Chapter Text
Sterling walks into school, her mind hazy, it feels like she is watching and interacting with the world through opaque glass. She is too out of it to even particularly care that April has spotted her in the corridor and is striding towards her.
-Hey Sterl.
Oh God, thought Sterling, why did April have to use her nickname for her, it felt too raw, like a secret name that only April knew.
-Hi April.
-Why do you look like you just got back from hell?
-Aww thank you, April, you always know what to say to make me feel better. –Sterling bit back
-You haven’t been in school for the past two weeks, I thought you had died. - April tried to sound accusative, but she couldn’t help but have some tone of worry slip through.
-Yeah well, “She hath risen again” I’m not dead, not that you even cared to check. – Sterling hated herself for saying that last bit, it made her sound weak and desperate, when the intention was to point out April’s heartlessness. But with April she never seemed to be able to get her words across the way she wanted to.
-You weren’t active on any of your socials, never online, so I assumed there would be little point in trying to text you, besides what would there be to say?- April didn’t go on to explain how she had also been scouting Sterling’s house only to find that no one was home. Occasionally one of the parents would stop by to pick something up, but there was never any sign of either of the twins.
-Oh I don’t know April, you could have asked how I was, where I was, if I had been eaten by something, anything.
-I thought you were avoiding me, I wanted to give you space.
-Ha, wow, of course, I should have guessed, everything is about you. Well newsflash your highness, turns out my life doesn’t revolve around April Stevens, and who would have guessed it, the world doesn’t revolve around you either.- Sterling’s hazy view of the world was gone, instead, it was replaced with the opposite, everything felt too close, in sharp hot focus.
-Why are you being so mean Sterl, that’s usually my job.- April was trying to lighten the mood, Sterlings strangely non-blinking stare was unnerving her.
-Yes, you are right it is your job. – Sterling’s haze was back, the bell had rung, and the hallways were starting to empty. – I think I’m gonna head to class. There’s a lot of work I need to catch up on.
-Oh that’s why I came over to talk to you. I made some notes for you to catch up on. -April handed Sterling the notes, it felt like she was following a script she had prepared, devoid of any emotions, a business transaction. Trying desperately to not let herself feel what she knew making those notes meant about her own feelings towards Sterling.
Sterling stared at the pages in her hands blankly. – Oh, thanks. - She started to walk away, but April grabbed her by the arm. Sterling froze on the spot.
-Why are you acting so weird then? And we’ve established that it doesn’t revolve around me, so you don’t need to clarify that again. What is it then?
Sterling could feel the sharp hot red focus coming back. –Why do you care? Also who are you to even begin to question my behaviour?
-It’s just that you seem really different.
-So now you know what it feels like, huh? To have someone suddenly act really different around you with no explanation. Jeez Louise I wonder what that feels like, it’s not like I would have any idea. No, everyone around me only ever acts how they feel and tells me the truth, so unfortunately I -
-Okay! - April yelled as she squeezed Sterling’s arm. – I get it you are going through a lot right now, whatever it is, I understand that you don’t want to share, but if you do, I’m sorry and I’m here and-
April started to place her free hand on Sterling’s other arm, before Sterling whipped both of April’s hands away and gasped covering her mouth with her own hands. Both girls stood still, staring at each other, just the sound of their breathing. After a beat Sterling turned on her heel and walked briskly down the corridor to class, leaving April standing frozen behind her.