Beneath and Beyond

Chapter 1- The closing of one door

Kiedi rubbed her back consolingly and looked at the memory stained kitchen as well, "Yeah I'm gonna miss it too; come on we're going to be late."

As soon as we entered the school compound Kelly's cheerleader friends swamped her, pushing Kiedi out of the way. One of them, Kelly's co-captain to be specific was careful to stay far from Kiedi however; reason being she was still scared of her after Kiedi had given her a bloody nose after she caught her cheating with Kelly's boyfriend last year, Kelly still dated him cause she said she was giving him a second chance and so far he hadn't slipped up again, what Kelly didn't know was that he was staying faithful 'cause she given him a good talking to as well.

Kiedi scowled at her and walked to her locker. No one bomb rushed her in the hallways or at her locker either. There wasn't anyone Kiedi was close enough to for that; she was always a loner because she never really fit in with others very well. She never wanted to do the average teenager stuff or really interacted with others well so she stayed out of their way and they stayed out of hers until she just sort of faded into the background.

Kiedi got out the books she'd need for her first period, mentally she was listing the things she had to get done before she went home today to finish packing. Kelly jogged over, well as close to jogging as she could get in those heels, and slammed into the locker dramatically.

"I'm actually going to miss school," she pouted.

Kiedi patted her head with a pitiful smile, "poor little sister," she said and then spotted Kelly's ass of a boyfriend approaching and made a hasty departure with Kelly shouting "Only by a year!" after her.

The day went by in a daze but when it was over Kiedi and Kelly cleaned out their lockers, returned their rental books and after stopping for some tape and boxes went straight home, they had a lot of packing to do.

When they got home they immediately started packing. Kelly went to their room and Kiedi dealt with the living room/kitchen.

Around six when Kiedi was just finishing up with the kitchen her stomach growled the same time her dad opened the front door with Chinese food.

Her dad was a six foot muscular blond with dazzling blue eyes. Kiedi had no clue why he didn't even have a girlfriend 'cause he was hot, maybe it's because he's a cop and New Yorkers had a thing against the Law. Kiedi didn't want to delve into that at the moment, what was in his hands was making her mouth water; she got up and walked over to him.
"Hey sweetheart, hey!" he said as Kiedi ignored him and took the food out of his hand, "don't I even get a hug?"

"Sorry, hey daddy" Kiedi gave him a hug and kissed his cheek.

Kelly came running out of the room, "I smell Chinese, hey daddy," she hugged him and skipped over to the box of food. Kelly looked a lot like their dad. She had the same blond hair and bright sky blue eyes; Kiedi was jealous sometimes because she was the odd one out. Her dad kept telling her that with her dark hair and light green eyes she looked more like her mom but she'd yet to see a picture to prove it. As Kiedi started sharing out the food she wondered about the lack of pictures but once she took the first bite she developed a one track mind.

"I'm so hungry; who knew packing could take so much out of you" Kelly muttered with her mouth full.

"I know right" Kiedi agreed, "once again dad you're a lifesaver, how'd you know we'd be hungry?"

"I know my girls," he replied and went to go change. When he came back Kiedi pointed to his food on the counter and he came and joined them at the table in the kitchen and they talked about their last day.

Kelly bragged that the cheer squad promised to send videos of all their new routines and that she had goodbye sessions in all her classes. Their dad told them about all the idiot things they did at the going away party at his department. Kiedi laughed and commented and she was happy for them and that they had people who would miss them but in the back of her mind, right above her subconscious she was aware that no one was going to miss her when she left.

When they were finished eating Kelly washed the dishes then went back to packing in the bedroom, their dad went and started in his.

They didn't finish packing until around after eleven and Kiedi trudged towards her bedroom telling her dad a hasty goodnight as she walked past his room. Kiedi went straight into the tub and took a hot bath. She threw on her pyjamas and then crawled into bed.

"You really expect me to wear this?" Kiedi asked a bit annoyed as she looked again at the outfit that Kelly left out for her to wear. It was a white shorts and a pale green V-neck blouse with silver slippers.

"It was an accident; I had already packed up all your clothes," Kelly said but the glint in her eyes made Kiedi think otherwise, "just put it on," she said and walked out of the room with another box.

Kiedi looked desperately at the outfit she had on yesterday that she was going to carry in her knapsack because it hadn't gotten packed the night before. The pants had brown and white dust stains and the blouse was worse but the hoodie was okay.. She swore and looked back at the outfit her sister had spitefully left out for her and then saw her pyjamas on top of her bed. She had worn underpants and a rocker t-shirt to bed and had never been more happy that she had never opted for the nightgown style.

Kiedi smirked as she got dressed and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She went into the living room just as Kelly came in to say that the movers were there. She looked at Kiedi and frowned then let out a little harrumph as she turned and said, "At least you're wearing the shorts."

Their dad came out of the room with a box in his hands and stopped to stare at her. She knew she looked different in the white shorts (she didn't have any other option) her pyjama top with her sweater and sneakers. It was conspicuous, Kiedi didn't do conspicuous.

"Wow I haven't seen you dress like that since you were a little girl. I like it" he smiled.

Kiedi liked that it made him smile, she liked making her dad happy but this was not something she was going to be dong very often. "Yeah well don't get used to it," she mumbled.

When everything was packed up the three of them stood at the doorway and looked back at their home. Mr. Russell put his arms over both his daughters' shoulders, "I'm going to miss this place".

Kiedi looked around and smiled as she saw a pair of handprints on the wall where she and Kelly had left their 'Hollywood sign' when their dad was repainting the living room when they were seven; the burn mark on the cupboard above the stove from when she had just started learning to cook, the huge gravy stain that never came out of the couch from when Kelly spilled it when they were kids. This place contained all their memories and now they had to leave it behind, "I'm going to miss it too" she said softly as they turned and left a tear running down her cheek.