"This is what she had become."
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Cleopatra Banks' last week in the small town of New Chelsea is nothing like she would have imagined it, but nothing could have prepared her for the stinging betrayal she's faced with and suddenly the prospect of...
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Alexis glared at her friend as though she had grown a second head, three horns and a couple extra appendages.
"Lexi, come on! Do you want me to toss you over my shoulder and body slam you into the bus?" Cleopatra scowled at Alexis, who was clearly being too stubborn and gripped her shirt even tighter, trying to pull her into the bus.
Alexis muttered something under her breath and let a stray teardrop escape from her eyes. She proceeded to wipe it away quickly before the bored looking passengers on the said bus could notice.
Cleopatra snuck a glance at the bus driver who kept on looking at the very buxom woman seated behind him through the rearview mirror, and he also happened to be chewing absent mindedly on a piece of gum. At least he wasn't getting bothered by them and their indecisiveness, well Alexis' indecisiveness rather.
"Cleo," Alexis whispered and shook her head. Cleopatra snuck another glance at the bus driver, now he was just adjusting his zipper for reasons beyond her.
She took Alexis to the side and let go of the hem of her shirt which was now slightly damp and wrinkled and placed the now free hand on Alexis' shoulder. With a low, stern voice she looked her best friend in the eye and addressed her. "Lex, we have to do this now before it's too late, before something even worse happens," she informed her. Alexis ran a hand through her hair and frowned at her best friend.
"But Cleo you promised that nobody would ever find out about this," Alexis pleaded. "You promised," she whispered out in a frail, broken voice. This was exactly why Cleopatra refused to let the whole thing go. She couldn't bare to see her best friend in the state she was currently in. Cleopatra took Alexis' hand in hers and pointed to the bandaged wrist. "This Alexis, is why I have to break that promise. It's been five years Lex, five whole years and this secret has done nothing but harm you and your mom. What if he does something worse? What then Lex?" Cleopatra asked.
"Maybe he'll change or something this time you know? I can't risk anyone else finding out about this, I don't want people looking at me different you know?" Alexis pleaded with her friend.
Cleopatra rolled her eyes at this. "Lexi your mom is in hospital, probably still unconscious, your wrist is broken and you have scars all over your body. Your eyes are red from crying and you look deflated. This is not you! And no, he will not change, the first chance he gets to make amends after not seeing you guys for more than two years and this is what happens? And I promise not to tell anyone at school if you're worried about people finding out. I've known for five years remember?" Cleopatra asked. Alexis nodded her head tentatively.
Cleopatra let out a small breath of relief, glad that she had made some sort of progress. "And dad is a professional, lawyers are like under oath or something, he won't tell. Attorney client privilege or whatever" she continued. Alexis began biting on her lower lip nervously, the cogs of her brain starting to work as she considered her friend's words. "But...your dad's like a corporate lawyer Cleo he won't be able to help me," Alexis informed her. Cleopatra contemplated Alexis' words but she wouldn't be deterred that easily. "Yeah but lawyers know lawyers and such things, he'll know what to do please Lex, we have to try at least. But if you don't want to then I guess I understand. He is your dad after all and...I was just trying to help," Cleopatra finished off, looking at the floor nervously.
