Family Ties

Chapter 2

Beth and Lizzie headed upstairs to the room that they would share for the summer. It was a girly room, all light and gentle. It reflected Lizzie perfectly. Two matching four poster twin beds, complete with pink lace canopies sat separated by a thick oak night stand. Plush mauve carpeting picked up the accents of the roses donning the comforters on the beds and thin lace curtains blew in the breeze coming thru the open window.

The girls clamored into the room amid giggles and squeals. Beth sat her stuff down beside her bed then sighed contentedly as she plopped herself onto her stomach on it, facing Lizzie who was now sitting bouncing excitedly on her own bed.

She began talking about living in Arizona, how hot it was and how hard it had been to move away from all her friends, especially Lizzie.She spoke animatedly and fast, as only teenage girls seem to know how. Her eyes at times glowed a bright amber and her face changed to reflect excitement and happiness, and sometimes her eyes turned to dark stormy pools like a cloudy puddle disturbed by falling rain. Her brows would furrow in emotion the words wrought.
When she was done ranting about the big change she had gone thru she switched to a happier subject... her drawings.

Lizzie was finally able to get a word in edgewise when Beth turned her rant toward her artwork. Lizzie always looked forward to seeing what new creations Beth had designed since their last time together. She gushed and squealed on the phone when Beth would tell her of them. Her eyes lit up when Beth moved to pull out her large sketch pad and partial portfolio she'd sat against the wall. Lizzie squealed "Let me see! Lemme see the new ones! Oh Bethy! These are so cool!! I hope you go to school, I mean after school ya know Art School or somethin' cause this stuff is so good!" She rattled on in a slightly envious tone. Creativity had settled itself in her brother in the form of musical talent, her friend Beth in artistry but it seemed to Lizzie it had skipped her completely.

Beth laughed at Lizzie's exuberant enthusiasm. She could always count on Lizzie to be completely encouraging, even pushy at times about subjects she really believed in. And Beth's knew her art was one thing Lizzie absolutely adored and believed in 100 percent.

"Well Lizzie," Beth smiled and paused for effect before she excitedly announced "I am looking into London Art College! I got the pamphlets in the mail right before I came here see!" She pulled out the information packet that had been mailed to her and slid over to Lizzie's bed spreading the information out so they could both look at it. "Its one of the best schools for what I want to do."

Lizzie let her gaze fall over the pamphlets and she picked one up opening it and reading. "London!!!! That's in England!" Lizzie's face fell and she looked as if she might cry, always know for being over dramatic she put on a full on pout. "Oh God Beth! That's so far away. Do you have to go to LONDON? I mean what's wrong with New York, or... even... Jersey?? or heck, anywhere thats not on the other side of the globe! I mean I thought Arizona was bad....."

Beth sighed, she knew Lizzie would be upset at the thought of her moving so far away. Lizzie had cried for a week before Beth had left for Arizona. She hated to upset her friend but she knew if she just explained herself Lizzie would see and though she might be a bit let down by the distance she knew she would support her in pursuing her dreams so she began to explain. "Well, to be honest Liz I've look into alot of different schools even some real close by here but... Lizzie this one is the BEST, if I can get into this school...." Beth paused her voice almost cracking with the want and desire. She watched as Lizzie's face softened then continued in a confiding way "I'm kinda nervous about it Liz cause it is so far but.... you know.... I think it will be exciting living abroad and seeing somewhere else.. a new country, a new me...." Beth really did mean it, if she was lucky enough to get accepted she would turn a new leaf! No more chubby, plain, boring Beth!

Lizzie wasn't sure if she really liked the idea but after hearing Beth's explanation why and seeing the want on her friends face she quickly hid her reservations and the girls chatted calmly about Beth's future plans eventually falling into an amicable silence.

After some time Lizzie watched Beth. She had gone from laughing and smiling to looking a bit forlorn and wistful as she got up from the bed and went to sit on the window seat. She gazed silently out at the balmy Jersey night.

This was a new side to Beth that Lizzie had not seen. Her friends face was clouded with rampant angst and Lizzie being a few years younger had yet to discover these teenage mood swings. "Beth whats wrong ?" she asked softly with real concern in her voice.

"Oh nothing" Beth sighed. She was sure Lizzie, in her immaturity would just not understand at all but finally anger and years of friendship won out and she blurted "On top of everything else that has happened, the move, this..this.... body thing!!" She motioned in a very aggravated way to her newly blossoming breasts and curvy hips"I now have a metal mouth!" She bared her teeth to reveal glittering silver perched atop pearly whites.

Lizzie sighed, Her and Beth had touched on this subject briefly in their phone chats so she knew of her friends preoccupation with her body and looks. But Lizzie, being only 12 and only at the start of puberty, barely even needing a real bra yet just didn't understand what the big fuss was about.
"Bethy...... I wish you wouldn't be so down on yourself. You are really beautiful why can't you see that? I mean look at me!!!" Lizzie stood up and twirled around "see... could be worse!! You could be like me and be a darn twig!!"

Bethy looked enviously at Lizzie's thin form as she twirled and twirled in front of her full length mirror. Lizzie was everything she wished she could be, tiny, girly, petite. No matter how much she tried, braces, hair color, killer diets she would never be like Lizzie she was just too stalky and... fat. She sighed " Beautiful? Yeah right, where at? In my dreams?" Beth got up from the window seat and crossed her arms over her already blooming chest and paced. "Lizzie you should have been there... I had a school dance last week and ..... " Beth broke off in mid sentence as tears started to well up in her eyes as she remember the humiliation of being one of a very few girls left standing along the wall. The quintessential wall flowers at their best. Not one boy had asked her to dance.

Lizzie stopped her twirling and went immediately to Beth's side wrapping her in a warm hug and giving her the encouraging words she so badly needed to hear "It'll be ok Bethy....... You will see it.......... will all change and those boys will be kicking themselves you wait and see." Lizzie wasn't entirely sure of what she said, but the words felt right as they fell from her lips.

Beth let her younger friend hold her and reassure her wondering where Lizzie got such understanding and maturity at such a young age.

Wherever she gets it from, I'm just glad she has it

Beth slid her arms around Liz and hugged her back for a few moments then deciding she'd had enough discussing her depressing body issues she quickly changed the subject "So Lizzie are you starting to like boys now? Any cute boys in your class? You care to gossip about ?" She teased her friend hoping that she was at least starting to hit the boy crazy phase. Just cause boys didn't pay attention to her didn't mean she didn't pay attention to them and she longed for her best friend to come into that stage as well.

Lizzie had to laugh at Beth's sudden change of pace. She answered with alight chuckle "What ? oh.... they are ok .. I guess .." Lizzie replied, a slight blush coming into her cheeks as she fidgeted with the hem on her shorts.

"You guess??" Beth grinned noticing the fidgeting and blush she pushed a bit more "Not even one that might spark some interest?? No crush? Come on Lizzie I know when I was your age, thats when I first started getting boy crazy!! "

Lizzie made a face "Nah they are too ... I don't know ... I think I'm just so used to... well, the guys.... you know Dave and Jon and Tic... and Richie...." Lizzie trailed off a bit and got a slightly more dreamy look on her face "Maybe if Richie was younger or there was a boy like him in school..... maybe" Lizzie's eyes darted around nervously. She was appalled at what she'd just let slip out of her mouth and her face turned from a pretty pink blush to a bright crimson red.

Beth chuckled a bit. She had had a feeling that Lizzie was developing a little crush on Richie, just by the way she talked about him on the phone and now she had her proof she was gonna run with it!" Why Lizzie, you gotta crush on our Richie???" she teased

Lizzie gasped and stood up putting her hands on her hips and looking very indignant " What?? no way Beth!! Of course not!!.... just.....the boys in my school are so immature and........" She trailed off again trying to come up with a plausible reason for saying what she had.

Bethy laughed and interrupted her " The boys at school are immature??? Well...... So is Richie! " She giggled

Lizzie stopped in mid thought and let what Beth had just said sinking then fell on her bed in another fit of breathless giggles as she stammered out "you...... Got a point there Beth! he is!!"
Both girls laughed until breathless as they talked late into the night. They fell asleep still fully clothed, College pamphlets scattered around the bed and floor, side by side on Lizzie's bed, they slept.