You froze. Fist above the door. You really REALLY didn’t want to do this. How many times did you have to make this clear? You thought for a moment of what you’d do. It’d be easier if you just opened the door, say you were “””sorry”””, and then leave. You mean, if it worked nine million times for her it’d probably work for you. But...no, that’d make you as bad as her wouldn’t it? You sigh. No sense in standing there and pussy footing around. This had to end. Besides, the sooner you got this done and over with, the sooner you could be doing something else. Like, maybe finishing that painting? Was that even a good idea now? It was kinda the genesis of all of this. You shook your head. No no, focus. You had a sister to apologize to. Taking in a deep breath, you knocked on the door. ”...come...in…” You could just barely make out the rough invitation of your sisters voice. Turning the knob you push the door ope- “HRK!” OH! OH GOD! You lift a hand to your snoot. Oh good Lord in His heaven. You forgot just exactly who’s room you were entering. Forcing the smell out of your nostrils and down the bile that tickled the back of your throat you continue into the bedroom. It looked, well, just as bad as it always did you suppose. Dark, an absolute mess, a sea of dirty laundry and dishes. You shivered. Scanning the walls you make your way from the many torn and stained posters, to the bed, and finally to Cynthia, laying underneath an army of plushies and a few body pillows. How the hell does she live like this? You look her in the eyes. A thin sliver of light from the hallway illuminating her face, looking at you with a mix of expectancy and anxiety. The two of you kept this position for several moments, waiting for the other to make a move. Well...she couldn’t move...or speak well...so… “Hey…” you figuratively choke out. ”...h-hey…” she literally chokes out. You take a few more steps into her room and flick on the light. Cynthia hisses in pain and buries her face into one of the blankets as her eyes try to adjust to the light coming from the very rarely used light bulb. Taking large steps over the strewn about trash and laundry you pull over her desk chair and sit beside her. Finally cracking her eyes open she looks up at you ”what...do you w-want…?” “To...*sigh* apologize.” ”feh...seriouslly? Let me...guess. Dad is...making you do it?” “What if he is?” ”oh...how the mighty have...fallen huh? You complain about...how my apologies aren’t real...and then...here you are...giving your own fake apology.” “Y’know, I could leave right now and not even give you one.” The green snake smirks. ”You know...you can’t.” She was right. Dad WOULD make sure you’d do it. He probably has his ear to the wall right now. “Then the least you could do is not insult me while I try to.” ”oh...you mean like how...you do to me? All the...time?” This bitch. Who the fuck does she think she- ...oh. She shifts a bit so that she is sitting straight up, back against her mountain of stuffed animals. ”you’re right...though. I’ll be a better person...than you when it comes to this.” You quickly sneer at her before sighing. Let’s just get this over with. The fumes in this room certainly violate several different Geneva conventions. “I’m sorry.” ”for...what?” “For...for beating the shit out of you.” ”oh...I thought I deserved...it?” You grind your teeth. This. Fucking. Bitch. She’s loving this. ”maybe...I am, miss mumble.” “Look. You said you’d be the “better person.” So why can’t you just accept my apology.” ”because...I know you aren’t...sorry. At least… about doing...this to me” She motions all over her body. To all the bandages and bruises and still bloody eye. ”if you’re gonna...apologize...at least apologize for something you’re actually sorry...for.” “What? Like what?” Cynthia shrugs. ”how you...treated everyone? Running away from dinners. Insulting...mom. Abandoning...dad. Leaving your friend...in the dark? Running away from...home? Scaring you’re entire family?” Every bullet point felt like a knife being stabbed into your chest over and over. You despised the green shit in front of you but you couldn’t deny that she was right. But how was any of that relevant? She wasn’t Mom, nor Dad, nor Sera. So why is she doing this? Is she trying to give me some lesson you don’t know about? Or, didn’t ALREADY know about? You grimace. “I did apologize for all of those things. I am sorry. But you aren’t any of those people. Why can’t you just let me apologize and get this over with? Why are you being so vague and asking me about everyone else? Why won’t you let me apologize for kicking the shit out of you?” The shit eating grin from Cynthia slowly faded away, being replaced with one more of guilt. Looking away, she gripped her sheets. ”because…I know I deserved it…” … “Y-you what?” ”I deserved it…” “No, I heard you but…” You really didn’t know what to say. “Cynthia, if you’re playing some game-” ”I’m not playing any games!” She shot back. ”I...I really was trying to apologize...the night before… I was acting like a bitch. Not just...recently...but the entire time we were...sisters.” You were about to say something but before you could, you decided to shut your mouth and let her speak. ”I don’t know...when it happened...or why I’m like this...maybe I’m jealous you actually have...friends. Or that you have...actual talent...Sera stood by you y’know? You actually...have a passion. One people appreciate. My friends...they left. Either moving away...or...just stopped talking to me...my hobbies are just...watching anime...arguing on internet forums...all I had was mom and dad...and even I can’t connect with them as much as I’d like…” “Well, then, why do you always start shit at dinner? Or on trips? Or when Sera is over?” ”I…don’t...at least...I don’t mean to...mom and dad really are the only people I like being around...and recently...when you started going through your...phase?...and how it hurt them...I couldn’t help myself but to be upset…” “Uh...phase?” You shoot back. Cynthia winces. ”Sorry...I know it was...probably hard...I’m not really...good at this you know?” “So...what made you have a change of heart all of a sudden huh?” ”When you...ran away...and when everyone went to...look for you. They left me with Grandma Sam and...Aunt Olivia...they talked some sense into me.” “How?” ”Just...gave me a new perspective...they knew what you were...going through…” “Wait they, what? How?” You suddenly recall what Dad said last night. ‘I knew it...I just needed to hear you say it but I knew it.’ “Ah...well, never mind. So...It took Aunt Olivia and Grandma to knock some sense into you huh? That’s it? What makes them so special?” ”W-well...not just them. Like I said...in the hospital...Mom she...she told me just how important you were to her...why you were...how you were the reason...I’m here in the first place…” Your heart sank. So she knew too huh? Stella’s story? That must have been what she meant. About how she wouldn’t have been alive or had everything she did. Cynthia nodded to your mummbles. ”Mhm…” You ponder everything she had said up to this point. The loss of friends. The reliance on your parents. The jealousy. The ignorance of how important Lucy was to you and how important you were to Dad and Stella getting together. You sigh, again, for what feels like the five millionth time that day. “So...you really...truly regret everything you did? The way you treated me? The things you said? And you really tried to apologize that night?” She nods again. You bring a finger to your chin. Every reservation you had a bout her had just been called into question. The baked in bitchiness. The cold heart. The smells. Okay, scratch that last one. That was still true. But everything else? You were still suspicious. How could you not be? But even still...after everything that has happened. Everything you learned. It’s clear that massive changes were coming. And not just because you were about to graduate. Or because you were finally coming to terms with your mother and who she was. Entirely new relationships with your family were about to happen. And if that were true. You’d have to forge a new one with your half-sister. Whether you liked it or not. You looked at Cynthia straight in the eyes, and with a stern expression, “Cynthia...I don’t know if I can forgive you. Not yet at least. After years of this, it’s hard.” Your sister, in disappointment, looked away. ”I...I understan-” “But!” You interject. Cynthia twists her neck back to look at you. “But...despite all of that. I am WILLING to forgive you. It will just take time. I don’t know how much time, but I’m willing to forgive if you are willing to put in the effort.” ”I...yes. I-I’m willing to put...in the effort.” “Good. And, finally. *Sigh* I still need to apologize. Even if it felt good, and even if you think you deserved it, I shouldn’t have done what I did to you. I was just...angry.” A smile grew on Cynthia’s lips. ”Thank you…” A thought pops into your head. You really didn’t want to do it but...you already did it with Mom and Dad, might as well seal the apology with one. You stretch out your arms and flare out your wings. “So...uh...hug?” Cynthia cringes. ”uhhhh...oh, no no, you uh I couldn’t.” “Oh...o-oh okay I see.” ”No! No no, it’s not that. I-I uh would accept the hug but it’s...it’s kinda gay. Y’know?” Is this bitch serious? “Cynthia...it’s a hug! We do it with mom and dad all the time!” ”No, no, I know but also I uh...was uh...doing...stuff...before you walked in.” Stuff? She’s bed ridden what stuff is she… “Oh...OH! CYNTHIA! EW!” ”HEY! WE ALL HAVE OUR URGES!” “Yea! But...ugh you know what never mind yea, we can hug later.” That was fucking foul. Why did she even mention that? She could’ve just stuck with the “hugging is gay” thing instead of admitting to...that. You groan and sit back into her chair...her chair… After you leave this room you are washing your entire body with bleach and burning your clothes. ”So…” Cynthia squeaks. You look up to see what she wants now. ”Does this mean...we’re going to be...friends now?” “Ugh...I don’t know… We are certainly going to have to do things with each other more often now.” ”L-like what?” You pinch your chin and contemplate on that for a moment. Actually...you had an idea. +++ ”Amber...my arms are sore.” “Just hold still for a minute.” ”How much longer do you need me to hold this pose? Couldn’t you just...I dunno, use one of the photos you have?” “Yea, I totally could.” ”Wait, you WHAT?!” You smirk from behind the easel. “Hey, we have to start bonding over something right?” ”Me standing still in a goofy pose is NOT bonding.” “Hey...you’re the reason I’m in this contest.” ”No, I told you it was POINTLESS!” “Wow, I thought you wanted to make it up to me. I guess I won’t be forgiving you then if you want to insult my art.” You say with a smug smile. ”Ughh…I never even said that. I stand by my opinion, no, FACT, that every school event is rigged.” “Well, shut it, the doctors said you could move now and the contest is this Friday. So be a good model and stand still.” ”UUUUUGHHHHHH! This is so retarded. You could have at least turned the TV on or something.” “No. I need concentration.” Cynthia just mumbled something under her breath. You ignored it and continued to get the outline you needed. Once finished you looked over your shoulder. “Well what do you think?” ”Hmmmmmmmm. I dunno Amby, I think you messed up on the arm right there. Guess you’ll have to try again.” Sera smirked staring at Cynthia. “Ohhh! Sera, you’re right. Looks like I’ll have to do it all over again.” You exclaim in faux dismay. ”WHAT?! Oh, you Trigger bitch.” ”Ex-CUSE ME?! I didn’t give you the pass!” You stand up in between the both of them. “Now now you two. No need for such language.” ”Well tell your friend that she CLEARLY needs her eyes checked. I’m not holding this pose for another half hour.” “Alright, alright, fine. Sera, while I agree that the arm looks kinda of...off...I think it will be good enough.” Sera rolls her eyes. ”Alright Amby, what ever you say!” You nod and turn to Cynthia. “Cynthia, you may rest now. I think it’s time for a break.” On cue, she collapses to the floor and moans. ”Uughhhhhhhhhh, finally!” After a few hearty chuckles from you and your friend, the three of you decide to finally grab some lunch, and maybe show Cynthia some of the old games dad used to own on his old Xrox. Allegedly Call of Dino: Black Ops had a zombie mode on it. When you suggested it Cynthia said “She only played MOBAS”, but after some nagging from Sera about how she “was just a noob with a skill issue.” the towel was thrown and your half-sister had to defend her pride. Heh… She went down six times before round five. [POST-NOTES] One more chapter to go! Happy Fang Friday Everyone!