𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

── sisters

          𝕿he Apollo cabin became Aurora's safe space until she could go back to New York, hiding out and away from Luke and the new girl. She'd ignored her siblings' pleas to come out and eat with them, or do any activities, and instead, they'd had to bring food to her as she did her work and her music. She had just wanted time to curl up in a ball in a somewhat dark room and cry, and try and process everything.

Her mom had been right in the end, getting close to boys only ended in heartbreak.

"Right." Aurora looked up as Aruna appeared in front of her, hands on her hip and dark eyes narrowed. "I've had enough. Get up, stop moping, you're coming to archery."

"Aruna, no."

"Aruna, yes." Aruna grabbed Aurora's laptop as the younger girl yelped and tried to get it back. Saving Aurora's work, Aruna passed it to Lee, who put it in his bag and walked out. Aurora blinked a few times, looking at Lee's retreating back and then to Aruna. "You want it back, time to go to archery."

"I can't."

"Yes you can."

"No I can't. I can't see Luke..." Aurora trailed off. "I don't want to see him. I just want to go back to New You, ok?"

"Aurora, I mean this in the nicest way possible, I have let you sit in here, in your sadness for a week and a half, but no more. You're leaving the cabin, you're going to come to archery and then we're going to get food and get you some fresh air." Aruna folded her arms as Aurora tried to form some complaints to tell her sister that she wouldn't. "No, no ifs or buts. Fresh air will do you good and make you see that there are bigger and better things out there than being upset over a boy."

"I don't want that though. I'm upset, Aruna, can't you be sympathetic about that?" Aurora pouted as Aruna cocked an eyebrow.

"Kid, I've been in this game for a while, puppy eyes don't work on me. We've tried being nice and caring, but you need some tough love. I told Lee this, he agrees. We're not having you wallowing in here until Saturday." Aruna pointed out as Aurora cursed her siblings. "I know it's going to be hard seeing Luke, but you've just got to get it over and done with, rip the band aid off. It sucks, yes, but no one was at fault here."

"She was."

"Aurora, blaming the other girl is immature."

"So, it's Luke's fault."

"Technically it's your fault." Aruna counterpointed her statement.

"What? No it's not!" Aurora glared at her sister as Aruna cocked an eyebrow. "You're my sister, shouldn't you be on my side?"

"I am on your side, I've let you be sad about this, but I'm not letting that happen anymore. Aurora, you've never had a crush before or flirted and I'm sorry, but if that was your idea of flirting with Luke, then you kind of suck and I'm telling Lee to give you lessons. You and Luke weren't dating and you did friend zone him and then disappear for three weeks with none of us knowing how to get in contact with you. If he thought he made you uncomfortable, then well done to him for backing off and taking a hint. And it's not on the other girl either." Aruna sat down by her little sister, who was staring at her with annoyance. "You've been kind of in a Luke bubble for the past few times at camp but not that many people outside of me and Lee and the others knew that Luke liked you, nor that you liked him."

"Lee said it was obvious though."

"Yeah to us." Aruna nodded. "We know you, Aurora, we know you better than others at camp. We can tell the difference between you telling Luke to leave you alone because you like him and you telling him to leave you alone because you hate him. Also, Luke's quite hard to read, I won't lie to you, he's normally flirty and friendly so yes, not many people outside of your little bubble know. I know that's not what you want to hear."

"You're right, I don't want to hear it."

"But I'm your big sister, and as much as I love you and love that you want to write new music, let's not go hating on someone who didn't know what's going on." Aruna brought Aurora into a hug. "It's a mistake, Rory. It's a misunderstanding on everyone's part, you for not knowing your own feelings and friend zoning the guy you like, Luke for believing that you friend zoned him and for believing Chris and Mack, which was a rookie mistake, and Millie, for not knowing that all of this was going on."

"She's called Millie?" Aurora didn't know if knowing the girl's name made everything better or worse?

"Yeah." Aruna nodded as she took in her little sister's face. "You'd really like her."

"I doubt that." Aurora huffed, still feeling upset and hurt and feeling worse that someone was pointing out that actually, she was kind of stupid for getting as upset as she had. She and Luke weren't dating and she had friend zoned him and it also wasn't right to hate the other girl, Millie, even if Aurora really wished that Millie hadn't tried to make a move on Luke. Not that she could blame her, considering she was going to go and do the same thing.

"I know that this all sucks, but this is also kind of what growing up is. It's misunderstandings and heart breaks and your crush getting with a different person that's not you, everyone has them. Most of us experience it at school and then have to see them for the next four years." Aruna pulled a face at that. "Trust me, you're lucky you've been hiding out for the past week. I confessed to the person I liked in school and they rejected me right at the start of term and then I had to see them every day, day in and day out and they never let me live it down that they had rejected me. Poor taste is what I have."

"Who would ever reject you?" Aurora looked up at her sister. "You're incredible and amazing and beautiful."

"Thank you for stroking my ego, Rory, but rejection is a part of life. It was gonna happen someday." Aruna smiled. "It's alright, I met someone far better and I'm happy."

"Yeah, but rejection, all of this, it just feels shit. I just wanted him to wait a little bit longer and then I'd be back and it would have been fine." Aurora sighed, contemplating the what if. What if she had just not opened her mouth or filtered what she said? What if Luke had understood that she was really bad at social interactions and just waited? Gods above, she hated the what ifs. "I hate rejection."

"You're just not used to it. Global superstar, boys falling at your feet, everyone always wanting to be near you and with you." Aruna pointed out. "Look, you'll meet someone better than Luke."

"But I don't want better, I want Luke."

"Yeah, shouldn't have friend zoned him."

"Ugh, you're so mean!" Aruna yanked her sister out of bed as Aurora screeched and searched for something to hold onto. "No, why are you mean to me? I'm sad. Luke dumped me."

"You weren't exactly dating, Rory!"

"Stop! Feed into my delusions, let me be sad!" Aurora groaned as she scrabbled for a hold. Aruna gave her legs another tug, making Aurora hit the wooden floor with an 'oomph'.

"I have! For a week and a half!" Aruna pulled her towards the door. "Don't make me get Lee back to carry you to archery!"

"You wouldn't dare." Aurora pushed herself up onto her elbows to glare at her sister.

"Try me." Aruna hissed back.

∘☽༓☾∘

Hiya,

So, Aruna's being a good older sister and getting her younger sister out of a slump and Aurora is not a happy bunny. Aruna was speaking facts throughout this chapter, Aurora doesn't want to hear it and is writing new songs, but oh well, we shall see.

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx