Underestimation

The term "Caught Red-Handed" originates from the 15th century and... Oh fuck, I don't have time for a lead in, my brain's running in circles. Our aunt stands there, waiting for our answer, I can even see her wry smile being held back behind her lips, like she's toying with us.

This is the first time I've met our MIA aunt, I guess I got too swept up in all of our business to really focus on her, but I can see a hint of the resemblance to our family even if it is buried under a weary eyes and an exterior that looks like its been touchened on purpose. Maybe there's a way we can explain this? If I knew her better I could come up with something believable. Maybe Marie can think of something?

"Hey Jen, just picking up supplies for an orgy." Marie answers blankly.

Marie? What the fuck? These words play on repeat in my head as I stare in shock at my cousin. To my surprise, Jenny just snorts in response. "Yeah, right. Whatever it is, you have fun!" She answers, clearly unconvinced by the truth. "Say Hi to your parents for me." Our aunt adds as she moves on. I'm stunned at the exchange, the stress of my recent life should have left me jaded and cold to the rollercoaster of emotions, yet it only seems to get worse.

"People believe what they want to." Marie states, pulling me out of my shell shock. "It's better Jenny not know for now, she... Well, it might be too much pressure." She explains without me asking. That's a good point, it's not like I was going to ask her to join, but even knowing would probably take a toll.

Marie begins to walk away, prompting me to follow with bags in hand. "It's starting to feel more weird that people don't know, rather than that people do." I ponder, realising we've had this entire conversation in public as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Maybe we're just that fucked up?" I laugh.

"We're definitely fucked up." My cousin answers flatly. "But then, when the world's fucked up, why not go with the flow?" She adds with a grin.

I've been going with the flow this entire time, I suppose it's worked out so far.

*

"Wait, so why didn't we invite her?" Poppy asks as we relay our encounter with my sisters back at home. "I'm sure she'd be okay with it." We'd reconvened in the living room, the only place in the house that we can meet without risk of... Temptation.

"You don't know her, Pops, she's lovely, but she... Well, she had it a lot rougher than any of us, if we tell her about it, not inviting her would make her feel left out, and if we tell her and invite her, she'd have to come, or feel left out, even if she didn't want to." Marie explains calmly, as if worried about oversharing.

"Plus she's straight." Rosie chirps in, while keeping herself occupied with a magazine. "Not like that's bad or something, just means there's not much in it for her when most of us are girls."

I almost feel guilty following that statement. "Look, if you want to invite other guys, that's fine, I-" I try to offer, before being cut off.

"No." Poppy cuts me off, apparently more suddenly than even she expected. "Oh, I just... I mean, I don't want any other men to see me..." She explains. Her face is more serious than before, seems like that's a serious no-no for her.

"Besides, like we said the other day, the only other guy we know is Ty and... Well, him and Echo are still at odds, I hear." Rosie adds her thoughts. "Given the choice, I'd definitely take Echo."

I concur, shrugging my shoulders and leaning back in my chair. It still feels like time's moving in flow motion. Like the clock is stuck or something. Tick, Tick, Tick.

Yeah, I might go insane.

*

I lived, bitch.

Saturday finally arrives. My stomach is doing somersaults already, Six PM is when it's due to start, I try to go about my routine until then, shower, teeth, workout, the usual. When I return to my room, I find a neatly formed package including some of the supplies we picked up from Honey's, as well as a domino mask. Cute, not like we're not going to recognise each other or anything, but it definitely adds to the vibe.

A knock on the door surprises me, and I open it before I even have chance to question who it is. Excitement and nerves are making me move at superspeed. "It's time." Rouge smirks, holding a small metal case that I assume contains the ****. "Unless you're having second thoughts?"

"Not even a bit." I chuckle, immediately offering her my arm as she pulls the hypo out of the case, and placing it against the skin of my arm. "Let me guess, a little prick?" I joke.

"Pretty good size, from my experience." She answers, before injecting me and immediately pulling it away. "Can't stop, got too much to do. Just, make sure you lay down for a little bit, and don't come downstairs, the former's medical advice, the latter is so you don't ruin the surprise, got it?" She tells me hastily, returning the hypo to the case.

My aunt shuts the door behind her as I lay down on my bed, now I wait. Again.