have nothing to say to you."

"Then just let me talk. Let me explain, I swear it was all just a ploy to get information, I only kissed his--."

"I don't give a damn what you kissed!" He interrupts so loud that it makes me jump.

Damon rips his arm from my hold, "You can get Carter to drive your ass back," and then he storms off.

I watch him slide into his car then speed away. I feel my eyes brim with tears but I wipe them away and storm back inside the building to Carter's office. I pass the secretary without even a glance and barge into the room. Carter is now sitting in his large office chair with an ice pack pressed against his face; he looks completely mortified watching me walk towards him.

"Scarlett, I know--."

"Listen here you sniveling, worthless excuse of a man," I yank his pale face near my fuming one by his collar, "You are going to get your ass up and drive me to my sister's house. You're going to drop me off and then you're going to drive your ass back here and kiss Damon's feet with apologies. Then you're going to come back and pick me up when I call you to do so. You will do all of this unless you want me to tell your parents what you did and then have to start all the way from scratch by gaining their respect, although frankly you don't deserve an ounce of it. And if that isn't convincing enough, I'll just go ahead and inform your boss of what went on today and get your practicing license revoked."

Carter just stares at me, mouth agape and speechless, until he finally registers everything I said.

"Are you blackmailing me?" He asks with ice, trying to regain some edge.

"Damn straight, now move."

He watches me for a second, but it's a second too long and I reach for his office phone to make a point. He catches on and before I can call his secretary so he grabs his keys and drags me out the door.

* * * * * * * * * * *

After a handful of dreadful hours of driving with Carter as my only source of interaction, we finally pull up besides a dainty green house with cream trimmings. It looks almost like it came out of a nursery rhyme with flowers and furnishings surrounding the base. I smile and turn to Carter.

"It's so cute!"

"It's sickening, such as you are, darling."

"You're such a joy crusher," I reply, rolling my eyes at him and back towards the house.

I open the door and turn around once again, "Okay, you know the drill. I'll call you whenever I'm done."

I shut the door and he pulls away. As I walk towards the door I can feel myself slowly wanting to retreat. What do I think I'm doing anyways? I haven't had any contact with my father in years, this girl--who can only be of age six at most--and her mother don't even know I exist, and I'm just planning on walking up to their doorstep like, "Hi! I know you don't know me, but I'm your long lost family!" This whole situation is ridiculous and I really should just avoid it and return to campus, return to my life and go make amends with Damon. I've never had a problem living without a sister before and I definitely still wouldn't if I just turned around and left; yet, I find myself climbing her porch steps and stepping towards her door.

I ring the doorbell, and now the only thing running through my head is, "Man, this is really going to screw with my routine."

I hear a light-hearted, "Coming!" from inside and my pace starts to quicken. My palms begin to feel clammy and I can't stop shifting my foot waiting for my supposed step-mom. The door swings wide open and a teenage girl with bouncy brown curls smiles at me. I'm taken aback a little because I was expecting an older lady, but there must be some explanation; maybe she's just a neighbor.

"Can I help you?" she asks with a bubbly tone.

"Uh, yes, is a Mrs. White around?"

"Well, that's my mom, but she's not around, no."

Wait, mom? This girl looks like she's my age, that can't be possible. Her mom must have had another kid from another marriage.

"Oh, alright! Well, is there a child named Jessica here?"

"Jessica is here, but she's a bit older than a child. Pleased to meet you." she says, extending her hand in the process.

"Wait, you're Jessica?" I ask stunned.

"Yes, you know this game of twenty questions is starting to creep me out." she answers, laughing.

I hesitantly laugh back, "Sorry, I was just expecting someone a little younger," I shake her awaiting hand, "I'm Scarlett. I know this may sound a little strange, but I'm actually here to see you."

"Oh? Have we met before or something?"

"No, but that's why I came, because we should have met, and considering how old you actually are, a long time ago. I'm uh...your sister."