Forced Into Insanity

Chapter 13: Shift

— Gabriel —

Nothing in life is without flaws, not even you or I, Thomas.

Sometimes I'm unsure what to think of that one sentence, it makes me sick to think Kathy fought so hard for us and I did..well, nothing.

I'm pondering this instead of listening to Kathy ramble on. I love her but I could do with less talking.
"Fran hit me! That bitch is just jealous." She huffs angrily.
"What?" Is my immediate response.
"Go make more coffee, Gabe."
"What? No. What was that you said before?"
"Go make more coffee, Gabe."

I only look at her longer.

"Fran hit me. She's just jealous of you caring about me more than her." She says all of this with a make pretend sadness.
"Uh...I don't care about you more- I mean I do but I see you two as equal." I start fidgeting, my way to slap myself without really slapping myself. Kathy stands and walks over to me.

She kisses me.

Except, it doesn't feel real. There's no soul to that kiss.

I scowl in response. She looks at me with an eyebrow raised. I only look at her like a helpless puppy.
"You ok?" I enquire.
"Fabulous actually. Why did you seem so disgusted?"
"It...didn't feel real. I don't know..it lacked passion I guess." I admit truthfully.
"You guess?"

She kisses me again except now it's angry.

"Now you're kissing me like you're mad at me." I pull away, widening the distance between us. She pulls back as well.
"Gabriel?" She calls in her melodic voice.
"Yes?"
"I saw you."
"Where?" I say, incredibly confused.

My eyes widen as her lips mouth Fran's name.

"The fight, Gabe."
"Where was I?" I'm not convinced she saw me.
"Behind Oliver and I. You ran toward Fran too."
"What was I wearing?" I ask out of instinct.
She rolls her eyes.
"Point is, you picked Fran even though you had no clue what we were even fighting about."
"And?" I chose my sister when my girlfriend decided to pull her hair, since when was that not normal?
"Unbelievable." Kathy mumbles as she walks away.

I don't think I want to pull her back.

"I didn't do anything, Kathy. She's my sister." I raise my voice, hoping she hears it.
"So?" Kathy turns around and yells.
"I could've been right, Gabriel Heart. Fran can mess up too you know."
"No she can't." I retort. Kathy looks at me with hurt in her eyes.
"Fran just isn't like that, Kathy. I would know."

Kathy turns to face the wall, possibly holding back tears.
"She'll have to eventually." I hear her mumble under her breath.
"I heard that."
"Feurn will never love anyone, no matter how badly he wants to believe it."
"Isn't that a bit harsh?" I question.
"It's who he is, Kitten. I never looked at him the same way again after he told me he never loved me while I was still with him." She speaks softly, her words laced with a mix of hurt and love.

I step near her and wrap my arms around her, making sure to plant a kiss on her shoulders, far past her rapunzel locks.

—~~~—

— Oliver —

Thoughts overwhelm my mind as I try to single each one out. Fran..Francesca Heart is a girl I no longer know how to decipher. It's disturbing, I can't think of anything else but her. Although I want her, I'm also scared of her; not of her as a person, just the idea of how she'll react if she were to face who I truly am. I assumed she would be okay with it but I realise it's illogical.