Together We Stand

CHAPTER SIX

surviving is never beautiful

Ruth Harper Everly

extremely unedited

"WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE SONG?" Ruth asks Harley. The two girls were sitting in an old house that was abandoned years ago. It was rumored that it would be demolished, but it had been years, and Ruth doubted that was true.

"Either Gasoline by Halsey or this song, Painkillers," Harley answered, with a sigh as she breathed in the smoke of her weed. "The story of my life. Very lovely morning, try not to kill yourself todayy. Yours?"

"Well, maybe Love Story- actually, nevermind. That's Venus' favorite song," Ruth muttered, stuttering off. "I don't really have a lot of original things. Everything was Venus' favorite, not mine. I guess it was mine because it was hers?"

Harley looked at Ruth, with a look of almost pity, but not quite. "Well, it sounds like we gotta find your music taste."

"I do like this one, Painkillers you said?"

"Yup," Harley said, popping the "p". "We can listen to more of their songs. Rainbow Kitten Surprise, one of my favorite artists."

Harley scrolled through her phone for a bit, before she put on the song It's Called: Freefall, which she explained to be their most popular song.

"Holy shit, you're too busy saving everybody else to save yourself, and you don't want no help is beautiful," Ruth gasped, grabbing her phone and putting the song on a playlist.

"Story of your life as well, I'ma assume?" Harley asked, to which Ruth nodded. "I like you a lot, Rue, can I call you that? You're insane like me, you've been in pain like me, you're strange like me, fucking awesome."

"Thank you," Ruth giggled. "I like you a lot too, uhh, Har. You're different than others. I love that."

"Don't ever call me that again," Harley said, trying to be menacing but she started giggling as well. "So, how's your relationship with Venus?"

Ruth got quiet. She was avoiding Venus, but she didn't know why. "I don't know. She makes me weak, I cry too much with her."

Harley sat up from laying down on the picnic blanket, staring into Ruth's eyes. "M'sorry to hear that. Is your relationship kinda based on emotions?"

"I guess so, why?"

"Well, that could be the problem," Harley responded. "You don't got any balance. Heavy emotions, light times of just enjoying each other, y'know?"

"Oh," Ruth muttered, looking into her lap. "I guess we could try to fix that. You're really smart, you know."

"Thanks, Rue," Harley smiled, placing her hand on Ruth's arm. "I believe in you, 'lil one, I think you'll figure out how to fix your relationship." She hopped up from the picnic blanket, with an excited look in her eyes. "I saw a train station around here, you wanna go for a ride?"

"Who are you calling little?" Ruth glared at her, and Harley burst into giggles. "Just because you're a senior doesn't mean I'm little!"

"Come on, 'lil junior," Harley chuckled, outstretching her hand and helping her up.

Ruth shook her head, not knowing what to respond to that. The two girls grabbed their stuff, and headed to the car. They went on their way to the train station, singing to Rainbow Kitten Surprise.

When they got to the station, Ruth noticed that everyone was looking at them, but more so Harley.

"Why does everyone always look at you that way?" Ruth whispered to Harley, who just grabbed Ruth's hand and squeezed it.