Chapter 711: Beaulieu Manor
Friday, March 17th, Evening
She entered through the door from their shared bathroom. She pushed a stray lock of brunette hair out of her face and looked over the darkened room. The person she was looking for was lying on the bed. With a sigh, she slowly tipped into the room.
Kendall "Keni" Stafford sat on the side of the bed. She looked at the summoned form of her friend, almost sister. Keni looked over the still form with curly blonde hair as the form gently breathed in an irregular rhythm. Keni rested her hand on the blonde's back and rubbed it. This caused the blonde to stir and rollover.
Sawyer looked up at Keni with her green eyes. They were once sparkling and alive but now seemed dull and lifeless. Sawyer held her much-loved plushy Jon-Jon, as she looked at Keni.
Crying on the corner
Waiting in the rain
I swear I will never ever wait again
You gave me your word
But words for you are lies
"What?" Sawyer asked.
"What's going on with you?" Keni asked.
"I was lying down," Sawyer said.
"I'm not talking about that," Keni said.
"What are you talking about?" Sawyer asked.
"You've not been yourself since the party," Keni said.
"I've been fine," Sawyer said.
"No, you haven't even LK said it," Keni said.
"It's fine, Keni," Sawyer said.
"What happened at the party?" Keni asked.
"Nothing," Sawyer said.
"Don't say nothing, not to me," Keni said.
Sawyer sighed, "I, I, I don't know," she said.
"Did Keir hurt you?" Keni asked.
"Yes," Sawyer said.
Keni tensed up and was about to stand up, but Sawyer stopped her. Looking down, Keni looked at Sawyer. "We need to tell someone," Keni said.
Darling in my wildest dreams
I never thought I'd go
But it's time to let you know
"Not in that way," Sawyer said.
"In what way?" Keni asked.
Sawyer sighed and lowered her head.
"Did he force himself on you?" Keni asked.
"No, it was consensual; I was the one who started it," Sawyer said.
"Are you just saying that to protect Keir?" Keni asked.
"No, no, I did it of my own free will," Sawyer said.
"Why did you?" Keni asked.
I'm gonna harden my heart
I'm gonna swallow my tears
I'm gonna turn and leave you here
Sawyer shrugged, "It felt right, his words, his deeds; it was like he saw me, down to my inside," she said.
"You were wrong?" Keni asked.
Sawyer nodded, "It was fog, mist, all he, all he wanted was just me, my body," she said.
Keni nodded, "I'm sorry," she said and hugged Sawyer.
"It was me trying to find the Claudio to my Hero," Sawyer said.
"But you found your Don John," Keni said.
Sawyer sighed, "Sadly, I have, and now I have just that, evil for the rest of my life," she said.
"Only you know your heart," Keni said.
"I'm going to harden my heart," Sawyer said.
"Don't do that," Keni said.
"There's nothing for me but to remain strong; strong for my dad," Sawyer said.
"No, no, you need to be strong for yourself," Keni said.
All of my life I've been waiting in the rain
I've been waiting for a feeling that never ever came
It feels so close but always disappears
"He's all I have left, Keni; he's it, no one else. All the men in my life, all the ones I love, go away," Sawyer said.
"What are you saying?" Keni asked.
"You know, you better damn know," Sawyer said.
"Gareth is gone, Keith is gone, Keir was never there," Sawyer said and tapered off, leaving something more unsaid.
"Keith will be back," Keni said.
"He went away," Sawyer said.
"Keith was ordered to go," Keni said.
Sawyer shook her head, "No one loves me but my dad," she said.
Darling in your wildest dreams
You never had it good
But it's time you've got the news
"There's a building full of people here that love you," Keni said.
"But you all shall leave me," Sawyer said, "I'm unlovable; no one wants to love me."
"You can't say that," Keni said.
"It's true," Sawyer said.
"It's not," Keni said.
Sawyer sighed, "Everyone leaves, Keni," she said, "everyone leaves."
"No, they don't; I'm here," Sawyer said.
I'm gonna harden my heart
I'm gonna swallow my tears
I'm gonna turn and leave you here
Sawyer shook her head and pushed off the bed. She walked to the window and looked out onto the gardens. Keni watched her oldest and deepest friend stand at the window.
Keni noticed Sawyer was stretched thin, worn down to nothing. Sawyer's strength was a thread taunt and near breaking. Something is happening, and it's destroying Sawyer's word.
"You're not alone," Keni said.
Darling in my wildest dreams
I never thought I'd go
But it's time to you know
"Yes, I am," Sawyer said, "The last, the forgotten, the untalented."
"What are you talking about?" Keni asked.
"Who I am," Sawyer said.
I'm gonna harden my heart
I'm gonna swallow my tears
I'm gonna turn
And leave you here
"You're Sawyer, my best friend," Keni said.
"There were four of us, once," Sawyer said.
"We're still four," Keni said.
"No, we are three," Sawyer said.
"Gareth will be back," Keni said.
"No, Gareth is gone," Sawyer said.
"He'll be back," Keni said.
Sawyer shook her head, "He left me; he left us," she said.
"So, what are you going to do?" Keni asked.
"I'm going to harden my heart," Sawyer said.
Keni sat on the bed and stared at Sawyer.
I'm gonna harden my heart
I'm gonna swallow my tears
I'm gonna harden my heart
I'm gonna swallow my tears
Harden my heart
I'm gonna swallow my tears
Oh oh oh oh
Harden my heart
I'm gonna harden my heart
I'm gonna swallow my tears
I'm gonna harden my heart
I'm gonna swallow my tears
Harden my heart
I'm gonna swallow my tears
Oh oh oh oh
Harden my heart
I'm gonna harden my heart