8 years ago
"What do you think...diamonds, or the rubies?"
I turn my gaze away from the news channel as I scan Laurel standing there in her usual Black Siren attire, but only this time, she had a diamond and a ruby choker dangling around her neck. She switches the two of them back and forth in a playful manner as I narrow my eyes, trying to decide which looked best.
"Diamond for sure; it brings out your eyes," I grin, winking at her as I turn back towards the TV. She laughs before throwing the ruby choker to the side, putting the diamond one on before looking at herself in the mirror nearby.
I glance back over at her. "What are you getting ready for anyways?"
She keeps her eyes on herself in the mirror. "Nothing in particular..I just wanted to figure out which accessory I wanted to wear the next time we go out and do something."
My eyes turn back to the TV then as I watch a news lady talk about the latest bank robbery downtown. As I watch, Laurel turns and faces me once again, her facial expression changing slightly. "Raven, I never thanked you."
I furrow my eyebrows. "Thanked me?"
"For saving me three months ago," she continues on, and I knew that this was about to become sappy. "You brought me here and made me the person I am now; the best version of me. I'm glad you and Jay decided to take me in and help me. So thank you."
A very faint smile appears on my face as I stand, staring up and down at her. "A thank you is not necessary. I'm just glad to finally have a friend...Jay was starting to get on my nerves a little."
Laurel laughs as I do as well. At least, that was before her expression dulled. "About Jay...I meant to ask you something about him."
I cock my head to the side. "Ask me what?"
She looks hesitant. "Does it ever seem to you that he's...hiding something?"
I never really thought about the idea. I mean, of course at first when I met him he had that sort of vibe to him, but I just assumed that by now he was completely open with me. We had each other's back and I knew that I could go to him about anything.
However, hearing Laurel ask the simple question...it made me wonder.
"Like what?" I ask, biting my tongue slightly as I thought.
She shrugs. "It's nothing...pretend I didn't even ask."
"Are you hiding something?" I ask in return, not meaning to turn it around on her.
An odd look washes across her face in that moment, but it's quickly gone. "Of course not. I have nothing to hide. I tell you everything."
Instead of pursuing the conversation, I simply nod my head. The room is silent for a moment as I sit back down on the couch, Laurel going back to looking at herself in the mirror as well. As I laid there, I wondered if maybe she was onto something about Jay. It also made me wonder if she was hiding something herself...
If she was, I had a feeling I didn't want to know what that something was.
-*+*-
Present
"She didn't tell you about Dust Storm?" Barry asks me, interrupting my story.
I shake my head. "Of course she didn't. I might have been her best friend, but I was also practically Hunter's daughter. She knew that I wouldn't stand by what she was doing. Loving someone was his biggest rule...if he were to find out about it, then you were already a goner."
Barry's eyes fall to the floor then as he scoffs slightly. "Just like what happened to you..."
I stare at him for a moment, my saliva thickening. He was right; I fell for him and that was what destroyed everything between Hunter and I. However, instead of continuing onto the topic, Barry looks back up and asks me another question.
"So Laurel fell for Dust Storm and kept that secret from you and from Hunter both...how did you find out about it then?" he asks, causing me to take a deep breath.
"We didn't find out about it until four months after we took her in," I start, knowing I was going to have to explain the story to Barry. "I still wonder what started it all, but the end of it was what lead to where we are now. I was ignorant and I still hate myself for it...she was my friend and I had let her down that day."
I take a deep breath. "I let us both down."
-*+*-
8 years ago
I suck in a sharp breath as I throw another punch at the bag in front of me, hitting it hard as it flies backwards. As it starts to come back towards me, I hit it again and then again, making sure to push myself to do the most that I could. In my spare time, I tried to work on building my strength back, since I was still a little rusty from losing my powers awhile ago. Of course I was almost back up to speed, but working with a punching bag every now and again didn't hurt.
I go to throw another punch, but that was before the door flies open behind me, causing me to stop and turn to see Laurel rushing into the room. There was a look of panic on her face, and I wondered why. "What's wrong?"
She rushes forwards and grabs my shoulders, looking me dead in the eyes. "Raven, I know this is going to sound crazy, but I need you to listen to me fully before making a decision-"
I stop her for a moment. "Laurel, are you okay? What in the world is going on?"
She take a deep breath before continuing on, trying to calm herself down. "Jay isn't telling you the whole truth, okay? He's been keeping something from you for months now and you've had no idea."
"Keeping something from me?" I ask, furrowing my eyebrows. "Like what?"
"All I know is that whatever it was, he made Dust Storm take away your memory of it." She pauses for a moment before continuing. "She wouldn't tell me why, but I know it's because if she did that he'd kill her-"
"Laurel," I snap, trying to put the pieces together on what she was trying to tell me. "Why are you talking to Dust Storm?"
She chokes up. "That doesn't matter, Raven. You can't tell me that you haven't been feeling as if he's been hiding something, right? This is proof that he has-"
"What you're saying makes no sense." I shake my head. "What could possibly have happened to where he'd make her take my memory?"
"Something bad enough to make you turn your back on him," she says bitterly, causing chills to go up my spine. For a moment I start to believe what she was saying, but then I quickly push it away. It wasn't true, it was a lie.
"He wouldn't do that," I state, taking a step away from her. Her hands slip away from my shoulders in that moment, and when they do, a look of anger washes across her face.
She bites her lip. "Raven, you don't know that-"
My eyes turn away from her as they go to the doorway in that moment, seeing Jay standing there with a look of hate on his face. Laurel notices my gaze then as she turns and looks at him as well, causing her to take a step back out of fear.
"You think I'm hiding something?" Jay says slowly, sounding as if he was over the edge. I've only heard him talk like this twice in my life, and both of those times didn't end well at all. "Tell me Laurel, where did you spin up that idea?"
Instead of clearing the air, she grows confidence; more than what she's ever had when she was around him. "It's the truth, and you know it. Dust Storm told me-"
Jay's face turns pale then, and I couldn't tell if it was because of how mad he was or if it was because it was the truth. "Dust Storm? Why were you talking to her?"
It was Laurel's turn to go pale then. She doesn't answer as she licks her lips slowly, her eyes glancing between the two of us. I wait in anticipation for her answer, but she doesn't give it right away.
Jay yells at her this time. "I asked you a question!"
"I love her, alright?" Laurel screams back, her chest heaving. I stand there in utter silence as I try to process what she was saying. For a moment, Laurel looks surprised at herself for even admitting it, and I didn't blame her.
Jay is utterly silent before he starts to laugh hysterically. "You're in love with her?"
At this point in time, it started to all click in my head. This whole time she's been hiding the fact that she's been seeing Dust Storm...all of those nights she snuck out and lied to me...it started to sting. I told her everything. I thought she did too, but I guess I was wrong.
"Yes, I love her," Laurel says again with more confidence this time. "And I know what you did. You've been lying to her this whole time, haven't you, Jay? You were afraid to lose her, so you made Dust Storm take her memories, didn't you? Say something!"
Jay's eyes are wide at this point as his lips press into a thin straight line. "You can't seriously believe this Raven."
I stare at him before looking back over at Laurel, and I couldn't find the words to say. My mind told me that there was truth behind what Laurel was telling me, and my heart told me that Jay was the man that saved me all of those years ago and that he'd never lie to me.
In the end, I went with my heart as I look over at Laurel. "You lied to me all of this time about Dust Storm...how could you?"
Her confidence shatters. "I wanted to tell you-"
"I'm sorry," I say, shaking my head. "I've known Jay practically my whole life, Laurel. He wouldn't lie to me about something like this. I've known you for four months. I don't believe you."
A look of betrayal appears on her face in that moment, but I don't get to see it for long before Jay is racing forwards and pressing her up against the wall, holding her by her neck. Laurel's eyes are wide as I hold my breath, having a gut feeling as to what was going to happen next, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
"We took you in and taught you everything you know," Jay hisses. "It's a shame...you had a lot of potential, Laurel. It's truly a shame..."
I watch as he holds his hand out as it starts to buzz softly, death closing in for her. However, instead of standing by to watch it happen, I race forwards to where Jay could look me in the face.
"Killing her won't do anything," I state, my eyes stone cold. I wasn't sure what else to propose to him, but I knew I didn't need to after seeing that he had an idea judging by his eyes, and it wasn't a good one.
"You're right," he fades out, releasing her slightly as she gasps for air. "Death is too easy..."
Before I can say anything more, he's turning and racing off, leaving Laurel and I standing here alone. When he lets her go, she falls to the floor gasping and coughing, desperate for air. I can't do anything except stand there and look down at her, disgust washing upon me. For some reason, when I looked at her now, I could only see lies, betrayal, and jealousy.
It was then Jay came back racing into the room, but he wasn't alone. When he stops moving, I'm able to see that he had Dust Storm in his grasp, holding her by the back of the neck. She looked utterly terrified.
Laurel looks up at him with hatred. "Jay, please-"
"Welcome to your Hell," Jay says simply before plunging his fist through her chest, causing her eyes to go wide. I can't do anything except hold my breath as I stand there frozen, watching the girl that I used to admire die right in front of me. However, I didn't feel anything. If anything, I thought that what Jay did was a better move than killing Laurel.
As he removes his hand, he lets Dust Storm fall to the floor. I hear Laurel scream just as soon as she hits the floor, but instead of her body landing there, her body turns into little particles before disintegrating into the air, disappearing forever. Tears roll down Laurel's face as pure hatred appears, and that was when I wondered if what he did was right.
Laurel looks over at me then, expecting to see me just as shocked and heartbroken as she was, but I wasn't. Instead, she saw a broken girl that knew then that trust can't just be handed out; that what happened here tonight was justifiable. And that was what started it all.
That was when two friends became bitter enemies.
-*+*-
y!kes I hope this makes sense...it's kinda messy but it's the best I could do aye.
BUT I think this will be the end of the flashbacks for awhile. I want to get this story over with so we can move onto the next book, ami right? Things are going to get juicy over here!
don't forget to comment and vote <3