My eyes felt strange when I opened them, lighter, almost. It was a relief to have things in place, but it would be a bigger one of Cecilia came around too. She'd need to bring quite an apology and work to pull Viper from the mental shipwreck she left him in. He most likely wouldn't trust her, but she'd be on better grounds with him than I would be. I laughed to myself and forced through the covers to the bathroom. Viper was in the living room, awake and watching T.V. I nearly called out a good morning but remembered I had to stay silenced unless he spoke to me first. I sighed, and started the shower. I felt sweaty, and too hot. I let the water stay on the colder side and soaked up the temperature to relax my feverish one. I dressed in light, airy clothes and was glad when I got outside. The light was beaming down from every direction and I was warmed instantly. I walked to the hose, and turned the nozzle. The water flowed through it audibly. I turned and watered my mother's flowers and then studied my car. The dirt almost reached the windows. I turned the nozzle onto the car and let the water wash away a partial part of the ruins. The mud washed down the driveway and I watched it flow into the grass.
"You're wasting water." I spun quickly and Viper hardly dodged the water from the hose as it shot across to him. "Whoa"! He yelled.
"I'm sorry." I frowned, hating myself for screwing almost everything up. "I'm sorry! I'm- I didn't know you were talking to me." I squinted against the sun to see if his face looked like he had remembered he wasn't and he changed his mind.
"You mean well." He said in the apathetic way of avoiding 'it's okay', or 'I forgive you'. I smiled, trying not to push him into talking to me, even though I was bursting at the seams with questions and dying for answers. "Ask them." He said, reading my mind with our twin telepathy. I grinned.
"Where are you going?"
"Cecilia called," he said, "I'm going to pick her up so we can talk."
"Alright." I said, "Cool." Although I wanted to warn him of a million things. I wanted to tell him to be careful, to be cautious, to not hurt her, to not get angry, not to go back to the crack house for anything, and to keep Cecilia far away from me. While he was getting a handle on things, I was losing it. He smiled at me, and headed out of the driveway on his bike. I thought about washing it too, to make up for all my ignorance, but he hadn't waited for me to, so I assumed he didn't care if I did or not. I sighed, and killed the water. I went inside, and changed into different clothes to avoid the terrible scud stains and decided to call Savannah. She didn't answer on the first ring, but called back immediately.
"Hello?" She asked. She sounded panic stricken, and rushed.
"Hey," I said in a soothing voice, "let's hang out."
"Is Viper home?"
"No, he went to Cecilia's." She groaned loudly as I spoke and I had to hold the phone away from my ear. "Why?"
"Just, come get me. I have a lot to tell you."
"Alright." I sounded unsure.
"When can you come?"
"When do you want me-"
"Now." She hung up and I glanced at the screen as her name flashed into our picture in my background. I shook it off, and grabbed my keys. My car was most likely short on gas, and I would probably have to stop in order to make it to Savannah's. I drove down to the gas station and got out to pump gas. A group of girls stood in the corner snickering. I felt as though it were about me, and as I approached the door to pay, it was confirmed.
"She doesn't dress like a lesbian." One of them said, and I ignored it.
"I wonder if she'd think I was cute." I ignored it, and she wasn't cute. I continued into the station and paid. I wondered around, not sure I wanted to head out into the station's lot to more of their comments. I found myself in the drink section, and gathered a couple to store in the car, and one for me and Savannah. I ordered a sandwich from the deli, and paid again for all the of other things. I walked out and popped the trunk of the car. I set my drinks in and then put Savannah and I's lunch in the back.
"Oh, she's got a date with a girl." I sat in the car, and started the engine. I flicked them all off as I headed into the road. Their contorted faces in my rear view, and their gasps as I hurried out were satisfying. I can't say I wouldn't have liked to connect with bone, but I could settle. I neared Savannah's house and pulled in. Her arms were waving frantically and she looked like she was going to explode if we didn't peel out of her driveway with middle fingers up. She got in and slammed the door.
"Parents?" I asked.
"No," she seemed calmer now, "worse."
"Worse?" I asked.
"Viva, can we go sit somewhere and talk?" I headed straight for the beach at this point. I knew how much she loved it, and if she had to break bad news- or even rant- I knew the beach would calm the nerves after. My foot throbbed in it's own post traumatic stress disorder attack, but was calmed when we reached the warm sand. I carried out drinks and the sandwich to the spot Savannah slumped down into. I sat myself next to her and looked her over with discernment. Her hair was a mess, she had makeup under her eyes and she looked like she hadn't slept a wink.
"Alright," I took out the sandwich and handed her half and her drink, "spill." She took a long sip and a small bite. I watched her jaw clench and loosen as she chewed and tried to anticipate the words.
"You know that feeling," she started, "where you don't know what to do, but know it has to be something. Quickly."
"My whole life," I motioned for her to continue, "why?"
"I kissed Viper," she said as I gasped, "well, he kissed me." I nearly choked on my drink.
"I'm sorry, do you want me to talk to him about it?"
"No," she said looking away then turning and staring into my eyes, "I want you to tear him away from Cecilia, and tell him I'll take the deal." I gasped again.
"Holy shit." I tried to calm my nerves. "Savannah. I can't."
"Why? You did it before, do it again."
"Savannah, I just got him back, you want me to rip him from her? You should have told me yesterday before I called Cecilia and told her she needed to get back with him!"
"What?!" She yelled, "I feel so betrayed!"
"How the hell was I supposed to know, you told me you'd tell me later and this is when later ended up being." She stood up and paced, running her hands through her hair.
"Please," she muttered to herself mostly, "I didn't know how I felt until now!" I sighed.
"Alright, maybe we can figure something out."
"Please?" She asked, "I've never even looked at him, but now that I do he's so beautiful."
"How long can you wait?"
"Not very Viv," she groaned and fell back into the sand, "I'm losing it." She was losing it, if it were her mind. She found Viper attractive. She like Viper, and Viper had kissed her. I set Viper back with Cecilia, and I was in love with her. Thinking the situation over, the solution clicked.
"I've got it." I muttered, "I've got it!" I clearly yelled. Pairs of eyes darted towards us, but we didn't mind.
"Yes! Yes! Do tell!" She had my hands in her's.
"So, last time, I tore them apart on accident by complicating it with my feelings."
"Right."
"This time, I'll do it on purpose. Hopefully, you will be there to take him in immediately, he won't fall into pity and hatred over the girl that got away, because he'll have the girl that played hard to get."
"Oh," she smiled and yanked me into an awkward hug, "I knew you'd come through Vivian, you always do." She kissed my cheek and I wiped her spit off.
"Save it for Viper." I said, grabbing my drink and heading back to the car.
"Awe, wait! Vivi!" She called.
"What?" I asked sourly.
"Don't you want to go swimming." She asked in a taunting tone. My foot throbbed again ever so slightly and I shut my eyes before raising my middle finger up over my head.
"You know what Savannah, fuck and you." She grinned, I could feel it even though I was walking in front of her. She caught up and threw her arms around me awkwardly as we stumbled along the cobble stones to my car. I pried her from me and she shot me the look. I got in and started it, not waiting for her to get in before I threw it into reverse. She climbed in quickly and looked at me like I'd killed her cat. I found myself wondering if she even had a cat.
"Thanks," she muttered after the few minutes of silence and after we neared her house, "for everything."
"No problem." I said to her as I pulled in. She tugged the door open and was about to run up the driveway. "Savannah?" I called.
"Yeah?" She called back.
"I really hope this works. I don't want to lose my brother, not even for someone who's like a sister."
"I understand." She said slowly and she watched me as the tears welted in nothing but sweet- and bitter memories of the Viper and I. We'd been so close, and then distant, and then close, and then distant, and now close. I was praying and aiming to avoid distant again, because I didn't know how much I could take of it. I dabbed the tears away and she smiled at me sadly.
"Go take a shower, and a nap."
"Yes ma'am," she said walking into the house.
"And don't break my brother's heart like I did." I pulled the car into gear and prepared myself to walk into the house and find Cecilia sprawled across my brother's lap. I was prepared to flirt with her, even after the fact and to try to pry her from my brother. This was, assuming, she'd taken him back, and they were together after all. Her summer schooling was over which meant she'd be around a lot more, and Viper would love that. I checked my phone and saw the voice mail box tab open. I slid it down and connected it the hands free device in my car.
"Hey," Cecilia's voice was raw and brought nothing but emotion into my system. I tried to cut it back but failed, "I appreciate you calling." She said after a minute and then paused again before continuing, "It's going to be hard but Viper and I will make it work. So, yes, I called. Second, I'm still in to be a bridesmaid at your mother's wedding. Thanks again Vivian, I owe you. I also owe you an apology. I wedged walls between you and Viper that never meant to be nailed in. I hope you forgive me, and fix what you had. Bye." She disconnected audibly and I swallowed hard. Her voice over the speakers in my car gave me a rush. I hated that I was going to hurt Viper again for the same selfish reasons and the same bitter attitude. In a sense, I was glad as well. Savannah and Viper had chemistry, and if it was like she described, I'd hate to see it go to waste. Much like I'd hate to see Cecilia and I's chemistry sink to the bottom of an ocean full of feelings gone to waste.
"My life," I groaned, "fuck that." I continued home in hopes to at least see Cecilia. I wasn't ready to talk to her today, and when I did, it couldn't be in front of Viper.