All the Good Girls go to Heaven

[alex51299]

What a great update! You are a wonderful writer. 

[MoonsAreBlue]

What a last line to leave us with! I'm just glad you update pretty often. Wonderful! I get so excited when I see you've updated.

[dragonsbeauty]

young love!~

yea, daddy can say what he wants, but when it comes down to it, she will see him=).

[Katluvr]

We want more!  We want more!

[JudesSims]

Wow! Waiting for the next update with breath held!

[Teacup Chihuahua]

What an excellent cliff-hanger(man I can't bear it ) Brilliant update .Please don't leave us hanging too long

[ApplesApplesApples]

Chapter 5

Determined to prove to my father that Cayden hadn't radiated bad behavior onto me, I decided to dress the part of my father's ideal daughter. I thought his perfect daughter would wear a blouse and a long skirt, because that was what good girls with no aspirations in life other than getting good grades and pleasing their fathers wore, or so I imagined. High heels and a bit of jewelry, too, I thought. That communicated elegance and maturity.

I found the clothing articles I needed in the back of my dresser, stuffed in as soon as whoever had given them to me wasn't looking, I'm sure. I borrowed some jewelry from my mother and asked the maid to put my hair up in a bun. I looked at myself in the mirror and didn't recognize myself, but it didn't matter because I was going to be someone else anyway.

I made sure I didn't meet Cayden on the way to school.

At lunch, I singled out the two girls I thought my father would approve of the most, Gigi and Vanessa. They got good grades, dressed conservatively, and already knew what they would be when they grew up. They also belonged to wealthy families, which I knew that my father would like even if he didn't admit it. I didn't know them very well, but I was pretty sure I could tolerate them for a whole afternoon.

But something went wrong. In the middle of our conversation, which up till then had gone smoothly, a spindle-thin girl with bright blond dyed hair and badly applied makeup drifted near and overheard me talking about coming over to my house.

"There's a party at your house?" she asked.

"It's not a party, Bindi," I said warily. "It's just a get-together."

"Oh, fun!" said Bindi. "What time is it?"

I didn't know what to say. Bindi was completely wrong for my needs. She had on a miniskirt, a vest that revealed her stomach, and tights--all in clashing patterns and colors. She had never gotten anything higher than a C in her life, or so I'd heard, and she had no money. It was a fact widely known in town that her mother had had her at a ridiculously young age and ran off with the father to who-knows where, leaving the baby to be raised by the grandfather.

But Bindi resembled the alley dog everyone kicked because no one could stand it, so I gave in and told her I would pick them up after school. Gigi and Vanessa gave me disapproving looks but said they would come, too.

I wiped my sweaty palms off on my skirt as we walked into the living room. I'd fallen out of practice entertaining girls.

"This is my house," I said, giving a terse little gesture.



"It's nice," said Gigi. "I like the décor. It's simple but classy."

"Will you show us around?" asked Vanessa.

My father came in from the dining room. "Oh, hello, girls," he said, surprised.

"Hi dad. What are you doing home?" I'd planned to have them all settled down doing something respectable when he came home.

"Why don't you girls go upstairs? I'll send Aliyah right up to you."

"Okay, sir," said Gigi. They all trooped up. I wrung my hands nervously, wondering if my father saw through my ploy.

"I came to bring your mother home from work. She felt ill again."

"Oh, is she okay?"

"Yes. I'll take her to the doctor later this evening. Don't worry. Have fun with your friends." He smiled. "I'm glad to see you're turning into a young lady, Aliyah."



"Thank you, dad."

"Being a wild thing, running all over the countryside, might be fun when you're younger, but it's time you took up activities more fit for your age."

"I decided the same thing." I followed the girls up the stairs, mocking my father with little hand-people. "'It's unfit for a lady of your station to be running around like some kind of lower-class tramp, Aliyah,'" I said, opening and closing my fingers to simulate his flapping mouth.

"You've got a great view from up here," said Vanessa from the window. "The pond looks like glass." She had long, beautiful black hair. I'd always wanted to have long hair, but it never worked. Either I got it tangled in branches or I got knots from the wind that only chopping could take care of.

"I've never played foosball before," said Gigi. "Is it fun?"

"Foosball?" asked Vanessa. "What's that?"

I decided these girls had never been alive before that day.



"What am I doing?" Vanessa kept asking. "Where's the ball? Which ones are my people?"

"Bindi, you just scored against us!" said Gigi.

"No, she didn't," I said, because Bindi seemed prepared to assume responsibility for her perceived fault. "That's your goal, over there."

"It can't be!"

"I'm bored," said Vanessa. "Can I read a book?"

"Sure," I said, concentrated on taking over her foosmen before Bindi, who could almost be considered a decent player, scored another goal.

A few minutes later I realized where Vanessa had taken her book. I'd seen her go out of the corner of my eye, but hadn't really registered it until we had a lull in our game. She'd gone into my room.

"Vanessa!" I said, running in after her. She sat on my loveseat and didn't look up when I went in.

"What?"

"This is my room."

"It's cute," said Gigi, walking in with Bindi behind her.



I felt ready to pull my hair out. All three of them in my sanctuary, all together? And as if that wasn't enough torture, Gigi plopped down on my bed and took out a bottle of nail polish.

"Vanessa, come do my nails," she said.

"Don't get it on the bedspread," I growled, defeated.

Vanessa put down her book and went to do Vanessa's nails. I sat on the loveseat and put my head in my hands. Bindi took a seat next to me.

"I really like your house. It's pretty," she said.

"Thank you," I said, lifting my eyes to the ceiling, wishing they would all go away.



"So then Barry told me that he goes with Lilah. Can you imagine Barry and Lilah together? They're completely wrong for each other!" Gigi was saying. "I decided I have to take matters into my own hands. That relationship is history."

"Totally," said Vanessa.

"How's your grandfather?" I asked Bindi, trying to drown out their chatter.

"He's okay. He told me to tell you thank you for inviting me."

"Hey, Aliyah, I'm bored," said Gigi after a while, except she called me "Alaiah." "Let's watch TV. My program's coming on in a few minutes."

I told them the TV in my room was broken, which gave me an excuse to herd them all downstairs. Gigi's program turned out to be a soap opera, and she and Vanessa giggled and commented on how hot the male lead was, and stuck out their tongues at the evil other woman.

I was about to start hitting my head against the wall when my father came in. "How is everything going, girls?" he asked.

"Oh!" said Gigi, jumping up from the couch. "I didn't introduce myself, Mr. Peng. My name's Gigi Carlson." She shook his hand. He seemed surprised. "You know, I like your hair, Mr. Peng. A lot of men try to conceal that they're going bald in their middle age, but you're too classy for that, aren't you? I think it makes you much more respectable and actually pretty attractive."



"Well, I..." said my father, rather flustered.

"Tell me, Mr. Peng. Have you ever thought of dating a younger woman?"

"You know what?" I said, jumping up and grabbing Gigi by the arm. "It's a beautiful day. We can't be sitting inside watching TV. Let's go out to the pool." I dragged her outside and the other two followed.

"Spoilsport," said Gigi.

"He's my father. It isn't funny," I said.

"It was just a joke. You don't have to get so upset about it. I didn't bring a swimsuit, and it's too cold to swim."

"Let's sunbathe. I need my vitamin C."

"It's vitamin D," said Gigi grumpily, pulling her arm out of my grasp and going to sit in the recliner next to the pool.

They soon got over it, though, and were back to chattering aimlessly. Gigi and Vanessa didn't seem to require intervention from me, and that suited me fine. Bindi would try to put in a world every now and then, but they either didn't hear her or chose to ignore her.

What seemed like years, or maybe decades later, I heard footsteps approaching. I looked up and saw Cayden. He ran me over with his eyes, his eyebrows raised, and glanced at the other girls.



I got up and stood in front of him, trying to back him away from the others. "Hi, Cayden. We were just hanging out. Why don't you come back later? You wouldn't have fun with a bunch of girls."

"Aliyah, what are you wearing? Are you running for first lady or something?"



"Cayden, I'm trying to impress my father by bringing some girls over and hanging out and being respectable and everything," I whispered rapidly, but he just shook his head. "Cayden, please go. I'll explain later."

"Aliyah, tell him to get me some lemonade. I'm going to the bathroom," said Gigi, walking past us like she owned the world.



"Aliyah, tell her that if she talks to me like that again I'll break her face," said Cayden.



Gigi stopped and looked him over. "How would you like me to talk to you? Don't you work here?"

"No, Gigi, he doesn't work here," I said. "He's my friend."

"Oh, that's quaint," said Gigi. "I tried having a working-class friend over to my house once. She broke all my mother's best vases. How do you manage to keep him from going for the valuables? A leash?"

I would have punched her, but I kept my anger back. Cayden, however, didn't, and took a swing at her. I caught his arm.

"Cayden, don't!"

Gigi stumbled back, a lot more frightened than she probably wanted to appear. "Aliyah, your dog bites!" she said with an attempt at retaining her haughty demeanor.

"Stop it, Gigi!" I said, still struggling to keep Cayden from throwing himself at her. I'd never seen him this angry.

"I understand trying to be more inclusive, Aliyah, but having someone like him for a friend is just asking for trouble," said Gigi.

"And a girl who does favors for male teachers to get good grades is just top-notch company for her?" snarled Cayden, sending a vibration through his chest that I felt in the arm I had flung across it to keep him at bay.

"How dare you!" Gigi gasped. "How dare you! You filthy, disgusting dog!"

"He's being completely inappropriate, Aliyah. Send him away!" said Vanessa, who'd come to her friend's defense.

"You going to do that?" asked Cayden, looking down at me as if he'd just noticed I was holding him. He had a mocking, derisive look on his face that I didn't like at all. "You going to send me away so you can mingle with people more at your level?"

I let him go and walked over to the edge of the pool. I didn't care if they all beat each other up anymore. I just wanted everyone to go away so that I could curl up into a ball and cry.



"Why are you fighting?" asked Bindi from a safe distance. "There's no reason to fight."

"Go away," said Vanessa. "Aliyah doesn't want you here, and neither do we."

"We could all try to get along," said Bindi quietly, but I think I was the only one who heard her, and I didn't pay attention to her, because I was so busy trying not to let my tears fall.

"Have fun," said Cayden. I heard him turn and run away from us, but I didn't look.

"Aliyah, I can't think much of your taste after that," said Gigi, rounding on me. "How can you be friends with him?"



"You started it," I snapped. "You can't just assume that everyone who looks like they might be lower class work for you."

"I never imagined he'd be your friend. His clothes were all torn and dirty. I just assumed he was a gardener or something. It's completely understandable, isn't it, Vanessa?"

"I thought he was a gardener too," said Vanessa.

"And he was completely out of line with what he said," said Gigi.

"Rude," mumbled Bindi, with a word or two before it that I didn't quite catch.

"Of course he was! You assumed he worked here! Don't you understand how that can be an insult?"

"You know what? Fine," said Gigi. "Let's just forget this whole thing. Why don't we all head over to the library? Vanessa and I have an English exam first thing tomorrow morning, and we need to get some studying done before then. We work to earn our grades, no matter what some people might think." She glared at me.

The library was one of the last places I wanted to be, but at the moment it beat what I had, so I agreed. I tried to sit still while they talked over their study material. Not all of the talk had much to do with English, but most of it did. Both the gossip and the school talk bored me to no end, but I buried my nose in an old fantasy book that reminded me of the games Cayden and I used to play and tried to ignore the increasingly irritating sound of their voices.

A while later, it seemed they'd finished, because they'd taken to impersonating different people from school. Gigi did a particularly bad impression of the math teacher, and then Bindi wanted to do the principal. I turned away from her ridiculous strut and fake low voice and Gigi and Vanessa's expressions of trying their best to beat back laughter to look out the window.

And there on the street stood Cayden, as if he'd been waiting for me to look out.



"You know what?" I said, turning to the girls. They looked at me. "I can't stand a single one of you. In fact, I can safely say I hate you with every ounce of passion I have. When you insulted Cayden you insulted me, and if you ever mess with him again I'm going to make sure he gets all of you in a dark alley where he can beat you up." I'd sat for over an hour in a boiling stew of mixed fury and guilt, and letting out the first did wonders to alleviate the second.

Gigi gasped. "You're just as bad as he is!"

"Yeah, I am. So what? I'd rather be a rough, foul-mouthed girl unfit for polite society than an insipid, feather-brained dolt like you."

And I ran out of the library before she had time to answer.

Cayden watched me as I ran up.



I nearly fell against him, tripping on my heels, but managed to catch myself, panting. "Hi."

"Hi."

"Are you still angry?"

He shrugged and gave a little grin. "I was born angry, Aliyah. When the doctors first picked me up they said to my mother, 'Your son's got a little furrowed brow just minutes out of the womb.' I'm angry at them. I'm not angry at you."

"I was afraid you would hate me."

"How could I hate you?"

"I should have defended you."

"I don't need anyone to defend me, Aliyah. But I still don't see how you can be friends with them."

I waved my hand dismissively. "They were never my friends. I just invited them over to impress my father, because he said you were ruining me and I wouldn't have a future if I kept running around with you."

He frowned. "This is because of what happened the other day?"

I nodded. "He said you were going to get me involved in crime or something like that."

"He clearly doesn't know me at all, or he'd know I'd as soon get you involved in something that could hurt you as step in front of a car doing seventy."

"Tell him that. I'm sure he'll be touched you're so completely insane." I bent down and loosened the fasteners on my heels. The straps were digging into my feet. "Well, you'll be happy to hear that I ruined my fake friendship with Gigi and company. I chewed them out and shocked them. They won't be coming over to my house again."

"I'm glad. You don't belong in their world," said Cayden. "You belong with me."

I stepped into his arms. He held me close and watched me, his forehead completely smooth for once. "Don't you think I know that?"



"What's with the name 'Gigi' anyway? It sounds like something you'd name a cat," he said.

"I know." I giggled.

"If you try to call our daughter that I'll take her away to the hills to protect her."

"Our daughter?" I laughed. "Cayden, aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself?"

"No. I know I'm going to be with you forever. You're going to want kids, aren't you?"

"Wait until I'm a little older to ask me that," I said, pushing his face away from me. He ignored it and kissed me. I'm sure Gigi, Vanessa, and Bindi were watching, but I didn't care.



"Mae," said Cayden when we pulled away.

"What?"

"How do you like that name for a girl?"

I thought about it. "I guess so. But you've got to stop planning so far ahead. Maybe you'll meet a beautiful young lady who'll steal your heart away. Maybe I'll decide to marry more at my level."

He shook his head, smiling. "Aliyah, Aliyah. Don't you see the chains?"

"What chains?"

He trailed a finger down my arm. "Here, all over you and me. They hold us fast together. They go taut when we're not together. No one can cut those chains; not even we can."

"I wasn't going to try. Come on, then. I'll race you home." I kicked off my heels, letting them land in a nearby flowerbed, and took off down the road.

We arrived in front of his house, breathless, and hid in the shadows, watching the lit windows of my house.

"So much for that plan," I said. "I don't think I could spend another hour with those girls, not even to get my father to ease up on your case. What will we do?"

"Well, he doesn't have to know you don't like each other. He's already seen you all together. Next time you're with me just tell him you were out braiding your hair with Gigi."

"Lie to him?"

"Or let him order you never to see me again. I'll climb in through your window."

"No, it's okay. I'll make up outings with the girls sometimes, and sometimes tell him the truth. That way he knows you haven't disappeared and that you won't."

"Good. You should probably go home now." He tried to kiss me again but I shied away and he got me on the ear. I gave him a shove and ran off toward my house with a stifled shriek.

I burst through the front door and nearly ran into my father. "Oh, hi, dad."

He didn't seem pleased. I wondered if he'd seen me with Cayden, but I didn't think he could have. "How was your afternoon with the girls?"

"We had fun." I shifted nervously on my bare feet, hoping he didn't notice my missing shoes. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Dad?" I asked, worried now.

"I just brought your mother home from the doctor. She's very sick."

"What? The flu again?"

"No, not the flu."

"What is it?"

"Why don't you go in and see her?"

I blinked. "Okay." I knocked softly at the bedroom door and went in. I found my mother lying on the bed, propped up with pillows, a slightly lost expression on her face. "Mom?"



"Oh, hi, dear. You look beautiful. Just like my mother when she was your age." Her voice was faint and distant.

"What's wrong, mom? Do you have a bug?" I asked, sitting down on the bed next to her.

"Hmm?" she said, and put a hand over her eyes. "The light is a little too bright, dear. Would you turn it off?" I reached over and switched the lamp off. "Well, look at that," she said, laughing. "I can barely see you now. Why don't you turn the light on?" I turned it on. "My, honey, how pretty you look. Just like your grandmother when she was your age." She patted my cheek.

"Mom?"

"I'm a little tired. Would you turn off the light so I can get a little sleep?"

Close to crying, I switched the light back off and went out of the room. I found my father sitting at the dining room table, looking just as lost as my mother, but much sadder.

"Dad... what's wrong with mom?"

"She has a brain tumor."

"What? When did you find out?"

"A few months ago."

"And you didn't tell me?" He didn't answer. I sat down next to him. "How long has she had it?"

"Several years. It's been growing very slowly until now. The doctor we went to see today told us that it's inoperable. They're going to have to give her radiation therapy."

"Is she going to die?"

He didn't answer.

"Dad?"

"They gave her another year at the most without treatment. With radiation therapy they might be able to extend her life a little longer, but she'll never be the same."

"Why haven't you told me before this?"

"We were waiting until we found out more."

"Dad, I can't believe you hid something like this from me. You want me to be mature, but you don't even trust me enough to tell me my mother is dying?"

"I'm your father, and I decide what to do. You don't question me." He stood violently and left the dining room. I heard his heavy footfalls going up the stairs.

I got up and ran out the front door, across the bridge, through the gate, down the sidewalk to Cayden's house.

[alex51299]

Woah, what an intense update! I'm glad she stood up to those mean, annoying girls. I feel sad about her mom though.

[MoonsAreBlue]

That's really sad about Aliyah's mom, but I'm very glad Aliyah picked Cayden over those nasty girls. Bindi didn't seem too awful, though. I hope she makes a reappearance as a nicer girl.

[ApplesApplesApples]

That's really sad about Aliyah's mom, but I'm very glad Aliyah picked Cayden over those nasty girls. Bindi didn't seem too awful, though. I hope she makes a reappearance as a nicer girl.

Bindi has the funniest expressions of any sim I've ever seen. I love her. Don't worry, she will appear again. I don't know if you caught it, but she was the friend that Aliyah mentioned in the first chapter, when she was an old lady.

[Teacup Chihuahua]

Oh Wow Now you've done it Apples! your writing brought tears to my eyes .Your writing is so fluid and strong .It evokes such a powerful feeling inside as I read your words ,you captured the the worry,agony and sheer pain of trying to fit in to a group just to please someone so very well A plus or as we say in England A Star

[ApplesApplesApples]

Oh Wow Now you've done it Apples! your writing brought tears to my eyes .Your writing is so fluid and strong .It evokes such a powerful feeling inside as I read your words ,you captured the the worry,agony and sheer pain of trying to fit in to a group just to please someone so very well A plus or as we say in England A Star

Thank you very much! I have a bit of experience in that area myself (trying to fit into a group, that is). There are a lot of plugs I'd like to put my fingers into before going through that again. Just kidding. I think.

Thank you for the A Star! I didn't know you said that in England. Cool!

[ApplesApplesApples]

Hey is it just me or is teenage Cayden just... yum? Have you noticed those eyebrows? Ah, I like those eyebrows. Angry never looked so sexy as it did on Cayden and his eyebrows. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[ratchie]

Hey is it just me or is teenage Cayden just... yum? Have you noticed those eyebrows? Ah, I like those eyebrows. Angry never looked so sexy as it did on Cayden and his eyebrows. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Ah yes the I want to take over the world evil eyebrows very nice,very Cayden. 

Rachel

[Katluvr]

Cayden is pretty yummy.    With every update you pull me farther into your story.  I'm rooting for Cayden and Aliyah!  I hope they find happiness together!