Regina Hawthorne (la_roux) wrote in thisdarknight, @ 2016-07-09 19:17:00 |
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Entry tags: | !locale: second ward, hailey hawthorne, regina hawthorne |
any way, any way the car goes
Who: Regina & Hailey Hawthorne.
What: Regina helps Hailey get ready for college but mostly just tries not to turn into a human wet blanket.
Where: Their apartment in the 2nd Ward.
When: Way backdated.
Warnings: None.
Progress: Gdoc, complete.
"OK, you have toothpaste, you have a new toothbrush... Are you sure you don't want to get one of those electric ones? We can still spring for it. And you're sure you have enough towels?"
Regina plucked a shirt out of Hailey's suitcase, folding it anew for the fifth time as she continued to try and overstuff the luggage. Two suitcases and a box were what spoke to the remainder of Hailey's life in New Orleans; the two girls were in her bedroom, the walls plastered with boy band posters, every available space covered in both paperback and hardbound books. The bed was second-hand, the sheets threadbare, but it was clear that the room was well used and everything in it well loved. Regina glanced at her sister as she leaned in the doorway, watching her fret like a mother hen.
"I know, I know, I'm being stupid. I just want to make sure that it's not like when you get there you realize you forgot something. You have your phone charger? I want a text the moment you land."
“I have my phone charger packed in my carry on so it’s with me at all times,” Hailey replied with a nod and took a step into her small room. Room was a term to be used loosely. It was tight quarters, but it was hers, and now… well it wouldn’t be hers anymore. There was often so much discussion about whether or not freshman could “handle” the small quarters of dorm rooms but it was never something Hailey had worried about. It was more so the complete change of scenery and the distance from home that unnerved her. That and her first plane ride.
“And I have enough towels and I’m fine with the regular toothbrush. It would be a waste of money to get the electric one.” She stepped closer to the end of her bed next to the open suitcase. For months Regina had been saving every nickel and dime to help Hailey pay for the odds and ends she would need in her dorm. The plane ticket, the luggage fees, and mailing some items through snail mail had all cost so much that they were barely making ends meet. Hailey couldn’t fathom splurging for anything else.
For a moment, she watched as her sister tidied up the suitcase, a frown forming on her lips. “Gina, what if I get lost in the airport and I can’t find my gate?” It had been an ongoing conversation in the weeks leading up to this departure. Everything was so new. Riding a plane, going to a new state, going to a new timezone, leaving her sister for the first time ever, Hailey couldn’t help but feel anxiety building in her chest. She turned her large, blue eyes up and looked at Regina, silently pleading for her sister to make sure everything was right as she had done for the past eight years. “What if I miss my plane? What do I do then?”
Regina put the shirt in the suitcase and closed the lid, her lips pressed to a thin line. "The Armstrong airport isn't even that big, and if you get lost, I'm sure someone who works there can point you in the right direction." She pulled the zipper closed, turning to sit on the bed and look Hailey in the face. "And I'm dropping you off -- well, the taxi is dropping you off -- three hours beforehand, remember? If you still can't find it in three hours then I don't think you're cut out for college." The faintest of smiles quirked her lips as she leaned forward on her knees.
Hailey replied with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I guess I’ll figure it out,” she said, softly, her eyes trailing over the packed suitcase. “I guess I’m just nervous.” she admitted shyly. Her sister was so brave and always ready to do whatever it took and here Hailey was afraid to leave home for college. She was lucky she could even go; Regina didn’t have the option, and she couldn’t help but think herself foolish for wasting time being scared.
“It’s just that I’ve never been away from you,” Hailey continued, as if she needed to explain her nerves, and looked back at her sister. “I’ve never left New Orleans. I’ve never gone to the east coast. I mean, we haven’t even seen the college. And it’s going to be so long until I see you again. I wish… I wish you could come with me. Just to get me settled. I wish I had enough money for two plane tickets.”
Regina hadn’t been the only one working all summer. Hailey got what jobs she could but it was barely enough to cover her own airfare. They both planned to continue working -- Regina at the restaurant and Hailey outside of class time -- so that she could hopefully afford a ticket to come back home for Christmas break. But it was August now and winter break didn’t begin until the end of December, a very long four months away.
Regina's smile tightened, and she held out a hand toward her sister to draw her toward the bed. "I do too, Hail, but your plane ticket alone was expensive enough. The fucking thing was only one way, too." She pulled Hailey down to sit next to her. "But you've got your phone, and there's texting. You'll figure this out. Hell, I bet once you get settled there, you'll be BFFs with your roommate and you'll forget all about me." She wrapped a comforting arm around her sister's shoulders, though whether it was for Hailey or herself was unclear.
Hailey’s smile grew a fraction from before. “I doubt that,” she replied, tightening her grip on Regina’s hand. “She’s not even studying English. She’s going to school for math. It doesn’t sound like we have anything in common. Although I guess it wouldn’t help to have a roommate to help me with math. You know how bad I am at it.” By bad, Hailey meant that she received a B average in her previous math course in high school. But for Hailey, that was bad enough.
She let out a large sigh and glanced around the room. “So, are you going to turn this into a guest room the moment I leave?”
"Yup. Already have my first subletter lined up." Regina's grin widened, and she squeezed her sister. "Gonna be a major help on rent with this place. Then I can start saving for that motorcycle I've always wanted." She fell quiet, sighing.
"Naw, you know I'm gonna miss you. You'll have to send me any math tips, or book suggestions, or just let me know what you're having for dinner. Then I can live vicariously through you."
Hailey slid her arms around Regina’s middle and hugged her tightly, her head resting on her sister’s shoulder. “I promise,” she whispered, feeling the guilt well up again that she was going to school and Regina wasn’t. “And if you want book suggestions, I’d say start with everything in here that you haven’t read. And I promise I’ll call and tell you about class and that I’m eating. Did you know they have an ice cream bar at the cafeteria? And make your own pancakes. It almost makes up for the lack of beignets. But maybe when I fly home for Christmas I’ll take some of those New York bagels with me. And maybe I’ll learn some New York recipes that I can cook for us.”
Regina pulled back, lightly hitting Hailey upside the head. "Geez, make it sound better already. I'd think you were going off to a prison camp." Slowly, she extricated herself from Hailey's embrace, biting her lip as she looked at the suitcase.
"I know I printed out a list somewhere around here. The one your college sent you; we should go over it again just to be sure you've got everything you need."
“I think I saw it on the counter,” Hailey replied, unwillingly sitting up and glancing out the door of her room. It was such a tiny apartment, she could see the corner of the kitchen counter from here, just out of reach. It was a crappy little apartment but it was theirs. It was the first real home they had since they lost their parents, it was their own little shitty hole of pride and joy. Hailey could still remember Regina’s expression when she showed Hailey to her new room--a mix of pride and concern--but she also recalled how thrilled she was. It had been just the two of them for the past five years and now they were splitting apart. Hailey’s stomach turned and she frowned.
“Regina?” She asked, her eyes still focused out her bedroom door. “Are you sure you want me to go away to school?” There weren’t many other options. Hailey could just not go to college. Or she could. But going to college meant going far away. It was the only option in terms of school since those that offered her a full scholarship were all far away. She took in a shaking breath and blinked quickly. “I don’t want to abandon you.”
Regina turned back around, fixing her sister with an empathetic look. "You're not, Hail. This is for you, and for me. I mean, I didn't bust ass to keep a roof over your head just for my own amusement. I want you to do something with yourself. With your life."
Hailey’s smile was tight but it was still there. She gave a small nod and looked around the room. “Well, I guess we better get a move on. We’re eating out tonight, right? Then early to bed?” Whoever thought an 8 am flight was a good idea was an idiot, but it was the cheapest flight Hailey was able to find. Despite the early hour, there was the addition of two layovers in various cities Hailey had never been to, but it would still leave her arrival to New York to be late in the afternoon of the following day. “Maybe we can watch a movie before bed,” Hailey wondered allowed as she got to her feet and left the room, returning with the packing list from her college. She held it out to Regina and looked at her hopefully.
"Yeah, we're going to the diner, and then we can see what's on TV." Regina took the list, her eyes scanning over what she already knew was completed. She breathed a sigh, and then aimed a smile at her sister. "Jim said he was gonna save a whole peach cobbler just for us, so I hope you're ready to eat."
Hailey rolled her eyes, but a smile indicated she wasn’t the least bit annoyed. “Always!” she replied, going back to the bed to join her sister for a final review of the list.