Ruelle wanted to die.
If she had a choice to plunge a dagger deep into her chest, she would have done it without hesitation but, the fact that the earth would still rotate around the sun, made her hesitate. With or without her, life would still go on, and that was what she hated the most. The fact that her death would mean, nothing. She was just an irrelevant being so why was she trying so hard to survive?
She closed her eyes and leaned back on the couch. Their rent was going to expire in a week's time. She had tried every means possible to raise funds but everything, was a dead end. All the money she made, went to her and her sister's education and feeding, there was so much a 20 year old could possibly do.
Should she sell her body for some cash? Would she even be able to get much money even if she did?
Ruelle, raised her fingers to count how much she could make by selling her body but, stopped when she realized that she wouldn't even pay to sleep with herself.
She pulled her hair and groaned in frustration, this was absolutely pointless. If only she had help from her parents but, her father was the classic case of; going to buy milk from a store and never returning. Their mother that manged to stay, was now missing. Although her and her sister, liked to believe that she was with a new lover.
Just when she thought things would get better, they received a mail from their mother two days ago, in the form of an ancient looking, jeweled box.
What were they possibly supposed to do with it? It neither revealed where their mother was or how to get out of a financial crisis.
Ruelle, looked at the box on the table and realized that it looked out of place in the small rundown room.
Maybe she should throw the box away or sell it, but the thought of letting go of her mother's gift, made her hesitate.
Ruelle, sighed for the hundredth time and tried to think about something else like, how she was going to get the rent for this month and still have money left to eat.
"You're still looking at that box?"
Ruelle, looked up and saw her twin sister, Eloise, leaning against a wall. Her beauty, stood out in the rickety room and Ruelle, wondered if they were truly twins.
Asides the fact they weren't identical, Ruelle had white hair and, Eloise had dark hair.
Not only did their looks contrast, their personalities did. While Eloise was cheerful, easygoing and athletic, Ruelle was the opposite of cheerful, although she didn't look it.
"No, I'm thinking about how we're going to get out of a financial crisis."
"Thinking won't get you anywhere"
"At least it's the one that that's free"
Eloise, chuckled as she looked at her sister. "Are you planning on selling the box?"
She sighed before she looked back at the box. "Easier said than done."
Eloise, walked towards the box and stopped when she was close enough to it. "I've seen, and touched it many times in just one day. If we sell this box, we'll probably be able to make enough money for us to eat for some time."
Ruelle, smiled sadly at what her sister said. Thinking logically, the best bet was to sell the box, and gather the money for themselves. It wasn't as though they had enough money. But she didn't want to be logical, she wanted to be emotional. "I hate remembering we're poor" She concluded.
Eloise, chuckled as she watched her sister, struggle to give her a direct answer. "Well we are, and we should think about how to get out of it."
"And what about the letter?"
"The letter? What letter?"
Ruelle, rolled her eyes as she saw past Eloise obvious attempt to feign ignorance. "The letter from our mother? What should we do about it?"
"Keep it obviously. We can't possibly dispose of it."
Ruelle, shook her hair, causing her white curls that flowed down her back to bounce. "I'm talking about the contents of the letter, El."
"About having a reason for leaving her daughters for years with no explanation, making us think that she was dead and, the fact that our aunt is going to take custody of us?"
"Yes"
"Well" Eloise continued "I have no desire to move in with a woman I have never seen in my life."
Ruelle's gaze, travelled from her sister to the letter that was on her lap. She knew Eloise was right. They had cried and feared the worst when their mother never returned and now, all she sent was a letter telling them to move? It was beyond ridiculous.
"We should ignore her advice then, let's go on with our normal lives." Ruelle said as she made an attempt to stand up and go to her room.
"Are you being serious?"
"Isn't that what you want?"
Eloise, nodded, and stepped aside to let her pass. "What if mom is there?" She said.
Ruelle paused but remained silent. She had also thought that their mother might be there but, she didn't want to be the one to say anything. She knew Eloise was going to bring it up, she was the last born of their mother after all.
"So you want us to stay with our aunt?"
"Well...not exactly but...well, I want to have a chance to meet our mother."
"What if she's not there?" Ruelle muttered.
"Then at least we tried. I just want to know why she left us, why she abandoned us. There must be a reason, surely?" Eloise, folded her hands and her eyes shone, with anticipation.
"I'm not trying to be pessimistic El, but being optimistic about this situation will get us no where."
"And being logical and pessimistic all the time will leave us in the same position, don't you think?"
Ruelle nodded before she continued walking towards the door. "We might as well start packing our things. An adventure awaits us"
Eloise giggled before she ran towards her sister and locked their hands together. "Let's start with dyeing that white gorgeous hair of yours."
As they left the room, the box glowed brightly.
***
"Done"
Eloise grinned, as she looked down at what she had done. Immediately her and Ruelle finished packing the few items they owned, she took up the task to dye Ruelle's silver hair to black, in other to reduce attention.
"Now you look less like a freak" Eloise said jokingly as she stepped back, raising her hands to avoid staining the walls with her dye-stained hands.
Ruelle, picked up a mirror and nodded in satisfaction. "Wonderful as always."
Eloise, scoffed before she picked up a tissue and wiped down her hands. "All you have to do now is sit down, I'm sure it won't be that hard?"
Ruelle, groaned as she heard her talk. "Do I really have to wait for an hour now?"
"If you want it to work, you have to. Read a book or something, just like you always do"
Eloise, turned away from her sister and walked to the kitchen to wash off the dye on her hand.
Once she got to kitchen, she turned on the tap and released a sigh of relief as the dye left her hands and went down the sink.
She hated the fact that she had to do this. Why wasn't Ruelle born normal?
Growing up, she had been jealous of the fact that her sister had silver hair but their mother always made her wear a hat to cover up the color and prevent her from going out. Eloise, hated it then because it also meant that she couldn't go out. Back then, she has always secretly wished that Ruelle's hair would fall apart so, she would finally be free.
Eloise, chuckled as the thoughts of her childhood days came pouring in. She closed the tap and released a deep sigh.
Did she make the right decision? Should they stay here instead?
These thoughts, flooded her mind, unanswered. But, Eloise wasn't bothered. Unlike Ruelle, who always tried to find the solution to everything, she didn't simply care to ask. Life was better lived that way, with less questions.
A faint knock on the door, drew Eloise out of her thoughts and she walked towards the door to check who was there.
She looked through the hole, expecting to see her aunt but when she saw a brown haired boy outside the door, she smiled. It is was Thomas.
Eloise, stopped to make sure she looked good. It was no secret that she was extremely beautiful so she knew that she would look good even if she were to wear rags. She smiled in satisfaction when she looked at what she wore, a pair of shorts and a crop top.
Eloise, opened the door and smiled at the average height boy that stood in front of her "Hello stranger."
"Hello Eloise" He said, as he smiled rather timidly. "I heard you were moving out."
She, leaned on the door frame and observed him. He looked nervous, but who wouldn't be if they were in front of their crush. "It seems it's no secret after all."
"Well... I don't have much to say... I'd miss you" He blurted out after some time.
Eloise smiled, as she watched him stammer. She found him cute. His shyness, his timidity and his undying devotion to her. He had liked her for over 5 years now, even though he had seen her date different guys. "So what now?"
"What now?"
Eloise, straightened herself and walked slowly towards him, like a predator, to it's prey. She stopped when she was directly Infront of him and could feel his breath on her face.
"Is that the only thing you came for?" She whispered.
"I don't understand..."
"So you'll just watch me leave?"
Thomas, gulped and looked at her, feeling extremely hot from her gaze. His eyes, wandered from her alluring face to her slim figure. Her waist looked enticing and her belly piercing, drew his attention, as though it were begging for him to touch her.
Eloise, pressed her body on his and looked at him intensely. "If this is going to be our last time, why not make the most of it?"
Thomas, coughed and his eyes widened in shock. Every part of his body tried to lean to grab her and devour every part of her. From her face, to her legs, every inch of her. He had fantasized about her many times although he knew he would never get a chance to be with someone like her. Girls like this never looked at guys like him.
His eyes became wild and he felt mad as the thoughts of every possible thing he could do to her flooded his mind. Was he dreaming? He thought. If this was a dream he had no desire to wake up but he knew he was very much awake.
His body, burnt with desire and he tried to reach out to her but for some reason, he could not bring himself to either move, or talk.
Eloise, searched his eyes and when she saw that he was not going to make a move, she sighed and took a step back. "I guess not even you. What a a shame." She muttered, in slight annoyance.
At that moment, it was as though a weight was lifted from him and, he could finally speak and move. Thomas, began to cough and he struggled to breath. What was happening to him? It felt as though he was being strangled.
Elena, shook her head and frowned. "It seems you're indeed useless. Have a great day." She turned and began walking towards her house.
"Wait... Just... Wait." He said, while gasping for air.
Eloise, stopped but chose not to look at him. "If I were to wait any longer, you'd die."
"What?"
Eloise, looked back and smiled brightly as she stared at him. "I mean, Ruelle will kill you if you keep me waiting any longer."
Eloise, waved before she walked back inside her house and shut the door. Her once smiling expression, turned immediately to that of disgust and she walked to the sink and washed her hand vigorously.
"Good radiance to bad rubbish." She whispered under her breath as she scrubbed her hand.
Eloise, became nauseous as she thought of what had almost happened, and she bent over the sink, throwing up what little she had at breakfast. When she was done, the washed her face and mouth before turning the tap off.
"What was I possibly thinking? I almost made a mistake" She whispered as she bent over the sink, and turning on the tap to drown in self resentment.
When she was done, she released a breath and walked towards where her sister sat waiting for her to complete her hair.
This time, the expression she wore on her face, was that of innocence mixed with a little bit of boredom.
****