TW: Mentions of violence and assault. If you're triggered by such things, I recommend skipping the part when they go to the beach.
The tension in the room is so thick you can literally feel it rolling off us in thick waves. I am roughly about three shots of tequila in, although with the way the night's progressing, the amount will have to go up… If I want to get through this traumatic meeting with Sally in one piece, that is.
Let's just say she hasn't been overly ecstatic ever since she'd heard about the results of my meeting with Baker. Which is, in a way, understandable. To any oblivious bystander, the situation is black and white: I've essentially abandoned my best friend after showering her with endless promises of helping out no matter the circumstances.
It's not my damn fault, though.
The point of the matter is: Sally can't really be blamed for acting like a scorned little girl—I probably would have done the same in her position. Still… I'd rather have her tell me off than remain in this painful bubble of uncertainty.
That's why when Sally gets up and hastily excuses herself to the bathroom, it feels like—for the first time tonight—I can finally breathe.
"Take it easy on the booze, okay?" Asa mutters, sliding the bottle towards his side of the table before I promptly snatch it from his grasp.
"So damn hostile." My lips are pursed in a sullen frown as I pour myself another shot. "I wish she'd just come out with it, instead of that passive-aggressive bitchy treatment."
Asa just lets out an exasperated groan in response. It's always been the same story: Sally and I participating in a messy, explosive argument with him ending up as the middle man. Ever the calm and rational one, he's always itching to diffuse the situation before it grows truly nasty. No amount of his compassion could salvage this catastrophe, though.
"She's been trying to control herself. Don't push her," he begs in vain.
"Oh yeah, sure. Let her lock it all up inside until she inevitably explodes. What a brilliant idea, Asa," I quip sarcastically.
"Better than the alternative which is you two not speaking for weeks...and that's exactly what's going to happen if you let your anger get the better of you–"
"Then maybe I should just tell her everything," I interrupt him mid-sentence.
God, it really would make things so much easier if I could simply come out with the truth. Everything starting from what had happened in New York to why I still, to this day, cannot disobey my father.
"And risk Sal spilling it all?" Asa asks rhetorically. "Absolutely not. It's too important to go rattling about it to strangers, and y'know how she is—a couple of drinks and her filter flows entirely out the window."
"In this case, we are going to fight," I declare aggressively. "I'm on the very edge of my patience. There's only as much as I can take befo–"
"There are only as many lies as I can take as well."
I twist around in my seat, eyes falling upon the girl stood in the door. My eagerness to pick a fight disappears with the very first glance at Sally's sad frown. She is mad, that's for sure, but the dominating emotion in her eyes is disappointment.
"How much did you hear?" I ask, my face an impassive, controlled mask.
"Plenty," she snaps, "or at least enough to know that you're hiding something."
"Trust me, keeping this from you is quite literally the last thing I want to do, but…" I pause to search for the right words. "It's a family matter. All you need to know is that I have a valid reason for not taking your side."
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The Fence || h. s.
Fanfiction"Cherry, is that you?" She loves late-night jogging, and his beach house happens to be on the way. Separated by a six feet tall fence, they both have no idea who the other is. Will their chance encounter grow into something bigger? Or was this biza...
