Call For Help: A FC/UC Short

Jones-Lestrange Apartment
Connecticut
United States of America
October 2114

Amelia did not expect for her tablet to ring loudly at two in the morning. Bleary eyes opened and she cursed aloud, grabbing clumsily for the tablet that lay on her bedside table. Squinting at the screen, she could only make out the words is calling you and she pondered whether ignoring the call would be worth it or not.

However, she next spotted Elena Jones and her fingers moved on their own, pressing the accept option immediately. Automatically did the home screen vanish and the familiar layout of Skype open; there was a weird sound of a rustle and one black screen. After a few seconds, her sister’s face appeared in the empty black screen, wrapped comfortably in the comforter she had gotten for college.

The first thing Amelia had noticed was that Elena was crying.

“A-Amelia?”

“Hold on,” the elder muttered. She clumsily reached to the side and turned on the lamp. A warm light filled the room, illuminating and showing Amelia’s sleepy face. Elena could only bury her face into her hands upon seeing.

“Shit, I’m so sorry – I didn’t know you were already asleep,” the girl apologized, hundreds of miles away. Amelia waved it off.

“Don’t worry about it. I just got to bed.” She lied through her teeth easily. If Elena knew that she had gone to bed hours ago, she would let guilt slap her in the face. “What’s going on? Why are you crying?”

Elena plastered a watery smile on her face. “It’s finals week.”

“Oh.” Amelia facepalmed internally and struggled to sit up, back leaning against the headboard of the bed. “Shit. Oh shit. Finals.”

“Yeah,” Elena laughed, lifting a hand and using the back to wipe her eyes, “It’s already finals week. Actually,” she looked at the screen of her phone, “It’s already the second day of finals and I’m still awake.”

“Why are you still awake?”

The smile on the younger’s face faded away. “I have to do a lot for my finals – one of my core subjects doesn’t actually require a final exam, it – it requires one big portfolio with all the stuff our prof asked us to do,” Elena admitted. She ran a hand through her messy hair and bit her lip, “It’s due on Wednesday and I’m only fifty percent there, then I have a lit final and a stupid psychology final that’s today, and it’s already three in the morning,” Elena rambled.

“Elena.”

“The lit final’s at eleven until one, then the psychology one from three until five – and then I need to eat, come back here, do the stupid final and then study for tomorrow’s exams,” she moaned. Elena covered her face and curled up. “I’m just so freaking tired, Amelia, my stupid freaking laptop almost gave up while I was saving and I had to back my files three times just in case–”

“Elena,” Amelia interrupted firmly. “Elena, I need you to look at me. Stop hiding away in your comforter and look at me.” Elena peeked up from her hands and spotted the look on Amelia’s face. “You need to stop panicking. Actually,” she gave her sister a harsh look, “Save your project. Now. And yes, you need to close Photoshop and InDesign. I know you.”

Elena shrunk a little but did so anyway. The musical note which indicated that programs had shut down sang out and Elena looked at the screen, meeting Amelia’s eyes. “Now what?”

“Now you have to fucking relax,” she told her. “You’re a mess.”

“Thanks.”

“I mean it, Elena,” Amelia sighed. “Jeez – you haven’t exactly been talking or updating me lately,” she scolded, folding her arms over her chest. “What’s been going on over there? Mom and dad keep asking me if I’ve heard from you. Hell, even Raph asks about you and I don’t know what to tell him.” Elena’s eyes lit with interest at the mention of Amelia’s green-eyed roommate.

“Raph?”

“Raph’s in the other room,” she told her sister. “Don’t try. So what’s been going on over there, Elena?”

Elena closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

And then she told everything to Amelia.

At first, she couldn’t believe her ears. The look of disbelief must have been apparent on her face because Elena ended up telling her more and more than she had intended. Long story made short, a ‘toxic’ community surrounded her sister. She recounted to Amelia stories about her room mate who had started off as innocent and later reverted into someone vapid, how another classmate and his clique hated everyone (and even the clique itself), how backstabbing went on around the class – it was just like high school all over again.

Amelia very much knew how badly Elena had hated high school and that she wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible.

By the end of her story, Elena was crying all over again. At that moment, Amelia wanted nothing more than to reach into the screen and pull her sister out of there. Unfortunately, distance was a bitch and Amelia could only watch helplessly as her sister exhausted her tears.

“Do you remember what I told you before you left, El?” Amelia asked softly. This caught Elena’s attention, and she looked at her sister with red, teary eyes. “About college and having to work for yourself. ‘You shouldn’t let anyone else get in your way’.”

“But–”

“Based on what you’ve told me, these people are the worst. They’re like high school bullies and drama all over again. This isn’t high school, El. This isn’t high school anymore. You know what that means?”

“…what?”

“Fuck people,” she said simply. “Not literally. God, not literally. But fuck people. Fuck those who stand in your way, fuck those who try to make you feel smaller. I know that even in high school, you preferred to be alone…but you can’t ignore that this time around, that certain kind of alone is different, now.”

Elena stayed quiet. Amelia sighed.

“This time around,” Amelia pointed at her own heart, “You’re going to have to harden your heart. Especially what happened after–”

“Please don’t mention him,” Elena interrupted. Amelia nodded.

“Duly noted. I’d rather not mention that asshole anyway,” the brunette muttered darkly. Elena attempted a smile. “But really…harden that heart of yours for now,” she emphasized the last two words, “And more importantly? If the toxic people become a problem? You’ve gotta confront the bitches who stand in your way. Then maybe that would teach them not to fuck with you.”

Elena managed a small laugh. “You’re swearing again.”

“You can’t do shit about my swearing,” Amelia replied. There was a knock on the door and Elena saw her sister roll her eyes, “Raph, I’m talking to my sister.”

“That probably explains the swear barrage I could hear from your room,” a male voice sighed. Elena watched, interested, as she watched Amelia’s face. The door had opened. “Wait – you said you’re talking to your sister?”

“Yup. And she’s dealing with shit.” Footsteps came and before Elena knew it, she was looking at Raphael Lestrange. Raph gave her a wave.

“Hope you’re surviving over there, Elena.”

“I’d like to think I am,” Elena pushed a smile and he flashed a quick thumbs up before standing. Elena watched as a hand ruffled Amelia’s hair and she swatted the hand away, frowning deeply to mask the slight look of affection in her eyes.

“I’ll be going now. Don’t sleep too late, both of you.”

“Look who’s talking,” Amelia shot back, and the door closed. Elena’s smile turned knowing and Amelia shot daggers. “Don’t say anything.”

“I wasn’t.” It was quiet for a moment until Amelia noticed Elena rubbing her eyes.

“Tired?”

“…maybe,” the younger admitted. At that, Amelia gave her sister another look. “Alright – I’ll get some sleep. It’s already four in the morning and I have to be up by nine or ten.”

“You better sleep.”

“I will.” Just as she was about to end the call, Elena looked at Amelia and gave a small smile of her own. “…thanks, sis. I’m sorry I haven’t been updating you.”

“Don’t worry about it, okay? You can tell me more once you get back for Thanksgiving break.” Elena nodded. “Good night, El.”

“Night, Amelia.” The call disconnected and Amelia exhaled, switching off her tablet and putting it on the table once more. Normally, Raph would have checked on her and asked if she was doing okay, but it was late. The clock was about to strike four in the morning.

Amelia turned off the lamp and sunk back to bed.

She had the feeling she’d be worrying for her sister for the rest of the night.