8. Games Part II: Redemption

She was not quite sure how long it took until she heard the happy hisses and noises blowing all over the parking lot.

"Mena!" said Chelsea as she saw her sat next to the van. "Where have you been? I noticed your stuff weren't on the dressing room so I figured you had left already. Isn't it great? You won the game!"

"I'm sorry Chelsea. I don't feel like talking," said Mena getting up.

The two teams got near the van, waving their scarves and jumping at the sound of "Ain't no better than the blues!" and "EASI: Emperors of All Sports Industry!" a very stupid saying that strangely everybody was shouting.

"Cheer up, Mena!" said Johnny. "Get happy girl! We won!"

Mena tried to smile.

"C'mon give me a real smile!" he asked.

"I'm not in the mood for," she said. Johnny shook his head.

Andre eventually opened the van and Mena entered. She sat on the same seat as before. She took her iPOD of her purse and began listening to some music through the white headphones.

The rest of the people entered the van and sat on their places. It all took a while for there thousands of goal simulations trying to copy the ones during the game. Every time someone remembered a new interesting detail about the game everybody jumped from their seats to listen to it carefully.

Finally they all sat down, after countless requests from Mr. Vincents, and they were able to go back to school.

Mena didn't know it but outside the stadium many buses awaited the rest of the EASI students to drive them back to school. Another interesting detail was that, as always, the winning team offered lunch in their school to the other team, and such as that the Collège de Genève soccer team was following them on their own van.

At least for Mena the trip was silent. Chelsea had got the message and now knew Mena wasn't up to much talking. Mena's few friendly face didn't exactly welcome people to talk to her so no one did it.

After a while they got to the school. Andre dropped them all in front of the main building then he went to par the van.

As soon as Mena entered she went straight to her dorm. No talking, no nothing.

She threw the sports bag over her bed and locked herself in the bathroom.

She stared at herself in the mirror. Her face expressionless. From time to time she blinked, but that was all. She remained like this for a while.

She then sat on the top of the toilet and took out the bandage from her right hand. The knuckles were crushed and flayed, purple and bloody. It hurt a lot whenever she touched it, yet she knew it wasn't broken not even cleaved or dislocated. In a week everything would be healed.

She took a look at her watch. It was 13:55. She mussed have been ages looking at the mirror. She remembered to have heard they had arrived at 13:10.

She was thinking about this when she remembered that the adjustments made to the dorms distribution would be published downstairs in the board. It wasn't a bad idea to check it, she thought, and especially considering that everybody was now having lunch.

As she went out of the bathroom and then of the dorm she noticed the message she had received that morning. Now she was very few interested in knowing who that guy was, especially if he had that tendency to underline all her faults.

Mena wasn't sure if the secret writer was a boy but she suspected so. First because of the handwriting, which appeared to belong to a male, and then the image of Oliver writing the note couldn't leave her mind, although she was quite sure it wasn't him.

She soon reached the entrance and the board, all she needed to do now was to search for room 274 changes.

Room 274… Room 274… There it was: room 274. Chelsea Nolan, Juliet Kimura, Kamia Kotai, Mena von Thyssen and Nicola Neeson, those were the names that figured in the list.

At least the LOL band was gone, their names weren't on the list, unless they had a sudden name change.

But who were those girls? Juliet, Kamia and Nicola? Mena had never heard of them. She hoped they weren't some kids from 8th grade or something.

She heard the canteen door move so she returned to her dorm. Inside, she lay over her bed.

She was still there, perfectly quiet, when someone opened the door. It was Chelsea, followed by Enrique.

"Hey, how are you?" asked Chelsea. "You hadn't shown up for lunch."

"I know," Mena answered. Chelsea sat on the corner of Mena's bed.

Enrique smirked.

"Mena is pissed off cuz she missed a goal," he said.

"Enrique!" protested Chelsea.

"Yeah, why not, huh? Why don't you hit me when I'm down?" Mena glared at him.

Enrique kept smirking. He had her right where he wanted her. He had just got under her skin.

"And as it wasn't enough, Michael scored the victory goal," Enrique continued.

"Look you…" Mena got up.

"Enrique… Maybe you should wait outside or I'll meet you downstairs," said Chelsea.

"As you wish," he said leaving the room.

Mena lay back on the bed.

"Is that true?" asked Chelsea. "That's why you're pissed?"

"What?"

"It's because of Enrique was saying, because you didn't score?"

"Well, and if it was?"

"If it was I would say get real and jump of that bed and enjoy the day. You won the game, for God sake!" Chelsea couldn't understand her friend's attitude.

"Why can't I be angry because of my own mistake, huh? Ain't I entitled to it?"

"No, you're not. Not when I know that all that anger is nothing but self-pity, Mena."

"Chelsea, I missed a goal! A clear, easy goal! Right on the frame!"

"So what? You made an awesome game, no one can blame you for having missed that goal. The rest of the game was brilliant. You won the game, God damn it! And you're the captain!"

"I don't think you can understand it."

"You're right Mena. I sure can't."

"Back when we lived in New York and even before. I've played football all my life. In matter of sports, football is definitely my number one," Mena began. "Not only on my preferences but also on my skills. If I can't play football properly don't even ask about other sports. I know this since I was a child so I got used to work for it only. I worked and in every game if we won it was on my back, because I was good.

I know I've complained about it all my life but deep inside I liked it. I liked to carry the future of the team on my shoulders. That way I could always charge that on the rest of the team. So, explain me, how am I supposed to do that now?"

"You aren't Mena," answered Chelsea. "You've gotta learn to get happy for other people. It's not always about you, and thank God. No one can carry the weight of the world on its shoulders like that! You should know it."

"You can't when you don't choose it but I chose to do it so I think I'm entitled to it."

Chelsea shook her head.

"Seriously Mena, it is what I told you, you've gotta learn to be happy for other people. Look at those guys, they're happy. Not because they have all scored, not because they won but because they played well. And you're their captain. What will they think if their captain acts like that?"

"That doesn't matter. They can think whatever they want. They're free to do it."

"Yeah? Well, it's not only about the game I'm talking. Those guys are your friends and you're risking yourself to lose them."

"Well, I've always done fine on my own. I don't think I need them."

"Don't say that Mena. We both know that's not true."

"Chelsea, can you make us both a favor? Drop the moral talk, okay? I'm not in the mood for it."

"As you wish but think about what I've told you, okay?"

"Whatever."

"Have you checked the notice board already?"

"Yeah," answered the red.

"Me too. I wonder who those girls are. I guess will find it soon, huh? See ya." And Chelsea left the room.

Mena decided to sleep on what Chelsea had said and in fact she was about to when the LOL band entered.

"What are you doin?" asked Mena.

"We've come to pick our stuff," said Madison. "As you can see downstairs we were sent to another room."

"I know," Mena answered. That was probably the only good thing in the whole day.

"Well, it should be you two moving, not us. And especially you," Madison said.

"Whatever," said Mena. "Keep it down, okay?"

Madison glared at her, immediately joined by Kenzie and Delancee.

The three girls began removing their stuff from the room. They kept the door open as they transferred all their things: clothes, books, CDs and other stuff.

"The other team's captain is looking for you," said Madison while she took some of her clothes.

"Really? If I was him I would drop it. I doubt they'll let him come upstairs to the girls' alley, as this wing is called now, and I don't intend to leave the dorm," replied Mena.

"Suit yourself. Although I don't think his to waste at all."

"It is not just because he's handsome that I'm going to drag myself out of this dorm to say a couple of words to him. And besides, if you think he's to keep then you go talk to him."

"Oh, I'm not interested. I have my eyes on someone else. And now that I think about it, I think we should talk about it." Madison headed to the door and closed it. Both Kenzie and Delancee were on their new room storing their stuff.

"I'm sorry but I can't see the connection here," said Mena.

"Then let me make it for you," said Madison.

"Looking forward to hear it…" said Mena ironically.

"Well, listen to it carefully cuz I don't wanna repeat it."

"Nor I wish to hear it twice."

"Good. This is the deal Mena: Kai's mine."

Mena burst laughing.

"Really, only you to make me laugh in such a day," she said getting up. "You know what? Grab him all. It doesn't matter to me."

Madison raised an eyebrow.

"Believe me, I'm very few interested on a guy who I barely know and that gave me very few reasons for me to like him at all," Mena said.

"Then you won't have any problem in promise me that you won't try anything with him," said Madison.

"I can't do that. He can always go through a sudden change. Although few likely, for that guy's damn proud."

Madison smirked.

"Funny. You say he's as proud as hell but so are you," she said.

"Well, I can manage my own pride perfectly although I'm not such a fan of other people's one," Mena replied.

"Well, but the problem is that your pride is 'other people's one' to us all."

"Perfectly true but I don't give a damn about it."

"Personal advice: you should do. Now I'm leaving, I've gotta take these last things otta here and I still got a new bedroom to establish."

"Establish, huh? Whatever."

Madison left with a smile. If Mena wasn't really interested on the current Kai everything was fine for she knew Mena to be right, Kai was damn proud to change for a girl.

Mena spent some minutes thinking about what Madison had said. She was sort of right, Mena thought. It was a funny thing that Madison was so easy to talk with. If collected and separated from the rest that time she was talking to Mena you could say she was almost normal and a good person.

Mena remembered she was about to sleep when the LOL band entered so she closed the window shade and lay over her bed.

She was about to fall asleep when somebody opened the lights.

"Damn!" Mena complained.

"Sorry," said Kenzie. "Forgot my ribbons."

"Who cares about the stupid ribbons! Go get them and leave," Mena said.

Kenzie took the ribbons and left.

Finally she was left alone and she could sleep. Her clothes weren't very comfortable so she took them out and got inside bed. She fell asleep.

She was still sleeping, perfectly quiet, when someone very few wanted approached the door.

"And as I was telling you Karl…" said a male voice while he turned the knob of the door, "this is Thyssen's room."

Michael and Karl, the Collège de Genève soccer team captain, entered the absolutely dark room.

"Thyssen?" Michael called. No one answered. He headed to the windows and pulled the shades out. A yellow light invaded the room. It was 17:55 and as it was Fall already the days were getting smaller.

The light was not very bright so Mena took a while to wake. In the meanwhile Michael watched her sleeping.

"Uh… Michael?" Karl said. "Maybe we should come back another time, she's sleeping."

"What? No… She has slept a lot already and now she can awake. She has a party to attend anyway," Michael ended.

The sound of two voices in her bedroom plus the light coming through the window made Mena wake. She moved twice then she opened her eyes.

"See? I told ya she would wake up," Michael said.

Mena was still sleepy and she wasn't realizing things perfectly.

"What?" she said. She sat up on the bed. Luckily she was holding the blankets and sheets over her. "Geez Michael get back!"

"Hello Thyssen," he said.

"Go away," she insisted.

"Hey, hey! And you have not even noticed I brought a guest," Michael said pointing to Karl.

Mena looked the other way, there he was.

"Who cares?" she said to Michael. "I'm sorry," she said to Kar,l "but this is neither the place or the time."

"Sure," Karl answered. "We should get going."

"No, no," said Michae.l "Not before I find out why she wants us outta here. I know it's not for free," Michael smirked.

"Out Michael!" she shouted.

"And because…" he insisted approaching her.

"Because all I've got on is my underwear," she said. "Now leave!"

"Really?" said Michael. "Well, considering that last information I might want to stay."

"Michael, just get outta here," asked Mena.

"You're not being very nice," he replied. "And I don't think you're in position of not being."

Mena raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I explain it to you," Michael continued. Karl was sort of perplexed watching the whole scene between those two. "You say you're half naked which means you can't come out of the bed with us both," he pointed to himself and then Karl, "standing here (although I don't see any inconvenient). Anyway, if you can't move from there what's keeping me to sneak under your sheets and by all means see you just with your underwear on?"

"Uh… Your morals?" Mena said.

Michael burst laughing.

"That's a good one! Really good. You win girl. I'm leaving." And he headed to the door. "My morals! Hilarious!"

"Well, we're going," said Karl. "Sorry about all this."

"Never mind. Just take him before he changes his mind," Mena said.

"Oh, and Mena," Michael turned. "Don't forget about the party. 19:45 in the lobby."

Both guys left the room and Mena ran after they closed the door to lock it. Then she put on her black cotton bathrobe.

The party, the party at Hiro's! She had totally forgotten about it. She didn't even know if she was going or not.

She sat on her bed thinking. It was pass 18:10. She was still like this when Chelsea showed up.

"Oh, hi!" she saluted.

"Hey," Mena answered.

"I came to dress to the party. Are you comin?" Chelsea asked.

Mena shrugged.

"Better decide fast we're meeting at the lobby at 19:45 and we're leaving at 20:00 sharp. They told me we take an hour till Hiro's."

Mena nodded.

"What d'you say about the girls coming to our dorm?" asked Chelsea.

"Well, as no one showed up here yet I've concluded they're in Cairo," Mena answered.

"Good theory. I'll ask Mariah."

Chelsea raided her closet and took out her shiny organza lilac top and her black tight jeans she had bought just the day before. She smiled then she got into the bathroom.

Later she came out. Mena was still in her bed staring at nothing.

"What d'you think?" asked Chelsea. She had dressed the clothes she had chosen and put on some shimmering lavender eye shadow, some mascara and soft pink lip stick.

"Fine," answered Mena.

"Well, it's 18:55, I'm going. I would like you to come but I guess that's your decision. See ya." And Chelsea left.

Mena lay back. She remained like that for a while. She thought about all things people had said to her during the day. She saw it all over again in her mind and she analyzed every second of it. Finally she decided she was going to that party. She had some corrections to do and something to catch up with the host.

She opened her closet and took out the short dark chiffon froissée flowers dress she had bought and the black high-heel boots she liked so much. She put on everything (she had some trouble closing the dress) then she entered the bathroom to use the mirror while she put some make up.

She picked her onyx black eye shadow and the matching eyeliner then she put them on. She also put a very light pink lip gloss, almost clear, some blusher and black shimmering mascara.

She looked at herself in the mirror. Now her hair. She tied the upper part of her hair in a low ponytail and let it fall over the rest of her orange bright lose hair.

She then came out of the bathroom. It was 19:50 but she wasn't in a hurry. She took out of the closet her black velvet trench coat and a pair of matching gloves. She dressed them and walked out of the door.

"Well, I guess we could be going," said Rei to the rest of the guys waiting in the lobby.

"Yeah, we're all here, aren't we?" asked Tala.

"Mena isn't coming?" whispered Mariah to Chelsea.

"I don't think so. She was not feeling very well," Chelsea answered.

They all headed to the door when they heard steps on the stairs. The sound of the high-heels going down the stairs echoed all around so they turned to see who was coming.

"Can't be… That's… that's…" Rei couldn't believe.

"You bet…" nor could Johnny.

"That's Mena von Thyssen," said Robert at last.

They were all pretty amazed with her lady look. Finally she got to the bottom of the stairs.

"Are you still waiting for someone?" she asked.

"No ma'am," answered Michael somehow amazed.

"Then lets go, shall we?" said Mena. They all noticed her voice was slightly different. It was softer, less fearless, apparently warmer but way more distant and absolutely less vivid.

As before several cars awaited them outside. Robert led her way into one. Chelsea and Enrique went on that same car and so did Salima.

"I thought you weren't coming," she said to Mena.

"Me too," Mena answered. "But I ended up coming," she smiled softly.

"I dare say your mother would like to see you now," Chelsea said looking at her clothes.

"I dare say she wouldn't," replied Mena thinking of a couple things she would tell her mother if she saw her.

Robert was a bit of amazed with Mena's lady look. Yet he wasn't sure if he totally liked it. One of the good things Mena had was that she was really energetic, really down-to-Earth and was always moving and nothing could restrain her. She was very elegant, that's right, but she was also distant and cold. Only the ones who didn't know her well thought she was warmer but that was just because she wasn't fulminating them with her sharp tongue.

"One thing Salima," said Chelsea, "you know about the new dorms thing, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, did you know these girls: Juliet, Kamia and Nicola? They're in our dorm but as they hadn't showed up all day we thought they're probably in Cairo," Chelsea continued.

"Yeah, they're our friends," said Salima. "They're real cool."

"So and they'll be back for second term?" asked Chelsea.

"I think so," answered Salima. "I'm sure you gonna like them, they're the best. Both Juliet and Kamia have twins brothers and Nicola is an only child. Kamia is a little older than us, she's going on 17 and Juliet's 16, Nicola is 15."

"They seem nice," said Mena. "Michael told me about another girl, Samantha-Lynn, this morning. He said something about her being dating Tala."

"Well, I don't know if they are currently. If you want my opinion," Salima lowered her voice, "I think Sammy isn't quite sure yet if Tala is the right guy."

Chelsea nodded.

"I totally know how it feels," said Chelsea, just to Mena and Salima. Their new talk issue was for girls only.

"Well, if you ask me in your case there's not much doubt," said Mena. "And neither on Sammy's, to tell the truth."

Chelsea wasn't liking the direction of the conversation so she changed the subject.

"Who's on your dorm?" asked Chelsea to Salima.

"Uh… Hilary, Mariam, Mariah and Noelle," she answered.

"I suppose Faroré and Noelle are also in Cairo," said Chelsea.

"Yes, they are. They're pretty nice too and they hang with us as well," said Salima. "Then in an other dorm are Dynasty, Faroré, Julia, Kaida and Samantha, from who you have already heard about. That dorm is closed yet because they're all in Cairo."

"They all seem pretty nice," said Mena.

"And they are. There are some more girls and boys too that I'm sure you're gonna love," said Salima.

"Such as Ming-Ming?" said Chelsea. She remembered what Mena had told her about that girl so she suddenly had a jealousy attack that could only be cured by Enrique's sweet talk.

For the second time now they were going to Zurich. Hiro and his friends lived there to be close to college. They lived in flat in an old stone building full of Baroque reminiscences.

Mena thought that such a building was something difficult to find in Zurich but yet there it was, right in front of her. They took around an hour to get there as Chelsea had said they would.

The whole party was standing at the door waiting. Tyson had rung already but no one answered. Finally the door opened and they entered.

Hiro actually lived on the sixth floor so they had to go on the lift but there was only one (the condominium had money to install only one, as Hiro would later explain) so the rest went by stairs. The guys let the girls go in the lift because of their heels but Mena argued she wouldn't.

"I'm wearing heels because I can take them so I insist in walking," she declared and before they could stop her she was already half way up.

It took a while but they finally got to the sixth floor. You could hear the sound of loud music blasting all around. Chelsea, Mariah, Salima and Enrique, who took Mena's place in the lift claiming he had to be next to his girlfriend ("Like if anyone is going to steal your girlfriend on a pathetic way up to the sixth floor!" Salima said.), were already on the flat. Some other guys, who had started to climb the stairs sooner, had arrived too.

Hiro hadn't invited everybody in The Gang, just his friends, mean the olders, and his brother too (Oh family! The things blood ties make us do!). Robert, Johnny, Kai, Rei, Mariah, Salima, Michael, Tala, Enrique, who would only come if so would Chelsea, Spencer, Lee, Bryan and Kane, they were all in the IN list. Mena was also invited as an honorary member of The Gang and Chelsea was also part of The Gang, by "marriage".

As they came out of the stairs they saw the door completely open and people passing from a side to another.

Robert encouraged Mena to enter and to go to the living room. There Tyson was already eating all he could and some people were talking with who Mena recognized to be Hiro Granger.

Kai and Spencer were among the ones talking to Hiro.

"And currently I'm looking for something or someone to analyze for my final work," he was telling them.

Mena was coming from behind him and she heard all the conversation.

"Then analyze this," she said. He turned the other way to see her face. "How come there I've always known who you were since I heard your name again but I've only realized it now?"

Hiro smiled.

"I know you," he said.

"Yes you do," she replied.

"But you were younger, much younger," Hiro continued. "At least you were not so tall."

Mena smiled softly.

"I remember you telling me your name. Mena, you said. Although your mother called you something else," Hiro said. "Mena von Thyssen, who could tell?"

The guys from The Gang were a bit of amazed. They had never expected Mena to know Hiro and apparently they knew each other reasonably well, Hiro had mentioned Mena's mother.

"How are you?" asked her Hiro.

"Well, very well," Mena answered. "You? Finishing your studies, I suppose."

"Yes."

"Are you still Doctor Rilke's favourite student? At least you were the brighter," Mena continued.

Hiro just smiled.

"Let me take your coat," he said realizing she still had it on. Besides it was a nice way to skip a tricky question.

Mena handed him over her coat and her gloves.

"Did you hurt your hand?" he asked her.

"Yes, this morning during the football match."

"Oh yes, the football match. Tyson bugged me about it all week. Did you at least win?" Hiro asked.

"Yes," Mena answered.

The people around Hiro had left. Robert, who intended to spend the night talking to Mena, sat down on the sofa a bit annoyed.

Mena followed Hiro as he went to store her coat.

"How's your brother?" Hiro asked her.

"Fine, I think. He improved a lot."

"Good, I'm happy about him."

"But not fully," she said.

"You have never forgiven me for not being able to help your brother, have you?" he asked. Mena had waited for that question ever since she last saw Hiro.

"I tried but I didn't succeed."

"Was it a big effort?"

"I suppose. I have nothing against you, really, but I have never fully overcome what happened to him," Mena said sadly, remembering the events passed four years before.

"But you say he's better now," Hiro tried to cheer her up.

"Better… Yes, but he will never be the same again. My mother's indulgence on him had done nothing for him and I'm afraid his life had gone slightly out of control. What, if you ask me, will only lead to another attack," Mena said.

"Is he taking any meds?"

"Everyday, although I think sometimes he skips it. You see, it's not a cool thing to be taking pills everyday of your life. At least this is how he sees it. But lets talk about more cheerful things. How's it going? College? Soon you'll be a formed psychiatrist, and a good one, I dare say."

Hiro smiled. He led Mena back into the leaving room.

"Well, if I'll be a good psychiatrist only time will tell. But just for you to know, I did all I could for him but at the time I was just a student and Doctor Rilke's assistant. My job was to take notes, Mena, not to deal with him directly," Hiro said.

"I know that and that wasn't the reason why I've always kept some resentment towards you."

"Then?"

"It was because you've always been very bright. Very bright and you didn't use all your skills to help him just because you were the student and Rilke the teacher. You were always afraid of showing Doctor Rilke the right path because you could get what? A lower grade? You were right! You were right about everything you said about him and yet you never talked to Doctor Rilke. You let him try all sorts of pills on my brother before he could find some that could actually fit him!" Mena was getting pissed as she remembered all her brother had gone through.

"I'm sorry, Mena. I had no idea I had made so much damage. Still, I never forgot your brother's case and I still wanted to take another look at him. As I told you I'm nearly ending college and I soon will have my degree and license and then I'll be able to help him," Hiro said.

"Thanks but I don't think you can make the difference anymore."

"I'm sad to hear it."

"I guess that's life," Mena smiled.

Hiro smiled too.

"Now, I wanna introduce you some people," Hiro took Mena through the corridor and then downstairs to a room where there was a snooker pool, an old jukebox and a bar.

"All got from an old Irish pub," Hiro informed. "But let me introduce you to the responsible for it all. Romero!"

A blond guy with his hair tied in a ponytail turned around.

"Romero here is studying decoration and design and have been making experiments all over the house," Hiro said. "Personaly I preferred he didn't but I hadn't much opinion on the matter."

"Pardon me, but the house is also mine," he said. "Hi, I'm Romero."

"Mena," she answered. "Mena von Thyssen."

"Von Thyssen?" repeated Romero "Von Thyssen like that boy on Hiro's notes?"

"Most likely, he's my twin," Mena answered.

"Oh. D'you also attend EASI?" asked Romero.

"Yeah," Mena said.

"Oh, d'you know Julia and Raul?" Romero inquired.

"Uh… I don't think so but I heard of them. They're currently in Cairo, right?"

"Si."

"You see, I've only entered this school this year."

"I see. You see, they're these pretty funny twins I know. They're Spanish, like me," he said. Romero looked at his watch, "Well, time for the official song!" he announced.

"Oh no," said Hiro putting his hand over his eyes.

And Romero left to the jukebox to play Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl.

"Cursed the day I let him name this place Banana Republic and choose an official theme," Hiro joked. Mena smiled. "Let me introduce you to my girlfriend," he said.

A tall brunette girl wearing a fuchsia cocktail dress was talking to some other girls a bit ahead.

"Maca?" Hiro called the girl. She turned around, "Mena, this is Macarena, my girlfriend. She's from Argentina."

"Nice to meet you," said Macarena.

Mena smiled.

"Nice to meet you," she said.

"Seems you share the same name," said Hiro, "but in different languages. Macarena is Spanish and Magdalena is German. You're still named Magdalena, aren't you?" he asked Mena.

"Yes, although I preferred you didn't mention it nor how you learned about it," Mena said.

"Why?" asked Maca. "Is such a pretty name."

"It's not that I don't like it but it brings back some unpleasant memories," Mena explained.

"Oh… Sorry," said Macarena.

"Never mind," said Mena.

"D'you wanna stay here or come back up stairs?" Hiro asked her.

"Did you see Robert?" Mena asked.

"No, I guess his still upstairs."

"Then I'll get back up stairs," Mena answered.

Hiro took her back to the living room where now some people were dancing. He was going to return to the 'basement' but before he left he said:

"The answer to your first question is…"

"I know," Mena replied. "I've known all the time who you were but unconsciously I chose to ignore it. To protect myself, I guess."

Hiro smiled. She was right.

"Mena," he said, "do us both a favour. Always be honest with yourself. I would love to see you in my consulting room but just not on the divan."

Mena smiled back and walked away.

She found Robert sat on the sofa as half an hour before. She smiled to herself then she offered him her injured hand.

"Do you give me the honour of this dance?" she asked him.

He felt a bit surprised but he accepted holding carefully her hand. They danced all night long.

When Hiro told her to be honest to herself a circle was closed. From now on she would be fair. Not just to herself, nor to Robert, who she had neglected so many times, nor to her friends in general, but to life itself. Starting that night she would be authentic, real, and not for an hour, a day, a week, but forever.

A/N: Well, this is it. This second part is a little smaller but I really had to divide the chapter in two parts, all together it was huge. Review please and thanks for reading. Suggestions and critics are absolutely welcome and so are anonymous reviews. And if you find any cool story for us to read tell us about it, we're looking for interesting new fics to read (and not just about Beyblade, we like some other animes, as said in our profiles). See ya in the next chapter!