Dysfunctional Lover

Prologue

"Sisters are angels who lift us up when our wings forget how to fly"

••••

"This is bullshit!" I dig my spoon deeper into the cereal bowl.

Mom is checking my bags again for the hundredth time. Basically, she's just checking if I have taken every single damn box of the medication or not.

Laura is working on her presentation for her meeting today. Chris is casually lounging on the couch. Ofcourse she is cool cause it's her third year and not first like mine.

I went through all the troubles and got into Yale just so I could be with her and now she has outright denied sharing a dorm room with me! For my sake? Hell with that.

"Watch your mouth Elena." Mom says crisply, ticking things off her list. She is on her nerves too. Just like me. But for other reasons. The main one being me going away.

"Why can't you just share a room with me?" I point this at Chris who is flipping through her vogue magazine.

"We've been through this Elena. You need to step out of your comfort zone. Even Dr. Roberts agreed with me on this one." She answers nonchalantly.

"But.. there will be... boys. And you being near me will make me feel.. safe." I try to reason with her one last time.

Laura puts her laptop aside and Chris does the same with her magazine. They both give me the big sister look which is comforting but also makes me feel like a kid.

"You're not androphobic Eleanor." Laura states in her calm yet strong voice. "And for God's sake you were the valedictorian. You've always been self confident and outspoken so why are you being like this now?"

I sigh. She is right. I'm being irrational. "You know I hate it when things change." I look at her engagement ring as I say this. It's hard to even imagine her getting married and leaving this house.

"That is even more of a reason why you should step out your comfort zone. Changes are necessary. You should know this better being a psychology student." Chris chimes in. Laura gives her an approving look.

"Okay girls, all set. Your flight leaves in one and a half hour and I've called the cab. It should be here any moment. Christina bring your bags out please." Mom interrupts our discussion.

Chris goes up to her room while mom calls Jenny who is fast asleep till now. She is absurdly calm seeing as how it is the first day of her high school.

She finally comes out after mom threatens to leave for airport without her.

The road is empty since its 6 in the morning. Mom's anxiety is rolling off of her. I have some time till anxiety creeps into me as well. Maybe once the flight lands.

But she is with us only till the airport and I know it is taking a lot in her to let me go. Just because I am "different" as she likes to say.

I never liked being different. It makes everyone around you overprotective of you. Even though Laura and Chris and Jenny treat me as a normal person, I know that their eyes follow me everywhere. They are scared. Scared that any moment I will collapse or "fall asleep" to put it more decoratively.

We reach the airport. Just before boarding mom hugs me tightly and sheds a few tears.

"Mom.. I'll be fine. Chris is with me." I say. Worrying her so much makes me feel guilty. Like it's my fault I have this weird disease.

She pulls away. "I know I know I..." She pauses. I hear what she doesn't say. That she has protected me from the world for so long but now she has to set me free and it's taking a toll on her. "Christina Alice Bennett you better take care of your sister." She says as she hugs her.

Chris cringes. "Mom we agreed on Chris remember?" None of us are too fond of our names.

Lauren Katherine Bennett. 
Christina Alice Bennett.
Eleanor Lovisa Bennett.
Jennifer Nora Bennett.

I mean seriously dad? Mom gave you just one responsibility and you did this. Well what's done is done but we sisters swore never to call each other that. Unless you're teasing the other one of course.

After mom, Jenny hugs me tightly. "I'll steal all of your things now." She says to cover up the grief she is feeling. The whole past month she has been sulking.

"I'm taking majority with me but okay. Suit yourself." I say and kiss her cheek. She smiles as she pulls away and blinks her tears away.

Laura gives me the tightest hug. She hangs on the border between being being a sister and being a mom. "Take care of yourself. Now I know that college parties will attract you like anything but you have gotta act like an adult okay? You know it's for your own sake." She whispers in my ear. "And I've already kept condoms. In the first pocket of your blue suitcase.  Just in case." She winks as she pulls away.

"You know full well it's not happening." I tell.

She shrugs. "It's college sis."