Chapter 5
Vi looks up to see the young brunette looking straight at her. A terrified look on her face.
"What happened?" Caitlyn asks, as she rushes towards Vi.
Before Vi even has time to think, two soft hands are touching her face. Normally she would jump back, not wanting to be touched by another person, but for some reason her body is frozen in place, as one hand gently runs a finger gently over her swollen black eye.
"Its..nothing", Vi chokes out as she looks into Caitlyn's bright blue eyes. "Just in the wrong place and the wrong time."
"It doesn't look like nothing" Caitlyn says as she moves closer.
Vi holds her breath as Caitlyn's face is now inches from her own. Examining her eye as if just by looking at it she could heal her. "Really its nothing," Vi says as she brings her own hands up to cover Caitlyn's. She's never felt more vulnerable, more exposed as she does right now with Caitlyn Kirammans hands on her face.
Caitlyn steps back, looking at Vi. "Can I get you an ice pack?"
"Really I'm okay."
"At least let me get some cream." Caitlyn says as she sprints back inside without waiting for an answer from Vi.
Vi stands, almost too stunned to move, as she touches where Caitlyn's hands just were on her face. She is very aware of her heart almost beating out of her chest, just as Caitlyn comes running back outside.
"My father always brings home to best, newest medicine from the hospital." Caitlyn says, as she squirts a small amount of cream onto her fingers. Without asking she puts her left hand behind Vi's head to steady her, while she gently rubs the cream under Vi's eye with her right.
Vi is aware she hasn't spoken a word in over five minutes, but as she goes to open her mouth no words come out. Instead, she allows herself to close her eyes for a brief moment, as she feels Caitlyn's hands sooth her.
"Thank you." Vi says as she opens her eyes to see Caitlyn's staring right back into hers. For a moment neither of them moves. Neither of them wants to break this rare form of intimacy that they both have craved but have only been denied.
"That should help." Caitlyn says as she takes a step back.
"Thank you, again." Vi says awkwardly as she finally allows herself to take a real breath.
"So, what really happened?"
"I got punched trying to pull my sister out of the fight."
"Your sister was fighting?" Caitlyn says shocked.
"Yeah, she's a bit of a lose canon."
Caitlyn looks at Vi, unsure how to process that kind of information. From where she grew up, ladies don't ever fight. She sits down on the porch contemplating her next question. "Vi?"
Vi looks at Caitlyn, almost like she can sense what's coming next, her chest tightens a bit as she waits for Caitlyn to ask.
"How do you know Jayce and Viktor?"
Vi sighs as she contemplates how much information to give up. "Jayce didn't tell you?"
"After we left, everything was kind of chaotic. All he said is that I should stay away from you. Honestly, I didn't really want to know his side."
"But you want to know mine?"
"Yes." Catilyn says plainly.
"Well," Vi says as she clears her throat nervously. "We all went to school together. I was really good friends with Viktor, so much so that we started dating. Some things happened that made me feel uncomfortable, so I broke up with him. I guess he was embarrassed so he spread some lies about me."
"You don't have to tell me anymore." Caitlyn says as she looks at Vi. "I know what being on the wrong side of a rumor can do to you."
"You do?"
"Yes," Caitlyn says as she looks down at her feet. "See my father always wanted to come to the states, but my mother never did. Well, at least not until some stuff happened at school. The rumors spread faster than I could have imagined. My mother was horrified. She always prided herself on being a well-respected lady, with a name that meant something. The thought of it getting tarnished was too much for her to bear. So, when my father got the opportunity to come here, she finally agreed."
"I'm so sorry." Vi says as she sits down next to Caitlyn on the porch.
"My mother hates it here, and I think she blames me."
"That's not right. It wasn't your fault."
"But what if it was?" Caitlyn says as she looks up at Vi.
"I don't know what happened, you don't have to tell me, but I know people are cruel. Even if you made a mistake, your mother shouldn't blame you." Vi says as she instinctively slides closer to Caitlyn.
They both sit in silence for a moment, before a young boy, carrying a large bag, runs up to the porch. "Your paper." He says as he hands the morning paper to Caitlyn.
The paper is rolled up, but you can clearly see the advertisement for the county fair on the front page.
"You going?" Vi asks as she points to it.
"it's my birthday."
"Your birthday?"
"Yup, I asked my father if he would take me for my birthday. He said he would be glad too. What about you, are you going?"
"Never miss it. Probably one of the best things about this place. They put on a pretty good show. Have all sorts of booths set up. Carnival rides, the works."
"Sounds amazing."
"Do they not do that kind of stuff in England?"
"They do, but only around the bigger cities, and doesn't seem to be as festive. Mostly set around people trying to sell their stuff."
"They have that here too, but it's a pretty big event. Hopefully ill see you there though."
"I would love that." Caitlyn says as her heart begins to beat faster.
"Well, if I do, I'm buying you a candy apple for your birthday." Vi says with her signature smile, that only makes Caitlyn's heartbeat faster.
"I look forward to it."
"Well, I better get on my way but thank you for cream" Vi says as she points to her eye before grabbing the empty milk bottles.
The next few days are a whirl wind of emotions, as Caitlyn prepares to turn 17. In England 17 is seen as an adult, whereas America its 18. Caitlyn definitely prefers 17, since she knows her mother won't be able to have as much control.
She still does her best to be the good daughter she was raised to be. She does her chores, practices her instruments, and helps out with whatever else her mother might need. The only thing that is different is her morning routine. She used to only have brief moments with the young woman who delivered her milk, but now the milk comes a few minutes early, giving her time to get to know the young woman, who has without her knowledge, captured her heart.
The day before her birthday, Caitlyn is sitting outside on her porch. The time is 6:30, when the milk truck pulls up. The beautiful young woman pulls the milk out of the back, before grabbing a little pink box from the passenger side. She walks with confidence up to the porch.
"Just in case I don't see you tomorrow." Vi says as she hands Caitlyn the little pink box. "Happy birthday."
"You didn't have to." Caitlyn says as she opens the box, that contains two cupcakes. One with pink frosting, the other with blue. "Two?"
"You didn't think you were going to get away without sharing with me, did you?" Vi says with a knowing smirk. "The pink is Vanila the blue is chocolate. Since you're the birthday girl, I'll let you pick."
"What if I want them both?" Caitlyn says with a smirk.
"Well, I guess.." But Caitlyn quickly cuts Vi off.
"I'm only teasing, although I would like to try both."
"Sharing it is." Vi says as she pulls out the blue cupcake. She takes off the wrapper, before taking a large bite out of it.
"What are you doing?" Caitlyn says, as she watches Vi get blue frosting all over her face.
"We don't exactly have a knife." Vi says as she passes the other half of the cupcake to Caitlyn.
"I'm supposed to just eat this mess now?"
"Unless you're too good for my germs." Vi says as she accidentally spits small pieces of chocolate cupcake out of her mouth.
"You're a menace." Caitlyn says before taking a small bite of what's left of the chocolate cupcake.
Vi reaches for the pink, just as Caitlyn grabs her hand. "I think I get to go first this time."
"Okay". Vi says as she throws her hands up in mock surrender.
Caitlyn Carefully takes off the wrapper, as she examines the best way to eat half, without making a mess like Vi did.
"I don't have forever here" Vi says impatiently, as she watches Caitlyn examine the cupcake.
"Don't rush me, just because I don't want to be an animal." Caitlyn says playfully.
"Fine, fine."
Caitlyn slowly brings the cupcake up to her face, moving in to take a small bite, when Vi playfully pushes the cupcake into her face.
"Violet!" Caitlyn shouts as she pulls the cupcake back to reveal pink frosting smeared all over her face.
Vi can't help but laugh, as she watches Caitlyn wipe a large amount of frosting off her lips and onto her finger.
Without warning Caitlyn lunges forward, and smears the frosting all over Vis cheek. Vi is taken back by the bold move, but she just continues to laugh as she wipes it off.
"Happy birthday, cupcake." Vi says, as she helps Caitlyn clean up the mess.
"Cupcake?"
"You don't like the nickname?"
"Not really."
"Well sorry Cupcake, you don't get to pick your nicknames."
"Your something else you know that."
"So I've been told." Vi says as she grabs the empty milk bottles from the porch. "I'll be looking for you tomorrow."
Caitlyn wakes up to the smell of pancakes. Something her father has always done for her on her birthday. She quickly dresses, before running out into the living room.
"Morning father."
"Happy birthday darling." Tobias says, as he sets down a large stack of pancakes in front of Caitlyn. "You excited for the fair today?"
"Very much so." Caitlyn says, before diving fork first into the pancakes.
"Unfortunately, your mother won't be able to join us. She has woken up feeling poorly.
"Oh no, is she okay."
"Just a slight fever, and cough. Probably just needs a good day's rest. But don't worry, I won't let that get in the way of our fun, so be ready to head out at 10."
"Yes father." Caitlyn says with a large grin on her face. She finishes eating her pancakes before getting ready and checking in on her mother.
At 9:30 Caitlyn hears the phone ring. Her father answers, and she listens, as she hears the stress in his voice. "Yes, I will be there right away." Her heart sinks, as she realizes what's happening. She enters the living room, where her father gives her a knowing look. "I'm so sorry Caitlyn, that was the hospital, one of our other surgeons was involved in an accident. I need to get there to help aid in his surgery."
"I understand father." Caitlyn says, as her heart begins to break on the inside.
"I promise ill make it up to you, he says as he grabs his things, and readies himself to leave."
"Father, could you drop me off at the fair, its on the way to the hospital?"
Tobias looks at his daughter, he wants to protest, or at least talk about it, but he doesn't have time, and he knows she deserves to be happy on her birthday.
"Please father, I will be safe, and I will take the bus home."
"Okay," Tobias says as he leads them both to the car, before leaving a note for his wife.
Caitlyn's sits in the passenger seat, disappointed her father won't be joining her, but happy she still gets to have a good time on her birthday. He pulls up to the fairgrounds and opens his wallet. "Enjoy yourself today, I will make it up tomorrow". He says as he hands her some money.
"Thank you, father." Caitlyn says as she hugs and kisses him, before jumping out of the car.
Caitlyn walks through the grounds, in awe of the grand event taking place before her eyes. The first thing she spots are the enormous rides that tower over everything else. Before them there are lines of booths. People selling everything from homemade jewelry to knitted scarves. She takes her time walking through each booth, making sure to admire all of the products, while taking mental notes of what she might want to buy on her way out. As she gets closer to the end of the vendor booths, the smell of fried food fills her nose. She looks up to see multiple stalls selling a variety of sweet and salty foods. She still can't believe she is here, without parental supervision as she stands in line for a cola, and deep-fried corn dog.
As Caitlyn waits, she can't help but overhear two young people behind her fighting over which item to buy.
"We're getting the pizza." The teenage boy says.
"No, we're getting the fries you ass." The young woman says.
Caitlyn turns around to see the two people that bumped into her at the social. She quickly looks around, hoping to spot the young woman with reddish pink hair. When she doesn't spot her, she does something she normally wouldn't do and confronts the two rowdy teenagers.
"Hey, isn't Vi your sister?"
They both stop, and looked stunned, as they look at Caitlyn. Neither of them speak up, as they both look at each other, unsure of what this random girl could want with their sister.
"What's it to ya?" The young woman asks, as she looks at Caitlyn with an almost evil grin.
"Is she here?"
"Depends, who's asking?" The young man says as he steps threateningly close to Caitlyn.
Caitlyn takes a step back as she almost bumps into the large man behind her. "I'm her…were friends."
Both teens laugh as they move closer to Caitlyn. "Nice try, but Vi doesn't have friends." The young boy says. "Yeah princess." The girl says as she lifts her hand to grab Caitlyn by the collar of her shirt. But before she has a chance to reach Caitlyn's shirt, a hand grabs her wrist.
"What in the hell are you doing?"
"Vi." Jinx says, as she goes to back up, but Vi's grip is too tight. "This weird chick kept asking about you. We just wanted to make sure she wasn't going to hurt you."
"Her name is Caitlyn, and I told both of you already, I can take care of myself, so stop causing problems." Vi says as she releases Jinx's wrist. "Now get out of here."
Both teens take off running, as Vi stands there, unsure of how to apologize for her sibling's actions. "I'm sorry Cait, they." But Caitlyn quickly cuts her off.
"Are just trying to protect their older sister." Caitlyn says as she stands up straight, still slightly shaken up by the altercation. "I am glad you showed up when you did, I don't dare think about what your sister was going to do to me."
"She's mostly harmless." Vi says, even though she knows she is lying, and Jinx is a total ticking time bomb. "But what are you doing here alone?"
"My father got called into an emergency, and my mother is sick."
Vi fidgets with the inside of her pockets as she realizes what this could mean. "Are you meeting anyone else here?"
"Nope." Caitlyn says as she looks at her feet.
"You wanna hangout with me and my family? I can't say it will be fun, but it will definitely be exciting."
"I would love to." Caitlyn says just as the man behind the counter asks for her order. "Just a cola."
"So what's first?" Caitlyn asks as she takes a sip of her cola.
"You ever seen pig racing?"
Caitlyn looks at Vi, her eyebrows peaked. "Pig racing?"