When We Were Young

The small girl let a wail, sniffling as the older girl yanked on her hair once again. Her bright amber eyes were filled with tears from the pain, and she clenched the blankets she had clasped in her hands tightly.

“Stop it.” She pleaded, staring wide-eyed at the older girl. She sniffled as she tried to back away, scalp aching from where the girl had repeatedly pulled on her hair. Tear tracks rested on her face from the harassment, and the elder girl sneered.

“What a baby. You still have your blankie, even now.” She towered over the younger girl- they were only a year apart but the height difference was recognizable from miles away. She had the face of a bully as she yanked the blanket this time, right from the younger girl's grasp, who let out an audible cry. With a cackle the bully fled, blanket in hand.

Liseth dropped to the floor, hiccuping as tears began to flow from her eyes once again. The blanket was her last remaining line to her mother, who'd passed away a year ago, when she was just four years old. She'd hardly let it leave her side since then, acting as if it were attached to her body. She crumpled, clutching at her body, red hair hanging around her like a curtain.

“Is this what she took?” The voice shocked her, making her jump. She looked up through tear stained eyes to see a young boy with his hand outstretched, blanket in hand. He had bright green eyes, a boyish smile, and light brown hair that stuck up in all different directions.

But Liseth couldn't do anything but stare in awe, happiness overwhelming her. She stood up, pants covered in dirt. But that didn't matter. Instead, she clung to the boy, pressing her face against him in comfort. He was her saviour.

***

I jolted awake, cursing. My face was dampened with sweat, causing my hair to stick to my face. I looked like a nightmare and felt even worse.

“Another fucking dream about him.” I murmured, prying myself from bed. They'd become pretty frequent now, the memories coming back. It was the first time since high school that they'd become so frequent. I liked to think I'd chosen to forget about him- a distant memory, a fragment of my imagination. I took a deep breath. “Stupid rockstar and his stupid memory. Get it together, Liz. He's gone.” I told myself, repeating the last part over and over, like I had every time he crossed my mind.

I rubbed my temples in exhaustion, forcing myself out of bed. It was my first time going back to Tempe since I'd graduated, and I wasn't sure I was ready to face anyone. But I knew my sister would come charging across the globe if she had to, if I didn't get back soon. She'd just had a baby, after all- and she wanted her baby sister to be there.

It was then that I saw the clock, and let out a string of curses that would've made a sailor proud. I was going to be late. Way, way late. And if I wasn't there, I knew Anna. She was going to murder me if I wasn't there when I promised I'd be.

Speak of the Devil.

New Text Message from: Anna
Message: You'll be here later today, right, Liz?”

I tapped in a quick reply, nothing more than a simple confirmation. It was lucky everything was already packed- I was out and running of my Los Angeles apartment towards the airport in a matter of minutes, hopping in a taxi. We made it there in record time, and I sent a silent prayer to whoever, or whatever was up there. Looks like they wanted me to live another day, not die by the hands of my sister.

Going through customs was a blur- and I was lucky enough to have made it into the terminal just as they were calling final boarding. I smiled apologetically to the woman at the counter, who shot me a disapproving scowl.

Slipping through the gate and into my seat, I let out a sigh. I was going back to Tempe for the first time since I'd graduated; my stomach churned at the thought. I didn't want to think about him. About her. About them and everything that had ever happened there. But the time had come to finally own up and go back to where everything fell apart.