Iridescent

CHAPTER 16

The car ride to the lakeside is silent, tense. And I don't dare to break it. Occasionally, I chance a glance at her. Her entire posture is rigid, eyebrows pulled together and lips pressed in a thin line as if she's trying hard not to cry.

It's okay, you can cry it out. It's only me, I want to tell her, but decide to wait.

After what seems like hours, we reach the lakeside. As soon as I stop the car, Amy gets out of the car to sit down, her feet in the water. I join her.

It's quiet for a while; but this silence is suffocating. I turn to look at her, and tell her that she can open up to me, but she's already crying. The scene of Amy crying doesn't settle well with me. She's supposed to be happy and laughing, with beautiful eyes shining with joy, but here she is, eyes brimming with tears, hands covering her mouth and crying into them, as if she doesn't want to be heard.

I instantly close the gap between us, and engulf her into a hug, which she instantly returns, like she really needed this right now. My hand goes to her hair, I pull the rubber band, making her hair tumble down. I begin caressing it, while whispering 'It's okay' over and over, knowing it's not okay. But this is a lie I'll willingly speak, to make her stop crying.

She cries into my chest and I can feel the tears seeping through my T-shirt, but that, I'm least bothered about. All I want to do is make her smile. But that can't be arranged right now. So, I settle for the next best thing- at least make her stop crying.

We stay like this for God knows how long; until she stops crying, and is only sniffling. I pull away, and hold her face in my hands. Her eyes are puffy and red, and she looks so fragile it breaks my heart.

"It's okay. At least, it will be some day. Don't worry," I whisper. I don't even know why I whisper. Maybe it the quiet atmosphere I don't want to break.

She nods, and a stray tear rolls down her cheek. I gently wipe it away with my thumb.

"Want to talk? It helps a lot," I say, throwing her words from that night back at her. She faintly smiles, like she remembered it too, and then nods.

"We don't have ice cream this time." I try to joke, but she doesn't laugh.

"She wasn't like this always," she says, her expression stoic.

"Huh?"

"Laura," she explains.

"Oh."

"We were the typical sisters you see in the movies and cartoons. We shared everything- clothes, food, accessories and secrets. She was like my human diary, like I was hers. We trusted each other more than we trusted ourselves. She was the first person I went to. Always. Be it good news, sad or bitter. Everyone talked about us. We were the favorite sisters; they were like two peas in a pod. Peas are supposed to be similar, right? But we were so different! She was the popular girl in school, while I was the shy, cute geek. She had beauty, I had brains. She preferred parties, I preferred books. Despite all this, we were best friends. I only had two friends in high school- Laura and Rachel. But I didn't mind it. The quantity doesn't matter. What does is quality, and they were the most genuine people I knew.

"And even though Laura had many friends, I was the one she trusted her secrets with. I knew where her secret stash of Oreos and Kit Kats were! She was the one with whom I celebrated my first salary." She sighs.

It's hard to imagine Amy and Laura the way she described. The only word I can use for their relationship is- fake.

"And then a new guy came into our lives." She scoffs. "Typical isn't it? Sisters fighting over a boy. Jeremy here."