As Close As Strangers

Five

Ella

Knock. Knock. No please. I don't feel like facing anyone today.

"Ella! Ella!"

"Ella answer the door!"

"It's urgent!"

I finally got up to answer the door to be greeted by my sister.

"What do you want Dakota?" I asked.

"I need your straightener!" She said shoving me aside.

"Okay." I said throwing myself back under the covers.

"What, no argument? You never let me just take things. What's wrong?" She asked as she sat on my bed.

"I don't wanna talk about it. Especially not with my little sister." I said.

Dakota was only two years younger than me, but I still didn't wanna talk.

"Just because I'm sixteen doesn't mean I'm incapable of helping." She protested.

"Okay, fine. It's Michael. The problem is Michael." I muttered.

"Ah, Michael. Michael Clifford. Clifford the Big Red Dog. Gord-"

"You're fucking useless." I sighed.

"Alright, alright. What did he do?" She asked.

"Well, he didn't technically do anything. It's what he didn't do." I said.

"Ella, you have to stop being so selfish." She said.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"He's living his dream and that might mean leaving you behind." She said.

"Get out." I mumbled.

"Huh?"

"Get out!" I screamed.

She got up and left the room, but of course she had one last thing to say.

"You're gonna have to get over the fact that he has a new life and you aren't a part of it." She said.

Ouch.