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The night engulfs the two girls as they trudge up the driveway of their home with only the dimness of the outdoor lights illuminating their path to the front door.
Jade comes around from the passenger side as Melanie does the same from the driver's side. The older cautiously looking back at her sister as she takes the lead to the front door. She knows it's better if no words are spoken. She's learned that lesson from before.
Melanie inserts the key and works it until the lock clicks and clacks. The sound usually brings satisfaction to an individual as it often signifies home: a safe haven.
But to these girls, home isn't home.
Melanie leads the way into the utter darkness of the house. The menacing silence and emptiness of the home doesn't help in pacifying Jade's ill feelings. Her legs feel a little shaky as she feels the dried tears streak her face, consistently reminding her of what makes her so weak: Her inability to just get over things. She just wants to fall into a gentle slumber, hoping that the memories will give her a break for once.
Jade suddenly realizes her lack of movement as Melanie's hand envelopes itself in hers. The warm, clammy hands give Jade a sense of life that she feels she has lost in the moment.
"You want to grab something to eat?" Melanie starts as she tugs at Jade's hand, encouraging her to move into the dark home.
Jade doesn't bother to look up at Melanie before saying, "I'm good. I just want to get some shut-eye." As the brunette says this, her shoulder momentarily jerks to keep her backpack steady. The fatigue heard in her voice, her words coming out in a faint whisper.
"Okay, let's go."
Melanie maintains the grip she has on her sister's hand as she guides the younger to her bedroom.
"I didn't forget where I sleep, Mel. You don't have to baby me."
"Who's gonna do it when mom and dad are never here to do so?" Melanie combats, not in a harsh way but more so in a sense of comfort.
Melanie ignores Jade's false pride and proceeds to the bedroom with Jade's hand in hers. The younger admitting internally that the contact is doing a great deal to subdue the unsteady emotions twirling inside of her.
Melanie nudges open the door and walks through with an exhausted Jade following behind.
She releases Jade's hand.
"Finally," Jade sneaks under her breath as she heads towards her bed. She tries to maintain the facade that she has such a distaste for human contact, while instead, she craves it much more than she lets on.
She throws her backpack to the side, not caring about the fact that her mother will probably ridicule her for being such a slob at the sight of something out of place in the home.
