Cool! i got reviews! LOL i'm so happy!!!!...how ironic is that? (in regards to the chapter's title i mean)
Chapter 2
Pain
Chloe woke early the next morning and went to April's exercise room.
She was dressed in soccer shorts and a long t-shirt. Blue running shoes adorned her feet and her long, long hair was tied back in a ponytail.
She stretched for five minutes, taking it slow, warming up into the stretches.
Then, she dropped into Plank as she straightened, hardening her core, she dropped down and up, rapidly, forty times, pumping her arms as she did push-ups.
She paused as she finished, arching her back and then raising her back to the ceiling, lowering her head in a cat stretch.
Then, she rolled to her back and crunched up, moving swiftly, hardening her core and her butt, looking into the ceiling.
After 100 crunches, she did 100 more core movements, and then triceps dips, and then, standing, she stretched again, hopping energetically from one foot to another, as she began jumping jacks, and then wacky jacks, working her core again.
Then, her heart rate rising, she did deep squats, then lunges, and then began a series of kicks, punches, blocks, and then, she approached the punching bag, warmed up, her arms blithely heated.
She took a stance, her fists up, guarding her face.
Softly, she tried out the punching bag, experimenting with different rhythms, she moved, punching harder, she grinned softly as she felt a burn in her abs.
She bounced, dodged and jabbed and struck, sweating, her eyes brightening as pain laced through her abs, heat shooting through her shoulders and her bare fists crying out in pain.
She laughed softly as she beat up on the punching bag, continuing to work, her heart racing, her breath hot and even.
After twenty minutes, she stopped, and did more jumping jacks, then crunches, then ab-work, and at last, forty more pushups, finishing with a gasp, stretching her way to slow her heart-beat.
As she stood up, the tears began in her eyes.
She sniffled and tried to hold them back, but they poured, racing down her cheeks.
Pain clutched her heart, outweighing the pain in her body.
She backed up against the wall and sank down, crying helplessly.
Her face contorted, turning red, her nose dripped and she sobbed.
Standing up, she tore away to her room, careful to make sure that she wasn't seen by anyone.
But unbeknownst to her, someone had seen her.
***
As Chloe hid in her room, her head bowed to her chest, she muttered," I HATE my life."
Looking up fiercely, she grabbed a sketchpad and started to draw.
Her eyebrows drew together as she frowned in concentration.
Finally, she stopped and nodded with satisfaction.
"Ok, this ain't bad, I guess." She chuckled as she set the picture on her dresser. She studied it a moment before sighing.
Tenderly, she touched it and murmured." I wish you were real."
***
April yawned as she came out of the bathroom, face washed and teeth sparkling.
She looked at Chloe in surprise, as she entered the kitchen.
"You're up already?"
"Yes ma'am." Chloe chuckled softly," Don't worry, I haven't been getting into trouble."
April smiled," I'm sure you haven't. But why up so early?"
"Well, I couldn't really sleep, and this morning, I thought I'd try out your punching bag. I hope that was ok." Chloe added worriedly, blushing.
"No, it's totally fine! I don't mind sharing that old bag with you." April chuckled as she poured a cup of coffee.
April then noticed the picture Chloe was drawing. She paused in utter amazement and fear.
"Um, Chloe, what is that that you're drawing?"
Chloe looked and up and smiled shyly.
"This is a character I made up. Um, he's part turtle, part human. His name is Blade, and…well, to tell you the truth, I'm kinda obsessed with him. I don't know why." She added softly," I got the idea when I owned a pet turtle. I'm fascinated by the shell-patterns of terrapins, and I just thought, how cool it would be if you had armor on your body that you never had to take off. Kinda like Wolverine's Adamantium skeleton, but better."
April looked at the sketching closer. The turtle warrior that looked at her had hair, long and shaggy, and his eyes burned at her, not unlike a different pair of eyes she had seen. His mouth was curved in a sneer, and his stance was coiled, ready to spring. But, besides his hair, and some different facial expressions, he looked a lot like her tmnt friends…
"You, ah, you made him up out of your head?" April asked slowly.
"Yes. I, um, I like cats, and sometimes I draw cat-people, but I like turtles too…and Blade's very special to me," she added lovingly as she looked at the picture.
She laughed as she added wryly," Don't get me wrong, I like human boys, heh, but this character is special to me…get my drift?" her eyes pleaded for understanding and April nodded.
"No need to defend yourself to me, Chloe."
Chloe nodded, adding, "Thanks. I hope you don't think I'm strange or anything."
"Aren't we all?" April asked with a chuckle.
***
As Chloe began to open up the shop, she noticed a man, wearing a trench coat and fedora, pulled low over his head, sitting at a bench across the street, reading a newspaper. She chuckled a little.
"Superhero in disguise?" her eyes sparkled at the thought as her mind took off in an adventure known only to her.
She swept the floor, polished the items on display and then checked the stock.
The bell dingled and she saw the man in the trench coat come in.
"Is Ms. O'Neil at home?"
A surprisingly young, polite, baritone voice asked.
Chloe nodded.
"Yes sir, she'll be down in a few minutes. How has your morning been?" she asked in a friendly voice.
He chuckled a little.
"Busy."
"Oh, I believe it." Chloe laughed softly," I'm new here, and I can tell you, New York is definitely a place that never sleeps!"
"Yes, that is true."
The man told her quietly.
Chloe wished she could see his face. But the fedora was pulled too low, and the collar of the coat too high.
"Not to be nosy, but, do you come here often?"
"Sometimes." He replied as he looked around the shop.
"Well, my name's Chloe. I'll be here for the summer."
A pause.
"I'm Leonardo."
"Ooh! I LOVE that name!" Chloe sighed," Are you named after Leonardo Da Vinci?"
"Yes, I am."
"Cool! I love Leonardo's painting, Madonna of the rocks, and some of his other ones, but the Mona Lisa is my favorite!" She chuckled softly.
"Yes, his paintings are beautiful." Leonardo agreed.
Chloe sighed thoughtfully.
"Hmm, ya know, I've never thought of using that name… I mean, I'm sort of a writer. I know Leonardo is the Italian form of Leonard. I think, I think I'm going to create a new character and name him Leander…Sorry, um, I tend to ramble." She apologized.
He chuckled.
"Don't apologize. I know a few people like that. It doesn't bother me."
Chloe laughed softly.
"So, you're a writer?" he inquired.
"A wannabe writer, anyways." Chloe said softly.
"Well, New York is a good place to get published." Leonardo told her thoughtfully.
"Well, I hope one day I will be published." She sighed.
At this moment, April came down.
"Hey, April, do you know Leonardo?" Chloe asked.
"Um…yes, I do." April looked at the man in a slightly scolding tone.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, in a rather motherly tone, Chloe thought.
"I'm on an errand for Mikey. I needed to borrow some vanilla."
April sighed.
"Go upstairs and help yourself."
"Thanks April."
As Leonardo went upstairs, April turned to Chloe.
Chloe smiled.
"I take it you know him very well."
"Well, yes, I do." April sighed.
Chloe chuckled.
"He's very nice. I wish I could see his face though."
April made no answer to that.
Chloe frowned.
"Um, do you know why he hides his face? I mean, I don't want to pry, and you don't have to tell me if it's personal."
"Well, it is kinda personal, and if he decides to tell you, then that's between him and you."
Chloe nodded.
"I thought so. Good morning sir!" she called cheerfully to a man who had entered the shop.
April smiled as she saw Chloe chatter with the customers that trickled in.
Silently, she left to go upstairs.
Leonardo was there.
April scolded," What were you thinking?"
"Easy, April, she doesn't know, does she?" Leonardo asked wryly.
"No, but she's curious!" April scolded.
Leo sighed.
"I had to warn you, we got a threatening message from the purple dragons last night. They said they would find a way to get us."
April growled softly.
Leonardo added," we're going to be keeping an eye on your house at night. We'll take turns being on watch."
April nodded.
"Okay. Thanks."
Leonardo nodded as he took the vanilla and put it into his pocket.
As he left, April sighed.
She hoped Chloe wouldn't get caught up in this trouble.
***
That night, as Chloe tossed and turned in bed, she finally got up with a huff.
She had seen the stairway that led to the rooftop and now took that stairway, going out onto the rooftop.
She sighed in frustration as she looked at the full moon.
Growling softly, she swayed, from one foot to another, her eyes closed, she began to sing softly, declaring,
Sister moon will be my guide
In your blue, blue shadows I would hide
All good people sleep tonight
I'm all by myself in your silver light
I would gaze at your face the whole night through
I'd go out of my mind, but for you
Cradling her arms, she moaned,"
Lying in a father's arms
The primal root of a man's charms
I'm a stranger to the sun
My eyes are too weak
How cold is a heart
When it's warmth that he seeks?
You watch every night, you don't care what I do
I'd go out of my mind, but for you
I'd go out of my mind, but for you
She threw back her head and boasted,"
"My master's eyes are nothing like the sun
My hunger for him explains everything I've done
To howl at the moon the whole night through
And they really don't care if I do
I'd go out of my mind, but for you"
Sister moon
She threw back her head, softly howling the "oo" in moon.
Sadly, she went to the edge of the rooftop and sat down, swinging her legs against the building.
Silently, she smiled bitterly as she looked up at the sky, letting the moonlight touch her face.
Her lips opened in a sigh.
"Sister moon," She murmured softly," I'd truly go crazy if it wasn't for you."
As she contemplated her words, she added aloud," No one asked me if I wanted a big family. And no one asked me if I wanted to be the daughter of a woman who is daughter to Sorrow. No one asked me if I wanted a father who would love me and despise my mother. But that's the way it is.
And I hate it. My mother is finally breaking up with my father. Pieces of my heart are tearing apart. I love and hate my father. I love and hate my mother. I hate myself, for feeling hatred. I hate my half-siblings, for being born to my stepfather. I wish there was peace, but there is no peace. I wish I could be happy…but how can you feel something that's out of reach?"
She sighed softly as she finished speaking her mind.
She added aloud," Blade, I wish you were real. I'd run into your arms and ask you to take me away from here."
As she finished talking, a sense of weariness came upon her, hard and fast.
She yawned and stood up, quietly shuffling back to her room.
As she left, Leonardo came out from the shadows, brow furrowed.
Chloe had spoken her mind to no one, but he'd heard her… and he pitied her.
Her crying in April's exercise room made sense now. She was in pain.
Emotional pain.
Leonardo looked up at the moon and repeated," I'm a stranger to the sun, my eyes are too weak. How cold is a heart, when it's warmth that he seeks?"
Leonardo smiled softly.
"Sister Moon."
Leo: Seriously, why would i eavesdorp on such a personal conversation?!
Me: Cause it's not like you can leave the building unprotected! Besides...you're very curious about Chloe.
Leo:Oh yeah? Says who?
Me: Me! the Author! i say so!
Leo:Well, i refuse to be governed by someone with such a poor perspective on my integrity!
Me: Do you want me to have you dismembered in your sleep by Baxter Stockman in the next chapter?
Leo: *turns pale* You wouldn't!
Me:*laughs maniacally* Don't bet on it.
So, like it? Hate it? review and LET ME KNOW!!!!
"I would take no for an answer, just to know i heard you speak"- Chris Rice "Smell the Color Nine"