→ Aaron

I finally managed to make it to the old farm. It's on the outskirts of the East End District. So yes, I had to walk back, pass my path, and head home. Most people usually drive, but I don't mind the long walk. This old farm used to be owned by a wealthy family of ten generations. For some reason, one day, they up and left for a different part of town and abandoned this place. It's been on the market since, but no one wants to buy it. So, most people usually come here to see what once was or like me to sit and enjoy a bit of fresh air. 

There is a trail not too far from here. My parents and my sister still walk it from time to time. I usually sit on an old tractor next to the barn. 

"Ah, speak of the devil; there she is, waiting for me. I might as well take a seat and eat my sub." 

Sometimes it's just nice to get away from everyone and everything. Just to gather your thoughts and reassess yourself. I don't want to go crazy; you must keep your head clear in a world like this. Even still, I can't grasp all that Erica told me last night. 

→ Last Night 

"Huh, why are you using your gift, Aaron?"

"Because I have questions for you, and you're not going to lie…."

"Can you shut up for a moment and not make things about yourself?"

"Excuse you?"

"You heard me. I'm just going to tell you what you want to hear."

"What I'd want to hear? That's a bit rude?"

"Haha. You call me rude and hear the whole time you've been."

"Excuse you?"

→ Erica

"It doesn't matter; it's nothing that I'm not used to. Anyways, I might as well start from the beginning. You remember that day we snuck into the lab?"

"Yeah."

"Well, more like I forced it upon you, which the whole thing was my fault. Anyways, after I got home, things weren't the same anymore, especially with my dad. I think you came over the day after the incident." 

→ 7/5 Years Ago, /Present 

[Ding, Dong]

"Aaron, have you come to see Erica?"

"Yes, we were supposed to meet here an hour ago. Is Erica not home, Mrs. Earhart?"

"She's been in her room the whole time. You know where her room is."

"Thank you for your hospitality Mrs. Earhart and pardon the intrusion."

"Not at all." (It always amazes me how polite he is. I feel I'm talking to someone my age, and he's only twelve years old.)

"Erica, it's me, Aa..."

"Do you understand what you need to do? I'm talking to you."

"But it was my fault we went into the lab, and Aaron didn't know anything about that cupcake."

"That's not the point here. Look, Aaron comes from a wealthy family, and I want you to continue pretending to be his friend like you've always been. If you have a good relationship with him, things will go well for his father and me. And daddy needs your help with that. Ok?"

"I don't know, dad. I…I like him as my friend. I don't want to pretend anymore. I want to be real friends with him. I feel like Aaron never has any real friends."

"You'll never be his real friend Erica. You and I are lower than his family and at the bottom. I bet Aaron is only pretending as well."

"But he isn't like that, dad. He's very nice and polite, and we always do fun things with each other. His parents are nice as well, including his little sister."

"What if I said I could get you into that modeling school you always wanted. No one will ever know, not even Aaron. How does that sound?"

"Really?"

"Yes."

Aaron immediately left the house.

"All I have to do is keep pretending? But then Aaron wouldn't have any real friends."

"Yes, that's all you have to do. Don't worry about Aaron, sweetheart; he'll be fine. He can make other friends. Have I ever let you down before? It will solve our money problem as well."

"Alright, I'll continue to do it, dad, for our family."

"That's my girl."

→ Aaron+Erica← 

"How could you do that to someone, a friend?!"

"Look, I remember saying those words the moment I said them. I felt I had lost something so important in my life. And that was you, Aaron. I loved my dad because he was strong and always looked out for our family. But somewhere along the way, I believe he lost sight of that. We had it rough back then; our family was in deep debt. I was only doing what I thought was right."

I felt like I had given a part of me away, and I thought I had stepped into a new world after agreeing to continue the charade of deceiving a beautiful and loving family. I slowly turned into my father while I continued to lie to myself. What I was doing was for family, but I was doing it for my father's creed the whole time. He wanted to get himself out of debt for the shady business deals he had made. The entire time I was helping him, not our family. Unfortunately, by the time I came to that realization, I had already lost you.

"That doesn't mean you should make false claims and sue innocent people. Did you even know my father knew what type of situation your family was going through? That's why he worked with your father, to help him and his family gets on their feet."

My family is too kind, and we never thought about ridiculous predisposition thoughts. We gave everyone the benefit of the doubt, and we don't automatically consider them scammers or thieves. We wanted to help people; my father, above all, is the kindest man you'll ever meet. We were going to help you. And here you were assisting your father by ruining us; we lost our reputation. For that, my father missed opportunities to help actual people in need. They turned their back on us; no, they lost faith in Wheeler Industries. Because of what you and your father did, I had to watch my father fall into a pit of depression and humiliation.

I could feel Aaron's rage building up. He was slowly losing his guard. For some reason, a part of me could understand and resonate with him. I know the feeling of being used and tossed around. Aaron, I completely understand you; I do. But what breaks my heart the most is you never had anyone to connect with besides family. And that one time you thought you made a real friend, and I went and betrayed you. There hasn't been a day I haven't regretted that.

"I know my mother told me a long time ago. And I felt horrible for helping with my father's plan. But you need to understand that there is more to this story. I had no other option, plus I didn't know everything would turn out like that."

No other option? What the heck are you talking about? I know she's just using excuses to cover what she did to protect her dad. I never liked him from the beginning, and he is the pinnacle and definition of a leech. 

"There is always a choice. And the choice you made was your choice alone. Yeah, it turned into a scandal. The whole world thought the Wheeler Industries were using children as their experiment."

That's one of the reasons our parents told Andrea and me not to tell people who we are. They always live with constant worry for us and want us to have an everyday life without the media. My parents sacrificed so much; even before they were rich, they had nothing growing up.

"But you need to believe me that I had no other option. My father was continuously up my ass about it. I tried to back out, but I was already too late. You remember that day at the swimming pool when I had a bruise on my arm?"

"Yes, I remember you fell on the pool stairs. Wait, what does this have to do with it?!"

Here we go again, with more excuses to stray from the topic. Pathetic.

"I never fell, Aaron. My mother left that day before your family arrived because something happened with her mother. After my dad pulled me aside to where no one would see, he held my arm so hard that it bruised."

Suddenly it felt as if the world had come and crashed down on me after hearing that. And for once, I had nothing to say. I gave up and gave Erica the floor once more. My brain couldn't comprehend what I heard, and I wanted to run away. Those words were all she needed to say to me. Anyone could guess what that means. She was the real victim in all of this.