Chapter 21: Sound Check

It was silent most of the time. Between Piotr and Alyce that is. The two had learned to communicate so well without using words, that now when they were together they just stuck to using hand motions and funny looks. They watched, laughing, as the rest of the students competed in the running course. A kid had fallen right into a puddle of...something, and this caused Piotr to hoot in laughter. Alyce had never seen him laugh, but his laugh was the most contagious she had ever heard. In a matter of seconds, her face was just as equally red, tears springing out from her eyes in laughter.

Alyce clutched onto her stomach and covered her mouth with her hand, a loud snort escaping her nose.

Piotr stopped laughing and looked at her. "Was that....a snort?" His face read. Alyce nodded and Piotr erupted back into laughter. Alyce found herself enjoying his company more and more as they continued to laugh. Not once did she stop thinking of the fun they were having. John and Bella never crossed her mind. Alyce smiled and placed her hand on Piotr's shoulder.

"Thanks."

He smiled and placed his hand on top of hers. "It's what friends do." He began to laugh again, another kid tripping over his own feet and landing smack dab on Emma's backside. Alyce couldn't remember the last time she laughed so hard. Halfway through the round, Piotr got up and bent down on the ground. He looked back at Alyce, who had a confused look on her face. He pointed to his back.

"Piggy back ride."

"No way." Alyce crossed her hands and gave Piotr a frown. He pointed to his back again, and this time Alyce agreed. Awkwardly, she climbed on top of Piotr. She let out a surprised gasp as he lifted her up, quickly she wrapped her arms around his neck and huddled in close. She never realized he was so tall until she looked down at the ground. Alyce rested her head on top of Piotr's head, bopping along as he walked.

"I cannot see your face. So we must talk."

Alyce chuckled. It was true. "Feels weird to talk. I'm so used to just giving you looks and you know what I'm saying." Piotr laughed and Alyce could feel the vibration on her chest.

"At least you had fun, you can go to bed without worrying." Piotr lifted Alyce up again, causing her to giggle. "It's nice to hear you laugh. I like seeing Alyce when she's happy Alyce."

Alyce let her arms hang over Piotr's shoulder. "I like being happy Alyce too. Unfortunately, things can't always work in my favour."

"You worry to much. Whenever I see you, you're worrying about something. You need to learn to let go."

Alyce scrunched up her nose. "What do you mean by let go?"

Piotr stepped over a rock and made his way to the front garden of the Mansion. "Let go, meaning, don't be scared to relax. You worry about your family, but Bella is safe with us in this Mansion. You worry about everything, Alyce. Live day by day, not day by week. Only worry what's going to happen today, not tomorrow, or the next day, or the next day after that." Piotr stepped up the stairs to the front of the Mansion and walked to the side door. He lowered himself down and Alyce hopped off.

"I like how that sounds, Piotr. I should try doing that sometime."

"You should try now." They walked inside the Mansion, the bright lights hurting their eyes. They stopped at the grand staircase, the two obviously going separate ways. Alyce hopped up on the first step and placed her hand on the banister.

"I wish I could start now, Piotr. But there's too much going on right now."

"Well, promise. Promise you'll start when everything is settled."

Alyce looked at Piotr. She had finally gotten to his height after stepping up on the fourth stair. Damn he was tall. She gave him a salute and a smile.

"I promise."

*

*

John had the feeling of Deja Vu. Here he was, sitting on the bed that Alyce and Bella shared. Here he was, hearing Bella sob in the bathroom. This time, he wasn't going to get up from where he sat. Last time he did, it ended up in a kiss. He wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. John ran his hand threw his hair with impatience. What if Alyce walked into the room? He wasn't in a position to defend himself. He looked over to the bedside table clock. It was already one in the morning. Where could Alyce be anyway? John opened up his lighter and lit it, transferring the flame to his hand. He looked as it formed into the shape of a heart, then quickly faded into something else. He signed and flipped the flame around his fingers, like he would a coin. He could feel the heat around his hand, and a part of him wanted to get burned.

He looked at his hand, daring himself to let the flame touch his skin. He was ready to do so, when the door to the bathroom opened, startling him. The flame disappeared from his hand.

"This is your fault!" Bella shouted at him.

John rolled his eyes and got up from where he sat. "How is it my fault?! You're the one who kissed me. Are you too blond to remember anything that happened?"

"I remember just fine!" Bella shouted, pushing him as he got closer to her.

"Then what the fuck?! If anything it's your fault. You came out of the bathroom and kissed me! I pushed you back and you pushed me to the bed and climbed on top of me. And that's my fault?"

"You kept kissing!" Bella retorted. She didn't need John to re say the thoughts that were already playing in her mind. She looked at John with furious eyes as he closed his mouth. "You know it's true!" She took a step toward him and began to hit him with her fists. She didn't care if her hits were weak, she hit at his chest with all her might. John stood still, occasionally stepping back as Bella kept hitting. Maybe he deserved to get hit. Bella was right. He did keep kissing her. Even when they had pulled apart, he had pulled her back into a kiss.

"You....y-y-you....." Bella began to cry, her fists stopped hitting and laid on John's chest. John wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him. She sobbed louder. Everything was breaking again. Everything was going back to hell. Just when she thought nothing bad was going to happen anymore. When she thought they could all be happy. That one night came and was slapping her back in the face.

"John.....I'm....I'm so sorry." Bella hiccuped onto his chest. John hugged her tighter and she felt more tears spring from eyes.

*

*

Alyce was planning on going to sleep. She wanted to lay down in her bed and close her eyes. She was having such a nice night. But right now, watching what was happening inside her room, it wasn't so nice. This confirmed everything Emma had told her. Alyce placed her hand on the door knob. A part of her wanted to kick the door down, another part was telling her to just leave. To go sleep somewhere else for the night. Alyce took her hand off the knob and took a step back. The door had been slightly ajar when she had heard Bella yelling. It was when she got to the door that she heard everything.

Even though Remy had told her it was a bad idea, Alyce wanted to give up and let the two be together. Watching them hug onto each other, was convincing Alyce to do just that. Alyce blinked fast as she felt hot tears fall down her cheeks. She wiped them away from her face in surprise. She didn't expect for her to cry, again. This was twice in the same day. She was growing weak. She wasn't the Alyce she used to be, she wasn't strong anymore. Here she was, being a stupid little girl and getting her stupid little heart broken. Alyce turned on her heel and made her way down the hall. She didn't know where she was going to sleep tonight, but it shouldn't be to hard to find a place. Alyce stopped in her tracks. She could hear her door close quietly. When she turned her head to look back, there was no one in the hall.

They surely wasted no time when it came to sleeping together.