White Roses Fade to Black

They arrived at Lucie’s place ten minutes later. Lucie answered the door, looking flushed and flustered.

“Oh, guys, you’re early! Well, I’m just getting some stuff, yeah? So just, uh, make yourselves comfortable, I’ll be ten minutes tops!” Lucie smiled, turning away to rush into the kitchen.

The familiar scent that always lingered round her hung in the air, and David closed his eyes as it washed over him. Calum nudged him, and he snapped out his trance. His face grew hot and he knew he was blushing.

“Be cool, man, you’re making it so obvious,” Calum grinned.

David went redder and sat on the sofa next to Lesley, who was watching TV and rubbing her forearm. Calum sat on her other side and nudged her.

“Hey, what’s up with your arm?” he asked her.

Lesley’s eyes darted towards him, and then to her arm. She stopped rubbing it and cleared her throat.

“Oh, nothing,” she smiled quickly.

Calum sighed and sat back on the sofa, trying to figure out what Lesley was actually watching. It turned out to be Titanic, and Calum just sighed and pulled a face.

“Right guys! I got skittles, popcorn, crisps, dip, cola, orangeade, cherryade and lemonade. Oh and there’s chocolate and liquorice in the kitchen if you guys want it,” Lucie grinned, stumbling into the living room, holding God only knows how many pots and dishes.

A mumble of yeah please went through the group and Lucie giggled and ran into the kitchen to get the chocolate and liquorice. David smiled to himself; Lucie was an amazing person.

“There you are!” she smiled, putting it on the table and jumping down next to David.

Lesley picked up a few bags of skittles and opened one, putting one of each colour in her mouth at once. Calum just stared at her, his eyes glazed and his mouth bearing a huge dopey grin. He moved in and kissed her.

“Calum what the fuck are you doing!” David and Lucie yelled in unison.

Lesley pushed him away from her and ran upstairs, taking her skittles with her. Lucie sighed and looked at David apologetically, then ran upstairs after her best friend.

“Calum what the hell!? You know she still loves Mike! You know damn fine well she does! Why can’t you let her alone, to mourn and grieve for your brother, coz in case you’ve forgotten, he’s dead!” David yelled.

The tears he’d kept back for so long finally burst out of him, and he stood up. Calum looked like he’d been slapped in the face.

“How could I forget?! I can’t help how I feel about Lesley!” Calum yelled, also bursting into tears.

David shook his head and ran upstairs to find Lucie and Lesley.

*
Lucie walked in the room, to see Lesley sprawled on her bed bawling.

“Lesley, sweetie. Are you okay?” Lucie asked her, sitting on the bed next to her and putting a hand on her back.

Lesley shook her head. Lucie sighed, and there was a knock at the door. David opened it slightly and smiled at Lucie. She smiled back brightly, but her face fell as she turned back to her best friend.

“I hate myself. I love him so much…” Lesley whimpered.

“Who? Mike?” David asked, walking in the room and sitting next to Lucie.

“No… Calum,” Lesley whispered, bursting into tears again.

Lucie gasped and put her hand to her mouth. David put an arm round her shoulders to comfort her and she looked up at him, her eyes full of hurt and bemusement.

“Well, uh, maybe you should tell him that. It’s not against Mike’s memory or anything…” Lucie started, putting her hand back on Lesley’s shoulder.

But Lesley cut her off. She stood up and she looked pretty damn angry with Lucie. At everyone and everything, for that matter.

“You know what, Lucie? Who the hell are you to tell me what I am and what’s my master plan? What makes you think that it includes you? Self-righteous wealth!
Stop flattering yourself! What’s the difference between you and me? I do what I want, but you do what you’re told! So loosen up, shut the HELL up. It ain’t no big deal and I’ll see you in hell!” Lesley yelled, angry tears welling up in her eyes.

She started breathing heavily, the tears streaming down her face. Her fists were clenched and there was a vein visible on her temple.

“Whoa, dude, you got lyriqued!” David joked.

“Get the fucking hell outta my fucking house! All I ever tried to do was help you out! And when Mike died, I tried my hardest not to cry coz I was staying strong for you! For you, Lesley! So get… the fucking HELL… outta… MY HOUSE!” Lucie yelled.

Her face became flushed and the tears she’d tried her damndest to keep back for two months came flowing down her cheeks. Lesley pulled out a suitcase and threw her things into them, then stormed out the house. They heard the door slam downstairs.

“Wow,” David muttered.

Lucie’s tears grew heavier and she threw herself into David’s arms, her warm tears soaking his black Simple Plan tee-shirt. At first, he was slightly dumbstruck, but he relaxed and put a hand on her back, stroking her long, wavy, brown hair and whispering comforting words to her.

“It’s okay. Shh. I know you were just trying to help. I’m here, sweetie, shh,” he muttered, closing his eyes and pulling her closer.

Lucie sobbed a little more, and began to calm down. She slowly wrapped her arms round his neck and put her head on his chest, then quietly drifted to sleep.

*
Calum watched Lesley run out the door and got up to follow her. But the door slammed in his face. He sighed and slowly walked upstairs, wondering what was taking his younger brother so long upstairs.

“Dave?” Calum asked, slightly opening the already ajar door to peer inside.

David was putting Lucie in her bed. He pulled her black and red My Chemical Romance bed sheets up to her shoulders and kissed her cheek lightly.

“I love you,” he whispered, sighing and walking to the door.

He positively shit himself when he came face to face with Calum outside the door. His blood ran cold; Calum knew he loved Lucie.

“Uh, how long have you been stood there?” David asked nervously.

Calum smirked.

“Long enough. Long enough to know how you feel about Lucie; why you always close your eyes and smile when she walks away. Why, when she phones you, you’re always excited and go red. Why…” he grinned, cut off by his brother.

“Yeah, I get the picture. Just drop it okay,” David muttered, shoving his brother out the way as he walked past.

Calum laughed and shrugged, following his younger brother downstairs. David turned on the spot and looked angrily at Calum. Calum was quite scared by David’s sudden mood change, and backed into the wall; David following him.

“And what about your feelings for Lesley?! Couldn’t keep them back any longer, huh?! Well you just broke the strongest bond I’ve ever seen between two people, by your selfish act! Well done, you! First place for Dumbest Guy of the Year award goes to Calum Kinkle!” David yelled angrily, forgetting Lucie was asleep a few doors down.

Calum looked at the floor. All he’d wanted to do was to become special to Lesley. Not to take his place… never. But in trying to make her happy, he’d wrecked the one thing in her life that still mattered to her. He sighed and sank to the floor, his head in his hands. David walked back into Lucie’s room, where she groaned as she turned over. David looked at her confusedly and sat next to her. He slowly lifted up her shirt sleeve…