She Was the Quiet One. Michele Campbell

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СКАЧАТЬ are you doing?” Rose replied.

      “What does it look like? I’m eating lunch.”

      “Come sit with the sophomores.”

      “Why? I’m happy here.”

      “You shouldn’t sit at a senior table. It’s not done.”

      A tough-looking girl with wavy red hair looked at Rose with a bemused expression. “Who is this chick?” she asked Bel.

      “My sister,” Bel said.

      The redhead reached over and patted Bel on the head playfully. “It’s cool, sis. Darcy said Bel could sit with us. She’s like our new mascot.”

      Mascot? That sounded a bit condescending, and yet, Rose felt a tentacle of jealousy stir. She met her twin’s eyes pleadingly.

      “Bel, come sit with me, please. I need to talk to you about something.”

      “Get lost, Rose. I’m busy.”

      In front of strangers, no less. Bel was probably just showing off for her new friends, but still, that really hurt. Rose was only trying to help. Couldn’t Bel see that? Why didn’t she just come along, instead of turning this into a scene?

      “You don’t have to be so nasty,” Rose said.

      “Hey, is that my sweater you’re wearing?” Bel said.

      “Yeah, it’s cute. I borrowed it.”

      “Without asking?”

      “Since when do I have to ask?”

      “Since when do we share clothes? We don’t like the same things. We’re not the same size. Give it back.”

      “Fine, I’ll give it back tonight,” Rose said.

      “She means now,” the redhead said, in a snarky tone. “You are big, sis. You’ll stretch it out.”

      Rose’s cheeks burned. This nasty girl had just called her fat in front of a table full of seniors. Not only did Bel not rise to her defense. She actually smirked.

      “Screw you, Bel. I don’t want your skeevy clothes anyway.”

      Rose tore the sweater off and threw it in her sister’s face. The look of shock in Bel’s eyes gave Rose a sick thrill as she turned on her heel and fled back to the Moreland table. Rose had always been the loving sister, had always looked out for Bel. Come to think of it, she didn’t get much in return, did she? Bel never repaid the favor, never invited Rose to hang out with her cool friends. To the contrary. She’d been willing to humiliate Rose in front of the seniors.

      The Moreland girls had left already, which came as a relief. Hopefully they’d missed the conclusion of that awful scene. Rose’s tray sat alone on the table, the half-eaten taco swimming in a pool of congealing orange grease. She bused her tray, worrying kids would gossip about her now. Her fabulous first day of classes had been ruined; and her self-confidence, which had been soaring this morning, was now in tatters. All because of Bel. As much as Rose loved her sister, she would struggle to forgive her for this.

6

       Transcript of Witness Interview conducted by Lieutenant Robert Kriscunas, State Police—Major Crime Unit, and Detective Melissa Howard, Odell, NH, PD, with Miss Emma Kim.

      Kriscunas: Miss Kim, I’m confirming for the record that your parents have given us permission to speak with you, and that you’re being interviewed solely as a witness. You’re not a suspect, target or person of interest in this case.

      Kim: I should hope not.

      Kriscunas: That’s just something we say for the record. Okay, let’s get started. Can you tell us, how well did you know the Enright sisters?

      Kim: Pretty well. We were in the same grade. Bel was my roommate, although we weren’t exactly friends. Rose, I was quite friendly with.

      Kriscunas: When you say you weren’t friends with Bel, do you mean that you didn’t get along with her?

      Kim: I get along with everybody, Detective. But with Bel, we moved in different crowds, and to be honest, I didn’t always approve of her behavior. I kept my distance.

      Kriscunas: Yes, and we want to go into detail about Bel’s bad behavior. But for now, let’s stick to the state of the sisters’ relationship. What can you tell us about that?

      Kim: Once they came to Odell?

      Kriscunas: Anything you can tell us about their relationship would be helpful, as far back as you know.

      Howard: For instance, if you know, were Rose and Bel close growing up?

      Kim: From what Rose said, I think they were friends to each other. But my sense is, they weren’t close, because they’re so different—were so different.

      Kriscunas: In what way were they different?

      Kim: In every way. I mean, here at Odell, kids couldn’t believe they were actually twins. First of all, they look nothing alike. Bel was this sultry brunette and Rose was fair, but beyond that—I mean, Bel was drop-dead gorgeous. And Rose was, well, normal. Pleasant-looking. Some might say plain.

      Kriscunas: Did that cause problems between them?

      Kim: Problems, how?

      Kriscunas: Jealousy?

      Kim: Oh, so girls are all catty and jealous if one is pretty and the other isn’t? I’m sorry, but that narrative is so trite.

      Howard: I don’t think the lieutenant meant it that way, Emma. We’re interested in specific instances of bad feelings between the Enright sisters, that you were aware of.

      Kim: If they were jealous, then they were each jealous of the other. I think they both wanted to be more like the other. Rose was really into school, and she was very successful at Odell from the start. Teachers liked her. She was especially close to her advisor, Mrs. Donovan.

      Howard: Yes, we’re going to be speaking with Mrs. Donovan.

      Kim: Rose studied really hard, did lots of extracurriculars. Her grades were good. Where Bel struggled academically, and I think it bothered Bel that Rose was so into school.

      Howard: Bothered her, how?

      Kim: Like, she found it annoying and prissy, but she was also jealous. Bel, on the other hand, immediately got accepted into this fast, popular clique. Rose didn’t like that. She worried Bel would get in trouble. But deep down, she was jealous of Bel’s social life. On a Saturday night, Bel would be of partying, but you could always find Rose in the library.

      Kriscunas: Rose was quiet, Bel was wild?

      Kim: СКАЧАТЬ