Fireflies
A week later
Nikki sat down and scrolled through the channels like turning the pages of a book.
Only books were better. That was something she had always firmly believed.
She wasn't actually looking for something to watch, she was daydreaming, of her date with Chris the previous night. It was their first year anniversary, and he had bought her such a beautiful necklace. It could have been a more imaginative gift, like if he wrote her a poem or something...still, she couldn't complain. It had cost a lot, she should be satisfied. She was so ungrateful. She didn't deserve him.
She wondered what Parthen would think of Chris and the gift. Or would she even care? perhaps she would hate Nikki for siding with her step mother.
''I regret it now.'' She murmured aloud.
She always wished Parthen was still there. She had only lived with Parthen for a few months, and didn't see her much even then. She could tell Parthen had a lot of things on her mind, and stayed out of her way. After finding out that Parthen was pregnant she viewed her in a different light and had judged her. She had no idea where Parthen was now.
Now she really wished she had got to know her better. Especially after finding out...
Later on in the day Chris came to pick her up. They were going to his house and she would eat dinner there.
When they arrived he turned of the engine but didn't open his door.
''Listen, Nikki, we need to talk.''
Crap. Not those words.
''You're breaking up with me?''
''No! this is about something else.''
She slumped back into her seat. ''what?''
''You always feel so bad about your sister, you need to let it go.''
''But...well I told you why.''
''I know. And I'm still going to help you find her, but the guilt...''
''Look, everyone has their regrets.''
''Yeah, but there's a line between a regret, and an obsession.''
''Oh my god...''
''Just remember, that was a while ago, and you're sorry. It was mainly your parents fault, there was nothing you could do to stop her being kicked out.''
''That's not the point. She's sixteen now. For all we know she's living in the street. I've got to find her.''
Nikki opened the door and climbed out, and Chris followed her.
They walked through the house, and she heard loud music.
''That's my brother.''
Ah, his brother. The brother she would know by sight, but could never remember his name. What was it?
She had a weird feeling it was Kyle.
''So how is your brother?''
''Good. He's with a girl.''
''Ooh.''
''Yeah, but apparently they're just good friends.''
''Right. So what's her name?''
''Paige.''
''Nice. Is she pretty?''
''I don't know, I haven't seen her.''
Her phone buzzed and she answered it quickly.
''Hello?''
She listened for a moment.
''Look, it's not...oh my god! just listen OK? OK, OK, I'll be right there. Jesus.'' She hung up.
''Who was that?''
''My wonderful mother.''
''What happened?''
''She found out I wasn't at Lisa's place.''
''Oh god.''
''And that I have a boyfriend.''
''Shit.''
''Yep. And after Parthen, I'm only allowed to have one when I'm eighteen.
''Seriously?''
''Yeah. Looks like we're fucked. I have to go.''
''OK.''
He dropped her off at the start of her street and she walked down, thinking up excuses along the way.
Chris walked through the front door, dropping his car keys on the table. He walked into the kitchen to see his brother sitting there, eating a sandwich slowly.
''Hey. Where's your girlfriend?''
''We're just friends, and she went home. Where's your girlfriend?''
''Home. Her parents found out about us.''
''Oh my god.''
''Yeah, I know. Crap, I hope she's OK.''
''It's cute how much you love her.''
''Yeah well, anyway...''
''It just got awkward in here.''
''Yep. I'm leaving.'' Chris walked away.
He arrived in his room and turned on his computer, searching for Parthen on facebook.
Still not there.
He looked through the newspaper for deaths, weddings, christenings...she wasn't there. All he found was a picture of a guy holding a cat awkwardly and a note saying it had been found.
Sometimes he lost hope that they would find Parthen, but he kept looking. He had to, for Nikki's sake.
Only books were better. That was something she had always firmly believed.
She wasn't actually looking for something to watch, she was daydreaming, of her date with Chris the previous night. It was their first year anniversary, and he had bought her such a beautiful necklace. It could have been a more imaginative gift, like if he wrote her a poem or something...still, she couldn't complain. It had cost a lot, she should be satisfied. She was so ungrateful. She didn't deserve him.
She wondered what Parthen would think of Chris and the gift. Or would she even care? perhaps she would hate Nikki for siding with her step mother.
''I regret it now.'' She murmured aloud.
She always wished Parthen was still there. She had only lived with Parthen for a few months, and didn't see her much even then. She could tell Parthen had a lot of things on her mind, and stayed out of her way. After finding out that Parthen was pregnant she viewed her in a different light and had judged her. She had no idea where Parthen was now.
Now she really wished she had got to know her better. Especially after finding out...
Later on in the day Chris came to pick her up. They were going to his house and she would eat dinner there.
When they arrived he turned of the engine but didn't open his door.
''Listen, Nikki, we need to talk.''
Crap. Not those words.
''You're breaking up with me?''
''No! this is about something else.''
She slumped back into her seat. ''what?''
''You always feel so bad about your sister, you need to let it go.''
''But...well I told you why.''
''I know. And I'm still going to help you find her, but the guilt...''
''Look, everyone has their regrets.''
''Yeah, but there's a line between a regret, and an obsession.''
''Oh my god...''
''Just remember, that was a while ago, and you're sorry. It was mainly your parents fault, there was nothing you could do to stop her being kicked out.''
''That's not the point. She's sixteen now. For all we know she's living in the street. I've got to find her.''
Nikki opened the door and climbed out, and Chris followed her.
They walked through the house, and she heard loud music.
''That's my brother.''
Ah, his brother. The brother she would know by sight, but could never remember his name. What was it?
She had a weird feeling it was Kyle.
''So how is your brother?''
''Good. He's with a girl.''
''Ooh.''
''Yeah, but apparently they're just good friends.''
''Right. So what's her name?''
''Paige.''
''Nice. Is she pretty?''
''I don't know, I haven't seen her.''
Her phone buzzed and she answered it quickly.
''Hello?''
She listened for a moment.
''Look, it's not...oh my god! just listen OK? OK, OK, I'll be right there. Jesus.'' She hung up.
''Who was that?''
''My wonderful mother.''
''What happened?''
''She found out I wasn't at Lisa's place.''
''Oh god.''
''And that I have a boyfriend.''
''Shit.''
''Yep. And after Parthen, I'm only allowed to have one when I'm eighteen.
''Seriously?''
''Yeah. Looks like we're fucked. I have to go.''
''OK.''
He dropped her off at the start of her street and she walked down, thinking up excuses along the way.
Chris walked through the front door, dropping his car keys on the table. He walked into the kitchen to see his brother sitting there, eating a sandwich slowly.
''Hey. Where's your girlfriend?''
''We're just friends, and she went home. Where's your girlfriend?''
''Home. Her parents found out about us.''
''Oh my god.''
''Yeah, I know. Crap, I hope she's OK.''
''It's cute how much you love her.''
''Yeah well, anyway...''
''It just got awkward in here.''
''Yep. I'm leaving.'' Chris walked away.
He arrived in his room and turned on his computer, searching for Parthen on facebook.
Still not there.
He looked through the newspaper for deaths, weddings, christenings...she wasn't there. All he found was a picture of a guy holding a cat awkwardly and a note saying it had been found.
Sometimes he lost hope that they would find Parthen, but he kept looking. He had to, for Nikki's sake.