darker_london | False Idols (Bria, Aly) (Reply)

Aly awoke in her house in the big bed she usually shared with Peter, and the first thing she noticed was the total and complete silence of the place. It was eerie. Her home was not a quiet place, as it was usually filled with children and dogs and cats and friends, and now there was no one. She had gotten what she wanted. To be left alone. And now she had to wonder if it was all it was cracked up to be.

Aly stretched her arms out, her back flush against the mattress. Her hand reached out to where Peter's warm body should be, but she found only sheets and blankets and emptiness. Her heart ached for him for one terrible moment, and then as consciousness continued to return to her much more slowly than it normally would, so to did the feelings of resentment and anger over what he had done to her. Aly couldn't see the things she had done as wrong. In her mind, she had simply been upset, and now her husband had taken her children away from her. No one cared. Even her parents were on Peter's side, which she did not consider fair in the least.

Aly did have one person who hadn't given up on her. And as Aly moved into a sitting position, she was already reaching for the phone.

"Bria here!" The cheerful voice rang out through the phone line and Aly winced slightly at the brightness so early in the morning.

"Hey, B." Aly sighed deeply, and before she could even go on, Bria was talking.

"Aly? What has that man done now?" Bria hissed, clearly unfond of Peter Kemp.

"They left. All of them. Peter and the kids went to stay at his sister's house and I'm here-"

"Are you there alone?! When you're grieving?!" Bria asked, her tone indicating that that was unbelievable. "Oh my god, Aly, why did you ever marry such a loser?" Clearly, the question did not need an answer, because Bria kept right on talking. "I'll come be with you, okay? You won't have to be alone anymore, you poor thing. I can stay as long as you want me to stay."

Aly sniffed a little, but she composed herself with a deep breath before squeaking, "thank you."

In the time she had before Bria arrived, Aly cleaned herself up and she made the house presentable, though it was hardly out of order. She had never realised how big the place was until she was the only one in it. She didn't eat. Aly hadn't eaten in a long time, and she hadn't eaten much in longer than that. She was starting to look good. Younger. But she had to keep going. She wanted to look like Bria did. Maybe then Peter would want her back again. Maybe then he wouldn't be such an arse to her. He would listen and understand she was hurting.

Why did no one notice she was hurting?

Aly let Bria in and she was barraged with hugs and cuddles and reassurances that she was the one in the right and she was being attacked by someone who was supposed to love her. They helped a little. And Bria noticed Aly looked peaky and she suggested they go out for coffee and a pastry because moping called for calories, didn't it? Aly made the decision to purge anything pastry-like that she ate in Bria's presence or otherwise and she let Bria dress her for the occasion.

As usual, Bria chose very revealing clothes that flattered her reasons for starving herself. And Aly never once suspected she was doing it on purpose. Bria was her only friend she had left, after all. Bria was on her side. Aly loved Bria. And her word was gospel.