"Are you alright?" I had been... surprised by the question as I looked into the girls blue eyes. A strange comfort washed over me.
"I'm... fine." I said, feeling confused and seeming to only just realize how tired I really am as my eyelids got heavier. I tried to keep them open, tried to hold this little girls gaze, but the fatigue of the last few months just wouldn't let go of its hold on me. I closed my eyes, falling asleep. But before I had closed my eyes I could just make out the figures of two bitches, an asshole and my best friends trying to hold them back.
...
I curled up on my bed, relishing the warmth in the sudden cool. Except it didn't smell like my apartment. My apartment smelt like deodorant and chip bags that I forgot to throw out. This bed smelt like... soap, sunlight and slightly of hair gel.
Hair gel.
I shot up from my bed, only to realize that it wasn't MY BED! The sheets weren't dark blue, they were orange and the walls were a pale skin color. Confusion, once again, came over me as I looked at my surroundings. It was a fairly large room, with a double bed, wardrobe, desk, chair, nothing out of the ordinary, other from the massiveness of it!
Where am I?! What the hell happened? I slowly moved to the side of the bed, my feet landing on the floor. I stood up, still being weary of my surroundings.
I also noticed that I wasn't wearing the clothes I was wearing before. I was wearing some blue nightgown that went down to my knees. My hair felt like it was freshly brushed, not to mention I felt clean. I walked over to the desk, which was complete with mirror and saw the copious amounts of paper. I picked up a piece and examined it closer, curiosity getting the better of me. It was a letter.
Dear Vin.
It's so good to hear that you finally found a date for the ball. Mum and dad are still furious about last time, so I think it will be good for them too.
And thanks for taking care of Lilla, again. I just can't trust her with the housemaids anymore.
Please say that you aren't thinking of taking her somewhere dangerous. You know how she can be.
Love, Poppy.
That's... strange. Vin, date, ball, mum and dad. What's going on?! And who the hell is Poppy?
That thought was interrupted as the door handle started turning. I could hear voices on the other side of the door, too. I quickly put the letter back in it's original position and leaped back into the bed. Hopefully whoever was on the other side didn't notice.
The door clicked open and I closed my eyes as not to be caught. The people that entered went quiet, probably so they didn't wake me. I could hear their footsteps go over to the draws and I could faintly hear the conversation that was going on. I put all my willpower into hearing, but only got short sentences.
"I hope you..." "Don't worry.." "..Wonder about you.." Then I could hear someone leaving as the door slide closed behind the sound of footsteps. I heard a sigh and then the scraping of a chair going over to the bed. I could feel eyes trained on me, and wondered who this person was.
But the smell of gel was now intoxicating. And then the person started talking.
"They don't get it. I never get to see my old friends anymore. Maybe having a family bound by blood isn't as good as having a family bound by friendship." I know that voice. Vin. That explains the smell. Really, that guy needed to use less gel.
"Then don't listen to them." I found my self saying. I opened my eyes to look into his blue ones, which were slightly wide.
"Your awake! Are you OK? You just passed out." Vin said, kinda blurting everything. Same old Vin. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, or at least pretended, as though I had only just woken up.
"I'm fine. Other from the pounding in my head demanding to know where the hell I am. I also have the sudden urge to hang you on the coat rack by your boxers until you tell me, but these days I don't follow such impulses unless there's reason to." I glared at him to make my point. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously with a slight laugh, before answering.
"I.. yeah, um.. This is my bedroom. I didn't know where your house was so I.."
"My apartment, actually. And you figured it was a good idea at the time instead of asking Nate where it was?" I finished. He looked to the floor. A small smile played at the corner of my lips at how uncomfortable he looked. Serves him right for ignoring me for years.
"Well, yeah I didn't think of that."
"Of course, you still think on impulse." I said, then looked back at the room. "This room is probably the size of my apartment. What are your family, super mega rich?"
"I guess. Their people that have moved from the bottom to the top through hard work, I'm told. Their close to royalty now, but not quite that far." He said, the nervous tone in his voice never leaving. "It's nice to have them and all, but they never really talk to me all that much. But my sister and niece all but make up for that. Their good. How's your family been?" I looked down at my hands.
"My dad's getting better, drinking less. Mums gotten re-married to someone else, I can't even remember his name, but the wedding was nice. Darcy is still being a pain, but at least she found a place in life. Now she works at a bakery, as an apprentice baker. She hopes she gets her own shop one day." From what I could see, Vin nodded.
"And how are you?" I looked at him.
"You know, working day in and day out, making friends everyday as you saw. What am I wearing?" I changed the subject to me before he could ask some annoying question about my health. He looked at the dressing gown I was wearing with realization then looked back to me.
"Oh! Yeah, well, one of the maids changed you out of your dirty clothes to get them washed and put you in that. It's my sisters, and don't worry! I asked first." He said. I sighed.
"Does that mean they all know?" I asked.
"About your birthmark? If they did they didn't mention it."
"I'm gonna get laughed at."
"No. Remember when you showed it to everyone at Pinkerton?" How could I forget?
"Most of the girls laughed at me, Van told all the guys and then THEY laughed at me. It didn't die down till the next month, when Burt wet his bed that time." We shared a look and then burst out laughing.
"I remember how Van pretended to brake up with him for weeks, just to make her reputation go back up!" Vin said between laughs.
"And then they were caught making out in the dank dark sound proof basement. That one didn't die down for at least two months!"
"Don't remind me, your making my ribs hurt!"
"You started it! I don't have much ribs left from protecting you, now I probably don't have any left!" I said between my own laughs. We shared another look, before breaking into more laughs. I fell on my back on the bed and Vin had his upper body on the bed. I haven't laughed like this in ages. I stopped at the thought. Ever since I graduated from Pinkerton I laughed less and less, that barrier I put up years ago falling back into place. But Vin seemed to have just... taken it down again.
And how come his presence alone did all that? It took ages to get that barrier down the first time, me barely opening up to anyone, then I.N.K. came into my life. After being separated from my friends, it took less time to get the barrier up again. But now, in this moment, it seems I've just opened up again without even thinking about it.
Vin stopped laughing as the sound of the door opening was heard. I shot back up, just to see who this person was. The door opened to reveal a woman with blond hair and brown eyes, a few years older then me, it looked like, along with Lilla.
"I heard a lot of noise. Is something the matter?" The woman asked. Vin stood up, looking at the two. I remain where I was, my eyes meeting the blue of Lilla's.
"Nothings the matter, Poppy. Me and Zero were just remembering old times." Vin said. Poppy, who I assume must be his sister, walked in with Lilla close at hand.
"They must have been good times, with the way you were laughing." Poppy said, sitting on the corner of the bed and putting Lilla on her lap. Vin sat back down, rubbing the back of his neck again.
"I guess they were. Um Zero, this is my sister, Poppy. Poppy this is Zero, one of my friends from school." Poppy looked at me with a smile, scooting over to sit in front of me. I simply sat there, hands in my lap where Lilla was in Poppy's.
"So your the famous Zero I've heard so much about. I must admit, I was expecting to see a girl covered in muscles, but your figure doesn't seem to have been ruined by your training." Poppy said. I could feel the blush that was creeping up my face.
"Huh."
"But now I can see why you were Vin's school cru-"
"Poppy! Didn't you say you had something to do? And it was really important?" Vin interrupted. I raised an eyebrow at him and the blush on his cheeks.
"Yes, and that was see Zero and ask her what my brother was like during school." Poppy answered without even having to look at Vin. A smile graced my features at the embarrassed looked on Vin's face. I looked to Poppy.
"Well, if that's what you want to know, just know that it may wreck your current view of him." I warned. Poppy shrugged.
"I don't know why that will matter. What's in the past is in the past, right?"
"OK, then. He was egotistic, self-centered, over the top, he always showed off and if I wasn't friends with him I would've hanged him on the coat rack more times then I could count."
"Zero-" Vin tried but I was too quick.
"Don't try to deny it, Vin. You know it's true more then anyone." I said. He huffed in surrender. Poppy started laughing. Well, at least this was fun.
...
(Questions answered, but not all. Sigh. There's a lot to catch up on. This was originally two chapters, but since the other one was REALLY short, I decided to put them together to make it longer.)