Persie and I are drifting through an endless black void, Alice-down-the-rabbit-hole-style, but, no matter how hard I try to reach my sister, flailing and floundering in midair, I couldn't grab her hand. I couldn't reach her.

The next morning, my dream wakes me up before the sun even rises.

My eyes flutter open.

I stare at shadows on the ceiling and wait for my racing pulse to slow. The bedroom is still dark. My body feels groggy, needing more rest, but I can't seem to fall back asleep. I groan into my pillow.

Stupid dream.

Might as well get up. I roll out of bed, bleary-eyed, and drag myself to the bathroom that I share with the spawn. I turn on the showerhead in my zombie-like state and step into the stall without waiting for the water to warm up.

Maybe a cold shower can help wake me up?

The icy water jets all over my naked body. I shiver at the sensation. Then, I frown at the sight. The water doesn't look right.

Why the fuck is the water not clear?

I glance at my skin.

Why the fuck am I turning a very unnatural shade of blue?

I shriek and quickly jump out of the stall. Blue dye puddles everywhere. I glance in the mirror and gasp in horror, "Holy shit! I look like a smurf!"

I immediately grab some soap and water from the sink to scrub furiously at my skin. The dye doesn't budge.

Fuck!

Angrily, I wrap a towel around my blue body and march straight into the spawn's bedroom.

I know he did it.

I just know it.

After I bust his bedroom door open, I flip on the light switch and chirp loudly, "Rise and shine, dipshit!"

Cruz hides his head under his pillow and grunts, "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Take a guess."

He shuffles around in bed. "Go away."

"No!"

"Fuck off."

He wants me to fuck off?

He's the one who turned me blue!

I dash over to his bedside and yank the covers and pillow off of his body.

"Look at me," I growl, "just look at me! How the hell am I supposed to go to school like this?"

Cruz's eyes slowly blink open. He sits up in sluggish movements. He yawns sleepily. When he finally perks up, his gaze lands on me. His green eyes grow large for a second before he recovers his usual resting bitch face.

He has the balls to smirk at me. "What's wrong? I think you look cute. Like a blueberry."

Eyes sparking with outrage, I accuse, "You rigged the shower, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did."

The fucker doesn't even try to deny it.

He continues, "I told you. I want you out of my way, which means I definitely don't want you in my bathroom."

"Where am I supposed to shower then?"

"Not my problem."

I'm so mad that I almost see red. My voice trembles with disgust as I tell him off, "I'll make it your problem. Don't test me, bitch."

Cruz remains unfazed by my fury and drawls, "Relax. The dye is temporary. It'll wash out. Eventually."

I glare. "This means war."

He glares back. "It's not fun living with me, now, is it?"

"I hate you."

"Then maybe you should convince your aunt to call off the wedding. Trust me, you guys don't wanna marry into this family."

"Are you threatening me again?"

"No," he retorts calmly, "I'm warning you."

"Is there a difference?"

His eyes suddenly turn grim. "Yeah, there's a difference."

Cruz's jaw sets, but there's a flicker of emotion that I can't quite read on his face.

Regret?

Worry?

For a second, I don't know what to think.

But, then, I remember that I look like a goddamn smurf, and it's all his fault. My anger surges back with vengeance. "You're the absolute worst."

He has the grace to grimace. "I know."

"I bet you kick puppies for fun."

For a moment, the spawn stares back at me as though he can't decide whether to stay mad or... laugh. Then, out of seemingly nowhere, he blurts out, "We have two hours until school starts."

His remark catches me off guard. I blink. "What?"

"Instead of wasting your time annoying me, you should use these two hours to wash off the dye."

"Get fucked," I mutter.

But he's right.

There's no way I want to show up at school looking like Thanos' long lost daughter.

Hurriedly, I turn to leave.

"Good luck!" Cruz calls after me.

I flash him my middle finger on the way out.

A minute later, I re-enter the bathroom and clean up the blue mess in the shower and bathroom floor before I wash myself. Again. I manage to get rid of most of the dye, but the bluish tint is still faintly visible by the time I need to head downstairs.

At breakfast, Aunt Katrina laughs off Cruz's "prank" as though it's the funniest thing in the world.

"Look at you two," she giggles, "already acting like real siblings!"

"Technically, we're gonna be step-cousins," Cruz corrects her.

"Oh, yes, you're right, Cruz," my aunt coos. "How silly of me!"

Ron rolls his eyes at all of us, but he says nothing.

As I chew on my bagel, I sit and stew and use this time to plot my revenge. The spawn messed with the wrong girl. My plan will be easy enough to execute. It'll only require a quick stop at a craft store.

I glance at Cruz as I continue to eat my breakfast.

He shoots me a wary look.

I smile at him.

Cruz won't know what hit him.

Never underestimate the pettiness of an angry bitch with some googly eyes and super glue.