Ten
Izzie looked up at John and Amanda. "Mum and Dad went insane afterwards. So over protective of myself and Cherry. They locked Scarlett's room and gave me the key. They didn't empty it out, it was like a shrine to Scarlett but one they could never face going in. Cherry never knew about Scarlett, she never even asked why there was one room permanently locked. Mum and Dad blocked everything about Scarlett out from their lives. I was the only one who let her memory live on. I used to go into the room when I just needed escape or to remember especially on… special days. But mum and dad didn't ever acknowledge her existence again. Any pictures of her got destroyed. It was like she'd brought shame on our family. It pulled them together though which was a plus side. They also became more normal. We lived in our house still but there was no more staff and things. It was just us. I got bullied at school. The stories about Scarlett spread and they were true and there was nothing I could do. So I got bullied. The girl who had seen her sister, the girl who's sister was stupid. It was awful.
Scarlett, and Daniel when he visited, was the only person to ever call me Rainbow but after she died I never heard the nickname again. Being here, with Daniel, it just brings back all those painful memories. And now. Well now I associate it even more with death. If mum, dad and Cherry hadn't died, I wouldn't even be here," Izzie finished quietly. She was crying silently, her face so full of pain.
Tears were running down Amanda's face. She hadn't realised Izzie had been through so much. John leaned across the table and grasped Izzie's hands. "Hey. It's alright. We'll help you get through it. Everything will be alright," Amanda said. She stood up and went round the table and pulled her into a hug.
John looked up. "Well actually you can't say that Amanda," he said. "But we will always try and make it better," he reassured Izzie. She smiled weakly as James came in accompanied by a disgruntled Piper.
James frowned when he saw the highly emotional group. "I'm guessing now is not the right moment and I've interrupted a highly important moment. We'll just leave," he said grabbing Piper's hand and backing up.
Izzie shook her head. "No it's fine. What's up?" she asked, pulling her hand away from John's to brush her tears away.
Piper glanced at James. "I'm sorry," she said. "I over-reacted when you said you were from England. James has explained the situation with Ella, properly this time, and I know it wasn't your fault. Shall we start over?" she asked offering her hand.
Izzie smiled. "Why not?" she said taking it and shaking it. "But you're going to have to help me convince the others." Piper smiled.
"I love a challenge. Now are you going to come back to training, or shall I give you five?" she asked eyeing up Amanda and John. Izzie shook her head.
"I'm coming," she said before turning to John and Amanda. "Thank you. I feel… lighter. As if a weight has been lifted," she said. Amanda and John smiled back.
"We need to catch up after training," John said. "And if you could, bring Michelle with you," he said. Izzie nodded and headed towards James and Piper. "Ready."
Piper winked at James as she left Java Junction and led the way back to the studio. The pair began chatting about the auditions and Izzie realised she wasn't as alone as she thought.
A/N: Sorry its short, it was all I could manage to write during exam period. But I'm done now so updates will be coming soon :)