The next day, at breakfast, Saphire was buttering a piece of toast before smearing some apple jelly on it, as Shayne read the morning paper across from her, Slade sitting next to her talking about whatever came him mind. Sheena was eating the eggs that Kevin had made for her, as Kevin was busy drinking coffee, eating a donut and reading the paper as well, the Atmos announcer, while Shayne was reading The Atmos Times.
"I have a question, the chicken from last night, who made it?" Slade asked. Saphire looked at him and chuckled.
"your mind is still on last night?" Saphire asked.
"That food was to die for." Slade exclaimed, making Shayne chuckle.
"You have no idea…" Murmured Shayne. Saphire looked at him alarmed, before shrugging it off, assuming she'd miss heard him.
"Saphire made the chicken. I did all the baking. She took care of diner, I did desert, okay expect for that cheese cake. That was lily's handy work. Oh and the pie crust for the pies. Who knew Saphire had such an amazing recipe. I made the sweet potatoes and the sauce used on the chicken. That wine really did the trick for the sauce." Thema exclaimed, moving down the table with a nice big plate of pancakes. Piper walked in and sat down at the table with a plate of toast and a cup of coffee. Aerrow walked in after her and accepted a few pancakes from Thema.
"Saphire, you are an exquisite cook." Slade exclaimed.
"She is. She's just as good a doctor too. Can't say she fights well though. She's got the temper of a lioness." Shayne stated. Saphire glared him. " See what I mean?"
"What was that comment of my fighting?" Saphire asked.
" You think you take any man on, when the reality is you know damn well you can't, but you don't like anyone to know that, for fear someone will hurt you, you don't want anyone to know you are afraid of the dark though you claim you are afraid of what's in it, which is why you act all tough and heartless to a stranger, , when the reality is you are as soft as silk, just as slippery, fine, and expensive. Like velvet, you are exquisite girl, soft, cushioning, and like all good velvet, hard to find. But like silk, you are fragile yet strong. Good silk is strong, but not all silk is strong. "Shayne explained, turning the page of his newspaper. Saphire, like everyone else' stared at him in complete silence. Shayne put down his paper to continue.
"You are also much like a brush fire. Easy to summon, quick to get up and destroy all that is in your path, but easy to put out and destroy. As long as no wind blows to assist you, there is no strength to you, water will throw you back, and you are just as quickly destroyed. But like all fire, you dance beautifully with a passion that few see. Like a rose, you are beautiful, but your thorns protect you, but you are still delicate, for your thorns do not protect you from everything. This is why you need a man, to be there to protect you. Every doe needs her buck to fight for her, to-"
"Shut it Shayne." Saphire spat. Shayne looked at her in surprise. " If you have something to say, spit it out. I have no interest in listening to this. At least, not from you, of all people."
"Saphire, I love you. And you know I do, I made a mistake. What does it take to make you forgive me?" Shayne asked his voice soft. Sheena stared in confusion before leaning over to Kevin and whispering something into his ear.
"Nothing Shayne. For if you truly did love me, you wouldn't have done what you did." Saphire exclaimed, standing up from her chair and picking up her plate and glass. That was as far as she got before Shayne spoke.
"I do love you. How can you doubt me?" Shayne exclaimed. Saphire narrowed her eyes coldly, making Shayne wince.
"I doubt you for good reason. I disbelieve what you tell me. I doubt you know what love is Shayne. You slept with six other women while you were dating me. Six. One can easily be forgiven, as something you needed to fuck, but six…. That's not love… you wanted something to fuck…" Saphire spat, turning away and walking out of the room. Slade stood and took after her.
"Six women?" Piper whispered. Aerrow shook his head as the other started talking, all of them missing the glare that Shayne sent after Slade and Saphire.
X-X-X-X-X
Saphire walked into the kitchen, her eyes glassy. She dropped her plate and glass into the sink and leaned against the island, sliding down it, and letting tears slide down her face. She was embarrassed beyond belief. That had happened in front of a bunch of people, and Slade. She had no idea why, but he meant more to her then she wanted to admit, and hadn't the slightest clue why. She jumped when a pair of arms wrapped around her. She turned to look in a pair of yellow eyes with a gold center.
"Why are you crying?" Slade asked, pulling her into his arms.
"Thank was embarrassing. He just spelled out my personality as if it was nothing, as if I hadn't spent the last twelve years building up. Just spilled it out all over the table for everyone to see."
"You're afraid of the dark?"
"You didn't notice the nightlight I have plugged in besides the bed? I can't sleep in the dark. I can't watch horror movies, even though I claim I do. Every horror movie I've ever claimed to see, I've never seen it. I can't survive haunted houses, or hayrides. Or rather I can, I just don't get any sleep. I've seen only a small handful of horror movies and I hate them. I'm a coward, and half the males I've said I've kicked their asses, the reality is I either they let me win, or I didn't win. I try to scare people, it's a defense thing, a bluff, a lie, a ruse, something to protect myself with."
"From what?
"From getting hurt… so I don't open myself up and reveal the large target I am. Weaknesses in our world are targeted and exploited. I work to conceal them. I'm weak, so the only way to cover that up is to be strong."
"Saphire, you are strong, a lot stronger then you give yourself credit for. You just stood up against Shayne. You stood up against Tammy more then twice. I only know of twice, and I'm sure you're done it more then that. You are brave, maybe not in the same way as others, but nobody is perfect like that. And being afraid of the dark is normal. Losing one of the major senses is scary. We're all afraid of something. It's impossible to not be afraid. Sure, we men like to claim nothing scares us but the reality is that's a lie. We're afraid of losing our loved ones and afraid of rejection. And those are the big things. Some are afraid of clowns, others ninjas. We may not express that fear but it's there." Saphire rested her head on Slade's shoulder, letting him pull her closer, feeling him rest his chin on her head.
"I hate being short." She whispered. Slade laughed.
"What does your height have anything to do with this?" Slade asked.
"You're resting your chin on my head, reminding me of how short I am. I'm 5 foot 4."
"6 foot 3. And yes you are short. Not as short as a dwarf though. Or a child."
"I know childern taller then me."
"Teenagers."
"Still children." (sadly us teenagers are still children)
"wanna know a secret?"
"What?"
"know a kid taller then me too." Saphire giggled.
"You know a kid who's 6 foot 4?"
"6 foot 10 actually. And he's 14."
"Wow."
"I know."
X-X-X-X-X
"Breakfast was interesting. Chase all like… and I was like… and then I LOL'd!" Aria exclaimed. Saphire rolled her eyes. Sheena swiped the file across her finger before pointing it at Aria.
"It was nothing compared to what happened at breakfast when Saphire and I were eating. It was Kevin, Slade, Piper, Aerrow, Thema, Shayne, Lilian, and Cora (two girls eating unnoticed)." Sheena exclaimed, putting the file down and grabbing a bottle of black nail polish and sweeping the brush over her French manicure from the night before and then French manicuring a pink tip.
"Shayne was there? Naturally that makes things interesting. Escpically with the fight they broke out into last night after Dinner. My gods that was something." Aria exclaimed.
"Fight? What fight?" Saphire asked.
"You didn't notice Shayne's black eye?" Aria asked.
"Black eye?" Sheena and Saphire chorused.
"Now that I think about it when I saw him earlier I don't recall seeing him have it. Must be wearing makeup. But any, during our little party, when I'd gone to the kitchen to grab some more snacks, I'd past the Ballard room, where the guys were playing a game of pool. I don't know what Shayne said for Slade to punch him, but once the first punch was thrown, it broke out into absolute chaos. Shayne hit Slade below the belt and slugged him in the stomach before Slade managed to get back up, uppercut him, kick him in the gut, and throw another punch to the same eye before Aerrow and Chase pulled him off Shayne and Kevin kept Shayne away from Slade. Shayne and Slade called each other some pretty ugly names." Aria exclaimed.
"That explains the dirty looks they were giving each other at breakfast. When Shayne wasn't reading his newspaper he was glaring at Slade. But then again what else when down at breakfast also explains it." Sheena exclaimed.
"What down at breakfast?"
"Shayne had this whole speech about Saphire and her personality, her weakness and strengths, and why she needed a man. She totally interrupted him and told him to spit out whatever the hell he had to say. I think he would have proposed at the end of it all, but Saphire ruined it. He proclaimed his love for her and she shot him in the gut. And left. And girl," she turned to Saphire, " you are so right not to believe him. He cheated on YOU of all people with six women… six fucking women…"
"Six?!" Aria shrieked.
"Six. He told me yesterday." Saphire exclaimed.
"How many did you think he cheated on you with?" Sheena asked.
"Four." Aria answered.
" I hope Shayne doesn't find out about what happened in the kitchen." Saphire murmured.
"Why do you say that? What happened in the kitchen?"
"Well… After I ran off… I was in tears… That whole event was embarrassing to the point I was in tears. I hid in the kitchen. Slade found me…"
"And…" Sheena waved her hands in circles, urging Saphire further.
"And comforted me… I was totally in his arms, wrapped up, safe, and comfortable. It was perfect." Saphire exclaimed her eyes taking on a dreamy effect.
"You like him." Sheena exclaimed.
"I do not! He's a friend."
"Oh yes you do. There is no way that you don't. You went dreamy eyed telling us what happened. You like him. And gods girl, you picked a good one. That guy is one hell of a guy. He's bad ass and still a teddy bear. Slade and I were good friends back in elementary school and middle school. Guy went through a tough child hood, and had a couple of rough spots, but he was always a good kid. Now he's an amazing guy. Snatch him up." Sheena exclaimed, pointing a freshly painted nail at her.
"Like Slade would be into me."
"With the way the guy has stood up for you? The fact that he like never leaves your side? The fact he threw a punch to Shayne's face for you? The fact that he comforted you in the kitchen? The fact he was looking for you to find you there? Yeah he totally isn't into you." Sheena exclaimed, rolling her eyes. She pointed to the vase with blue roses in it. "And what about those? The entire house knows they're from Slade. He's going through the effort to give you BLUE roses. Blue roses don't grow out in nature. He had to make them."
"Slade was the one to get me the blue roses?" Saphire asked. Sheena's eyes widened as Aria smacked her hand into her head.
"You didn't know?" Sheena asked.
"It was a secret until you told her." Aria exclaimed.
"Opps."
"Slade got me blue roses?"
"yep. Still don't think he could be into you?" Aria asked.
"um… it might be a friendly gesture."
"Oh whatever." Sheena scoffed.
"Do you think I should something back?" Saphire asked, "You know, in case it is something affectionate?"
"That would be a nice idea. But, what to give him?"
" nothing floral. That's not his style. The guy is totally macho." Aria exclaimed. Sheena snickered. " what?"
"He had a job as a florist when he was a teenager." Sheena exclaimed. "And a garden as a boy. He loves flowers. He's in wonderful touch with his feminine side as well as the masculine side. Girl, find Lily. She'll help you."
" Slade, flowers… pfff…" Aria laughed. Lily opened the door, sticking her head in.
"Can I come in?" she asked, her eyes wide.
"Sure lily, what the problem?" Saphire exclaimed. Lily stepped into the room and tightened her hand against her arm. Saphire's eyes zoomed in on the sight of how tight lily was holding her arm.
"Is that blood?" Saphire asked, her eyes catching a red spot on Lily's sleeve. Lily grinned sheepishly before letting go of her arm a little bit. Saphire hissed and pulled a blue bag out from under her bed. Sheena stood up from her seat at the vanity table and pointed to it. AS lily sat down Saphire went into the bathroom before coming out with cotton balls, paper towels, and rubbing alcohol.
"How did you get that?" Sheena asked.
"Um… I'm not sure… I had a nightmare…. Where I got it… I was attacked by this guy in a scream costume who tried to rape me… and he nicked me when I knocked him out of my room harshly and smacked my head against the bed post, bat I don't know how I got the cut outside of the dream." Lily explained as Saphire wet the paper towel with the rubbing alcohol and dabbing the wound with it making Lily wince in pain.
"I don't know what to say… it's possible you were sleep walking and cut yourself on something but… I'm not sure what you could have cut yourself on." Saphire exclaimed, as she finished cleaning the wound and started covering it.
"Can we keep this between us. I don't want Slade or Stephan to find out about the injury." Lily exclaimed.
"No problem, Lily. But you'll need to wear long sleeves or quarter length sleeves, and something loose as well. No straps, or tees."
"Okay. I have no pjs that will cover it though."
"Sweaters."
"right."
X-X-X-X-X
"Hey Lily, you have a package." James called. Saphire walked down the stairwell and stopped at the sight of Kevin cleaning his camera lens and aiming it at Sheena who was sitting on the railing in a black corset and a black tutu mini skirt with pink trim. Lily slid down the opposite railing and took the package of Officer Jameson.
"Odd, I don't think anyone knows I'm here." Lily exclaimed As Sheena hooked her leg around the railing so she could hang upside down from the railing and not fall.
"Maybe it's from one of the other people who were threatened." Sheena suggested as she hooked her skirt behind her leg so it wouldn't reveal whatever was hidden underneath.
"Possibly. "
"Hey, I need another model. Go put on some biker outfit you have hidden in your closet and join me." Sheena exclaimed. Lily smiled.
"Alright, let me drop this off in my room."
"Kay." But what they didn't know was that Lily shouldn't open that box.
X-X-X-X
Merry Christmas you guys. I hope you all have a happy new year. I'll try and update again before New Years. I know this was a short chapter but still, I figured you would enjoy this.