“Fer once, can’t ya just let yer fight with Gal go? It’s hurtin’ us all!”

“She hurt me, Mel! That’s not something you just get over!”

Falsetto Fallout buried her head under her pillow, trying to block out the noise of her parents arguing. They’d been at it for months, ever since Holly ran away to be with the daughter of Ma’s sworn enemy. And Fafa was left in the middle of it all.

“You don’t know what that bitch is feeding her kid. I tell you, that Termite’s just a pawn to get back at us!”

“Yer bein’ ridiculous, Turq! She’s just a filly!”

Ma did have a right to be angry. From the bits and pieces Fafa had picked up, that old enemy of hers really did hurt her, in more ways than one. But ever since Holly started sneaking out to see that Parasite filly, it had become a hot topic in their home. And now that Holly was gone, Ma and Mummy were at each other’s throats over it with no end in sight.

Still plugging her ears, Fafa sat up and looked over at her runaway bag. She’d always had it packed in case she wanted to be rebellious and go out on her own, but deep down she never imagined she’d really need it. There was always a part of her that couldn’t bear to leave her family. But now, in the midst of all the anger and fighting, her family was falling apart.

Where would she go? Grandma had just died and Grandpa was really sick, so not there. Granny AJ would surely march her right back home if she showed up at Sweet Apple Acres alone, so that would be a lost cause. Fafa had no idea where Holly was, so definitely not with her. Maybe Starflower, her old student teacher, would take her in. She and her wife were pretty cool. It didn’t matter where Fafa went as long as she could escape this hellhole.

“None of this would’ve happened if you weren’t so…stubborn!”

“Oh! So you’re blaming me now! Holly wouldn’t have run away if you actually cared enough to discipline our children!”

She couldn’t take it anymore. After writing a quick note to assure her parents she wasn’t dead, Fafa grabbed her runaway bag and climbed out the window. But not before hearing her Mummy suddenly go quiet and utter the dreaded phrase…

“Turquoise?”

“What?”

“I want a divorce.”