Strength
"And the next person we have, is our very own Arden Bradley~" The school's vice president enthusiastically called Arden up to the stage. It was the talent show, the entire school was quiet, they never thought she would go up. The fifteen year old swallowed, she had the right emotions for the song she was going to sing.
She started to strum her guitar, with some background music since no one else was up there. "Perfect by nature, icons of self-indulgence. Just what we all need, more lies about a world that-."
Many of the students did not recognize the song other than her brother's and her nakama. As she sang, tears came flowing down as memories came to her.
"-Never was and never will be. Have you no shame? Don't you see me? You know you've got everybody fooled."
Memories of when she was dating Jack, how they looked so perfect together. How they would always hang out… The first time he hit her it came as a surprise to her. 'Worthless freak.'
-What did I do wrong?-
"Look. Here she comes now, Bow down and stare in wonder. Oh how we love you, no flaws when you're pretending… But now I know she-."
She would always put on a mask, that nothing was wrong her boyfriend did that too. He promised he wouldn't hit her again….Which he kept for a long time, but then one day she was helping him with work, and he drugged her.
"-Never was and never will be, you don't know how you've betrayed me, and somehow you've got everybody fooled."
She had felt so dirty, when she got home on her own she went in the shower for three hours, with scalding hot water. She had stayed in there even when the water had became cold. She scrubbed so hard, she almost bled but she didn't want to worry her family. Because of her damn anemia she couldn't remove the dirtiness from herself.
"Without the mask, where will you hide? Can't find yourself lost in your lie."
Her boyfriend continued to do this, adding his friends to the mix. 'You love me don't you?' How would she tell her grandparents about this? They wouldn't believe her, Jack was a good boy.
"I know the truth now, I know who you are, and I don't love you anymore~"
-I hate this, I just want to sleep-
The day she had taken all those pills, it scared her family. When she woke up in the hospital her boyfriend was in the room alone with her, it turns out that it was because he had called the house that they had found her.
-Of all people…- Her tears flowed even more, -I was saved by this bastard….Just let me die, I don't want him near me get away from me please just go and leave me alone…- 'You bitch, how could you do this to me?' He started to strangle her in the hospital bed, 'I'm the one who decides when you die you god damned freak!' Her brothers had come in to check on her… They were shocked, and kicked him out of the room.
"It never was and never will be, you don't know how you've betrayed me, and somehow you've got everybody fooled."
She's been scared of strange men ever since, and her brothers constantly protect her along with her nakama. She had no idea what she would do if she was separated from them at all.
-I'm not setting myself up like that again…-
Her voice, strengthened as she finished the song. "It never was and never will be. You're not real and you can't save me. Somehow now you're everybody's fool."
-Thank you so much everyone…-
She gave a small smile as she hit the last chord, and ran off the stage. This world isn't really meant for us is it? She rubbed her unusually long and squared nose clean of tears as she ran to her brothers. The entire school body was silent, until her friends whistled and her brothers clapped. The place was filled with people clapping for her, it made her feel strangely happy.
"Great job half-pint!" Her brother Keisuke said ruffling her burnt cyan hair.
"Mm, you did a good job." Her other brother said with a small smile looking at her with the same colored eyes they all shared, aquamarine just like their grandmother's.