Another short story

Tick-tock, tick-tock.

I sit alone in worry, biting my nail as the sound of the clock echoes around these brown painted walls. The living room never looked so small until this day. I feel like the walls start closing in on me, suffocating me.  I stand up from the sturdy leather couch and start to pace across the room. Alright Jane, you can do this! I think to myself. I try to psyche myself up, hoping that my worries would subside. As I walk towards the window, I hug myself in comfort. Looking through the window I see a peaceful neighbourhood, quiet and tranquil. Then I see my own reflection, an average girl with long blond locks and fair skin. But beneath those hazel coloured eyes, I see fear.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of my housemate’s footsteps as she walks into the room. She looks intimidating with her black leather jacket and combat boots. But then again, even without those she’d always been intimidating, well to me at least. It’s written in her eyes, in her stare, the way she talks and the way she moves. She’s loud, outgoing, and adventurous and that’s why people like her, unlike me.  Quiet, reserved and a coward.

“So, did you finish making our poster?” she asks.

“Yeah, I did. It’s on the coffee table, check it out.”

She walks towards the couch and sits on it. After inspecting my work, she nods her head in agreement. Without looking at me, she puts her feet on the table, takes out her phone and shrugs, “It’s alright”.

“Right.”, I say.

“Anyway, John and your brother will be back any minute then we can go.”

I walk my way in front of her, the coffee table between us. “Uhm…”

“What’s wrong?” she asks, still looking at her phone.

Suddenly, I feel my heart beating fast and my stomach doing somersaults like a Russian gymnast. It’s now or never, Jane! I must have been gawking at her like an idiot for a long time because she looks up to me and asks, “You’re looking constipated, Jane. Just spit it out.”

“It’s just..”

“It’s just what? Oh, wait a second.” Did I mention she was smart too? Because she cocks her eyebrow at me and says, “I get it, you’re having second thoughts about this, aren’t you?”

Bingo.

“Look, I just don’t think me not going to the protest would be any loss. Besides, I think the whole thing is pointless anyway.” I say, hopefully persuading her. But the irritated look on her face says otherwise. But whatever retaliation she was about to make was interrupted as we hear the front door opening. It must be Daniel, my brother and his friend John, I think. They enter the room, unaware of the tension looming between me and Molly.

“Hey, we’re all set now. We should get going.” John says.

Daniel however notices something wrong and asks, “You guys okay? You’ve been staring at each other weirdly.”

Molly turns her head towards them and says, “Why don’t you ask your sister, Dan? She’s the one having cold feet.”

“Cold feet?” he asks, worryingly. Both Daniel and John walk towards the couch, behind Molly and towers over her, like two bodyguards. Molly crosses her leg and folds her arms, waiting for my explanation.
“Jane, thinks the protest is stupid.”

That liar! Both men look at me in awe as I try to explain myself.

“What? No! I said pointless, not stupid.”

“Do you even care about our education Jane? Because it doesn’t look like it.” Molly adds in.

 “Of course I care about it. But let’s be honest guys, do you really think the government will change their minds? I want to support the cause but there’s no point fighting the inevitable.”

The room falls into an awkward silence. After what seems like an eternity, Daniel breaks the ice and says “I get where you’re coming at Jane, but it’s still worth trying.”

“Ok fine, but there’s bound for something to happen. I’m worried. You know what people get like, especially in this city. Also, the police will be everywhere, we could get in trouble! And I don’t want anyone getting hurt.”

“Wow, talk about paranoia.” she snottily remarks, rolling her eyes.  “It’s going to be a peaceful protest Jane. Nothing’s going to happen.”

“Yeah we’re just going to march around with our posters and stuff. It’s gonna be fun”, John says.

Fun? Is he serious or stupid?

“Are you sure about that? Because I saw pictures online last night and it didn’t look like a peaceful protest to me.” I then look at my brother, pleading to him with fearful eyes “They were smashing police vans, Dan! That’s anything BUT peaceful. I’m angry about the cuts as well but smashing things aren’t going to help anything.”

Molly looks up at my brother, annoyed. Take care of this, or else.

Sighing, my brother walks towards me and grabs me by my shoulders, “I’m not going to let anything happen to you! You’re my little sister, and I’ll be looking out for you the whole time. It’ll be fun, I promise. We can get pizza after; if that doesn’t tempt you I don’t know what will.”

He’s bribing me with pizza? Really?

Molly stands up angrily and says “Okay, enough! You can do whatever you want Jane but remember,” the next thing she says is haunting, her eyes threatening me but I know what she means when she says, “Remember who your friends are.”

“Hate to break this up but we should probably leave.” John pipes in as he gathers the posters.

As I watch them leave, that moment when I see their backs in front of me, I shut my eyes. Then I open my eyes again and reality set in. “Hey guys, wait up! I’m coming with you.”

I’m still the same coward little girl.

This always happens. Every time I try and resist her, she always finds the right words to incite me. In the end she always win. I wonder, did she truly believe in the cause? Or was she just in it for the show? I probably won't ever know. Because in that moment, I raised my voice and said the words I can never take back... Wait! I'm coming with you..