AN-

It's been a while. I know. Sorry about that. I truly am awful. I hope you don't dislike me too much and decide to boycott the reviews. Then I'd be awfully sad. Hahaha. Get it?

Bad joke. Far too soon.

x.-.x.-.x

Chapter VIII

Breathe.

Your body has a silent agreement with itself inside.

Breathe.

Inhale. Exhale.

Oxygen flows through your veins, keeping you alive; helping. Your body expels carbon dioxide. An exchange.

I inhale. Exhale.

Standing outside the door, that's all I can really do. Breathe.

The faint smell of sweetness and toast wafts up to my nose. My stomach growls in response. It seems to knock me out of my trance and I can move again.

I break. My feet pull me, leading me down the stairs.

"I don't understand anything." I mutter to myself.

Something inside me tells me that I don't need to understand anything at all. It'll all happen anyway, whatever it is, won't it?

The voice is so foreign to me. It's been so long since I've heard it speak for a moment, I think I've completely gone crazy.

Maybe I already have.

I stumble down the steps to an empty place. I want to sneak away right back out the front door, down that long driveway to the familiar embrace of nowhere.

The foreign voice has a grip on my heart strings, my mind strings. Pulling me in directions that end in bright lights at the end of the tunnel.

Marionette.

Broken dances.

But free.

Freedom stands at the end of every tunnel. A beacon of something I can't even remember. The thought warms my tired skin. The voice whispers words of hope or at least something like it.

It keeps me grounded. "Hello?" I call out uncertainly to the empty room.

"We're in here!" It doesn't sound like Mina, and I haven't known her as long, but I assume it's Lita.

I set off in the direction of where I think the voice came from even though I'm not all together sure that I'm going the right way. I've been unsure about so many things.

"Where exactly is here?" I ask. I've found my way to the kitchen. It looks like it's got state of the art everything. Stainless steel fridge and stove, high marble topped counters, a large island and dishwasher.

Lita is standing at the stove. She's changed her sports bra for a long sleeved shirt and apron.

Mina seats at the breakfast nook with a very pregnant, very beautiful woman. Long raven hair tumbles down her back in waves, bangs swept away from her olive toned skin. Almond shaped violet colored eyes thinly outlined in black liner and mascara regard me from across the room.

Conversation pauses.

Uncomfortable, I cross my arms before uncrossing them again to hook my fingers together behind my back.

"Serena, there you are. We were beginning to think that you'd got lost. I hope you're hungry, I'm making pancakes." Lita informs me with a grin.

"Raye." Mina begins. "This is-"

"Serena. I heard."

"Alright." the blonde says rolling her eyes. She pats a chair next to her, for me to sit down.

I pretend not to notice.

"Serena, this is Raye Shields-Bennett. Darien's sister."

"Nice to meet you." I say, though so far I get the feeling that she isn't thinking the same thing. I swallow back uncertainty. "You have a beautiful home."

She gives me a chilly smile before turning to Mina. "What is she doing here?"

"Don't be a bitch Raye." Lita scolds.

A fine manicured hand wraps itself around a glass of orange juice. Raye takes a sip, shrugging. When she's finished, the hostile attention is right back on me again. "Would you mind telling me what you're doing in my house Serena?"

"I invited her." Darien clarifies, coming up behind me.

I'm alert.

So very aware of him, of the tension in the room.

It all makes me want to run away screaming.

"I didn't." she says icily.

"Stop it Raye." he says, grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl on the table. "Now."

"I don't want strangers here."

"Serena's not a stranger. She's my new roommate."

"Really," Raye comments, one hand still on her glass as if she's thinking of hurling it at me, the other hand rubs her large belly. "How wonderful for you both. What happened to her?"

I catch Darien's eye. He shakes his head before crunching into the fruit. It takes me a moment to realize that she's talking about me.

Breathe.

Inhale.

Calm.

No one knows.

And then, something snaps at her hostility towards me, for no reason at all. I haven't done anything to her. I don't know her. Do I deserve this?

I told Mina that I wanted to start over.

That was my one wish.

Starting now, I couldn't help myself.

Starting now, I didn't try to pull the words back and wrap them around my tongue. I didn't care.

"I'm standing right here. Why don't you try asking me so that I can tell you that it's none of your business."

I try not to let the stunned silence swallow me up whole.

Thankfully, it's broken by Lita's unmasked snickers.

It's too late.

I feel the heat warming my cheeks. "I'm sorry. I-"

"Don't apologize." Darien tells me, leaning against the counter, apple in hand. He looks everything like Adam and the forbidden fruit. He looks tantalizingly dangerous. "It does Raye some good to be put in her place every once in a while."

"Damn straight." Mina adds happily.

"Shut up." Raye snaps. "Both of you." Her icy glare finds me and I'm rooted to the spot, matching her glare with uncertain eyes.

She stands from her seat, almost gracefully despite her what looks like six months and walks in my direction. "You may be everyones new best friend, but I don't trust you."

"Give it a rest." Lita states exasperatedly.

"You don't even know me.." I tell Raye quietly.

She immediately sizes me up. "You think that matters?"

God knows I want to look away.

I don't.

Can't.

"It should."

"It doesn't."

"Then..." My heart feels as if it's hammering in my chest. Through dry lips, I say." I guess we don't have a problem."

"We'll see."

I shuffle awkwardly to the side to let her pass.

"Where are you going?" Mina questions.

"I lose my appetite. I'm going upstairs to take a nap. Let me know when Amy arrives, will you?"

"Nice meeting you."

Her lips turn up in an unpleasant smile as she slowly shakes her head before turning on her heel.

Breathe. In, out.

It feels as if I'm taking in too much as once.

"Don't listen to Raye." Mina reassures me, though it does nothing of the sort. "She's got a superiority complexe."

"My sister has her own issues. Just like anybody else. She's harmless."

"She's as rabid as a squirrel."

"I knew there was a reason you two were such good friends."

"Jerk."

"Pancakes are ready." Lita announces, carrying a plate stacked with breakfast to the table. "Dig in."

Noticing me still standing, she waves me over. "Come on Sere, you too."

No one's ever called me that, besides Sapphire.

The only other person who kept me sane in a world of hurt.

Pain.

A chill sweeps over me.

"Come on, sit down. You look like you're starving."

"I'm okay."

"Sit!"

"I'm not very hungry either."

Darien sighs frustratedly. "Either grab a seat or find your way upstairs to enjoy some more riveting conversation with Raye while the rest of us enjoy breakfast. Your choice princess."

"Not much of a choice..." I mumble, reluctantly grabbing a seat.

There is no doubt in my mind that the two came from the same gene pool.

I've got the feeling that that's one thing that I'll be getting used to.

Breathe.

x.-.x.-.x

Shit. Sorry. This chapter is probably reaaaaaally terrible, but I figured that I needed to post something for fear of thinking that I abandoned this story again. I haven't for the record. I've just recently become a couch potatoe and my thoughts are being turned to mush. It's dreadful. Sorry again. You've got the rights to flame me if you want to, I won't bitch. Promises, promises.

-S