+Alexis+
“Alexis…?” It was my Mom’s voice. “Can we come in?”
I asked, closing my eyes. My room was completely pitch black. I couldn’t bring myself to switch on my lights. I would see myself. Oh God…
“No,” I said, my voice hoarse. “Please don’t come in.”
“But we have something to tell you.”
Oh, that’s right. Dad was back. I swallowed dryly, and bit my lip. “Tell me, then.”
“What?” she said, sounding upset. “Here?”
“Yes.”
“Darling…it’s so big, so important, we have to tell you face to face.”
I closed my eyes, and almost smiled. I knew what it was already. It was obvious – it’s been obvious for so long.
“Just say it.”
“We’re…getting divorced.”
It was my Dad’s voice. It was so clear through the door. He hadn’t talked to me, properly, face-to-face in months, yet this is the first thing he says to me?
I didn’t reply.
Slowly, all my childhood memories…they faded away…
But this is me. I survive. I can survive anything. I pick myself back up, and I move on.
“Dad…can I leave school, now? I know I told you I would leave after spring term, but…can I leave now?”
He was silent for a moment. “You know what this means, though, right?”
“I know. I go to India.”
***
=Hailey=
“Where’s Max?” Tiffany asked, glaring at the jock who stared back at her with real terror.
“I…uh…”
“He doesn’t know,” I told Tiffany, rolling my eyes. It was so typical for her to stress out, like this. “Max hasn’t talked to anyone. Not after… Look, just give up, alright?”
As usual, Tiffany ignored me.
Was I meant to be regretting this?
Did the revenge thing matter, that much?
I pictured Alexis’s face, again.
I had to go apologize.
***
+Alexis+
“Miss Alexis?”
“Leave me alone, okay?” I yelled. I’d ordered some cardboard boxes, express delivery, and I was piling my stuff into it. “I’m not interested!”
“There is a girl here, Miss Alexis.”
I froze. A girl? Who would come, and talk to me?
“What’s her name?” I called.
There was some mumbling.
“Hailey, she says.”
“Don’t let her come in!” I yelled, panicking. That bitch – she betrayed me, but she still has the guts to come here herself? I was going to kill her.
Yet, at the same time, I wasn’t so angry… It was my fault. I was the one who slept with him… No one made me. I closed my eyes.
I snapped them open again, when I heard scuffling, and some footsteps up the stairs. No way…was she really going to come up here?!
My bedroom door flew open and Blondie – Hailey, I mean – burst in, followed by my maid.
“Get out!” I yelled, slamming her against the wall. “Out!”
“I’m sorry, Miss!” my maid cried, following me. “I’m sorry she got in –”
I ignored her.
“Can I have five minutes?” Hailey begged, her blue eyes pleading. “Just five?”
After a second, I let go.
“Fine. Five minutes only. You can leave, now,” I said to my maid, who bowed her head and left the room.
“First of all…I’m sorry.”
I almost laughed. That was good. Funny.
“No, Alexis, I really am sorry. I shouldn’t have done that…not when you loved Max.”
I took a deep gasp, when she’d said the word “love”.
“That’s true, right, Alexis? You loved him.”
“So what?” I said, my eyes streaming. “So what if I did? Why can’t I? Just because of the…game. I can’t play the game anymore…I can’t keep going on…”
I started crying, pathetically. I looked down, unable to meet her eyes. It surprised me, when Hailey hugged me.
“Don’t worry about it, Alexis. Everyone falls in love with Max. There’s something about him…something no one else has. It’s not your fault.”
I looked into her eyes.
“Max didn’t break your sister’s heart, did he? He broke yours.”
Hailey smiled, but she just looked sad.
“Yeah…I don’t blame him, though. He used me to get Tiffany back. He asked me, and I knew. It was my fault for falling for him. He was too nice to even go through with it is the end. I just…wanted to get even.”
Silence filled my bedroom.
“Do you still love him?”
She didn’t move, she just looked at me.
“Hailey?”
“I’m…getting over him.”
Yes, then. I tried to work out what to say to her.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
“But I am.”
She smiled, and gave me another hug.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
***
“Are you really leaving?” Hailey asked, holding my hands. I raised an eyebrow, and gestured at the airport.
“Why else would I be here? The awesome shops?”
She laughed. “You got to admit, the duty-free is pretty epic.”
“Yeah, it is. Maybe I’ll take you shopping next time.”
“Sure,” she said, giving me a kiss on both cheeks. “Text you later?”
“Yeah, sure”
Kyle followed me as I walked, pulling my bag. His eyes were still on Hailey’s back, as she left.
“Kyle. Eyes to the front.”
He looked up, just as he walked into a pillar. He rubbed his nose, as I laughed.
“Remind me why you’re coming with me to India, again?” I asked, smiling.
“Because that’s why my apprenticeship is. I can’t believe I had to tail you for about a month, just to get a crappy desk job in India…”
“Stop moaning. I still haven’t beaten you up for ‘tailing me’ yet.”
We were both quiet, for a while and just walked, to our departure gate.
“Are you really going to leave Max?” he asked. I’d had the feeling that he’d wanted to ask that question, for a long time.
“It’s not just about Max,” I said, avoiding having to answer. “It’s about other stuff as well… like my parents.”
“Oh.” He didn’t push for any more information.
“Can all passengers for Flight Number 907234, please make your way towards the gate. Your flight is departing in five minutes.”
“Shit. That’s our flight, right?”
“Yep.”
We ran.
***
Author's Note: Next chapter is the last chapter... :( I hope you've enjoyed reading this, as much as I've enjoyed writing it.
I will come out with a second draft of this, just like the Kidnapper story :)
P.S. VOMMENT!!!