As the words burst from your throat in a raspy, pleading screech, a strange, bubbling sensation in your core caught your attention. It burned rigorously, churning your insides until you were forced to double over yourself in pain, lying over Demyx's fading figure in a ball-like position. The pain overflowed inside you, suddenly sending streams of silver, shimmering energy pulsating from your back and chest, filling the room and obscuring your vision completely. An inevitable, mind-shattering screech emitted from your lungs, filling the room almost as quickly as the pulses of energy. You trembled uncontrollably, feeling Demyx slowly slip away from beneath you.
And suddenly, everything was dark.
-----
(*Meant to Live - Switchfoot)
"Is she...waking up?"
"Mmmhm..."
"Is she?"
"How am I supposed to know, Marina?! I'm a cop, not a doctor!"
A sigh.
A single, crystalline eye cracked open. Fuzzy figures appeared before you, one to the left, and the other to the right, somewhere in the distance. To your left, through the blurriness that had become your vision, you managed to make out a pale figure, a black patch atop their head. To the right, a figure dressed in blue, shielded by a black and white wall that covered their top half.
Suddenly, a gasp broke the abrupt silence beginning to close in around you. Unable to pry your other eye open, you watched in confusion as the left, blurry form raced towards you, throwing their arms around you in a familiar embrace. Suddenly, a sharp pain whizzed down your middle, straight from your heart down to your toes and back. You yelped in pain as the scent of perfume raced up your nostrils, sending waves of nostalgia flowing through your mind. Their arms released you immediately, their hand finding your sweating forehead in a matter of seconds. Just their touch told you who it was.
The sharp pain that had raced through your core sent the wheels in your head on an unstoppable spin cycle. After a good minute or so of hard, concentrated thinking with nothing but silence from anyone in the tiny room, you gasped. Everything flowed back hard and fast, cramming your mind with a thousand different emotions, memories, and images.
"Honey?" the figure to your left called quietly in that familiar, alto voice. "Payton, are you all right?"
Her icy hand rested upon your cheek, causing you to shiver slightly.
Finally, you conjured up enough energy to murmur breathlessly, "M-Mom?"
"Oh, thank God, Payton!" she exclaimed, throwing herself onto you in an enormous hug once again, more carefully this time.
Her short, dark curls spilled onto your face by mistake, the smell of lavender stinging your sensitive nostrils ever so slightly.
Although you were exhausted beyond any human comprehension, you managed to correct your mother in a raspy tone, "Faye, Mom. Remember?"
Your eyelids finally parted, revealing your crystalline eyes with the hint of sky blue within. Your mother nodded, a melancholy smile on her pink lips, accompanied by the streaks of tears that rolled down her cheeks as she stared down at you. Finally, you realized where you were: a hospital room.
No wonder it reeked of old people, you grimaced momentarily.
"Yeah," she whispered, "I remember."
You received a wink from her, which you repaid her for by cracking a half-hearted smile at her.
"Why do you insist she calls you that? It's not like it makes you any more 'hardcore' or anything," a deep, indifferent voice from the opposite side of the room called.
You and your sapphire-eyed mother turned your heads in the direction of the bleach-blonde haired, middle-aged man seated in the thick, plastic chair against the wall. He lowered the newspaper - the black and white shield - into his lap, glaring at you with piercing, aquamarine eyes. For a moment, you imagined a pair of blonde tufts of hair jutting from the top of his gelled puff of hair. He looked exactly like her.
"So, Faye," he emphasized cruelly, "Would you like to tell us what you were doing Friday night?"
Your eyebrows lowered in confusion. "Friday night? How long have I been out?" Your voice became stronger the more you utilized it, you discovered.
"Almost an entire week. We were afraid you weren't going to wake up," your mother explained rapidly, turning her attention back to your step-father.
"An entire week?" You gasped, unable to force your voice to a shriek just yet.
"Stop avoiding the subject!" he suddenly bellowed, glaring at you coldly with his piercing blue-green eyes that made you sick to stare so deeply into. "What were you doing Friday, hanging out with those four juvenile delinquents?!"
Your heart halted. "Ju-..." you stopped, unable to grasp what he'd just spat at you harshly. "...Juvenile delinquents? Who--"
"You know exactly who I'm talking about."
"If you're talking about Andrew, Ashton, Cameron and De--" Your throat closed up. Immediately, your voice left you helpless, jaw dropped in preparation to speak his name, though you knew nothing was coming as a result. Your eyes narrowed as you reached up to place your hand over your heart, head still firmly rested in the pillow behind it. You swallowed hard, the lump that had formed shrinking, though not enough for you to reach the volume you had been at a moment ago. "I went to The Battle of the Bands."
The forty-four year old man across the room began to pace, his pale face growing red with irritation and impatience. Thinking quickly, your mother began to interrogate you.
"We know you went to The Battle of the Bands with them, sweetie," she nodded at you, her voice serene with peace, "Don't you remember anything after that?"
"I mean, we found you in an alleyway, for crying out loud!"
"Chris!" your mother hissed, eyes narrowed at him. "We're in a hospital!"
"An alley...?" you murmured, causing heads to turn and the quarrel between the two to halt. "...But I..."
The pain staking image of that final battle flashed through your mind, not a single detail left out. It was as vivid as though it was happening at this very moment.
"She's not going to tell us where Arlene is, Marina. It's as simple as that."
Your eyes rounded. "Arlene?" you spat venomously, causing your step-father's eyes to round with fury. "That's what this is about?!"
"Don't you raise your voice with me, you little--"
Suddenly, you shot upright in the tiny hospital bed your mother was sat next to you on, screaming, "You don't care about what happened to my friends at all, do you, you good for nothing--"
"Your FRIENDS left you in that alleyway to rot, you ungrateful little brat!"
"MY FRIENDS COULDN'T HAVE LEFT ME IN THE ALLEYWAY BECAUSE THEY'RE--"
You swallowed your words, forcing them down your throat hard before you said too much. Unfortunately, your little outburst hadn't gone unseen by the eyes around you. Your mother stared at you, seeming baffled, though she looked more worried than anything. Meanwhile, your sadistic, Larxene-clone of a step-father glared at you darkly, awaiting a continuation of the thought you so loudly blurt out and hurriedly attempted to muffle. You simply bowed your head, staring down at the palms of your hands, wondering what you could have done to avoid all this pain...suffering...death....
"She's not going to tell me what I want to hear," he hissed, more to himself than to anyone else.
He marched to your bedside, taking you harshly by the left shoulder, turning you to him as your mother's sapphire eyes widened in shock, though she sat helplessly beside you. "You listen, and you listen good. You are going to remember what happened to you that night, you are going to tell me where your so-called friends are, and you are going to tell me what happened to Arlene before I have to force it out of you! Do I make myself clear?" he hollered, jerking you by the shoulder closer to him, as though to intimidate you.
You inwardly smirked, glancing down at his massive hand on your shoulder before turning to face his aquamarine eyes fearlessly.
"Unequivocally."
He released you, slowly dragging himself back to stand upright before you. He adjusted his uniform and turned to face your silent mother.
"I'm gonna go finish up that ridiculous paperwork so we can get the hell out of here," he hurriedly muttered, marching passed the curtain and into the hospital.
Your curly-haired mother shook her head, rising noiselessly to sit in the small, red chair beside you, returning your much-needed personal space. The odd silence rang in your ears, and suddenly, your thoughts vanished, leaving your head almost completely hollow. Only the casual, repetitive beeping of your pulse on the monitor beside you reminded you that you were still alive.
March
Tap. Tap. Tap.
You paced back and forth, arms crossed over your lower back, crystalline eyes narrowed in thought. The hum of the computer buzzed along the floor, your footsteps blocking out the light sound. The monitor was off, as were the lights. Nothing but the dim, dying light of the candle on your windowsill to light your frantic journey from one side of your room to the other.
Finally, after about another twenty seconds of pacing, you threw up your arms sharply and dropped to the floor. Your heads found the gap between your knees as you began to rock back and forth.
"Don't lose it, Faye," you muttered. "Not yet, not yet...."
Steps emerged from the opposite side of the door to your right, causing your head to jerk upwards and stare at the chipping, white door with eyes as wide as saucers, looking like a deranged deer caught in headlights. Your midnight hair coated your face and hid your silver eyes from the dark figure that had just entered your bedroom.
"Faye?" a gentle voice called in a hushed tone from the doorway. "What are you doing in here? With all the lights off?"
"Shh...," you whispered, quivering beneath your shady locks. "You'll wake them...."
You slowly turned, pointing a finger to the left corner of your bedroom. Your mother's head turned as she eyed the dark corner to which you were pointing. From the shadows, she was able to make out shapes of rounded ears and large, fluffy heads. Teddy bears. Among them, in the large pile in which they were seated, there rested quite a few porcelain dolls, their eyes as black as night, haunting to look into.
Your curly-haired mother sighed, pulling the golden doorknob with her as she backed out of the room. As the door closed, you crawled towards it, listening to the voices that bounced up the stairs.
"I told ya so! She belongs in a frickin' happy house, Marina! When you gonna wise up and listen to me for once?"
"She's not a lunatic! She doesn't belong in a place like that!"
A series of heavy footsteps caused the house to vibrate. Finally, a door slammed. Your fists clenched instinctively, and your semi-blue orbs darkened. For a moment, your mind was unclouded. For a moment, you remembered who had nearly driven you off the brink of insanity. You remembered why you were pacing: you were plotting.
'Plotting that...that THING'S demise, that is....'
A demonic smirk crept up on your lips as you rose to your feet. The sound of an engine roaring echoed through your window, causing you to glance downward emotionlessly. Steadily, your eyes wandered upward, taking in every detail of the home opposite yours. The pale, beige sidewalk. The dark gray driveway. And finally, the large, two-story house that glowed in the moonlight. Your smirk grew.
"His demise...," you whispered to the air. "And someone else's...."
A devilish cackle escaped your lips as a familiar, blonde figure passed the window naively.
(*Teenagers - My Chemical Romance)
Flick.
At first, the lights flashed. You stalled, watching the rectangular objects, waiting for them to return to normal. Finally, the light restored, and you stepped forward. Crossing the room in a few, wide strides, you smirked as your empty, wide eyes landed upon your target.
"Hmm...let's see...."
You extended a hand, your fingertips gently gracing the cold metal of the tools lining the wall, most of which could do quite a bit of damage.
A drill? No, no, too small.... Perhaps a pipe? No, too big. Something with more damage potential....
You abandoned the rack of handyman tools and wandered to a darker corner of the room. There sat a glistening, tall crowbar. Your smirk matched its, and with a single hand, you lifted it into your arms. As you weighed it with your hand, examining it from every angle, something toppled to the floor behind you. Gradually, you turned. As a tiny silver mouse bolted across the concrete floor, you saw it, the words "Louisville Slugger" printed across its beautiful glossy finish in bold, blue print. Steadily, you leaned the crowbar against the icy wall and hastily strolled towards the wooden weapon. Kneeling down, you dragged it onto your lap and grinned maliciously.
Swiftly, you rose, standing in the center of the driveway in the darkness. Glancing back, you caught the crowbar's gaze.
"Maybe some other time, my friend," you murmured apologetically, abandoning your house and crossing the street, the crowbar frowning at your dark, fading form from the shadows.
Your footsteps faded, hardly noticeable as you crossed the front lawn. You rose and dropped the end of the slugger in your hand repeatedly, fighting a smirk with all you had. Under the cloak of darkness, you passed the front walkway and continued to the opposite side of the lawn. Gradually, with miniscule steps on your tip-toes, you approached the living room window with perfect timing. At that moment, the dirty blonde-haired boy raced down the steps to plop himself in the large, leather couch. Other than the gold light emitting from the antique lamp on the wooden table beside the recliner and the flashing, seizure-inducing lights from the television set, every light in the house was off. Glancing back, you noticed the tan mini-van that belonged to his parents was missing.
Your eyebrows rose as it dawned on you. 'He's...alone....'
Your smirk grew to an evil, toothy grin as you immediately lifted the bat.
And with a freakishly haunting howl, you bashed in Hayner's living room windows.
After an unbelievably loud shriek, he toppled onto the hardwood floor on his face, his hands over his head as you leapt in the air, slamming away at the remaining shards of glass. Hayner scrambled behind the sofa, cowering in fear as you continued to cackle like the maniac you had become, destroying all four windows and their panes before leaping into the living room itself and smashing everything in sight. As you took a swing at the lamp, Hayner bolted for the kitchen, screaming hysterically as he attempted to escape you and your Slugger. With a devilish smirk, you flew after him, slashing at anything that stood in your path. As your feet skidded across the tile, you realized that Hayner had already picked up the phone and was dialing 911.
"Oh, no, you don't!" you shouted, baring your teeth at him and sending him into shock as you dove toward him, latching onto his legs and sending the two of you flying across the floor. Furiously, you both began kicking, screaming, and punching, all while rolling on the floor in a heap of confusion and hatred.
"Payton, what the hell are you trying to do?!" came the frantic, still stunned, voice of Hayner, who was attempting to pry your claw-like hands out of his hair.
You ignored him, turning your head and snapping your jaws at his arm, which was a mere centimeter from your face. Instinctively, his hand jerked, causing you to flinch back in an almost convulsive manner as it cracked across your cheek.
Eyes rounded in shock, you stared at the floor for a brief moment before your crystal eyes locked with Hayner's brown orbs. Your glare sent chills running down his spine, and he immediately cowered away from you. You crawled across the kitchen, snatching your bat and leaping to your feet. The sound of sirens in the distance caused you to quicken your pace through the small room and into the dining room, where you found him cowering under the table. You weren't about to let him escape so easily.
With a single hand, you reached under the table and snatched a good handful of his dirty blonde locks. As you tore him out from beneath the table, the threatening shouts of policemen and screeching of tires caused you to chuckle darkly. As you dragged him across the tile, you raised the bat once again, drawing him closer to your face sadistically.
"See you in hell," you whispered in his ear, causing him to shudder involuntarily.
The stark white front door exploded, the men that stormed into the house grabbing your arms and stomach, dragging you away from the stunned teen. As you kicked and flailed, your foot managed to collide with his nose, sending him stumbling back into the dining room table. A terrifying shriek escaped your throat as a sharp thrust to your neck caused your world to fade.
-----
After five hours of being under heavy sedation in an icy jail cell, you finally awoke, raspy groans rumbling from your chest as you attempted to sit up, rubbing your neck in pain. Footsteps immediately caught your attention, and you watched as a dark-skinned policeman approached your cell.
"Payton McKohl?" he asked, his tone stoic as he skeptically glanced at your tattered appearance.
"Who wants to know?" you replied roughly, the same devilish grin playing on your chapped lips.
From behind the tall officer emerged a dark figure, donning a long, black coat that swept to the floor. Your eyes rounded as you scrambled back slowly, nails digging into the floor and feet dragging along with you.
"Your bail's here," he muttered, seeming reluctant to unlock the large barred door and allow the shady figure to enter.
As the dark form entered the tiny room, you glanced at his figure. You racked your brain, attempting to determine who this strange person was. His waist was too curved, and his arms were too thin to be a he at all....
Before you could draw any conclusions, he reached down and snatched your arm roughly, tearing you to your feet and dragging you from the building roughly. His grip on your arm was nearly bone-crushing, and you could practically taste the anger in the air around him. As he hurled you down the stone steps, finally releasing your arm, you shut your eyes tightly, expecting the worst. You prepared yourself to smack head-first into the cement. However, you collided with soft pillows and plush teddy bears instead.
"Are you freakin' insane?!" the dark figure from behind you demanded, shrieking as he folded his arms across his chest, muttering something under his breath that sounded a lot like a string of profanity.
You raised an eyebrow, turning swiftly to come face to face with your bail. "Who are you?"
And the hood was off.
Her dark, pin-straight hair swept past her shoulders, her crimson eyes boring into yours furiously. You gasped obnoxiously as you leapt to your feet, attacking her with an enormous hug.
"Zixzy!! Oh, God, I thought you were dead!" you shouted, swaying back and forth excitedly, trapping her in your arms tightly.
Her mood suddenly seemed to change, and her ruby eyes quickly transformed to a cloudy blue shade. The sadness in her smile was almost heartbreaking.
"What..." you managed to squeak out, surprised by her sudden mood swing.
She shook her head, glancing down at the hardwood floor for a moment. After a good minute or so of dead silence, she began again, "Listen, um...Sorry I left you hanging around in that alley with the thought that we were all dead...."
Your eyebrows shot up. "That was you?!"
She nodded bashfully in guilt.
You shook your head rapidly, nearly frightening her in your excitement. "No, no! It's okay! Don't worry! I've been totally fine!"
She raised an eyebrow at you; her eyes didn't betray her skepticism. "I come back only three months after everything that's happened, only to find you in a jail cell, just awakening from being heavily sedated for five hours straight because you bashed in someone's living room windows." She folded her arms and inhaled deeply. "And you expect me to believe that you've been fine this entire time?"
In a rush of realization, you dropped to your knees and sobbed tearless sobs of hysteria. Zixzy's eyes rounded as she clamored to your side, grasping your shoulders and shaking you mercilessly.
"HEY!" she growled, glaring at you fiercely. "I don't have a lot of time here, Faye!"
You immediately stopped and stared at her in shock. "W-What?!"
She nodded solemnly. "I have to leave soon. There are things that I need to take care of, and I just wanted to make sure that you were all right. I see now that I was right in doing so...," she muttered, her voice fading toward the end of her sentence.
You didn't press the issue of her business, and you quickly inquired, "So, how the hell are you here?"
-----
(*Hikari Music Box)
Hours passed, and soon, it was three in the morning. Zixzy was perched on your window sill, while you sat calmly on your plush bed to her right. She explained how she had managed to escape the mess with the Nobodies in December, but she hadn't heard from anyone else since then. Although you hadn't bothered to ask what she needed to take care of, she'd spilled anyway, explaining that she had to find someone who had become lost to her the night of. She sighed and turned away, facing the moon with a melancholy stare.
You sighed as well, folding your hands in your cross-legged lap. "So, now what do I do?"
Zixzy glanced back at you, lips pursed in thought.
"Everyone's..." you paused, hesitating as you choked slightly, "gone?"
Her mahogany eyes rounded, quickly becoming a shade of violet as she hopped from the window sill onto your bed. She grasped your hands tightly in her own, her purple eyes boring into your empty orbs. "You mean...you don't feel it?"
Your eyes narrowed in confusion. "Feel...what?"
"Them!" she exclaimed, eyes burning into yours as if she was attempting to pry apart your soul.
"I don't feel anything that I shouldn't, okay?" you gasped, glancing around the room nervously.
She sighed gruffly, narrowing her lavender orbs and gritting her teeth. "You've got to feel them somewhere, Faye."
"Feel WHO?!"
"Listen," she murmured, taking your hand and placing it on your chest.
The room fell into a deathly silence as you waited, impatiently, for something unusual to catch your attention.
Beneath your palm, your heart thudded normally.
Beneath your pulse, there were three other faint rhythms.
Crystalline eyes wide, your jaw dropped as you glanced at Zixzy. She smirked broadly, eyes fading from purple to a magnificent gold in excitement.
"W-What...What's that supposed to mean?!" you demanded, clenching your fists furiously at the thought of getting your hopes up.
She leaned forward, pulling you into a gentle hug. Before you could notice, she clasped something around your throat and whispered, "You'll see...."
As your head spun in her direction, you discovered that she had vanished into thin air. Immediately, you bolted for the window, waving madly in the bright moon's direction.
"Good luck, Zixzy...," you whispered, your right hand swaying in the breeze as you waved at her, wherever she was.
Your left hand reflexively reached up, clutching the tear-drop shaped pendant.
Inside the clear gem, the emerald heart thumped.
-----
(*Until the Day I Die - Story of the Year)
Fireworks erupted in the ebony sky, illuminating the heavens brilliantly. Meanwhile, you roughly rubbed a towel over your dark scalp in an attempt to dry it. You jerked back, your black hair splattering the walls with miniscule droplets of water as you slipped out of the bathroom. With the thought of a smile resting on your lips, you entered your bedroom in a towel and quickly dressed in a pair of jean shorts and a red tank top.
For the first time in seven months, you were going to walk the streets of Twilight Town without looking like a deranged lunatic.
You grinned at your appearance slightly, your lifeless eyes staring back at you in an almost approving way. From downstairs, the troublesome shouts of your mother and step-father burst through the floorboards of your bedroom. Rolling your eyes, you grabbed your black sneakers from your trainwreck of a closet, tossing them near the door as you returned to your mirror with two blue hairties.
'I wonder what it'll look like down at the beach this year,' you wondered, parting your long hair down the middle and combing your fingers through your dark torrents of hair. 'These fireworks shows get better and better every year, after all.'
After ten seconds, your first braid was complete. As you flipped it over your left shoulder, you focused your concentration on the right one. Just then, your bedroom door was flung open, sending your sneakers sliding across the floor until they hit your bedpost. You grumbled under your breath as you finished off your second braid and spun around, looking normal for the first time in what had only been a few months instead of what felt like a few years.
His thinning, bleach-blonde hairline had failed to catch you by surprise this time, and you stared at him with a single hand placed on your hip. You waited expectantly, but the silence reigned for a good three minutes.
You caught him quickly examine you up and down, and you rose an eyebrow in patient response.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Oh, here we go.
"I was getting ready to head down to the beach so I could see the fireworks. It's known as a little somethin' called the Fourth of July," you replied in an indifferent tone of voice.
"Wearing that? You're really asking for it, aren't you?" he growled, glaring at your simple outfit.
You crossed the room soon after you snapped your eyes away from him, crouching to lift your sneakers from the floor. You rose and brushed passed him, but he followed you stubbornly.
"You're not leaving this house wearing that, Payton!" he shouted as you galloped down the stairs and headed for the living room. "You look like a slut! Go right back upstairs and change!"
You blatantly ignored him and plopped onto the baby blue sofa, lacing your right sneaker and slipping it on. You barely glanced at the TV that was bright with the flashing colors of a short, urgent broadcast. Your attention caught, you stared at the man with a brown, receding hairline and thick-rimmed glasses as he spoke quickly to his audience.
"A small gang of four or five escaped, young juvenial delinquents is still wandering the streets of Twilight Town. Police need all the help they can get, so if anyone has any information, please call...."
You turned away from the television just as Chris managed to reach the end of the staircase. He pathetically attempted to hide his fatigue from ascending and descending a single set of stairs by glaring at you through narrowed aquamarine eyes.
"Marina!!" he bellowed, nearly shrieked, and right on cue, your curly-haired mother leapt into your periph from the door to the kitchen on the left.
"Yes, Chris?" she quietly asked, her alto voice hardly above a whisper. She had what looked to be years of exhaustion in her eyes, and the bags beneath them only added to the fact.
"You're not seriously going to let your daughter walk the streets wearing that, are you?" a hint of a smirk rested on his fat lips, and your mother sighed as her tired eyes floated towards you.
Defeat was upon you; you could almost taste it. Your mother was too exhausted to fight anymore, and sympathy immediately filled every inch of you. You rose quietly, controlling yourself as best you could - it took all you had not to turn and knock Chris' lights out.
"All right, I'll go change," you said in an accepting tone, wanting desperately to run to your dark-haired mother and hug her tightly and tell her that everything was going to get better.
Unfortunately, you knew that was something you couldn't promise, so you turned, brushed passed Chris, and continued on your way up the stairs. You didn't bother to flick on the light, and you reached your dresser without a hassle, tearing a pair of dark jeans from the drawer and replacing them with your shorts.
Suddenly, the light shot on, stinging your eyes briefly. Chris stood in the doorway, and you had buttoned your pants just in time.
"Can I HELP you?!" you barked, pulling down your shirt and tucking a stray piece of bang behind your ear.
He paused, watching you as you wandered to your jewlery box automatically, pulling out your most precious piece of jewlery and turning to walk out the door. His arm extended and blocked your path as he gripped the doorframe.
"Excuse me," you huffed, "but I'm afraid you're in my way."
His aquamarine eyes narrowed and wandered down your figure until he caught a glimpse of the emerald pendant dangling from your fingertips. Before you could react, it was gone. He was fingering it in his fat hand, turquoise eyes greedily examining it.
"Give it back!" you nearly shrieked, diving toward him as he backed out of the bedroom and headed for the stairs.
"You know something," he began as he started down the stairs slowly, "you still haven't told me what happened that night we found you in that dirty alleyway."
Your heart leapt into your throat, and you stopped short at the top of the stairs.
"I'll give you this gorgeous little piece of metal," he taunted, "if you tell me everything I want to know."
"EAT SHIT!" you screamed, fists clenched so tightly that your knuckles became a powdery white.
"Have it your way," he sighed, continuing his descent and wandering down the hall to the back porch.
You followed quickly in a desperate sprint. The moment you entered the room, you noticed he had already started a blazing fire in the chimney. Your emerald heart dangled above it. Your voice caught in your throat, and your eyes burned with tears.
"You wouldn't," you whispered, hardly audible.
"I would."
The screen to the back porch opened slowly, and your mother's curly head poked in, her sapphire eyes immediately widening in shock. "Chris! What do you think you're--"
"Stay the hell out of this, Marina! Your precious little daughter is gonna tell me what the hell happened to Arlene or her neckalce is gonna become ash!" he hollered loud enough for half the town to hear. "Understand, Payton?"
You shook your head so violently that you were afraid it would snap off your shoulders and screamed, "I HATE YOU!!"
Something in your heart snapped so hard that you could almost hear it. Your eyes flooded over with tears, and an ear-splitting shriek filled the room. Marina fell to her knees, covering her ears as she sobbed quietly in the corner - whatever was happening, it was way too much for her to handle. You glanced back at her, torrents of tears cascading down her and your cheeks. They splattered onto the tan carpet, each one reminding you of a time Chris had put her through some kind of immature, stupid fight.
You turned to him, watching his aquamarine eyes fill with fear. Your gray eyes scanned over his figure, and you took in the similarities...the hauntingly familiar, piercing eyes...the blonde hair...the same devilish grin....
Your fists clenched, and suddenly, a familiar tingling sensation enveloped them. You glanced down, teeth gritted and eyes tightly clenched, and two, silvery orbs surrounded your pale fists. At once, your entire being was filled with the power that seemed to rejuvinate you and give you life once again.
"Give me the necklace," you managed hoarsely, eyes narrowed into silver slits, your fists still clenched with the odd, glimmering power illuminating them.
His eyes rounded as he struggled to pull his arm in your direction. His fist shook as he tossed you the necklace unevenly. You reached to the right and caught it, glaring at him fiercely as you turned and left the room, your hands slowly beginning to dim.
Finally, Chris recomposed himself and left the fireplace, the porch, and your sobbing mother to jog into the hallway and catch you reaching for the doorknob.
"H-Hey!" he managed to call; his voice shook.
You turned, eyes blank with indifference.
"You still haven't told me what I want to know, you manipulative little bi--"
The old blonde was slammed against the wall, suddenly, the pictures lining the staircase wall collapsing. Your hands were at his collar, burning with the bright energy once again. Your eyes couldn't have burned with more of a murderous intent, and you glared at him so darkly that he shuddered repetetively and avoided your gaze.
"Listen, you worthless piece of CRAP!" you shouted, jerking his shirt to lock his gaze with yours. "The reason I was laying in that alley had everything to do with your heartless daughter! She ruined my life and destroyed my sanity," tears spilled over your eyelids, blurring his face and his frightening eyes, "She's the reason I was never home and the reason I attacked Hayner. She's the reason I was locked in my room and the reason I'm leaving now!" You slammed him against the wall again. "But I got to her first," you whispered, and your bangs fell over your eyes. "I'm not proud of what I did, but I had to do it. Your beloved witch of a daughter is gone. She's been gone for almost nine years, because she had enough lust for power in her heart that she was overcome with darkness."
Chris opened his mouth to speak, but you pinched his lips with your fingertips.
"She's been gone all this time, and you were too busy hating me to see it."
Marina stepped into the hallway and nearly fainted when she saw your face, which was distorted in the agony of six months of loneliness and your insane lust for revenge.
You stumbled over your words as they rushed out in choked sobs, "First it was Cameron...she sent volts of lightning through his body and killed him on the spot at the Battle of the Bands. Next was Ashton, just because he wanted to save my friends he went and got himself killed. Andrew came after that...she stabbed him in the back and he died at her feet. And then..." you quivered convulsively, gripping his shirt to control your balance as your knees nearly gave way beneath you.
"She went after him..."
You glanced up at your step-father, whose turquoise eyes were filled with the one-syllable, spiteful question. Who? his eyes interrogated. His eyebrows pulled together above his narrowed orbs, and you continued reluctantly. Your other hand clenched into a fist over your stomach to keep yourself from losing control as you uttered his precious name.
"...Demyx. She shocked us both...stabbed us both in the backs.... We fought together. We made such a great team," you managed to laugh, but it soon transformed into a hoarse sob, "Still broken and mangled, she shocked us again, sending him off the brink of existence, but I held onto him as tightly as I could. I wanted to save him...but I guess..." you sniffed, your grip on his shirt weakening. You stopped, released his lips, and wiped your eyes dry. You backed away slowly, placing him back on the floor as bits of wall crumbled around him. With a final furious shove, you completed your confession with the worst part, "And he died in my arms. She killed the only one I ever loved. I hope you're happy now."
With that, you turned and bolted out the front door into the night.
-----
(*Lazy Afternoons)
You wiped away the remaining tears splattered on your cheeks, sniffing at the humid air and sighing deeply. You passed a group of children running with rectangular bars of blue ice cream in their fists, laughing and cheering as they bounded up the hill you were slowly descending. Once at the bottom, you made a right and headed for the echoing booms in the distance. Your empty eyes scanned the plain sky until vague flashes of light appeared in your peripheral view to the left. Beyond the clocktower was the beach - your freedom. Patiently, you ascended the stairs of the station, pressing your palms against the cool glass and entering soundlessly.
You glanced to the left, eyeing the ticket box curiously. Behind the glass was a girl. She couldn't be older than you, judging by her sleek raven hair and dark eyelids.
Strange. You were so used to seeing Pence running the booth. You shrugged, leaning toward the box and peeking inside.
"Excuse me?" you muttered, tapping your nails on the beige counter.
Her head slowly rose, and she smiled at you politely. "Can I help you?"
"Yeah, please," you began, voice hardly above a whisper, "I'd like one student ticket to Twilight Beach, please?"
As you spoke, her eyes dilated, revealing her mystifying cerulean eyes. Her pale hand rose to her mouth as she covered her pink lips in shock. Your thin eyebrows rose high on your forehead as you stared at her, confused.
"Um, hello?" you mumbled, waving your hand before her face.
As though suddenly snapping back to reality, she jolted in her seat and whispered incoherent apologies. "Actually, um, since it's a holiday, they're uh..." she paused, tilting her head to the left, examining your eyes curiously. "...free...."
Your eyebrows lowered and you leaned away from her cautiously. "O-Okay, thanks," you uttered as you snatched the tiny slip of paper she'd slid onto the counter and dashed away.
That wasn't odd, I swear, your mind grumbled sarcastically as the train's automatic door slid open.
You plopped onto the plush seat and sighed, lifting the crystal necklace and clasping it safely on your neck.
As the scenery beyond the windows began to change, your mind began to drift. Randomly, your mind jumped to a gruesome car crash and a familiar drummer laying in the road. You shuddered, the memory vivid, though it did not belong to you to begin with. Your eyes fell to your lap as you imagined how beautiful Andrew's love, Nicolette, must have been. The way Ashton described her, she must have been a modern Audrey Hepburn. A tiny grin appeared on your chapped, pale lips at the thought.
I wonder if we would have been friends, you thought, suddenly sorrowful.
"The train will be arriving shortly," a polite voice interrupted your morbid thoughts abruptly.
You growled under your breath, stopping your line of quiet swears quickly.
Come on, now, Faye, you scolded yourself, You're supposed to be having fun! Don't let all this sadness ruin it for you...please?
Bing!
The doors opened wide. You forced a smile onto your pale cheeks, rising to your feet and leaving the train behind you. The intoxicating smell of sea salt soared up your nose as you left, leaving a real, whole-hearted smile on your lips. You wandered aimlessly down the road until the loud booms of the fireworks reached your ears. With the ocean, wide as the sky, sitting before you, magnificent colors in the sky, your heart inflated. Happiness hadn't come easily in months, and it was finally here.
As you walked quickly toward the sand, you heard gentle drumming to your left. The sunlight illuminated his dull, old-looking drum set. It could've been antique; the drums seemed as though they'd been kicked and stomped on. But the music echoing from this corner of the road made you stop and clutch your chest with your fist. His hair was flat and dark, his eyes hidden behind a pair of thick black sunglasses. This wasn't Andrew; you and your heart knew it. His friends, you assumed, sat behind him. The blonde one, his hair sticking out messily beneath a black cap, had his back to you. He looked nothing like Cameron from this angle, you convinced yourself. Your heart ached miserably as your eyes shifted to the brunette sitting beside him. He had a glass bottle of Coca-Cola in his hand, the tip of it at his lips as he took a quick swig. He could've easily passed for your long-lost friend, if only his hair wasn't so short. You scoffed miserably, as though all of your dreams had been crushed.
It was true; they had been.
You had tried desperately not to raise your hopes, but as your crystal eyes scanned the nostalgic scene, you couldn't help it.
With a furious huff, you shoved your hands into your pockets and stormed down the road.
-----
(*Sleep - My Chemical Romance)
Three hours later, the sun still hanging in the same spot in the orange sky, you rose from your sandy seat. Turning, you wandered up the same road, struggling to keep your eyes straight and not glance at them. However, as you ascended the cobblestone hill, you noticed they'd gone. Inwardly, you sighed a breath of relief. There would be no more pain today, and for that, you were grateful.
Once you reached the top of the tan station steps, your jaw fell open.
"Closed?! How can it be closed?!" You half-shrieked, gaping at the red-printed sign in the glass.
You resisted the urge to punch in the window and turned away sharply. You hurried down the steps, hands still in your pockets. Fuming, you strolled across the sunkissed street until you came upon the Underground Concourse. As you slowed your step slightly, you pulled your cellphone from your back pocket.
"Nine thirty, already?" you mumbled quietly to yourself, stuffing your phone back into your pocket.
You kept your gaze on the stone floor. It didn't occur to you until you were halfway through the concourse that you could hardly see your shadow. Glancing up, you noticed that the lights flickered convulsively. Their usual pale orange light had changed to a blinding white. Your nose scrunched in uncomfortable realization as you pressed on, slowing your step unconsciously.
Suddenly, hysterical laughter and rowdy shouts rushed into your ears, causing you to jolt nervously. Ahead stood four young men, all of them at least three years older than you. You hesitated, your shaky steps stopping almost completely. Your mind flashed shortly to the man in the television, speaking with visible fear in his dark eyes. You eyed them cautiously, forcing your quivering legs to move. As you grew ever-closer to the group, you felt wide eyes scan your figure. Your heart nearly leapt into your throat and sent your legs into fourth gear when a voice caught your attention.
"Hey, baby, where you headed?"
Your rebellious, furious side suddenly shone through, and you whirled around.
"Piss off."
It wasn't until after you shot back a response that you realized what you'd done was very, very stupid.
Their eyes became wider than when you'd first walked by. Dangerous snickers echoed down the shady tunnel, sending shivers from your heels to your head. You narrowed your eyes bravely, turning your back on them and continuing down the road faster than before. Your fists clenched and unclenched shakily as you hurried along. You knew immediately that your brave facade would disappear as soon as you turned the corner.
Tap-tap-tap.
You froze, petrified, where you stood. Your fists clenched at your sides as you glanced back over your shoulder. There they were, hightailing it in your direction, with smirks that would've terrified the Devil himself. Their eyes burned with so many different emotions that detecting them all would've been impossible. Your head shot ahead, eyes wide as saucers, as you searched desperately for your exit. The narrow tunnel would lead you straight to your home in five minutes.
The thugs would be hot on your tail in fifteen seconds.
You had only one option, and you took it without another thought: run.
You fought with your shaking legs for a brief half of a second, urging them to sprint ahead with all they had. They obeyed; you bolted ahead, scrambling down the dark tunnel, panting from fear, not fatigue. You sharply turned the corner, but just as you did, something heavy collided with your head. You sailed head-first into the floor, the bricks tearing at your forehead and cheek as something warm trickled down your temple from your crown. The sound of glass shattering on the floor reached your ears as the wet feeling poured over your ears. It dripped onto the ground with tiny splattering sounds that were drowned out in the heavy sound of your breathing. You were on your knees, grasping the back of your head as you attempted to get back on your feet, but it was too late.
"I've got her!" a raspy voice echoed through the darkness, sending an annoying ring through your ears.
The pain in the back of your skull increased as someone snatched your left braid, dragging you along the floor like a rag doll. You whimpered weakly as you were roughly thrown against a wall, your hand falling from your head and plopping on the floor. You wanted so badly to feel sadness, but all there was, building in your chest, was anger. Absolute fury boiled in your veins, causing you to kick and flail against your attackers. Two of them lunged for your arms as you struggled, punching at nothing but hoping to hit something. You kicked your legs madly, and suddenly, you heard something crack. You waited for your nerves to react and send damage messages to your brain, alerting you that you'd just broken another limb. Instead, hysterical screams filled the tunnel, bouncing off the walls and causing your head to ache.
"Somebody hold that bitch's legs down! Damn!"
The voice was smothered somehow, as though his hand was over his mouth. The lights flickered for a moment, and you saw who you'd accidentally kicked. Despite the fact that his face was still shady, you saw torrents of blood pouring from his mouth and nose like a massive waterfall. So much blood made you queasy, and you looked away, still kicking psychotically. Your hands twitched as you concentrated, trying to focus hard enough to use your powers again, but to no avail. You flailed your legs until it felt as though someone had sat on them. You growled and continued to squirm, but your efforts proved useless. Finally, a rough, angry snicker ceased your incoherent yelling. You heard no voices, just that same, devilish laughter over and over. It entered your ears and pierced your heart with realization.
Click.
Your heart fell into your stomach. You knew that sound.
Before you could even think to scream, a hard fist collided with your cheek, sending your injured head into the pavement again. You tasted something metallic in your mouth and tried not to shriek in pain. The lights flickered again, and you quickly turned your head, dodging another blow from the same fist. You had to hang on, you convinced yourself.
Something metal and cold pressed against your temple, causing you to freeze altogether.
Say hi to Nikki for me... her voice echoed through your mind.
"This oughtta teach you," another, deeper, darker voice hissed in your ear.
Your eyes closed tightly, enveloping your world in darkness. There was nothing left. Nothing.
Marina'll be fine on her own, you thought, sighing as you felt the metal press harder against your head. She's tough. She'll make it.
Your hands shook as you felt your last shred of hope escape you, and you finally relaxed. Your back rested against the floor gently, your eyes still clenched. Your fists slowly opened.
Chris won't miss me. He'll be glad, if anything.
Your mind wandered to thoughts of the rest of the town's inhabitants. Pence...Olette...Hayner....
Your breath was ragged and shaky as it entered your throat and escaped through your mouth.
Poor Mrs. Rholland... I didn't even get to say goodbye...
At the thought of the gentle old woman, your head shot to another scene...this one with vanilla ice cream and a boy with a mullet.
Your heart sped up, slamming against your ribs at the sight of him behind your eyelids. It was a perfect image, one your mind put into storage in the back of your head for a moment like this.
Your eyes opened, and out flowed waves of tears. They poured down your temples and dripped onto the floor.
I'll see you soon, baby, your mind whispered to the darkness.
Your eyes shut again, and a smile worked its slow way up your cheeks.
"FAYE!"
Your eyes shot open, wide as they could be, at the sound of your name.
But it wasn't just any sound. No, you knew this sound. That voice.
Suddenly, the weight was lifted from your limbs, and the sound of a reckless fight ricocheted off of the walls. You attempted to sit up, but your head throbbed, and you collapsed to the floor again. Shouts and screams could be heard for at least three minutes before an abrupt pop silenced all.
The pop you'd been waiting to decapitate you moments ago.
You shot up, despite the pain, searching the darkness for the shadowy silhouettes of your saviors.
Who shot who?! your impatient mind screamed as you sat there, motionless as a statue.
Suddenly, your head swam, and you felt your left temple hit the floor. You breathing was hard, and you couldn't see anything anymore.
Just before you lost consciousness, a familiar scent soared up your nose and made your heart hammer against your chest. As you were scooped up into a pair of strong, familiar arms, that same, gentle smile worked its way onto your pale lips.
Your hope had returned.
-----
(*La Pace - Yoko Shimomura)
Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...
You sniffed the air, already recognizing the annoying noise. It reeked of medicine, plastic, and old people.
"Damn it! Not again!" you gruffly complained, your eyes still closed. You didn't need to open them to register that you were in a hospital again.
You groaned quietly, rolling slowly to your right side as you stretched your arms out.
Your fingertips gently brushed something.
You kept your eyes shut, tracing the shape of the object beside you. Atop their head was freshly cut hair. You lowered your hand, feeling his high forehead. Lowering it a bit more, your fingertips graced a mix of plastic and glass.
A pair of glasses.
Your eyes immediately shot open as you jolted upright, screaming out of joy and excitement as your eyes met his bright amber orbs.
"OH MY GOD!" you screamed, hardly believing it was true but not caring if you were hallucinating at the same time.
You jumped out of bed, something suddenly tearing out of your arm. You ignored it, and the beeping screamed in protest, alarming anyone within a ten foot radius that something was wrong.
You grabbed his face impatiently, stretching his cheeks and fingering his glasses as you clambored onto his lap. You sobbed in overjoyed shock and threw your arms around him.
"ASHTON!" you cried, hysterically sobbing into his neck, clutching him as though you'd never let him go.
His arms wrapped around your waist tightly, hugging you to him comfortingly.
"I thought I'd never see you again," you admitted, tears flowing down your cheeks without showing a sign of ceasing.
He chuckled quietly, pulling you away gently to stare into your eyes. He smiled softly, placing a warm hand on your damp cheek.
"'Ello, love," he murmured, his eyes glistening with the tears you didn't know he could shed.
You tossed yourself at him, crying streams of tears of joy.
Without warning, you were scooped up off of Ashton's lap in an enormous hug.
"Ah, Cameron. Impatient as ever," you heard Ashton sigh from below you somewhere.
"CAMERON?!" you gasped, glancing down at the young man who'd lifted you up in a giant hug.
You turned in his grip, clasping your arms around his neck and screaming in excitement.
"FAYE!" he exclaimed, leaping in the air with you still in his grip. You squealed in fright, gripping his shirt tightly. "I missed you so bad! You wouldn't believe how boring death is!"
You couldn't help it. The unrestrained laugh that was mixed with hysteria and happiness erupted from your lungs as you hugged Cameron tighter. He set you down gently, ruffling the top of your head playfully. You swayed slightly, gripping his arm so tightly his blood circulation was cut off.
Someone cleared their throat from acoss the room. You glanced over your shoulder, seeing a sweep of tall spiky hair and a pair of dark eyes. Beside him was a short, dark-haired girl.
"...Andrew?" you muttered, squinting your eyes.
He left the girl's side, patting her shoulder and stepping into the light. You nearly screamed with joy; he looked exactly the way he did before he died, his spiky hair shooting into the air, practically defying gravity. You lurched forward, landing face-first in his chest that smelled like Phoenix-scented Axe. You hugged him slowly, afraid he wouldn't hug you back or would shrug you off. To your surprise, he did none of the above. Instead, he lifted you off your feet, hugging you tighter than Ashton and Cameron combined.
"God. Who would've thought that somebody so annoying could be missed so much?" he questioned, smirking.
You punched his arm and kissed the top of his forehead.
"Welcome back," you muttered with a grin as he set you on your feet.
Tiny footsteps patted the floor as they approached your tall friend from behind. He stepped aside slowly, revealing the very short young woman. Her raven hair cascaded over her shoulders, her bright, cerulean eyes piercing yours as you made eye contact. Her eyelids were dark with heavy black eyeshadow, and on her left ring finger, she wore a silver ring.
"Faye," Andrew began, taking her left hand tenderly in his, "I'd like you to finally and officially meet Nicolette."
Your eyes nearly popped out of your head. She was more beautiful than you'd imagined her to be and much, much shorter. Nicolette shyly twisted a strand of her dark hair and grinned at you sheepishly.
"How?" you whispered, hardly audible. "Didn't you...y'know..." you shrugged, trailing off.
"Yeah, I did...but then again, how are any of us here?" She grinned, winking at you.
Andrew scooted closer to her, gripping her waist protectively. "You did this, Faye. You brought us back."
Your eyes narrowed in disbelief, and you nodded at him to continue. He turned you around, setting you back in your bed just as a hyperactive nurse galloped into the room.
"What on Earth?" she gasped, seeing the IV needle dangling in midair.
"Oh," you murmured. "Sorry about that."
She huffed irritably, replacing the needle quickly and preparing to stick a new one in. You glanced away and stared intently at Andrew, trying with all your might to ignore the sharp pinch in your arm. You winced, looking odd and uncomfortable, eyebrows lowered and lips twisted into a strange smile. Andrew sighed, impatiently awaiting the nurse to leave. Finally, she walked into the hall again, muttering something about stupid teenagers. Cameron stuck his tongue out at her spitefully as Andrew began.
"We all wound up in this random white place after we faded...like we weren't supposed to die just yet. We wandered for a little while...and finally, we found Nikki walking around in this white, empty space, looking as confused as we were," Andrew explained, grinning at you like mad. "That last surge of power that you sent off at the last second all got trapped inside of us before we left."
Ashton continued for him, "We took that with us when we faded, and when we reached that white place, we realized something had changed."
You eyed him curiously, eyes narrowed and eyebrows lowered, "What changed?"
He smiled at you, "We all had pulses."
You stifled a gasp. "I did that? How? What? I didn't even know that was--"
"Shh, Faye," Ashton laughed, placing a hand on your shoulder. "We didn't know you could do that either. But you did. And when we found Nikki, Andrew gave her a piece of the heart you'd given him, so Nikki came back with us...." Ashton trailed off, as though suddenly confused.
You glanced up at him, "What?"
"Well," Cameron picked up for him from your left. "We don't really know how we came back."
"Have you used your powers lately?" Andrew suddenly asked, taking you by surprise.
You hid a smirk poorly as an image of Chris' terrified face entered your mind. "Yeah, I did."
"There ya go!" Cameron slapped his hands in triumph, laughing.
Ashton rolled his eyes and glanced down at you. You turned away, suddenly falling silent. Cameron's laughing ceased, and Nicolette squeezed Andrew's hand sadly.
"You didn't find him."
No one answered.
You sighed, closing your eyes gently. Suddenly, a warm hand touched your cheek, resting there calmly. Your gray eyes opened, meeting a pair of cerulean eyes.
She tilted her head, staring at your pale eyes for what felt like an eternity. Finally, she muttered, "We will find him, Faye."
Your eyes rounded. You smiled gently, taking her hand off of your cheek and holding it in both of your cold hands.
"Thank you, Nikki."
-----
(*Do You Feel - The Rocket Summer)
November
Time passed more slowly than usual that summer. August passed, and Nicolette agreed to join Delerium, much to everyones surprise. She was a magnificent singer and an even better piano player. The band seemed quiet and empty without Demyx, but you still managed to keep yourself together. They held onto you with all they had, and they wouldn't ever let you fall off of the deep end again.
September arrived, and your Junior year of High School began. The moment you set foot in the building, a familiar girl with black and green-streaked hair approached you.
"Faye," she had said, taking your left shoulder in her thin hand. "I'm sorry. I heard about everything that's happened to you, and...."
You'd cut her off there. You weren't looking forward to keeping the enemies you had had, and you accepted her apology.
Sean, Ian, and Jason agreed to quit bothering the five of you, as well.
October slowly rolled in. Cameron and Ashton enjoyed creating stories to tell the incoming Freshman and Sophomores about Nikki's mysterious return.
"She wasn't really dead!" Cameron gasped, acting appalled.
"She was just dead to us, since she never called!" Ashton nodded in agreement, crossing his arms and glaring at the students in a chiding way.
Finally, November.
It was an almost icy day. The auburn leaves danced on the streets as you slowly made your way toward the tall building. You cradled your new baby in your arms.
An ebony, absolutely gorgeous Les Paul.
It was a gift from Andrew, Ashton, Cameron, and Nicolette for the homecoming concert Delerium would be performing at. It was supposed to be hugely special, and the principal wouldn't personally ask you to perform if it wasn't important. Despite that, you hadn't bothered to ask them why they didn't get you the guitar for your birthday, instead. Nicolette and Cameron winked at you, giggling like imps.
"Consider this as the first half of your gift," Nikki said.
Cameron chuckled. "Yeah. The second half will be much better."
You'd named it 'Anascanifade'.
"Shut up, it's a cool name!" You'd barked at Andrew, who'd skeptically eyed you upon hearing the name. "It's the first two letters of all of our names combined. An for you, Andrew, As for Ashton, Ca for Cameron, Ni for Nikki, Fa for me, and...."
All of you had fallen silent and changed the subject soon after.
You pressed the door open with your elbow, sliding the strap of your guitar until Anascanifade was pressed comfortably to your back. The door shut quietly as you slipped inside, ignoring the glances you recieved from the students lining the halls.
You convinced yourself that the only reason they stared was because of your new hair. Nicolette had convinced you to try a new, scene hairstyle...and you'd reluctantly agreed. She'd told you over and over until it was annoying that you looked beautiful. You disagreed...over and over.
You passed through the halls, keeping your eyes forward and avoiding eye contact with everyone. You gripped the strap upon hearing the small whispers and voices of the disapproving students that you knew were already judging you.
"Look at her hair!"
"Who does she think she is?"
"Did you hear what she did in March?"
"Oh man, she's a psycho!"
"Move! I have to hide!"
You kept your expression as indifferent and as stoic as possible, but upon hearing these whispers, your face flushed and your blood boiled.
"Why don't you head back to the loony-bin, Payton?" a familiar, shrill voice called.
Your eyes flashed as you turned, coming face to face with a pink-haired, blue-eyed female. She donned a shimmering lavander dress that fell to her knees, her hair done up in pink curls.
"Victoria," you uttered, cracking a sarcastic smile at her. "Nice to see you again."
"I'd say the same, but I'd be lying," she grinned like a cat, her skinny possy filling in the empty space around her.
"Where's Hayner these days?" you questioned, smirking despite your loneliness and vulnerability.
"Oh, him. I dumped him a while back. Nice shot, though," she winked spitefully, tapping her nose as a hint.
"Why, thank you," you nodded, preparing yourself to turn and leave.
"What about you?"
Your heart stopped, sputtering as it started up again. Your blood became icy and your eyes narrowed as you turned again.
You cleared your throat, shaking your head. "What do you mean?"
"You know...that little cutie you had with you at the ice cream place that one time...in December..." her eyes wandered to yours, her smirk large and blunt on her features.
"O-Oh, him?" you stuttered accidentally, and you felt two inches tall suddenly. Your hands shook, so you gripped the guitar strap protectively to stop them.
"Yeah, him," she grinned, folding her arms across her chest. "Did he dump you?"
You winced, clutching the strap tighter still. Your crystal eyes narrowed as you glared at her fiercely.
"Ohh, I think I know what happened...." she stepped closer, placing her puny hand under your chin. You immediately jerked your head away, and she whispered, "Did baby Payton get cheated on? I'll bet it was Arlene again, wasn't it?" she pulled back, placing her hand on your cheek, now. "Poor baby...."
Without warning, Victoria disappeared. You turned to the left, watching motionlessly as she was slammed mercilessly against a nearby row of lockers. Her attacker stood before her, pressing her hard against the doors.
"You'd better watch it, Vicky, or there'll be more where that came from," the dark-haired girl hissed.
Victoria shuddered under Nicolette's intimidating blue gaze. With a final shove, Nikki left Victoria stunned, turning sharply and grabbing your arm. "Let's go," she muttered, tugging you protectively away from the large crowd.
-----
"Hey! Nikki found her!" Cameron called from the dark stage, his blonde head popping out from nowhere to greet you.
Your arm was wrapped around Nikki's neck and shoulders, her arm clinging to your waist. The two of you were dressed similarly in black dresses that ended at your knees with puffy frills and vague sparkles. Nikki's hair fell over her shoulders unevenly, and beside her left-parted bangs was a pink bow with a tiny pearl from Andrew. Your only accessory was your necklace.
"Let's get this concert over with so I can go home," you grumbled after the two of you had walked up the small staircase and onto the stage.
You wandered backstage, leaving Nikki and your Les Paul behind the curtain to find the old makeshift home your buddies had created. You plopped into the pillows as numerous voices echoed through the auditorium. Before long, you were staring into space, thinking about nothing but Victoria
