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Doctor and Professor McClair had yet to return from work when their younger daughter arrived home; only Valerie was already there. Luce had planned to just walk past her, but she had seen the girl walk in the door.
"Luce," she smiled, standing up and walking into the kitchen. "Hey, how was your day."
"Like any other," the girl shrugged. "I've got the Oscorp excursion tomorrow."
Valerie watched her sister carefully, registering each movement. It was like she could read her mind. "That's exciting. But, I know there's something bothering you. What's up?"
Luce had never felt closer to anyone than she did her sister, and she was thankful for how well she knew her. If it weren't for Valerie, she didn't really know who she'd talk to, not wanting to bother her friends with matters so personal. "Just something Aria said after school. She was right, though."
"What did she say?"
Shrugging, Luce began to walk to her room to try and play it off. "She said that I don't talk to them about things." Which wasn't exactly a lie, but it still took the girl by surprise.
Valerie sighed, following her sister to her room. "I don't think she meant it in a way to be rude. You know Aria, she's just straightforward."
"I know," Luce mumbled as she dropped her bag down at the end of her bed.
"You should talk to your friends about what happened. It won't change the past, but it could help your future. You don't necessarily need to move on, but maybe find a way to move past it."
Luce didn't make any attempt to reply. She didn't know what to say.
Valerie stood at the bedroom door fiddling with her necklace. It was something that their parents had given her when she got accepted into Midtown Tech; they were so proud. It was a simple gold chain with a small golden pendant in the shape of a crescent moon.
She watched her sister carefully as the younger girl sat down on her bed. Luce had been fighting for so long, and moving on would just feel like abandoning. Valerie headed over and sat across from her at the desk chair. "I know it's difficult to hear because you love to be so hard on yourself, but you are ready to. You just have to be willing to let yourself."
Valerie seemed so desperate to convince her, but Luce was convinced that she still needed time. "I've got homework to do."
The older girl looked like she was going to say more, but she seemed to understand that this conversation wasn't going to go anywhere. At least not today.
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In the morning Lucille was up before the rest of the McClair family, the excitement of the excursion encouraging her to get out of bed. Downing a mug of coffee and eating an apple, the girl was on her way to school.
