Post by Riley Sorsa on Dec 23, 2020 10:31:39 GMT -8
"What if you didn't go?"
The question had been asked twice before.
The apartment was mostly dark, it's only light came from the kitchen. Dishes scattered the counter and a slight smell had begun to collect around the sink. A stack of Chinese away boxes, were piled on the stovetop. The apartment beyond remained in darkness, but even that couldn't hide its disarray.
The sliding glass doors to the small balcony were open, allowing the cool evening breeze the filter through. Setup in the center of the balcony was a small card table with two paper plates with a half-done dinner. On either side folding chairs occupied by Riley and Claire. Riley was lounging in grey sweat pants and a moth holed t-shirt. Claire wore a light green blouse, and tights, her jacket was slung over the seat.
The question only drew a sigh out of Claire, she didnt spare a glance to her sister.
"What if you come along?" She retorted before picking up her wine glass.
Riley let out a half-hearted "ha." Not the answer they wanted.
"I've bought my flight, Riley," Claire said finally looking over.
"Yeah, but what if you were sick." It was a weak suggestion. Last year it was cause Claire was spending it with her made-up boyfriend, the year before that it was because of work. Being sick, that would be pushing it even for Claire.
"I think two years of missing Christmas sick or not our parents would be desperate enough to come here for the holidays. " She was right, Christmas was their favorite time of year, and they had nearly lost their minds the first time Claire said she wouldnt be home. Three times in a row would be impossible to task.
"Great, we could pull out a table and have dinner here," Riley said with a smirk gesturing back to the disaster of an apartment. Claire rolled her eyes, not dignifying that with an answer. They both knew that couldn't happen.
"I have a tree and everything" The tree was a plastic one, they had bought it two years ago at goodwill, half the lights didn't work.
"Come on Claire, what am I going to do?" Riley said as if in jest, it wasn't though.
"I dunno? Go to one of your parties or hang out with your friends."
Right. Friends. The darkling's mood dropped, their voice tinged with a bitter tone.
"You know those are mostly me working"
"Riley you can survive a week" The statement felt finale.
A silence fell over the two as they stared out over the city. Riley picked up a fork and prodded at their dish of now mostly cold general to chicken. The tension was palpable.
The moth looked to their sister. Even now Claire was hard to read for Riley. Or maybe the moth just couldn't stop projecting their worries onto their sister. It was infuriating at times, and now it just made Riley feel isolated. The silence became too much.
"Okay, your going." A pause.
"Will she be there?" a stupid question, they already knew the answer to.
"NO!" Claire snapped denying the question as she slapped her hand on the arm of her car before pointing to Riley.
"No, you don't get to ask that. That's not fair"
Riley had broken the rules.
"WHAT I CAN'T AS-" Claire cut them off.
"No, you cant! Because I can't ask you. It's unfair and you know it."
Riley opened their mouth but Claire bulldozed over them.
"You won't tell me shit. And you know I stopped asking. But that means I have to live in this fucking limbo. Where you are here and she is back home. I have to lie to our parents, Riley."
Clair stood up and moved to the railing of the balcony turning around crossing her arms. Riley hadn't seen her this pissed in a while.
"I Don't push you, or pry, I dropped my life and moved here for you. But if I cant get answers, then you won't either. Jesus, Riley have you ever thought how weird this is for me? I have responsibilities, I can't just run away from the family."
"I didn't run away." The darkling said coldly, avoiding eye contact.
"not...that time."
Claire paused, she had stepped too far. The two siblings sat in the separating silence.
"I am sorry. I didn't mean that"
"I know"
"I have to go. They're our parents."
" I know"
"It's only a week"
" I know"
Claire took a deep breath and put her hand to her forehead.
"I...I should go"
Clair stepped into the apartment to get her things. The moth could hear their sister rummage through the apartment, the click of a lamp and the jingle of keys and a purse. Her voice came from behind.
"I just wanna help"
The moth didn't respond. They couldn't respond. Anything they would say would be too much.
"I will see you next week"
Riley didn't turn to say goodbye. A moment later the sound of the front door clicking into place meant Claire was gone.
The question had been asked twice before.
The apartment was mostly dark, it's only light came from the kitchen. Dishes scattered the counter and a slight smell had begun to collect around the sink. A stack of Chinese away boxes, were piled on the stovetop. The apartment beyond remained in darkness, but even that couldn't hide its disarray.
The sliding glass doors to the small balcony were open, allowing the cool evening breeze the filter through. Setup in the center of the balcony was a small card table with two paper plates with a half-done dinner. On either side folding chairs occupied by Riley and Claire. Riley was lounging in grey sweat pants and a moth holed t-shirt. Claire wore a light green blouse, and tights, her jacket was slung over the seat.
The question only drew a sigh out of Claire, she didnt spare a glance to her sister.
"What if you come along?" She retorted before picking up her wine glass.
Riley let out a half-hearted "ha." Not the answer they wanted.
"I've bought my flight, Riley," Claire said finally looking over.
"Yeah, but what if you were sick." It was a weak suggestion. Last year it was cause Claire was spending it with her made-up boyfriend, the year before that it was because of work. Being sick, that would be pushing it even for Claire.
"I think two years of missing Christmas sick or not our parents would be desperate enough to come here for the holidays. " She was right, Christmas was their favorite time of year, and they had nearly lost their minds the first time Claire said she wouldnt be home. Three times in a row would be impossible to task.
"Great, we could pull out a table and have dinner here," Riley said with a smirk gesturing back to the disaster of an apartment. Claire rolled her eyes, not dignifying that with an answer. They both knew that couldn't happen.
"I have a tree and everything" The tree was a plastic one, they had bought it two years ago at goodwill, half the lights didn't work.
"Come on Claire, what am I going to do?" Riley said as if in jest, it wasn't though.
"I dunno? Go to one of your parties or hang out with your friends."
Right. Friends. The darkling's mood dropped, their voice tinged with a bitter tone.
"You know those are mostly me working"
"Riley you can survive a week" The statement felt finale.
A silence fell over the two as they stared out over the city. Riley picked up a fork and prodded at their dish of now mostly cold general to chicken. The tension was palpable.
The moth looked to their sister. Even now Claire was hard to read for Riley. Or maybe the moth just couldn't stop projecting their worries onto their sister. It was infuriating at times, and now it just made Riley feel isolated. The silence became too much.
"Okay, your going." A pause.
"Will she be there?" a stupid question, they already knew the answer to.
"NO!" Claire snapped denying the question as she slapped her hand on the arm of her car before pointing to Riley.
"No, you don't get to ask that. That's not fair"
Riley had broken the rules.
"WHAT I CAN'T AS-" Claire cut them off.
"No, you cant! Because I can't ask you. It's unfair and you know it."
Riley opened their mouth but Claire bulldozed over them.
"You won't tell me shit. And you know I stopped asking. But that means I have to live in this fucking limbo. Where you are here and she is back home. I have to lie to our parents, Riley."
Clair stood up and moved to the railing of the balcony turning around crossing her arms. Riley hadn't seen her this pissed in a while.
"I Don't push you, or pry, I dropped my life and moved here for you. But if I cant get answers, then you won't either. Jesus, Riley have you ever thought how weird this is for me? I have responsibilities, I can't just run away from the family."
"I didn't run away." The darkling said coldly, avoiding eye contact.
"not...that time."
Claire paused, she had stepped too far. The two siblings sat in the separating silence.
"I am sorry. I didn't mean that"
"I know"
"I have to go. They're our parents."
" I know"
"It's only a week"
" I know"
Claire took a deep breath and put her hand to her forehead.
"I...I should go"
Clair stepped into the apartment to get her things. The moth could hear their sister rummage through the apartment, the click of a lamp and the jingle of keys and a purse. Her voice came from behind.
"I just wanna help"
The moth didn't respond. They couldn't respond. Anything they would say would be too much.
"I will see you next week"
Riley didn't turn to say goodbye. A moment later the sound of the front door clicking into place meant Claire was gone.