I set my bags down when I walked through the door and before I could catch my breath, I was wrapped in an embrace that I've been missing from Alice. I closed my eyes and picked up my shorter sister, squeezing her tight.
"Promise you'll never leave for that long again." She said as I put her down. "You know I can't make that promise, but next trip you're coming with me. That I'll promise." I said as I closed the door and she squealed, giving me one more hug. "I missed you." She sighed and I laughed, moving her away from me. "I can tell. I guess there's no one you can annoy when I'm away even though you called me constantly." She rolled her eyes and I rolled mine at her. "Oh, and Jess stopped by. She left something for you. Mom put it in your room." She said cautiously as she was making her way up the stairs. I nodded and hated that I still felt something towards the girl, but she was immediately gone from my mind when I saw Dinah's name pop up on my phone. A simple text saying hi brought a smile to my face. I responded as I made my way through the hallway to the kitchen.
I could smell the delicious baked treats when I walked through the door. Mom's homemade chocolate chip cookies. I walked into the sunlit room. She was placing the hot tray of cookies down on the counter and I wanted to go give her a huge hug. She took the mitts off of her hands. "Are you just going to stand there or come over here?" She said and looked at me with a smile. I laughed and my feet carried me over to her. She pulled me in for a hug and now I can say I missed being home.
"Did you have fun?" She asked as she held my hands and I nodded. "Yeah, I did." Another text from the blonde came through and I grabbed a cookie which was still hot but took a small bite anyway. "Did you meet someone? You keep smiling and I know those aren't that good." She looked at me knowingly. "I just got here and you're questioning me already? And yes, I did." I smiled and took another bite. "Yes, I am. I've got to watch out for my baby's heart. That girl already came by here. Almost closed the door in her face." I sighed and looked down. "I hope you didn't," I said under my breath. "Did she want something?" I looked up. "You. Luckily, you were gone. Now, tell me about this someone." She said as she transferred the cookies from the tray. I walked around the counter. "Her name is Dinah. She's a tall, beautiful, outgoing, beautiful, sweet, did I say beautiful?" She laughed when I looked up at her in a haze. A little cloud of love that hangs over my head at the thought of Dinah. "I see someone's got it bad for this beautiful girl." I couldn't deny it. I do. "Yeah," I was about to grab another cookie when Dinah texted again.
• • •
Dinah:
I miss your voice and I have some news... Call me, pretty pls.
Sent: 2:28 PM
• • •
It didn't sound urgent, but I didn't like the sound of it. News. I hope it's good news. "Mom, I'm going to head upstairs and unpack." She nodded and I kissed her cheek before grabbing my bags I dropped in front of the staircase earlier, making my way into my room. It was just the way I left it and I flopped on the bed. Feeling something under me, I sat up and saw the gold necklace with a small butterfly laying on the covers. I picked it up and looked on the back of the pendant. There was an engraved J. I remember the day Jess and I gave each other these necklaces. And I remember the day I snatched mine off and threw it back at her. When she said she didn't love me. Here it is. The clasp was still broken. I just didn't know what this meant. I can't open my feelings for her again. She hurt me so much, so bad.
I let the necklace fall to the floor and I didn't want to retrieve it. She left me broken like that butterfly. I don't want to let her in anymore. I laid back on the bed, calling the girl I want to drown my mind and take away these memories.
