AN: Hi there awesome and loyal readers of OITNB fics! I just had this idea a long time ago a dared to make it a story. This is my first time writing anything other than poetry and I got inspired by so so many good fics that I have read here. I grabbed ideas from many of you guys, and I have really learned a lot from you. I just want to let you guys know that English is not my first language, but I will do my best to write this. I have read so many unfinished stories that keep me longing for an update, so I know what it feels like and I will do my best to finish this one. Please review. Please. Let me know what I need more of, or less of. I really need your feedback. Further flashbacks will be in italics. Enjoy!
The bamboo wind chimes swayed back and forth colliding against each other as the quiet breeze traveled trough the second floor balcony. Echoes of the repetitive sound flooded the small room on a lazy October afternoon. The sound of various medals gently hitting the wooden wall brought the tall women back from her sleep. She mindlessly opened her eyes, not staring at anything in particular and just stayed there, trying not to feel. Her eyes hurt from forcing herself to keep them closed even though she already had the required amount of sleep, or perhaps more. Strands of black hair covered most of her face. As she buried her head deeper in the sky blue pillow some afar sound interrupted her haze.
A knock on the door.
-"Alex?"
More knocking.
-"Alex open up, I know you are there".
-"Alex!"
For a moment she fed the thought of ignoring it, pretend she was sleeping and apologize later. But she didn't. Reluctantly she forced herself to sit and blindly pat around the bed to find her glasses. After she found them she removed her blanket and tried to stand up. As she did a wave of blackness covered her eyes and she immediately stopped. Grabbing the front leg of the bed she led her body adjust to her being in her feet after so many hours laying down. She slowly walked downstairs to open the door. It was her sister.
- "Fuck Debbie! Try bringing a rock with you next time. Hell, maybe a hammer so you can brake the door easily". She spat.
Debbie ignored her sisters' barking. She threw a sharp look at her and came in, just as she closed the white door behind her.
-"I brought you dinner" she said as she pulled back her navy hood and placed the meal at the kitchen table "and don't dare to tell me that you are not hungry because I don't care. I'm not leaving this house until you have properly ate a complete meal". Debbie gave her sister an I-dare-you-to-argue look, and Alex immediately knew there was no point in protesting.
The taller sister grabbed the small bag from the wooden table and lazily opened it. The smell of pasta, chicken and Alfredo sauce quickly spread trough the small kitchen. She sat there eating in silence.
As Alex ate, Debbie quietly stepped out of the kitchen and into the living room. She carefully studied the room as she surveyed for evidence that someone had being living here for the past three months. She found none. Everything remained the same as always. The old brown recliner, the small table covered with remaining pieces of an unfinished "Catalonia streets" puzzle, the gray TV covered with a thin layer of dust, the medals, the trophies...
Those got her attention, and as Debbie got closer to contemplate them she noticed the better. Some they have won together, some were only Alex's. There was one in particular that she never missed. "2011 World Cup Champions" read the small golden circle that hanged from a blue ribbon with white FIFA letters plastered all over it. As she grabbed it in her palm, her mind inevitably would drift to the events that lead to them winning that medal... because Alex wasn't there.
-"Shit!"
The voice of her younger sister brought her back from her thoughts.
-"What's wrong Lex?"
-"I spilled the juice as I got up from picking the knife that fell. No big deal"
Debbie entered the kitchen and watched as the red liquid dripped from the corner of the table onto the floor. She quickly grabbed a napkin and began to clean the small mess just as Alex did the same. Her eyes met with her sisters' for a split second just before Alex averted hers. Debbie couldn't help but notice how far away those green eyes seemed. As she got up she studied her. Alex was wearing an old black XL T-shirt with a big American flag on it. The shirt covered most of her gray short shorts and she had gray socks on. Her black long hair was messy and the contrast between her hair and her pale skin was huge. Debbie felt her heart aching.
-"There is a Friendly match next week". Debbie told her sister with a weak smile. "We are playing Mexico in New Jersey. You know, to help the team gain some momentum for this next tournament"
-"That's great" Alex herself cringed internally at how indifferent her voice sounded.
-"I was thinking that maybe you could come with me. I'm gonna start since Jessica is injured".
-"No thanks" replied Alex coldly. She stared at the table absentmindedly.
-"Alex" She paused, like she was asking for permission to continue.
-"It's being a year". Debbie desperately tried to awake her sister from this lethargy that she was in.
Silence.
-"We miss you. I miss you".
Alex shifted her weight on her chair. She clearly didn't want to talk about this.
-"Lex, please. You need to move on".
That was it. Alex's face transformed as her features displayed the amount of anger that a single sentence made her feel, and Debbie immediately regretted the words that spilled from her mouth.
-"Move on?" She yelled as she stood abruptly knocking down the chair in the process
-I'm sor-
-"You want me to move on?" Her eyes darkened with rage as she spoke.
-"Alex, that came out wrong". Debbie shot her eyes closed preparing herself for the fury of the storm that she just unleashed with just five words.
-"After a fucking psycho breakes into a Hotel Lobby shooting blindly with a fucking glock...
-"Please stop!" Debbie didn't need to remember this. At least out loud, but the younger sister continued.
-"And one of the goddamed bullets finds your mother's chest..." That came out as a whisper.
Tears were falling from both girls eyes and they were both standing at this point. Alex closed her eyes while silent tears traveled through her cheeks. With trembling hands she tried to wipe them out. Suddenly her legs couldn't hold the weight and her knees gave up beneath her hitting the hard floor, sobbing violently.
Debbie rushed forward and wrapped her arms around her distraught sister holding her as tightly as she could.
-"I'm so- sorry". Alex managed to say between disconsolate sobs.
-"It's ok. Lex. It's ok. I'm here. We are going to be fine". Debbie spoke. She felt her sisters' head buried in her nape.
After a couple of minutes Alex managed to stop crying. Debbie quietly stroke her sisters' long hair as she gained some composure. She pulled back and grabbed Alex's face with both of her hands. Looking how sad those green eyer looked made her heart sink. Surely Debbie was struggling too with the loss of Diane, and surely wasn't easy to face the everyday life while trying to keep things "normal", but she couldn't let herself to stop. Not now. She knew how hard this was for Alex, not just the loss but everything that happened afterwards. But she also knew that if Alex kept isolating herself, if she kept numbing her feelings she would never bounce back from this. That's why Debbie kept trying, that's why she begged Alex to seek help, to do her best to leave this hole in which she was.
-"Come on Lex. Change up. We are going to take a walk. Come on".
Alex didn't had the strength to argue. She just nodded and with Debbie's help she went upstairs and grabbed some clean clothes and some shoes. They left the house and walked quietly side by side. The sun was setting while they walked, and the explosion of colors didn't went unnoticed by the girls. Reds and oranges where merging in the sky making this one of the most beautiful sunsets they had watched.
They kept walking until they came across a small coffee shop that opened recently. Debbie gestured her sister to try and check it out and Alex just shrugged her shoulders and walked in. The smell of coffee was delightful, even to Alex. The shop was decorated with so many vintage items and it felt just right. Alex was carefully observing every detail of the establishment when the sweetiest voice interrupted her toughts.
-Hi there! Are you ready to order?
AN:Thanks for reading. I'm working on the next chapter. Tell me what you guys want to read. XO
