A/N: This is a request I wrote for Aussijimfan. The idea(s) for the story and the OC are both/all hers, I simply wrote it for her. It's the first time I've attempted something like this before so please go easy on me, I worked really hard on it and I honestly tried my very best. This is only one of... I'm not sure how many chapters, most likely only two. I'm working as hard and fast as I can to get the next one out asap. In the meantime, please R&R and lemme know what you think so far. Hope you like it AJF. :)
Disclaimer: I own nothing... not even the story's main idea or character :S
The screaming. The screaming was so loud. Make it stop.
Make it stop.
"MAKE IT STOOOP!"
Ayana Taylor bolted up in bed, panting heavily and in a cold sweat. Her dark grey eyes frantically scanned the room, looking for the source of the sound. But, as usual, she was met with nothing but silent darkness as she starred into her empty dorm. Looking at her clock, the teen discovered it was four am in the morning.
With a heavy sigh Ayana leaned forward and buried her face in her hands, running them down over her face before taking a deep, calming breath.
"Stupid dreams..." She mumbled to herself. "I thought I'd finally gotten rid of them..."
Deciding she neither wanted to nor would be able to sleep again that night, Ayana swung her legs over the side of the bed and stretched wide. Hoisting herself to her feet, she made her way over to the side of the room, flicked on the lights and walked over to the closet at the far end of the room. Opening the doors, she starred dully at the closet full of identical uniforms and sighed heavily before extracting one. After closing the door again, she turned and made her way to the bathroom.
"Damn good thing these walls are soundproof..." The brunette thought to herself as she stripped of her damp PJ's and stepped into the shower. "Screaming like that all the time, I'd have the whole building at my door!"
Ayana frowned as she let the water cascade down over her tawny-skinned body. She knew why the dream had returned. It was because she'd given up her pills; abandoned them for the past week thinking she could handle the consequences on her own.
She'd been wrong.
A heavy sigh escaped the teen as she closed her eyes and turned her face upwards, allowing the water to run down her face.
Well, if nothing else, at least she still had her sanity... for now.
Jim smiled as he stepped out onto the balcony of his dorm and greeted the day. It was the most beautiful morning he remembered seeing in a long time. The sun was shinning, the birds were singing, and the only clouds in the sky were as fluffy, white and harmless as a cloud could possibly be. In short, it was perfection at it's finest.
As tanned arms leaned forward to rest against the railing, a blue-green gaze lowered from the sky and turned it's attention to the large building visible some ways away.
The girls dorm.
A second smile graced Jim's lips as a particular image came to mind.
"Today would be the perfect day for that walk I had planned. Maybe a picnic? I'll bet she'd love that... she seems so down lately."
Deciding this was the perfect plan, Jim straightened up and stretched before turning and disappearing into his dorm.
Ayana grabbed her school bag and took one last glance around the room, her dark grey eyes scanning the area for anything out of place. Bed made, room tidy, dirty clothes deposited in the hamper. Yep, everything was in order.
With a small nod to herself, the brunette turned and left the room behind, making sure to lock the door behind her on the way out.
-;-
"Do I want breakfast this morning?" Ayana thought dully. "I'm not really that hungry... but on the other hand, I've gotta eat."
The brunette sweatdropped as she remembered what had happened the last time she'd skipped breakfast.
"I don't think I could handle another embarrassment like that! Geeze! Jaden had the whole damn cafeteria starring! Food lecture from Jaden this morning? No. Breakfast it is!"
She sighed as she headed into the cafateria, blinking dully as she noted the empty hall. As usual, she was the first one there.
"Hm.. no one here yet. Maybe I could skip breakfast after all and tell Jaden that-"
"Hey, Sheila! Over 'ere!"
Ayana paused in her walk and turned to look over her shoulder. Her heart made a sickening flutter as she saw the person smiling and waving at her, having just come through the door.
"Oh... hey, Jim." She said timidly, trying her best to force a smile. Apparently it was convincing enough because the Aussie smiled back.
"Morning!" He greeted cheerfully, having reached her now. "Decided on what you're havin' yet?"
Ayana bit her cheek.
"Uhmmm..." She hummed thoughtfully, deciding on how best to tell Jim her decision.
"Not plannin' on skippin' out are ya?" He replied immediately. Ayana blinked at him.
"Uh.. well I..."
Jim raised an eyebrow.
"You know what happened last time." He stated simply. Ayana sweatdropped.
"Yea. I know." She sighed. She then turned her head away from him and mumbled. "I'm not really hungry though..."
"Me either!" Jim declared. Ayana looked back at him in surprise.
"You're not?"
"Nope. But ya gotta eat! Keeps your strength up! Come on, lets go grab a light snack."
Ayana sighed lightly in defeat and followed after the teen as he lead his way to the food area.
"Hmmm... I think I'll take two orange juice, one strawberry yogurt, one peach and two blueberry muffins."
Ayana couldn't resist a small smile at this. Blueberry; her favorite. He knew her so well.
"Thanks, mate."
Ayana reached into her pocket for money when the food was placed before her but Jim dismissed it.
"No worries, Sheila." He said casually. "I got it."
Ayana frowned deeply.
"No, Jim." She said firmly. But the Aussie ignored her and paid the man in front of him before picking up what he'd ordered.
"Well, come along then."
Ayana took a deep breath and chewed her cheek for a minute before finally sighing heavily and following after the Aussie.
"This is nice, Jim." The brunette said softly as they starred out over the scenery before them. "I'm definitely glad I decided on breakfast."
Jim smiled as he dipped his spoon into his yogurt again.
"Me too." He replied gently. "And yea, this is nice. Best breakfast I ever had."
Ayana laughed.
"It's just yogurt and muffins, Jim!" She replied in amusement. The Aussie turned a smile on her.
"Yea. But I've never had such good company before. Makes yogurt and muffins worth it."
The brunette blushed and turned away from him, deciding to spoon more of her breakfast into her mouth rather then reply.
A long yet comfortable silence followed as the two ate together, starring out over the scene before them. As they sat beneath the shade of a beautiful oak, atop a beautiful hill, neither could argue that the moment was the definition of peaceful.
Finally Jim finished, only just surpassing Ayana, and leaned back against the tree as he turned to look at her.
"Can I ask you a question, Sheila?"
Ayana paused with her spoon in her mouth and blinked at him. After a moment or two she removed the plastic, swallowed and spoke.
"Yea, sure. Ask away."
Jim placed his hands behind his head and starred at her for a moment, observing her while unintentionally making the teen extremely nervous. Finally he looked away from her and turned his attention towards the bright blue sky before speaking.
"What's gotten ya so down lately?"
The brunette frowned slightly and turned away from him, looking down at the half-eaten breakfast instead of him. After a lengthy silence she replied.
"I just... haven't been sleeping well lately."
"Why?"
She knew Jim was looking at her again but she still didn't turn to look at him. She couldn't.
"Because I stopped taking-"
The brunette paused before she finished the sentence, not wanting to give away too much information. Instead of saying what she was going to, Ayana did a U-turn and tried to cover up her mistake.
"I stopped taking the time to relax and replaced it with study... I've been up really late so I just haven't gotten much sleep. I'm tired. That's all."
Jim starred at her for a minute and for a while the brunette was sure he was looking right through her and it made her skin crawl. But instead of another question or further prodding, the Aussie turned back away from her again.
"I see." He said simply. "That's too bad. You need to take time for yourself, sheila. It's not healthy to deprive yourself of too much sleep."
Ayana closed her eyes, resisting another frown.
"I know." She whispered softly.
"Ayana?"
The brunette opened her eyes and finally turned to look at Jim.
"Yes?"
Jim starred into her eyes for a moment and eventually leaned in a little.
"If you ever need someone to talk to... I'm always 'ere."
Ayana felt her insides begin a raging war. Her body seemed unable to decide whether to be flustered or worried. Had Jim seen through her after all? Did he know she was hiding something?
"Th-... thank you, Jim." She eventually whispered, the soft-spoken words barely audible.
Jim nodded but didn't pull away from her, he continued starring into her eyes and once again Ayana had the idea of him looking straight through her.
Finally the brunette turned away, effectivly breaking the gaze.
"It's.. getting late." She said quietly. "We should be getting to class."
Jim nodded and finally pulled back from the girl.
"I'll walk you."
Ayana shook her head, refusing to look at the Aussie.
"No. I've gotta collect some things before class, so I'll see you later." Her bangs shadowed her face as she stood, collecting her garbage as she did. "Thank you for breakfast, Jim."
And with nothing more to say, Ayana walked away, doing her damnedest not to visibly tremble as she fought to pull herself together.
-;-
Jim watched the brunette walk down the hill, her body visibly tense and rigid.
He frowned.
"What are you hiding, Sheila?" He thought solemnly. "I know you almost let something slip back there... but what? And more importantly; should I be worried?"
The Aussie watched Ayana until he couldn't see her anymore and closed his eyes as he pictured her pretty face before him.
"Supposed to or not... I am. I've got a feeling she's hiding something important and until I find out what it is, I won't give up."
Determined to get to the bottom of things, Jim opened his eyes and looked beside him. Collecting his own garbage, he stood up and began his own long trek down the hill.
Whether he should be worried or not, he was. And even if it killed him, he was going to find out what Ayana was hiding and help her fix it.
Somehow.
Ayana closed her door and leaned against it as she tried to quite her racing heart.
Jim Knew.
He knew. How? She had been so careful to hide everything, so careful not to let anything slip. At least, until that morning. Was it something she'd said that morning? Something she'd done? How had he known?
Well, however he'd done it, Jim was on to her; he knew she was hiding something.
Ayana pushed herself off the door and forced her wobbly legs to move forward until they made it to the bathroom. There she reached out and turned on the water, splashed some of the cold liquid on her face and reached down to clasp the sink tightly while she tried desperately to pull herself together.
"Get a hold of yourself, Ayana." She scolded herself. "If you've given Jim a reason to be suspicious, then don't give him another one! Convince him that you're fine and that there's nothing wrong. You don't need to hurt him by dragging him into your mess!"
The brunette lifted her chin and looked at her now pale expression in the mirror with a deep frown.
"It'll be fine. I'll take the pills again tonight and I'll sleep. I won't dream and in a few days everything will go back to normal... I'll be fine."
Eventually convincing herself of this, Ayana reached into her pocket and pulled out her PDA. Checking the time, she realized that she only had a few minutes until class started so she'd better get going.
Reaching for a towel, the brunette dried her face before reaching below the sink to extract a small compact. She applied a small amount of the powder to her face to darken the pale completion before replacing the round object and heading for the door.
Jim's gaze was fixed on the back of a chocolate-brown haired head as he tuned out of the lecture taking place around him.
"Come to think of it..." He thought to himself, frowning slightly as he starred at Ayana, whom was sitting just a few rows below him in the crowded classroom. "I don't really know anything about her. We've been friends for a whole year and I never bothered to ask her about her past... she always seemed so guarded."
Jim placed his elbow on the table and and propped his chin up in his hand as the world around him faded away, the Aussie becoming completely consumed then by his thoughts.
"Never thought it was important before, not if she didn't wanna talk about it... but now I think it's time I pushed the matter. That little Sheila is hidin' something and I've got a feeling it's something that I should be worried about."
Jim sighed and closed his eyes.
"For the love of duel monsters..." He thought, his stomach suddenly twisting sickeningly. "Please let this be just my imagination."
The feeling of something nudging his ribs woke the Aussie from his trance and a brilliant blue-green eye opened to look to his left, blinking at the blunette gently elbowing his ribs.
"Hey, Jim ol' buddy? You OK?"
Jim straightened in his seat and offered Jesse a small smile.
"I'm alright, mate. Just thinking about something."
Jesse starred at him for a moment, the familiar worry Jim himself was feeling crossing the blunette's face before his friend finally returned his smile.
"Alright, if you say so. Anyway, class is over so we're goin' ta grab a bite to eat. You comin'?"
Jim started a little in surprise, having not realized class had ended. Looking down once more, he frowned again to see that Ayana had disappeared.
"Jim, you dunder-head!" He scolded himself in his mind. "You were supposed to catch her for that picnic you'd planned! Better go see if I can find her."
Standing up to collect his things, Jim turned and headed down the stairs that would lead him out of the classroom.
"Thanks, Mate, but there's somethin' I gotta do." He called over his shoulder giving the other Obelisk student a small wave. "I'll catch up with yeh later!"
That said, the Aussie left the classroom and hastily made his way down the packed hallway.
Ayana collapsed on her bed and closed her eyes, her backpack falling to the floor beside her.
"I'm so tired..." She thought with a frown. "But I've still got classes after lunch... besides I don't wanna sleep cause I know I'll have those awful dreams again and I can't take the pills cause it's too early... but I'm so tired..."
Steel-grey eyes slid slowly shut, heavily lidded as exaustion slowly took over.
"Maybe just... a little nap before lunch is over..." She mumbled softly. And as soon as the words were out of her mouth the darkness had claimed her.
-;-
"Mommy, what's happening? Why's daddy acting this way?"
Coal-colored eyes were wide and frantic as they bore into their daughter's considerably softer ones.
"Daddy's a little angry, baby." The young woman replied, her voice a little shaky.
The little girl standing there starred at the woman knelt before her with her hands on her shoulders. She watched as her mother's head snapped to the locked and barricaded door to her left.
"Daddy's always angry..." The little girl replied in a saddened whisper. Her mother looked back at her with a soft expression but terrified eyes.
"I know, baby." She replied gently, her voice still shaky. "But this time... it's a little different... I want you to do something for me, OK?"
"OK..." A little voice replied, the little girl biting her lip slightly.
"I need you to go out the back door and run over to Mrs. Shaw's house? Will you do that for me?"
Steel-grey eyes turned to the barred door, her eyes filling up as she listened to her father's persistent and furious pounding and cursing. Turning back to her mother, she shook her head.
"No... I wanna stay here with you..."
"Ayana, this is important." The young woman said, obviously forcing her voice to be firm. "I need you to be a big girl and do this for me. Just... run on over there and mommy will... I'll see you over there later, OK?"
Two pairs of eyes snapped towards the door as it suddenly splintered and a small crack appeared down the center or it.
"Open the damn door, Anna!" A deep and booming voice snarled. "Or I'll break it down myself!"
Coal-grey eyes turned towards her daughter in nothing short of horror now. Desperately she picked up her daughter and ran for the back door. Unlocking it, she put her daughter down on the front step and gave her a shove.
"GO!" She exclaimed loudly. "Run, Ayana! I'll meet you there!"
Tears were streaming down the frightened and panicked five-year-old's face as she starred up at her mother.
"You promise?" She sobbed. Her mother's tear-pooled eyes blinked a few times before she nodded wordlessly.
"I love you, baby." She choked. She then shut the door and locked it again, just as a loud crashing sound was heard from inside the house.
-;-
Once again Ayana awoke with a loud scream.
"Damn it!" She sobbed, reaching up to dig the heel of her hand into her forehead. "Damn you, you bastard! You ruined everything!"
Steel-grey eyes clenched shut as the all-too-familiar tears lined the long, thick lashes. In her mind she was cursing more then one person just then but neither of them were ones she needed or wanted to think about.
Forcing herself to sit up, Ayana's blurry eyes lifted to look up at the door across the room.
"No, I won't do that to myself again." She thought firmly. "I'm done with that... it's wrong... Normal people don't do that kinda thing... I want to be normal... I'm going to be normal..."
The tears that had threatened to fall finally broke free of their confines as Ayana realized that she was no longer sitting on her bed but was now in front of the bathroom door.
"No... I won't do it..." She sobbed in a strangled whisper. "I wont... do it..."
But even as she spoke, convincing herself it was wrong and that she wouldn't put herself through it again, the cold, familiarly cold and steely object gleamed under the light of the bathroom like the smile of an old friend.
"Just this once..." She whispered aloud. "The last time... Just one... last... time..."
Just like all those years ago, Ayana bit her lip and her eyes slid shut, a wave of ecstasy and pleasure washing over her as the steely blade bit deeply into her already marred skin.
A deep frown creased Jim's face as he leaned against the gate outside of the Obelisk blue girls dorm. His thoughts were a mess as he wracked his brain to try and figure out just what the heck he was going to do concerning Ayana.
"I've gotta go see her..." He thought in concern. "She didn't show up for her last class and I've got a feeling she won't show up for this one either..."
A blue-green gaze lifted as a group of babbling and giggling girls approached the gate. Jim waited until they'd opened it before casually slipping in behind them before the gate could close. Hiding behind the girls to avoid the outside cameras, the Aussie followed them inside the dorms and quickly broke off from them once inside, sticking to the wall to once again avoid detection from security.
Down corridor after corridor the Aussie ran, careful to keep himself concealed in shadows and behind objects so as not to be seen. Luckily for him; classes were still going ahead so most people were off attending those, aside from the few who, like him, had a free slot. But those were easy to avoid.
Finally, after what seemed like no time, Jim reached the last corner that would lead him to dorm number 68. Poking his head around a wall, the Aussie made sure no one was around before coming around said corner and approaching the appropriate door. Once before it, he pulled himself to his full height, took a long, deep breath and eventually lifted his fist to give the door a good, strong knock.
His fist against the door sounded like thunder in the dead silent hall and Jim found himself hoping that Ayana would answer quickly lest the disruption bring curious investigators to his feet thus getting him in a heap of trouble.
After a long few minutes of nothing, Jim chewed his cheek for a moment before reluctantly lifting his fist to knock again. Once more he was met with silence.
Sighing heavily, Jim looked down at the doorknob. Common sense told him to turn and walk away, that if the door miraculously was unlocked that it didn't mean he should enter; it was an invasion of privacy. However, something inside him told him that the time for such manners and politeness was not now, that privacy was over-shadowed by a greater urgency. He simply didn't know what that urgency was.
Working his jaw for a few excruciating minutes, Jim eventually took a deep breath before reaching up to place a hand on the doorknob. After a slight hesitation, he gave it a twist, not really expecting it to give. He was therefor a little surprised when the brass ball turned in his hand.
Again hesitating for a moment, Jim took another deep breath before finally pushing the door slowly open and poking his head inside.
"'Ello?" The Aussie called carefully, allowing his eyes to carefully scan the room.
The room was nearly pitch black, the curtains being drawn as if to block out the sun and the only source of light seemed to be coming from the open door. Perhaps she had been taking a nap? Aside from the darkness, nothing looked out of place. Clothes were properly deposited into the laundry basket, the bed looked properly made for the most part, only slightly wrinkled as if it had been slept upon and not in, and everything was properly organized and placed just so.
Pushing the door open a little, Jim finally stepped into the room and quietly closed the door behind him. Upon doing so, Jim realized that the door he'd previously held open wasn't the only sourse of light in the room after all. Looking around, the Aussie quickly realized that a faint glow also seemed to be coming from another slightly ajar door across the dorm. From what he knew about the layouts of the Obelisk dorms, the Aussie knew that the room must have been the bathroom.
"Ayana?" He called, not too loud but loud enough to alert her of his presence. Still the Aussie was met with silence.
A sickening feeling began to bubble deep in the pit of Jim's stomach now. His mind was telling him to walk towards the door but something was holding him back, as if forbidding him to do so. A blue-green gaze was locked unblinkingly on the now dark and foreboding looking door and a shiver ran down Jim's spine as he felt the cold sweat beginning to creep up on him. He really didn't want to approach that door... but somehow he knew he had to.
Eventually forcing a swallow, the effort much harder then it should have been, Jim finally forced himself to lift one led-filled boot and place it in front of the other. After a few stiff moments, he managed to move the other one, then again, and again, each step heavier and taking more effort then the last. The Aussie felt like he was running a marathon; his heart was thundering rapidly in his chest and his breath was coming in short, forced spurts.
"C'mon, mate!" Jim told himself bravely. "What's there to be afraid of? She's probably not feelin' well... just takin a bath.. or sat by the loo. No energy to talk, that's all... or music. Yea, that's it, she's listenin' to music. Nothin' to be afraid of!"
Holding onto that thought for dear life, Jim forced himself to stop in front of the bathroom door, take a good, long deep breath and finally lift his hand to bravely push it open.
Having braced himself for the worst, Jim released a heavy breath as his eyes fell on the frame beside the tub. Blinking at her for a few moments, he smiled at the way she was resting on one arm, her face turned away from him as she leaned against the side of the tub.
"There, ya see." The Aussie thought to himself. "Got all worked up for nothin'. Poor lil' Sheila just fell asleep is all. She must'a bin sick and didn't trust herself to make it to the loo."
A warm and amused smile on his face, Jim approached the slender frame, intending to pick her up and carry her back out to her bed.
"Up ya go, love." The Aussie said softly, crouching down a placing a hand on Ayana's arm. "No need t-"
Jim froze and all color instantly drained from his face as he leaned forward to pick the girl up. Now being as close as he was, Jim could see over the girls shoulder and noted with shocked horror the trail of crimson liquid leaking from Ayana's wrist down into the tub, the tiny stream swirling slightly before finally oozing down the drain.
"Ayana!" The Aussie called in alarm, grabbing a hold of her shoulders and giving them a firm shake. "Ayana! Are you- Are- Say something, Sheila!"
A tiny groan emitted from the girl and her head lolled backwards as Jim pulled her into a sitting position.
"Damn it!" The Aussie cursed forcefully.
Placing her back against the tub, Jim reached up and removed the bandanna from around his neck before reaching out and snatching the sliced wrist and wrapping the cloth as tightly around it as he possibly could. Without a second thought he slipped an arm under the girl's knees and the other around her back before effortlessly hoisting her into his arms and bolting out of the room.