"Be right back, babe." Pisces rose from the table, ignoring Virgo's grimace as he hurried after Capricorn. He knocked lightly on Capricorn's door, letting his fingers graze the bronze door knob. The door creaked open at his touch. He gazed around the dark room, his gaze falling on her nearly hidden shape. She was sitting with her feet up, her cheek resting on her knees. He sat down beside her, his fingers gently brushing an astray lock of hair behind her ear "The sky last night was really something ,you know."She snorted and turned her head slightly so she wasn't looking at him. "How ladylike. Is something bothering you?" "No." "Clearly something is." "It's nothing," "It's something." "Forget it." "I can't. Now I'm curious." "Will you just leave it alone?" she snarled suddenly, rising to her feet and glaring down at him. Bits of ice swirled around her, a rogue piece scraping his cheek. Ignoring the sting, he leaned back and crossed his arms. "Contentious, aren't we?" A muscle in her jaw twitched as she ground her teeth, biting back words. "I can't recall doing anything to make you mad." "Get out of my room." He stood, as if to leave, but instead leaned uncomfortably close to her. "I know you don't particularly like Virgo, but you don't have to show the whole world how jealous you are." "I'm not jealous." "Liar." She recoiled from him like he'd struck her. "Liar. Ha. Yeah." She turned, busying herself with tidying the contents of her desk. "Cap...I was kidding." "No. You're right. I'm a liar. A great one. I've been lying to myself about me and you." "Me and you? We're friends." "Friends...friends, friends, friends...Maybe I never wanted to be friends with you..Maybe I..." She paused, reaching up to touch the tear that had escaped from her eye, looking confused at the shimmering drop that rested on her forefinger. Her gaze lifted to meet his."Have you ever thought of us as anything more than friends?" Before he could answer, she looked away, laughing nervously as she mussed her hair. "Don't answer that. I'm not even sure where that came from." She straightened a stack of papers, smiling a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Capri." "Hm?" "Don't do that." "Do what?" "Pretend everythings okay." "I don't know what you're talking about." Her hand collided with a small orange bottle, sending it and the contents crashing to the floor. Tiny white circles scattered in every direction. She scrambled for them but he moved faster. " Arsenic trioxide... What are these for?" "Nothin," she muttered, snatchin the bottle away, depositing the pills and tucking them away. "Are you sick?" She grinned bitterly at that. "Look, they're just vitamins. For my good health." A snort came from behind the both of them. "Your good health? Hardly." Pisces turned towards the door at the sound. Capricorn didn't bother. "Is there a problem with your hand?" Sagittarius glanced down at it quizzically. "No.." "Then you're just too dumb to knock?" Her brother made a face. "Hehe. No. I just came to check how you were doing..say hello..but i see you have much more important affairs to attend to." "Yeah, I do. So leave." "But I wanna be here when you tell him," he pouted, perching himself on the edge of her desk."Shove off." "Can I tell him?" "You can leave." "Can I tell him pleaseeee." She slammed hr hand down on the desktop, startling both Pisces and her brother. "It's not some giant honor to announce. Try not to sound so excited." She pushed past the two of them and disappeared down the hall. "Tell me what?" All amusement had slid from Sagittarius's face when he looked at Pisces. "Capricorn's dying."
She ran until she reached the garden, sprawling into the thick, cold grass. Above her, sunlight crept through the thick foliage that resembled a leafy green ceiling. Violets brushed her face, whispering delicately. She closed her eyes. Somewhere, deep in the garden, water fell with a gentle roar. Footsteps broke harshly into her temporary peace. "You're going to ruin your clothes if you stay like that." "Good." "Capricorn...I've noticed we aren't the best of friends..." "You're right. We aren't. So go away." "But- "Look, if you came out here to have some heartfelt conversation that will inevitably bring me to tears and result in the both of us skipping through a field of daises while holding hands and pledging to be friends forever, you're wasting your time." With a soft sigh, Virgo sat down in the grass, tentatively arranging her dress so it wouldn't wrinkle. "Can you really blame me? If you were in my place, wouldn't you be worried he could change his mind?" "I'd trust him." "Trust has nothing to do with this. I love him and I'm asking you to stay away." Capricorn smiled lightly. "I'll stay away when he tells me to." "I know you love him too, but why embarrass yourself any further than you already have?" Capri's eyes snapped open. "I don't ...I don't..." The world started to spin. Please no..not here..not in front of her.. She pushed herself hastily to her feet and bolted, swaying dangerously. She made it as far as the back door before her legs buckled. I don't love him. I don't love him. I don't love him. Everything exploded in a supernova of color.