Butterfly

Bethany lay on her bed holding her pillow over her head trying to drown out her sister’s giggling. As much as she loved her, she was a pain in the backside with her constant teasing.

“I’m sure mom brought the wrong baby home from the hospital, you’re nothing like me.” Bethany’s older sister, Gemma giggled. “Come on Beth.” She said throwing a pillow at her. “Choose something to wear, you’ve got to look good for your leaving party.”

Bethany rolled off her bed and stood up. “Look at me, is it so hard to spot the difference between us.” She pointed to her body. Standing at only 5ft3, she was shorter than her sister who was 5ft7. “Do you think your clothes are going to fit me?” She laughed.

“I could get mom to shorten this for you?” Gemma held up a red short-sleeved dress. “And I’ll do your makeup for you.”

Bethany raised her brows and grinned. “I didn’t realize it was fancy dress.”

Gemma tilted her head to one side feeling confused. “Eh?”

“What I mean is if you do my makeup like yours, I’ll look like a clown,” Bethany laughed running out of the bedroom.

“I don’t understand her,” Gemma muttered to herself walking back to her bedroom and hung the dress in her wardrobe, she’ll never change, she thought to herself.

Bethany walked into the kitchen wearing her jeans and vest t-shirt and took a chicken leg from the buffet her mom had made for her leaving party.

“Aren’t you going to dress up tonight?” Her mom asked.

“You’re as bad as Gemma,” Bethany laughed taking a huge bite of the chicken leg. “Anyone would think I was leaving forever the way you lot are fussing about it.”

“You could at least try to make an effort.” Her mom moaned. “And don’t speak with your mouth full.”

Bethany rolled her eyes and looked at her dad for support.

“Leave her alone.” Bethany’s dad laughed passing her a can of beer. “She’s the son I’ve always wanted.”

“Oh, very funny.” Her mother sarcastically said going to the door to answer it. “I can’t see that Redfern family coping with her laddish ways.”

“At least I’ve got a job,” Bethany called after her mom. “Unlike the princess upstairs.” She took a swig of her beer and turned to her dad. “What is everyone’s problem with me today?”

“They haven’t got a problem, they just want you to look nice for your party.” Her dad said wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

“I know they do but I don’t want to flounce about in a dress!” Bethany cried feeling stressed. “It’s not me, I’m comfortable the way I am.”

“I know you are sweetheart.” Her dad kissed the top of her head. “You be what you want to be, that’s what I’ve always taught you girls.”

Bethany smiled. “I know you have.” She sighed. “And don’t you think it’s about time you told Gemma to get herself a job to pay for all the crap she buys?”

“I have.” Her dad laughed. “But she doesn’t listen to me, she’s too much like your mom, they love to shop with my money.”

“Think of all the money you could save if she did get a job.” Bethany laughed.

“I know.” Bethany’s dad gazed out of the window with a dreamy look on his face. “Just think, I could buy myself an Aston Martin Vanquish S coupe.” He sighed, rubbed his face with both hands, and laughed. “But that would mean your mom would have to get a job too.”

Bethany’s eyes widened as she shushed her dad. “Jeez, dad don’t say that too loud if mom hears you she’ll have your head on a spike.”

Bethany heard her mom call her telling her that several of her friends had arrived. “I’ll see you later dad, love you.” She quickly kissed him on the cheek and ran into the living room.

Late into the night, Bethany was enjoying the company of her sister and friends, music played in the background while everyone was drinking and laughing about old times. Bethany was on the sofa, sitting next to her friend Karl and reached over him to get another can of beer. Karl grabbed her and pulled her onto his knee. “Do I get a goodbye kiss tonight before I leave?” He asked nuzzling his face into her neck.

“Maybe, if I’m drunk enough to stomach you,” Bethany laughed trying to wriggle away from him.

“You’re such a fridge,” Gemma teased scrolling through her mobile researching the Redfern family. Her eye’s widened when she saw a picture of their son, Jude. “Maybe if you learned to loosen up a little.” She held her mobile up to show Bethany the picture. “You might lose your v to a hottie like him.” She giggled.

Bethany glanced at the picture of the tall dark-haired blue-eyed man and shrugged. “He’s ok, and how do you know I haven’t already lost my v.” She smiled looking at Karl who grinned.

Gemma’s face dropped, she’d always fancied Karl but he never seemed interested in her. “What!” She cried looking from Bethany to Karl then back to Bethany. “You two have.” She stopped talking and laughed. “You’re winding me up, aren’t you?”

“Is it so hard to believe that a boy would want me instead of you?” Bethany laughed trying to move from Karl’s knee, he’d wrapped his arms around her waist to stop her from moving. She turned around to face him and cupped his face with both hands. “There’s nothing wrong with having a friend with benefits is there honey bunny?” She giggled rubbing her nose against his.

Karl’s heart sunk. “No, there’s nothing wrong with it.” He sighed letting go of her and ran his fingers through his hair. Even though Bethany was one of his closest friends, he’d always liked her since high school and was afraid he’d scare her away if he told her because she was never interested in dating anyone. When they had slept together the first time, they were both drunk and had lost their virginity to each other. Karl thought after that they would continue with a relationship, but he’d got it wrong, Bethany said she just wanted to be friends. Over the past few years, they had slept together many times and he still hoped after that they would become a couple, but it never happened. Karl glanced across the room watching Bethany talking to his brother Nathan, Nathan wrapped his arm around Bethany’s shoulder and kissed the top of her head. He rubbed his face with both hands feeling a little jealous and turned away, he knew for his sanity he had to move on.

“So, now you know where you stand with my sister,” Gemma sweetly smiled leaning forward showing her cleavage. “Would you like the chance to compare sisters?”

Karl glanced across the living room at Bethany who was laughing with his brother, then looked back at the pretty blonde who was offering it to him on a plate. He’d always known Gemma fancied him. “Ok.” He grinned holding his hand out to her. “Show me the way.”

Gemma held Karl’s hand and led him out of the living room.

An hour later at midnight, Bethany’s parents returned home and asked everyone to leave, they were making too much noise plus Bethany had to be up early in the morning to catch her train. One by one Bethany said goodbye to her friends and told them she would keep in touch when she noticed that Karl had already left. Her heart sunk as she flopped back on the sofa rubbing her forehead, she’d spent all night trying to pluck her courage up to tell him how she felt about him.

“Are you ok, Beth?” Her mom asked as she sat next to her.

“No,” Bethany mumbled. “Karl left early, and I wanted to talk to him before I leave tomorrow.”

“Why don’t you phone him to see if he’ll come back.” Her mom suggested, she knew her daughter liked Karl.

“Would you mind?” Bethany asked taking her mobile off the small coffee table. “It is getting late.”

“Of course I don’t mind.” Her mom smiled. “Just don’t stay up too late, you’ve got to be up at five a.m.” She patted her daughter’s leg and stood up to leave the room.

Bethany rang Karl’s mobile and heard it ring in the hallway. She stood up and opened the living room door and saw his jacket on the coat stand. As she walked towards it, she heard her sister giggling and moaning upstairs. Bethany’s heart thudded in her chest as she slowly walked up the stairs towards Gemma’s bedroom rolling her head to try and ease the tension building up in her neck. Bethany took a deep breath and opened her sister’s bedroom door without knocking first and froze. Gemma was on top of Karl riding him like a madwoman while Karl gripped her hips with his head rolled back groaning with pleasure.

Gemma suddenly noticed the light in her bedroom from the open door. “Beth!” she squealed grabbing her quilt and pulling it over them. “Get out of my room!”

Tears welled in Bethany’s eyes, she half-smiled at Karl. “I’ve just come to say goodbye.” She said then went to close the door.

“Beth, wait!” Karl cried pushing Gemma off him and grabbed his jeans from the floor.

Bethany raised her hand. “No Karl, stay where you are. I’ll see you around sometime.” She said closing the door then ran into her bedroom, threw herself onto her bed, and began to sob.

Bethany was heartbroken, it wasn’t the first time her pretty sister had slept with a boy she liked. For the past few years, she’d always liked Karl, and when they’d slept together the first time, she thought it was a one-off and didn’t think he’d want a relationship with a plain jane like her. So not wanting to make a big deal out of it, she told him she just wanted to be friends. But over the years they had spent other nights together and she’d slowly fallen in love with him. Bethany had only told her mom about her feelings for Karl and never told her sister, Gemma always seemed to take interest in anyone she liked, and she would get them.

Rolling onto her back, Bethany gazed up at the ceiling listening to Gemma trying to sneak Karl out of the house before their parents realized what was going on. Tears ran down the sides of her face, she couldn’t wait to move away in the morning to start her new job. Swinging her legs off the bed, she went over to her dressing table. While brushing her long mousy brown hair she stared at herself in the mirror. As much as she was going to miss her parents, she was glad now that she was moving away to her new job in the morning, at least it would give her time to get over Karl and for a short time she wouldn’t have to live in her pretty sister’s shadow anymore.