Romancing the 80 s

LILY

"Where the fuck is my necklace, Lily? Give it back to me, you bitch!" Mia White, my foster sister, shouted as she slapped my cheeks.

Touching my swollen face, I replied, stuttering, "I don't know what you're talking about, Mia! I didn't steal anything."

"I saw you have it, you thief! I knew from the start that you were jealous of me!" Mia sneered. "You want everything that's mine!"

"But I swear, I haven't touched your necklace. Maybe you misplaced it, or someone else took it. I understand you're upset, but accusing me won't solve anything," I replied, trying to calm her anger.

"Since your arrival, Lily, you've been nothing but a parasitic curse on my life," Mia continued, her voice dripping with venom. "You've taken everything from me before, and I won't let you get away with it again!" Her voice was a raw snarl as she brandished an empty jewelry box.

"I did not touch your necklace! You know Mother and Father would allow me to enter your room, Mia."

However, my plea was a weak cry, easily swept away by the storm of her fury.

"Liar! Thief! Give it back to me, you freak!" Mia grabbed my hair, pulling it roughly until I could feel the scalding in my scalp.

"Ahh! No! It hurts!" I pleaded desperately, tears streaming down my face.

"Where is it? Tell me!" Her accusations hung heavy in the air, threatening to shatter the trust we had built over the years.

Bearing the pain from Mia's slaps and blows, I replied, "I don't have it, Mia! I swear!"

However, Mia's eyes turned into poisonous slits and shot darts of hatred at my heart. "I don't believe you! You're lying!" She tugged at my hair more, dragging me out of my room and tossing me into the hallway.

"Mia, I'm telling the truth! I would never take something that belongs to you." The desperation in my voice only seemed to fuel her anger further.

Mia slapped me again, hitting my shoulders and kicking my knees. " You're just trying to cover up your theft!"

Right then, a door creaked open from the main bedroom. My foster mother, Rebecca White, came to us, greeting me with an abominable glare.

"What is happening here? Why is there a noise?"

As soon as Mia saw her mother, she dashed toward her and cried, trying to look pitiful. Sniffing, she turned to me and smirked slyly. "Lily stole the necklace Dad gave me, Mom! Do something!"

"What did you do again, Lily?" Rebecca's eyes narrowed at me, her voice dripping with disdain. "How many times do I have to tell you to stay away from Mia's things? This is unacceptable behavior!"

I stammered, frustrated and confused, "Mother! I didn't! I don't have her necklace!"

"And you think I'll believe you after everything you've done?" Mother screamed as her hand lashed out without warning, striking my face with a force that resonated throughout the room.

"Where did you hide the necklace?" She then tugged at my chin and forced me to look at her. "Answer me!"

"I didn't take it, Mother. I have no idea where it is." I whispered, my voice trembling.

But her eyes remained filled with anger and suspicion, refusing to believe me. "How could you do this to your sister after all we've given you?"

"I'm innocent, Mother! I swear I'm not lying!" But my pleas crashed against the unyielding rock of their prejudice.

Just then, My father, Oliver, came before us. He turned to Mia, who was crying, and back to me with his ominous glare. "What's the commotion here? Why is Mia crying?"

With an accusing finger pointed toward me, Mother barked, "That scum is a thief! I told you, Oliver, we shouldn't let that trash live in our house! Look at what she did to our daughter! She hurt Mia! That girl is nothing but bad luck to us!"

Father's eyes, hardened by Mother's words, bore into me. "What did you do this time, Lily? Did you hit my daughter? I've already warned you to keep your distance from her!"

Like it was on cue, Mia cried as she clung to Mother. She pointed her shaky finger at me and shouted, "That bitch stole my necklace, Dad!"

Quickly, I rebutted, "No! That's not true! I didn't, Father! Please believe me!" As the words of rejection rang in my ears, the front door swung open to reveal the stern face of my foster father.

"I have proof, Father!" I cried out, my voice a shaky whisper. My hands trembled as I reached into my pocket, pulling out a disk. "I have the CCTV footage. It will show that I didn't take Mia's necklace!"

"You think the video would even help you?" Mia said as she pulled herself away from Mother and strode toward my bedroom.