The secret within

16. Fun day

February 20, 2016.
4:19pm.

• • •

"You dragged me out the house to stand there and look cute?" Cedrick grabbed Alondra's hand and made her get into the rink. "Don't be a baby, I got you." He laughed at her face and the way she held onto him for dear life.

After another month had passed of Alani being out she'd took a six month leave time and declined the big movie offer just to be there for when her sister woke up- and to keep and eye on Cedrick. As of lately he still had the smoking problem but he was now done with liquor.

"I will try to beat your big ass if I fall! I swear to god!" She took a deep breath making sure to hold on to his arms as he helped her keep her balance.

Cedrick laughed and held both of her hands. "Just follow me." He told her skating backwards while he faced her and she soon got the hang of it. "Easy right?" He let her go, she screamed and fell right on her ass.

"I'm going to kill you!" She frowned while he laughed and kept skating. "Okay forreal, I'm going back to your house. I don't want to be here!" She pouted and folded her arms with a mug on her face.

"You wanted and 'fun day' crybaby." Cedrick helped her up and helped her off the floor. "Wanna just go to the movies? You know something you can't whine about?" He teased her.

Today Alondra wanted to have the fun day to get out and have fun since Alani was being cleaned, and having tests ran on her. But, when they went bowling she'd broke a nail, when they played basketball she'd bent her finger and now she busted her ass since she tried to skate. So, she was over the whole day. She just wanted to have fun and Cedrick took the opportunity to do all the things him and Alani used to do- just to have that sense of her around with her sister there.

"Oh. A movie sounds nice!" Alondra happily clapped. "Dinner on you too?" She smiled.

"No ma'am." Cedrick shook his head. "I'm still salty you made me pay for the window you shot out." He frowned and took his skates off, placing back on his shoes.

"Thanks for paying." She waved him off knowing he wouldn't let her pay if she wanted too.

"What movie you trying to watch? I ain't messing with no sappy shit." He told her. "And when your movie premiere again so I could let my manager know I'd be out of town." They returned their skates and headed out.

"Next week- and after that is the big fight right?" She asked, smiling while he opened the car door for her. Leaning over and opening his door, Cedrick got in and started the car.

He sighed. "Yeah-- the big fight."

"Sound so down? What's tea?" She asked as they pulled off and headed to the nearest movie theatre. "Not excited?"

"This my biggest fight and the person I want there the most wont be- I know imma bring the win home for her regardless but just to look out to the crowd and see her there just always motivated me." He opened up with no hesitation. "The way she used to kiss my hands before-- and how proud she was of me if I'd win or lose. Man imma need that."

Alondra felt the sadness wash over her. "I feel you, but I'll be there if that makes it any better-- to make sure you have at-least someone rooting for you." She rubbes over his hand that rested over the armrest.

He smiled. "Yeah, I know. You've been here for me a lot lately. I appreciate that-- I can't believe we'd never talked before. We got a lot in common."

"Right." Alondra agree'd. "We got each other- I appreciate you being there for my premiere." She smiled and looked out the window.

Just like Cedricks fight was important to him- Alondra's first movie premiere was important to her as well and the fact Alani wouldn't see her and be there for the surreal moment made her not look forward to it. Alondra always dreamed of making her sister proud about something she was passionate about. To Alondra she was a failure because she'd stripped, sold her body and even did drugs while Alani was so different. So putting all that aside and finally doing something she thought was worthy of her sister was a happy moment then but now? Alani would miss it and there was no reason for Alondra to feel a ounce of happiness.

But truth was; Alani never once judged her younger sister for anything she'd did growing up and truth was Alani didn't know everything her younger sister went through-- some things no one knew, things she'd kept away from her sweet and innocent older sister.

"What you tell me all the time?" Cedrick noticed her mood changed as he pulled up to the theatre. "She's with us in spirit right? We doing this for her regardless of is she's physically here or not right?" He grabbed her chin and wiped her tears that fell. "Stop crying beautiful." He whispered and got lost in her eyes before clearing his throat and pulling away.

"So." Alondra wiped her eyes and quickly got out of the car. "Let's see deadpool- it just came out." She walked off.

She hated when weird moments like that happened and she didn't understand why it was always happening with them two-- and no matter how much she distanced herself or he distanced himself it was always a certain energy around that she hated because it made them fall into situations like that.

"I'll grab you some popcorn with kettle corn sweetener-- and a mixed slurpee. Red and blue right?" Cedrick kept his distance and handed her some money to get the tickets.

"Yup." She popped the 'P'. "And make sure you don't-"

"Forget the extra butter, I know." He turned and walked away.

Cedrick knew he had to limit spending time with Alondra and learn how to grieve on his own because, it only brung them closer when Alani was the only one they had. She'd been out for now two months, and spending everyday with each-other only made him start to see Alondra as taking Alani's place, something he hated to feel. But she'd took on the role so well and he was battling with himself not to act on the familiarity to his wife-- his wife he'd do anything to feel connected too.