Pallid

Rita and Celeste are step sisters.

Celests's mother married Rita's dad.

Rita and Celeste had been inseparable for a really long time after that. I mean, really long. They were practically attached at the hip when I first met Celeste, which was at one of Rita's wild parties--it was some stupid holiday party or something, I don't know, 'cause Rita throws parties every other night. And when we first started seeing each other (properly), Rita was the third wheel that followed us everywhere.

They were thick as thieves.

When Celeste dyed her hair blue, so did Rita. And when Rita dyed it pink, so did Celeste. When Celeste decided she wanted to pierce her nose, Rita did it for her and she did it for Rita. And when Rita wanted to get a cross tattooed on her upper thigh, Celeste got a rainbow and a little cross underneath the arch too. They got it done together.

They went everywhere together.

It was almost cute.

They even finished each other's sentences.

"Remember that one time when the guy on the train--" Rita burst into a fit of giggles, falling over.

"Was all like--" Celeste covered her mouth with her bony hand, trying not to laugh.

"What's up--" Rita laughed again.

"Pretty young thing?" They laughed, falling over each other with their pastel coloured hair and pretty eyes.

I thought it was pretty sweet, but that's probably because I'm an only child.

This inseparability lasted until Ulysses reared his ugly head, and then they became the very best frenemies.

It was awful.

Rita didn't notice, 'cause she was just so damn ditzy you know, like when Celeste made the passing comment about her rat's nest hair or her broomstick body or her slightly crooked teeth, or whatever, Rita'd just smile and laugh and go back to whatever the topic of conversation was before.

And people knew, you know, it wasn't like you couldn't, because Celeste was just this soft little thing and everybody knew everything about everyone in our circle and the affair was kind of obvious anyway because Ulysses couldn't keep a secret and didn't really hide his affections for her.

It was obvious to everyone but Rita.

The worst part was watching Celeste chase after him and watching him go after her and Rita be happy in her perfectly blissful ignorance.

And then I kind of burst her bubble, but you've gotta understand me.

Celeste was mine first, and Ulysses already had Rita and it wasn't fair and he didn't treat either of them right.

I just wanted them to stop.

What was so wrong about that?