Beth explodes

Julia and Aria looked in the direction their father pointed and saw Beth coming towards them. They both ran to talk to her.

Julia: "Hey Beth...."

Aria: "Why didn't you play with us?....."

But Beth ignored both of them and walked upto Joseph. She said, "Dad, can I go meet mom? I miss her." Joseph felt that something was off and even felt awkward for Aria and Julia.

He assumed that it was a children's squabble and would soon be sorted out. He smiled, "Yeah sure my treasure. Your mother is also waiting for you. All of you."

Beth began walking towards the door and Joseph followed her. He turned around and said, "Come on Julia, Aria." The two caught up with their father and sister and went outside. At the foot of the stairs, Joseph said, "You mother is in her room. Go. I have some important work to do."

The three nodded and climbed the stairs together. An odd silence had settled between them, a silence that had never been there between the three sisters. In an attempt to break it, Julia said, "Beth, why didn't you come to play with us? You should have seen how Aria made everyone fly!!! It was so fun!!!!"

Beth did not respond and sped up her pace.

Worried, Julia and Aria ran after her.

Aria caught Beth just as they had reached the top of the stairs and held her hand. She said, "What's wrong, Beth?"

Beth jerked her hand away and had barely taken two steps when Julia, unable to control her temper, rushed in front of Beth.

She said, "What's wrong with you Beth? We are trying to talk to you and you are just ignoring us, at least tell us what happened? Tell us what has gotten you acting like that!!!"

Aria could sense that this could be a huge problem, so she rushed beside Julia and said, "Julia, calm down. I'm sure something happened, that's why Beth is angry. I'm sorry Beth, for whatever happened. Please, can we be friends again?"

Upon hearing this, Beth looked at Aria with such disdain, that Julia immediately wanted to slap her. She calmed down for the sake of her little sister and said, "Beth, I'm sorry too. I don't know what happened, and you can be angry with me for as long as you want. But, don't act like this in front of Aria. She only comes home for one week after a month."

Beth's face had turned really ugly and she exploded. She said, "Yes. She has a right to everything just because she comes home after a month. She is never there for mother or father, but as soon as she arrives, with that pretty face of hers, the short hair and dressed up in those awful pants, everyone flocks around her like she is the centre of the world."

She suddenly turned her face to face the shocked Aria and continued, "Mother is all 'my angel'. Father goes 'my treasure'. But you don't know how to appreciate any of this, do you? Whenever you appear, Aria, you always steal everything I want. Always going on about how you don't really like to be a princess, but always have to be in the spotlight."