Thank you everyone who has reviewed! And I know it has been awhile since I've update but things have been kinda of heretic and I'm still not sure if I like this chapter so I cut the part I liked the least and will edited it but that might take a while. ^_^ The song inspiration behind this chapter is Fidelity by Jasmine Thompson.

Also sorry for all the grammatical and mechanical errors.

Disclaimer: If it wasn't obvious already I don't own the Drake Chronicle.

Chapter 3: So We'll Play And Act Like The Marionette We Are

Apparently I had blacked out after my attack and he carried me inside, he explains. He doesn't ask why. He never has even in the beginning where neither one of us knew what was happening, those moments were always the worst. The moments where my stomach would clench, my knees would buckle and I would suddenly convulses into an attack. The voices were always the strongest then,the most tempting, bewitching me to give in and

...I almost did.

No, Lucy, don't go there. I dug into my palms

don't give in. Don't let them in. Control. Don't feel anything. Drawing blood, I felt control.

Leaning back I began preparing myself to retreat into the darkness that torment me, praying as I alway did that maybe I wouldn't hear them today.

Hah, I laugh bitterly, gathering two white pills from my armoire "at what point is ones greatest wish, dreamless sleep".

"There are bloodstains on the bedsheets", he began while pouring himself a glass of orange juice.

"Huh" was my only response as I put down my fork. Secretly, anticipating the argument that would finally cause him to give up on me.

We were sitting around the charred dinner table, eating breakfast as we had almost everyday since the incident. His excuse was that he hated eating alone even though I'm pretty certain if that was the case, he could have gotten someone else to eat with him, namely Hunter. When I mention something along these lines he retort and said, and allow you to forgo your daily dosage of Kieran, I think not.

An impregnated paused occurred followed by a neutral, "Huh"

Relief flooded into me as I pick up my fork and resumed eating. Kieran stoically did likewise and

Relief. Don't let him in Lucy. Keep your distance. Referring to him by his name makes him human, he is nobody. He is he. You can't afford to care about anybody anymore.

We finished our remaining meal in silence and as I gather up my plate to leave to spend the rest of the day pretending to be everything but me. He called out and said, "Lucy are you doing anything today?" I'm pretty sure we both knew that I wasn't. After all school is no longer a factor simply a pretense when you've given up on everything. However, we were both playing a game that neither of us knew when began or what the final outcome would be. Question was would I play the game we've been playing and act like I cared about any of this, that I wasn't about to break down at any moment but fine lets play like the marionette we are. So titling my head as if in some semblance of deep thinking and responded.

"Well I don't know, maybe school"

He face shifted for a moment, sharp angle, unfamiliar and foreign until it becomes the normal face I've become accustomed too.

"It's Saturday" he replies as if he was commenting about the weather as if he doesn't realize I've just messed up the dates of the week.

Griping the table for support, hoping he doesn't realize the tremble in my voice, I say "Darn, you caught me, see I just really don't want to spend any time with you I have better things to do" making my voice as ridiculously haughty as possible

"Yes because you have an array of suitors all lining outside of your window, writing sonnets of praise, I have yet to see" he huffs, lighthearted teasing laced in his voice until he pauses , realization drawn into his face as he becomes aware he has just entered what he considers taboo territory.

My face darkens, nothing more, my heart has already hardened. I can't be affect or hurt any more.

Before the silence can become awkward I quickly rearrange my face, armed and ready with a sarcastic remark.

"Sorry"

Silence. There is no need for him to be sorry I want to tell him but I can't because that would mean letting him into the walls and boundary I have so carefully constructed. Created and reinforced by all the pain and scars of those who have hurt me. So even letting him just a little would be dangerous.

Instead, I can only formulated a lame reply along the line of "fine I'll go" the fight and my wit completely taken out of me.

"You're taking me shopping! That was your big planed outing" I exclaimed, currently standing in one of Violet Hills' shopping plaza and most likely adorn with a look of incredulous.

"You know shopping an integral part of life, someone once told me, just as B-rated movies are their own form of artwork " amused by my amazement.

" Whoever told you that must have been stupid"

"It was you" he replied cheerfully

*facepalm* I really was so stupid back then. Naively believing that I could save everyone and going indiscriminately into matters I didn't really understand.

So with a heavy heart in hand I look around the plaza currently teeming with loud youths and inwardly cringed. This really was hell on earth.

I suppose Kieran must have seen me cringe because he smirk insufferably and said, "Let the onslaughter begin"

"Argh, let just get this over with" there was no backing down now.

Sunlight streamed through my fingers as I tried to block its rays. The sun had lessened considerably as the day had gone by but it's heated glare still felt unpleasant against my skin. We have been at the shopping plaza for three hours already and we had yet to purchase a single item. From the beginning it had appeared that we were just wandering aimlessly. Although I had already assumed that, feeling that Kieran had likely brought me out simply to distract me from whatever he felt I was enduring.

Huff, didn't he understand I deserved this.

I stopped ,unintentionally, in front of a storefront and Kieran must have perceived I wanted to go in but was too stubborn to admit that by the manner in which he excitable,if that's even possible for Kieran, dragged me inside. The store was unremarkable with its presentation of merchandise and the way it used monochromatic colors and illuminating white lights to give the feeling of trendy and exclusivity. In fact there was nothing particularly interesting, that I was about to tell Kieran that we should just leave except...there was an unsettling amount of mirrors that remind me of when I tried to save Solan fr.

Stop

"Excuse, is there anything I can help you find?" A perky brunette appeared out of nowhere rousing me out of thoughts.

"No I'm fine" I began saying until Kieran interrupting emerged with a navy suit and held it up to his torso and inquired what I thought.

"Well I don't think I'm..."

"Awwww, that is so sweet! Asking your girlfriend I wish my boyfriend did that, blah, blah"

The blood drained from my face and must have gone to my ears because all I heard was roaring.

Angry piled into me, uncontainable, uncontrollable until strong hands wrap around my shoulders, protectively.

"Nah" he chuckled, " can't you tell she's my sister."

The woman looked shocked, unsure if the the customer was joking or being serious. There was a fine line between calling someone bluff, making laugh or just upsetting and angering them altogether.

Knowing Kieran enjoyed antagonizing people. He continued.

"She's my family. Isn't the resembling appalling? I always thought our remarking good looks gave us away"

His hands never leaving my side.

What was he playing?