Uprising: A Collide Novel Part 37

"Morning, Piper," I said and felt odd about her speaking to me, which she never does.

"So, Cain, how have you been?"

"Fine, Piper."

"Really? Are you sure about that?"

I turned to look at her. What was her problem? Why was she badgering Cain?

"Yes. Fine. Thank you for your concern," he all but spat out.

"What's going on? Is this the drama you were referring to?" I ask.

"Oh, he told you then?" Piper chimes almost happily, coming to stand beside the table beside us.

"Told me what?"

"That Merrick and I caught Cain and Sherry in the hall two nights ago."

My heart stopped a couple beats and then picked back up violently. I heard other gasps to echo mine and looked over to see Marissa and Jeff just as stunned as I am.

"What?" I ask.

"Shut up, Piper. You don't know what you're talking about," Cain said and shoved his chair back, taking his bowl to the sink.

"Don't I?"

"What is she talking about, Cain?" I ask softly and hoping he answers me, that nothing happened.

"I'm talking about Cain and Sherry practically- what is it you humans say- 'getting it on' in the hall outside your room that night, the night of the ambush. Merrick is so upset. He's even refused to let Sherry stay in their room with him."

"What?" Jeff said but n.o.body answered him.

What? My head spun. Merrick and Sherry fighting? Those two were like glue to each other.

"Shut up, Piper! If that's the case then why did you come get me yesterday morning, huh? When Sherry was crying, you came to Lillian's room, where I was all night, and woke me up to go to Sherry," Cain said and I could see his high color getting higher.

"Because you caused all this! That's why! I figured you should be the one to comfort her, though in my book, she doesn't deserve any," Piper said and walked out with Polly in tow.

But something was terribly wrong with Polly. She hadn't said a word the whole time and it wasn't like her to miss an opportunity for drama. And she's so pale. And her eyes are so cloudy and gray. She slinked behind Piper like she was tethered to her and had not a care nor a bit of strength.

"Cain, what is she talking about?" I asked him again.

"Yes, Cain. What the heck is going on?" Marissa asked after me, she looked almost angry.

Cain sat back down, turned to me and spoke.

"This is the drama I was telling you about. For some reason, Merrick and Piper claim they saw Sherry and I in the hall making out that night. Outside your room. Piper, I could see making all this up but Merrick? I don't know what's going on but...he really believes he saw us, Lillian. It's weird. He was furious yesterday." He ran his hands over his head a few times then linked them behind his head and leaned back in his chair. "Yelling at Sherry, pus.h.i.+ng her off. I've never seen him that way. Especially with her."

Marissa and Jeff scooted their chairs back and left then. Their sudden departure and silence speaking volumes.

I pondered what he was saying. Did he expect me to believe him? That he was caught making out with Sherry, whom he confessed to me earlier to having feelings for, but it was Merrick who was making it up? What in the world is going on here?

"So...you're saying Merrick didn't catch you."

"I'm saying I didn't do it. I wouldn't do that to her or him."

"Cain." I gauged my words carefully and looked around for eavesdroppers, saw none. "You told me you had feeling for Sherry."

His eyes went wide and then he refocused and spoke quietly.

"Yes, I did. But I would never act on it. She's married. Besides, I wouldn't have told you but you figured it out. I was trying to move on too, remember?" he said referring to me moving on, per our earlier conversation.

I couldn't disagree or judge him for that but the rest of his story was a little ridiculous.

"Ok. So you got a little carried away and got caught. Denying it isn't going to make it just go away," I say softly.

"I didn't do anything! What is wrong with everyone? Am I that untrustworthy that no one would believe me when I say I flat didn't do something? Sherry is the most loyal person in here and no one believes her either." He scooted his chair back too, loudly. "What is going on here?"

He left then. Leaving me feeling strangely guilty and weird and off kilter.

I went to find Sherry.

I found her a while later after searching everywhere. She was hunched over on a pallet in the utility room. She was perfectly still, eyes open, staring at the wall. I wondered how long she'd been in here.

"Sherry? Honey, are you ok?"

As much as I liked Cain and didn't appreciate him kissing someone the same night he had kissed me, though I had kissed Mitch.e.l.l a few nights before so how much room did I have to talk, Sherry was my friend and I hated to see her so broken down.

"Lillian, something is...happening. I'm going crazy or something."

"Why do you say that? Because you gave in to Cain and kissed him? He can be very charming."

"I didn't!" she yelled suddenly and sat up.

Oh no. Not this again. Not Sherry. She didn't seem the lie and weasel type to me.

"Sherry. It's ok. Tell me what happened."

"Nothing. I went to check on you but you were asleep so I sat in the hall with Cain outside you're room and we talked. I hugged him. But I always hug him, it was nothing new. Merrick has seen me hug him a hundred times. That was it. He went back in your room and I went back up the hall. Merrick said we were kissing, like really into it and there was no way he mistook it for hugging him. I have no idea what he's talking about."

"Sherry. It's me. You can tell me. It's ok, I won't judge you."

She burst into a hysterical round of tears and I felt like the utter worst friend and consoler.

"Sherry. I'm sorry," I tried to touch her shoulder but she pushed my hand off.

"That's it. I can't take this anymore. n.o.body believes me! I have to talk to him," she said breathlessly as she got up from her pallet.

"You mean Cain?"

"No! Merrick!"

And she proceeded to make her way out of the room, into the hall and to the commons room with me following after her.

I saw Merrick there, looked like he was waiting for something but he didn't seem upset to me. He seemed his normal chipper self. I could only stop. Pray for Sherry and stare at the train wreck about to happen.

As soon as he saw her his eyes lit up and he reached his arms out for her to walk into but she stopped and stared like a deer in the headlights. He spoke.

"Honey? What's wrong?"

He made a step forward. Concern etched all over his face. She stepped back again.

"Merrick?" she asked softly.

"What's the matter, babe? Did something happen?" he asked and then reached for her again.

She stood perfectly still and let him wrap his arms around her and then he kissed her sweetly on her lips, cupping her jaw in one hand. She let him kiss her but didn't partic.i.p.ate and he pulled back. "Something's wrong, I can tell. Tell me what's the matter, sweetheart."

Wow. Three endearments in one minutes time.

"Merrick?" she asked again.

"Sherry. What is it?" he asked, getting more impatient.

"You...believe me?" she choked out through tears.

"About what?"

"About what? Is this a joke?" she asked and appeared more confused than ever.

I was right there with her and then I saw Cain come walking back down the hall. He stopped dead in his tracks and stared at them too in total confusion.

"What do you mean? What's going on?" Merrick asked.

"You don't remember? You...you thought you saw Cain and I..." she looked over at Cain for a second and he looked back at her astonished and shrugged, "..you thought you saw Cain and I kissing."

"What? What are you talking about?" Merrick asked incredulously and looking none too happy. "You kissed Cain?"

"No! You thought I did. You really don't remember?" she asked, breathing the words.

"No, I think I'd remember that." He scowled. "Did Cain kiss you?" he asked softly and looked back at Cain for a split second.

"No! No. No one kissed anyone." She thought for a moment and then. "What day is it, Merrick?"

"Uh...Friday."

"No. It's Sunday. You don't remember the past two nights at all, do you? The Lighters attacking us?"

"The Lighters attacked? How? What happened?" he asked in a rage and Sherry, Cain and I exchanged worried looks.

Then Piper walked in.

A Bad Case Of The Blues

Chapter 23 - Sherry.

At first, I didn't see Piper standing there. I was too enthralled in the situation. Merrick accused me of something so against my morals and thoughts. So incomprehensible and degrading. He had yelled at me, gritted his teeth at me, pushed me, left me crying and confused and now claimed to not remember any of it.

I was more than relieved. I hoped he forgot the whole thing completely, even though the question of his kiss with Piper was still lingering there, unanswered. But then I hear Piper grunt angrily.

"Well, well. Merrick? What's going on in here?" she asked and I wanted to run to her and introduce her to my fist.

Instigator.

"What do you mean? Will someone please tell me what's going on?" he spoke loudly now and there were others in the commons room watching us, that didn't know about Merrick and I fighting.

"You don't remember?" Piper asked and eyed evilly the arms still around my waist.

"I guess not since I have no idea what it is everyone is talking about. What did you mean 'what's going on here'? What should be going on?"

"Nothing." She looked confused and angry, then started to turn and walk back into the kitchen but Lillian- surprising the heck out of me- grabbed her arm to halt her.

"Um, I don't think you get to just walk out and pretend like you don't know what's going on," Lillian said but Piper being the Keeper she is, ripped free of her grasp easily and gave her a look that would melt b.u.t.ter.

Then Cain was there beside Lillian and yelled for Jeff, who was walking in from the kitchen with Marissa.

"Jeff, help me get her to sit down and chat."

Jeff scowled at Cain like he was the devil but grabbed Piper's other arm and they escorted her to the couch. Merrick and I walked to the other one and we all sat or stood, facing each other in a silent circle for a minute.

"Ok, I'll start," Cain said finally. "I think our Piper here has been playing games. Somehow, she got Merrick to think he saw Sherry and I kissing, then she gets me to go see Sherry and then Merrick to go right after me and see me with her there too, in the laundry room. I didn't put it together then but I should have when I saw you spying on us. Then, you confront me about it, in front of Lillian and Jeff, knowing they'd be furious about it."

I remembered something.

"And Polly. Polly came to get me to tell me Merrick wanted me. She said he was in our room but when I went back there..." I paused and felt a grimace that I couldn't stop before going on, "he was in there with Piper."

"What? What do mean I was in our room with Piper?" Merrick shouted unbelievingly.

I couldn't stop as the pieces all fell together. I spoke directly to Piper.

"You wanted me to catch you in our room with him. You wanted me to think he'd kissed you."