Sabotage - Chapter 43 (Patreon)

Breanna laid quietly in her bed as she heard the faint voice of Serina from the kitchen. She could make out the words ‘hypnosis,’ ‘trigger words,’ and ‘speaker’ as Serina told the tale from her perspective. Even though that was a worse perspective to be told for Breanna’s sake, Breanna simply could not bring herself to confront the horrors of what she did or the response.

After a long fifteen minutes, not moving and not bothering to change her wet and messy diaper, Breanna heard a knock on her door, and Jessica entered.

“Enough sulking about. You’re coming back to the table. Now.”

Breanna didn’t hesitate much to her mother’s commands. She got up, her diaper still sagging between her legs, and dragged her feet back to the table. There was no anger left, no sorrow, just numbness. Breanna sat down across from Serina, and Jessica started.

“Breanna, is everything Serina told us true?” Jessica asked. Breanna paused a moment, then nodded yes.

“Well, thank you, Serina, for telling us the truth,” he said. “Breanna, I have to say, I’m pretty disgusted with what you did.”

Breanna didn’t answer.

“But, I also have to say, I’m disappointed in you too, Serina.”

“What?” Serina asked, confused.

“This whole thing is, excuse my language, fucked up. Breanna, the lengths you went to disturb Serina’s life are horrible. But Serina, you weren’t the perfect angel in this either from what you told us.”

“Did she mention that she busted my door so that I would be affected by the hypnosis too?” Breanna asked under her breath.

“Yes, she did, as a matter of fact,” Jessica answered. “And I can’t say I blame her all too much.”

“Jess, let’s not encourage,” Robert said to his partner. “Look. Everyone involved here has been horrible to the other. Serina with the planting of drugs, Breanna with the hypnosis...this is not normal step-sister bickering. I think we’re past getting you two to get along. If you’re both willing to go to such extremes to mess with the other person, I’m starting to think there is no hope.”

Serina and Breanna avoided all eye contact.

“I have a question for the both of you,” Robert asked, then paused. “Do you want Jessica and me to be together?”

“Yes, of course!” Serina replied right away, Breanna didn’t reply.

“So why have you never tried to work it out with Breanna? Because you know that the more you fight, the more you also risk pushing us apart as a result.”

“Because she is never willing to try! She is always the one to revert back to her shitty way towards me!” Serina claimed.

“Breanna? Would you be willing to try?” Jessica asked. Breanna still didn’t reply.

“She won’t; she can’t do it,” Serina said. “I know she wishes you two would just break up; that’s why she isn’t saying anything here.”

“Is that true, Breanna?” Jessica asked, hurt.

“I...no, it’s not…” Breanna quietly said.

“Then you’ll be willing to try to make it work with Serina?” Jessica asked.

“What does that even mean?” Breanna grumbled.

“How about just coexistence? How about just not fucking hypnotizing me? Or not putting my hand in warm water overnight and making me think I have some sort of problem with me? How about not making me shit a diaper at school? How’s that sound?” Serina snapped at Breanna.

“Serina!” Robert warned.

“Look, I don’t care if you like me. I don’t want to be your friend. Just be a decent human, and we can leave each other alone otherwise. We’re already nearly done school, few more months; then we can go our separate ways,” Serina said.

“Breanna? Does that sound fair to you?” Jessica asked.

“As long as we don’t have to be friends, then sure,” Breanna replied.

“Good, but I have one more condition,” Robert started. “As long as the two of you are both in this house, there will be no electronics of any kind in either of your rooms at night.”

“What?!” Breanna and Serina exclaimed.

“Dad, that's not fair; you know I need my audio thing to sleep!” Serina complained.

“You’ll just have to get used to it, sorry, Rina.”

“What about the hypnosis removal tracks? I need my iPad, so we can both listen to them.”

“I think we can pause the removal for a few weeks,” Robert said firmly.

“What!?” Both girls yelled in unison.

“Look, just because you all came clean doesn’t mean that there wouldn’t be consequences. Breanna, you tormented Serina with this for days. It’s time you got a significant taste of your own medicine,” Robert explained.

“What about me, Dad? I already have dealt with this; shouldn’t I be allowed to listen to the removal files?” Serina asked.

“Did you come to us right when you found out what Breanna was doing?” Robert asked.

“Yes!” Serina replied.

“No, you didn’t. You broke Breanna’s door and turned up the volume so she would be affected by the hypnosis too, right?”

Serina shut her mouth and hung her head.

“That is not how we deal with conflict. Revenge is not the path we need to take. This constant need to sabotage the other person ends today. And so no, you do not get to listen to the removal file yet.”

“How long until we can listen to it?” Breanna asked.

“I’ll let you know; that’s for your mother and me to decide. Now go grab all your electronics and bring them out to me, then get changed. You two are smelling up our dining area. Breanna, we’re calling someone in for the door, should be fixed tomorrow. Okay?” Robert asked.

“Fine…” they replied in unison.

As the girls left the table, Jessica looked over to Robert.

“Are you sure this is right?” she asked.

“No, but at this point, I think it’s the only way to get through to them.”

Serina went into her room and grabbed some changes for herself and Breanna. Then, she walked over to Breanna’s room and threw the diaper at her as she lay in bed again.

“Can’t believe we still have to wear these,” Breanna complained.

“It’s your fault,” Serina snapped back.

“You could’ve left the parents out of it.” Breanna groaned.

“No, I really couldn’t. And if having to wear diapers for another week, month or year means that you have to do the same, I’m happy to do so,” Serina said and went back to her room, finally closing the door behind her.