The Terrible Twelve

Chapter 16: The Grumpy Swan

"Thank you for telling me." Viridian was lying on the couch again and Ian had gone back to reading. It had been awhile since their conversation but it was still very much in Viridian's mind.

"Of course. I don't have any secrets from you."

"Good, because I have enough for the both of us." Viridian joked.

"You know, you should go out tonight. I feel like I've been monopolizing your time lately."

"No you haven't you've been busy. I've just been getting used to my body and this house."

"Yea it is a lot to get used to but you should go out and have some fun."

"You think? It would be nice to get to know some of the girls better." Viridian thought.

"Yea I really think they like you."

"I like them to. Especially Evangeline, she's so much fun to be around."

A knock on the door had Ian looking up from his book, "Come in."

"Hey guys." Surprisingly it was Evangeline. "You guys wanted me?"

Ian laughed, "I hadn't even called you yet. How'd you know we were talking about you?"

Evangeline shrugged before laughing. "What's going on?"

"I was thinking about going out tonight and I would love it if you were to accompany me." Viridian explained, "I haven't been out in awhile and I still don't know London."

"Oh yea of course! I would love to go out with you! We should make it a girl's night!" Evangeline squealed and jumped up off the couch.

"That would be awesome!" Viridian laughed.

"I'll go invite everyone and we can leave in like an hour."

"Awesome, I'll go get ready." Viridian hopped up off the couch after sending a bemused expression towards Ian who laughed in response.

An hour later and Viridian met all of the ladies in the foyer of the giant church. Eva had even managed to get grumpy Rivka to come out with them, which was a feat in itself. They were dressed in various shades of club wear and Viridian knew that heads would be turning towards her family tonight.

"Come on," All of the girls had already excited the building except Nadia and Rivka. Nadia was nudging Rivka to move forward. She knew her friend wasn't exactly keen on going tonight but it would be fun and she needed some fun.

Rivka was highly against having fun especially when that fun included Viridian. She didn't like her point blank and one ladies night wasn't going to change that. But Eva had begged and when Eva begged nobody could refuse her. It was those damn big eyes of hers that had you bending to her every will.

Rivka couldn't stand it. And on top of all of that, she had to dress up as well. Rivka wasn't a sparkly heel type of woman. She preferred combat boots and shorts to dresses and accessories. She just couldn't help it, she was not a girly girl.

But if that's what Eva wanted tonight then that's what Rivka would give her. She would drink and toast like the rest of them and when she went back home she would scrub the night from her body in her high powered shower. It was the best thing about her entire room and she wouldn't give it up for anything. She would have killed Chris if he hadn't let her make modern renovations when they'd moved in. She just couldn't live like the age she was born in, like he could. He was so content with sleeping in a coffin and reading by candlelight. But Rivka would take a California king and LED any day.

It was probably one of the only things that they disagreed on; at least until little miss greenie showed up. Until Viridian came around, they agreed on anything and everything. But now, it was like Chris was entirely different person and Rivka was not happy about it.

It made her miss the days when it had been just the two of them. Rivka and Christian taking on the world and all the new things it had to offer with each passing century. They used to go o adventures, taking down pirate ships, and looting gold from unsuspecting cowboys. She used to have a best friend but nowadays, she wasn't so sure she did.

"Keep up Rivka!" Eva yelled from the front of the group. Rivka had been lagging behind, lost in her thoughts, and she knew that if she was left behind she would go home and the Eva would kick her but.. No matter how many weapons she owned and knew how to handle, a pissed of Evangeline would scare her any day.

"So what's your deal tonight?" Sophie had slowed down to walk beside her.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just enjoying the beautiful summer night."

"Yea, you don't enjoy nights Rivka. What's up?"

"Nothing. I just wasn't that excited to go out tonight." She answered.

"Were you not excited to go out? Or just not excited to go out with Viridian?"

"Is it that obvious?" Rivka laughed.

"We all know that you aren't subtle in your feelings Rivka."

"Well I at least tried."

"Yea ok." Rivka laughed again, "Why do you hate her so much? Besides the obvious." Sophie continued to follow the girls down the sidewalk, keeping her eyes firmly planted on Rivka. She was likely to run at any moment.

"What's the obvious reason?" Rivka asked. If she'd been obvious about her feelings surrounding Viridian then the others must know about Chris.

Sure enough Sophie flashed her a look, "You know exactly what obvious reason. I have no idea why Ian doesn't know but God knows the rest of us do."

"Story of my life." Rivka mumbled. "I don't know what more I could do for the boy."

"It doesn't exactly matter anymore now does it?" Sophia mentioned softly.

"That exactly what bothers me so much. Yea ok he doesn't like me I'll get over it but it's the whole 'I went off and created the love of my life and now she's everything you wanted to be' thing that's getting me."

"Is that preventing you from getting to know her? Because she really is a fairly nice person." Sophia knew that a friendship between them would be tense if any was possible but she didn't want the group to be full of tensions every time both of them were in the same room together.

"Yes. Because if I get to know her then I'll know exactly what made him choose her over me and I don't want to know that information." Rivka answered.

Sophie nodded her head before waving to the others that they were coming. She was standing across from Rivka outside of a popular bar. "I understand that. All I ask is that you at least keep the sarcastic comments and dirty looks to a minimum. You're not going to make him happy if you continue to act like this." Sophie, having finished saying what was on her mind, entered the bar.

"But what if I don't want to make him happy any more?" Rivka sighed and shuffled her way into the noise.

Pictured: Nadia Okiro