Chapter 15

"I was about 12 when I realised The Witnessing was wrong—that it was twisted—but at the time I knew that if I voiced my concern I'd be made to pay and I was so young I was too scared to even attempt to tell anyone. I'd just sit there, alone at the back, while my peers jumped around excitedly, loving the feeling of exhilaration they got from watching others that hadn't an idea"

As Tyana continued Bret leaned back into his chair, relaxed with the idea of her sharing her past with him, happy with her choice. He needed to understand her. There was no other way.

"Years passed like that, me, hiding in the sleeves of my sweaters, hoping that for the other reality's sake that people would soon grow tired of them" she chuckled, holding up her sleeve, turning it slowly as if it would tell the story for her. "All until I turned 15…I knew then that I had to make a stand. For a while people dismissed me, assuming I was acting out for the attention I never received due to the world's fascination with The Witnessing. But as time wore on they knew I was serious, that I wasn't going to let them carry on."

"We're all glad you did make that stand…without you we'd be knowing near winning" Bret told her kindly, a smile assuring her he meant what he said.

She giggled childishly, the reason for her reluctance in accepting compliments now becoming apparent—before now she was never paid any.

Tyana finally tore her eyes from her clothes and glanced up at him, "You know what it was that happened when I was 15?" she stared off past the communicator wistfully and as she beamed tenderly Bret knew. "I saw him. It was round about then that the world had begun to notice him and as his popularity grew here it exploded back home. People would watch him day and night and I'm not exaggerating when I say that half the world was infatuated with him. To them he was just…so different. So alive. He did everything they ever dreamed of doing and he did it blissfully. He was the daredevil that they all wished to be but knew they couldn't. They fell in love with a fantasy of some day finding a way to follow him, to walk the path of his freedom"

She pushed herself slowly up from her bed, not even showing a sign of the pain it caused…as if just thinking of him made it bearable.

"They started beating me when I was 16…teachers, parents, strangers. Anyone that found out really. When they heard I wouldn't watch on with the rest of the nation, the rest of the world…well they were enraged. They couldn't understand me and in an attempt to make me fall for him too they would force me to sit there, tied down, staring blankly at the screen. And if I didn't then…well you know how violent that world is"

Bret's eyes closed as he thought of what the girl had been through. And when he opened them he suddenly noticed the child within her had broken free, making her look small and fragile. And the bruises and cuts that covered her in the name of the cause suddenly seemed to represent the beating she'd received for being her own person. A person with morals. He felt the tears near as he watched her, her story coming alive as she walked around slowly, limping slightly from her last expedition.

"Slowly they got over it though. They accepted I hated the witnessing and knew that no matter how hard they hit me my opinion wouldn't change. They also knew that alone I'd accomplish nothing so by the time I was 17 all that came of my silent protests was awareness. The entire city knew my name and I'm sure if you'd have mentioned it they'd spit at the ground, much like I would at the thought of them"

Her gaze glazed over when she reached her window and stared out at the first view she'd had in a hotel room. She sighed.

"I was an outcast because of it all. My parents disowned me and the only thing that kept me sane was him…knowing that maybe someday I could try and free him. And everyone else they watched."

For over a minute she was silent, gazing out of the window in contemplation of her life so far. And when she finally turned back to glance in Bret's direction she smiled warmly,

"And here I am now…and I'm sorry if you still think he's a distraction, I really am, but maybe now you know why I can't let go of him. I need a reminder of why I'm in this" she laughed gently at her misfortune and gestured to her battered body, "A reminder of why I'm putting myself through it all" and then her eyes softened, the 17 year old lingering beneath them, "Is that really so much to ask?"

Bret shook his head softly, his eyes glassy with salt crystals, "No, it's really not"

***

Jeff awoke happily that morning, a deep feeling of inner peace settling him as he went about waking up. He yawned with a smile, rubbing his eyes tiredly, his brother watching him from the couch where he'd been silently watching his brother sleep for the past 10 minutes. If he wasn't falling for this girl then it would be nothing more than a complete shock for the brunette and redhead that was currently still to awake in her own suite.

Matt watched, beaming himself, as Jeff stumbled out of bed, grinning from head to toe in his sleepy state. He knew that his brother had been having nightmarish dreams for over a month or so now—ever since he'd met Tyana according to Amy—so by the content expression the rainbow bared he assumed that meant he'd had a reasonable if not complete night of peaceful rest. Which was, needless to say, good. Better than good, it was great! It was no secret that on occasion the lack of sleep led this young man to become irritable so Matt was glad to know that he'd be ok for at least one day, hopefully more.

"Morning baby bro" Matt greeted, only then having Jeff realise his existence within his hotel room.

"Oh, hey Matt" Jeff beamed, picking up some clothes from the floor and folding them neatly for the first time Matt could ever remember. And he meant ever. It seemed this Tyana girl was having a bigger impact on his younger sibling than he had realised. In fact, Matt had noticed subtle changes in Jeff recently that went beyond just cleaning up a little more and he could only presume that had come from the friendship he'd established with the girl he'd been informed had a stunning body, an intelligent mind and the coolest hair ever, to match!

And all the while that Matt watched Jeff fuss about his room, getting ready for their no doubt long day ahead, all he could think was that he couldn't wait to meet this woman; she had to be one in a million.

Matt just didn't realise she was even more than that.

Far more.