I'm Comin' Home To You

Chapter Three

Two Months Later

It took me two months to fully realize how special Lucille Opal Crystal Kane was. She was a closed book, until we would sit up nights, her house or mine, didn't matter, and talk. She spilled her darkest secrets then. Like why she moved out of Oakridge.

“It was an accident, sort of. I mean, I meant to do it... But I realize now how stupid I was.”

“What was an accident?” Neither of our brains were working full speed, thanks to the nice, fat blunt we had smoked an little bit ago.

“Trying to kill myself.” She giggled. “It's not funny, but I look back and it's like... Fuck, man. What was wrong with me? Why would I try to end it? I mean, sure, my dad is a drunk and an asshole when he drinks and my mom can be over-protective sometimes and my brother drives me insane sometimes, but I love 'em, ya know? They're family. Why would I try to kill myself because of them. And then, after it spread across town that I was crazy-loopy-insane” she swirled her finger around her ear in the classic 'crazy' way “well, then we had to move. My mom lost her job because she refused to leave the hospital. They were not understanding at all. And my dad started drinking even more and being just so pissy all the time. Jonah started getting teased at school for having the 'crazy' sister. It was hell. Small town drama sucks.” She rolled onto her side and faced me. I sat there, face a mix of shock and admiration. She had survived. But she was more like me than I originally thought.

True, out of the group, we were the only two who lived in Glacier's Edge. We were also the poorest and had dad's who were drunks, mother's who were over-protective. But now I knew we were so similar, like sisters.

“I tried to kill myself once.” My voice broke the silence in the room. “I was 14. I was so tired of living my life. My mother had basically disowned me for calling the cops on my step-dad. My brother hated me. I was battling depression and being alone and some other things.” No need to inform her of that yet. “I decided to swallow a bunch of pills. I also grabbed some NyQuil, drank the whole bottle. Woke up on my bathroom floor, in a puddle of vomit. That's why we moved here. My mother found me. Thought it was an overdose from something I got at school. So we got out of the city, came out here. Mom thought the 'country life' would be good for me. Ha!” we went silent, both lost in thought, and then I reached out, giving into the urge that had been the hardest to hold back for two months – the longest I'd ever held an urge back – and brushed her strawberry bangs behind her ear, stroked her cheek, leaned closer to her and brushed my lips against hers. I shivered and so did she.

I pulled back, against my will, and looked into her beautiful eyes. “Was that okay?” I asked, hoping I hadn't rushed things.

In response, she leaned over and kissed me again, fiercer this time. I wrapped my hand through her hair, tangling my fingers through it. This time, she pulled back. Her eyes were glinting with excitement. “I'm tired.”

“Me too.” We giggled again, and I kissed her, once, soft and quick. “Night.” We curled up, closer tonight than we had been before, and fell asleep.

§§§§§§

When I woke up, Lucille was still asleep. She was quietly snoring, an action I found irresistible, and a strand of her hair was draped across her face, over her nose. It moved – in and out – with every breath. I reached behind me and grabbed the book I was reading, Forbidden by Tabitha Suzumi, and began to read. I got through three chapters before Lucille woke up with a sigh.

I reached over and brushed the strand of hair behind her ear. “Morning.” I whispered. “How'd you sleep?”

She smiled at me, sleep still hanging by tendrils from her. “Good.” Even her voice had sleep still attached to it. “You?”

“Better than I have in a long time.” I smiled back at her, leaned in to kiss her. She pulled back.

I tried to hide the pain on my face until she said quietly “I have morning breath.”

I held in a laugh. “I don't care.”

“Well, I do!” She sat up. I sat up with her and ran my hands through her hair.

“Lucille, I don't care about morning breath.” I leaned over and kissed her. She kissed back, then pulled away. “Fine.” I stuck my tongue out at her and she laughed. I joined her. I stopped short. “Shit! It's Wednesday! We have school.” I looked at the sun outside, shining brighter than it should were it 7am. “We overslept by a lot!”

“Fuck it.” She fell backwards, “Let's play hookey today.” I smiled and leaned over her, looking into her beautiful eyes.

“All right.” I leaned in and kissed her luscious lips.