The Broken Fade

Chapter Twelve- Arguement

The days had gone by miserably. Taxes were increasing steadily. The monthly bills, as well. That forbid Emma from leaving her television switched on 24/7. And she hated it. She can't stand silence. Too much silence killed her. Elmo was being rather nasty too, and often misbehaved. Emma even almost considered bringing him to the nearest animal shelter and lie to the workers there, telling them that she found him dumped in front of her house.

Fortunately for Elmo, Emma always had second thoughts. And second thoughts could actually save you from breaking a friendship, getting pulled into a big fight, and it could even save your life.

Emma had just spent the whole morning since seven in the morning up til' noon to finish the first book of the Trylle Trilogy, Switched. A friend of hers in Chemistry class had introduced it to her, and she was eager to introduce it to the rest of her friends on Monday. Especially Cath, she's a lover of books, and that was probably why she earned the nickname 'nerd' and 'bookworm'. But Cath was happy with those nicknames anyway.

Emma made a list of books to order online, and two of those included the second and third book of the fantasy series. 

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Emma stared at her translucent front door and saw an unidentified shadow emerge, standing still, waiting for the door to creak open perhaps.

Nervously, Emma took a penknife and placed in in the back pocket of her jeans. With her left arm gripping the penknife, and her right hand on the door knob, she quickly opened it. Her jaw hung open. She felt terrified and surprised and happy and relieved and a combination of unexplainable feelings all fluttering and dancing about in her. 

Her wild, messy hair was all over her face, is if she had ran a thousand miles without stopping. Her favourite slingbag was dangling on her shoulder and there was a small luggage on the 'Welcome' mat beside her. Elmo hissed at the stranger. But this was no stranger to Emma.

Emma threw her arms wide and embraced her.

"HAZEL!" She screamed happily, letting all her worries fade away. She flung her arms around her friend as tears almost welled up in her eyes.

Hazel smiled cheekily and hugged her friend back. Elmo blinked his eyes and stared, completely clueless. "Meow," he yawned and scampered into the kitchen for food.

"Why did you leave? And where did you go?" Emma carried the luggage into her house and placed it by the staircase.

"I stayed at the outskirts, in a motel." Hazel replied, putting a sticky candy into her mouth.

"Which motel? They're so many of them in the outskirts." Emma switched on the television and sat down beside Hazel.

"Should we watch MTV?" Emma suggested.

Hazel nodded and avoided looking into Emma's eyes.

"Why? Anything wrong?" Emma asked.

"Nah, I'm fine. Totally fine." Hazel yawned and gently brushed the tip of her toes on Elmo's soft fur.

"Well, you didn't answer my question." Emma furrowed one brow at Hazel, feeling suspicious. Hazel seemed to be hiding something.

Hazel remained silent and glued her eyes to the television. 

 "It's nothing, really," Hazel murmured as she grabbed the remote control and changed the channels, hoping to come across an interesting movie or drama, perhaps. But before she could, Emma abruptly placed her hands on the remote control and snatched them away.

"No! Hazel! Tell me the truth!" Emma stood up, hand on her hips like a stern mother, and stared at Hazel in the eye. 

"I just wanted to get away..." Hazel eyes lay on Elmo, not intending to return Emma's gaze.

"So you had a problem and you wouldn't even want to tell us?" Emma snapped, disappointed by Hazel's naive reply.

"I didn't want to trouble you guys!" Hazel replied, in a tone that almost sounded like a yell, but softer and calmer.

Emma rolled her eyes and folded her arms. She walked in small circles, staring at the ground, thinking of what to say next.

"Seriously, Emma..." Hazel moaned and purposely fixed her eyes to the television, as if she was hoping to be able to block off every word Emma would be or was going to say from entering her brain. 

"This is not the first time..."

"STOP ACTING LIKE YOU'RE MY MOTHER, OKAY!" Hazel yelled, her eyes fury with rage. She clenched her fists and stood up, raising her head up high arrogantly, as she stood face-to-face, eye-to-eye with Emma.

Emma felt alarmed and shocked by Hazel's unimaginable response.

"You can't possibly hide things forever, Hazel! We have been best friends since Grade Four! You always stood up for everyone but why can't you let us stand up for you?!" Emma shot her a nasty stare.

"Why can't I? You were never even there for me!" Hazel talked back, her voice filled with trembles, as if she had reluctantly replied, yet you could see the outrage that made her face turn hideous and wild.

"Snap it out, would you!" Emma tried to calm herself down, for it seems like this argument was going nowhere and was full of nonsense, they could just settle and have a heart-to-heart talk instead. Another thing was that they would drive each other mad over their limits if this argument continued and turned into a quarrel, then a fight that would determine if they would still want to be friends. One thing their friendship had taught Emma was that you should NEVER, EVER make a friend who never really reveals anything that is either something personal enough or something particularly related to family. 

"DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW IT FEELS LIKE TO BE LEFT ALONE?" Hazel trembled terribly as she screamed. Elmo was frightened away by the commotion and scampered off into a corner to hide.

"YES!" Emma retreated her steps as Hazel stepped forward.

Emma cleared her throat and repeated in a louder voice, "Yes I do!" She tried her best to sound confident and brave, but to no avail. 

"It's been a while since my parents had gone, and I'm not toppling! Can't you see?" Emma's temper  simmered down. 

"I don't like my family...I d-d-don't...I want to get away! I just...I-I..." Hazel sunk back into the couch and covered her hands with her face as she started to cry. She kept shaking her head, shaken and trembling at the same time.

"Don't-"

"GO AWAY AND LEAVE ME ALONE!" Hazel screamed followed by a hysterical wail.

Pressing her lips, Emma backed away and with nervous feet, headed upstairs and slammed her door shut before locking it. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks as she slid down and sat by the door, sobbing silently all alone. Among the piles of pillows and blankets on the bed, Elmo's tail smoothly swayed back and forth as he stared at Emma, unaware and clueless about what had happened.