Growing Pains
Quote from Adriana on January 31, 2024, 3:18 pm"No, I don't---- yes, I'm aware, yes---- look, I need to go, I've got to get the girls ready. She's fine, still a little upset. Oh, I wonder where she gets it? ----Wait, how's Patrick? Good.."
Perceval came through the door with a phone balanced between his ear and his shoulder, and five bags of groceries in his arms.
"Yep, I love you, have a nice day. We'll see you next week."
Click.
The bags were set down on the marble counters. Perceval pinched the bridge of his nose between his eyes
"Girls! Are you getting ready? We need to leave soon."
He called up the stairs, smoothing back his thinning blonde hair. He wasn't ready, himself... he went to his room to change.
Upstairs, Amelia--sixteen, and a spitting image of her mother, with thick brown locks (currently back in a single french braid), a warm olive complexion, and hazel-green eyes---was French braiding Madelyn's hair.
"Are you nervous?" she asked, ignoring her father and meeting her sisters eyes in the mirror. Tonight was the full moon, and Amelia had already had her first change when she was around Mady's age. Rosy was around, somewhere... and Perceval intended to bring her, just in case. Ten was too early for a transformation, but he didn't feel comfortable having a sitter in any case.
Their youngest brother, Patrick, was with their step mother in another state visiting family for the week.
"No, I don't---- yes, I'm aware, yes---- look, I need to go, I've got to get the girls ready. She's fine, still a little upset. Oh, I wonder where she gets it? ----Wait, how's Patrick? Good.."
Perceval came through the door with a phone balanced between his ear and his shoulder, and five bags of groceries in his arms.
"Yep, I love you, have a nice day. We'll see you next week."
Click.
The bags were set down on the marble counters. Perceval pinched the bridge of his nose between his eyes
"Girls! Are you getting ready? We need to leave soon."
He called up the stairs, smoothing back his thinning blonde hair. He wasn't ready, himself... he went to his room to change.
Upstairs, Amelia--sixteen, and a spitting image of her mother, with thick brown locks (currently back in a single french braid), a warm olive complexion, and hazel-green eyes---was French braiding Madelyn's hair.
"Are you nervous?" she asked, ignoring her father and meeting her sisters eyes in the mirror. Tonight was the full moon, and Amelia had already had her first change when she was around Mady's age. Rosy was around, somewhere... and Perceval intended to bring her, just in case. Ten was too early for a transformation, but he didn't feel comfortable having a sitter in any case.
Their youngest brother, Patrick, was with their step mother in another state visiting family for the week.
Quote from Indy on February 10, 2024, 5:17 amMadelyn starred seriously at her own reflection as long locks of dark hair were pulled back properly. It was dyed, of course, upon her insistence for her birthday. It had been done properly - that is by the shadow of night and without their father's knowledge with a box of cheap black box dye- and at present the blonde roots of her natural shade peaked out. Her face, for that matter, was lovely, pale, and heart-shaped - and her eyes a gentle shade of hazel.
She chewed the corner of her lips, her eyes darting from her sister's at the question and instead to the chipped black polish on her fingernails. She was of course well-prepared for what was to come. From almost as early she could talk, she had known about wolves and what would happen in her teenage years. But it was a different thing altogether to accept the abstract than to stare upon it without flinching at the eve of her first transformation. Though her family had assured her there was nothing to fear and they would take care of her.
What if she bit? Or was ugly? What if after tonight, she remained a wolf forever and never got to finish the last level of Final Fantasy VII ? What if, for some reason, she didn't transform like everyone thought she would (or never did)- or did it wrong somehow - or, or or..
"Yeah," her eyes darted upwards, catching just the corner of her sister's eyes then quickly downwards again.
Madelyn starred seriously at her own reflection as long locks of dark hair were pulled back properly. It was dyed, of course, upon her insistence for her birthday. It had been done properly - that is by the shadow of night and without their father's knowledge with a box of cheap black box dye- and at present the blonde roots of her natural shade peaked out. Her face, for that matter, was lovely, pale, and heart-shaped - and her eyes a gentle shade of hazel.
She chewed the corner of her lips, her eyes darting from her sister's at the question and instead to the chipped black polish on her fingernails. She was of course well-prepared for what was to come. From almost as early she could talk, she had known about wolves and what would happen in her teenage years. But it was a different thing altogether to accept the abstract than to stare upon it without flinching at the eve of her first transformation. Though her family had assured her there was nothing to fear and they would take care of her.
What if she bit? Or was ugly? What if after tonight, she remained a wolf forever and never got to finish the last level of Final Fantasy VII ? What if, for some reason, she didn't transform like everyone thought she would (or never did)- or did it wrong somehow - or, or or..
"Yeah," her eyes darted upwards, catching just the corner of her sister's eyes then quickly downwards again.
Quote from Adriana on February 12, 2024, 11:33 am"I think you'll be alright tonight. You haven't had any symptoms." she said, her tone even and matter-of-fact. Her own nails were clean and colorless, and perfectly manicured into a lovely, round shape. Her ears were adorned with delicate gold and diamond earrings, simple but expensive studs that she'd gotten on her sixteenth birthday.
Even though they were polar opposites in terms of tastes, Amelia doted on Mady. She believed it was just a phase - after all, Bianca went through a similar phase, but never really outgrew it, and instead just became a closet punk, or whatever-you-wanted-to-call-it. She didn't judge, in any case; but she was surprised when Mady decidedly dropped dance class and took up karate or taekwondo or whatever, and stopped her piano lessons altogether.
"Next time I'll help you with your hair, if you want. Do you want me to repaint your nails?" she asked, softly.
"I think you'll be alright tonight. You haven't had any symptoms." she said, her tone even and matter-of-fact. Her own nails were clean and colorless, and perfectly manicured into a lovely, round shape. Her ears were adorned with delicate gold and diamond earrings, simple but expensive studs that she'd gotten on her sixteenth birthday.
Even though they were polar opposites in terms of tastes, Amelia doted on Mady. She believed it was just a phase - after all, Bianca went through a similar phase, but never really outgrew it, and instead just became a closet punk, or whatever-you-wanted-to-call-it. She didn't judge, in any case; but she was surprised when Mady decidedly dropped dance class and took up karate or taekwondo or whatever, and stopped her piano lessons altogether.
"Next time I'll help you with your hair, if you want. Do you want me to repaint your nails?" she asked, softly.
Quote from Indy on February 12, 2024, 1:59 pmThe way Amelia talked made everything sound simple. She had that way - to gloss over the anxiety with a gentle word, and suddenly the biggest concern in the world wasn't anything more than a foot note. It was something Mady had always envied in her sister at the worst of times, and admired in the best. She raised her eyes to meet her sister's again, feeling the taste of something on her lips but not sure what it was.
"Will dad let us?" she asked, laughing in the same way you did at a graveyard. She was a middle child at heart, though, and still wouldn't let the opportunity slide to poke her fingers into something she shouldn't.
She spun around and offered a hand to her sister's.
"Anyways, you never told me what your first transformation was like. Or you know, not in detail. Just the stuff you tell grandparents. Come on, tell me, was it embarrassing?" she grinned cheekily.
The way Amelia talked made everything sound simple. She had that way - to gloss over the anxiety with a gentle word, and suddenly the biggest concern in the world wasn't anything more than a foot note. It was something Mady had always envied in her sister at the worst of times, and admired in the best. She raised her eyes to meet her sister's again, feeling the taste of something on her lips but not sure what it was.
"Will dad let us?" she asked, laughing in the same way you did at a graveyard. She was a middle child at heart, though, and still wouldn't let the opportunity slide to poke her fingers into something she shouldn't.
She spun around and offered a hand to her sister's.
"Anyways, you never told me what your first transformation was like. Or you know, not in detail. Just the stuff you tell grandparents. Come on, tell me, was it embarrassing?" she grinned cheekily.
Quote from Adriana on February 12, 2024, 2:21 pmAmelia looked taken aback. She never did anything embarrassing! She blinked in response to her sisters teasing question.
"No," she said, "Turn back around and let me tie off this braid," she said, carefully turning her sister's head back round. She met Mady's eyes in the mirror they were facing towards.
"Why would it be embarrassing, what are you worried will happen?"
Amelia looked taken aback. She never did anything embarrassing! She blinked in response to her sisters teasing question.
"No," she said, "Turn back around and let me tie off this braid," she said, carefully turning her sister's head back round. She met Mady's eyes in the mirror they were facing towards.
"Why would it be embarrassing, what are you worried will happen?"
Quote from Indy on February 17, 2024, 12:22 pmMady pouted and let her sister finish, but she was squirming to be onto the next thought.
"Uhhh-huhhhh," she snorted noncommittally, "You didn't tear your clothes in an embarrassing way, or eat the neighbor's cat, or growl at grandpa?"
The little glimmer of uncertainty she had earlier was gone when Amelia met her eyes. She looked determined to eke out whatever, she was convinced, was her sister's deepest darkest secret - but knowing just as well she had her match in tenacity.
Mady pouted and let her sister finish, but she was squirming to be onto the next thought.
"Uhhh-huhhhh," she snorted noncommittally, "You didn't tear your clothes in an embarrassing way, or eat the neighbor's cat, or growl at grandpa?"
The little glimmer of uncertainty she had earlier was gone when Amelia met her eyes. She looked determined to eke out whatever, she was convinced, was her sister's deepest darkest secret - but knowing just as well she had her match in tenacity.
Quote from Adriana on February 17, 2024, 1:54 pm“No, of course not. That’s what our uniforms are for, first of all. And Mr. Reed’s cat was miles away, we’ll be in the middle of nowhere. I mean, at worst, I might have bit dad…” she trailed off, rolling her eyes and finishing her sisters hair.
“No, of course not. That’s what our uniforms are for, first of all. And Mr. Reed’s cat was miles away, we’ll be in the middle of nowhere. I mean, at worst, I might have bit dad…” she trailed off, rolling her eyes and finishing her sisters hair.
