Brielle stood tall in the doorway, stretching out her arms side to side her in pink cotton dressing-gown. Rowena swallowed her bagel quite quickly as Brielle strutted into the kitchen, helping herself to whatever the little French minx pleased. " So, how are you enjoying your stay?" Autie Rowena asked, quizzically. Shooting the breeze to avoid awkward silence. Well played.
" Oh, very ,very wonderful! The beds are quite plushed up, I see why this is referred to as the family hotel! So many well put together rooms!" Brielle said, breathlessly. Obviously blowing her entire stay out of proportion just to sound humble. That tart.
Just as Brielle sat down gracefully beside Clarity, Aunt Gabrielle swooped in from outside. Her usual bushy curls now even frizzier. Her coat covered in morning rain. She looked awfully dreadful, but who wouldn't be with your young niece and nephew-in-law staying at your small flat as well as Portia and her mum and father, who just happened to accompany her into the house. Brielle stiffened her already board straight spine, and softened her pursed lips into a pleasant smile. What.A.Tart.
" Hello Rowena!" Aunt Gabrielle said, sounding so relieved to have someone normal to...wait, never mind. Aunt Gabrielle took out a teacup and filled it with a broth of tea leaves, honey and boiled water.
Merri and Gildorey were busy in their morning snog, while Portia's "boring-as-a-plank" parents Mr. and Mrs.Swent commented on how the bold colors in the garden outside hurt their eyes. Poor Portia. She just stood there uncomfortably, mouthing SOS to Clarity, who shoved a bagel into her mouth to suppress her endearing laughter. Auntie Rowena and Aunt Gabrielle were actually having a civilized conversation, and Brielle was sitting awkwardly beside Mr and Mrs. Swent as they complain about her so called "low-cut" dressing gown which barely passed her neck. Clarity made her way to Portia who was admiring a portrait of Lya, crying her lungs out, Nyree, pouting, Alice, failing r to stay awake and falling sleep, and Clarity, with her face covered by a vase of roses. It was by far the best portrait they had.
" Lovely times, weren't they?" Portia said dreamily, taking her eyes off the canvas and onto Clarity, who smiled broadly. " I guess so, it really does portray my life." Clarity said laughing. Their happy moment of friendly chatter was interrupted by a quarrel coming from the top of the stairs. The two young women ran to the bottom step, staring up at the two familiar faces yelling at each other about something. " Oh no.." Portia mumbled to herself.
" It's not my fault that I just so happened to grow up! I'm happy now. I was happy without you to come and mess it all up! This-this is something you were born to do. Mess EVERYTHING up!"
The Male voice practically screamed. Clarity moved forward but Portia put up a hand to keep from venturing into the land of no return.
" I mess everything up? I mess EVERYTHING up? Who do you think your talking to! I was living perfectly in Scotland until you came and-and- and flaunted your gor-I mean, yourself around like some piece of meat! I knew it! I knew we had something back then!"
The Familiar female voice shrieked, and ended in what sounded like a sob. Clarity pushed Portia's hand away and clambered one step closer.
" Do-don't cry." A weak attempt to console her. The stomping of shoes noted that Ginnie had ran away furiously, and humiliated. Clark wondered down the stairs, not even paying attention to Clarity or Portia.
Birelle happened to also be listening.
" Oh, darling what happened?" She asked, concerned. She wrapper her arms around his, but he pushed her away and stormed into the back garden. Brielle furrowed her brow angrily and sat back down next to the Swents.
" I'm gonna go ask him what happened." Clarity said honestly. Portia nodded knowingly. She cared about Ginnie and Clark just as much as Clarity did, she just wasn't good with words.
Clarity opened the tightly twined doors that led to the back garden open and poked herself out onto the dew covered grass. Clark looked up briefly at her, but continued to throw small pebbles into the green unknown.
" What was that about?" Clarity asked, she knew she was tredding on thin ice, but it was all she could do.
Clark glared at her, but then softened his face and looked into the clouds.
" She's so hard to be around. She's stubborn and childish and immature. I can't stand to be in the same room as her when she's eating, and her language is so foul. And yet.."
Clarity hunched nearer, waiting for his concluding response. He finally looked his long time friend i the eyes.
" I can't stand to not be away from her. When we all had separated, don;'t get me wrong I missed you all dearly, it just..Ginnie was the one on my mind. When I got her letter saying she was with some other bloke, I punched a hole into my wall. Dad wasn't very pleased but..I had to. And when Brielle and I became a couple, I couldn't shake the thought of Ginnie right behind me, disapprovingly. No matter how many times Brielle tried to seduce me into unnameable things with low cut blouses and passionate snogging, Ginnie would always be in the back of my head. Today, she called me out on being with Brielle. Calling her a harlot, a hussy. You know, I couldn't just let her say that, so we ended up fighting. I didn't mean to make her cry. Anything but. Clarity, you are my greatest friend, so please.Do not tell Brielle this, but I had fancied Ginnie since we were little tykes, and as we grew older..the fancy turned into..into-into-"
" Love?"
Clark nodded, grinning like a mad man. CLarity was smiling brightly too, she knew they had something.
" I promise I won't tell a soul!"
Clark looked ashen. " Well, could you just..maybe tell...Ginnie?"
Clarity looked shocked. She nodded, lost for words. " I promise!"
She said as she ran back inside the house, but just before grabbing the door handle, she fell.
Into an unfilled rabbit hole.
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