Chapter 10:

"Wanna play a game?"

"Leave me alone."

"It'll be fun. Come on."

"No. I'm not in the mood."

"Please."

"Fuck off."

"Now, now, don't be mean."

"Tate," his name came out through gritted teeth. "I mean it!"

"I just wanna have a little fun."

"Why!?" All of a sudden Violet turned on her heel, her hair whipping around to frame her face messily.

Lately, he wouldn't leave her alone. After the incident with the ice a week ago, nearly everyday he came looking for her, and today she had had enough of his stupid little games. Every time he asked her to do something, he always ended up pushing her boundaries and turning everything into something sexual. He shot her strange looks, which made her skin crawl. It wasn't freaky, but it made her think he was up to something, and whatever it was, he was enjoying it.

Tate wasn't good at keeping secrets for long, especially from her. She knew him better than she knew anyone else. Even her own parents were harder to read than Tate. He had very expressive eyes and she could tell he was up to something if she looked into them long enough, and recently it nearly always seemed to be that lustful determined look that he had about him. She knew he was up to something and she was tired of him messing with her.

She understood he still cared about her, but she wasn't around just so he could use her for a bit of fun to suit his sexual urges. When they had been together before, it had been romantic, but this time, there seemed to be no romance involved, just simple lust. And Tate didn't suit lust. He was better than that.

"That's all you have been wanting lately and I'm sick of it. Where is the Tate I knew and loved? The one who was kind, considerate and caring? He isn't here anymore. H e has been taken over by some lustful creature who resembles his face."

Tate's mouth opened, shocked. "I…I didn't realize you felt that way. I thought you enjoyed the attention."

Violet scoffed. "God, you make me sound like a slut. I said I wanted to be your friend, Tate. Friends. Incase you didn't know that definition then it means no sexual interactions. Remember what I said? Lately all you have been doing is turning anything and everything into something sexual and I'm just not in the mood today. Go play with someone else."

"Violet, come on. You know it's not like that." He moved forward to clasp her hand, his fingers rubbing over her knuckles.

"Don't even try anything," she said pulling her hand away.

"Vi, stop being stupid."

"I'm not the one being stupid! Why can't you be the way you were before?"

Tate shrugged. "People change."

Violet stared at him, her face scowling. "I can't be bothered to deal with you today. Go away."

Tate stared at her before the realization of her words hit him. His expression turned from surprised to angry as he disappeared into thin air.

Violet knew it was mean to use it against him, but some days, such as today, it was necessary to just get rid of him.

…

The globe stood on the table, untouched. The sun was shining through her bedroom window, illuminating the vivid azure of the ocean. The countries were coloured in a mixture of shades. Reds, oranges, yellows, greens – each colour representing different countries.

Violet loved and hated the globe. It was an object she found very bittersweet. She loved the idea of travelling, exploring all the countries she had wanted to visit since she was young, but of course, that would never happen now. She was dead, and unwillingly tied to the house, only ever allowed to leave once every year and it wasn't like she could hop on a plane and travel the world overnight. Which is why the globe was eyed with a mixture of envy and fascination.

Her hand reached out hesitantly, almost scared to touch the sphere as if she wasn't allowed. Why should she touch something she would never have the ability to travel? She felt a sense of sorrow, before pushing her misery to one side, and placing her hand on the globe. She pushed it around gently until she reached Australia, the one country she had always wanted to travel to. How sad it was to think that she would never have the chance to go…

A tapping on the door, a brush of knuckles to the wooden surface, indicated a presence. It was Tate, stood with one hand clutching the doorframe, the other shoved deeply into his pocket. His blonde curls, a disheveled mess atop his head, as if he had been running his fingers through them.

Violet sighed, before looking back to the globe, no energy to get rid of him. In fact, his company right now was probably what she needed considering her gloomy mood. She needed company.

"Can I come in?" His voice was light and polite, very different to the one he had voiced earlier.

"Yes," she replied, resuming to turning the globe again.

"What are you doing?"

"Thinking about how depressing my life is."

Tate noticed her hand on the globe. "Ah, the world… Have you ever been to India?"

"No."

"It's beautiful. Really festive."

"Great."

"What about France, you been there?"

"No, Tate."

"China? The landscape and places to visit are amazing th-"

"No." Violet snapped. "I've been practically nowhere!"

"Oh. Sorry…" Tate said, shutting his mouth.

Violet heaved a sigh, turning away from the globe, disgust on her face. "I'm sorry. I just hate it here in this house. To think we will never leave is so…upsetting."

"I know," he replied gently. "I used to think like that too, but I just got used to the fact."

"How? How do you ever get over the fact we won't ever be able to go outside again. Walk outside the gates of this house and into the street?"

"Well, I wouldn't say I'm over it, I have just accepted it."

"I can't do that," Violet replied, shaking her head.

"It will take time. Just time."

"Time," she muttered. "Time is all we have." There was a hint of sadness in her tone, which she tried to cover by softening her voice.

Tate studied her face. Pale skin, tired blue eyes, dirty blonde hair, which looked like she hadn't washed it for a while. She had lost her spark. His eyes widened at the evaluation. She wasn't like the Violet he used to know…but he had been too busy trying to seduce her to even notice. He felt an overwhelming amount of guilt sweep through him. She was clearly hurting and he hadn't even realized.

"Are you okay?" It was the best he could come up with. He didn't know what to say to make the battle she had in her head any better.

Violet didn't reply. She just looked out the window to the world outside. Through her eyes she might as well have been in a prison, locked away from the happiness behind the bars. "I don't know," she finally whispered. "I don't know…"

"Is there anything I can do? I will try to help you, I promise. I know I haven't been myself lately and I'm really sorry, but I will try my hardest to make you hap-" She turned and placed a finger over his lips.

"It's okay. There's nothing you can do." She turned away again, her knees brought up to her chest as she sat beside the globe.

Tate sat back and remained silent, words failing him.

"You know," Violet began. "Time is a funny thing in the murder house."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it doesn't exist really, does it?"

"…I don't understand what you mean?"

She turned to him. "Time doesn't really matter here. No matter what happens, what time it is, everything in here will stay the same. We have no concept of time because we will never age. As the days go on, we will forever remain the same, the same as the day we died."

Tate frowned. "So?"

Violet looked down. "It's sad," she mumbled. "There was so much I wanted to do in life."

"Like what?"

She took a long time in replying and when she looked up her eyes were full of tears, the sight causing Tate to reach out for her, but she pulled away.

"I wanted children you know," she began. "I imagined meeting someone, falling hopelessly in love, and then beginning my own family, watch them grow up and then eventually watch my own children start a life of their own. But now that will never happen," her voice wobbled as she spoke. "I wanted to travel. See the whole world and experience everything that makes it so special, and now I won't be able to." Her eyes couldn't hold the tears building up and they began to overflow.

"Hey, it's okay," Tate soothed.

"No, it's not! Nothing is okay anymore. Nothing. I hate this. I hate my life. I hate it!" Her voice broke and she bent over as she began to cry.

He reached for her and pulled her to him in one smooth motion. Her trembling body did little to restrain and when he pulled her head onto his shoulder she welcomed his warmth with open arms and tucked her head into his neck whilst she cried.

He stroked her head while she wept, letting her cry everything out. He knew she had been bottling things up for too long and now was the time where she had to let go before she could start again. So, he just held her, whispering reassuring words into her ear, rocking her from side to side.

Hope you liked it! College has begun again, which is why this took so long to update. I didn't realise how much art and english I would be given! :/ I have planned the next chapter already, so it should be up within the next few weeks:)