Corin woke up every morning thinking about Fern, and texted her a small thing she should love about being alive, eg #19: when you wake up to sunshine and warmth.
"Corin, it's been hell without you-"
"It's hell with me, Ferno."
"-well, yes, i know, but. I didn't know what to do. I knew I had Jay and Tommi but Jay got mad at me for even so much as mentioning you. And I couldn't talk to Tommi because they don't know how close we were, I mean, hopefully still are-"
"Obviously."
"-and they've never had a friend as important to them as you are to me, Corin." She gushed. I let her breathe for a second.
"Better?" I asked.
"Better." She responded. "Has Fabian missed me?"
"We all have. Where were you even staying?"
"I went to live with Uncle Jamie. He's been really lonely without Frisk, I thought I'd keep him company."
"So," I said, dragging my 'o', "tell me about Tommi then." She lightly nudged her elbow into my ribs and I laughed as we began walking towards the field. She flooded me with love and feelings for Tommi. A large part of me wanted to be happy for her, a hugely large part. But, for some reason, I got more the feeling of a large, bubbling anger in the pit of my stomach. An inexplicable, violent, boiling hot anger. I assumed I was just being protective of her; she was my little sister after all. So therefore she was generally quite precious to me. They could never love her enough for me to be satisfied with their treatment of her. Not ever. Because she was the most pure thing to have ever existed on this planet and I will love her endlessly with no boundaries and that's how they should feel about her too.
..............
Bio was mostly boring that day. I talked to Chandler a bunch, which honestly surprised me because I didn't like the kid much. He was telling me about his barbecue he'd hosted at the weekend, if I'm remembering correctly. All his and his Dad's church friends had been invited after the Sunday services.
"Why'd you never mention your Mum, Chan?" I asked softly.
"What's to mention when you haven't got one?" he sighed, "She left with my brother when I was young."
"Oh, jeez, Chan. I'm so sorry my dude." I said gently. Parental issues were something I was used to dealing with, as I had done for many years. "What about your brother?"
"Corin and Chandler, are we paying attention at the back? You're doing A-level biology here."
I took a sharp breath, ready to shoot back at her. "Terribly sorry Miss, but some of us have more interesting conversation topics than bloody Osmosis." ("Ooooooh"s all around)
"Miss Winslow!"
"Mrs Brixton!"
"I'm sorry, Miss, we'll pay attention." Chandler cut in, shooting me a glare, "Won't we, Corin?"
I rolled my eyes before plastering on a sickeningly sweet smile and gave a "yes, Miss, of course!" She rolled her eyes and turned back to the board again. Chan made me jump as he broke through the barely-formed silence.
"I did know my brother, though, and still do. Though, not as well as you do." I hummed my agreement and nodded. It took a good 30 seconds before, "Wait. What?"
"Yeaaah, Tommi. They're my biological brother."
"Wow- I... had no idea?"
"Yeah, I took our Dad's name, Masterson-Burrows, and Tom took Sperryn." He explained, "Then they came and lived with us again when Sharon, Mum, died"
"Shit," I sighed, "I'm sorry, dude."
"S'alright," He said, "Just. Take care of Tom for me, yeah?"
I nodded, squeezing Chan's hand and deciding that my opinion of the kid had changed, and Tommi, for that matter. Neither of them were really as numskulled as I'd thought.
I then pondered of a thousand questions I could never quite bring myself to ask Chan. I decided against telling Fern all my new intellect, but it didn't matter because Tommi had told her anyway. I found out that him and Tommi were indeed thick as thieves and really bonded over Sarah's death, which turned out to be a cancer. Cervical, if I'm remembering correctly.
When the bell rang after that lesson, I knew I'd learnt all I needed about Tommi as well as Chandler. And I also knew I had something to talk to Jay about, which was perfect since he came bounding over to me at the end of the day.
"Rinno!" he squealed, extending his 'O'.
"Aight, Daniels?" I laughed as he hugged me.
"I got a 92 in Spanish!"
"That's blood brilliant, you clever little shit!" I hugged him tighter and spun him round on the spot out of pride, "But. That's not all is it?"
He looked jokingly guilty as he continued. "Tommi spoke to me all. lesson. and it was fucking. great."
"Speak of the Devil, I have a plan." He 'oooo'd at me and wiggled his eyebrows. I told him I'd text him the details before hopping into Denver's car to wait for Fern. The second I was in the rusty old car, I got my phone out to text Daniels.
"What are you and Jay plotting?" Fern laughed down at her phone, though talking to me, shaking her head.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I winked at her.
Corin so desperately wanted this to mess up everything Fern and Tommi had. She wanted to see fern crying over them, yelling how much she hated them.
