Thanx everyone, I know it's long and I will post when I can.

Chapter 10

As I walked along the hallway I heard a voice calling to me

"Ebony, Ebony" it called gently. I spun around trying to locate the source of the voice. I found non and as quickly as it had begun it stopped leaving me more than a little spooked. I made my way carefully through the mall watching and listening for Zoot.

Making it safely to my room I sat in my room thinking about Java, how could she hate me that much? I knew I had done some bad things in my life but nothing to warrant such hatred. And Jay. The ache and pain of Jay remained constantly throbbing inside me sometimes threatening to engulf me in pain and sorrow. Zoot too, his threats, his promises. They scared my deeply and I constantly watched around me waiting for his next move.

I was so deep in thought that when the knock on my door came I jumped, through the door came muffled sobbing. Opening it revealed Siva sobbing on the floor. I bent down to look at her where she was huddled on the floor, she stared back at me, her eyes were filled with sorrow and pain.

"Ebony." she whispered

"What is it?" I asked pulling her through the doorway and then sitting on the floor to rock her in my arms.

"Lex" she sobbed "He, he slept with Taisan" this statement caused her to start sobbing with renewed vigor

"The ba5tard" I said more to myself than her, the ba5tard had hurt my sister and I knew exactly how she felt. She sobbed for a while longer not really making much sense but I tried to comfort her. My heart bled for her. I knew exactly how she felt and all I wanted to do was break down and share my pain with hers. But that was my burden and what I had to do was help her with hers. Finally she stopped sobbing and I got a decipherable story from her. Lex had slept with Taisan last night, he said Taisan had got him drunk and all he wanted was Siva.

After a minutes silence Siva said reflectively "Do you know what mom would say now?" she asked

"No" I said

She smiled and sniffed "She would say, "Honey, if he made you cry he's not worth it" I smiled at her, that sounded like mom. I could almost hear her voice coming through the years to bring us the advice.

"Is he worth it?" I asked her. After a minute's reflection she said

"Yeah, he is" she turned and looked at me quizzically and then asked "Was Jay worth it?"

The question caught me off my guard. Jay had and was hurting me so much but the thought of a life without him even for the shot time I had had him struck my heart cold and seemed like a constant winter. "Yeah" I said quietly and sadly

After that the conversation turned and we spent the rest of the day together, around the mall and in the city, talking like close sisters. It felt great. For that time my problems were lifted from my shoulders and it was a welcome release.