Chapter 4: Lying From You

AN: Yes, this is a song fic. Don't ask me how I got the idea, I just did.

When I pretend

Everything is what I want it to be

I look exactly like what you had always

Wanted to see

Richie woke up and found himself looking at the cracks in his ceiling. It was a blurry sight, but it was still depressing. It's been 3 months and Kandi was still in the hospital. She was close to a full recovery. He had sent her schoolwork and visiting her anytime he could, when he wasn't being Gear and when he wasn't with his parents. He was happy for her almost-full recovery, but then there was the fact that it was hard to find a foster parent to take care of her. "It's unfair..." he muttered

There was a light knock at the door. He put on his glasses and lifted his leg to hit the floor. "Richie?" asked Mrs. Foley

"I'm up." He said

She opened the door and smiled. "I thought you would sleep in, since it's Saturday." She said

"No." he answered "I wanted to go and get the homework from Kandice before she started her exercises."

"She sounds like a very special girl."

"Wha?"

"You spend a lot of your time with this girl. Maybe when she gets out of the hospital, we can meet her."
Riche flopped backwards and looked up at the ceiling. "Sure." He said

Mrs. Foley gave her son a weak smile and walked out the room, closing the door.

When I pretend

I can forget about the criminal I am

Stealing second after second just 'cause I know I can

Kandi flicked through the channels. The schoolbooks laid to the left of her, and her get-well soon cards on the right. She wasn't really for watching TV; she just was a bit annoyed. She didn't like people worrying about her, and she particularly cared for their concern. Deep down inside, she appreciated the care that people gave for her; she just didn't know how to handle it. A very abusive father, who didn't care, not even after her mother died, raised her. "I'm just selfish..." she muttered "Richie should be enjoying life, not spending his life me in a cold, sterile room where life becomes a repeat."
She smirked and laughed inwardly. "Oh God," she laughed "I'm going crazy."

She looked over when the door opened and in came Sharon. "Great timing." She said "I'm going crazy."
Sharon looked at her awkwardly and shook her head. "I came to see how you were doing." She said

"Oh yea, you're my psychologist." Said Kandice, sarcastically

"Believe me, I don't think you're going crazy."

"I'm hearing another voice in my head, tell me that's not crazy."

"What do you mean by hearing voices?"

"Another voice is telling me that I should be hurting my father for what he did to me...all the years of hell he put me through..."

"That's just the way you feel. It's sort-of like your sub-consciousness."

"Sub-consciousness?"

"It's that part of yourself you refuse to let out. I've seen you around the center a lot, you don't seem to be angry a lot. Maybe sometimes it's good to just let it out."

But I can't pretend this is the way

It will stay

I'm just trying to bend the truth

I can't pretend I'm who you want me to be

A man with a skull white face grinned as he looked down at his victim, Brickhouse. Her skin had lost all color and her lifeless eyes stared up at the roof of the abandoned subway station. He looked down at the girl, his eyes glowing a menacing red. "Arise." He said

Brickhouse's skin turned back to the way it was, but her eyes were still lifeless. She immediately stood up, grinning evilly. "Let's return to our lair, my dear." He said

A grenade wrapped around Brickhouse's body. The man turned around and found himself looking at Static and Gear. Static blinked and his eyes widened. "You!" he exclaimed "You're the one that murdered that innocent woman!"

"Are you sure it was me? It could've been someone else."

"You also murdered the professors at the Dakota Museum!"

"So what if it was me? There's nothing you can do. Brickhouse over here is my servant. She does as I say, and so will every other human or bang baby I suck the soul out of."

"Did he just say suck souls?" asked Gear

The man smirked and chanted something under his breath. Before Static and Gear could know what was going on, their breath's became labored and they felt lightheaded. "I am Aragog." He said, walking over to them "I'm the master of sorcery."
He glanced over at Gear, whose breathing was more heavily labored that Static's was. "I can see into your soul." He said, crouching down "Your heart is hurting because she won't love you back."

"Shut up..." growled Gear, gritting his teeth

"She's sick and there's nothing you can do to help her."

"I said shut up."

"Her soul would be great to add to my collection."
With those words, he and Brickhouse disappeared into a portal. The spell was lifted and the two began breathing, heavily.

So I'm lying my way from you

I wanna be pushed aside

So let me go

Let me take back my life

Kandice ran her fingers down the mirror. A small shard that stuck out of the mirror pricked her finger. She retched back in sight pain and took out the shard. "Ow..." she moaned

She placed her finger in her mouth and began sucking up the blood. "You shouldn't do that." Said a voice "You'd get infection."

"Shut up." Said Kandice

A girl that looked exactly like her stood next to her. She was a transparent and she was leaning against a wall, crossing her arms. "Sorry if I care." She said

"It's your fault, you know."

"What did I do?"

"Everybody's gonna think I'm crazy."

"Technically, you are."

"Only because I'm talking to transparent soul who happens to be sharing my body."

"You wanna know why you're crazy?"

"Not really, but you can explain."

"You can't remember anything that happened to you in Metropolis. I can remember everthing. Your father beating you, your mother dying, the love you had for Richie, even when you didn't get noticed."

"Shut up."

"Hey, don't get all defensive, I'm only telling the truth."

"Don't you think I know that?! I wish that I'd never become a bang baby in the first damn place!"

"It can't be helped. If you'd taken care of your father, you wouldn't be here."
She slowly walked out the bathroom, gripping to anything she can. "You're not much help, you know." She said

"I am a spirit, you know." Said the other

There was a loud scream in the hallway, almost a shriek. The two of them blinked and looked at each other. "I didn't like the sound of that." Said the spirit

I'd rather be all alone

Anywhere on my own

'Cause I can see

The very worst part of you

Is me

Virgil watched as Richie ate his burger in silence. By now, he would be cracking some kind of joke. He couldn't take much more of Richie being quiet. He knew why, too. Kandice was coming out the hospital soon, but there weren't many foster parents willing to take on troubled teens. He knew the deal from being at the community center so much. Homeless or abused people would live at the center until suitable parents would come and get them. Some times it would take days, weeks, months, or years before anything would happen. Putting her in a group home would make things worse. Some of the other teens might hurt her, or even murder her. "She'll be fine." He said

"Huh?" asked Richie

"Kandice. You've been over there almost every day to see her."

"Wow, I've been gone that much?"

"Yeah, everybody's been noticing, even your parents."

"Maybe I should get out more."

"It's ok, though. When you really care about somebody, you're willing to give up all the time in the world."

Richie's cell phone went off and Virgil looked at him awkwardly. "Since when do you have a cell phone?" he asked

"Since I've been spending time at the hospital. Mom wants to make sure I'm ok."

He opened his phone. "Hello?" he asked

"Hello son." Said a feminine voice

"Mom?" he asked

"You need to come home."

"What for?"

"Your father and I want to talk to you about something."

I remember what they taugt to me

Remember condescending talk

Of who I ought to be

Remember listening to all of that

It only took a week for Kandice to get out of the hospital...and back into the world that she called 'hell'. She had been sent to a foster home in the Hispanic part of Dakota. She still went to Dakota Union High, but there were certain restrictions to living in the foster home. Fall was almost over and winter was setting in. Despite the 3 months in the hospital, Kandice miraculously could keep up with her schoolwork. Richie had offered to walk Kandice home, and she accepted. The air was colder and this meant heavy coats and gloves. Kandice zipped up her coat and put her hands into her coat. "Cold?" asked Richie

"What do you think?" asked Kandice, out of sarcasm

He sighed and kept on walking. Kandice poked him in the cheek gently with her cold finger. "Hey!" he protested

"Ok, fess up." She said

"What?"

"Come on, I know you have something on your mind. I'm trying to read and you're blocking me out."

"Kandi!"

"What? I can't help screwing with people's minds sometime."

"I wonder how many innocent people got sent to the mental hospital because of you."
Kandice turned to look at him and she gave him a sly smile. She pressed a finger into his chest and leaned closer to him. "You really wanna know?" she asked

Richie's face flush slightly red and she laughed, walking off in the process. He blinked and shook the blush off. "You're insane!" he called, running after her

She stopped to let him catch up. The cold air was bad for their asthma and Richie running without his inhaler wasn't a pretty sight. When he finally caught up, she slipped her arms around his neck and he slipped his arms around her waist. "Ok, what's on your mind?' she asked

"Um...my parents what to meet you." He answered

Kandice's smile immediately dropped from her face. "You've got to be kidding me." She said

Both of them dropped their hands. "Kandi, come on." He said

"I can barely go through a whole day of school without my powers acting up. Besides, if I have to talk one on one with your mom, a plate could go flying somewhere."

"Please Kandi?"

"Fine, but you'd better hope I don't kill you in the whole 'interrigation'."

And this again

So I pretended up a person who was fitting in

And now you think this person

"She'll be fine." He said

"Huh?" asked Richie

"Kandice. You've been over there almost every day to see her."

"Wow, I've been gone that much?"

"Yeah, everybody's been noticing, even your parents."

"Maybe I should get out more."

"It's ok, though. When you really care about somebody, you're willing to give up all the time in the world."

Richie's cell phone went off and Virgil looked at him awkwardly. "Since when do you have a cell phone?" he asked

"Since I've been spending time at the hospital. Mom wants to make sure I'm ok."

He opened his phone. "Hello?" he asked

"Hello son." Said a feminine voice

"Mom?" he asked

"You need to come home."

"What for?"

"Your father and I want to talk to you about something."

I remember what they taugt to me

Remember condescending talk

Of who I ought to be

Remember listening to all of that

It only took a week for Kandice to get out of the hospital...and back into the world that she called 'hell'. She had been sent to a foster home in the Hispanic part of Dakota. She still went to Dakota Union High, but there were certain restrictions to living in the foster home. Fall was almost over and winter was setting in. Despite the 3 months in the hospital, Kandice miraculously could keep up with her schoolwork. Richie had offered to walk Kandice home, and she accepted. The air was colder and this meant heavy coats and gloves. Kandice zipped up her coat and put her hands into her coat. "Cold?" asked Richie

"What do you think?" asked Kandice, out of sarcasm

He sighed and kept on walking. Kandice poked him in the cheek gently with her cold finger. "Hey!" he protested

"Ok, fess up." She said

"What?"

"Come on, I know you have something on your mind. I'm trying to read and you're blocking me out."

"Kandi!"

"What? I can't help screwing with people's minds sometime."

"I wonder how many innocent people got sent to the mental hospital because of you."
Kandice turned to look at him and she gave him a sly smile. She pressed a finger into his chest and leaned closer to him. "You really wanna know?" she asked

Richie's face flush slightly red and she laughed, walking off in the process. He blinked and shook the blush off. "You're insane!" he called, running after her

She stopped to let him catch up. The cold air was bad for their asthma and Richie running without his inhaler wasn't a pretty sight. When he finally caught up, she slipped her arms around his neck and he slipped his arms around her waist. "Ok, what's on your mind?' she asked

"Um...my parents what to meet you." He answered

Kandice's smile immediately dropped from her face. "You've got to be kidding me." She said

Both of them dropped their hands. "Kandi, come on." He said

"I can barely go through a whole day of school without my powers acting up. Besides, if I have to talk one on one with your mom, a plate could go flying somewhere."

"Please Kandi?"

"Fine, but you'd better hope I don't kill you in the whole 'interrogation'."

And this again

So I pretended up a person who was fitting in

And now you think this person

Really is me and I'm

Trying to bend the truth

Theresa threw a pillow at Kandice. Ever since she lost her powers, she was placed into foster care. Even though her parents kicked her out and forced her to live in foster care, she would never turn back into a bang baby. Kandice threw the pillow back and continued looking into the closet. "You're not going to go through with it, are you?" asked Theresa

"Like I have much of a choice." Answered Kandice "I can't resist that cute innocent face."

"Wow, crazy in love."

"Quit making fun of my song."

She pulled out a pair of jeans and a white blouse. She held them up for Theresa to see. "Loose the pants." She said

"Aww, come on." Whined Kandice

"When impressing parents, you have to look conservative and cute."
She sighed and picked out a pair of black pants. "Cute." Said Theresa

"It better be." Said Kandice "Dressing formally is so not me."

"So why do you like Foley so much?"

"I dunno...I guess it's because he's the only person that's cared for me."

"Be careful, guys like him take advantage."

"I'd seriously doubt he'd even know how to do that."

Kandice adverted her eyes away and looked at her reflection. She could see her 'twin' looking back at her. 'If anything, I'm taking advantage of his kindness...' she thought 'I don't deserve him.'

But the more I push

The more I'm pulling away

'Cause I'm

Lying my way from you

Mrs. Foley stirred the soup in the pot and looked over at her son. He dressed as he normally did, but he seemed nervous. She smiled at her son. She could remember when her husband was the same way with her parents. "Things will go fine." She said

"Huh?" asked Richie

"When your friend gets here. Your father was the same way."
There was a small knock at the door and Richie almost fell off the couch. Mrs. Foley emerged from the kitchen and walked to the door. Richie took a deep breath, not knowing how this was going to turn out. "Hello, Mrs. Foley." Said a happy voice "I'm Kandice Harris, Richie's friend from school."

"So you're the little girl who's got my son wrapped around her finger." She said

Richie felt like he was going to die. He never expected her mother to say something like that. But then, there was the tone of voice she took it as. He didn't know if it was of slight anger or it was happy. Before he knew what was happening, Kandice had plopped herself on the couch and Mrs. Foley went back to cooking. He kissed her on the cheek and she smirked. "We're not even alone and your being affectionate." She said, softly

"I'm just trying to make you feel better." He said

She poked him in the side and stood up. "I'm going to help your mother." She said

"You don't have to do that." Said Mrs. Foley, emerging from the kitchen "Dinner's almost ready."
The door opened and banged shut. Mrs. Foley went to her husband and Richie stood up, squeezing Kandice's hand. She looked at him awkwardly, but then felt something. It felt like hatred and pain.

This isn't what I wanted to be

I never thought that what I said

Would have you running from you

Like this

Dinner was very quiet. For some reason, Richie kept brushing his leg up against Kandice's. She thought at first that it was for affection, but then she realized that it was for reassurance. Mr. Foley kept glaring at her, so she kept looking down at the bowl. The four of them said nothing for a whole hour. Throughout Kandice's head, the 'other person' said for her to leave while she could. She knew that the 'other person' was right, but she wouldn't do it, not for Richie's sake. Finally, Mr. Foley put down his glass and glared straight into Kandice's eyes. "So Kandice, your father's name is Johnathan Harris, right?" he asked

The glass that was near Kandice's hand started shaking a bit, but not enough for the parents to notice. "Yes." She said "He is."

"I haven't seen him around for a while. Did he get re-assigned?"
Now the glass began to start shaking and Richie grabbed it. "You want some more juice?" he asked

Kandice gave a quick nod, knowing what he was doing. "Sit down." Said Mr. Foley, sternly

Kandice began messing with her nails, anything to keep her anger down. She didn't like where this conversation was going. "Can I use your bathroom?" she asked

"Sure." Answered Mrs. Foley "Go up the stairs and it's the first door to your right."
She immediately got up and walked out the kitchen, muttering a 'thank you'. When she got into the bathroom, she took a deep breath and slid down to the floor, her back to the door. "Told ya to leave." Said a voice

"You're not helping." Said Kandice

"I'm just saying you read his mind and you knew what he thought about you. Why take the abuse when you can leave?"

"Because I-"

"Why would you like a girl like her?!" yelled a voice

"Dad, she'll hear you!" yelled Richie

"I don't care! I don't want you dating a girl like her!"

"Is it because she's African-American?!"

"What the hell do you think?! Why can't you date that journalist girl in your class?!"

"Frieda?!"

"Yeah! Her!"

"She's my friend and she already has a boyfriend!"

"It's bad enough to be friends with them, but now you want to marry them?!"

Kandice stood up and swung open the bathroom door forcefully. Her eyes were stinging because she was holding back the tears that were trying to fall. She grabbed her coat and looked back. She sighed closed the door behind her. 'I'm pathetic...' she thought 'I'm too weak to deserve someone like Richie...'

The very worst part of you

The very worst part of you

Is me