Seaglass Promises in the Midnight Sky

Midnight Sky

Lorraine believed in a few things with all of the fervor of her childhood, regardless of logic or probability. It was like she was treating herself, but with her heart.

First, she was a firm believer that life was priceless, regardless of any afterlife or achievements.

Second, she believed that a promise made with Seaglass was unbreakable.

Third, the one that mattered in this particular moment, Lorraine believes that lies are not told at Midnight.

She wasn't an idiot. She had learned to take everyone's promises and words with a heavy serving of salt. They were more personal rules than anything else. Things she believed, in hopes of them making her a happier and better person. Little, easy things to live by.

Which of course is how she found herself once again sitting by the pool with Conrad Fisher, watching the time change into the next hour, Midnight.

"Why are you upset with your dad?" She asked, to fill the space before he could, to ask before he could.

"I'm not." He told the water, seemingly uninterested in telling the truth. Before she could think about the dangers she said, "You don't have to tell me but you can't lie."

"I could, like physically." He argued. Sometimes Lorraine thought he just argued for the sake of it. To make conversation. Conrad acted like being contradictory was vital to his health.

"Nope, it's midnight, no lying at midnight."

"Where'd you come up with that?" Lorraine just shrugged. Everything just seemed sacred at night. Unbreakable and fragile as glass in the same breath. Like everything amazing was born under the light of the moon and every great thing broke under it too.

"Fine. But you can't tell Belly or Taylor." He wouldn't look at her. His eyes were fixed to a point ahead of him, like it held the strength he couldn't find.

"I won't." She promised, bracing as much as she could for the impact of his words.

"My dad is cheating on my mom," Conrad told the stars. Admitted to her. Lorraine let it sit, let it sink into the pool, muffed in the water. Then, she asked another question.

"Does she know?" He looked at her then, for just a moment, like he wasn't sure if he should be telling her this. As if he didn't know why he was. She didn't know any better than him.

Conrad took a deep breath, released it, then said, "Yeah. Except she's pretending it's not happening like everything is fine."

"Does Jeremiah?" Lorraine asked, thinking back on all the times she had seen the younger Fisher brother.

"I don't think so. He doesn't pay attention to things like that."

The words died out after that, but Conrad quickly filled the silence using her own method against her. A painful smile etched across his face he prompted, "Anyways, what about your parents? Got anything worse in that childhood of yours that will make me feel better?"

Lorraine wasn't sure telling him would make him feel any better but it was Midnight and she didn't have any other ideas of how to bring his mood up.

"Uh. Maybe. My mom died when I was like eight." The smile, as fake as it was, dropped off his face.

"Shit. I'm sorry." He told her sincerely, running a hand through his hair.

"It's okay." She smiled in an effort to convince him. Lorraine had stopped feeling horrible about it a year or so ago. It was an old wound now, one that hurt occasionally, when she thought of it, when it rained.

"So you live with your dad then?" He asked, more tentative than before like he was preparing for an answer he hadn't considered previously.

"Yeah, him, my step-mom, and her kid."

"Wait you have a sibling?" She almost laughed at his surprise, if it was light out, if they weren't having the conversation they were, she would have. Different realities as it was.

"Kinda. It isn't- Our relationship isn't like yours and Jeremiah's, we're more roommates than anything else."

"Well, if it makes you feel better Jeremiah is very annoying."

"Weren't we trying to make you feel better?" She pointed out, knocking her shoulder into his.

"Yes, but I feel better. You don't."

"Oh, I didn't realize you were in the business of telling me how I feel. I thought all your time was taken up fulfilling your role as Mr. Teenage-Angst." Lorraine mocked, though her words were too soft and her smile too genuine for anyone to possibly be able to take her harshly.

"Fuck you. I take back every nice thing I ever said about you." He said it with a smile, with a spark of humor in his eyes. It made her feel safe continuing the bickering match.

"When did you say anything nice? I didn't think you were capable."

"It's more like all the times I thought of saying something bad about you but didn't."

"What out of the goodness of your heart?" She asked feigning doubt.

"Hey, my heart is made of gold." He pretended to be offended.

"Sure, asshole."

"Wow, don't hold back."

"That's it," Lorraine said, getting up and heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" He questioned, honestly confused.

"To the kitchen where there are plenty of knives." She could hear Conrad jumping up, his footsteps as he worked to catch up to her. She sped up, a smile growing on her face as she started running for the door.