The Boy That Hates Books

Best, Worst

Many hearts belong to the best, worst people. Those people that make you feel on top of the world, yet can make you feel as if you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders.

Hearing my sisters voice for the first time in a year was the best, worst thing I'd ever experienced.

I missed her, and she sounded exactly like she had the last time we spoke. But it didn't stop me from feeling like everything had changed. She sounded shocked when she heard my voice, and asked why I was calling so late and why I wanted to see her all of a sudden. I couldn't answer her questions because not even I knew all of the answers.

Eventually she agreed to giving me her address, but there was something in her voice telling me she wasn't sure any of this was a good idea.

"It'll be fine." The Boy That Hates Books comforted me as we pulled into the drive of what I assumed to be her house.

It was small, but seemed cosy from the outside. The garden was prettily decorated with flowers and little cliche signs like 'a beautiful garden is a work of heart.'

The neighbourhood seemed stable, the roads quiet as we rolled through, awakening the sleeping streets. Everything about where she lived immediately made me imagine a lovely family cooped up inside, the perfect combination of a happily married couple and two children. However, I knew that the inside wouldn't match the outside.

It all reminded me of what Nala envisioned for her life, but what she never got. We'd spoken about it growing up, so I knew every dream she wanted to come true like the wishes we'd made on shooting stars.

"After this we'll check into a motel and stay put for the rest of the night. Just breathe Kirsten."

So I did what he said, his presence alone calming me down. I decided to shrug of the fact we'd be staying in a hotel room together for the moment at least.

We walked up to the door, The Boy That Hates Books trailing slightly in front of me.

"Do you want me to knock?" He asked, moving towards the door.

I nodded, clenching and releasing my hands by my sides.

Breathe.

The Boy That Hates Books tapped gently on the door. It was only seconds before it opened to reveal my sister, but it felt like minutes.

Her eyes lit up as they met mine, strikingly blue. She was just as beautiful as she was when she was seventeen, but there was something different about her that I couldn't put my finger on.

"Kirsten," she almost cried out, "Oh my god you're really here."

I wanted to hug her, wanted to tell her how much I missed her but for some reason I couldn't move. So she came over to me, wrapping me into a tight embrace. Sobbing into her shoulder, she stroked my hair like she did when I used to have nightmares. Suddenly, I felt at ease.

As I pulled away, I could see The Boy That Hates Books watching us intently, and maybe I'm crazy but I could've sworn I'd seen a tear in his eyes too.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Come in Krissy," She moved in closer to me and whispered, "And bring whoever that is too." She raised her eyebrows suggestively.

I gave a nervous laugh before following my sister into the house she'd been spending her life without me in. Anger overshadowed my happiness for a split second, before contradicting itself again.

It wasn't her fault Vixen decided to do what he did.

As I entered her home, the smell of sweet perfume filled my nostrils. However like I'd predicted, the inside was nothing compared to the outside.