Pillars

Chapter 3: Loner (Kelci)

I couldn't help but feel sorry for Lorin. It had been nearly three weeks, and she was still sitting alone under the cherry tree at the corner of the quad, earbuds blasting and scribbling in her journal. Lorin was never antisocial, so this bothered me. But when Mom asked how school was going, Lorin answered with a reassuring "great." Apparently I wasn't the only one not being honest with Mom.

"What?" Lorin growled when I tapped her on the shoulder. It was a crisp afternoon, and though the cherry tree was starting to lose its leaves, it was a beautiful array of yellow and orange hovering overhead like an umbrella.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Yea why?"

"Well I mean you—I was just—" Suddenly I had lost my nerve.

"What?" Lorin looked at me like I was stupid.

Man, I hated when she did that. She could make me feel so small just by looking at me. I wanted to walk away and pretend that I had never seen her there, but for some reason I sat down instead.

"Lor, I know you don't want to be here, but haven't you made any new friends yet?" I asked.

Lorin stared at me a moment. She looked like she might say something important, but then she just snapped, "I don't want to be friends with any of these people."

What do you say to that? She was the absolute hardest person to talk to, even more so now than ever. Before, Lorin was narcissistic and vain, your typical snob. But now, she had turned cold and bitter. I got up to leave.

"Look," Lorin said. "I'm just trying to get through this year and graduate."

"Okay," I shrugged, trying to act as indifferent and cold as my sister. As if that were even possible.

******

Taylor was waiting for me after second period.

"Guess who applied for a photographer position with the Chronicle?"

"Not Noah Fletcher?" Noah was the only person I could think of that would get Taylor this excited. Even though he was a senior, Taylor literally prayed every night that he would ask her to homecoming.

"Oh, god no," Taylor considered the thought and blushed. "Lorin."

"Lorin? My sister Lorin?"

"Well yea. I don't know any other Lorin's."

"Good I'm glad she's doing something other than moping around all the time. It's really starting to get on my nerves."

I didn't hear what else Taylor said because I stopped to read the announcement board. I had been checking it for weeks, anticipating the announcement of auditions for the spring musical. And finally, there it was.

"The Wizard of Oz," Taylor read over my shoulder. "So, you going to do it?"

"Yeah." Adrenaline rushed through my veins.

******

I knew it wasn't my news to tell, but I couldn't help it. I had no idea about Lorin's hidden agenda when I told Mom about Lorin joining the newspaper staff.

"Seriously Kelci! You gotta run to Mom about every little thing," Lorin snapped at me. 

"It's not little, honey. I'm proud of you," Mom said.

"Yea. I always thought you were a great photographer," I added.

"Stop being all weird," Lorin pushed back. "I'm just trying to get something for my college application. The recruiter for NYU told me I needed to build my portfolio."

"NYU?" I asked. I had never heard Lorin talk about any college before. NYU was certainly ambitious to say the least.

"Portfolio?" Mom was equally stunned.

"Yea photography school. Anything to get away from here," Lorin huffed, walking out of the room and taking all the air with her.

******

The first time I could remember Lorin dressing me up for one of her photo sessions was the night before dad left. I guess I was about three at the time. Though my memory was fuzzy that far back, I can recall his dark wavy hair and the smell of sweet pine. He called me kiddo. That night at dinner there was a lot of yelling. Milk spilled. A dish smashed.

Lorin took me by the hand and led me to her room. She put on her favorite Hannah Montana CD, and told me to pick out some nail polish. We must have stayed up very late because dad came into the room and asked why we were still up. He told us goodnight and Lorin was crying. I didn't understand why. That was the last time I saw my dad.

[Are you getting a sense of Lorin and Kelci's relationship? Please share your thoughts below, and remember to VOTE. Thanks for reading.]