𝙎𝙏𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙏𝘼𝙇𝙇 | Wɪʟʟᴀ Lʏᴋᴇɴsᴇɴ

Stand Tall,, FORTY SIX

Willa knew she couldn't avoid the conversation any longer especially now that Rio was fully interested in the topic. "No way! What is it?" River pressed before leaving her side of the booth and joining Willa's. It was something she should've done earlier but she didn't. "You're sitting here now? Cool" Willa pressed her lips together.

She felt even more intimidated in both the good and bad ways. "You know something I don't?" The short curly-haired girl leaned in closer with a certain gaze that made Willa melt every time. "E-Exactly!" Willa admitted, her heart pounding in her chest. River squints her eyes and leans back. "Fine. What did she say then?" River urged, wanting to get to the point.

"I'm practically sworn to secrecy about it! I don't know why I'm bringing it up here, but it's been clawing at me for you to know it and I... should really stop talking" Willa confessed, her words falling out in a rush.

"Willa, if it's about Karma, I should know about it. Just tell me" River stated, the concern for her sister is clear. "I can't. You should just talk to her yourself" Willa said, feeling the weight of her promise to Karma pressing down on her. Technically she didn't break the promise. All she did was tell River to talk to Karma, nothing more.

That wouldn't complicate things, right? A simple easy talk that would solve problems between her girls.

"How do I even know what to talk about if you don't tell me what you two are hiding?" River challenged as her frustration grew.

"Just trust me. It'll be good for the two of you" Willa insisted, hoping River would understand.

"All right, whatever" River gave up, hesitant, though her mind filled with questions about what secrets her girlfriend and sister might be keeping.

──── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ────

"Hey, K" River says as she leans against the door frame of her sister's earthy theme bedroom. Karma puts away her crocheting needles and yarn to the side of her and looks up. "Oh, hey" She says. "You guys are back early" Karma added. "Yeah," River chuckled.

"Willa started complaining about not winning in the claw machine, almost breaking it, and got grumpy, so we came back" River explained.

"Oh, cool. That must've been a show" Karma replied. Her curiosity was growing by the minute wanting to see the moment play out in real time. "Willa is such a hot-head" She laughed mainly to herself. "That she is" River agreed, fondly. "Um, she also told me that we should talk. Have any clue what that's about?".

Karma's eyes widened in surprise and gulps.

"She... she said that?" Her thoughts raced as she tried to piece together what Willa had specifically told her sister. Rio nodded in confirmation. Her expression was unreadable as she watched the fourteen-year-old body language change from relaxed to tense. "What did you do?" River's accusation cut through the silence that was building.

"Why does everything I do have to be trouble, Rio?!" Karma shot back. "Ever thought that maybe your little girlfriend was the one that did something wrong?" She questions. River pulled her brows together and frowned. "Of course, you didn't" Karma glared as her words were spoken with hurt. "You trust that wolf more than your own sister".

"Just tell me what you wanted to tell me so I can leave?!" River's impatience was growing as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"I didn't want to talk to you about anything! You're the one that came in here" Her sister argued. "What is wrong with everybody today?!" Rio groans. She stood up to leave and Karma fought with herself on whether to speak up or not. Nothing's ever stopped her before so why did it have to be so hard for her to do it now?

"I wanted to talk about Dad, okay!?" Karma blurted out, her voice shaky.

"What?" Rio's voice softened, caught off guard by the statement as she turned her head around to look at the girl. "And how you're never around anymore!" Karma continued, glaring as she finally began to confront her older sister with the truth. "What're you talking about? Of course, I'm around" River says, looking at her sister in disbelief and crossing her arms.

"Yeah, okay," Karma scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"I want to talk about Dad, Rio" Karma frowns as she glances around her room to avoid her older sister seeing her cry.

"You know I would've asked Mom, but she's not gonna tell me much" Karma admitted. She twisted her lips to the side with the hope that River would understand and want to talk. It was the complete opposite of what she was hoping for. "So you decide to bother me about it!?" River says. "It's not bothering you!" Karma called out as her voice cracked and she fixed her posture.

"It's just... You never talk about him after the funeral" The younger girl says with tears in her eyes. "It's like he's a forbidden name to be said in this house!" Karma spats while her pent-up emotions and words fill the air. River shakes her head as the lump in her throat begins to clog up her airway. "I'm not doing this with you" She muttered in a whispering voice.

River left the room and headed downstairs to grab Willa. Karma hurried after her, and the echoes of their argument began to fill the hallway of the house. "Why not?!" She called out. The young Noelle was desperate for answers instead of excuses. She was always given them by any and everyone when it was her time to talk about her feelings and her problems.

Karma Noelle was done being quiet.