They'd spent so much time together, James had gotten used to that soft presence beside him. Soft but striking, and so- different. Different from Betty. Augustine was the grey sky to Betty's summer days.
They spoke about things he couldn't talk about with Betty, simply because she- she'd never understand, she'd never relate to it, she'd have helped, had he told her. But showing someone your scars- couldn't be done without trust, trust that James didn't have. Betty was perfect, and over the year, he knew one thing- she'd leave. Maybe not then, maybe not yet, but she would. She'd leave, she'd be happy and he'd accepted that.
They had something beautiful, and he'd let it play out- till the world decides they weren't that beautiful thing anymore. James clung to that thought.
They'd found their way around Lake Centennial by that time, so when he found her perched on a tree, he smiled. She didn't notice him just then, cigarette in hand staring into a void, her long dark hair's tips turned to gold where the sun could reach them.
"Oi James!" she yelled from the tree, making those few old grandmas peer at him. He snorted and ran up to her.
"I'm now a source of gossip for Grandma Weekly," he huffed.
"What can I say? I've made you famous already." She chuckled with a shrug. Her green eyes flashed before she jumped down.
"Coffee?" he asked. She laughed and grabbed it, taking a big sip.
"Woah slow down Tine, that's expresso- like a lot of it," he yelped. She rolled his eyes at him before finishing it.
Then she laughed. "What?" he asked.
She shook her head, smiling, but her head was bent low enough that he couldn't see her eyes. "It's just- you called me Tine," she said, softer.
Oh. He scratched the back of his neck, "Yeah, that slipped out- I'm sorry," he muttered, not sure where to look.
"No, it's okay. It's just- no one's called me that in- well a while," she said, lightly. Before he could speak she went on. "I like it, though- James, call me Tine," her voice was barely a whisper. Somehow he knew he'd been trusted with a part of her- a part of her that had been buried below the surface for so long.
"You're- you're mum called you Tine?" he asked, carefully. He had no clue what he was doing. Asking her to open up? The hypocrisy, James, the hypocrisy.
Instead of answering, she pulled up her faded blue jeans, revealing her ankle- and an anklet. But that wasn't the first thing James noticed- it was the several small scratches on it, and scars from years, pale barely visible lines now, but James recognised them. He saw the same ones himself everyday.
Augustine pointed to the anklet, with a small glass shard on it. "Her favourite wine glass. That was all that was left of it through the wreckage. I got it on the day I left. It's been with me ever since then. And everytime it digs into my skin, it reminds me of the crap that happened. And I don't want to forget. I don't want to forget because that's all I have," she'd started slow, but she was worked up now, worked up and scared. She turned, refusing to meet his eyes. He shuffled around, staring at the sky. Then impulsively wrapped his arms around her.
She pulled away soon, and headed the other way. "Thanks," she murmured. "I'll see you tonight, James," and she walked away.
He got a call that evening. From his mum's boyfriend.
"James, listen it's Arnie here. It's about your mum." Arnie? Who's Arnie? Her doctor? Oh. The boyfriend. It took a while for him to recognise his voice, but James ignored it.
"Hey Arnie, uh?" He said awkwardly.
"Your mum, well I told her not to go out, but she went anyway, and she was really, really in no condition to drive. She- well she got into a really bad accident, they've taken her to the hospital right now, and I had to let you know." he said. James couldn't even process it. The words were just lifeless, they didn't string together, they didn't make sense.
"I'm coming back-" he started.
"You can't. It'll mess up the agreement with your lawyers. This will be the last time you'll be obligated to see your dad. You'll be 18 soon, James. Just- I'll let you know, okay?"
It was sinking in, and he was angry. He wanted to scream. As much as his mother was unstable, she'd stayed with him. She'd stuck around.
He hissed and crumpled to the floor. His painted nails dug into his skin, and he let out a single loose sob. Who'd listen to him? Betty would. Betty'd listen. But that's a burden. He didn't need to worry Betty. He heard the lock click then, and there she was, her long hair slicked back in a white t-shirt.
She stared at him in horror. "What happened James-" she asked, pulling him to his feet. "Betty," he croaked, pointing to his phone.
"What happened with Betty? James? Did you two break up? James?" she asked, concerned. And that's when he did everything wrong. He didn't want to worry Augustine about his mum- she'd think she'd have to leave, and he didn't want her to run away. She'd become- well she'd become important. To him.
So he nodded weakly. Her sympathetic green eyes met his. "James, I'm so sorry," she murmured, sitting next to him on his beanbag.
"Tine," he whispered, his fingers brushing her palm. She sucked her breath in, and pressed her lips to his, hard- with purpose. She pulled away, and James longed for her.
"Sorry," she said breathily. He cupped her face in his palm, and whispered, "Don't be," as he kissed her again. He knew it was a lie, he knew it was wrong, he knew- somewhere in there that he should have said no; but he didn't.
Why were lies so beautiful? But he didn't think of Betty's smooth brown hands when he laced his own with Augustine's, he didn't remember her sunny brown eyes when he stared at Augustine's longing greenish eyes, he didn't remember his nervous kisses with Betty as he bit hard on Augustine's lower lip.
He only remembered Betty when he woke up, their clothes all over the floor, Augustine's eyes firmly shut, a ghost of a smile on her face.
And he checked his phone, Augustine's arm still swung around him with just one text from Betty.
'You up?'
◞┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈◟
PERCY JACKSON TV SERIES PERCY JACKSON TV SERIES CASTING
on another note, this just got a lil steamy
tysm for reading, like what that's so sweet ilyvm
x, rajita
TheyWereOnA_Break katiestoll_13 waffle on, waffles
◝┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈◜
YOU ARE READING
dropped your hand while dancing
Fanfiction- a folklorian love triangle - She'd hugged him then as she hugged him now, only this time she leaned on the willow instead of climbing it, this time they weren't just holding hands in silence, her hand was under his sweatshirt, and she lifted her...
