The Split

Chapter 9

A/N: It took me awhile to get this one going and then once I did I really enjoyed writing the second half, it really didn't go where I expected it to! I hope you enjoy reading the whole thing :)

Chapter 9:

So you know how I wanted to do a collab with Kevin? Yeah well that didn't really happen, no we just ended up moving him back in. I also forgot to tell Esther, to say she wasn't impressed would be an understatement.
     Esther couldn't believe that he was moving in and I hadn't consulted her. Let me put it like this, she lives here rent free, I don't have to consult her. She however does not see it that way and so she hasn't said a word to me in the last two hours. We'll be good by dinner, she never stays mad at me for long.
     "How much thinking have you done on the Kirstie thing?" Kevin asks as we both put boxes down in the spare room, well not spare any more, it's Kevin's again, now we have no spare rooms.
    "A lot."
     "So are you going to talk to her?"
     "If she'll let me."
     "Have you tried contacting her?"
     I shake my head, "Nope."
     "Well aren't you just a genius."
     "Thank you," I turn a smile on him.
     "I was being sarcastic."
     "What? No?!" I laugh, "That was sarcasm too Kev."
     "I'm starting to think it wasn't the best idea for me to move back in here." He sighs and bends down to pick up the box he'd just put down a minute ago.
     "No-no, don't, I won't be silly anymore, I mean I'll try not be. Sometimes I can't help it," I joke, earning a smile as he puts the box down once more.
     "Good, because I really don't want to be carrying all this stuff out again," he chuckles. "So now you go and call Kirstie while I unpack."
     "It's only been a few days Kevin, it's too soon, she won't want to talk to me."
     "I'll call her then."
     My eyes widen as he pulls out his phone, "What? No!" But it was too late, he was dialing.
     "Hi, yeah hey Kirstie... how are you... oh good, that's good... yeah me too... I have someone here who needs to talk to you, this is all my idea so don't be mad at him," and he shoves the phone into my hand.
     "Hey Kirst," I say slowly as Kevin backs into his room, shutting the door between us. I'm left with Kirstie on the phone, and she's not happy.
     "Why are you dragging Kevin into this?"
     "Did you not hear him? He dragged himself into this, I was too scared to call you because I know you hate me."
     I hear her sigh, "I don't hate you Avi." That's good, that's really good to hear her say that.
     "You don't?" I have to be sure.
     "No I don't, I'm just really mad and really really disappointed." That's almost worst.
     "Please let me try and make it up to you."
     "I don't know how you possibly could Avi." I didn't either.
     "I at least have to try, you mean to much to me to let you disappear for another two years, I can't let that happen again."
     "I'm not going anywhere. But fine, I'll let you try and make it up to me, you better figure out something good Kaplan."
     "Like I said I'll try my best."
     "Alright. And Avi-" she pauses for a moment and I hum in reply to let her know that she has my full attention. "We need to talk at some point, about what happened, I need to understand it, and it wouldn't seem right over the phone."
     If we were together I'd be worried she was going to be breaking up with me. But who knows maybe she was going to tell me that no matter what I did she still didn't want anything to do with me. I hesitantly answer, "Yeah sure, of course."
     "Are you free tomorrow?"
     I nod, then remember she can't see me, "Yeah, yeah I am,"
     "Good, I'll be over tomorrow then."
     I take a deep breath before I ask my next question, her answer would put me on a scale of really just how mad she was at me, "Will Marcia be coming too?"
     I hear the hesitation in her voice and I swear my heart must stop for a moment before she answers, "Yes." Now I knew, I knew she definitely didn't hate me, she can't if she was going to allow her daughter to be around me still. I tried to suppress the small smile I had brimming, even though she had told me that she didn't hate me, that is what I would call definite proof.
     "I'll see you two then."
     "Yep, bye."
     "Bye."
     I am literally cheering in my head as I hang up the phone, tomorrow really can't come fast enough.

And then I couldn't sleep. Me, Avi Kaplan, I couldn't sleep. I love sleep, but I just couldn't. What if even though she was bringing Marcia, she did in fact hate me, what if my logic was wrong? It wouldn't be the first time.
     What if Kirstie was coming over to tell me that she never wanted to see me again? She might not be leaving but she just didn't want to see me anymore or talk to me. With all this going through my head there was just no way I'd get to sleep.
     So I sit up and I get out of bed. This is nothing a snack wouldn't fix right? I'll just make a sandwich, I start to gather ingredients, I'm just about to grab the cheese when I pull back, weird dreams are the last things I need right now. I end up with just chicken and mayo because the greens aren't speaking to me, not that they ever are because I hate them. But it's past midnight and I think it's stupid to eat vegetables past midnight.
     With my snack made, I walk around the apartment eating it, because why not, my apartment my rules. And when I'm about halfway through I walk into Esther's room thinking about all the times I'd the very same thing when I was little and had had nightmares. She's always been there for me and right now I'm in a real life nightmare, unfortunately of my own doing.
     I only have a quarter of my sandwich left when I tap on her shoulder and she swats out at me knocking it to the ground.
     "Ew! What was that?" she screeches, sitting bolt upright and snatching her glasses from the bedside table.
     I sigh, "A really good sandwich." I bend down to pick it up, I wonder if it's still okay.
     "So help me Avriel, if you eat that I'll kill you."
     "Well that's a little harsh," I look away from my sandwich to my sister.
     "Put it in the bin," she points across the room. "What are you doing in here? At-" she must check her phone while my back it to her, "Almost one in the morning."
     I flop back onto her bed, "I can't sleep."
     "And so with that free time you choose to annoy me?" Ahh same old Esther, she was always so much meaner when I'd woken her up, she'd come around she always did, plus it could be traces of the fact that I let Kev move back in without telling her.
     "That's exactly what I did."
     "Why can't you sleep?"
     "Because I'm a horrible person," I say quietly.
     "Avi? What? No," I can see her shake her head out of the corner of my eye, boy is she wrong.
     "Yeah I am, and worst of all I think Kirstie hates me, she said she didn't, and then she's bringing Marcia with her tomorrow, but I've come to the realisation that that doesn't mean anything and that she hates me."
     "But if she said- nevermind, just come here." I look over at her to see her arms wide open. Esther always gives great hugs. I crawl up the bed and lean against her, facing away from her. She wraps her arms around me in what some might call a chokehold but I would call an Esther hug that she could turn into a choke hold if I said something really dumb, or to piss her off. "What did you do?"
     "Why do you assume I did something?" Her arms tighten and my voice goes higher, unusual yes, but possible. "I did something."
     She loosens her arms again, "And what was that?"
     "I cheated on Jess with Kirstie." And there went her arms.
     She speaks calmly, as if she's not choking me, "See I thought something like that might have happened since you didn't mention Jess at all, but I didn't think you of all people would stoop that low and yet here we are, my arm around your for the best reason it ever has been."
     "Air!" I squeak and her arm loosens enough for me to breath, she'd never really hurt me and I'd actually let myself into this position in both ways.
     "Now you know what I reckon?" she doesn't pause long enough for me to get a word in. "I reckon Jess hates you, but not Kirstie."
     "Jess slapped me."
     "And you deserved it. But I don't think Kirstie hates you, she'd be hurt that you lied, but she won't hate you. It's never been in her nature to hate anyone, you should know that Avi. Now just close your god-damn eyes," I do and she pulls me with her, momentarily cutting off my air again as she lies down. "Lay your pain in the ass head down. And go to fucking sleep."
     If her words weren't so violent they'd make a good song.

A/N: Yeah not at all what I was expecting, he was gonna write a song then nope he talked to Esther and then I thought it'd be cute, but nope it was... whatever that was haha, hope you guys liked it, please vote, comment and make my day!

Hannah :)