Somewhere Closer To Fine

Chapter 27: Late Night Conversations

Waverly couldn't sleep, not with conversations from earlier that day running through her mind:

you can't be a dyke. Give me a chance and I can prove it!

You belong with me.

a freak just like the rest of her family.

I don't trust her. who knows what she may try to do.

Her brain just kept repeating the words, each repetition cutting into her like a knife. Why had the people that she had once called friends suddenly turned on her like that? Why did they think she had changed just because she had started dating Nicole?

Only Chrissy had stood up for her and had texted her countless times to make sure that she was okay.  But now, as she sat in the darkness of her small bedroom she couldn't help but feel as though the walls were closing in.

That the words could be true.

That she was nothing but a bother, a freak.

After all, wasn't that also what Willa (and sometimes even Wynonna) had said to her during their childhood?

Willa didn't expect anyone else to be up this late which is why she took to the forest,  feeling the familiar feeling of restlessness consuming her as her skin itched, practically begging her to release herself into the night, to change into something far more powerful than her human form.

That was until she heard a muffled curse.

"it never fucking fails."

Willa couldn't help but grumble as she turned and headed toward the sound, rolling her eyes when she saw that it was Waverly that she had heard.

"What the hell are you doing out here?"

She didn't mean to sound as irritated as she did and almost instantly kicked herself when she saw her younger sister's expression harden.

"I could ask you the same question!"

Willa rolled her eyes at that, holding a hand out to help the teenager up.

"Last time I checked, I was older than you and besides I asked first." she retorted, eyes narrowing as she really got a good look at her younger sister's expression.

"Have you been crying?"

Waverly felt the heat climb into her face at the question.

"No!"

It was a blatant lie and she knew it—and so did Willa.

"Whatever you say, kid. I guess since you're here you can come with me if you want."

Waverly wanted to go her own way, to tell Willa that she didn't need her but something about how Willa spoke caused the words to die in her throat.

"You sure that's a good idea? Last time I followed you anywhere you made me fall into a lake.....Twice." she said, earning a snort.

"You were what? Six? Waverly, I'm not a kid anymore and besides that the first time I did that to you...The water reached your waist. You just freaked out because the water went up your nose when you fell."

Waverly couldn't help but shove her at that.

"Oh yeah, well explain why you made me fall through the ice then."

Willa sighed and shook her head.

"Jealousy and I was an idiot but like I said the other day, I've worked out most of my problems and I meant it when I said I don't hate you."

They walked in silence for some time and Waverly found herself actually enjoying the presence of the older girl, despite the lack of words between them.

"Can I ask you something?"

Waverly asked after a while, earning a smirk.

"You just did, didn't you?"

She couldn't help but laugh at that, especially because Willa sometimes sounded like Wynonna.

"What made you change suddenly? I mean, it's not like I don't like having you around and even with everything I did miss you and Daddy but...this just seems...too good...I can't help but feel like everything is just going to come to an end and I'm just going to be alone again."

She didn't expect any reaction from Willa, or at least nothing outside of a comment about over thinking things but instead, she felt a brush of a hand against her shoulder.

"I missed everyone. The compound was okay and I had a connection to the girls there but I kept remembering Wynonna and even you, believe it or not." Willa answered, pausing to glance over at Waverly before continuing.

"Waverly, you always tried so hard to impress us, to win us over...to win me over. I always ignored that about you always forced you away in any possible way that I could and although I know it means nothing but I apologize for that."

Waverly felt her eyes misting over when she heard this, but she hid this by lightly bumping her arm against Willa's.

"Hey, you're here now and you're trying. Besides, you're my sister I will always forgive you."

"And you're still a naive little brat." Willa retorted, although her tone didn't match the words–especially since Willa's arm snaked around her.

"But I guess someone in this family has to be the normal one."