The Challenger
Chapter Five: Photo Album
Shadow stood in front of the mirror in the boy's bathroom, a sleek black GHD hair straighter in her hand.
Matt stood next to her brushing his dark auburn hair. It was wet and had knotted a bit. "Matt!" called Mello from one of the shower stalls.
"Yeah," answered Matt not taking his eyes off of his reflection. "I need soap," he called Matt rolled his eyes "So that's what that stink in our room is," added Matt as he handed some soap over the top of Mello's shower stall.
A few minuets later Mello walked out of the shower stall with a towel wrapped around his waist. He looked up at Shadow.
"What the hell are you doing in here!?" he yelled clearly embarrassed as a blush changed the colour of his face. Shadow smiled "straightening my hair," she answered holding up the GHD.
"Why couldn't you use the girls bathroom?" he asked. "Too full besides I needed a mirror so my room was out of the question.
"You could have used mine and Matt's," answered Mello. "Yeah if I could get from the door to the mirror," replied Shadow.
Mello felt himself blushing further "I am going to get dressed now," he said awkwardly as he reached to grab his clothes off the bench.
Shadow smiled at him as he attempted to reach past her and get them. She got them and handed them to him.
"Thanks," he squeaked turning to go back into the shower stall. Shadow rolled her eyes and went back to strengthening her hair.
A guy walked into the bathroom and squeaked in surprise at seeing Shadow. "What are you doing in here? You're not meant to be in here!" he yelled.
"What you going to do about it?" asked Shadow. "Besides the girls bathroom is full and I needed a mirror. Besides I'm not perving and it's not like there is anyone in here to perve on".
The guy turned walking out of the bathroom shaking his head. Shadow then again turned back to the mirror she pulled a long strand of white hair out from her head and ran the tongs down it slowly.
Steam rose from the GHD and like magic her once curly hair came out perfectly straight. Once she was done Mello walked out of the shower stall (now dressed).
The three walked out of the bathroom right into Roger. "Crap," cursed Shadow as Roger placed a hand on her shoulder.
] "We need to talk," he said pulling her away. The guy from before was standing behind Roger smirking. Shadow glared at him and as she passed him she made a slash across her throat.
The guys eyes widened and his face turned pale. Roger escorted Shadow down the hall to his office. Once inside he gestured for her to take a seat.
She could already tell this was going to be a long lecture. Roger sat down on the other side of his large desk. He put his hands together, looked down and sighed.
The door to his office then opened again. Shadow turned to see who it was couldn't they tell she was about to get a big lecture how dare they interrupt!
She opened her mouth ready to say some smartass comment about the interruption. But when she looked at the figure standing at the door she closed it.
"Near," she mumbled. Her fists clenched and she gritted her teeth. "What do you want?" she growled keeping her eyes low.
"I asked him to come," Roger answered, "I need to speak to both of you about something". Shadow looked at him glaring.
"Isn't enough that I have to live in the same place as him," she pointed at Near. "He is all of my classes I have to see his face everyday you," she pointed at Roger "don't know what it's like.
How to feel when you see the one person you hate more then anyone else on earth everyday". Her fists were shaking and her breathing was hard.
"Calm down Shadow I don't know what that is like but you have to get over this hatred you have for Near," replied Roger calmly. "What!" Shadow stood up slamming her fists on the desk.
"I need to get over my hatred," she yelled. "It's all his fault I hate him more then anything or anyone. It's because of him they are dead!
It's because of him! It was always about Near always about Nate I was never in the picture, Never! It's all his fault I will never forgive him for what he did never!
Tears of anger were forming in Shadow's eyes, Near's (who was still standing at the door, luckily it was closed) fists were now clenched, his eyes focused on the floor he too was shaking.
Roger looked between the two he stood up and reached out to Shadow "Please keep your voice down," he ushered for her to sit back down.
Roger was surprised by her outbreak but he needed to keep calm. No one knew much about the history of the children at Wammy's only L himself had access to such valuable information.
Roger didn't know much about Shadow the day he went to pick her up. He only had a basic file on her given to him by L.
Her outburst didn't surprise him it had been mentioned in the file and he prepared himself to receive another Mello as he described it.
Roger thought back to the day he went to pick her up.
He parked the black car outside 'The Franklin Hotel' and went inside.
He collected a card to the room he was suppose to meet L and Watari in, he then headed to the elevator to go to level 6, room 19.
He knocked twice a voice from the other side of the door replied, "Yes come in it's open". Roger walked in to find L sitting on a chair his back to him.
Watari appeared from a side room and held his hand out to Roger. "Hello Roger been a long time since we last saw each other.
Are you well?" Roger gave him a small smile "Yes nice to see you to Watari I am fine thank you and yourselves," he gave L a quick look as he said it.
"Ah yes well we have been managing but we are so grateful you came today the situation has gotten me very concerned," replied Watari, "Please have a seat".
Roger sat on a chair near the window, Watari across from him. L got up off his own chair and came to sit beside him.
He sat on the chair then pulled his feet up under him and resumed his abnormal sitting position. He placed a blue folder on the table in front of them and tapped it with one finger.
"I have recovered as much information available on her. Her eating habits, favorite sports and recreations, Weight, allergies etcetera".
Roger picked up the folder and looked over the first few pages. "And of course her behavioral habits," Roger looked up "Behavioral habits?" he questioned.
"Brilliant! Another troublesome child for me to babysit," he thought to himself.
"Yes from what I have gathered she seems to have quiet a few mood swings, and odd behavioral habits. It's all in there," replied L he began biting the tip of his thumbnail.
Roger continued to look over the file his eyes caught a few interesting sentences he then closed it and looked back a L and Watari.
"Her history not much on that," said Roger. "No all we know is that she is one of the last known living relatives to Near.
Little is actually known about her family nor her parents.
We tried using sources such as second cousins and great aunties, but their actual family was quiet distance from other relatives," replied L.
"Very well then where am I to pick her up?" asked Roger. "She will be with her former foster father, Ron Newman at 7 Colonial Lane," answered Watari getting up and going into a different room.
He later reappeared with a piece of cake and placed it in front of L. "If you have any problems," said L through a mouthful of cake "Just call us we have two separate lines use the bottom one".
Watari handed Roger a piece of paper with two separate phone numbers on it. Roger nodded and said goodbye on his way back down to the car he looked over the file again.
The photo inside it was off a small girl she looked around 7 or 8.
Her long curly white hair was tied up in two pigtails with light blue ribbon. Her pale blue eyes were sparkling and her smile lit up her face.
Roger slipped into his car and placed the folder in the dashboard compartment.
He then repeated to himself, "Dropped out of five different schools, was arrested two times due to vandalism and inappropriate actions and has been through eight different sets of foster parents.
I am looking forward to meeting you Shadow. The one and only close living relative of Near's".
Roger sighed he was now facing one of those 'Behavioral problems' as L had called them. "Please sit down Shadow you two Near," Roger said calmly.
"No! I don't want to sit down. I can't be in the same room with him for another second!" Roger sighed again rubbing his temples, "Please keep your voice down," he said irritably.
"No!" yelled Shadow "that's it!" yelled Roger even louder. Even if the door was closed people near Roger's office would have heard that.
He grabbed Shadow's arm and shoved her into her seat. "You need to shut up and be quiet, quite complaining we all know you hate Near all I am trying to ask of you is five minuets of your time with him.
Is that so much surely it won't kill you!" yelled Roger sternly. Shadow's eyes were open wide. She had been yelled at a lot in her life but never like that.
"Okay what do you won't," she grumbled turning her face away from his. "Thank you," replied Roger. "Near take a seat," Near (after seeing Roger outburst) had no objections and went and sat beside shadow.
"Now that we have that delay sorted out I have something for the both of you". They both looked at him. "The both of us?" questions Shadow.
"Yes both," replied Roger. He placed a cardboard box on the desk both Near and Shadow edged closer. Roger opened the box.
"This was found in the remains of your old home, it was one of the few still in good condition," he said as he finished pulling some cloth off of the thing in the box.
A large cream photo album sat in the box. The edges were burnt a bit and it was dusty but a part from that it was in good condition.
"I figured before L locks it away or destroys it you too should be able to look through it," said Roger a small smile forming on his lips.
Near turned away from the box "Is this all you want me for Roger?" he asked in his blunt tone. "Ah yes Near that was all," replied roger.
"Very well," Near said he then turned toward the door. "Wait Near! Don't you want to look at it? I only have it for two days before I need to give it back," Roger called after him.
"No it holds no significance to me," replied Near he then left the room. "Can I take it to my room to look at?" asked Shadow.
"Okay but I need it back in two days," answered Roger. Shadow rewrapped the album and closed the box. She then carried it out of the door of Roger office and toward her room.
Once she got to her own door she opened it, went inside closing the door behind herself again and sat on her bed.
She took a deep breath then opened the box and unwrapped the photo album. She placed it on her lap and ran her finger along the edge of the page.
Again she took a deep breath and let it out closing her eyes and laying back. "Why is it so hard?" she asked herself.
She sighed again then put the album back into the box and shoved it underneath her bed. "I'll go find the others they most probably want to know what happened.
Shadow walked over to her door she opened it and turned to leave. But before she closed the door behind herself she turned once more and looked back into her room.
She looked back at where the blankets off of her bed hung down and touched the floor, hiding anything that was placed underneath it.
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Okay so this is chapter 5 people! Yes Shadow had a tantrum lol! Anf L was included in this one yay! So I want to thank everyone for reviewing. So I hope it is starting to get a bit more interesting the photo album has been brought into it (ohh mysterious photo album). Anyways chapter six is under construction I won't keep you waiting to long for the next update just bear with me. Also my story The True Terrors of High School sorry about the long wait for then next update but I have REALLY bad writers block and I am just adding paragraph by paragraph for now. So I hope to get the update in soon for anyone who is reading that one too sorry. So yes please review tell me what you think and BE HAPPY!!