The following weeks arrived and departed. Fall quickly showed itself. Roommates Emmalyn and Alyssa rapidly settled into a routine. Alyssa would party each and every weekend that came. Whereas Emmalyn, would stay behind, studying, reading, and writing. Her standard of living was tedious in stark contrast to her cohort. Matt habitually stayed overnight – for a conjugal visit of course.
A usual late Friday afternoon was occurring in Room 307. Emmalyn was heading down the corridor from her nightly study session, catching Alyssa and Matt looped arm in arm. "Emmy!" Alyssa purred, lightly tugging her arm and slightly pulling her backwards, "You can't tell me you're staying in again." Alyssa stressed. Emmalyn sighed heavily throwing a stiff expression. "I told you, I've got to go home this weekend. I haven't seen my mother or father since August." Alyssa pouted, letting the captive arm free. "Before the end of the semester, you're going to come out with us. Besides, my brother wants to meet you!" Alyssa called out joyously. "Okay, another time then. I promise." Emmalyn hastily replied. Matt waved good-bye as the two left the building.
She unlocked her door, throwing herself into the dark living space, shuffling down the hallway into her bedroom. Her overnight bag, which once belonged to her mother, was hanging lazily on the desk chair. She unzipped it, checking the contents in order to make sure she forgot nothing. She pushed her hand to the bottom of the bag, looking for her bottle of lotion. "I always happen to forget at least one thing." She murmured, but suddenly felt a strange object. Taking her hand from the bag, she turned on the desk lamp, moving clothing out of the way. Her heart plummeted from her chest. She pulled a small photo from the very bottom, tears brimming.
"How could I have not noticed this?" she questioned herself, gazing at the photo of her older sister, Eliza. Fury immediately waved over her, she tore the photo in half and tossed its remnants out of the window. She watched on as the paper fluttered to the pavement below. A forceful rumble nearby jerked her from the trance and a few feet away, she could see blinding headlights and Avenged Sevenfold pumping from the Legion's speakers. Off in the distance, Alyssa and Matt were sitting on the hood of his darling Alaskan. Emmalyn laughed at herself, observing her friends flirt playfully.
An additional massive truck grumbled behind the Legion and the Alaskan. Each car was a blazing red, black and gold. Intricate tribal décor sat proudly on the truck's exterior. As night began to fall, Emmalyn had to squint in order to see a burly man stalk his way out of the Compensator. She took of her glasses quickly, rubbing them clean. The unidentified man placed his hands on the Alaskan's hood, startling Matt and Alyssa. The fiery scarlet hair matched his crimson button down shirt. Emmalyn could hear the heels of his burgundy steel-toed snake skin boots clack against the pavement. Her heart began to race once Alyssa noticed her and waved. The man looked in Emmalyn's direction on cue, causing her nerves to become shot.
She waved back anxiously, the familiarity between Alyssa's face and the bizarre man's struck a chord of curiosity. However, she would not have the opportunity to find the answer as her mother began to call her incessantly. "I'm coming! I'm coming Christ!" Emmalyn screamed, shutting and locking the window. She snatched the bag from the chair and bolted out of the building, skipping out of the dormitory. Practically running towards her jet black Phoenix with maroon trim and a blazing white interior, out of the corner of her eye she spotted the scene. A few other people had arrived by this time.
She opened the driver door, stepping in and starting her engine, speeding towards the Barrio District.
Nightfall had settled in by the time she reached her destination. Her parent's home lay on the very edge of the cul-de-sac. Annoyance washed over her when she spotted her father's car in the garage. The Phoenix skulked to a complete stop and grabbed her bag and hopped up the steps that led to the front door – which was unlocked. "Mom, I'm home!" Emmalyn announced scrutinizing the house. She quietly shut the door behind her and tiptoed down the hallway, racing up stairs before her mother could find her existence. Once landing on the second floor, she sprinted past her parent's bedroom, sneaking into her own next door.
Emmalyn dropped her bag and thrust herself onto the bed, and closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of freshly laundered sheets. "Oh, you're home." A growl emitted from the doorway. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up straight while fixing her hair. "Hi…dad." She weakly greeted, avoiding his eye contact. Gerard was a stocky man. His height was undersized compared to a majority of men his age. He speckled gray hair was swooped into an unspoiled hairstyle. His age was beginning to catch up to him as the wrinkles were setting in. His tie was sloppily hanging around the collar of his Robin's Egg blue work shirt. In a few ways, she resembled her father, adopting his light brown eyes and his smile. Emmalyn missed the father of her childhood.
Once Eliza was gone, a massive emotional disconnect transpired throughout the Green household. "Your mother wants you to begin cleaning out the spare room." He ordered, beginning to abscond downstairs. At the moment he departed, a sharp sigh came from her throat. She stood off of the bed and walked to her doorway. Peering down the hallway, she could see the empty bedroom light shine from underneath the door. Emmalyn hadn't been in that room in nearly two years.
Emmalyn slowly ambled in the door's direction, her hand shaking as she turned the knob and pushing the door open. A flood of emotion pounded her as she gazed around the room. It was literally frozen in time. It hadn't been touched since her departure. A Feed Dogs poster clung to dear life above the bed. The sheets were hanging from the bed, scraping the floor. Clothing was strewn across open dresser drawers, books, shoes and other miscellaneous items were scattered across the floor. She crept further into the dwelling, yanking an old photo from the corkboard lying on the desk. In the photo, stood Eliza and Emmalyn as young teens, in happier times before chaos blew through their lives and ripped them apart.
Warm tears brimmed from her eyes as decrepit recollections burst through. It only proved that no matter how much vigor she put into forgetting Eliza, she could not. She would always remember tagging along wherever Eliza went, borrowing CD's and clothing, telling their secrets. They were inseparable until the day Eliza met Shogo Akuji, the only son of Kazuo Akuji. Emmalyn could remember the giddy expression Eliza had. Eliza was a high school senior, Emmalyn was sophomore. Over time, Eliza steadily began to pull away from her younger sister.
It wasn't before long that Eliza's demeanor flipped as she changed from studious and obedient daughter, to a rebellious seventeen year old. Eliza would sneak from the house, jetting off to exclusive nightclubs with Shogo and playing hooky were the worst of it. Geraldine and Gerard attempted each and every scare tactic in the book and to no avail they seldom worked. Eliza's behavior itself began to illuminate the cracks in their marriage. Emmalyn could remember nights in which she would hear her parents screeching at one another. The arguments would normally end in her father leaving the house and not coming back 'till late the next evening.
Eliza's new and bold reputation to a gang boss certainly caused stigma in the tight community, however it was Emmalyn who had to suffer the consequence. She wiped away a tear that broke free and rolled down her cheek. The fatal night rang through her mind.
"What in the hell do you want Geraldine!" Eliza yelled at the top of lungs, hastily throwing clothes into bags. "Eliza Jane Green! Stop this instant!" she retorted, grabbing her daughter's arm. Eliza yanked it back violently; Emmalyn was sitting at her door, sobbing heavily. "Or what? There is not a damn thing neither you nor dad can do!" Eliza threatened, zipping up her bags. With this latest remark, Emmalyn could hear her mother's tiny hand smack Eliza's cheek. Geraldine never laid a finger on her children. "You disrespectful, ungrateful twat!" her mother roared and with this Eliza shoved her mother backwards. Emmalyn could hear her mother stumble. She began to cry even harder.
"You see this Geraldine!" Eliza snapped, shoving a white stick in her mother's face. A deafening silence passed before either female said a word. "What the hell is happening in my home!" Gerard blurted when he charged down the hallway. "Gerard that darn boy got Eliza pregnant." Geraldine whispered, Emmalyn could see her mother's face buried in her hands as Eliza stood triumphantly in this frenzied event. The entire family grew soundless, she couldn't believe her ears. "Have you lost your mind!" Gerard growled. "Out! Out! Now!" he commanded, taking his daughter by the shoulder and shoving her down the steps. By this time, her parents and sister were on the first floor. "Don't come back until you're done with that Ronin gang mess!"
This was the final time she saw her sister. She never knew what became of her niece or nephew. From that moment forward, her life changed. Her parents cracked down harshly in order to salvage the remains of their repute. She indirectly became a pariah in school, despite obtaining stupendous academic and leadership achievements. Emmalyn was locked in an invisible cage. Her sister's shadow hovering over her.