learn to let go

“Really?” Aubrey questioned, not really believing the girl. “Maybe you should, it was a good kiss.” She shrugged, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “Now that we’ve kissed and all, I guess I should introduce myself. I’m Aubrey.”

“I would never! I don’t need people thinking I’m gay.” It came out harsher than she wanted it to, but she supposed that made things easier in the end. She’d rather someone hate her for being homophobic than thinking she could like girls. “I’m Heather. And don’t think because we kissed that I’m going to be all friendly now...At least I won’t always be friendly. If you say mean things.”

Kendall eyed her suspiciously before her mouth dropped open in shock. “Avoiding you? Why would I do that? You’re a great confidence booster to have around.”

“Is that really all I am?” She knew she was a bit...extra with her affection towards Kendall. But she swore she had a personality outside of that. “Okay, I wasn’t avoiding you. I was avoiding everyone. It’s a little hard going out into town sometimes..”

Elliot sighed, arms wrapping around his sister. When she was a wreck she was a wreck, no two ways about it, so it was best just to appease her while he had the chance. “Heather, I’m fine,” he answered into her hair, nose twitching as he inhaled the sickening peach scent she seemed to radiate, sweet and bright and cloying. “Honestly, everything’s fine. I was just a little shaken up, that’s all.” He stood up straighter in their hug. “Did you go to the party at all?”

She pulled away from their hug and got a god look at him. Was that really how he dressed going to that party? Tacky. She shook her head. “No, I didn’t go. I’m trying to not be that girl here....Wait, why did you go? You hate parties.”

Kendall let out a small laugh, stepping away slightly. “Hi, long time no see. Have you been avoiding me?”

@notanotherheather

“Avoiding you? Why would I avoid you?” Heather forced a bit of laughter out. She had perfected the art of fake laughing years ago; it mad people feel important or something. “Maybe you’re the one avoiding me.”

A dare was a dare, but Aubrey was a little surprised the girl wanted to kiss her back. Not that she could complain, though she realized they’d met once before. That conversation not going as well as this one was bound to be. “Better than yelling at me, right?”

@notanotherheather

Heather blushed before looking away. It was the girl. The one who was belittling the one in the hospital. Was Heather a horrible person for finding her so...interesting? “I...If that’s what makes you happy,” she managed to say. “I don’t really...I don’t really kiss girls or anything. So that was different.”

“My parents aren’t dead? I’m really confused.”

When Heather heard about the party and Elliot she immediately made her way to the police station. She knew they wouldn’t let her see him until they were finished, and she spent the whole time pacing back and forth, hoping Elliot was alright. He was an angel, a saint; there was no way he could be in trouble. All Heather could think about was how shocking it was when her parents were taken from them...she couldn’t lose Elliott too. She sat outside the police station, walking and waiting and running her hands through her hair as many times as she could without driving herself crazy. Eventually she saw the familiar face exiting the station and she ran over to him, hugging him tightly. “You scared me, E! Are you okay?”

Elliot sighed. She’d always been soft, but he didn’t imagine that that would ever impede his own ability to get work done, and he’d been doing a bang up job of avoiding her. “Nothing’s wrong, I’m just busy,” he explained over his armful of files. “There’s a lot to sort out, and there’s hardly any space here,” he reminded her haughtily, eyes roaming over the shoddy apartment.

Heather rolled her eyes. Elliot loved tearing apart this apartment with his words. He did it whenever he had the chance to. “There is just enough room. What could you possibly be working on that requires huge spaces? You hardly did anything back home.”

Elliot was going back out to his office of sorts. He’d gotten a bit caught up in his research over the last week and came out of a series of good days to realize that he desperately needed things. Like a shower, for instance, and decidedly new clothes. Of course on his way out, his sister just had to interrupt. He sighed, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms over his chest. “I’m going out. Why?” he asked, venom barely there in his voice.

She stood up a little straighter and smoothed out her skirt. She had to look perfect when talking to her brother, or he zoomed in on her flaws. He was just like their parents in that way. “It’s just been a long time since you’ve been around long enough to talk to. I was worried something was wrong.”

Heather hadn’t seen her brother in what felt like months. Ever since the move and the stuff with their parents, Elliot’s been AWOL. She knew he was dealing with the lawyers at least part of the time, but still. She had no one but him and she needed him more than ever. So when she spotted traces of him still being in the tiny apartment they now lived in, she made sure to stand at the door to stop him. He looked annoyed that she was there, but she held her ground. “El? Where are you going?”

“Am I making you nervous?” Kendall laughed lightly, “I’m Kendall.”

SHe looked awya. “No...Whyw ould you be making me nervous? We’re just chatting. As girls do.” She looked back at her. “It’s,nice to meet you, Kendall.”