Breaking our bonds

Chapter six

"Elizabeth, why would we want Rachel spoiling our day?" Joan said. "She will never break us apart."

"Well, she's staging a very good attempt of it."

I felt something hard and strong circle me. It protected me against every inch of hurt and fear that dared cross us. It was Joan's arms.

"I feel safe when I'm around you, " I said.

"I want you to feel safe Elizabeth. You deserve to be."

"Oh, Joan, I_"

"No, look at me, " Joan said and pulled my face so that it was just inches away from hers. "You are the kindest, sweetest soul I ever met. You are beautiful in every way. Sometimes more than you ever could realise."

It was then that her lips touched mine. To say that it was a rough kiss or a soft kiss would be a crime itself. It was a kiss that tore barriers. It was a kiss that strengthened bonds.

She reminded me that whatever happens, our bonds will never be broken. Our bonds will go on living even after ourselves.

"Trust me, love, there will be a time when we could see each other freely, " she said, her fingers combing the tangles in my hair.

"Ha, people like my parents make that seem impossible."

"Don't you believe in a better future?"

"Oh, I do have faith in the future, " I said. "I believe in every little fantasy that runs through your mind. I just don't believe that we will learn to see it."

"Someone had a personality change, " Joan said. "I thought you believed in a better world. I thought you believed in what was right."

"Caroline once told me that the world is never right, " I sobbed. Perhaps, she was right. Rachel betrayed me. Then she framed Ian for it. Or Ian could be lying. He may still have a part in it.

"I don't care what Caroline thinks, " Joan spat. "She looks like some crazy, sullen bitch to me."

I stepped away from her, lines of anger pushing into my skin. "Excuse me? She's my sister."

"I know. But that doesn't accuse her of being a total snake."

"Caroline is not a snake. She's been looking out for me all my life."

"In other words, you were raised by a snake, " she said. "Elizabeth she is -how tall is she?"

"Five feet and eleven inches."

"Exactly. The figure we saw was at an identical height, " Joan said. "And she had sand on her shoes Elizabeth. No one gets sand on their shoes by standing on your grassy front yard."

"She tried to stop Ian, " I yelled. "She was trying to stop him from chasing after us."

"And as for Ian...."

"You judge people rather quickly don't you?" I said feeling an icy tone slip into my voice.

"And you tend to be blinded, don't you?"

"Blinded by what?" I yelled, feeling my love dissolve into molten hate. "How dare you accuse my sister? You aren't even worthy to have a person like her in your life. You wouldn't know much a girl like her can mean to a person."

"Oh, I'm not worthy?" she said yelling back. "Was it me who comes up snivelling because I lost my diary or I am so scared about my mystery stalker? Is it me who is too dumb to figure out who it is?"

"I am dumb? Maybe you're just dumb enough to break the bonds we have built so far."

I couldn't say more. I felt that my whole soul was shattered into a million tiny pieces which I could never fix back together.

"Why?" I said tears streaming down my cheeks. "Why does it have to be like this?"

"Oh, babe, I'm so sorry. I _" she began but I wouldn't let her finish.

"I can't do this. Not now. I need to go home."

"Okay, " she said as she entwined her fingers in mine. Before today it would have seemed comforting. I would have earned for those moments when she slid her large hand in mine. Now, it seemed like a death sentence.

"Everything will be okay, Elizabeth, " she said pressing her pouty lips to my forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too, " I whispered before fleeing home. I was fleeing from a terror I had never experienced before. Could one grow to be afraid of their old bonds? I doubted it before now.

Outside our white picket fence stood Caroline, her eyes betraying the type of fear I had never seen before.

"Caroline, what happened?" I asked. She looked genuinely shocked.

"Your room. It's been destroyed. And mum and dad know."

"Mum and dad know about what?"

"About you and Joan, " she said.

"How?"

"I have no idea. I am so sorry Lizzie."

She put a comforting hand on my shoulder before I rushed into my bedroom. Caroline was right. The whole room was destroyed.

My pillow was ripped apart leaving feathers flying all over the place. My clothes were stained with a sticky, blue substance; ink. Ink was streaming down my sheets, on my notes. My wooden chair and table that been destroyed.

My wall was never adorned with pictures like Caroline's was. It was just a plain white wall. Yet, today it was not so plain as dark blue ink stained it.

I WARNED YOU ELIZABETH

Those words loomed on my wall in big, bold lettering.

"Oh, Rachel what have you done, " I said to myself, feeling the tears that I cried a few minutes ago, escape again.

"Just what have you done, young lady." I turned around. In front of me stood my mum and dad, both of them wearing expressions of fury on their face. The secret was over.