Latter that night Mel was walking down the hallway when she saw Kai leaning
on the wall next to her bedroom door. "Uh? What's up?" She asked going to
the other side of the hall and leaning on the wall.
"What's happening in two days?" He asked looking at her with that captain look. She just seemed to blink an innocent gleam into her eyes.
"What ever do you mean?" She asked in a slightly childish voice.
"Your cousins inferred something was happening in two days what is it?" He asked sternly and she sighed looking at him like she was a five year old caught for breaking a rule.
"I have this strict white suit, black tie party I have to go to." She said with a grumble before crossing her arms and slouching a little.
"White suit?" He raised an eyebrow at her and she blinked then smirked.
"Navy officers, they wear white suits or at least the commanders and general people do. I was never one to pay strict attention to their ranks. Well anyway it's the Fourth of July Party, a once every year advent. It's were, a bunch of high-class officers bring their wives and dance the night away at a base. You know celebrate independence and all. Well I have nothing against the officers it's just the damn party that I don't like. Speaking of which, I have to bring a friend and Becky going out of town, Nat and Sam going to visit their folks, and Tay having to stay here to make sure her house is still standing; I guess I have to get one of my cousins to go. Oh joy, a whole evening in the company of the lawbreakers. Why must I go through such torture?" She said putting her head in on of her hands.
"Do you have to bring one of you cousins?" He asked with a raised eyebrow and she looked up at him.
"Uh, no. Well I could bring anyone I guess but I doubt anyone would want to go. I mean it's from five at night to around ten; I have to stay there the whole party. I don't see why since my father is out of the service. I guess being popular with the bigwigs, means that your family still gets invited and is expected to show." She said with a shrug then a smirk slowly crept on her face. "Hey, you doing anything two days from now?"
"No." He said looking at her cautiously.
"Good, wear a tux and be ready at five. If anyone asks don't answer them, not even Nat, Sam, or Tay knows about these events. Thanks." She said patting him on the arm before going into her room and locking the door. He stood there in the hallway for a minute before growling. He left wondering how he got stuck going with her to a black tie party.
Becky stood there with a mile wide smile. "So they're going out on a date, how sweet." She said with a slight laugh to her voice. She walked down the halls until she ran smack into Bryan but before she fell over he caught her by the shoulders and steadied her. "Oh, hey. I was actually looking for you. Can you spare a moment?" She asked and he nodded. They began to walk down the halls since the others were ether asleep, getting ready for bed, in the library, or in the green house. This was pretty much the routine for quiet a while. "I was wondering; what are you doing in two days?"
"Nothing." He said and she smiled, her man of few words.
"Wanna go to Boston with me? I have to go there for a tournament, but I'm staying a few days afterwards, you know just to get away." She said he looked at her somewhat shocked.
"Sure." He said and she jumped giving him a big hug and a peck on the cheek.
"Thanks." She said then opened the door to a family room spotting Bega. He was coming at them obviously to leave the room. "Honey." She said and nearly knocked him over giving him a hug. He looked really surprised and had to wrap his arms around her waist to steady the both of them.
"Yea?" He asked knowing she was only playing but he didn't mind at all. Mel had always called him a playa.
"Tomorrow can you go into town and get me some stuff from the store?" She asked as Tala glared at Bega's head and Bryan growled a little at the two's interactions.
"Sure, just give me the list tomorrow before I go. I have to pick something up at the store anyway." He said giving her a hug before leaving. Becky just saw the glares that Bryan and Tala exchanged before Tala left Bryan close on his heels.
"Did I miss something?" She asked no one before sighing and shaking her head. She left to get ready for bed since it was late. In the morning she'd confront the two, preferably at different times, and ask what that was about.
The morning was slightly bleak and there was a small tension in the air as they all ate breakfast. "So you're leaving soon?" Mel asked after she yawned. She was talking with Louie who nodded. "Aw, Lulu why can't you stay a while?"
"Well mom called asking if we were there, Uncle Bo-bar died from cancer. You should come up sometime, she misses you." Louie said with a concern tone in his voice.
"I'm sure she's not the only one that misses me. Naw, I can't go up there I'm busy as it is. Maybe someday you'll see me walking the Stretch on my way to Mission Hill." She said as the others ate and had their own conversations.
"What are you so afraid of?" Dan asked looking at his younger cousin who seemed to stubbornly refuse to go back to "home". However since they were speaking in Native American it was useless for the others to try and eavesdrop.
"Her." Was all that Mel muttered before yawning and standing up. She smiled and looked at the others remembering to speak in English, "Well I'll be around." She left remembering to bring her empty plate to the kitchen. She had other things she had to worry about, though Bo-Bar was one of her closest uncles. She wouldn't cry, she learned a long time ago that crying for the dead didn't do you any good.
Becky smiled as she walked down the hall. She was going to track down Bega to see if he had gotten the list of items she asked him to get for her. She turned the corner and there he was talking with Bryan and Tala. "Honey." She said rushing up and wrapping her arms around his neck from behind. "Did you get what I asked you to get?"
"Of course." He said trying to look at her but it was a failure. "Why did you want toothpaste, a toothbrush, and all that other stuff anyway?"
"Oh, going on a trip however I'm bringing one of my friends and you can't come sorry." She said letting him go so he could turn around and talk to her.
"Why?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Cause Honey, I already asked this other friend. You know I'd take you if I could, but I can't or I'm dead twice. Now, you're the best!" She answered with a smile giving him another hug.
"Why dead twice?" He asked holding her; he had a very calculated look on his face as if he was thinking. (A/N: Mel: He's thinking, RUN AWAY!)
"Once, your favorite cousin, don't think she'd approve. Twice, my friend, they wouldn't approve either. Besides, I don't think our audience approves either." She said with a small glint in her eye that he didn't recognize.
"Why? Who's your friend?" Bega asked trying to place where the glint came from.
"Can't tell. But you'll find out soon enough anyways." She said with a sugar sweet smile. "Oh, Bryan I was looking for you as well." The Russian seemed to glare past her at Bega. "Come on." She said grapping his arm and dragging him off down the hallway.
"What now?" He grumbled and she let go of him and sent him a glare.
"Wondering if you still want to go. I mean I could bring Tala or Bega." She said with a shrug.
"No." He growled angry at the thought of either of them being alone with her.
"I thought so. Well come on I have to tell you what you need to bring and the schedule." She said tugging towards her room.
~Meanwhile~(Little batman flip-y thingy)
"MEL!"
"SHUT UP!" Mel muttered into the pillow before falling off the couch. Sam was catching onto the fact that something was going to happen tomorrow when she left and she wanted to know what. "Leave me alone."
"Get up." Sam snapped sitting down on the armchair next to the couch. "We have to talk."
"We no gotta talk 'bout any thing." Mel muttered burring herself more into the fluffy carpet of one of the many "living rooms" that could be found in the house.
"YES WE DO! YOU'RE GOING SOMEWHERE TOMORROW AND YOU'RE NOT TELLING ME! WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?" Sam yelled glaring at Mel, the other occupants of the room (Tyson, Enrique, Lee, Johnny, Michel and Kevin) flinched at the screech in Sam's voice.
"Nothing." Mel said then sat up. "Can't take a nap anywhere in the house. I just want some sleep. Is that too much to ask? I swear I live in a constant hell." She muttered standing up and walking off.
"MELINDA!" Sam shouted before Mel slammed the door causing the wood frame to shutter with the force. Mel walked down the hall and out to the gardens. She sighed and looked around the vast space of plant life and started down a path. In no time she went into the labyrinth that was just as confusing as the house was sometimes. She ran a hand through her hair before taking off her hair tie and allowing the braid to unravel. She went over to a large bolder that was on a hill in the middle of a daisy garden. She sighed and smiled as the wind blew through her hair. The soft whisper calmed her nerves; she didn't like it when she got mad or stressed. With another sigh she sat down on the rock; her hair was a cape. Sitting there her thoughts turned to three special people to her, her family.
"It feels so odd mom. Smiling all day after so long, I can't believe that I finally accepted the inevitable. Just goes to show how naïve I had been the first year without you." She said to the wind as it whispered to her more. "Yea I know it was foolish of me to drowned like that for so long. Now I have gotten over it yet I still feel sad, going to this advent without you and dad. Hell I even miss sis, when did I become so lonely?" She asked her voice breaking a little. "When she got custody of me, I thought I lost everything. I wanted to be with you so much, I remember going to Mission Hill and lying down next to you. I never cried, I'll never cry. Not for me anyway." She said fighting her tears. She clutched her fist with her other hand and looked down. The pain of her nails digging into her skin distracted her from the pain that was building up inside her. The pain, that only came with being hurt emotionally. She gritted her teeth and looked at the sky. "I want to go home but she'll be there. Waiting for my return, I hate it. I hate her; I disdain her. Hell, I wish she were dead. The old hag, why did she do it? Why did she take you away from me? WHY DID I LET HER?" She practically yelled before ramming her fist into the bolder. She closed her eyes in an attempt to stop the tears of rage that were falling from her eyes without sobs. "Why did you have to go?" She muttered before falling to her knees having slipped off the bolder. She held herself fighting the inner battle of breaking something, crying, or laughing at her self. She was in an emotional hurricane and the only solid thought she had was the fact that she hated the woman that was waiting for her return. "You loved me, that's why." She said answering her own question. "You and dad and sis, you all loved me. She hated it; she hated you loving me. She hated you for giving me emotions, for allowing me to see things in a happy light. She hated you for being my parents and sister." She continued feeling so small. That's when she felt cold, so she started to shake tears of rage still falling.
"Are you okay?" Someone asked and she looked up to find Kai standing there. She hissed a little before looking back at the ground. "Cold." She muttered leaning against the bolder. She had the faint taste of blood from the small cut on her tongue when she had bit it at one point in her emotional outburst. She watched him through her bangs as he walked over and sat down next to her.
"What happened?" He asked having heard her ranting. He had been napping under a tree nearby when he had seen her sitting on the bolder.
"Nothing." She said pulling her legs to her chest burying her head into them in an effort to hide.
"You can't say nothing, you never cry." He said and she flinched.
"I'm not perfect nor do I always smile. I have other emotions to you know." She said into the fabric of her jeans as she tried her best to shield her face and tears from him.
"Whatever you say." He said then sighed he didn't know how to handle her but he did know not to get the other girls. "I'll leave you to your thoughts." He added before standing and leaving trying to figure out what had happened to put her in this state. He sighed again then shook his head. "Women are confusing." He concluded before going into the house for lunch.
~*~
NOTE: About my happy bubble (from Seducing Chairs Note) , I was accepted into an elite school where I will spend the next two years doing advanced work and taking classes at WPI my senior year. GO ME. Bye, definitely time to got to bed!!!
"What's happening in two days?" He asked looking at her with that captain look. She just seemed to blink an innocent gleam into her eyes.
"What ever do you mean?" She asked in a slightly childish voice.
"Your cousins inferred something was happening in two days what is it?" He asked sternly and she sighed looking at him like she was a five year old caught for breaking a rule.
"I have this strict white suit, black tie party I have to go to." She said with a grumble before crossing her arms and slouching a little.
"White suit?" He raised an eyebrow at her and she blinked then smirked.
"Navy officers, they wear white suits or at least the commanders and general people do. I was never one to pay strict attention to their ranks. Well anyway it's the Fourth of July Party, a once every year advent. It's were, a bunch of high-class officers bring their wives and dance the night away at a base. You know celebrate independence and all. Well I have nothing against the officers it's just the damn party that I don't like. Speaking of which, I have to bring a friend and Becky going out of town, Nat and Sam going to visit their folks, and Tay having to stay here to make sure her house is still standing; I guess I have to get one of my cousins to go. Oh joy, a whole evening in the company of the lawbreakers. Why must I go through such torture?" She said putting her head in on of her hands.
"Do you have to bring one of you cousins?" He asked with a raised eyebrow and she looked up at him.
"Uh, no. Well I could bring anyone I guess but I doubt anyone would want to go. I mean it's from five at night to around ten; I have to stay there the whole party. I don't see why since my father is out of the service. I guess being popular with the bigwigs, means that your family still gets invited and is expected to show." She said with a shrug then a smirk slowly crept on her face. "Hey, you doing anything two days from now?"
"No." He said looking at her cautiously.
"Good, wear a tux and be ready at five. If anyone asks don't answer them, not even Nat, Sam, or Tay knows about these events. Thanks." She said patting him on the arm before going into her room and locking the door. He stood there in the hallway for a minute before growling. He left wondering how he got stuck going with her to a black tie party.
Becky stood there with a mile wide smile. "So they're going out on a date, how sweet." She said with a slight laugh to her voice. She walked down the halls until she ran smack into Bryan but before she fell over he caught her by the shoulders and steadied her. "Oh, hey. I was actually looking for you. Can you spare a moment?" She asked and he nodded. They began to walk down the halls since the others were ether asleep, getting ready for bed, in the library, or in the green house. This was pretty much the routine for quiet a while. "I was wondering; what are you doing in two days?"
"Nothing." He said and she smiled, her man of few words.
"Wanna go to Boston with me? I have to go there for a tournament, but I'm staying a few days afterwards, you know just to get away." She said he looked at her somewhat shocked.
"Sure." He said and she jumped giving him a big hug and a peck on the cheek.
"Thanks." She said then opened the door to a family room spotting Bega. He was coming at them obviously to leave the room. "Honey." She said and nearly knocked him over giving him a hug. He looked really surprised and had to wrap his arms around her waist to steady the both of them.
"Yea?" He asked knowing she was only playing but he didn't mind at all. Mel had always called him a playa.
"Tomorrow can you go into town and get me some stuff from the store?" She asked as Tala glared at Bega's head and Bryan growled a little at the two's interactions.
"Sure, just give me the list tomorrow before I go. I have to pick something up at the store anyway." He said giving her a hug before leaving. Becky just saw the glares that Bryan and Tala exchanged before Tala left Bryan close on his heels.
"Did I miss something?" She asked no one before sighing and shaking her head. She left to get ready for bed since it was late. In the morning she'd confront the two, preferably at different times, and ask what that was about.
The morning was slightly bleak and there was a small tension in the air as they all ate breakfast. "So you're leaving soon?" Mel asked after she yawned. She was talking with Louie who nodded. "Aw, Lulu why can't you stay a while?"
"Well mom called asking if we were there, Uncle Bo-bar died from cancer. You should come up sometime, she misses you." Louie said with a concern tone in his voice.
"I'm sure she's not the only one that misses me. Naw, I can't go up there I'm busy as it is. Maybe someday you'll see me walking the Stretch on my way to Mission Hill." She said as the others ate and had their own conversations.
"What are you so afraid of?" Dan asked looking at his younger cousin who seemed to stubbornly refuse to go back to "home". However since they were speaking in Native American it was useless for the others to try and eavesdrop.
"Her." Was all that Mel muttered before yawning and standing up. She smiled and looked at the others remembering to speak in English, "Well I'll be around." She left remembering to bring her empty plate to the kitchen. She had other things she had to worry about, though Bo-Bar was one of her closest uncles. She wouldn't cry, she learned a long time ago that crying for the dead didn't do you any good.
Becky smiled as she walked down the hall. She was going to track down Bega to see if he had gotten the list of items she asked him to get for her. She turned the corner and there he was talking with Bryan and Tala. "Honey." She said rushing up and wrapping her arms around his neck from behind. "Did you get what I asked you to get?"
"Of course." He said trying to look at her but it was a failure. "Why did you want toothpaste, a toothbrush, and all that other stuff anyway?"
"Oh, going on a trip however I'm bringing one of my friends and you can't come sorry." She said letting him go so he could turn around and talk to her.
"Why?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Cause Honey, I already asked this other friend. You know I'd take you if I could, but I can't or I'm dead twice. Now, you're the best!" She answered with a smile giving him another hug.
"Why dead twice?" He asked holding her; he had a very calculated look on his face as if he was thinking. (A/N: Mel: He's thinking, RUN AWAY!)
"Once, your favorite cousin, don't think she'd approve. Twice, my friend, they wouldn't approve either. Besides, I don't think our audience approves either." She said with a small glint in her eye that he didn't recognize.
"Why? Who's your friend?" Bega asked trying to place where the glint came from.
"Can't tell. But you'll find out soon enough anyways." She said with a sugar sweet smile. "Oh, Bryan I was looking for you as well." The Russian seemed to glare past her at Bega. "Come on." She said grapping his arm and dragging him off down the hallway.
"What now?" He grumbled and she let go of him and sent him a glare.
"Wondering if you still want to go. I mean I could bring Tala or Bega." She said with a shrug.
"No." He growled angry at the thought of either of them being alone with her.
"I thought so. Well come on I have to tell you what you need to bring and the schedule." She said tugging towards her room.
~Meanwhile~(Little batman flip-y thingy)
"MEL!"
"SHUT UP!" Mel muttered into the pillow before falling off the couch. Sam was catching onto the fact that something was going to happen tomorrow when she left and she wanted to know what. "Leave me alone."
"Get up." Sam snapped sitting down on the armchair next to the couch. "We have to talk."
"We no gotta talk 'bout any thing." Mel muttered burring herself more into the fluffy carpet of one of the many "living rooms" that could be found in the house.
"YES WE DO! YOU'RE GOING SOMEWHERE TOMORROW AND YOU'RE NOT TELLING ME! WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?" Sam yelled glaring at Mel, the other occupants of the room (Tyson, Enrique, Lee, Johnny, Michel and Kevin) flinched at the screech in Sam's voice.
"Nothing." Mel said then sat up. "Can't take a nap anywhere in the house. I just want some sleep. Is that too much to ask? I swear I live in a constant hell." She muttered standing up and walking off.
"MELINDA!" Sam shouted before Mel slammed the door causing the wood frame to shutter with the force. Mel walked down the hall and out to the gardens. She sighed and looked around the vast space of plant life and started down a path. In no time she went into the labyrinth that was just as confusing as the house was sometimes. She ran a hand through her hair before taking off her hair tie and allowing the braid to unravel. She went over to a large bolder that was on a hill in the middle of a daisy garden. She sighed and smiled as the wind blew through her hair. The soft whisper calmed her nerves; she didn't like it when she got mad or stressed. With another sigh she sat down on the rock; her hair was a cape. Sitting there her thoughts turned to three special people to her, her family.
"It feels so odd mom. Smiling all day after so long, I can't believe that I finally accepted the inevitable. Just goes to show how naïve I had been the first year without you." She said to the wind as it whispered to her more. "Yea I know it was foolish of me to drowned like that for so long. Now I have gotten over it yet I still feel sad, going to this advent without you and dad. Hell I even miss sis, when did I become so lonely?" She asked her voice breaking a little. "When she got custody of me, I thought I lost everything. I wanted to be with you so much, I remember going to Mission Hill and lying down next to you. I never cried, I'll never cry. Not for me anyway." She said fighting her tears. She clutched her fist with her other hand and looked down. The pain of her nails digging into her skin distracted her from the pain that was building up inside her. The pain, that only came with being hurt emotionally. She gritted her teeth and looked at the sky. "I want to go home but she'll be there. Waiting for my return, I hate it. I hate her; I disdain her. Hell, I wish she were dead. The old hag, why did she do it? Why did she take you away from me? WHY DID I LET HER?" She practically yelled before ramming her fist into the bolder. She closed her eyes in an attempt to stop the tears of rage that were falling from her eyes without sobs. "Why did you have to go?" She muttered before falling to her knees having slipped off the bolder. She held herself fighting the inner battle of breaking something, crying, or laughing at her self. She was in an emotional hurricane and the only solid thought she had was the fact that she hated the woman that was waiting for her return. "You loved me, that's why." She said answering her own question. "You and dad and sis, you all loved me. She hated it; she hated you loving me. She hated you for giving me emotions, for allowing me to see things in a happy light. She hated you for being my parents and sister." She continued feeling so small. That's when she felt cold, so she started to shake tears of rage still falling.
"Are you okay?" Someone asked and she looked up to find Kai standing there. She hissed a little before looking back at the ground. "Cold." She muttered leaning against the bolder. She had the faint taste of blood from the small cut on her tongue when she had bit it at one point in her emotional outburst. She watched him through her bangs as he walked over and sat down next to her.
"What happened?" He asked having heard her ranting. He had been napping under a tree nearby when he had seen her sitting on the bolder.
"Nothing." She said pulling her legs to her chest burying her head into them in an effort to hide.
"You can't say nothing, you never cry." He said and she flinched.
"I'm not perfect nor do I always smile. I have other emotions to you know." She said into the fabric of her jeans as she tried her best to shield her face and tears from him.
"Whatever you say." He said then sighed he didn't know how to handle her but he did know not to get the other girls. "I'll leave you to your thoughts." He added before standing and leaving trying to figure out what had happened to put her in this state. He sighed again then shook his head. "Women are confusing." He concluded before going into the house for lunch.
~*~
NOTE: About my happy bubble (from Seducing Chairs Note) , I was accepted into an elite school where I will spend the next two years doing advanced work and taking classes at WPI my senior year. GO ME. Bye, definitely time to got to bed!!!