~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter five:
~~~~~~~~~~~
When Angela arrived to Mallory's dorm, she heard quiet sobbing coming from inside. Angela knocked with caution.
"Go away!" Mal said from inside.
"Mallory! It's Angela! Please let me in, I'm worried sick about you!" Angela said.
"State your concern though the door, then leave!" Mal said in an angry tone.
"I'm not going to talk to the door Mal; I want to talk to you! Now open up!" Ang demanded.
"Fine." Mal said.
It was a couple of seconds before the door opened. Angela walked in, letting the door close behind her. She sat down on Mal's swivel desk chair.
"Mal, I'm worried about you." Angela admitted. "What's wrong?"
"It was a mistake going to speak to Nosedive again. He had the nerve to ask me why I was acting weird around him!" Mal replied.
"That doesn't, quite help me in my answer." Angela said.
Angela leaned forward in the chair, putting her elbows on her knees.
"Let me rephrase the question." Angela said. "What has got you so upset?"
"Dive's a complete jerk!" Mal said.
"Explain." Angie said.
"He has the nerve to ask me why I'm acting strange around him!" Mal said.
"So, what's wrong with that?" Ang asked, kicking back again.
"I'm just, so…I don't know." Mal replied.
"It's more involved I guess." Angela said.
"More than you'll ever know." Mal said.
"So, tell me about it." Angela said.
"These feelings for Nosedive are boggling my mind! I just told Dive how I felt. I felt so confused that I had to leave." Mal said.
"Well, Nosedive's just as confused as you are. Wildwing just got done talking with him. Wildwing and I are both worried about you two." Angela said.
Angela paused.
"Have you ever been in love before?" She asked.
"You of all people should know that answer. We lived together." Mal replied.
"You never told me anything about your love life; it was the only part of your life that you kept me out of." Angela said. "Now answer the question."
Mal paused.
"I was. I was extremely in love with this man that I had just met in a club I was working at. His name was Siphon Leaven. He and I were together before I started military training. We were so in love with each other that the rest of the world didn't matter; only we did. We had plans on getting married and having children after my training. There was something wrong with him, something he hadn't told me." Mal said, brushing a tear away. "And we always told each other everything, no secret was kept. I told him about my life and he told me his, except for a memory, a memory that caused him pain. It was a Saturday, I came home to my apartment from training, and…"
She stopped. Angela moved closer to Mallory and sat in front of her, holding her hands in hers, giving her support.
"What happened to Siphon?" Angela asked.
"He killed himself." Mal replied in one breath.
"Oh my god." Angela said. "How?"
"I came home, and I saw him sprawled out on my couch, it being soaked in blood, he literally blew his own head off. His eyes were looking at mine, as if he was still alive. There were pieces of brain matter all over the walls, the floor and the couch. The gun he had used had dropped from his hand and onto the floor. There was a suicide note, and a letter to me. In that letter, it explained everything. He told me that he'd always love me and that he was sorry for not telling me everything. Going though that was next to the hardest thing in my life." Mal replied.
"I'm so sorry for not being there for you." Angela said.
"It's okay. I managed. I thought that I would never love anyone again after Siphon. He was my last boyfriend on Puckworld. Since we've been here, something has awaked that part of me, that's why some people might have called me heartless, because I had been cruel and bitchy, especially to Nosedive." Mal explained. "These feelings I have for Dive has melted my 'ice cold' heart. It has made me realize that I can feel something for a man again."
Angela couldn't help but to shed a few tears for Mallory's heartbreak. She quickly wiped those tears away.
"I couldn't go though something like that. Why didn't you come find me? I wouldn't have let you go though this alone." Angela asked.
"I did. My commando training increased somehow while I grieved over Siphon's death." Mallory replied.
"Do you think that it would help Dive if he knew what you told me?" Angela asked.
"I wouldn't put it past him not to care about one damn word I said. It wouldn't register in that thick head of his." Mal replied. "That's why I was crying when you came around."
Angela looked away for a couple seconds, to think. Then returned her eyes to Mallory's.
"Can you tell me about Siphon?" Angela asked.
"His style and attitude was a mix between Wildwing, Nosedive and Duke. He was stylish, like Duke, he was a kid at heart, like Nosedive and he was very brave. He made me laugh whenever I was upset. He'd tell these corny jokes that wouldn't make an ordinary person laugh, but the way he told jokes would make me laugh so hard that it would almost bruise my ribs. He had this look about him, that if he gave me 'the look' it'd make me melt like ice cream on a hot summer's day. He was a gentleman, like Wildwing. In his eyes, whenever there was a wrong, justice had to be served, or he wouldn't sleep until it was. You would have loved him, just the way I did." Mal replied.
"That's what everyone looks for in a man." Angela said. "Do you find similar qualities in Nosedive that makes you feel the way you do for him?" Angela asked.
"Yes." Mal replied.
"Don't you feel better now that you've let it all out?" Angela asked.
"I guess. I haven't told anyone about Siphon until now. I wasn't going to tell anyone for the rest of my life, so I could keep this a secret heartbreak, and that I would only have to go though it alone, with nobody's help and burdening others with my problems." Mal said.
"It's good to tell someone about it. It's like lifting a heavy weight off your shoulders, a burden that you don't have to carry around all your life." Angela said.
"I'm getting tired Ang, I'm going to turn in for the night." Mal yawned.
"Alright." Angela said, giving Mal a hug. "Don't you want something to eat before bed?"
"No, I'm fine." Mal replied. "Thanks for listening."
"Mallory McMallard, don't forget that I'm your sister, that I'll always love you, and that you can talk to me if you need to get something off your chest." Angela said.
"I won't forget that, Angela McMallard." Mal said. "Plus I don't have a choice, I'm stuck with you."
They shared a chuckle before Angela stood up.
"Is it okay if I tell Wildwing?" Angela asked. "He's worried about you."
"That's okay, but no one else." Mal said.
"I promise." Angela said, giving Mal one last hug. "Good night."
"Night." Mal said.
"Are you sure that you don't need anything?" Angela asked. "Like a glass of water, or a slice of pizza?"
"I'm sure. I bet that Wildwing's waiting for you." Mal said.
"Well, good night sis, sleep tight."
"You too." Mal said.
Angela smiled at Mal, turned around and left. Mal changed into nightwear, brushed her teeth, rolled the sheets back, climbed in, shut the lights off and went to sleep.
Angela returned to the Mess Hall, only seeing Wildwing there. He turned around when he heard her footsteps.
"Did you find out what's up with Mal?" Wildwing asked, giving Angela's cheek a gentle kiss.
"She told me something, that she's never told anyone, a secret heartbreak that no one would have to know about except her. It was something that she's carried around with her for years." Angela replied.
"What's that?" Wildwing asked.
Angela sighed.
"It's something I don't wish upon anyone. Mal had a boyfriend on Puckworld. His name was Siphon. But he was unlike any boyfriend that she had. She loved him to death, and he loved her in the same way. He would make her laugh at the corniest jokes. They planned to get married and having children after training had finished. She was doing her commando training, and she'd come home one weekend, and he found him dead. Something happened in his past that he didn't share with anyone, something traumatic. It ate at him until he couldn't live with anymore, so he committed suicide. He left a letter for Mallory, telling her everything that he would always love her and he apologized for doing what he did. Nosedive holds the same qualities as Siphon, that's why she has a crush on Dive." Angela explained, telling Mallory's story.
"That's so sad." Wildwing said.
"I asked her if telling Nosedive would make a difference. She said it wouldn't matter. I think it would." Angela said.
"We could try." Wildwing said.
"No, Mallory should be the one to tell him." Angela said. "She should make the effort of at least telling him her story. It would mean more coming from her than us."
Wildwing got up.
"It's getting late. It's time we turn in for the night, and wait to see what tomorrow brings, for all of us." Wildwing said.
Wildwing guided Angela out of the mess hall with his hand brushing the small of her back. They went to their rooms, and to bed. They hoped that tomorrow would be brighter and better, bringing with it hopes not only for Mallory and Nosedive, but also for everyone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Will Mallory tell Nosedive about Siphon's death? Will this explain why Dive thinks that Mallory is heartless? That's in chapter six.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter five:
~~~~~~~~~~~
When Angela arrived to Mallory's dorm, she heard quiet sobbing coming from inside. Angela knocked with caution.
"Go away!" Mal said from inside.
"Mallory! It's Angela! Please let me in, I'm worried sick about you!" Angela said.
"State your concern though the door, then leave!" Mal said in an angry tone.
"I'm not going to talk to the door Mal; I want to talk to you! Now open up!" Ang demanded.
"Fine." Mal said.
It was a couple of seconds before the door opened. Angela walked in, letting the door close behind her. She sat down on Mal's swivel desk chair.
"Mal, I'm worried about you." Angela admitted. "What's wrong?"
"It was a mistake going to speak to Nosedive again. He had the nerve to ask me why I was acting weird around him!" Mal replied.
"That doesn't, quite help me in my answer." Angela said.
Angela leaned forward in the chair, putting her elbows on her knees.
"Let me rephrase the question." Angela said. "What has got you so upset?"
"Dive's a complete jerk!" Mal said.
"Explain." Angie said.
"He has the nerve to ask me why I'm acting strange around him!" Mal said.
"So, what's wrong with that?" Ang asked, kicking back again.
"I'm just, so…I don't know." Mal replied.
"It's more involved I guess." Angela said.
"More than you'll ever know." Mal said.
"So, tell me about it." Angela said.
"These feelings for Nosedive are boggling my mind! I just told Dive how I felt. I felt so confused that I had to leave." Mal said.
"Well, Nosedive's just as confused as you are. Wildwing just got done talking with him. Wildwing and I are both worried about you two." Angela said.
Angela paused.
"Have you ever been in love before?" She asked.
"You of all people should know that answer. We lived together." Mal replied.
"You never told me anything about your love life; it was the only part of your life that you kept me out of." Angela said. "Now answer the question."
Mal paused.
"I was. I was extremely in love with this man that I had just met in a club I was working at. His name was Siphon Leaven. He and I were together before I started military training. We were so in love with each other that the rest of the world didn't matter; only we did. We had plans on getting married and having children after my training. There was something wrong with him, something he hadn't told me." Mal said, brushing a tear away. "And we always told each other everything, no secret was kept. I told him about my life and he told me his, except for a memory, a memory that caused him pain. It was a Saturday, I came home to my apartment from training, and…"
She stopped. Angela moved closer to Mallory and sat in front of her, holding her hands in hers, giving her support.
"What happened to Siphon?" Angela asked.
"He killed himself." Mal replied in one breath.
"Oh my god." Angela said. "How?"
"I came home, and I saw him sprawled out on my couch, it being soaked in blood, he literally blew his own head off. His eyes were looking at mine, as if he was still alive. There were pieces of brain matter all over the walls, the floor and the couch. The gun he had used had dropped from his hand and onto the floor. There was a suicide note, and a letter to me. In that letter, it explained everything. He told me that he'd always love me and that he was sorry for not telling me everything. Going though that was next to the hardest thing in my life." Mal replied.
"I'm so sorry for not being there for you." Angela said.
"It's okay. I managed. I thought that I would never love anyone again after Siphon. He was my last boyfriend on Puckworld. Since we've been here, something has awaked that part of me, that's why some people might have called me heartless, because I had been cruel and bitchy, especially to Nosedive." Mal explained. "These feelings I have for Dive has melted my 'ice cold' heart. It has made me realize that I can feel something for a man again."
Angela couldn't help but to shed a few tears for Mallory's heartbreak. She quickly wiped those tears away.
"I couldn't go though something like that. Why didn't you come find me? I wouldn't have let you go though this alone." Angela asked.
"I did. My commando training increased somehow while I grieved over Siphon's death." Mallory replied.
"Do you think that it would help Dive if he knew what you told me?" Angela asked.
"I wouldn't put it past him not to care about one damn word I said. It wouldn't register in that thick head of his." Mal replied. "That's why I was crying when you came around."
Angela looked away for a couple seconds, to think. Then returned her eyes to Mallory's.
"Can you tell me about Siphon?" Angela asked.
"His style and attitude was a mix between Wildwing, Nosedive and Duke. He was stylish, like Duke, he was a kid at heart, like Nosedive and he was very brave. He made me laugh whenever I was upset. He'd tell these corny jokes that wouldn't make an ordinary person laugh, but the way he told jokes would make me laugh so hard that it would almost bruise my ribs. He had this look about him, that if he gave me 'the look' it'd make me melt like ice cream on a hot summer's day. He was a gentleman, like Wildwing. In his eyes, whenever there was a wrong, justice had to be served, or he wouldn't sleep until it was. You would have loved him, just the way I did." Mal replied.
"That's what everyone looks for in a man." Angela said. "Do you find similar qualities in Nosedive that makes you feel the way you do for him?" Angela asked.
"Yes." Mal replied.
"Don't you feel better now that you've let it all out?" Angela asked.
"I guess. I haven't told anyone about Siphon until now. I wasn't going to tell anyone for the rest of my life, so I could keep this a secret heartbreak, and that I would only have to go though it alone, with nobody's help and burdening others with my problems." Mal said.
"It's good to tell someone about it. It's like lifting a heavy weight off your shoulders, a burden that you don't have to carry around all your life." Angela said.
"I'm getting tired Ang, I'm going to turn in for the night." Mal yawned.
"Alright." Angela said, giving Mal a hug. "Don't you want something to eat before bed?"
"No, I'm fine." Mal replied. "Thanks for listening."
"Mallory McMallard, don't forget that I'm your sister, that I'll always love you, and that you can talk to me if you need to get something off your chest." Angela said.
"I won't forget that, Angela McMallard." Mal said. "Plus I don't have a choice, I'm stuck with you."
They shared a chuckle before Angela stood up.
"Is it okay if I tell Wildwing?" Angela asked. "He's worried about you."
"That's okay, but no one else." Mal said.
"I promise." Angela said, giving Mal one last hug. "Good night."
"Night." Mal said.
"Are you sure that you don't need anything?" Angela asked. "Like a glass of water, or a slice of pizza?"
"I'm sure. I bet that Wildwing's waiting for you." Mal said.
"Well, good night sis, sleep tight."
"You too." Mal said.
Angela smiled at Mal, turned around and left. Mal changed into nightwear, brushed her teeth, rolled the sheets back, climbed in, shut the lights off and went to sleep.
Angela returned to the Mess Hall, only seeing Wildwing there. He turned around when he heard her footsteps.
"Did you find out what's up with Mal?" Wildwing asked, giving Angela's cheek a gentle kiss.
"She told me something, that she's never told anyone, a secret heartbreak that no one would have to know about except her. It was something that she's carried around with her for years." Angela replied.
"What's that?" Wildwing asked.
Angela sighed.
"It's something I don't wish upon anyone. Mal had a boyfriend on Puckworld. His name was Siphon. But he was unlike any boyfriend that she had. She loved him to death, and he loved her in the same way. He would make her laugh at the corniest jokes. They planned to get married and having children after training had finished. She was doing her commando training, and she'd come home one weekend, and he found him dead. Something happened in his past that he didn't share with anyone, something traumatic. It ate at him until he couldn't live with anymore, so he committed suicide. He left a letter for Mallory, telling her everything that he would always love her and he apologized for doing what he did. Nosedive holds the same qualities as Siphon, that's why she has a crush on Dive." Angela explained, telling Mallory's story.
"That's so sad." Wildwing said.
"I asked her if telling Nosedive would make a difference. She said it wouldn't matter. I think it would." Angela said.
"We could try." Wildwing said.
"No, Mallory should be the one to tell him." Angela said. "She should make the effort of at least telling him her story. It would mean more coming from her than us."
Wildwing got up.
"It's getting late. It's time we turn in for the night, and wait to see what tomorrow brings, for all of us." Wildwing said.
Wildwing guided Angela out of the mess hall with his hand brushing the small of her back. They went to their rooms, and to bed. They hoped that tomorrow would be brighter and better, bringing with it hopes not only for Mallory and Nosedive, but also for everyone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Will Mallory tell Nosedive about Siphon's death? Will this explain why Dive thinks that Mallory is heartless? That's in chapter six.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~