Find my courage (Pokemon fanfiction)

~33 Family dissarray

Warning: This chapter contains reference to drug abuse and other illegal actions. I do not condone these actions and they will not be mentioned beyond this chapter.

~Jessica's pov~

I sat on my bed, my arms crossed over my chest in a pout as my sister came back into the room. Somehow, I knew this evening would end in a fight between the two of us, and not just one of our normal sisterly fights either, I was furious with my sister and I needed answers.

"Don't give me that look." She snapped, narrowing her eyes at me as I stuck out my tongue. I was cross with her and I'd make sure she knew it.

"What were you talking to my friends about?" I snapped back, irritated in my older sisters behaviour towards my new friends. I found it hard enough to make friends who'd actually tolerate both me and my big sister without having her scare them off afterwards.

Nicholette turned away from me dismissively. "I don't want you hanging out with those people, they're trouble." She replied, studying the travelling supplies laid out on the small bench of the kitchenette. "I was making sure they knew where I stood on the matter."

"I don't get why you see them as a bad influence. They're perfectly nice people and unlike most tolerate both me and my overly controlling sister." I sighed, looking out the balcony window. "Why can't you just be happy for me like most sisters would!?"

Nicholette remained quiet for several minutes, listing the supplies we needed to buy before leaving town. "I don't care what you think Jessica, I say you can't hang out with them and that's that."

I shook my head firmly. "No! I finally made friends and you just want to ruin it! It's not easy for me Nicholette--" I began, close to tears at how frustrating my sister could be.

"Nichole!" She snapped with a heavy glare. The venom in her eyes was almost enough to make me cringe I was enough used to the look to ignore it.

"Your name is Nicholette, I can use it if I want to! If you don't like my new friends, fine, I'm going to travel on my own then!" The tone of my voice rose with each word and it was clear my sister was getting frustrated with me but kept her cool.

As she began repacking our supplies, she didn't even look at me - was she really that disgusted by me? "Jessica, you have no idea how to travel on your own and your Pokémon are no where near strong enough to defend you if needed. I refuse to let you travel by yourself." Her tone was obviously forced into being calm as frustration showed among her features.

"Then I'll travel with my friends." I responded indignitly.

My sister crossed her arms calmly, looking down at me - her temper as cool as ever as she raised an eyebrow at my temper. "And if they say no?" She replied as if it was certain.

"Then I'll just go home!" I shouted, my hands balling into fists.

"Calm down Jessica, you're not five years old. You will not go home. It's not a safe environment for someone your age, I will not allow mother and father to tempt you with their disgusting habits, that's why I paid for you to go the that fancy boarding school in the first place." She replied assertively, clearly trying to gain control of the situation.

"I hated that place Nicholette! Everyone was a complete snob, I was the only one there who grew up in a caravan in the worst part of their home town." I shouted, furious at my sister for thinking she even knew anything about my life at that accursed school. "I was picked on and teased every day there and I had not a single person to ever talk to about it! No one would be my friend, the teachers thought I was trouble, mother and father obviously wouldn't care and you didn't even bother to call for 6 years! I was ecstatic when you came home and invited me to travel with you because I thought I wouldn't be alone anymore, I thought I'd finally have a chance to make up for some lost time with my sister and make some real friends but if I'd known you would just scare them all off and yell at me for all the things I already know are wrong with me, I'd have never bothered leaving that stupid school! I would have stayed where I already knew I didn't belong instead of traveling with someone who only ever seems to see me as her burden!" Haphazardly, I through my pillow across the room, missing my sister by mere inches. "I know I wasn't supposed to be born okay, I was a mistake because father got overly drunk one night! I know I'm a mistake and I know that everyone hates me for it and I'm so sick of trying to be my best for all the people I know I will never ever be able to please!" After my outburst, I stormed from the room to the balcony, collapsing into one of the old deck chair situated outside in exhaustion.