TITLE: "The Butterfly"
AUTHOR: Blu
EMAIL: Blu2cool@AOL.com
RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: All rights to the characters and places of General Hospital and Port Charles are reserved for ABC, Bob Guza, TPTB, producers, writers, etc. I use the General Hospital characters for my own personal enjoyment and that of others, not for profit. None of them belong to me. I own nothing, so don't expect much if you decide to sue. No copyright infringement intended.
**
**
"The press their lips against you
And you love the lies they say"
From the Goo Goo Doll's "Acoustic #3"
**
My chunky wood heels clunked on the stairs as I descended for breakfast. Sarah was already sitting at the table, munching on a bowl of cereal, when I arrived in the blue-checkered kitchen.
"Good morning," my Gram greeted me. I faked a smile for her sake. She didn't pay me any mind.
I poured myself a cup of coffee and joined Sarah at the table. I pulled one of the bananas off the bunch in the center of the table. Absently I choked it down while I read the morning newspaper.
"You're going to be late!" Gram chirped. Her eyes lifted from the ever-present hospital paperwork for a few seconds. "You're lunch is on the counter, dear."
I rolled my eyes and didn't reply to her.
"Come on," Sarah said with a sigh. She stood up from the table. "I'll drop you off at school on my way to the University."
I smiled a small grateful smile in response to her sympathetic one.
"In that case, I'm early," I announced. "Let me grab my purse and I'll be ready."
I clumped upstairs and was back down in moments. I was going to yell for Sarah when Gram's voice halted me in my tracks.
"You spoil her, Sarah."
"I think she deserves a little special treatment after what she's been through."
I held my breath. Here it came.
"Oh, please." Gram's words would be forever branded in my brain. "Don't you
think she's milked that excuse long enough? That is, if there ever was a real attack."
"Rape. Grandmother, the word is rape. Elizabeth walked through fire last year! Don't you remember?"
"I remember all right. She was never home. She broke curfew every night and she smoked about a pack a day. In fact, I believe that corrupted crowd she ran with got her drunk on more than one occasion."
"Gram, listen to yourself! Elizabeth shut herself off. She tried to smoke her overwhelming feelings away. There was no crowd! She wanted to get a reaction out of you -- us -- and we weren't there for her. Gram, she still needs help."
"That's supposedly why she's going to that counseling group, isn't it? She KNEW I was against the idea. We don't need that kind of stuff spread around about our family."
"Gram! -"
I was out the front door without any thought. I let it slam closed behind me.
**
Anger still clouded my vision in red as I walked home. My backpack weighed my shoulders down. Sharp wind clawed through my coat and straight to my bones.
Gram and I had been avoiding each other for days. I think she was embarrassed. But I was just angry. I told myself I hated her. But in reality, I was angry at myself for being so hurt over it.
I kicked a rock out of my path and turned the corner onto my street. I shivered when I passed under the big oak tree in a neighbors' yard.
"Come on, Elizabeth," I said to myself. "It's officially the weekend. You're supposed to be happy."
I stuck my chin in the air. "I am happy! I'm happy."
The front doorknob turned easily. That was weird.
My gram was sitting opposite the door when I came in. She smiled brightly. Only I could tell it was fake.
"Elizabeth, dear, you have a visitor," she said.
A tall figure stood up from the couch. He turned around and I saw his face.
"Sly."
I pulled up a smile from somewhere inside me.
"Hi." He smiled and I felt my knees threaten to give out on me.
I stepped down into the living room and shrugged my backpack off.
"Can I help you?" I asked. Carefully, I kept the iciness out of my voice.
Sly motioned for me to sit. "I hope I'm not intruding," he said.
I shook my head slowly and perched on the very edge of the couch. My mind was reeling with the thought that Sly was in my house. What was he doing here?
"Well, I have some work to do..." Gram left her sentence trailing and stood up from her seat. Sly stood as well until she had exited to the kitchen.
As soon as she had gone he turned to me.
"First of all, I need to apologize for what I said the last time I saw you. I really had no right-"
He was making me nervous. I stood up and paced to the china cabinet on the other side of the room.
"It's okay."
Was the room heating up? Moments ago I had been cold to the core and now I felt as if I were overheating!
"I really mean it, Elizabeth. I'm sorry."
I nodded.
"Okay."
This was getting weirder and weirder.
"And I wanted to personally invite you to come tonight."
Instantly my heart dropped. Why did my heart drop?
"Oh. The self defense thing, right?"
"Yeah. I tried to get to see everyone this week and invite them myself. Will you come?"
I tried to think up an excuse. ANYTHING to get me out of this.
"I guess-"
"GREAT."
His teeth flashed in a smile. My stomach was fluttering like crazy.
"I need to go. I'm so glad you're coming!" He headed for the door. I followed him reluctantly.
At least one of us was happy it was the weekend.
End 6.
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