Different
Chapter 30
CHAPTER 30
~Indigo~
Where was Gerard? He had been gone ages! And I heard the door open…maybe it was Ann.
Frankie’s leg was rubbing hard against mine, squashed together in the space we had.
Both of us dying of embarrassment and yet neither of us able to stop the killing friction at such close contact. It was becoming very hard to resist, and I bit down hard on my lip.
Amy was curled up on the floor, clutching a blanket and her toy in both miniature curled fists, looking angelically peaceful.
Mikey and EmahLee were watching the film like the new found couple they were, EmahLee sitting comfortably on Mikey lap, turning every so often to whisper to each-other. I was glad they had finally got it together after of many days of pretending there was no feeling what so ever between my best friends for EmahLee’s sake (I was sworn not to tell anyone). And Bob and Charlotte weren’t paying much attention to the film at all….
“At least don’t make so much noise if you’re going to pay more attention to each other than the actual film!” Protested Frankie, after the 5th moan in the last 10 minutes interrupted the film.
Bob punched Frankie playfully on the arm, laughing at him, while Frankie winced as the punch was slightly heavier than intended.
“Ouch!! You defenceless couples…remind me to NEVER get a girlfriend!” Frankie muttered.
Bob smirked.
“As if you and Indigo would ever listen to what I say!” He said, causing Charlotte to laugh into his shoulder.
“Huh? What do you mean me and Frankie...?!Hang on!!what?! He doesn’t even…I mean uh…We don’t even like each-other!!” I said suddenly realising what Bob meant, and catching myself just in time before I admitted to liking him myself.
Frankie was blushing furiously.
“Shut up Bob!! You promised you wouldn’t...just Shut up!!” he yelled, looking very flustered. I was feeling and acting much the same.
“Promised what?!” I yelped.
“NO!” came a furious yell from outside. It sounded like Gerard. Gladly forgetting what we had jut been talking about, Frankie and I looked at each-other with concern.
“Is he okay?” I asked, though of course Frankie didn’t know he answer.
“I’ll go check!” Frankie said hurriedly, and rushing conveniently and thankfully out of the room, leaving me with the two happy couples and a sleeping toddler. Thanks a bunch Frankie...I stared blankly at the television, trying without success to ignore the sounds that were now coming from both sides due to EmahLee and Mikey, Bob and Charlotte.
“You okay Gee? You’ve been ages...” I heard Frankie ask from outside.
“Fine!” Gerard laughed, sounding un-naturally cheerfully. I wondered what was wrong, being able to recognise what was a fake laugh and what wasn’t due to having to use them a lot myself.
Frankie came wondering into the room, giving me an I-have-no-idea-what’s-wrong-with-him-and-there’s-no-way-he’s-going-to-tell-me look, and shortly followed by Gerard who slumped sadly down on the floor. I could see angry tears in his eyes, despite the un-real beam he had tried to plaster on his face as he bent down and pulled the blanket over Amy.
“Gerard what’s the matter?” I asked him.
“Nothing I said! I’m fine. Fine, fine, fine! Everything’s great!” He choked, as cheerfully as he could, hoping we would believe him. It didn’t work. You cant convince someone everything’s fine if you can’t convince yourself.
But, not wanting to push Gerard any further, as it seemed a painful subject; I continued to watch the film. Frankie squashed back in next to me, but I hardly noticed the friction anymore. I had too much to worry about.
I may have been acting happily, but most of me was still terrified of what had happened to my sister. Josie found it hard to look after her self, and I was scared for her. However tired of having to always clean up the mess she had made, however sick of enduring hours of cold and inhuman treatment at school, she was my sister and I loved her. I had to look out for her.
As if reading my thoughts Frankie turned to me.
“Indigo you’re all tense, what’s up? Are you worried about your sister?”
I nodded. He looked around to see if anyone was watching, and thinking he was safe, put a comforting arm round me. He didn’t realise that everyone was only pretending to watch the film, and hanging on our every whisper.
“Why don’t you ring her?” He inquired quietly, as I shivered in my Bouncing souls tee and jeans.
“I already have...her phones off” I told him. Without realising it, a single tear had fallen down my face.
Angry with myself, I went to wipe it away, but Frankie silently pulled me into a hug.
“I’m worried about her...What if...What if...” I whispered, listing all the horrible possibilities in my head. It seemed a very long list...
“Want me to walk you home?” He said softly.
I nodded again, and he slowly helped me off the sofa.
“See you guys tomorrow” Mikey said.
“Yeah Bye...I hope your sister’s okay Indigo!” Charlotte added in.
We looked around and realised everyone was looking at us.
I looked down at my shoes, feeling even worse.
Everyone had seen and heard what we had just been whispering about. They had seen Frankie put his arm round me. I waited for them to laugh at me.
Gerard stood up. He hugged me as an older brother would, and jokingly ruffled Frankie’s hair the way he always did to annoy him.
“Cheer up you two...Indigo your sister’s gonna be fine...and...You two need to learn to whisper unless you want everyone to overhear you conversations!” He smiled wearily at us, shaking his messy black hair out of his eyes.
“Thanks Gee” I whispered, hoping that she really was going to be fine.
Frankie grinned at him.
I reached for my black coat, and we stepped into the cold weather outside.
“Pretty cold, huh?” Frankie nodded at me, shoving his hands in his pockets.
I shivered.
“Yeah. It’ll be Halloween soon...” I smiled at him, despite the worry eating me up inside.
He grinned.
“I love Halloween...Wanna know why?” He said.
“Uh...because It’s awesome?” I replied, non-plussed.
He laughed.
“Yes well that too, but mainly because it’s my birthday!”
I gawped at him.
“Your birthday’s on Halloween?!” I asked him incredulously, “That’s so cool! Mines just in February...”
“Awwww...February’s a good month too! If you like grey skies that is...” He teased.
“Hey!” I cried, pushing him jokily on the shoulder.
The journey to my house passed quickly, as we joked and talked together, and it was only when we reached my front door that all the thoughts and regrets of not going after Josie rushed back to me, clear as if they had never left my mind.
“Want me to come in? I don’t want you to get in trouble...you didn’t exactly give your mum much notice and...” Frankie’s voice trailed off.
“Its fine don’t worry...besides...my Mum won’t care” I laughed bitterly.
He gave me a quick hug.
“You sure?” He asked.
“Yeah I’ll be fine” I gulped, wondering what had happened to Josie.
I waited till he had disappeared out of sight, before knocking on the door.
It was opened immediately, and there stood Josie.
I stared at her.
She was covered in bruises and scars. Her eyes were haunted and hollow, almost dead looking. The over sized tee and long black trousers failed miserably to hide the wounds on her arms and legs, as the blood soaked through onto the fabric.
“JOSIE!! What the hell happened?!” I yelled, my voice reaching it’s highest volume in terror.
~Indigo~
Where was Gerard? He had been gone ages! And I heard the door open…maybe it was Ann.
Frankie’s leg was rubbing hard against mine, squashed together in the space we had.
Both of us dying of embarrassment and yet neither of us able to stop the killing friction at such close contact. It was becoming very hard to resist, and I bit down hard on my lip.
Amy was curled up on the floor, clutching a blanket and her toy in both miniature curled fists, looking angelically peaceful.
Mikey and EmahLee were watching the film like the new found couple they were, EmahLee sitting comfortably on Mikey lap, turning every so often to whisper to each-other. I was glad they had finally got it together after of many days of pretending there was no feeling what so ever between my best friends for EmahLee’s sake (I was sworn not to tell anyone). And Bob and Charlotte weren’t paying much attention to the film at all….
“At least don’t make so much noise if you’re going to pay more attention to each other than the actual film!” Protested Frankie, after the 5th moan in the last 10 minutes interrupted the film.
Bob punched Frankie playfully on the arm, laughing at him, while Frankie winced as the punch was slightly heavier than intended.
“Ouch!! You defenceless couples…remind me to NEVER get a girlfriend!” Frankie muttered.
Bob smirked.
“As if you and Indigo would ever listen to what I say!” He said, causing Charlotte to laugh into his shoulder.
“Huh? What do you mean me and Frankie...?!Hang on!!what?! He doesn’t even…I mean uh…We don’t even like each-other!!” I said suddenly realising what Bob meant, and catching myself just in time before I admitted to liking him myself.
Frankie was blushing furiously.
“Shut up Bob!! You promised you wouldn’t...just Shut up!!” he yelled, looking very flustered. I was feeling and acting much the same.
“Promised what?!” I yelped.
“NO!” came a furious yell from outside. It sounded like Gerard. Gladly forgetting what we had jut been talking about, Frankie and I looked at each-other with concern.
“Is he okay?” I asked, though of course Frankie didn’t know he answer.
“I’ll go check!” Frankie said hurriedly, and rushing conveniently and thankfully out of the room, leaving me with the two happy couples and a sleeping toddler. Thanks a bunch Frankie...I stared blankly at the television, trying without success to ignore the sounds that were now coming from both sides due to EmahLee and Mikey, Bob and Charlotte.
“You okay Gee? You’ve been ages...” I heard Frankie ask from outside.
“Fine!” Gerard laughed, sounding un-naturally cheerfully. I wondered what was wrong, being able to recognise what was a fake laugh and what wasn’t due to having to use them a lot myself.
Frankie came wondering into the room, giving me an I-have-no-idea-what’s-wrong-with-him-and-there’s-no-way-he’s-going-to-tell-me look, and shortly followed by Gerard who slumped sadly down on the floor. I could see angry tears in his eyes, despite the un-real beam he had tried to plaster on his face as he bent down and pulled the blanket over Amy.
“Gerard what’s the matter?” I asked him.
“Nothing I said! I’m fine. Fine, fine, fine! Everything’s great!” He choked, as cheerfully as he could, hoping we would believe him. It didn’t work. You cant convince someone everything’s fine if you can’t convince yourself.
But, not wanting to push Gerard any further, as it seemed a painful subject; I continued to watch the film. Frankie squashed back in next to me, but I hardly noticed the friction anymore. I had too much to worry about.
I may have been acting happily, but most of me was still terrified of what had happened to my sister. Josie found it hard to look after her self, and I was scared for her. However tired of having to always clean up the mess she had made, however sick of enduring hours of cold and inhuman treatment at school, she was my sister and I loved her. I had to look out for her.
As if reading my thoughts Frankie turned to me.
“Indigo you’re all tense, what’s up? Are you worried about your sister?”
I nodded. He looked around to see if anyone was watching, and thinking he was safe, put a comforting arm round me. He didn’t realise that everyone was only pretending to watch the film, and hanging on our every whisper.
“Why don’t you ring her?” He inquired quietly, as I shivered in my Bouncing souls tee and jeans.
“I already have...her phones off” I told him. Without realising it, a single tear had fallen down my face.
Angry with myself, I went to wipe it away, but Frankie silently pulled me into a hug.
“I’m worried about her...What if...What if...” I whispered, listing all the horrible possibilities in my head. It seemed a very long list...
“Want me to walk you home?” He said softly.
I nodded again, and he slowly helped me off the sofa.
“See you guys tomorrow” Mikey said.
“Yeah Bye...I hope your sister’s okay Indigo!” Charlotte added in.
We looked around and realised everyone was looking at us.
I looked down at my shoes, feeling even worse.
Everyone had seen and heard what we had just been whispering about. They had seen Frankie put his arm round me. I waited for them to laugh at me.
Gerard stood up. He hugged me as an older brother would, and jokingly ruffled Frankie’s hair the way he always did to annoy him.
“Cheer up you two...Indigo your sister’s gonna be fine...and...You two need to learn to whisper unless you want everyone to overhear you conversations!” He smiled wearily at us, shaking his messy black hair out of his eyes.
“Thanks Gee” I whispered, hoping that she really was going to be fine.
Frankie grinned at him.
I reached for my black coat, and we stepped into the cold weather outside.
“Pretty cold, huh?” Frankie nodded at me, shoving his hands in his pockets.
I shivered.
“Yeah. It’ll be Halloween soon...” I smiled at him, despite the worry eating me up inside.
He grinned.
“I love Halloween...Wanna know why?” He said.
“Uh...because It’s awesome?” I replied, non-plussed.
He laughed.
“Yes well that too, but mainly because it’s my birthday!”
I gawped at him.
“Your birthday’s on Halloween?!” I asked him incredulously, “That’s so cool! Mines just in February...”
“Awwww...February’s a good month too! If you like grey skies that is...” He teased.
“Hey!” I cried, pushing him jokily on the shoulder.
The journey to my house passed quickly, as we joked and talked together, and it was only when we reached my front door that all the thoughts and regrets of not going after Josie rushed back to me, clear as if they had never left my mind.
“Want me to come in? I don’t want you to get in trouble...you didn’t exactly give your mum much notice and...” Frankie’s voice trailed off.
“Its fine don’t worry...besides...my Mum won’t care” I laughed bitterly.
He gave me a quick hug.
“You sure?” He asked.
“Yeah I’ll be fine” I gulped, wondering what had happened to Josie.
I waited till he had disappeared out of sight, before knocking on the door.
It was opened immediately, and there stood Josie.
I stared at her.
She was covered in bruises and scars. Her eyes were haunted and hollow, almost dead looking. The over sized tee and long black trousers failed miserably to hide the wounds on her arms and legs, as the blood soaked through onto the fabric.
“JOSIE!! What the hell happened?!” I yelled, my voice reaching it’s highest volume in terror.