Chapter Text
Sterling’s mum knocked on the door and entered Sterling’s room, she was greeted by a vision of April looking surprisingly sheepish sitting on Sterling’s bed. Whilst Sterling herself, wide-eyed, was standing beside her in one of her Sunday dresses.
-Oh good, Sterling, you’re already dressed.
-Hi mom.
-Hello sweetie. Now April, you’re more than welcome to join us today, if you want. We go to the same church anyway. I can phone your mother and tell her that she doesn’t have to worry about a thing. We can drop you off after the sermon.
April tried to interject. -Actually, I-
-Ok brilliant, see you two downstairs. Also, Sterling, if you could check up on Blair and make sure she’s awake and ready, you know how cranky she can be with me in the morning. – she turned to face April- And it really is so lovely that Sterling has a friend again, I was always worried that because she had Blair she never sought out other close connections with people, at least platonically – she shot Sterling a glare- so I really am delighted that you two found each other, it’s always good to have a girlfriend or tw-
-Ok mum! Thank you for the psychoanalysis, I’ll check on Blair.
April who at first had been the human embodiment of anxiety when Sterling’s mum entered was now grinning from ear to ear. After Sterling’s mum had left the girls, she turned to Sterling, slowly stood up and walked to her.
-This is quite the platonic relationship we have.
Sterling didn’t respond, just stared at the ground.
-Come on, I’m just teasing.
Sterling desperately wanted to change the conversation. - Do you want to borrow one of my dresses?
-No, I’ve worn about four separate outfits of yours in the past hour, I’m scared if I wear anymore, I'll become you. I already feel clumsier.
-You could have just said no.
-Now where’s the fun in that.
Sterling still clearly hearing her mother’s words rattle around her mind, distracting her, she blurted out. - It’s not like you have friends either.
April looked confused at the conversation change. -First of all, uncalled for. And second of all, I have friends!
-Who hate you.
-They respect me.
-They’re scared of you.
-Well I would rather have friends who are scared than no friends.
-Of, course how could I forget, the true mark of friendship, tyranny. Actually, you know what, ummm… I’m glad I don’t have any friends, then I’m not overruled by a dictator.
April huffed and took her bag with her change of clothes and stormed into the bathroom to get changed.
-I’m sorry. – said Sterling through the door. – that was uncalled for.
April didn’t reply, after changing she strode out of the bathroom through to downstairs. Leaving Sterling alone, feeling numb.
The car ride to church was full of tension to say the least. April sat next to Sterling at the back seat glaring out of the window. If she thought the car was a bit too close to the seething hot rage of April Stevens, sitting shoulder to shoulder at the pew practically scorched her alive. She could feel April breathing, her chest rising and falling. Sterling gulped. She tentatively searched for April’s hand, as soon as she found it a spark shot through her arm. She tried to intertwine their pinkies, but April snatched her hand away, all whilst staring directly ahead. Sterling turned to her left to see if Blair had noticed. Blair could see something was bothering her sister, so they twin spoke.
-What’s wrong?
-April’s mad at me.
-She’s always mad at everyone, you're not special.
-Not helpful.
-Ok, sorry, what happened?
-I called her a tyrannical ruler over her friend group.
-Are you wrong?
-Yes!.. no? I don’t know, but it upset her, and now she wont hold my hand.
-You want to hold her hand in church? I know God’s cool with it, but I don’t know if all these Godly people will be.
-Whatever.
Sterling stuck her tongue out at Blair and then turned to try and listen to the pastor, but couldn’t concentrate on anything he said, something about how his grandmothers dog blessed him of his sins when he was a young boy, no that clearly wasn’t it. Suddenly Sterling felt April’s foot apply pressure to the side of hers. Sterling stopped breathing, just in case it was a mistake and April though it was the benches leg. Then she felt April’s hand stroke Sterling’s forearm. Sterling turned to look at April for an explanation, but April kept her gaze firmly directed on the speaker. Then April’s hand slowly rubbed against Sterling’s thigh. Sterling nearly made some kind of noise, she wasn’t sure if it was going to be a scream or a moan, but luckily, before any sound escaped her lips, she firmly clasped her hand over her mouth. Wide eyed she looked at April who was now finally looking back, with the smuggest expression on her face. If anything felt like a sin to Sterling, it was seeing that lopsided smirk plastered on her angelic face.
It felt like the longest sermon of Sterling’s life, the whole time April kept teasing her, caressing some part of her body, all whilst upholding an air of complete innocence, meanwhile Sterling felt like she was going to explode. After the final pray, and everyone started getting up. April leaned into Sterling and whispered into her ear.
-I really do look positively ravishing in your Sunday dress.
-Right, that’s it. -Sterling grabbed April’s hand and told Blair and her parents, that they were just going to use the restroom, and to just wait for them in the car. The parents didn’t think much of it. But Blair looked at Sterling dragging April by the hand to the restroom and knowingly smiled. -Get it girl. - she thought.