Status: Don't be such a baby, Francis - ~-

The Last Grave

These Things Never Worked Before...

Fun,” Francis smirked, the single risen brow accentuating it as she faced her, but Samantha misinterpreted the meant to be question as a concurring statement and she nodded as if to agree. Francis huffed at her, amused, and then she shook her head. “Look, we still have a whole summer before anything happens, Samantha.” The girl seeming not nearly as panicked as her friend about taking different paths for college.

“So?” Samantha’s shoulders fell even more.

So, don’t be so dramatic. Besides, if you really want to hang out, can’t we just do something more normal, like watch a flick or grab a bite to eat? You know, the simple, normal things that people actually do in real life?” Samantha paused altogether, almost without anything left to say for that instant.

The suddenness of Samantha suggesting that they do something like what she had just asked earlier was slightly surprising to Francis. They hadn’t done anything like it, or anything even remotely similar, since they were maybe 13, and now, as seniors, they were barely getting together to spend time with each other anymore as it was. Samantha was such a hard girl to keep up with over the years; her emotions and lifestyle always seemed to change and Francis could never keep up. She was always left behind.

...


Samantha almost stumbled with her words at first, stuck. It was enough to show that Francis had proven a point and it was a good one; why couldn't they do something else together? She sighed. There had been intentions behind her asking. That's why.

"Oh, come on, Fran, that’s all we ever occasionally do when we get together now and its boring.” Francis, too, sighed with a little eye roll. Mostly because she'd felt like Samantha had missed the idea behind what she'd said. “First we argue about what to eat, and then we argue about what to watch. And if we don’t do that, in that exact order, then we don't do either of them or anything else for that matter and it’s dumb. I’d rather spend my time counting flies on the wall.”

“Well there’s an idea,” Francis casually retorted, but Samantha’s head fell to the side and it made Francis sigh again. ”Well, look, I don't find it boring." Samantha raised brows to that, making Francis quickly shake her head. "I mean yeah, you're right; the arguing is annoying as hell but you know, we wouldn’t argue so much if you weren’t so darn picky with everything.”

“But I’m not the picky one,” Samantha shook her head; “and I’m so sick of 'normal'. All we ever watch now are the movies that you pick out, and well, you like to pick out those cheesy romance movies or those boring documentary kind.” Samantha’s face contorted to show momentary revulsion and she shuddered.

Francis narrowed her eyes defensively and gave bitterness in her response; “I do not.”

But it was true. Regardless, getting to at least pick out the film with Samantha, ever, or even getting a say in deciding anything with her was a rarity for sure, and it was obvious that Samantha herself didn't see it that way. She never did. For as long as the girls were friends, Samantha had total control throughout their entire childhood. She was the boss. But, since falling apart, things were different now for Francis. They were older. Even though Samantha held a special place in her past as a great friend, Francis wouldn't allow herself to get walked over anymore by anyone, not even Samantha.

Or, well, she tried not to.

Francis had learned a lot over the last few years, the majority of them spent alone since Sam was always so "busy". Sam just needed to get over it already.

“You do too. Every. Single. Time. And they’re not even the good kind. They’re so snooze worthy.”

Francis scoffed. “Like which one? Name it.”

Samantha thought for a good instant before her brow rose; “Dances with Wolves?

Francis took a moment to think about the film herself, only to remember bits and pieces of what came to mind as the dull film they’d rented. She realized that she couldn’t even remember how that movie ended and that Samantha was right about that one. She simply shrugged, however, not wanting to fully admit it.

“Well… but, it wasn’t so bad… after a while.”

“I fell asleep five minutes in.” Samantha’s stare became vacant.

“But you were already tired that day because you had tennis, remember?”

Samantha smirked with a frown at the attempt, because it was only partly true. “But I woke up before it was even over. It was like six hours long.” Francis was still hardly convinced, causing Samantha to roll her eyes and sigh; “You eventually fell asleep yourself, Francis.”

“Well. Whatever.”

“Okay, okay. Then how ‘bout A Walk in the Clouds.”

Francis paused and sighed at the sight of Samantha’s wit-filled expression and crossed arms. She remembered really liking that movie. Maybe. A little. Truth be told, she had to watch it again by herself the next day before taking it back to the rental store, unable to focus on it long enough, but that wasn’t until after Samantha had left for whining so much.

In light of that, Morgelly suddenly became sensitive over the matter, and it wasn’t because of the topic. It was just like Sam to make her feel like her interests and feelings were the more insignificant of the two. It wasn’t like Francis had ever pushed any of the situations on her.

. . .


“Come on, Fran. You know I wouldn’t have ever picked either of those two movies.”

Samantha's brow rose as her head tipped to the side, still pushing it, and Francis grew a bit more heated. The girl was missing the point again, she always did. Francis just figured that, since recently, with Samantha dominating over everything less and less, that perhaps the girl really was trying to make up for their years lost and how much of an "asshole" she had become, but it seemed Fran had thought wrong.

“Well excuse me for not finding people getting mutilated or incinerated to death amusing,” she huffed. Francis then stood up to dump what was left of her lunch in the trash nearby, wanting to leave the conversation there, but Samantha followed.

“But see, that’s the thing; you used to. You used to like those kinds. I remember we used to always watch a good gory film together, and then we would-”

“No,” Francis interrupted shaking her head, and she headed back to grab her bag from the floor before she turned around to face her. “I never liked them. Ever. I just sat through them with my eyes closed the entire time and tried not to get the nightmares you always complained about when I shared them with you the next day.”

“Oh,” a now speechless Samantha replied, because it was true. Francis had only just grown a backbone to tell her about it, though. “Well…”

The passing moment hung long enough in the air for Francis to eventually turn away, but not enough for Samantha to think of something else to say before she did. Regardless, she still followed her out of the cafeteria, and in shadowing behind her, she reflected how off topic they had gone.

She then exhaled exasperatedly as she caught up to her side, remembering what she had originally approached her for, and she began again; “Well, just. Go out with me tonight and do this? It’ll be fun. Just like old times… Please?”

At the rise of hope found in Samantha’s eyes, Francis rolled her own and inwardly groaned. She couldn’t help herself from thinking, 'what the hell had gotten into Sam all of a sudden? Why was she even so adamant about wanting to do this?'

Because of how different they had become since the last time they’d done these kinds of things, she didn’t really understand why Samantha was even pushing it.

Francis rolled her eyes, “Yeah, Samantha, like all the other stupid times you dragged me out there, do you really remember those? Well guess what, nothing ever happened then either,” Francis shook her head. “And I thought you dumped out all of that stuff, anyways. What was it you said before, that you grew up?”

“I did,” Samantha quickly shot back; “But… I guess, you know, I missed some stuff.” Regardless that she had even responded, Francis’ point had been made yet again so she smirked. Her effort in reminding the girl of who’d bailed out on their friendship first was successful. She knew this by the sound of defensiveness in Samantha’s voice.

“Sure,” Francis shook her head unimpressed. “Look, even if we went out there tonight, nothing would even happen, and it’s supposed to rain later. Haven’t you seen the news?”

Samantha’s head shot to the side towards Francis’ profile at the sound of slight contemplation in her voice. She smiled then. “Well so? That’s never stopped us before.”

“No, well I mean: what’s the point of even trying? It’s silly, Samantha, and I’ll probably just get sick.”

“So we’ll go out before it rains. Just, come on, Fran, please? We used to have so much fun together.”

“No, you had fun laughing at me practically pissing my pants every time,” Francis rolled her eyes.

“Oh, yeah,” Samantha chuckled and admittedly agreed, earning herself a smack on the arm, but she flung one of her own around Francis’ shoulder and smiled more honestly. “Well I do really miss doing those things with you.”

Francis sighed again, and Samantha’s attempts to rekindle what was left of their once great, once extremely and overly-accepting friendship were finally beginning to weigh in on her. “Yeah,” she half-shrugged in thought, “I guess I do too.”

“Maybe this could be our last chance to do something like this before we go off to college and fall apart…for good.”

“That’s not really going to happen, Sam. We can keep in touch.” Although the two of them knew how rocky their current friendship was, it was almost as if neither of them really wanted to admit it, and neither of them certainly didn’t want to acknowledge how close to the end it actually was; except for maybe Samantha…through her sarcasm;

“Yeah right, before you marry and squeeze out some little monsters and become the perfect, successful housewife? Sure,” she rolled her eyes and released Francis from the friendly hold she had.

“I will not,” Francis scoffed before she slightly chuckled; “You’re the one that’s going to end up with a kid before I do, Mrs. Soon-to-be-Jason Welbeck.”

Samantha playfully chuckled back with a squint, even through Francis’ little shove, but the response had actually dropped the mood for her and it was just from the mention of the name. She didn’t really want to think of her boyfriend at the moment, not with what had recently been going on between them. If anything, this was supposed to be what was going to help keep her mind from it; trying to spend some time with the only girl that ever had her back, way before she'd met him. The girl she'd spent all of her time with, the one who'd accepted her weird interests, who shared the most laughs and memories with her. Her warm childhood memories. Everything else in her life currently seemed so frightening, moving so quickly, and Sam just wanted a little bit of comfort that was familiar to her.

She then sighed more longingly as she looked away. Her hands found their ways to the straps of her backpack to grip and hang from as she walked. The two girls then suddenly became quieter; disappointment falling over one while guilt began to hang over the other.

“Well okay,” Samantha finally shrugged in defeat, voice a little lower. “Just thought I’d give asking you a shot. Would’ve been cool…. just like when we were little,” she sheepishly smiled as she scratched her head.

Her gaze fell to her shoes again at the thought, and the expression was just enough to guzzle up the rest of Francis’ sympathy with just one glance. It really did seem like Sam was trying this time. Francis then rolled her eyes at herself again. She really was the bigger pushover of the two, no matter how hard she tried not to be.

“Okay, finesure. Let’s do it.”

“Really?!” Samantha’s head popped up with twinkling eyes and a large smile. Francis didn’t have to answer before she was squeezed into a hug; “Great! I’ll meet you at your house later tonight and then we’ll head out together. Okay? I have to get something first.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Francis nodded as she was released from the awkward hug. She watched Samantha begin to back away; “Just don’t leave me hanging.”

"Never," Sam shook her head, an obviousness found in her eyes before she turned away.

Francis couldn't help herself from rolling her own. "Yeah...sure."
♠ ♠ ♠
I've never watched either of the movies mentioned, but I also don't remember how I found the titles.

This story has been hanging around in my drafts for ages, even this starting chapter. It was supposed to be a fun story for Fall, I just never had the guts to post. But you know what? Gutless it is. And I'm sure I'll remain gutless until it ends. This story is not on my current priority story list at the moment. It may or may not update very slowly (sorry!).

Cool story facts?: **So this is an AU and I couldn't decide who I wanted to give the role of the dead to for a while...I'll explain later.