Chasing Cars

“Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it.”

The screaming drowned out my muttered words. My hands were glued against my ears. The carpet underneath the bed burned my knees as I rocked against it. Fireworks exploded behind my eyelids as I squeezed them shut even tighter than before.

“You’re going to ruin her! You’re going to make her sick just like you!”

“I’m not sick!”

Glass shattered. I jumped, hitting my head against the underside of the bed frame. My eyes watered.

“Yes you are! You’re sick and –”

The sound of my sister’s hand slapping across my mother’s face echoed in the apartment. I scrambled out of my hiding spot. Nothing had changed in the few seconds it took me to get from the bedroom to the living room. My mom was staring at Ashley with a mixture of shock and sadness. Ashley’s stare was nothing but pure hate. Her emerald orbs were silently threatening my mother in a way I hadn’t seen in months. I couldn’t bring myself to move, though I knew I needed to. It wasn’t until Ash took a step towards our mother, a sinister smirk creeping onto her lips, that I sprang into action.

“Stop it!” I cried, wedging myself between them.

My mom immediately took several steps back, bringing me with her. Ashley snarled and I felt tears spring up in my eyes at the sight of her like this.

“I said, stop it!!” I screamed, pushing out of my mother’s grasp.

I could practically see Ashley snap back to reality. Her eyes darted around the room for a moment a trace of fear lurking in the corners of them. After a second or two they came to rest on me and it was obvious she now knew what had just happened. She pulled me into her arms, our mother too slow to prevent the action.

“I’m sorry Carly, I didn’t mean it, I swear.” She whispered into my hair.

“Please, just stop fighting with her.” I begged quietly. She just nodded before letting me go to look me in the eye.

“C’mon. Let’s go out.”

“Absolutely not!” My mother’s voice cut through our moment. Ashley looked up at her, eyes flashing dangerously again.

“No one asked you, bitch.”

“Ash.” I whispered. Her gaze cut back to mine, a sigh escaping her lips before she turned back to Mom.

“I’m not going to fight with you about this. Carly’s been through enough tonight. Now, we’re going out. We’ll be back later.”

I didn’t fight her as she grabbed my hand and began pulling me towards the door. I didn’t want to. She opened the door, ushering me out first.

“I swear to God, Ashley if you fuck her up I will have you committed for the rest of your damn life!”

Ashley whipped around at my mother’s words, a visible ripple of anger sliding down her spine. I quickly shot forward, my small hand encircling her wrist before she could move.

“Ashley, no! Don’t, please.”

She turned her gaze to me and for one split second they burned brighter than I had ever seen them. But then she blinked and everything was back to normal. Her shoulders relaxed and she simply nodded at me before stepping out the door as well, slamming it shut on our mother. We began our walk to the usual busy street, fingers intertwined perfectly. I released her when we arrived. She pressed a quick kiss to my forehead and took her place on the edge of the sidewalk.

“Ash?” My small voice broke through our silence. Her only response was a quirk of her perfectly arched eyebrow. “I don’t think you’re sick.”

She didn’t say anything, but the smile on her face was enough to fill me to the brim with warmth. She blew me a kiss and then was off like a shot through the cars like almost every other night.

I didn’t think Ashley was sick. But then again, I didn’t think I was sick either.