and keep your eyes wide
Original characters.
438 words. PG.
Summary: Elle and Nickie grew up two sides of the same coin.
Note: Posted here originally. I FEEL SO WEIRD PUTTING ORIGINAL STUFF ON LJ. This is set in the 60s, btw.
Elle and Nickie grew up two sides of the same coin, two flowers on either side of a fence, explosions of curly hair around their faces constantly tamed by irritated mothers, mirror images except Nick's hair was shiny copper and Elle's dark like earth. They played in secret, Nickie the knight to Elle's queen or the wolf to Elle's doe. They'd catch each other on the way to school and complain about their moms, how their mothers were mean and too hard with the hairbrushes, and they'd undo each other's braids. Elle's always took the longest to mess up because her mother had quick, clever fingers that made such tight bindings, and Elle's school was farther away, so they were always late.
By the time high school rolled around playing pretend wasn't so fun. Nickie had become a not-so-nice girl who ironed her hair and ratted it up and took in more smoke than air. She failed her classes and protested her exams and ended up kicked out, doing check-out at the grocery store just to avoid going home. Elle was conscious of being picture-perfect, of being an example, but she could never be a very good example for Nickie. It was unfortunate, because they were finally allowed at the same school, and Nickie was already out of it.
Nick's the one who kisses first but it punctures Elle, releases all her air in a sharp painful rush, and she kisses back with both hands caught up in Nickie's ratty orange hair. But she still plays her part, says, It's not right because it isn't, for about a million reasons. Nickie shrugs, offers, Boys are boring, and I've only ever loved you anyway. Elle sighs and kisses Nick again, because that's it. She knows that's it.
Elle is a notably good girl but even her patience has an end. She looks away and closes her eyes and shuts her ears and doesn't listen to the things people call her because of what she looks like, knows it would be a lot worse if they knew about her and Nickie. She makes herself small and silent for years so that she can be a good example, get into a good school, live a good life. Only she knows good is all she can really hope for, not any better and probably much worse. So she's the one, against all odds, to say, Let's get the hell out of here.
It's all Nick's been waiting for, it seems, her eyeliner long ago traded in for lovebeads but her grins just as hard, and she says, I thought you'd never ask.
Original characters.
438 words. PG.
Summary: Elle and Nickie grew up two sides of the same coin.
Note: Posted here originally. I FEEL SO WEIRD PUTTING ORIGINAL STUFF ON LJ. This is set in the 60s, btw.
Elle and Nickie grew up two sides of the same coin, two flowers on either side of a fence, explosions of curly hair around their faces constantly tamed by irritated mothers, mirror images except Nick's hair was shiny copper and Elle's dark like earth. They played in secret, Nickie the knight to Elle's queen or the wolf to Elle's doe. They'd catch each other on the way to school and complain about their moms, how their mothers were mean and too hard with the hairbrushes, and they'd undo each other's braids. Elle's always took the longest to mess up because her mother had quick, clever fingers that made such tight bindings, and Elle's school was farther away, so they were always late.
By the time high school rolled around playing pretend wasn't so fun. Nickie had become a not-so-nice girl who ironed her hair and ratted it up and took in more smoke than air. She failed her classes and protested her exams and ended up kicked out, doing check-out at the grocery store just to avoid going home. Elle was conscious of being picture-perfect, of being an example, but she could never be a very good example for Nickie. It was unfortunate, because they were finally allowed at the same school, and Nickie was already out of it.
Nick's the one who kisses first but it punctures Elle, releases all her air in a sharp painful rush, and she kisses back with both hands caught up in Nickie's ratty orange hair. But she still plays her part, says, It's not right because it isn't, for about a million reasons. Nickie shrugs, offers, Boys are boring, and I've only ever loved you anyway. Elle sighs and kisses Nick again, because that's it. She knows that's it.
Elle is a notably good girl but even her patience has an end. She looks away and closes her eyes and shuts her ears and doesn't listen to the things people call her because of what she looks like, knows it would be a lot worse if they knew about her and Nickie. She makes herself small and silent for years so that she can be a good example, get into a good school, live a good life. Only she knows good is all she can really hope for, not any better and probably much worse. So she's the one, against all odds, to say, Let's get the hell out of here.
It's all Nick's been waiting for, it seems, her eyeliner long ago traded in for lovebeads but her grins just as hard, and she says, I thought you'd never ask.