Breaking The Mould

Hyde Park Corner

"I still don't understand how you're here....."

"It's simple," Jarrod smiled a little, pulling out a chair for Abi to sit down on.

"I've been speaking to Ellie about you for weeks."

"....You have?" Abi tilted her head and Jarrod nodded, leaning in towards his sister.

"Is she your girlfriend? I've never seen someone blush so much...."

"She was...she used to be my girlfriend."

"What happened?"

Abi shrugged, glancing over at Ellie who was talking to Steph and Jill.  "I don't know....we just...grew apart."

"Some things are worth fighting for."

"Pace yourself, Gandhi. You still haven't told me why you're here." Abi was getting agitated and for once, she just wanted a straight answer.

"I just wanted to see my sister." He shrugged.

"Ten years too late."

"I'm sorry...."

Abi stood up, and turned back to face him. "You FUCKING left me....you...you...left me...with them!"

Ellie could see that Abi was at breaking point, she excused herself from her conversation with Steph and Jill and walked up behind Abi, wrapping her arms tightly around her waist. She felt her body grow tenser and Ellie whispered in her ear, "Baby, relax...It's just me."

Abi sighed and turned her head so she could bury her face in Ellie's neck. "Sit down..."

"No..."

"Abs, you're shaking. Relax, he's not going to hurt you..." Ellie lifted up Abi's head from her neck, holding onto her tightly.

"He left me....."

Ellie sighed, regretting the decision to invite him here - it was her idea in the first place and Steph did tell her that it would backfire.

"I know, but you aren't in that place anymore. You're here, with me and with all the people that love you..."

"I love you..."

"I know you do, Abi. Can you sit down?"

Abi nodded and moved away from Ellie, sitting down on the sofa next to Jarrod. "So, are you going to tell me where you've been for the last 8 years...or however long it's been."

"I've been around."

"That's not an answer...." Abi tensed up again but relaxed when Ellie leaned over and took her hand.

"I went to University."

"You are still dodging my question because you've clearly had a better life than me." Abi muttered, through gritted teeth.

"Your life doesn't seem all that bad." Jarrod ran a hand through his hair.

"Doesn't it? At least the foster family that you got the first time round decided to keep you. Mine flung me out on the street at the first chance they got. You didn't end up back with...him."

"I don't know how that happened...."

"You knew that they were going to put me back there and you did...nothing."

"I tried to tell them not to split us up.

"You clearly didn't try hard enough. Do you remember the night you told me to meet you on Hyde Park Corner?"

"Yes...Yes, I remember." Jarrod nodded and sat up in his seat, looking at his younger sister exquisitely.

"And you didn't turn up...."

Jarrod nodded.

"He caught me sneaking back into the house and he...." Abi trailed off, leaning her head on Ellie's knee who rubbed her back gently.

"I...I-I'm sorry, Abi...I didn't know..."

"You wouldn't, would you? You didn't come to make sure I was okay after that....I was just....an inconvenience to you. Your annoying little sister—"

"That's not true, Abi....." Jarrod reasoned.

"Let me finish, Jarrod." Abi snapped, lifting her head.

"If you really want to help me, you'll leave me alone. I've done fine without you up until now."

"Abi—" Ellie started.

"And you." Abi stood up and turned to face Ellie.

"Don't ever go behind my back like that ever again. You should've asked me first, it's my choice to make not yours."

Abi walked out the room, down to the hotel reception and out of the door, walking out into the busy London street, breathing in deeply.