My Sister's Keeper

29

I've been meaning to update this for quite a while, but the new season inspired me. The last thirty seconds of a shit premiere was the highlight of 2020. the show might redeem itself with so many originals coming back.

I have a few more ideas for this story. I want to hit 100k words before I finish, so you're guaranteed at least a few more (slow) chapters.

I can't put it into words. Or maybe I can, but I'm scared. I've always been scared. Every time I try to put it into words, to put it out there, I get hurt. Someone comes after me or I dig my own little hole of self-pity that I know I'm in just a little deeper. Maybe that's a consequence of our society, or our surroundings, or our history. Maybe it's just how we were raised.

I'm leaving. Walking towards a new adventure, towards something that scares me just enough to keep me on my toes. It's a new chapter, one that removes me from the toxic air and people. I don't know how that story ends. It could go either way. It could come back and bite me. It's been biting me back for as long as I remember.

Most of Cassie's side of the room had been shifted into plastic tubs and vacuum bags. Amber's side of the room looked the same as usual, except her University of Washington brochures were scattered across her bed for research.

Cassie threw open the door, two mugs of got chocolate in her hand. She handed one to Amber before plopping down in her spinning chair with a sigh. "We're moving out tomorrow."

Amber didn't look up from her computer, a pre-med brochure on the right of it. "Correction: you're moving out. I'm getting the attic all to myself while you go live at Stanford."

Cassie straightened on her chair. "Are you sure you're okay with me leaving? I could always stay at U-Washington for a while."

Amber rolled her eyes. Cassie seemed to be guilty for leaving her behind. For now, she was okay with that. She didn't want to leave her brother yet. She liked it here. She liked the stability and Meredith and getting to play with the kids. It was routine. "Cassie, Stanford was your dream. You are not going to give up your dream to sit in this attic when your adventure is out there in California."

"There's our college girls!" Meredith and Alex both came in, flopping onto the bed near the foot. Meredith turned towards the girls. "Are you ready? Nervous?"

Amber furrowed her brows. "I'm commuting. It just means I get to take the train or drive instead of walking every day. It's not that much of a change."

"Cass?" Her aunt asked, focusing her gaze on her niece. "Are you ready to move in?"

Cassie had offered to have her stuff shipped so Mer wouldn't have to drive her fourteen hours there and back, but Meredith flat out refused. She was driving her first baby to college and helping her unpack! Alex and Amber were tagging along, and Maggie was staying at home with the kids. Amelia was still MIA in California somewhere, but that really was a nonissue at this point.

"Hello? Earth to Cassie?"

"Yeah. So excited." She muttered dryly. She was excited; this was her dream! She just didn't know what to expect.

-

Almost a whole day of driving, a lot of off-key singing, and lots of drive-thru coffee later, they arrived. It was just like she remembered it. She'd been there once before, her father had wanted to go college touring with her, and she hadn't had the heart to tell him no. They'd gone to a bunch in California and Washington.

The older college students helped her get all of her stuff out of Mer's car and onto the sidewalk. Scanning her ID, he nodded. "Room 3224. Take the elevator and go all the way to the end of the hall on the right side." The three of them went up while Alex went to park the car.