A Greater Good (girlxgirl)

Alleyway

The whole world kind of stopped, I could practically hear our perfect family shattering as Mum and Dad looked at each other like they were dying but they were hanging onto some hope that Everlyn was just feeling the heat and pre-wedding jitters. It was really quite, even the crickets and birds stopped and the clouds came out to hide the too happy sun from sight. James was still staring up at where Everlyn had been, I felt bad for the bloke, he knew what it meant, he was in the exclusive club of Jane, myself and maybe Sue by the knowing look on her face. Everyone else was thinking that perhaps Everlyn was just acting strangely as some kind of side effect.

I couldn't stand being in the silence any longer, I got up and followed Everlyn, I'd be able to talk to her. I reached the house before I realised Jane was following me and behind her, James. I didn't have time to deal with Jane and to knock James flat on his arse for no good reason apart from being too nice and annoying because of it. I sped up trying to get to where I knew Everlyn would be without being followed, but I needn't have worried because as I closed the front door I could hear James starting to yell at Jane, they'd be at it for a while. I could tell that Jane was fed up with waiting around for Everlyn to make the right decision and James would be so mad at Jane for just being Jane really. To be honest, I was kind of mad that I wouldn't get to see fight and hear what would be said, but Steph would give me a fairly good run down.

I turned left at the end of the driveway and walked down the street until I hit the alleyway with milk crates and old broken cricket stumps from our youth. I found Everlyn sitting on the milk crate clutching her arms around herself looking like she'd been left behind on some Vogue photoshoot. I walked closer, calmer now that I knew we could be here forever until they decided to search for us. She wasn't crying, just thinking deeply.

"Should have let me know about that, I could have stood up and gone along with it."

"Shut up, Ricky," she said quietly.

I sat down beside her on a milk crate and stared across at the graffitied wall. I think Mark and his friend drew a dick on a high of playing dare and then panicked before painting over it and making it more and more obvious as they went on. I sighed and relaxed, I was going to have to get comfortable, we'd be here for a while.

"Can you not?" she snapped.

"What?" I replied defensively. 

She looked at me disgusted. "Sit there so calmly!"

"I'm comfortable."

"Fuck!" she yelled suddenly.

I jolted up, my heart started to race. "Jesus Christ!"

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck," Everlyn muttered, holding her head in her hands and staring at the ground. I could hear her beginning to sob and I reached over, rubbing her back soothingly.

"It's alright, Lyn," I said even though I didn't know if it would be.

She didn't reply she just kept crying for a minute until she took a deep breath and drew herself upwards. She had decisions to make I suppose, she couldn't bathe in pity forever. 

"What have I done?" she whispered looking at me with vulerable eyes.

I shrugged. "Finally you've done something for yourself, you're making yourself happy."

She laughed nastily. "I've just fucked everything up, Ricky."

"You told the truth."

"It isn't the truth! I could do it, I could marry James, I could be happy, I just am too pathetic to try!"

"You're not pathetic," I said angrily. "Shut the fuck up, you're so not pathetic it's not funny. You can't make yourself love someone if the person you really want is staring at you from across the table."

"But I don't want her," Everlyn said through gritted teeth.

I cocked my head to the side. "Tell me you're not lying."

She shook her head, her eyes were glistening with fresh tears. "I don't want her."

"Oh my god, Everlyn!" I said, infuriated by the effort she was going to to act like she wasn't in love with Jane. "Being in love with her doesn't make you a bad person, it makes you human!"

A tear rolled down her cheek and she wiped it away quickly. "I don't know what I want."

I looked at her sadly. She's my twin sister, she was supposed to have her life together and be happy. I hooked an arms around her shoulder and let her cry onto my jacket.

"Do you have a cigarette?" she asked after her second round of sobbing had subdued.

"Something stronger actually," I answered, letting her go to ruffle around in my pocket for the joint I had.

"I can't be high right now, Ricky."

"Oh..." I stopped my search and pulled out a cigarette, lighting it before handing it to Everlyn. "So... what's the plan now?"

She took a long drag and looked down the alley towards the street. "Hide here forever, is that good?"

"Yeah, for me it is, but James and Jane might have other plans for you." I took the cigarette back and took a drag.

"I suppose I'll have to talk to James, break things off for good." She turned to me. "Do I tell him about Jane?"

"I think he probably knows."

"What'd you mean?" she fired back quickly and panicky.

"He was ripping into her when I was coming to search for you."

"And what'd he say?" She was growing anxious again.

"I didn't hear, I left so I wouldn't be followed. I doubt Jane would sell you out, Everlyn, she's smart, she's a fucking detective." I handed her back the cigarette, forcing her to breathe deeply not worry about how detrimental to her health it was. "Ok, so you end things with James, what next?"

"I suppose I just have to play a lot of it by ear, I can't plan this can I?"

She stubbed out the cigarette and stood up, I followed her movements. She took a deep breath and rolled her shoulders back, she was preparing to change her life for good.