The Blonde Bowstring: Steelgray's Story

2

When Nicole's rescue boat touched down in Limitless, Colorado it was surreal. She could barely keep her tears at bay. Barely not meaning impossible, just nearly. But when she saw her mom, everything came rushing out.

Now she was sitting on her mom's bed. The only difference was that her dad was nowhere in sight. Nicole didn't know how to feel. She was happy that her mom didn't just move on without her dad around, but it also meant she was lonely for the most part.

She had moved back into her old bedroom an hour earlier and now she was staring off into the distance. Her welcoming back to Limitless was colder than expected.

"So... where's Frankie?" Nicole asked, finally looking up. She clenched her jaw awaiting the response. Truthfully, she was scared she'd hear the news that her sister had died in some freak accident while she was away.

"Oh, she's abroad right now. Libya, I think, working on a human rights mission."

Those were some big shoes to fill, Nicole thought as she nodded her head. That sounded about right.

"She graduated five years ago," Jillian said.

So then she's living the life that I should be, Nicole realized. She tried not to hate her sister for it as she ducked her head with a small smile. "I'm happy for her."

"Oh, I'm so proud of her as well. Frankie Sanandrea sure has made a name for herself."

"Sanandrea?" Nicole asked in confusion and a hint of amusement. That was the name of her old Spanish teacher from high school. Why did Frankie have it? "As in Señor Sanandea?"

"Yeah, I know," Jillian said with a high voice, trying not to cringe. "I don't know how it happened and I don't know when." The older blonde woman just had to brush it off.

Nicole nodded slowly. She understood that her sister was friendly, but it was scary and weird to think that she was with her old Spanish teacher. "Mom, I'm really tired."

"Oh, okay," Jillian said. She nodded slowly. She walked over to her bed and sat down at the headboard. "Lay back, Nini."

Nicole sniffled. She hadn't been called that for eight years. Not by her mother. And not by her dead best friend Aaliyah when she wanted to mock her.

Aaliyah. It still hurt to think of her like that. It was the reason she lost sleep so often. It's why she barely put up a fight against Joe earlier.

Just as Nicole's eyes drifted shut, she saw Aaliyah.

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She was standing in front of Nicole and trying to cheer her up. The blonde didn't want to do anything except sulk on the couch.

Aaliyah held both of Nicole's hands and danced her arms about. "C'mon Nicole, forget about Elasti-boy."

"Aaliyah, I can't," Nicole said. She couldn't help but giggle a little when Aaliyah almost yanked her arm off.

Aaliyah had on her favorite Nicki Minaj song and desperately tried to get Nicole out of her funk.

"C'mon, Nicole it's a vacation. So vacate that mind and danceee."

"I can't," Nicole repeated. This time she pulled out of Aaliyah's grasp. She looked down at her now red hands and sighed.

Soon Aaliyah was on her knees before her best friend. "I want you to feel better," Aaliyah said softly.

"Thanks, Liy, but I'm really not that into that."

Aaliyah's eyes widened comically. "Uh, I wasn't really trying to offer that, Steelgray."