A/N: This chapter is about Scarlet (set just right before the last chapter). This chapter was also written by CkSwCtWj.
Enjoy! Next chapter will be up soon. Happy New Year to everyone! And if you don't celebrate, happy day :)
A week.
She grimaced, zipping her winter jacket all the way up.
It had been a week.
Since the tears, the funeral, more tears...
The award assembly and phone call.
Scarlet almost wished that she had been there with them, there with her parents, just so she could be out of her misery right now.
Her parents- cold and gone and dead.
The train wheels squeaked in defiance, screeching and whining in defiance as it slowly lurched forward. Scarlet groaned as the cacophonous noise cracked through her ears. The mechanisms were beginning to croak with life. Glaring outside to see what was taking so long, Scarlet looked through the dusty, frosty windows of the old train. A frantic young woman was rushing to the train boarding station, her blonde hair tousled and her pink purse flopping behind her.
It was something Scarlet's mother would have done- be late. Her mom had been irresponsible, late for everything.
Her parents. It always circled back to them, a never-ending circle of torment, always back to them.
Luc, Scarlet's father, was a drunk. Mimi, his wife, was a beautiful and young and dumb woman, waiting to be plucked from the field of men. At least that was how Scarlet's grandmother put it, Luc's mother, when Scarlet had met her at the funeral the first time in years.
Luc and Mimi looked good together- Scarlet's father with his clean-shaved jawline and stark black hair, and her mother with her bloody-red curls and feminine form.
Bloody.
Shuddering, Scarlet attempted to push the mental image of her parents in the car, crushed and soaked in blood. She wasn't so sure how to feel about the whole incident, to be honest. She wasn't even there.
Before the car crash, Scarlet had hated her family. She used to loathe her parents. Her alcoholic, party-goer parents who had barely paid heed to their growing daughter. And now- of course she was grieving, but her emotions were having constant battles with each other, and Scarlet was left perplexed. Feel sad, or don't feel sad?
Never helping her with anything. Making their daughter fend for herself. Ignoring her whines and tears when all she craved for was a bit of attention. Once even locking her in her room for days, because she was being 'bad'. Like she was some scrappy, useless dog that was chained to terrible owners. The only thing that kept Scarlet alive, all these years, was fanfiction. The Star Chronicles. How she loved Reyem Asirram- her savior. After going to a local store to buy the series, and quickly finishing them, Scarlet had began writing stories. Soon after that, around the age of 15, she started publishing them. On fanfiction , she met tons of amazing and inspiring writers, such as Cinder, Iko, Peony, Cress, and...PrincessofTheMoon.
But it wasn't like her parents knew a single thing about fan fiction, or her love for reading and writing. Her parents never even showed up for a single school graduation- not a single event in even even Scarlet's senior high school winter award assembly. She won the most awards, too. Maybe she would be the valedictorian by the time summer graduation rolled around.
Her parents had been driving back from a club, or some reckless party, and they were still rather disoriented and drunk, according to the police. Scarlet had perused through all of the police reports, relentlessly talked to several officers, even asked to speak to some witnesses. Luc and Mimi had swerved the car right and left by an intersection, and Officer Toulouse- the main police officer she had asked questions to- spotted them right away. But it was too late- her parents crashed into another car that was making a turn, then they were flung from their seats. They wore no seatbelts, Toulouse had said. Not to mention, as soon as they skyrocketed from the impact of the crash, another car that was making a left had skidded into them, and then another one…
Her parents were, so far, the only casualties. The others involved in the accident were in critical condition, probably dying at a hospital.
Two worthless lives- taken.
Yet somehow, Scarlet felt like a part of her was chopped off when she found out about her parents' death. Scarlet had been in denial, at the moment.
Shortly after the award assembly at her high school, Scarlet had went to Sophie's, her close friend, house for a celebration with a bunch of other people from their grade. But the party was short-lived. As soon as she stepped inside of Sophie's house, her phone blared out Alpha Dog by Fall Out Boy, her ringtone.
She remembered being shell-shocked at the 9-1-1 number, hesitating whether or not to slide and accept the call. And the unmeasurable, unexpected amounts of dread filling her soul.
After all these years, her so-called stupid parents were dead.
It made her think about an old saying her grandmother said, when Scarlet was much younger…You don't appreciate what you have until it's gone…
They were drunks. They deserved it.
But, miraculously, a part of her actually missed them.
It was impossible.
But Scarlet did. She had curled up in a ball when she abruptly left Sophie's house, ignoring her friend's pleas to stay and relax because of the tons of cute boys she invited…
Agonizing wails and screams had collapsed from her lips as Scarlet sobbed in her room, the call from the officer stuck in her head like a horribly catchy song.
Dead, the woman on the phone had said. Announced dead at approximately 9:00 P.M. Come to the police station as soon as possible. My condolences...
It was a bunch of bologna. And Scarlet recalled staying in her room, confused and upset and all alone, for at least thirty minutes. Her already messy, curly hair was swept up in a wild, fiery mane of a lion, and her face physically hurt from the tears and the unexpected pain. Scarlet's brain had been mushed with emotions. It had felt like a sword had sliced straight through her entire body, skewing her.
Eventually, though, she made it to the police station, looking like a wreck.
And then, the funeral. It was the day after the incident- poorly planned. Luc's phone was found at the bottom of the car, crushed but still functioning. Scarlet had asked to get a hold of it, and then scrolled through his contacts, calling every single person on the list, telling them of Luc and Mimi's death.
Some people didn't respond.
The ones who did sounded like they were drunk.
And she had called her grandmother. Scarlet didn't even know that she still had close family, last she saw her was more than a decade ago, and they used to even live together, but Luc and Mimi wanted to move closer to the city. Away from Grandmere. But she found her grandmother's number on her dad's phone, with the name of Mom.
The funeral went on, taking place at a pathetic graveyard. Meek and meaningless. Scarlet barely had enough money to host one, and she was broke by the time she hired a funeral director. She depleted most of her savings account from her job as a waitress, but she still wanted to hold a proper funeral for her parents.
The people who showed up were creepy, giving Scarlet suggestive looks. Only her grandmother genuinely hugged Scarlet, strong and confident and crying. Scarlet thought she would like her again, learn to bond with her after all those years.
That was before the funeral ended.
After false words given from a speaker, saying that Luc and Mimi would be dearly missed, the funeral concluded, and her grandmother spoke sternly. Her words had rung with meaning- she wanted Scarlet to stay with her. Live with her, move out of the city and join her next week by the farm.
Scarlet had been livid.
She recalled lashing out, telling Grandmere that she didn't need charity, that she was grown-up and could handle her own life… But her grandmother didn't give her much of a choice. She had handed a train ticket to Scarlet and told her to pack up her important belongings by a week. Apparently, Scarlet's house was already put up on the market, mainly because Luc and Mimi were so behind on their bills. Or perhaps the bank would take the house.
And then, Grandmere had left. Like this was something Scarlet was supposed to be okay with. Because her grandmother lived on a farm, and that was significantly different than living in a city. Obviously, Scarlet had thought about retaliating, but where would she go? It was Winter Break now. Plus, college wasn't starting soon, and she didn't have enough money to even rent a floor of an apartment. And her friends? Not the supportive type.
It also turned out the college she was planning to attend in a year or so- University of Luna- was a mere ten minute walk from where her grandmother lived.
So that was how Scarlet, glowering and trying so hard not to dissolve into angry, upset tears, ended up on the train.
The musty smell of grease filled the halls as the door cracked open once again, letting the late woman in. An annoyed conductor mumbled something under his breath, but the woman suddenly smiled, and he blushed.
Quickly, the blonde broke apart from the conductor's stare, and she scanned the aisles for a seat.
None left.
Well, except for the one conveniently next to Scarlet.
"May I?" the blonde-haired woman asked, breathless from running. Reluctantly, Scarlet moved aside her luggage and scooted over, and the woman let a sigh of relief before plopping down. Her cheeks were flushed, a lovely shade of red, and she wore a fashionable coat and a black shawl.
"I'm Emilie!" The young woman extended her hand, a lilting French accent among her voice.
"Name's Scarlet." She briskly shook hands with the woman, dreading where this was going.
"I can tell you're French. I am too, if you couldn't tell already." Emilie managed a cheeky grin.
Scarlet grunted. This was going to be a train ride of torture.
"I know, I know. It's nothing you're accustomed to," Grandmere said, showing her around the farm. "But it's not in the middle of nowhere. There are two schools over there," she added, pointing outside the window to two adjacent and large building campuses. "A men's military school right by your future university. It's perfect- you only need to walk for a few minutes to get there." Her grandmother smiled, and she undid her shoulder-length, gray braid again.
Scarlet couldn't help but let loose a moan. This was worse than she thought it would be.
An actual farm. Barn. With animals. The overbearing scent of manure and dead flies suddenly came at her then, invading her unfortunate nostrils.
"If this is your definition of perfect, then I'd like to see your definition of okay," Scarlet retorted, planting her hands on her hips.
"Why don't you at least try to be grateful?" her grandmother snapped, startling Scarlet.
Nobody had ever snapped back to Scarlet's comments, ever. Nobody. Usually, her parents would, petulantly, send her to her room, and Scarlet would put up a fight…
She could already tell that things were going to be very different with Grandmere.
Huffing, Scarlet rolled her eyes. "It's not like I want to be here, so why should I pretend to be?"
"Why aren't you happy? I'm giving you a new life."
A new life. Scarlet withheld a scoff.
"My parents. My friends. My home! Don't you know what this is- how this is impacting me?"
"Stop being so self-centered! What is with you?" Then quietly, "You're not the Scarlet I knew, or remembered."
"Well, that was ten years ago, and maybe things are different now." Glaring at her grandmother, Scarlet snarled, and she reached for her suitcase, but a stern hand stopped her.
"If you're going to act like some spoiled city kid, I suggest you leave, now."
Silence. Scarlet felt the tension burning between them, and red flashes and flecks spotted her vision. Her heart race was racing as her face grew a murderous crimson pigment.
"Fine, then! I don't need your-"
"Wait," her grandmother said. "I didn't mean it that way, Scar."
Scarlet bristled at the old nickname her father had used to call her. "Don't call me that."
"Scarlet. Listen, I just...I know it's going to be hard for you to adjust. But things will get better, okay?"
Not knowing what to say, Scarlet nodded. A tear slipped out from her eye, and she hastily wiped it away.
"I think...I think I would like some time alone," Scarlet said, reaching for her luggage. This time, her grandmother didn't stop her.
"Okay. Your room is the one next to the bathroom, upstairs." Sighing, her grandmother also added, "There's no internet access, by the way."
Scarlet's heart dropped, like a gavel falling on a judge's desk.
No internet?
Then...fanfiction...her only tether to her friends...her only…
"But, I need it! Without access, I can't do anything here, and-"
"I'll make use of you, Scarlet. You're not going ot get bored here, you know." And her grandmother smiled.
Smiled.
A disgusted growl crept up Scarlet's throat.
"I'm heading to the school campus, to check it out before the semester starts. And to see if there's actually internet access." Furious, Scarlet zipped open her suitcase and fished for her tablet, then threw on her tennis shoes.
"Now? But you just-"
She didn't hear the rest of her grandmother's response as she slammed the screen door shut, cursing under her breath. Scarlet blew the red, askew hair from her face as she sprinted away from her grandmother's stupid farm. A few chickens squawked as she kicked gravel in the way, but she simply snarled at them.
Stupid farm. Stupid animals. Stupid grand-
No. Scarlet took a deep breath as she ran to the school campus. No, her grandmother only meant good…
The school campus was fairly large and new, but honestly, Scarlet wasn't that interested in looking around, as she had told her grandmother. She just needed to breathe. And find some internet access, for star's sake.
Grumbling, Scarlet sat down at the front entrance of the school, and she turned on the power button of her tablet. Impatiently, she drummed her fingers on her kneecap, and finally the electronic device brightened.
Internet access. Status- available. Scarlet's heart rose.
The first thing she did was to check her email- for PMs regarding fanfiction. Humming, and already in a slightly better mood, Scarlet checked her inbox. Revolutionary26 had asked for her to check her hangouts. Scarlet typed a hasty message to her friends, who had already been chatting on Hangouts.
Hey guys.
Responses all at once.
Scarlet, where were you? Cinder.
Ah, lots of things… going on…
Nevermind. She quickly wrote.
But it was too late, of course her friends were going to want to know what had happened.
Peony's icon showed up- a pink peony flower- as the message she sent popped up on Cinder's screen.
Aww, what? Tell us!
Scarlet deliberated.
Something wrong, Scarlet? Cress.
OMS, tell us! Iko wrote, obviously wanting to scope out on information.
Scarlet-friend, what is wrong? Ryu knows you too well.
Shuddering at the uncanny message Winter wrote, Scarlet sighed. She was dumping problems on her friends. it wasn't worth it.
Maybe later, Scarlet wrote, and I also have to leave.
She ignored her friends' protests as she signed out. Right now, all that mattered was that there was Internet access at the campus.
Scarlet also, admittedly, owed an apology to her grandmother.
