The Dress - an Iain de Caestecker Fanfiction

Chapter 19: Party Time

The night started innocently enough, but you couldn't help but keep your guard up, every time there was a knock at the door you half expected it to be some cheesy male stripper.
"Would you relax, Turbo, I didn't hire you a stripper." That actually does make you relax a bit, and before you know it, you're partying with the rest of the group.
Old friends of yours from college showed up, some of whom you haven't seen since graduation, and of course, your family from the set, including both cast and crew. You started the night feeling like a broken record, thanking person after person for their congratulations, then as folks had started drinking and you got a few shots in you, the conversation got more interesting... And made less sense. You're all laughing like idiots about a story involving a llama, Jules Verne, and a Volkswagen when Nicky gets a phone call and she excuses herself briefly,
"Okay, now." She slurs slightly when she comes back, her accent getting thicker, "Before we are all too far gone, and before I forget she's waiting for us. Y/N, I have a special guest for you." She hauls you up to your feet, where you both waver a little bit. Neither of you are quite drunk, but you're both buzzed enough to be unstable.
"Nick, you said you didn't hire a stripper." You whine,
"No," she snorts, "first of all, this is a woman, and second, I already told you I didn't. But you do have to promise me one thing, before I open that door." You look at her, raising an eyebrow, "don't hate me. You need this." You nod and shrug lightly, but your brows furrow. How could she possibly make you hate her after everything that's happened?
She opens the door, letting in the mystery visitor.
Oh. That's how.
You feel the blood drain from your face and your buzz is instantly killed when you find yourself standing face-to-face with your sister.
.
.
.
No one talks for awhile, so Nicky introduces her,
"Ladies, this is Angela. Y/N's sister." There follows a slightly awkward, or rather incredibly awkward, silence when no one quite knows how to respond. They all know bits of your family horror story, as you put it, so a few of them watch you to see how you'll react. Before you have a chance,
"It's nice to meet you Angela. I'm Elizabeth." Lizzy jumps up, offering her hand, Angie takes it gratefully, but looks at you worriedly, as if she's not sure you are going to allow her to meet your friends. As though you won't allow her back into your world.
Elizabeth introduces the rest of the gang and they try to make small talk, offering her a drink as you grab Nicky by the arm and pull her, none too gently, into the hallway
"Nick, what is this?" You hiss,
"I did tell you not to hate me, ya know." He responds, she sets her hands on your shoulders, trying to keep you from freaking out too extensively. You don't quite know how you should react. You want to scream. You want to kick this woman you haven't seen in how many years out to the curb. You want to get away from her. And Nicky. And the group.
"Listen, Turbo. You're gettin' married. You have minimal family in this world. I know you keep tellin' us your home was more than broken, but this is the kind of time where you start repairin' things like that. You will want your family there-"
"I don't want my family at all." You try to push her hands off your shoulders, but she doesn't let you go.
"This is one of the biggest days of your life. Friends aren't quite enough, right now. I'm sure you've got some choice things to say to her, and when I talked to her about comin' tonight she was real nervous about it. She knows things aren't just goin' to be alright. I think you should talk to her. She's got stuff to say too." Nicky takes a step back, releasing your shoulders. All you want to do is cry. You had done so well avoiding your so-called family for so long, now it's looking like there's no more running.
Nicky gives you one last look, telling you to take your chance while you can before she goes back to the living area, where the ladies had all started chatting, getting to know your sister. You just stand in the hall, feeling like an outcast at your own party. Memories of that wretched family life dig themselves out of their graves in the back of your mind and start replaying again in your head. You can't stop them this time, and you can't go back out there with her, so you lock yourself in your bathroom, curling up in the corner of the shower.
You didn't know why, but this was always your go-to haven. Whenever you had a nightmare or did poorly in school, had an argument with a friend or got bullied. Or when you heard your parents fighting yet again. This is the spot that always made you feel safe.
There is a soft knock at the door.
"Gimme a minute."
"Y/N?" It's Angie's voice. How can you possibly still recognize that? She's whispering gently, timidly.
"Just... Just gimme a minute." You sigh, you will your breathing to regulate as you feel a panic attack come on. There was a reason you buried all those memories, it was just too much to handle. The effort of breathing normally shifts your concentration just enough that you can't hold the tears any longer, you don't sob, you don't whimper, the tears just flow down your face, unbidden and almost unnoticed.
"Y/N, can we please talk?" Angie asks softly. You stand with effort, your joints already somewhat stiff from the cold tile. Your hand pauses on the doorknob as you take a breath. Your guard goes up as you open the door and look at your sister. No more running.