Inconsolable - Chapter 6: The Happening

Maybe she was being dramatic.

But maybe she wasn't.

Chloe couldn't tell anymore. With a sigh, she fell onto her hotel room bed, closing her eyes. She wasn't sure if it was the smartest thing, being in a not-so-great and unprotected hotel. At the moment, she wasn't the smartest thing. When the run in with Alek happened, even if she couldn't say the emotion she was feeling, she felt something give way. Now, after getting away from him, Chloe almost felt relief. She didn't have to worry about how he felt now, how she used to feel. This was just her.

But now, stupid teenage feelings aside, she had to get down to business; business being The Order. Since they left for college, things had been overall good. They all sort of let their guards down and now, they lost a friend and Chloe was down to seven lives. Valentina had said to only stay on the defensive side of things, never giving your enemy more reason to hate you. So Chloe was trying to figure out a way to do that, defend herself. No one seemed to want to do that for her anymore anyways.

Chloe thought of the way she left Jasmine, how much she probably hated her just as much as Alek did, as she did herself. She let out a bitter laugh. Everyone just seemed to hate her anymore, but she couldn't blame them. Not really. She was a screw up and didn't quite understand why people had faith in her, why her creator had faith in her. She threw herself off the bed and shook herself around, trying not to get into a mood of self-pity.

Her stomach rumbled and reminded her she hadn't really eaten for practically days. Trying to make herself look presentable, she grabbed her money and walked down the block to a local pizza place. She'd ordered from it countless times when she lived here, but usually that was delivery. She got two slices and sat herself down, trying not to look like she was plotting a suicide/murder mission.

Halfway through her second piece, she heard a voice. A voice that almost made that pizza come right back up. She kept her head down, chewing as slowly as she thought she ever had, and hoped it would go away. That he would go away.

Brian Rezza stood only feet away from her and she couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, he'd followed her. If maybe somehow he knew she was back in town. He didn't seem to take much notice to her, his stature not seeming threatening or tense. She briefly wondered if this was some coincidence. Coincidences were never good, and quite frankly in her life, weren't real. There was always a reason for something to happen.

She sat still and saw him go and sit down at a table, one not near her or her path to the door. She stood calmly, walking to throw away her plate, and then headed for the door. The second she got out, she ran.

She took a different way back to the hotel just in case there was someone following her, but she couldn't hear any of the same patterned footsteps or labored breathing, which would happen if a human were following her while she ran quickly. Once inside her room, she stood with her back against the door, catching her breath. She looked out of the window and saw nothing, no one.

Maybe it was just a weird coincidence.

Still, a sinking or nagging feeling in her gut made her feel suspicious. But, then again, she just ran while having freshly eaten pizza in her stomach. It couldn't have been more than noon, at least Chloe thought, but she still felt like a freight train had hit her going 130 miles per hour. Her body just ached, her head hurt, she hurt.

She laid her bag on the floor and put herself on the bed, covering up comfortably in the scratchy covers before her mind went blank.

When she finally woke up, she felt refreshed. Maybe not to her best, but better than before. She guessed it was nighttime since there wasn't any sun light coming through the window, but she had no idea what time it was exactly.

Even though it could be easily tracked, she called Jasmine from the phone in her room. It rang a few times before she finally got an answer.

"Hello?"

"Jasmine." Chloe said carefully, preparing herself for a full blown phone attack. She didn't hear anything, which worried her more. There was silence before the other girl finally spoke.

"What?" Jasmine said coldly, bitterly.

"Jasmine, if there's one thing I can ask of you, it's that you please don't hate me." There was more silence and Chloe couldn't help but wonder if maybe it was too late.

"You know I never could." Chloe let out a sigh and and felt the muscles in her body relax.

"I know you don't want to, but I think I need your help." Chloe said honestly. "At this moment you're the only person I have left and we need to take down these monsters, stop it before it gets worse."

"In their eyes, we're the monsters," Jasmine said, not exactly giving the answer Chloe was hoping for.

"Yes, Jasmine, I know. But I don't want them to think that way anymore. I need to do my job, fulfill the so called destiny I was given. I can't do this alone."

"So, what? You're just doing to march up to Rezza Capital and demand it stop? Maybe throw around a few more of your lives?" Jasmine's snarky reply made her annoyed with herself, knowing Chloe was right. She just didn't want Chloe to get hurt again, or worse, lose another life.

"If that's what it takes, yes." Chloe gave out a breath, trying to make sense of this. She pulled her legs underneath her on the bed. "But I can't do it - "

"Alone, yeah, I got that." Chloe heard Jasmine let out a breath, too. If there was one thing Chloe could say, it was that Jasmine had every right to say no to her plead. Chloe had been on edge, making her life a living hell for the past however many weeks. Still, she couldn't resist hoping that maybe she would get a chance from Jasmine.

"Where are you?"

Jasmine and Chloe spent what felt like forever trying to come up with a plan, come up with something that could take down The Order. Chloe filled Jasmine in on seeing Brian earlier that day, and they both agreed some odd coincidence. Jasmine explained how their headquarters, Rezza Capital, was no longer the head space for The Order. It had gotten too obvious, too easy for a threat to come at them.

Jasmine also explained that they didn't have a clue where the new headquarters would be.

This put Chloe's plan on a bit of a hold, but she decided that maybe, if she couldn't take them all down, just Brian and his father would do. As far as any of the Mai knew, Whitley Rezza was the leader of The Order and he was in charge of all of the other members.

Any other locations that The Order may have throughout the world were unknown and they never really seemed to be anywhere except where important people were, mainly there in San Francisco. They did slaughters, they killed innocent (and not so innocent) Mai, and now they were after Chloe; they wanted her dead. For good.

The only thing Chloe could never do, no matter the situation or who it was, was kill someone. They'd been through this before, Chloe remembered that day specifically.

Chloe couldn't look. She couldn't open her eyes. She heard the scream of that poor young girl but her eyes couldn't open, her body wouldn't move. Chloe felt a hand on her shoulder and she finally did open her eyes, spinning around to see a member of The Order. He killed that young Mai, the one who had only just turned 12. She had never done anything to anyone. His blade was out and he was swinging it, and Chloe couldn't react, couldn't stop it.

The knife hit her in her shoulder and she yelped in pain, reaching over to grasp the joint. The man snarled at her, gripping her wrist with his free arm and pushing her to the ground. His knees pinned her down around the waist and she couldn't fight him with the hold he had.

"S-stop, please," she begged, her eyes brimming with tears. The man just took his knife and places it on her chest, right above the neckline of her shirt.

"It's going to my biggest accomplishment, getting to take one of the lives of the Uniter." The guy spat at her, breath and saliva slightly hitting her cheek. She squirmed against him, trying to get him off of her. "Don't fight, it just makes it harder."

The guy dragged the knife lightly across her chest, making her heart speed up. The disgusting killer was so preoccupied by the silver on her pale skin that he let his guard up, loosening his hold on her. Chloe took the chance and reversed their position, making her attacker the one underneath her. Her claws were out, pressed against his neck so hard she could see the one drop of blood being taken out. The guy howled, in pain or aggravation, Chloe wasn't sure.

"You call us monsters, disgusting creatures, but what about you? What does that make you? You run around, killing Mai because we were born this way. Some of the people you've killed are barely old enough to know their own names." Chloe hissed, digging her claws deeper into her opponent's neck. His whole face formed what Chloe could only think of as the look of an insane, almost blood-thirsty man. He looked sick, like killing was the only way he could live. "You're the monsters, not us."

Chloe had the chance, her claws her there, just inside the skin on his neck. But she couldn't do it, no matter who he was, what he'd done. She just couldn't kill someone, because then she really wouldn't be any better than The Order. She wouldn't be any better than what they claimed her to be.

In her moment of weakness, the man took it as a getaway. He grabbed the back of her neck and flipped them so that he was back on top. His knife had skid away when she switched them so he was only using his hands, which were wrapping around her throat. She felt the oxygen squeeze away from her air pipe, her vision getting fuzzier and fuzzier. She swear she was already seeing black within seconds. Her body stopped fidgeting, her hands going limp at her sides.

Then it stopped. The restraint on her neck disappeared and she gasped for breath, letting it fill her lungs over and over again. She heard a distinct sound, one that made the hair on her neck stand. She looked up to find Alek and Jasmine standing there, Alek letting the member of The Order fall flat to the ground. The sound she heard had been the sound of his neck snapping.

She kept gasping for breath, trying to get it into her body, but it was almost like she couldn't. Like there was no amount of air that would ever fill her again.

"Chloe?" Alek was in front of her, hands on her cheeks. His deep brown eyes stared into her blue ones, like he was seeing more than just a color.

"I - I could have - I just couldn't do it," She said, still trying to get oxygen. He just shook his head.

"You did what you could, Chloe. You were strong." His voice should have made her feel better, but it didn't.

"No, no, I could have killed him but I couldn't. I couldn't do it, Alek." She glanced up at him, his eyes, trying to get reassurance. It didn't help. She was never going to get anywhere if she couldn't protect herself, protect others. She was hopeless.

"You okay?" Chloe jumped, looking over at her raven-haired friend. Jasmine was looking at her like she needed to be checked in the looney bin. Chloe just pursed her lips and nodded.

"Yeah, yeah, just thinking." Chloe stood and walked around. A plan to get to the people who hated her most didn't seem as easy as she thought it would be. "What if we lure them? Somehow, make it known I'm back in town, give them a chance to see that they have a way to attack. We could get some other Mai and finally take them down once and for all."

Jasmine seemed to be following, but shook her head. "I doubt both Whitley and Brian would show up. As much as I hate to say it, they're too smart for that." Chloe nodded and sat back down beside her.

"What if we set up two plots?" Chloe suggested, biting her lip.

"What are you going on about now?" Jasmine almost laughed and Chloe rolled her eyes.

"I mean, what if we set up two plans, two traps. We set up one place where either Brian or Whitley will show up, and then we can go to where the other is. Once we find that out."

"Chloe," Jasmine warned, shaking her head again. Chloe's jaw jutted out a bit in annoyance. If Jasmine wasn't going to help her out, maybe give a few ideas of her own, what was she doing here?

"Look," Chloe started. "We need to do this. I'm not going to sit around anymore and wait for them to attack."

Chloe wanted to throw her hands up in the air and scream, she really did. This was all so annoying and frustrating, she wanted nothing more than to make it all stop.

"I know and trust me when I say I want to stop them, too." Jasmine looked at her seriously. "Us going on and pulling some incomplete plan isn't going to help anyone, though. We need to do this right."

Chloe just nodded, knowing that the older girl had a better point.

"It's late and I need to head back." Jasmine began, getting up and walking towards the door. "You could always come back." Jasmine was facing Chloe again. Chloe shook her head, keeping her mouth shut. "What happened?"

Chloe was contemplating telling her, not knowing if that would be the best idea. Then again, what would really happen if she did?

"He told me he hated me, nothing I hadn't already figured out." Chloe shrugged easily, sort of enjoying how her insides weren't crumbling.

"And that's it?" Jasmine wondered as if she already knew something. Chloe's eyes twitched into a small narrowing, almost curious to what the girl was talking about.

"Well, he asked me why I was the one who got off easy. Then he told me he hated me. So what?" Chloe responded. Jasmine's gaze wandered, looking away from Chloe.

"No reason. Even for an unemotional girl, you seemed pretty torn up about it." Jasmine teased, and Chloe just shook her head, looking down.

"Do you think we can just forget about what I told you at the cabin? About me liking Alek? Right now I don't feel that way and I think I want to keep it that way for some time." Chloe mumbled, still not looking back up at Jasmine.

"No can do, sister." Jasmine said and Chloe could hear the slight smirk in her voice. "That's something I actually find some sort of normalcy in." Chloe's mouth formed a small smile before she heard the door shut.

Now she was alone with her thoughts again.

Her screwed up sleeping schedule made Chloe stay awake, watching crappy local channel television and still trying to come up with a plan. That was going absolutely nowhere. She needed a brain, someone that was good at coming up with scenarios, coming up with better methods. As Chloe thought, she came up with absolutely no one. From the outside, she heard the roar of thunder.

One thing about San Francisco, rarely did the weather change from fog and rain. Even snow in mid-winter wasn't very common, but it did happen occasionally. Throughout the years Chloe had grown accustomed to the sounds of rain hitting the roof, the thunder rumbling from the skies; it was almost relaxing to her now.

Chloe felt a smile form as she thought back on being a child, wanting to go outside and run around in the drops that fell. The minute her mom saw the lightning, it was an absolute no-go. She wasn't allowed outside if that were the case due to getting struck. Now, Chloe fought to roll her eyes at that now, asking herself what the chances of that were. Especially compared to being the the savior of a race that barely anyone even knows about. At 19-years-old, Chloe was a target to so many people you'd think her life was a movie. In some other realm, it very well could be.

Chloe almost wished she could take it all away. Just be normal again.

Before becoming Mai, her biggest worry had probably been her grades. Now she was worrying about keeping hundreds of people alive, including herself. So many things would be entirely different if she were human, things that she would much rather be doing than hiding away in a hotel room, fearing for her and those around her.

She thought back to earlier, seeing Brian Rezza only feet away from her. She felt her face form a small scowl. She had a chance. A chance to confront him about their feuding sides. But she ran off because she didn't want anything to happen.

Chloe's mind was barely made up before she made her way to the door, practically not touching the ground as she sped off and towards the last place she knew The Order was

There was practically no change in Chloe's breathing as she came to a stop right in front of Rezza Capital.

She looked around quickly before entering through the back doors, strolling through like she was supposed to be there. Even if she was a Mai - much less the Uniter - there was no way she belonged in this place. Everyone around her belonged in a suite convention as she took in all the black and white. They all looked the same; dark hair, blank faces, tired eyes. She rolled her eyes at the corporates.

She was surprised at the lack of stares she was getting as her messy and unprofessional self made her way to the elevator.

Chloe made it in as the doors closed, thanking the gods above that no one seemed to be pointing her out. Not that she knew of anyways.

About two years ago, Valentina held a 'meeting' at Rezza Capital, holding Whitley until he spoke up. Chloe hadn't been there, but she was there each time Valentina told the Mai the plan, step by step. She knew every inch of this place due to maps and pictures and she was hoping she could make it to the main office were Whitley was located. Or where he was last located, business wise.

Hiding from cameras and around corners looks so much easier in movies, Chloe thought. Chloe guessed that even in The Order weren't 'set up' in the same location, there were bound to be eyes following everyones move through camera and whatever else. She tried her best to stay invisible and fit in with the groups of people rushing around all at once. Then she got to her location.

Whitley Rezza - C.E.O.

Chloe didn't bother knocking as she pushed open the door quickly, stepping inside and shutting it behind her.

". . . is why we'd like for you to sign - " Whitley Rezza's astonished look to see Chloe was enough to create the slightest smirk across her lips. He was sitting across from three men who all looked old enough to be her Great Grandfather. Chloe could hear the low sound of Whitley heartbeat, now racing. Her sly grin grew.

"Mr. Rezza, I'm terribly sorry to interrupt." Chloe stepped closer and she didn't miss the way his body tensed. She looked over at the strange men, giving them her best sorry look. "Your meeting will have to take place another time, boys."

The three of them simultaneously turned their heads towards Whitley, all will a look that clearly said 'Are you serious?' and She heard the stutter in his heart.

"She's right," he started, giving her a subtle glare. "We'll have to postpone this until further notice. I'm incredibly sorry for the inconvenience."

As the four of them said their goodbye's, Chloe walked over to Whitley's desk, sitting in his chair. As the door closed, Chloe spoke up.

"It's shame that such a great company has so many dirty little secrets, isn't it Mr. Rezza?" Neither of them missed how her tone held the slightest threat. "If people knew what this company really stood on, I can't imagine how much business you'd be receiving."

His face contorted into anger as he marched over to her, standing right in front of her. Before she could react, he reached under his desk to find a revolver. he pulled it out, aiming it right for her head.

"I suggest you keep your mouth shut until I tell you to speak." His thumb ran over the safety and Chloe heard the click. She silently thanked her absent emotions.

"I don't think pulling the trigger on that gun would be a very smart idea, do you? People are bound to hear that loud shot." She stood, trying not to let her face show anything but a dreadful smirk. He was inches taller than her, nearly a foot, and with a gun pointed at her head, he was definitely in charge. So to speak.

"But I think," Whitley pressed the gun into her temple. She felt the cold metal press into her, involuntarily making her body shudder. "We'll be just fine. You see, my room is soundproof, Miss King. Just for moments like these."

Chloe started feeling uncomfortable, having her enemy so near her. His eyes narrowed into a glare as she stayed silent.

"Tell me. How many time have we killed you now? Two, three?" His question made her roll her eyes, surprising enough.

"Twice. And I don't intend on it happening again." With that, she unleashed her claws, ripping them right through the chest of his suit. His groan made Chloe freeze until she remembered his comment on the soundproof room.

She threw a kick right where she had cut him and he fell quickly. She pinned him down, hands into his shoulders, on leg against his knees.

"You said no sound will escape?" Chloe hissed, pressing her claws into his neck. He let out another low, almost inaudible, sound. "Then I guess you won't either."

Her claws dragged slowly down the collar of his shirt, making red lines appear in their trail. Blood trickled from each line, following the path of the broken skin. Red beads appeared not too long after.

"You really think I'd let you get away with hurting me?" His voice came out a growl and his whole body fought against hers, but she had the advantage of strength. Even if Whitley worked out ten hours a day, he would never be as strong as a Mai or any other species. That was something Chloe had come to realize.

"No, I really don't." She dug deeper, this time falling right below his neck. He grumbled again. "I want this to end. All of it. Tell me how we do that."

It seemed his demeanor faltered and Chloe almost had a tiny spark of hope before he let out a cruel laugh. "The only way this war will ever end is if your kind are dead. All of them." Chloe was amazed at how crazy members of The Order came to be after such a long time. They were killers.

Even if there were a few stray Mai that wanted to harm others, humans, Chloe knew there wasn't a single member of The Order that would turn their head at the sight of blood. Every single one of them were cold-hearted killers.

"I've refrained for so long, Whitley." She told him, hoping it would go her way. "I've been beaten and cornered but never have I killed single member of The Order. Today might just change my record." Chloe was lying, of course. There was no way she wanted to be anything like them. But he didn't have to know that.

"Well, we had your friend cornered, too. And look how well she fought back." Chloe's claws pulled back ever so slightly. He wouldn't. "Mimi, was it?"

Chloe didn't realize she did it. She let out a sound, a cross between a scream and cry, before letting her claws sink into his neck. The sound she heard, the blood spray that fell upon her face, none of if affected her. If anything, it made her smile in a manner she never thought she would. Her hand dug even further, practically holding his neck from the inside. She brought her hands back up and threw them down again, this time digging into his chest with both hands, grabbing and shredding all she could. Everything she couldn't feel, everything that was making her absolutely nuts before her emotions got taken away was being drained in that moment. She was ripping apart this man out of anger, pain, confusion, hate, out of so many things she could barely do it fast enough.

"I want this to end, Whitley. And it will. Even If I have to go and kill every member of your cult with my bare hands."

He was still alive. She could see his eyes, how they were beginning to let out the smallest bit of tears. But what she saw in his eyes was something else. She didn't see remorse, fear, regret; no. She was what she could only formulate to be accomplishment. Even on his death bed, Whitley Rezza was proud of the work he'd done.

Chloe realized her thought track, what she just said in her head. Death bed. Chloe's eyes widened before she scrambled away from her enemies body.

"Oh, God," she whimpered. She looked down at her right hand, how it was now covered in the crimson color and how it still felt warm. She was on her knees before she could realize, the contents of everything she had in her stomach coming up and out. She sour smell hit her nose as she collapsed to the ground, on her side. She gasped for air.

She stood on shaky legs, barely holding herself up before she crashed into the desk. Her eyes felt heavy but she refrained from closing them, even to blink. She picked up the office phone and quickly dialed Jasmine's number, falling into the chair. One ring was barely up before she answered.

"Jasmine, I - I - " Chloe gasped again, throat still stinging from her stomach exploding. "I need help. I need clean up to come to Rezza Capital. It's Whitley, he - I killed him." She admitted, having a difficult time forcing the words out.

"I, um, I'll have people sent." Chloe could hear the way Jasmine held back. She just couldn't tell what she was holding back. Chloe all but broke the phone as she slammed it down. She couldn't leave until other Mai came due to her now bloody appearance. The gun was sitting at her feet and how she wished - oh how she wished - she could pick it up and just -

The door opened. Chloe only just had time to put herself underneath the desk before someone stepped in. She stopped the chair from spinning with her hand, hoping with all she could that whoever walked in didn't see her.

She figured she'd hear a scream. Maybe a yell of Whitley's name. A cry.

All she heard was one word.

"D-dad?"

Chloe's breath caught as she heard Brian's voice. She heard the race of footsteps as he ran towards his fathers body.

"Oh, no. Oh, God. Dad!" She heard his breath catch on air and wondered how much of a monster she could be. Even if it was her enemy, she couldn't bare to believe that she had killed someone.

Chloe wasn't sure how long she sat there, how long Brian sat there. Then she heard his shoes hit the floor, him standing, and the sound of their steps getting closer. The phone picked up and Chloe shut her eyes tight.

If Brian was calling for back-up, clean up, whatever, she was going to be found. But she the phone fell back onto the desk, clanging on the wood, and Brian collapsed into the chair.

Then she heard it. The shaky breath, the slight sob that made it's way through. He was crying.

Oh no oh no oh no what kind of person am I? How could I even do this?

She saw Brian's jean clad legs, how they were shaking along with his whole body, she guessed.

Then something happened. Something that made her heart completely stop.

"Are you in here?" Chloe would have thought he'd be like his dad, his voice hard and bitter. But no, he sounded terrible. He sounded broken. "Just - if you're in here, if you did this, please just - come out."

Chloe stayed where she was, probably because she knew the Rezza's. They had mood swings worse than a pregnant woman.

It was too late though, because Brian was moving. He was leaning down towards Chloe and she felt her whole body cease movement. Just as she thought maybe someone would walk through the door, he made it to the ground.

His whole face was just as frozen as her body as he saw her. She didn't see the hate or anger she thought she would, just a boy. Similar to the one she thought she knew years ago. The one had taken her out of her first date, given her a taste of what being in a relationship was like. The one who broke her heart.

She swallowed thickly as his hands grasped her wrists. Again, she thought there'd be something. Maybe he'd throw her across the room, into the large glass behind him. Let her fall to another death. But it wasn't like that, no, it was something that made Chloe feel impossibly worse.

His grasp pulled her up until she was standing in front of him. She looked down at him, her whole stomach turning as seeing him so lost. So close.

"What happened?" Again with the soft tone. Chloe thought she's much rather have him yelling at her, maybe hit her a few times.

"I wanted to end things. But I made them worse. He brought up Mimi and I just - " She tried pulling away from his hold but he wouldn't let her. She saw his look, one that was almost pleading with her. He stood up and she thought, once again, that everything was going to happen now. He was going to kill her, or maybe worse, torture her while no one had a clue where she was.

"What happens now?"

But not that. Not her enemies son - practically another enemy for completely different reasons - asking her what happens next. She just shook her head, not knowing what to say. Maybe this could be the end. Maybe he could find it in himself to forgive her. She could forgive him.

"Maybe it can all just - "

The door opens and Brian jumps back, bringing her to reality. He was Brian Rezza. She was Chloe King. They couldn't make amends. Not now, not anymore. Chloe pulled the last straw when she stuck his father in the neck with her nails. Now, as she saw the look Brian was giving her, she knew. She knew she had possibly just made this worse than it ever was.

"Uniter, we came as fast as we could. It's difficult when dealing with such a big place, so many people."

Chloe saw people coming in and she tried as fast as he could to just stop them. Brian was standing over his fathers body, giving Chloe a glare that made her want to run for the hills.

"I'm sorry, but this isn't going to be taken care of by us anymore. We need to leave. Now."

As they did as she said, she gave Brian one last look. His face wasn't as tight and she saw the pain he was feeling. Two members of his family, his parents, killed by Mai. He had every reason to hate her, hate Mai. Just like she did him and his other members.

"I'm sorry."

Then she left.

The three peo0ple that had come to clean up told her that she needed to return home as soon as possible. Home meaning Valentina's, she was sure.

So she did. She did her best to hide her bloody hands and stained clothes as she walked to the all familiar place.

When she entered, there was a scene she would have much rather not have to be in. Valentina and Jasmine were talking, more like arguing from the looks of it. Alek was staring blankly out the window, surprise-surprise. And other Mai were scattered around the room, ones she didn't recognize. After a second or two, everybody seemed to realize she was there. Then there were so many emotions on faces; sympathy, pain, joy, disgust. Chloe was absolutely confused.

"Everybody mind your own business!" Chloe heard Valentina's surprisingly loud voice and she saw Jasmine coming closer to her, grabbing ahold of her collar and walking her to bathroom. There were close set up already as Jasmine started to pull at Chloe's jacket, trying to disrobe her. She was avoiding eye contact at all costs.

"Jasmine, what's wrong? What's going on?" She asked, referring to the chaos outside. Jasmine acted as if she didn't hear, going on with what she was doing. Chloe stepped back, away from the older girl. She looked up, finally. Chloe gave her a look and she sighed.

"Chloe," she paused. "You killed Whitley Rezza. This isn't going to just go unnoticed."

Chloe fought to roll her eyes. "Oh, of course. It's the biggest deal in the world if I'm doing the killing, isn't it? Because I've been killed twice and both times, I never saw a crowd like that." She pointed behind her and saw Jasmine's face fall. Once again, she was yelling at the girl who was doing absolutely nothing wrong. "Look, I just - I get it. I killed our biggest enemy. I made things worse. But when I'm the one being killed, they don't come around like they. You know I'm right."

Jasmine didn't say anything, just started the shower. She looked at Chloe and gestured to her clothes before talking again. "You are, but that's because we had everything under control then. Both times. This time, we have no idea what's going to happen. This is our side against theirs." She explained and Chloe started peeling off things until she was left in her undergarments and tank top. Jasmine and her switched places and she peeled the rest off, climbing into the shower and letting out a sigh.

"So it's because we're the ones who made the move?" Chloe asked. "Or, I guess, because I'm the one who did."

Jasmine gave a short hum that Chloe took as an agreement. Chloe barely paid any attention to Jasmine as she started washing herself off. But she had to ask.

"I really did just make things worse, didn't I?" Chloe mumbled. Jasmine didn't respond, almost making her think she'd left.

"We don't know. We won't know until The Order does something." Chloe nodded even though Jasmine couldn't see her. Silence fell again until Jasmine spoke up. "What were you trying to do, exactly? I mean, did you plan on. . .on killing him?"

Chloe felt something inside her swim, filling her with disbelief. Jasmine really thought that she wanted to kill him?

"No," Chloe barked bitterly. "I wanted to talk to him, see if I could fix things like I'm supposed to do. But then things got out of hand and he brought up Mimi and I just - I guess I freaked." Chloe's voice wavered.

She worked on getting the blood off of her as Jasmine said nothing. Jasmine was so lost. Her best friend was turning into someone she didn't know, someone she wasn't sure if she wanted to know. The Chloe she knew wouldn't kill anyone. She simply couldn't.

Now, thought, Chloe was doing things Jasmine didn't think possible. She was killing and they were fighting practically every other minute. Jasmine wanted the Chloe she knew back.

The water turned off and Chloe reached for a towel before wrapping around herself, then stepping out. Jasmine gave her a small smile and told her she'd meet her in her room.

As Chloe dressed, she could feel how awkward it was between her and Jasmine. She bit her lip. She was screwing everything up. Every single thing she'd had for the past few years was slowly being taken away from her.

She dressed in a long sleeved shirt and pair of shorts (that suspiciously looked like boxers, but Chloe didn't bothering caring) and made her way to Jasmine's room without even looking towards the main room. Jasmine was sitting on her bed and before Chloe realized what she was doing, she was walking towards her with her arms open.

She pulled her friend into a hug and wished she could feel happy with her being there. Jasmine seemed a bit stiff, mostly from shock, before hugging Chloe back.

"Jasmine, I'm so sorry." She pulled away quickly so she could look at her. "With everything I'm doing to you, I know I keep taking things out on you. I wish I could make things okay again, that's all I really want." She bit her lip as she finished, hoping her voice didn't sound as blank as she felt.

Jasmine gave her a watery smile and pulled her in for another hug. Chloe laughed, an honest to God feel-good laugh, and felt something in her stomach shift. Jasmine pulled away, still smiling before launching a small punch on the blonde's shoulder.

"I only ever react to things when I'm around you," Jasmine said begrudgingly, not liking how serious and gooey things were starting to feel. "You make me act like such a girl."

Chloe laughed again, giving her a smile that Jasmine noticed, met her eyes. It made Jasmine happy to know that things could be some-what okay.

"Sorry for bringing out your true feminine form," Chloe teased. She smiled again before falling back into her old form. She gave a sigh. "I don't feel like facing people right now. In fact, I feel like staying in this bed forever.

Jasmine told her it was early morning and Chloe felt like she hadn't slept in ages, even though it was probably just a few hours ago. "You think I can sleep for a bit?"

Jasmine nodded and told her to take her room. She left, walking towards the main room. She found that a lot of the people who were there had actually left, leaving only a few people. None that she could actually name.

Valentina came towards her and she felt her back straighten a bit, facing her mother eye to eye.

"She went to sleep. Or is trying to." The older woman just nodded and Jasmine let out a sigh before walking towards Alek. He was in the same position he had been since they got the call from Chloe.

"Hey," Jasmine said, sitting next to him. He was sitting on a stool that he had pulled over by the window and Jasmine copied him. He looked over at her, giving a small smile before replying.

"Hi." His voice came out as tight as it had been for weeks now. Jasmine looked at him. Really looked at him. He looked sick. His face was pale, thin. Dark bags under his eyes. Jasmine worried about him more than he worried about himself and that made her even more worried.

"When was the last time you ate?" Jasmine asked, trying not to let him see how worried she was. His eyes narrowed as if he were trying to think, but the looked went away quick.

"Last night," He told her and she might have believed him if his heartbeat hadn't given him away. Jasmine pursed her lips. The fact that he was lying to her made her feel worse.

"Alek," Jasmine started, but he stopped her with his look. It was begging her to drop the subject and Jasmine just couldn't. But his eyes, how lifeless they were, it nearly reminded her of Chloe's. There just wasn't anything she could detect.

But Jasmine couldn't let him sit there and do this to himself. She knew what he was doing. Since Mimi died he'd been blaming himself. Even if he yelled at Chloe, Jasmine guessed it was only because he didn't want to admit it - to himself or anyone else. Since he blamed himself, though, he was also putting himself through a living hell. He wasn't eating. He was on guard. Wasn't sleeping. He was torturing himself, maybe even slowly killing himself. Jasmine's eyes nearly bugged at the thought.

"Don't give me that look," she said, her voice getting a slight edge. "Alek, can I be honest with you?"

Alek slowly nodded, eyes showing he was curious.

"You're scaring me." She admitted. He looked confused and she fought to hit him. "When was the last time you ate? I don't want a lie."

He looked away, but not before giving her a glare. He was being so immature, so careless, it made Jasmine angry. It really did. Did he even care if he was hurting her? Or anyone else?

"Fine. If you're going to act like this just - just leave me alone." She got up, face flushing with too many emotions. She grabbed the stool and walked over to the table, setting it there. She started walking away but Alek spoke before she could make it very far.

"I don't know. And that's the honest answer." Jasmine almost spun around a ripped him a new one for doing that. For letting himself starve like that. She looked around and hadn't even noticed they were alone. Everyone had left probably, only minutes ago. She sighed and turned around. Alek wasn't looking at her at all.

"Alek," She tried, her mouth hanging open slightly. He glanced at her. He looked ready to fall apart. "How could you do that? To yourself? To me?"

Alek looked up like he was hoping for something. Jasmine wished he would talk to her, come back to her. "I don't. . .wanna be here anymore." Nothing higher than a mumble, he let himself be honest. Jasmine's whole chest felt like it caved in.

"And that gives you the right to punish yourself and everyone around you?" Now, she was yelling. His face told her he was surprised at her outburst. "You're going around, slowly killing yourself, brushing Chloe off like she's some disease, not letting me in - you aren't just hurting yourself. You're hurting everyone around you!" Jasmine had been walking while she spoke, now right in front of him. He had to look up at her, just barely, due to the fact that he was still sitting. She couldn't use words to describe how she felt, how his face looked so contorted with so many different things. "You have to stop." She whispered to him, wanting to reach out and hug him.

Since when was she the peacemaker around there? Making things okay again. Or at least trying to. She shook her head when his eyes closed. She'd never win when it came to him and himself. He was too stubborn.

"And what you said to Chloe?" Jasmine said, reminding him. He looked up, face mixed between anguish and anger. "You told her you hate her. Do you realize how much that's probably tearing her up, even if she can't really feel it?"

He rolled his eyes and Jasmine didn't fight hitting him. She slapped him right across the face. That got him started.

He stood up quickly, practically jumping, and grabbed her hand in his.

"We went over this. She's the reason Mimi's dead. I really do hate her, Jasmine. She means absolutely noth-"

"Shut up!" Jasmine pulled back from him, throwing her hand in his chest. He stumbled back, looking at her like she was crazy. "I'm so sick of you saying that because we know it's not true! You don't hate her, you hate yourself, Alek. So you need to stop taking it out on her because she couldn't do anymore than she did." She was angry now, probably the most angry she'd ever been at him. "In fact, you didn't just lose Mimi that night. You lost Chloe, too. She died and came back, Alek, and if you're going to blame her for that, say that you wish that was Mimi instead of her, then. . .then I have absolutely no idea who you are anymore."

Alek looked like he was about the throw up. He reached out for Jasmine, but she held her hand up. "I - I can't deal with anyone right now. I said it earlier and I'll say it again - stay away from me." Before Alek could say anything, Jasmine was running out the door.

Alek felt his stomach churn. The girl he'd known for half his life, the girl he was closest to, was now done with him. Chloe, his only other best friend, wasn't ever going to trust him again. And his girlfriend was dead.

He ran with all he could to the bathroom, throwing himself over the toilet. His coughs were painful as he felt everything come up. Well, he didn't have much to begin with. Practically all he was doing was dry heaving over the toilet, giving up pretty much nothing from his body. His eyes stung, as did him chest and throat.

He fell to the floor and hit his head against the wall. He took a deep breath. He hadn't even noticed someone standing in the doorway until he heard the scuffle of feet, the heartbeat of someone that sounded like they'd been running.

When he looked up, he saw Chloe. Her face was blank, something he'd noticed she'd looked a lot like lately. He felt so many things in his gut he didn't know what to say, what to do.

Was Jasmine right? Was he blaming Chloe because he wasn't there and she was? Was he really just blaming himself and taking it out on everyone else?

He was interrupted by Chloe clearing her throat. He looked up at her.

"Jasmine's gone?"

Alek nodded, not trusting his voice. Chloe didn't leave.

"Are you. . .okay?" Chloe teste, seeing how he'd react to her talking to him. His whole body tensed. No, of course he wasn't okay!

So he voiced that, making Chloe jump half a foot. She bit her lip. "Just get out of here," he said, trying his best to sound like he meant it. But really? Now, he didn't know what he meant. He saw Chloe's face drop and wondered if what Jasmine said was right: was he really hurting her, even though she couldn't feel it?

"Fine," Chloe brisked. Alek noticed how her voice didn't give away anything. Because she didn't have anything to really give away.

She left him there. With Jasmine gone and him still avoiding Chloe, he didn't know what to do. He truly felt lost. He got up and splashed his face off, trying to cool himself down. Then he noticed how badly his hands were shaking.

He knew he should eat. He knew it. But instead, he walked to his room where he could be alone. The second he walked in, his stomach and chest all become one, dropping to his feet.

What the hell was he doing?

Well, would you look at that? Action filled chapter in more ways than one. I think.

I really wasn't planning on writing at all any time soon but I took state tests today and bombed it because I suck at math. I'm been pulling my hair out all day. So yeah, reviews would really boost my self-esteem here since I'm doubting my future in every possible way (I sound really pitiful and needy I'm sorry).

So this chapter didn't go quite how I wanted. But we got some Alek, yeah? I thought we'd poke into his head a bit. Please tell me what you think of the characters and everything, because I feel pretty dreadful about the way reviews have been going lately (again I sound needy, please just kill me).

Hopefully I'll write again soon!