Dear Diary,

Just came home from work. Flay wasn't there, which is odd. I know his cousin just flew in a few days ago. Maybe he's spending time with him? Oh well~! I dunno why he even thinks he needs to be there. I can take care of myself fine! Still, it's sweet of him. A real gentleman...kinda lol. Today's shift wasn't too hard . A quick dinner and show, really. They even played "Tik Tok" as my background song. Best part, the pay-out was pretty good, too. Good day, all in all.

Actually, the day ended on a bad note. Anna. She doesn't seem to understand that we need this job! It makes me so angry! I have to do whatever it takes to support us! She needs to go to school, and I'm going to make sure she does! She can be whatever she wants, and I'm going to make sure of that! I love her, I really do, but does she get what her success means to her, to me? This is all I can do, period! If only I coul...

(The rest of the paragraph is illegible, stained heavily by spilt tears)

Hopefully, one day I won't have to do this anymore. One day, right?

Jess Philomele

She rolled around a bit in bed. She was alone this morning, no clients last night. She stretched out luxuriously, then yawned. It was early, Anna hadn't woken her up yet. Then again, this argument was worse than usual. It might take a few hours for her half-sister to calm down. She ran her fingers through her long hair. It felt nice to use her hands for something meaningless, something trivial. She sat up slightly and looked around for her phone. Maybe she'd text Anna and see if all was forgiven. As much as they both loved each other, they drove one another crazy sometimes.

She spotted the phone on her vanity and huffed. It was so far away, an astounding 2 feet. Nevertheless, she drug herself out of bed and staggered to her phone, picked it up, fiddled with it, then finally texted her sister.

//Anna? Where u at? T-T//

It took a few minutes for her text to be answered.

//last second run to store no lucky charms someone ate the last box last nite brb 3//

The text made her smile. Lucky Charms was their favorite cereal but expensive, so for Anna to go to the store to get it meant she wasn't angry any more. Plus, the heart did help assuage her fears.

Well, she was up, so she might at well get dressed. Today was her first day-off in a while, so she planned to enjoy it with her sister and doing what she loved best: making home-made bombs. They were so loud and expressive, something she could never be. Instead, she would pour herself into these tiny bombs and pretend that the explosions were her screaming, whistling, shouting. She knew it could never be, but it was comforting. She tried to explain it to Anna once, but she couldn't quite understand. Jess didn't expect her to; she had a voice and could make noise, a mute couldn't.

She whipped around to her well-equipped stereo system (a present from a previous client) and turned on RuPaul Charles' "Don't be Jealous of my Boogie". She pranced around the room as she did her clothes, hair, and make-up. Everything she did, she needed music for. She loved music, everything about it: the expression, the freedom, the feeling, the voice. She let it flow through her and inside her. She loved it, and envied it within the same thought. Once again, something she could never do. But, she would live on. She had to. She'd weathered through worse, and would continue to do so.

Something in the background conflicted with her music. She stopped whirling and looked at her phone, which was the culprit. She picked it up and smiled. It was from Flay.

//How was your performance last night? I hope it was alright that I couldn't attend? I had other pressing matters to address.//

She rolled her eyes. For some reason, Flay found it below himself to "text-talk", as he called it.

//I was fine last nite was wondering where u were tho I hope ur "pressing matters" wasnt too bad//

//No, no. It was all fine. I am just glad to hear of your comfort and safety. Today is your day-off, yes?//

//yeah it is wanna hang out?//

//No, no. I do, however, want to know if it was alright that I send my cousin to pick up my red and black belt I lent you a week ago?//

She giggled. She had kind of forgotten about the belt.

//no prob send him over anytime//

//Thank you, Jess. Will I see you tomorrow?//

//if you come to my show lol//

//Then we shall see each other there.//

//kay ttyl//

//Bye.//

Jess ran her fingers through her hair again. She noticed that it felt really nice, she'd have to remember to do that more often. So she would get to meet Flay's cousin. She shrugged her shoulders and smiled. And in usual Flay fashion, she had no idea when he would be here, or what he would be like. She went back to her vanity and stated to finish her make-up. It sounded a little vain, but she was pretty enough to go without make-up. She just wore it as a habit for her job. When she finished, she turned off her stereo, grabbed the belt, and began to walk downstairs. She reached the middle step when she heard two voices: Anna's heated, confrontational voice and a male, panicked voice.

"How dare you try to sneak into an unprotected female's house?!"

"I-I'm sorry! No one answered the door and it was unlocked so I-OW!- Flay said it would be-OUCH!- alright! Please don't hit me anymore!"

"A likely story! Oh my god, I bet you're one of Jess's stalkers! TAKE THIS!!"

"JESUS, PLEASE HAVE MERCY!"

Jess ran downstairs as quickly as she could. If this was Flay's cousin, and Anna didn't know he was coming, this was a formula for disaster. She turned the corner form the living room into the kitchen and, from what she saw, she didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry. The contents of the Lucky Charms box was scattered all over the floor and on top of Flay's cousin's head. He was couched on the floor, covering his head with his hands and wincing each time Anna slammed him with the now destroyed red cereal box. She placed her face in her hands. Leave it to her little sister to beat an intruder with a cereal box. And win.

She ran over to her sister and grabbed the box from her hands. Anna looked at her like she was mad, insane, crazy, basically like she usually did when she would suggest making bombs in their basement. The younger girl tried to grab the box back, whirling her arms around to get it.

"Jess! This man is a danger to you! He's a stalker! You must give me the box back!"

The man now looked up at her in relief and gratitude. She noticed he had deep ocean blue eyes, which she had really never seen before. They were quite pretty, almost feminine, but with a sense of virility. He quickly stood up and brushed all the cereal off himself. "I'm not a stalker! Flay sent me over here to pick up a belt!" He rubbed the crown of his head. "I never knew getting hit by a cereal box would hurt..."

Anna looked at Jess. "When did Flay say he was sending his cousin over? Can we really trust him?"

Jess rolled her eyes playfully. The things her sister thought of. She put the box down and used her hands to speak. //He texted me this morning. I didn't expect him so soon, though.//

Anna frowned. "Ah, so he was already on his way when Flay contacted you."

//Yes. That's why you didn't know.//

"Um, I don't mean to be rude..." The man cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I don't know...sign language. I'm Vayne, by the way."

Jess blinked. She didn't even think about that. How horrid of her. She would have to use Anna to talk, then.

//Anna, would you apologize for me?//

The blue-haired girl smiled. "Of course!" She then looked at Vayne. "I'm Anna and this is my older sister, Jess. It's very nice to meet you."

//And apologize for beating him with our Lucky Charms...which I was really looking forward to.//

"And I'm sorry about beating you."

He smiled brightly, but it didn't seem to completely reach his eyes. "It's alright, I understand."

Jess pulled out the belt and handed it to him, smiling sweetly. //Tell Flay I'm sorry about keeping it for so long.//

"Please tell Flay she's sorry about keeping it for so long."

"I will." Vayne then turned and left, but only after smiling at Jess and waving. The girls heard the door shut behind him.

Anna smiled. "Well, he seems very polite and nice."

//Yes. Though, I can imagine getting beat by a box of cereal would do that to anyone. By the way, please tell me you bought two boxes.//

"Well...heh...I'm sorry?"

Jess sighed. Well, at least she still had her bombs.