Chapter 13

UNEDITED-

"Alright.. let's watch a movie."

"What movies did you watch when you were growing up?" Ellie asked while flicking through the options on screen.

"I didn't.. my grandfather said movies are for people with no imagination."

"Wow.. were you close with him?" Ellie asked.

"No."

"Then why did you believe him?"

"..I don't know, I guess I just thought he got to where he was because of his values.. and if I shared them, maybe I'd get there too."

"That's sad.." Ellie spoke feeling it.

"Almost as sad as sitting alone on a Friday night watching movies."

"Well, technically I'm not alone."

"You got me there.." Lucille chuckled.

"So what do you want to watch?" Ellie asked and Lu shrugged. "-Can't you see anything that looks interesting?"

"What about that one?"

"This one.."

"Next one on the left.. with the cat and dog head butting each other."

"They aren't head butting.. they're just enemies."

"It looks like they're head butting."

"Fine.. they're head butting." Ellie chuckled as she pressed play.

Lu texted Bree and Phoebe letting them know she'd got side tracked and probably won't be coming back. Bree texted that her and Anita had already left to go to another club. After that Lucille didn't take her eyes away from the screen.. when the end credits played she looked to Ellie, hunched over fast asleep. She did not look comfy. Lu picked her up and laid her down properly on the couch.. as she removed her arm from under Ellie's head Ellie held onto it. "Are you leaving?" She asked squinting her eyes open.. "-What time is it?"

"Just go back to sleep.." Lucille made a small smile.

Ellie let go of her arm. "Where will you go?"

"I'll be alright."

Ellie sat up in the middle seat.. "That's not an answer.. If you don't have anywhere you can just stay here?.. There's enough space. You can even sleep in my room if you want?"

"..I'll stay for abit longer." Lucille sat back down.. Ellie passed Lu the remote and covered her legs with the blanket.. "I'm alright."

"You're freezing hands are what woke me up." Ellie argued.

"Okay.. thank you. Here you pick." Lu handed back the remote. Ellie quickly flicked to something in black and white and pressed play.

Soon enough Lucille had gotten so bored that she fell asleep sitting upright. The early morning sun shining through the window into her eyes made her wake. She looked down to her lap and saw Ellie, fast asleep. Mouth open, dribbling a wet patch onto Lucilles trouser leg.. yet somehow she still looked beautiful, innocent.

Lu made an attempt to free herself but as soon as her cold hand touched Ellie's skin she awoke. Her eyes pinged open and she realised where she was.. she quickly sat up, awkwardly glancing back to Lucille. "Sorry."

"Don't be." Lucille made a comforting smile. "-Thank you for letting me stay." Even though she hadn't intended to.

"You're welcome. Thank you for staying.. and for getting me home. I don't know why I drank so much."

"People usually drink to forget something.. or to numb something."

"Maybe.." Ellie thought about it, unable to pinpoint the moment she decided necking drinks was a good idea.

"Well anyway, I should go."

Ellie nodded.. "I think I'm meeting Phoebe in town later, if you wanted to come?"

"Thank you, I'll think about it." Lucille smiled and stood up. "-See you later Elizabeth."

"It's Ellie."

"I like Elizabeth better." Lu kept the smile on her face and walked out of the room for the front door. For some reason Ellie was smiling too.

Later on, Lucille stayed home and played with Shiloh in the back garden with the remote control car for a few hours while Phoebe went out. The weekend sped past and the girls were informed that Chris would be away for another week, Phoebe and Lucille were thrilled.

Monday and Tuesday were both uneventful.. then Wednesday came and threw everything off balance. Lucille decided to sit alone at lunch as Nicole was sitting with Ellie and Phoebe. Dorathea came over, sat down and asked why Lu was sitting alone. Lucille said she was just too tired to entertain people, Dorathea took the hint and left her to it.. but not before Nicole could make a snarky comment. "Do you think your sister and Dorathea are a thing?" Nicole asked.

"I don't know, Why?" Phoebe turned to Nicole.

"Look." She gestured with her head to where Lucille was eating some lunch, Dorathea sat beside her.

"Maybe they're just friends?" Phoebe answered.

"Uck, I still can't believe your sister is a lesbian, lesbians are disgusting." Nicole spoke.

"Yeah I guess." Ellie sighed only half hearing what was said.

After lunch Lucille walked into her history lesson, where everyone was already sat down. "Lucille you're late."

"I'm sorry sir.." Lucille spoke genuinely.

"It's alright.. I've been asked to send you to the office."

"Okay." Lucille walked back out and did as she was told.. there Phoebe was waiting. "-What's going on?"

"I don't know.." Phoebe sounded slightly worried.

A tall woman in a long dark dress clip-clopped over in her high heels. "Hello ladies.. your mother called in and said she's had to take your younger sister to the hospital so she might not be home when you get there.. now before you worry she's alright. Your mother tells me she slipped over on the playground."

"She's definetly alright?" Lucille asked.

"Yes as far as I'm aware. If we receive any more news you girls will be the first to know."

They nodded and went back to class.. "She'll be alright Lu."

"I know." Lucille smiled to her sister then they parted ways, back to their own classes. The teacher let Lucille slip in silently as not to disrupt the class any further.. each pair sat disgussing where they were at with the project.

"Is everything alright?" Ellie asked.

"Yep. All good." Lucille nodded and started flicking through the text book infront of her.

"Are you sure?" Ellie could feel that something was off.

"Have you picked a civilisation yet?"

"No.."

"What about this one?" Lu put the book infront of Ellie.

"The Neo-Assyrian Empire? We can if you want."

"Sure." Lucille answered.

"...Have I done something wrong?"

"Nope." Lucille answered and started copying down information into her book. After a few questioning glances, Ellie followed Lucilles lead and did the same. While everyone was taking the opportunity to talk it over, the two girls were silently writing down all their notes. After class Ellie waited for Lucille.. She followed her out the classroom door. "-What is it?" Lu asked.

"We should find time to work on this together."

"..Fine, when and where?"

"Lu I must have done something to upset you.. just tell me what it is?"

"No you haven't.. just text me or something." Lucille walked away, suppressing the urge to confront Ellie.

Lucille kept to herself for the rest of the day and returned home to find Shiloh in a cast. "Woah what happened?" Lu asked worried.

"It's broken, and the doctor said when I go back I get to pick whatever colour I want." Shiloh beamed.

"That's... Great Lolo." Lucille smiled.

Phoebe and Lucille sat with Shiloh for awhile, each discussing how they've broken bones in the past. Ellie texted Lucille but Lu didn't open it. She made minimal effort to talk to Phoebe and soon left for her room. Ellie tried to call but she didn't get an answer.. Lu felt she couldn't fake niceness right now, not after hearing what Ellie really thinks about her. Ellie sent her another text at three in the morning and Lucille finally opened them. The first one 'If you want you can come to my house tomorrow after school and we can work on the project?' The second.. 'Can you at least tell me what I've done wrong?' .. Lucille locked her phone and laid her head back down with a long sigh.

When they pulled up to school that morning Ellie wasn't waiting outside for Phoebe with Nicole. Both sisters thought it was odd but didn't mention it, they just carried on with their day. Ellie was nowhere to be seen until she rolled up at lunch time.. looking tired and fed up. "What happened to you?" Phoebe asked from where she sat beside Nicole.

"No, nothing.. just didn't sleep well." Ellie rubbed her head and glanced around, immedietly locking eyes with Lucille who was sat across the lunch hall with Preston and Dorathea. Lu quickly looked back to where Theo and Preston were having a conversation. Ellie sighed.

"Are you sure? You look sick or something." Nicole added.

"Alright Nic, be nice."

"I'm trying, but she does look awful." Nicole argued.

Lucille excused herself from her table and walked off to find somewhere Nicole's annoying voice couldn't reach her. She got another text through from Ellie.. 'Please talk to me.'

At home Lu paced her room for awhile.. finally she typed Ellie a reply.. 'You won't like what I have to say.'

'I just want to know what I did.. I want to fix it.'

Lucille sighed.. she called a taxi and jumped from her window. After ten minutes she was walking up to Ellie's door and knocked. "Hey Lu.." Connor answered it with a big grin. "-What's up?"

"Hey, is Ellie home?" Lucille asked.

"Yeah she's in her room.." He opened the door wider inviting Lu in.. "-Do you remember which one that is?"

Lucille made a small laugh and nodded. "I remember." Then she walked inside and up the stairs.

'knock' 'knock'

"Come in" Ellie asked tiredly. Lucille opened the door and walked inside.. Ellie sat up looking shocked, where moments ago she looked as though she could dose off. "What are you doing here?"

Lu took a glance around the bare white and cream room before looking to Ellie.. "Do you think I'm disgusting?" She asked plain faced.

Ellie shook her head dumbfounded.. "No."

Lucille furrowed her eyebrows.. "Then how could you sit there and agree with her?"

"Agree with what? With who?" Ellie asked clearly still confused.

"She said that lesbians are disgusting, and you agreed."

Ellie shook her head.. "That's what this is about?"

"What the fuck do you think?"

"Ellie I'm going out with Tyler! I'll be back around seven!" Connor called up the stairs.

"Yeah fine!" She called back rubbing her forehead, then she unrolled the cover and stood up, still wearing what she had at school. "-Lucille I don't think you're disgusting. You really thought that?"

"Then why would you say it?" Lucille still had a hurt look on her face that she was trying hard to disguise as anger.

"Nicole opens her mouth and sometimes shit just falls out.. I don't listen to everything, I'd loose my mind if did."

Lucille sighed.. "I need some air." She left the room and went back downstairs. She opened and closed the front door, then stood leaning against a pillar on the porch while she sparked her cigarette. Ellie grabbed her coat and shoes and ran after Lu. She opened the door and saw her blowing out a puff of smoke. A sense of relief washed over her.

"Do you believe me?" Ellie asked.

"I think so.."

"Can I have one of those?" Lucille looked to the lit cigarette in her hand. She held it out for Ellie to take.. Ellie walked beside Lu and took a puff, choking out the smoke.

"Tastes like crap huh.."

Ellie nodded as she continued coughing and passed it back over. "Why do you smoke?"

"My old therapist said I do it because it's something I can control. But then again she was cunt."

"Do you think you'll ever stop?"

"Maybe one day." Lu stubbed the cigarette out on her fingers and flicked it into a bush on Ellies lawn.

"Do you want to come back inside?.. We can work on the project?"

Lucille nodded, "Alright." and the two went back inside. For an hour and a half they discussed different topics they should address, and wrote the points out ready to put into their presentation. "That was quicker than I thought it was going to be.. your smarter than you look."

"Thank you.. I think. Are you going on the trip tomorrow?"

"Yes, me and Phoebe both. Are you?"

Ellie nodded.. "I hate camping." She visibly cringed.

"You'll be fine.. I hear it's a cabin not a tent." Lucille chuckled. "-..I have to go now, but this was nice."

"Yeah it was.."

Lu stood up and walked to the door. "See you tomorrow Elizabeth." Then she left.

When she got home dinner was ready, she sat and ate with her mother and sisters. Julia was making sure the girls had everything packed and ready. When dinner was finished Lucille went to her room and wrote out some more possible things to highlight in their presentation to the class.

The next day soon appeared and the girls lugged their things into the car.. "Be good, make sure you stay with the group." Julia added.

"We will, we love you.." Phoebe waved as she got in the car.

"Love you Ma."

"I love you both too.. my beautiful babies are growing up too fast." Julia almost got a tear thinking about it.

Before long the girls were pulling up outside the school.. their year group was lined up next to three minibuses. Lucille was put on one sitting next to Preston, Ellie and Phoebe sat a few seats infront on the same bus. Preston talked more about the choir and how he needs someone with Lucille's vocal range. "As much as that sounds like fun.. I prefer to stay out of the limelight."

"I get it.. thank you anyway."

Preston continued to talk about different classes and Lucille sat watching out the window at the passing cars.. speaking only when she felt it was nesseccary, just filling the spaces.

After a two hour journey they all piled out of the vans.. staying in the groups they'd arrived in. They were shown where they'd sleep.. Each of the three groups had their own log cabin. Boys in one huge room and girls in the other on the opposite side. They picked their beds and set their stuff inside. Phoebe and Ellie picked the same bunk bed.. Lucille was bunked with a girl called Natalie that she'd never spoken to before. As Nat was a wide short statured girl Lu put her own stuff on the top bunk.

The groups were brought together outside where the teacher could address them. Telling them that today they could relax and explore but this trip is about team building, learning new skills and most importantly about having fun. They were told about the activities they'll get to do and handed leaflets to let them know what days they'll be doing them so that they could be prepared. Afterwards they were brought to a larger cabin, inside was a huge open space with many tables dotted around, a kitchen far at the back, a counter infront of it for them to line up at. The hungry students all lined up for lunch, except Lucille who just picked a place in the corner to sit down.

"Hey Lu.." Phoebe sat down gaining her attention from where she'd been staring out the window, Ellie sat down next to her. "-Aren't you hungry?"

"No."

Sam walked over.. "Hey um, Ellie can we talk?" .. "-Please?"

Ellie looked up at him.. and nodded. "I'll be back soon." She spoke in a tired voice. She took her food and threw it in the bin before following Sam outside.

"What do you think that was about?" ..

"You'd know more than me." Lucille shrugged.

"Ellie doesn't really talk about herself."

"You're bestfriends and you hardly know eachother?"..

"We're twins and we hardly know eachother. It doesn't mean I love you any less."

Lucille smiled.. "Okay, you got me there."

Phoebe smiled back.. "I'm glad you're here Lu."

"So who was the boy I found with with in the kitchen?"

"His name is Micheal." Phoebe smiled playfully and glanced around the room.. "-Over there."

Phoebe quickly looked back to Lucille as Lu looked over.. The boy Phoebe had been looking at had his eyes on her.. "Well you certainly have his attention."

"Yeah.. but we're engaged."

"Forget about that.. you can't marry someone if you're already married. Holy shit that's it." Lucilles face lit up..

"Are you crazy? Dad would kill us.."

"And then what? At least we'd be free.. Think about it.. you don't even have to stay with the person you marry." Lucille sounded even more enthusiastic.

"You might actually be onto something." Phoebe sighed.. "-When did our lives get so confusing?"

"The day we were born.. hey do you remember when we were four and they decided to give us the same hair cut?" Lu chuckled..

"Everyone kept getting us confused for like two months.."

"Yeah until you started taking advantage of it.."

"I just wanted more cookies, can you blame me?" Phoebe laughed.

"Gina certainly did.."

"Didn't she threaten to cut my hair with kitchen scissors?"

"Got you to stop didn't it?.." Lucille laughed, it soon subsided.

"Do you think it's weird that Gina spent more time with us than mum? I don't think mum has cooked for us once."

"Well can you imagine her at a stove? I think we'd have been poisoned by now if it wasn't for Gina."

Phoebe snorted.. "Yeah.." She sighed.

"You have five minutes to finish what you have left and clear the tables!" A male teacher called out.. "Five minutes!"

Sam and Ellie walked back inside, Sam went to his friends table across the hall and Ellie sat back next to Phoebe. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, it's good." Ellie smiled to Phoebe.

While Ellie was talking to Phoebe, Lucille listened to what Sam was saying. His friend asked him how it went.. "We're back on track boys.. we're going on a walk later, maybe she'll give me something then."

"You wish.." One of the boys laughed.. "-That one is definetly frigid."

"Can't disagree with you there.. but trust me I know she wants it."

"What about Kristen man?" Another boy asked.

"She was just to fill in the gaps.. just because Ellie wants to wait doesn't mean I have to."

Lucille had heard enough.. "I'm going to go back to the cabin, see you guys later." She got up and walked out. After almost ten minutes to herself everyone piled back into the cabins turning the peaceful silence into chaos. Lucille could bare it for five minutes before going over to Phoebe.. "I need some air.. call me if you need me."

"Okay.." Phoebe could tell Lucille was agitated and guessed that it was because of all the chattering.

Lucille traveled halfway up the mountain through the forrest, a journey that would take a human an hour took her fifty seconds. She stood at the edge of the cliff and breathed in the fresh country air. For half an hour she sat with her legs dangling off the edge. Looking to the camp, to the horizon and back to the camp. Her phone started to vibrate.. "Hey Jen.."

"Lu wh-at's up?"

"I've got a bad connection Jen."

"Ba-ad inj-ect-ion?"

Lucille hung up and wrote out a text.. 'I have a bad connection. I'll call you when I can.' She hit send.. it took two minutes to say delivered.

Five minutes after that her phone vibrated. Jen sent a reply.. 'All good, was just calling to see how you are.'

As Lucille was typing out a reply she heard a scream echo through the mountains.. it happened to sound alot like Ellie. Lucille sped down the mountain faster than she's ever ran before.. finally after what felt like forever she had arrived to the scene. Ellie being backed up into a crevice of the mountain by a mountain lion.. Sam running and screaming in the opposite direction, slipped on a wet rock and knocked himself out. Without another thought Lucille pounced onto the lion, tumbling with it a few times before she managed to get a grip of its head. She pushed it down into the dirt.

________

NOTES

Hey everyone, thank you for reading!!

I really hope you don't think you're wasting your time. :)

To those sending power stones, or offering simple feedback.. Thank you so much!!

I'm greatful for every one of you!!

Even if you don't like it I'd love to know why, maybe it's something I can improve on.

Anyway.. Love love. Peace. <3