Chapter 2

The girl was smiling, the back of her feet hitting the bed frame in a rhythmic, almost hypnotic motion as she swung her legs back and forth.

This simple, human motion was something Chrno would have never thought twice about. But being the first living creature he had been near to for years, he was mesmerized. The way she smiled, the color of her skin and eyes, the way she ran her fingers through her blond hair, the sound of her heart… it was all intoxicatingly new.

"Rosette." He had heard her name called outside the house, his prison, many times before. Never prior to this morning had he uttered the word himself.

"So you know my name?" She smiled at him.

Chrno's ears twitched. "Yes."

Rosette abruptly turned pale. "Can you… Can you read my mind?" She whispered, her brow furrowing slightly.

The demon caught himself before he could laugh, but a hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Don't worry. I can't 'read your mind'."

"Oh. Right, then." Rosette puffed out her cheeks and crossed her legs on the bed.

After a beat, she picked at a stray bit of thread on her blanket and said: "I was going to come this morning, you know. I wanted to see you." She blinked. "Before I… you know… I still have a couple days here. But I have to pack. Sorry to leave after we just met and all… but it's my moms idea."

Chrno was silent for a moment. "You want to leave this town?"

She looked up at him, surprised. "Well, of course! I want to see the world! I want to get out there, see everything, do everything. I have to, before-" Rosette stopped. She let out a quick breath, and looked down again. "Sorry."

Something was wrong. Chrno opened his mouth so say something, but Rosette put her hand up to stop him. She set a finger on her lips, listening. "Hush…"

Footsteps.

Rosette gasped and said in a hurried whisper: "It's my mom! She never wakes up this early! Hide somewhere!" She turned, fumbling with the lamp on her bedside table. When she turned back, Chrno was gone.

The door handle clicked and turned, and Rosette heard her mother's voice as soon as her head hit the pillow.

"Sweetie?"

Rosette didn't move.

"Are you up? I thought I heard voices,"

Better handle this a different way. Rosette turned over in bed, throwing off the covers and grinning sheepishly. "Ya got me. I was watching TV 'cuz I couldn't sleep… sorry If it woke you."

"Ah, that's fine, babe." She smiled, her brown curls tousled my sleep and spilling into her face. "We should start packing today. You get up whenever you want, and just tell me if you need help…"

"It's fine, mum." Rosette smiled the faintest tint of worn-out sorrow in her eyes. "I'll get started after breakfast."

"Are you sure? If you're not up to it…"

"I can handle it. I've got some stuff downstairs already."

"…Alright." She closed the door softly, and Rosette listened for the thud of footsteps descending the stairs.

Chrno hadn't come back after that morning, and Rosette was wondering if he had ever come to see her at all.

Her room was almost bare now, all except her bed and a few boxes next to her writing desk.

Rosette didn't have many things; when she was younger she had been moved around from house to house, relative to relative, until she got in the habit of only keeping the necessities.

In other words, it had only taken a few hours to pack up her room.

And now, picking at some meatloaf on her dinner plate, Rosette was in something of a sorrowful mood. She glanced out the window at the setting sun and chewed her food thoughtfully. I wonder if he'll be back…

"Rosette?"

"Hmm."

Rosette looked up when her mother didn't say anything. "What?"

She smiled, putting down her fork. "I was just thinking today… we've got the house almost all packed. It'll be done by tomorrow… What do you day to leaving a few days early? I've gotten the plane tickets for tomorrow night."


Well! There's chapter two... not much better, and kind of shorter... But it's GONNA BE JUST FINE!

sits in corner reading self help books

Please review... even if you want to slander me... O.o