It's Our Secret

Chapter 38 - Reconciliation

When we returned to England, Leah met me at my flat. As I opened the door, I saw her sitting there, smiling at me. I had missed her cheeky grin and sharp features. She came over, and embraced me in a hug. The sweet smell of her shampoo gave me the feeling of home. Of comfort. The comfort that I missed while I was away.

"I've missed you," Leah said, smiling.
"Missed you more." I was still tightly holding onto her, not ever wanting to let go again.

"I'm going up to Manchester," I said to Leah, once we had sat down and she had made us some spring drinks.
"Really?" She said, surprised.
"Keira has been bugging me about it for months. I really have to."
"Do you want me to come?" She asked. I thought about it for a second, before realising it probably wasn't the right thing to do.
"No, I should do this myself." Leah nodded, understanding. She grabbed my hand, and rubbed her thumb against mine. I smiled softly, so glad to be back with her after my week in Barcelona.

I left Leah the next day, and headed up to Manchester. I texted Keira to tell her I was on my way.

Ettie: I'm coming up today. Will be there later tonight. Ill be at Mum and Dad's if you want.

She replied very quickly.

Keira: ok, I will see you there. Im so excited to see you.

I didn't reply. I didn't feel I needed to.

As I drove the four hours to Manchester, all I had was me and my mind. My brain was rushing with thoughts. Bad thoughts. Good thoughts. Confusing thoughts.

No sooner had I left London, then was I turning the corner to my parents house. My family home. The place where I last saw my parents and the second last time I saw Keira (as I did play City in the League earlier in the year.) It had been over six months. My family, in a sense, fell apart.

I knocked on the door, and my Mum opened it.

"Jules," she said, sighing, "I've missed you." She grabbed me tightly. I always hated how Mum called me Jules. She never liked Ettie, and she is the only person that ever calls me Jules.
"Hi Mum," I said into her ear.

"Ettie? Is that you?" I heard my Dad call out.
"Yes, it's me Dad." I see him come around the corner, and he too embraces me in a hug.
"Never so long again, Juliette Mae! Never again!" My Dad loves to call me Juliette Mae and Kiera, Keira Fae.
"Yes, yes, I'm sorry Dad. It's been a crazy few months."

"Is Keira coming?" Mum asked me, once we had sat down.
"I think-" I started to say, before we heard Kie coming through the door.

"Ett," Keira said to me, standing in the doorway.
"Kie," I replied. We stood there, for a while, not talking, rather just standing in each other's presence.

Keira and I excused ourselves from our parents, and we went upstairs. We sat on our beds, in our room. She sat on her bed, and I sat on mine. We both moved out when we were 18, and we had shared a room since birth so our room stayed the same. Same single beds. Same desks lined up against the wall. Same stocked wardrobes.

"Ett-" she started to say, but I interrupted her.
"No, let me speak. Keira, all my life, I've felt like nothing. Ok? I've dealt with a lot. I have never been truly happy. I've suffered from an eating disorder that nearly made me quit football, I've suffered and still am suffering from a heart condition that again nearly made me quit football. I was in a relationship that nearly mentally destroyed me, and I was in a club that didn't protect me. I thought I had you, my friends, and Leah. But you made me choose. You made me choose between two of the most important people in my life-"
"And you chose her!"
"No, I didn't. I chose neither. Leah moved out, okay? We hardly saw each other."
"You guys were living together?" Keira asked. I ignored the comment, and moved on.
"Keira, you made me choose. I'm not sure if I can forget that."
"I know," she started to say, "I realised as soon as you left that I made the worst mistake a sister could ever make. I lost my best friend because I was selfish. I was just so scared of losing you both that I couldn't even see that I lost you anyways." I listened to what she said, knowing she was remorseful. Knowing she did feel like crap. "Do you love her?" She asked.
"What?" I asked.
"Do you love her?"
"Yeah, Keira, I do. I love her a lot."
"Then I can't stop you." I smiled softly, and went and sat beside her. I embraced my sister in a hug, and felt the warmth from my best friend.
"I've missed you more than life, Kie."
"I've missed you more than infinity, Ett."

We spent the rest of the day, watching tv with my parents, laughing and talking smack. It was amazing to be a family again. As I heard a buzz from my phone, i looked down at it. It was from Hayley.

Hayley: heard you're in manchester (dont worry im not a stalker, keira kept going on about how you were coming up.) do you want to get a coffee?

I was surprised I got a text from Hayley. I could only wonder what she wanted to meet about.