Leaving

[eos]

Selene tossed fitfully all night, waking her sister with soft sobs several times over the course of the evening. She would cling to Eos until the younger twin calmed her and they both sunk into sleep once again.

She was worried over their new school. It was one thing to deal with strangers who looked at you oddly and shied away from you when you had home to come to, a safety zone where you didn't have to answer constant questions about who and what you were. But to be trapped in that place and never be able to leave it… the idea haunted Selene and kept her from resting peacefully ever since they'd been told they would be sent away.

As the sun neared the horizon Selene fell into a deep sleep born of exhaustion, and didn't notice at first when her sister rose.

Eos hadn't been having the same troubles as her sister. Maybe it was that she was willing to trust people more, or maybe it was because her dreams had all been relatively positive.

They, of all people, knew what dreams could be like, though.

There were few situations that were all good or all bad, and she wasn't even sure if the dreams she'd been having were just dreams and not a sign of things to come. It was actually harder than most people might think, ONLY seeing the good in a situation. Though she always tried to be positive, Eos often felt nervous about the things that she wasn't seeing. The dreams that her sister had... Well, it was hard not to be nervous, sometimes.

She rose quietly, trying not to wake Selene. Crossing over to the desk, she picked up Pride and Prejudice and started reading again. Yes, it was probably useless, and they would probably have to do it again at Xavier's, but Eos still did it. It would occupy her until Selene left her dreams and came back to the land of the living.

It felt... odd, being the only one awake, as if she was only half real.

When she did wake, as the sun came through the curtains and crossed her face, Selene woke with a start, sitting up in bed. She looked around, a little confused as she didn't feel her sister beside her, then saw her sitting in her chair, peacefully reading.

Selene sighed a bit, sliding over until her legs hung over the side. She rubbed her face with both hands, yawning.

I didn't disturb your dreams did I. I'm sorry. It seemed she was always doing that, throwing shadows into her sister's otherwise lighthearted sleep. She'd always considered Eos' presence comforting, a spot of sunshine in otherwise troubled rest, but she knew that sometimes Eos got a little tired of having her sister around. Biting her bottom lip, she put her slippers on and ran her fingers through her straight brown hair.

No, nothing. It's alright. Of course, the fact that they hadn't stumbled into each other's dreams these past few nights only increased Eos' suspicion that their dreams were not entirely normal.

But it could have been one of those things. Worrying only makes it worse.

You were tossing and turning again. What did you dream about? She really should have written her impressions down before she'd started reading, but Eos had forgotten about it and now things were slipping away from her like mist on the wind. Actually, she seemed to recall mist. Odd.

Mr. Crawford moved to Xavier's. Selene didn't need to elaborate. Mr. Crawford was a rigid, mutant-hating English teacher they'd had in 7 th grade. He had insisted on seating the twins across the room from one another and accused them of cheating on every test simply because they could speak to one another telepathically. When Selene terrorized him in his dreams the problems only compounded. Eventually their father had been forced to come to the school and demand his daughters be given a different instructor.

Do you want to go play in the orchard today? Might be our last chance. The walnut orchard on the back half acre of their parent's property had been a haven of solitude for the twins as long as they could remember. They played games and chased each other about, or napped under the shady branches, lazily reading or drawing to pass the time. They tended to watch television less than most children; not only did their parents discourage it, neither was particularly interested in watching singular people wander about living singular lives.

It's not like we'll be gone forever. If it was bad, well, they'd write a letter and get out of there as soon as they possibly could. Still, Eos smiled and nodded.

You're right, though. I wonder if there will be anywhere like that at Xavier's. I saw a wood, but it could have just been a dream. A wood could mean anything, really, and she wasn't even sure that that part of the dream was about Xavier's anyway.

They could be so confusing sometimes. It was never clear if they were actually prophetic, in the first place, and then it was never clear what they actually meant. Dreams. She thought sometimes that she might lose her mind trying to figure them out.

We should finish packing sometime. That could wait til later, though. Eos had made sure that they were mostly organised - it was only the final little things that needed to be added. For some reason, she was left with a feeling of foreboding.

Change had rarely been good for them in the past.

Selene got dressed, and when she was ready they held hands down the stairs. Selene grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and tucked another into the pocket of her sweater for Eos.

Do you think we'll meet a boy there? Selene was less inclined towards boys than her sister, but still harbored the secret romantic fantasies any girl her age would. She squeezed her sister's hand, glad for the shade of the trees as they made their way towards the wood.

Or if we'll make any friends…

Eos shrugged. Maybe. We'll see. She tried to be nonchalant about boys, since they didn't tend to think of the twins as a singular unit - and the ones that did could be a bit weird. She thought it would be hard for them, since they were so different to most girls. Still, one day they'd find someone - someones - that would be perfect for them. She was sure of it - she'd dreamed it.

Of course, those were probably just normal dreams. She was a teenaged girl, after all, romance figured heavily within her thoughts. Especially with all the romantic themes in the novels that she read.

I have a good feeling about it. But then, Eos usually did. She always did try to find the best in situations.

Selene was far more inclined to ignore the fact that they were two individuals. But occasionally, even she needed to rely on the differences between them to see things clearly. She knew she saw the darker half of life… that she almost always saw the bad things. It's just that so often, she was right.

Well… if you could pick, who would you be with? What kind of guy?

She handed Eos her apple then took a bite of her own. Selene knew just the sort of guy she wanted to marry someday, but sometimes wondered if Eos would like him too. If Eos didn't like whomever it was, well… then they'd just not get married. Selene figured that was more likely than anything. It was kind of sad, being old maids forever.. but at least she'd still have her sister.

What kind? I don't think it matters, as long as he's kind and understanding. About them, she meant, and the way that they were.

I guess it would probably be easier if he was a mutant... Eos hadn't really drawn up a list of attributes, although one of the girls she talked to at lunch sometimes had one. All 'tall' and 'dark hair' and 'blue eyes' and 'good cook' and that kind of thing.

But I don't think it matters, so long as we're in love and he doesn't try to separate us. But if a man was truly in love with either of them, he wouldn't want to, the way Eos saw it.

Selene frowned, sitting beneath a tree. It does matter. What if he's like… a republican or something?

Her sister could be pretty obtuse at times. All sunshine and light. Of course she adored her but man did it get old. Like the perfect guy was just going to come walking around the corner. He'd understand who they were and love them both equally and have no problems marrying them both. Sometimes she wondered if she was the sane half of their whole.

A republican?! One of the few noises that was ever heard coming from the twins escaped Eos, peals of amused laughter at her sister's train of thought.

Well, what's your idea of the perfect guy, then?

Selene smirked, chuckling a little at her sister's reaction. NOT a Republican, she teased, giggling softly. But he's got to be smart. And… college educated. Because you know Mom and Dad aren't going to stand for us dating anyone who isn't. And I like… well you know Ryan Phillipe? That guy that's married to Reese Witherspoon? He was in Cruel Intentions. I think he's hot. Someone like him. She nodded, unaware that she likely just said she wanted a villain for a boyfriend.

Yeah, but he was also a bad guy. Eos found herself nodding, though. Yeah, they definitely have to be smart. What about the mutant thing? Would you care? She didn't actually think that one boyfriend would be enough for the two girls, but she kinda thought that twins or brothers or boys that were close would be better than just completely random guys. Still, what Eos thought of as most important was, as she'd said, love. Anything else could be overlooked, so long as they had that.

Selene stretched out her thin legs in front of her, looking up into the branches of the walnut trees. It would take someone really understanding, if they weren't a mutant. Guess it would take someone really understanding even if they –were- a mutant… I'd think a mutant would be more ready for the possibility of having mutant kids though. It just wasn't in Selene to consider two boyfriends. She didn't think of them as two individuals all that often. In fact sometimes, on the edge of her mind, she wondered if Eos was even real. Now who was the sane one?

Maybe you should just pick someone, and I'll go with it. She frowned, realizing for all her fantasies, no guy she'd like would be into her. It was just kind of… her luck.

Sometimes, Eos wished that her sister could just look at things a little more positively.

Yes, one guy had asked her on a date and said that Selene was creepy. One guy. He was obviously just weird, because how he could find her not creepy and her sister the opposite was just bizarre. They were so close, after all, that they often thought of themselves as the one person.

Unless some guy likes -you- and I'm the one on the outside. She pointed out the possibility with a shrug. It could happen, after all.

We'll be fine - it'll work out in the end. Someone with Eos' sunny disposition couldn't be expected to say anything else, though.

Are we almost done packing? Selene hadn't really paid attention, trusting her sister to handle those kinds of details. She was going to pay attention to her art supplies and the CDs she knew her sister didn't like, but other than that, clothes and whatnot were Eos' demesne.

Yup. Just need to add toothbrushes and that kind of thing and we're fine. The things that they used every day were the last of it, and they could get them together quickly enough.

What time is the flight? They were flying to New York on their own. It was a bit daunting, actually.

Five oclock I think? Maybe they wanted us to be show up when classes weren't in session. Night flying. Selene was more comfortable with that; she didn't have to see the ground.

Think Mom or Dad are going to drive us to the airport...?


I'm sure they will. Probably won't make much of a fuss, though. After all, it wasn't like they were going away forever - and their mother would probably be pleased that someone else had to deal with them for a while. Not that Eos thought their mother didn't love them, or anything like that, she just knew that it could get a bit much at times.

They'd destroyed the living room, after all, the only time their family had let tensions get the better of them.

Selene's frown deepened, her bottom lip twisting as she thought about it. Yeah. They'd likely want to quietly shuttle them onto the plane. She might have hoped for a nice family lunch before they went, maybe little gifts to remember their family by. It might not have seemed a big deal to Eos to be going away, and sure they'd come back on holidays, but Selene was totally unsure about leaving home.

She could just see their mother now. Nudging their shoulders with her long fingers and telling them to keep their chins up and behave themselves. Always wanting them to be something she created, not just who they were.

Tossing her apple core out into the orchard, she looked around the trees. She didn't want to leave; didn't want a part of any of this. She could hope they'd be left alone at their new school, enough to hide in their room when they weren't in class. Crossing her arms, Selene let herself stew in her negative thoughts for a while.

While Selene stewed, Eos climbed up into her favourite tree and looked out across the orchard. She'd always liked the view from up there, seeing more than usual and enjoying the different perspective. It was easier for her to see the light from up there, too - both literally and figuratively. But she did like the patterns that the shadows cast over her when she lay underneath the crisscrossing branches - life needed both.

Would have been nice if they'd come with us. They'd come for the tour, though, and both had work to take care of - classes to teach, papers to mark, that kind of thing. Eos knew that their parents couldn't hold their hands forever - and she and Selene had always done much better clinging to each other.

It'll be fine, though. We've still got... us. It wouldn't have mattered to her if they were going to a school on a different planet, so long as she had Selene.

Selene looked over her head, up at Eos in the tree. A faint smile crossed her lips, and she sighed. Try as she may to stay in a black funk, Eos was right. She'd always have her sister. So in a way; nothing really changed.

Standing after a few minutes of contemplative silence passed between them, she brushed off her skirt and looked up at Eos again. Let's get going huh?

Yeah. Let's. Climbing back down the tree carefully, Eos landed with a soft thud and brushed her hands on her jeans.

Yes, she was nervous, and yes, she didn't really like change, but she had a good feeling about it. If worse came to worse, at least they'd have each other.

They walked back into the house arm in arm, until Selene broke from Eos to run up the stairs to their room. Finding her drawing pad and pencils, small container of watercolors and her favourite paintbrushes, she found room in the front pocket to stash all of them, along with a picture of their white cat, Faust. Just to be sure her sister didn't forget anything Selene might want, she looked through the closet and in a few drawers. It pleased her to see Eos hadn't forgotten some of the things she knew Selene would have wanted to take.

Think we should eat before we leave? We won't get sick on the plane will we.

She was actually a little insulted that Selene was checking up on her - of course Eos had remembered their favourites. She knew betther than to touch the art supplies though - those were entirely Selene's domain, she'd never gotten into that creative outlet.

I'm sure we'll be fine. Would probably be better to eat here than the plane, though. Despite Eos' fascination for the little containers of milk, she'd never really been able to eat much when she was moving. She could always feel it, too, even if planes weren't so bad as cars - her stomach tended to speak up if she did more than play with her food. The notoriety of the quality of airline food didn't really help much, either.

Wonder where Dad is. A little jittery with the impending flight and all it entailed, she was quick to run out of the room again, knocking on the door to their father's office.

Dad? Are you going to come with us to the airport or are we taking a cab? Not possessing telepathic powers, their fathers' voice came as a mumble to Eos in the other room.

Selene's voice was a little softer, smaller with her next words. Is Mom coming?

Why not?

Oh. So it was going to be like that, was it?

Eos felt that she might cry.

Of course, all she could hear was Selene's side of the conversation, so she did her best to stay calm as she thought to her sister, What? Is dad coming?

Yeah but Mom's not. Selene had always had the poorer relationship with their mother out of the two girls. Being the less "normal" of the twins, less inclined to behave like an individual and even less likely to apologize for it, Selene and her mother had often been at odds. But it was still her mother, and it still hurt.

Stepping into the office, she sat on the arm of her father's chair as he talked to her.

I know Daddy.

She's got a lot of work he says.

She isn't going to miss us at all is she? She's just glad the house will be quiet for a while.

Dad denied it, trying to comfort her. Selene glared away from him, angry tears lingering in her eyes as she crossed her arms.

Her voice only came over as a whisper. I hate them

With a sigh, Eos wandered into the office to put her arms around Selene's neck.

Tell mom we said goodbye, then. She wanted to say more, wanted to tell their father that it was ok and things would work out in the end. Selene wouldn't see it that way, though - couldn't - so there was no point in getting into an argument.

Come on. We should finish packing. The sooner we're gone... The sooner they didn't have to look at their mother and see her disappointment.

Selene put her hand on her sister's arm, squeezing it and pressing their temples together for a moment.

It's okay Daddy. We'll be okay. She nodded as he reassured her that if she could have gone with them, she would have. Standing, she kissed his cheek and took her sister's hand.

Turning towards the door, she wiped her eyes and clenched her teeth. Not really conscious of what she was doing, as they stepped out into the hall she sighed angrily, and the office door slammed behind them.

Selene jumped, looking back at the door. Jeez. Was that me?

Us. Eos shrugged. She didn't really understand how their telekinesis worked - whether one of them took control or whether they could do things seperately or what. She hadn't really been too interested in experimenting after it had gone haywire that first time - the way the living room had looked... Well, that the pair of them could do much damage when they were so distraught actually scared her a little.

Can't believe she's not even going to see us before we leave. Could have said good-bye this morning. There was more than a little resentment in her tone. Just because she was usually the more positive of the two didn't mean that Eos was completely free of any negative thoughts.

Selene put her arms around her sister and tucked her face into the girl’s neck. It was a mannerism they’d never lost from the time they were very small, comforting one another. She’ll miss us. For a brief moment, their roles switched. Lifting her head, Selene kissed her sister’s cheek, then pulled her back towards the bedroom. Then she’ll be sorry.