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Mari was having the best time ofher life, dispite the rough greeting with Amanda that almost scared Bryan away. Yeah Amanda could be a bitch a lot, but she'd never do something like that to Mari.
"You coming?" Bryan asked her, as he walked five steps ahead of her. He's just taken her to a concert, and now Mari's throat was stinging like hell from all the screeching she did.
"Yeah!" She croaked, and jogged to catch up.
"So you like them?" Bryan asked her fifteen minutes later in the Pizza Parlor. Mari nodded.
"Their one of my faves!" She replied, taking a sip of her Cherry Coke.
"You have a fun time?" He asked.
"You bet! How about you?"
"Yep."
Five minutes of aweward silence and Mari felt she had to say something.
"I-I'm sorry about the way Amanda acted earlier…" She said, "She really isn't THAT bad… once you get used to her humor and her smart ass comments of course. But you see… we've all been out of whack… ever sincewell... about six to sevenmonths ago… when we first meant our whiteli-" Mari stopped almost giving away their secret, and then found a way to edit it, "our foster parents…"
"Are you sisters?" Bryan asked her.
"Not really…" Mari said, not exactly lying, "I mean, not TECHNICALLY. We like to think so though. Our friendship kinda bonds me, Amanda and Dyana into a... weird sisterhood you can say."
"And why isn't your friend Dyana here again" Bryan asked Mari looking at her suspisciously.
"I-ugh…" Mari played it off coolly, "She's a spoil sport. Wouldn't leave our home state… she wasn't being her usual outgoing self. But you'll get to meet her later..."
"But about an accident?" Bryan asked, looking at Mari seriously, refering to Mari's explination of Amanda's behaivor.
"Well… it was the moment that truly did make our friendship stronger… when we all lost the most precious thing to us... ever..."
"So what were you doing back there?" Sora asked Amanda curiously as they walked in silence.
'Huh?" Amanda replied, not quite sure what he meant, and not really caring either. She was in a mood.
"When you were sitting there in the sand." Sora replied, "You looked upset."
"I thought you said you were looking at the waves." Amanda replied, not looking at him. She wasn't up for this shit today.
"I-I was!" He argued, "But I happened to notice you looking upset…"
"I wasn't upset." Amanda said in her warning voice, "I was thinking. Something you obviously need to learn how to do more."
"Hey!" Sora said offensively, "That's harsh!"
"Life's harsh." Amanda replied dryly, "THEY are harsh.Human speciesare harsh. The world lives in harsh words and actions. It's how it survives. Unfortunately, darkness surrounds us all, and someday, unfortunately, it will consume us." But not if We can help it...
"That's not true!" Sora snapped suddenly, startling both Amanda and apparently himself. "Sorry…" He mumbled, "I-I didn't realize what I was saying…"
"You usually don't." Amanda said, continuing to walk, "Do you?"
"That's notfunny!" Sora shouted, and chased after her.
After walking another fifteen minutes or so, they arrived at Amanda's place.
"This your house?" Sora asked, looking at it oddly.
"My guardian's house." Amanda replied, "It may look horrible on the outside, but it's not that bad…"
"You sure it's oka-"
"Would I have led you here if it wasn't?" Amanda replied, walking up the rocky driveway. Sora inhaled deeply and started after her, every part of his mind telling him to bolt away. But he didn't and he followed her right into the house.
Chapter 9 is fini! YAY! More very soon! Sorry about the short chapter!