Lamentations

2- How It All Began

Adrian

He felt her trying to pry his arm away from her body, only making him tighten his hold on her. April sighs, not necessarily irritated, but wondering if she should just lay there and be happy with how they were. Really, all she wanted was to get up and go meet his little sister.

Last night, after a long day of working and going to school, the couple came home to Haley, their roommate, making tacos for everyone. Gunnar had bought a few drinks to take the edge off of the day. Wine for Adrian and April, and vodka for himself and Haley. That was how April found out about Adrian's little sister.

She wanted to meet her, but Adrian was scared out of his mind. What would she say when he got there? Would she be mad that he left or relieved that he was back. He wouldn't know. Still, a part of him was curious as to what his family had become when he was gone. Did his father get any better? Was his mom okay?

"Adrian, hon, we need to get up," April yawns, her voice cracking with sleep. He buries his face in the crook of her neck.

"Five more minutes," he groans. She rolls her eyes and faces him. April starts to trace her hands along his jawline, and when it reaches his chest she pushes him hard enough to make him fall on the floor.

She hops out of bed and grabs some clothes to go take her shower. "She's your sister, Adrian. If you're not excited to see her then act like it."

He gets up and rubs his now aching shoulder and begins to get prepared for a day he wasn't ready for.

*~*~*~*

"Come on, Adrian. You aren't even a little excited to see her after three years?" April asks, surprised that Adrian's shown not even one emotion of how much he wants to see his sister.

"It's not that. It's just- What do I even say after three years?"

"I don't know. A simple 'how have you been?' would be nice."

"Look, babe, this might be a horrible idea. For all we know she might slap us. Ha, she's really unpredictable." Adrian's tone went from serious to sarcastic and rude in two seconds.

"Adrian, she is your sister. Give her a chance. Please," April says, demanding and impatient. Adrian rolls his eyes, but decides he'll oblige to what she says. Jane shouldn't be too bad.

He stops the car in front of his old house. It looks so worn down. He thought it might be condemned and vacant. Still, he and April step out of the car and walk across the yard to knock on the door. Jane opens the door, and Adrian's shock is an understatement. She has grown up so much in the last three years, her body much more sculpted, and her face in loss of its past baby fat. But she looks tired, too tired to be only fifteen years old. Jane's prominent characteristics are from being hungry, and there are heavy bags under her eyes.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she asks. Her reaction is just what Adrian dreaded, and they cut into him in a way he hoped it wouldn't.

"Hey, Jane," he says, a sad smile on his face.

She ignores him and looks to the girl standing behind Adrian. "Who's the girl?" Jane demands. And while April takes a step forward, Jane steps back, despite how far they are apart. She itches to use the knife hidden in her boot but pushes the thought away.

"Jane, this is my girlfriend, April. Can we- um- may we come inside?" Adrian's comfortable, confident façade had been erased. He was so tense, afraid that Jane may lash out.

"What do you want? It's not like you want to stay here, so why did you bother coming back? We're just fine without you."

Adrian took in how badly his parents let the house go. There was mildew in every corner, an odd smell in every room.

"Is Dad still drinking?" Jane nods curtly and sits on the sofa. She almost disappears into the old, soft pillows, but manages to sit up straight.

"Why are you here?" she repeats. Adrian sighs, trying to think up an answer that won't piss Jane off too much. She stares at him impatiently, and all poor April can do is sit there and wait.

"It's been way too long," he finally says. Jane scoffs. "Jane I'm serious. I'm so sorry that I haven't been here, but I've sent money. Why don't you ever eat?"

"Maybe because our drunk ass father literally beats me to it, Adrian. If you're here to openly worry about me, you can leave." Jane stands up and goes back to her room, giving up on the conversation.

Adrian doesn't follow her. He almost takes to her command. "I'll talk to her," April insists. Adrian tries to stop her, but there's nothing he can do. April's just as stubborn as Jane.

She follows the path Jane took to her room and knocks on her bedroom door. There wasn't an answer, so she knocks again, calling Jane's name. There still isn't an answer, and April pushes the door open. Jane's on her in a second, an arm wrapped around April's throat, threatening to cut April with her tiny knife. April lets out a scream, but fights off Jane as much she can. The girls are rolling around on Jane's bedroom floor when Adrian walks in. He pulls Jane off of April and bangs Jane's hand against a wall until the knife falls from her hand.

"Jane, what were you thinking?" Adrian yells. Jane's eyes water up, and she can't answer. Not in the way she'd like to. "You would have killed her, Jane!"

"She shouldn't have came in my room," Jane says, choking on her tears.

April picks up Jane's knife and throws it across the room. "Let her go." April is calm, but she still braces herself for what might come at her. Nothing happens in he few moments Jane is let out of Adrian's grasp, so she speaks. "Jane, listen. You don't have much a reason to trust Adrian, and you sure as hell don't have any reason to trust me, but you best believe that we aren't here to hurt you."

"Then what the hell do you want?" she yells.

"We want you to come stay with us."