Post by Mina Crow on Sept 6, 2006 6:34:29 GMT 12
A leopard cannot change its spots
“Never worried if your parents find out?”
Teri tossed down the cigarette filter, crushing it under the heel of a boot, and joined Mina on top of the wall. The latter gave her own cigarette a long pull, watching the smoke twirl in the freezing air.
“Juha knows. Mum’s too busy to notice either of us.” The dismissive shrug contrasted with the bitterness of her voice. “Why should I worry then?”
Silence. Teri hunched inside her long cloak, pale face only guessed under the shadows of the hood. Mina snorted, then sighed. Looking helplessly at the cigarette between her fingers, she finally cast it to the ground, where it sizzled on the snow before going out. Another shrug, and Mina pulled up her hood, folding her hands together inside the furred white sleeves.
“He’s my brother, I’m bound to speak of him.”
No reply.
“Come on, Teraeva Rinderson. Don’t you sulk over my brother.” There was a slight hint of mock on Mina’s voice. Yet the blond girl remained silent. With another sigh, Mina pulled out another cigarette, lit it and handed it to her companion. “I thought it was over and gone.” This time, she sounded almost… contrite.
“It’s never over, is it?” Teri pulled long on the cigarette, as if gaining time. She was quiet for a few minutes; when she finally spoke, it was almost in a sneer. “You two are too alike.”
Mina shrugged. “Let it go. You said it was final, right?”
“Yeah. But is it?”
“Your pick, not mine. Juha’s not easy–”
“Look who’s talking.”
Mina sniffed. “Don’t blame me, Teri. You were dating my brother. You know him, and you know me. Can’t help it. Damn it, he’s my brother!”
Teri winced at the last words, turning her head away from the younger girl. Mina stared at the overcast sky, trying to calm down.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t say you’re sorry. Be sorry, Mina.”
A sigh from the white clad girl. “Yeah. We’re too alike.”
Mina sat in front of the fire, staring blankly at the burning logs. A key turned on the front door, and the girl smiled as she rose to her feet, standing on tiptoe to greet her older brother.
“Evening, little sis.”
She punched his stomach playfully. “Don’t play big bro on me, Juha.”
“Mum’s not home yet?”
“No, she’s working late again.” Half dragging the young man after her, Mina headed to the kitchen. After handing Juha a mug of hot chocolate, she fetched her own and sat on the counter, sipping slowly on her drink.
“How was your day?”
“Want a description on the possible treatments for a sore joint on an old lady?”
Both pulled a face, and Mina chuckled. “That boring?”
A nod. “Yours?”
She drank deeply before replying. “Been with Teri.”
Juha’s expression was unreadable. “How is she?”
“Fine, I guess. How is she supposed to be?”
Juha shrugged. “Am I supposed to know?”
They were mirrors of each other, staring blankly at their mugs.
“She misses you.”
Juha raised a quizzical eyebrow, but Mina wasn’t looking. His eyes narrowed. “Stop it, Mina. She’s not going to play that game with me. You’re not going to play that game.”
Mina’s eyes narrowed in turn, and she almost snarled. “Don’t you play that game with me, Juha. You asked about her, I replied. I’m tired of playing double agent, you’re old enough to solve your problems on your own. I’m not going to lose my best friend and my brother because of your stupid games.” All but thrusting the mug down, she stormed out of the room.
“Never worried if your parents find out?”
Teri tossed down the cigarette filter, crushing it under the heel of a boot, and joined Mina on top of the wall. The latter gave her own cigarette a long pull, watching the smoke twirl in the freezing air.
“Juha knows. Mum’s too busy to notice either of us.” The dismissive shrug contrasted with the bitterness of her voice. “Why should I worry then?”
Silence. Teri hunched inside her long cloak, pale face only guessed under the shadows of the hood. Mina snorted, then sighed. Looking helplessly at the cigarette between her fingers, she finally cast it to the ground, where it sizzled on the snow before going out. Another shrug, and Mina pulled up her hood, folding her hands together inside the furred white sleeves.
“He’s my brother, I’m bound to speak of him.”
No reply.
“Come on, Teraeva Rinderson. Don’t you sulk over my brother.” There was a slight hint of mock on Mina’s voice. Yet the blond girl remained silent. With another sigh, Mina pulled out another cigarette, lit it and handed it to her companion. “I thought it was over and gone.” This time, she sounded almost… contrite.
“It’s never over, is it?” Teri pulled long on the cigarette, as if gaining time. She was quiet for a few minutes; when she finally spoke, it was almost in a sneer. “You two are too alike.”
Mina shrugged. “Let it go. You said it was final, right?”
“Yeah. But is it?”
“Your pick, not mine. Juha’s not easy–”
“Look who’s talking.”
Mina sniffed. “Don’t blame me, Teri. You were dating my brother. You know him, and you know me. Can’t help it. Damn it, he’s my brother!”
Teri winced at the last words, turning her head away from the younger girl. Mina stared at the overcast sky, trying to calm down.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t say you’re sorry. Be sorry, Mina.”
A sigh from the white clad girl. “Yeah. We’re too alike.”
Mina sat in front of the fire, staring blankly at the burning logs. A key turned on the front door, and the girl smiled as she rose to her feet, standing on tiptoe to greet her older brother.
“Evening, little sis.”
She punched his stomach playfully. “Don’t play big bro on me, Juha.”
“Mum’s not home yet?”
“No, she’s working late again.” Half dragging the young man after her, Mina headed to the kitchen. After handing Juha a mug of hot chocolate, she fetched her own and sat on the counter, sipping slowly on her drink.
“How was your day?”
“Want a description on the possible treatments for a sore joint on an old lady?”
Both pulled a face, and Mina chuckled. “That boring?”
A nod. “Yours?”
She drank deeply before replying. “Been with Teri.”
Juha’s expression was unreadable. “How is she?”
“Fine, I guess. How is she supposed to be?”
Juha shrugged. “Am I supposed to know?”
They were mirrors of each other, staring blankly at their mugs.
“She misses you.”
Juha raised a quizzical eyebrow, but Mina wasn’t looking. His eyes narrowed. “Stop it, Mina. She’s not going to play that game with me. You’re not going to play that game.”
Mina’s eyes narrowed in turn, and she almost snarled. “Don’t you play that game with me, Juha. You asked about her, I replied. I’m tired of playing double agent, you’re old enough to solve your problems on your own. I’m not going to lose my best friend and my brother because of your stupid games.” All but thrusting the mug down, she stormed out of the room.
