Until Tomorrow

Becca waited on the front steps of her parent’s house, the concrete cold on her bare legs, the dreary weather unusual for that time of year. She stared at the quiet street in front of her, searching for any sign of her sister. She didn’t know what to expect, or if Kelly had even been telling the truth. She hadn’t been in contact with her sister for over a year. What would it feel like to finally see her again? Would she be the same? Would they fall easily back into their old ways? Becca highly doubted it.

Kelly had her own doubts. She pulled her backpack further up her shoulder as she walked up the familiar street, taking in the small houses with their neatly-trimmed front lawns. Everything looked so perfect and put in it’s own little place – except Kelly. She felt like some sort of foreigner – like she was intruding on the neighborhood. Like it wasn’t her place.

As she approached the place she’d once called home, she saw her sister waiting on the front steps. Her breath caught in her throat as her stomach twisted in nervousness. Or was it nausea? Kelly couldn’t tell. She kept walking at a steady pace, taking in deep breaths to calm herself. She blinked furiously, willing herself not to cry. Things would be different, she knew that.

As she drew closer to the house, she immediately noticed the obvious changes. Becca’s hair was much longer, hanging just past her waist. She’d lost weight, was even tanned a little. Kelly’s father had re-painted the house a crisp white and their front lawn was immaculate. A red BMX bike leant against the side of the house, a black helmet hanging from its handles.

Becca stood as Kelly walked through the gate, but it was not the reunion Kelly had been expecting, maybe even hoping for. The expressions that crossed Becca’s features were fast and fleeting – so much so that Kelly couldn’t pin down just one. Her sister didn’t run to embrace her like she’d expected. She just stood there and stared, like Kelly wasn’t even real.

“Hey, sis,” Kelly said casually, in an attempt to lighten the mood.

“Mum and Dad want to see you,” Becca said, “they’re inside.”

“Okay,” Kelly said, following her sister inside the house. The way Becca walked was different, Kelly noticed. The way she carried herself was different. She had changed remarkably, even if she hadn’t noticed. Kelly didn’t know who her sister was anymore. She didn’t know herself anymore – and perhaps that was the scariest part.