A loud, frustrated scream tore from my throat as I stared up at the raining sky, the icy drops of water biting at my skin as I sat on the roof, everything downstairs seemed to freeze and I scowled with a roll of my blue eyes, hugging my knees to my chest as I looked up at the night sky, wisps of my wet hair clinging to face while my drenched clothes clung to me like a second skin.
My fingers clutched my legs tightly and I sighed as the rain numbed my skin so I wouldn't feel its biting pain anymore, a hand touched my shoulder gently and I swung my head round with an accusatory glare, softening my harsh look slightly as I saw Jocelyn standing there with Taylor in her arms.
"You coming downstairs? It is Taylor's birthday you know," she grinned, "just get changed first then you can apologise to Aunt Layla for giving her a heart attack with that banshee scream of yours, then finally you can explain to me why you just so happen to be avoiding our very Zeke Lumen."
"I am not avoiding him," I snapped, climbing back through the window and pulling some dry clothes from closet, "and I'll see you downstairs in a few minutes."
"Yeah, you better be there in a few minutes, Uncle Warren thinks you've been murdered, Aunt Amaya only just stopped him from coming up here," Jocelyn laughed, leaving the room.
"Bye Serenity!" Taylor called to me as the door was shut and I smiled slightly as I changed my clothes and tied my hair in a ponytail before heading downstairs to my three year old brother's birthday party.
Everyone looked at me as I went into the sitting room and I smiled innocently as Jocelyn stood next to me and Taylor tugged on my hand to be picked up, which I did with a small smile, my youngest brother was so cute, he wasn't evil like Ronan and Garret.
"Serenity you my best sister," Taylor babbled happily and all the women in the room went 'awww'.
"I'm your only sister hun," I laughed, kissing the top of his head softly as he frowned in confusion.
"What bout Ronan and Garret?" he asked and everyone burst out laughing while the said boys looked furious.
"They, despite acting like two sissy girls, are boys which makes them your brothers," I smiled, "and unfortunately mine too, though I try hard to ignore the truth."
"Serenity!" mom scolded, trying not to look amused while Ronan and Garret scowled and began whispering to each other, pulling Zeke into their plans, Zeke caught my eye and shot me a small smile before talking to the twins.
"So, Ronan and Garret are my brothers, not my sisters?" Taylor asked with a frown as I sat on the couch with him in my lap and Jocelyn beside me.
"Yep, though I'm hoping we'll get another sister soon," I replied, "then I won't be the only girl anymore, and you'll have someone nearer your age to play with in our crazy family."
"We are not having anymore kids," dad's voice groaned from behind me and Taylor was taken from me, I looked up and saw Taylor in my dad's arms, "it was bad enough having you four, I'm too old to take care of another baby."
"You're not old Warren," mom laughed, standing beside him and kissing his cheek softly, "because if you are, I am and I refuse to be old just yet, besides, we're only thirty five, that's not old."
"We're still not having anymore kids," dad growled, "no matter how fun it is making them."
"DAD!" I exclaimed in disgust as Jocelyn cried:
"UNCLE WARREN!!!"
Everyone turned to us as we grimaced in disgust and mom laughed softly, Jocelyn clung to me and buried her head in my shoulder.
"I have images," she whimpered and I shuddered as I patted her back consolingly, shooting my smirking father a disgusted look while my mother laughed even harder.
Everyone was still looking at us in confusion, then I was hit in the face with a handful of cake, I scowled as frosting covered my expression, I washed the frosting away using my water power and threw a lightning bolt at Ronan who blocked it with his own, I turned to Garret who was gulping, they both knew pissing me off was a bad idea.
"You are so dead," I hissed, fire and lightning crackling round my hands but, someone grabbed my waist and pinned my arms to my sides, I turned my head to see Zeke holding me back from annihilating my little brothers, "let me go!" I ordered, struggling against his hold as I successfully pushed the blush down from staining my cheeks.
The adults were laughing at the scene and weren't helping me in the slightest, Zeke shook his head with a small smile and I instantly knew something was up, what was he planning?
"Trust me," he whispered softly in my ear and I ignored the shiver that ran down my spine, shooting him a quick glare before turning back to my annoying brothers as the adults left the room with the younger children, leaving only Jocelyn watching the fight.
"Oh, don't break anything," mom smiled before leaving the room with dad's arm wound securely round her waist, I scowled at her back and then faced my brothers as Zeke's hold on me tightened fractionally while my brothers powered up, Ronan had water swirling round his hands while Garret had lightning, they mainly used those two elements because that was their most powerful one, while mine was fire because I took after dad.
"We are not sissies," Ronan growled, "and we will prove it."
"By attacking someone who can't fight back," I scoffed, "though you do you know your powers won't hurt me since we have the same goddamned powers geniuses, though your lightning and water powers are slightly more powerful than mine, though I have better fire powers."
They both grinned good naturedly and a lightning bolt flew at me, Zeke suddenly let me go and it was met with a black energy ball, causing it to explode, my eyes widened slightly as I turned my head to face him and he sent me a quick wink before looking at my grinning brothers, his fingerless glove cloaked hands surrounded in a black glow.
"And today we have Serenity Elena Peace and Zeke Jason Lumen fighting Ronan Gareth Peace and Garret Robert Peace, Serenity, Ronan and Garret are of course siblings while Zeke is a close family friend, they know each others moves inside out, who will win today's match of 'Fighting in the Sitting Room'?" Jocelyn said, a hand curled in front of her mouth like a microphone and we all looked at her with raised eyebrows, "I'm the commentator."
"O-kaaaaaaaay," I said slowly, rolling my eyes before facing my brothers with fire circling my hands, "and in answer to your question it will of course be Zeke and me."
"You hear that folks, Serenity is confident about her and Zeke winning today's fight, what do you have to says to that, Ronan and Garret?" Jocelyn asked, holding her curled out to Ronan who looked ready to laugh.
"Oh, I think they're going down!" he declared and Garret cheered in agreement, while I held back uncontrollable laughter.
"Both teams are confident that they're going to win, well there's only one to find out what will happen folks, on the count of three, the match will begin, one, two," Jocelyn paused for dramatic effect, "three! And BATTLE!!!"
Ronan shot a waterball at me which I froze easily and I swiftly sent him a volley of fireballs while Zeke and Garret were fighting with grins, I hastily ducked as an unexpected lightning bolt flew at me and Zeke hastily got rid of it with a well placed energy ball before it hit the wall because my mom would kill us if we ruined the paintwork, he quickly tackled me to the ground as another lightning was shot at me and we landed behind the couch as I giggled uncontrollably, he simply grinned down at me.
"And today's winners are Ronan and Garret!" Jocelyn announced and Zeke held me down as I went to protest, I frowned at him in confusion and he shook his head.
'Is there a trap?' I mouthed and he nodded, I rolled my eyes at my brothers idiocy, honestly, tell Zeke all their plans then put him on my team, maybe he wasn't supposed to tell me, which means if he did tell me, he might like me at least a little bit.
"Serenity?" a hurt voice said and I turned my head to see Juniper standing over Zeke and I with a hurt expression on her face, "I'll call you later."
"Juni, wait!" I called, pushing Zeke off me and going after her as she left the house, "Juniper wait will you! I'm wearing high heels in the rain! I can't exactly run very fast!"
"I can't believe you!" she yelled at me, turning to face me so suddenly I nearly fell over in shock, "you know I like him and you do whatever the hell you were doing with him!"
"We were fighting Ronan and Garret! He pushed me down when a lightning bolt nearly knocked my head off!" I protested, "I wouldn't do that to you Juni, you're my best friend, even though you brought up Barron fucking Battle, so I won't apologise for slapping you."
"You should!" she shouted, standing directly in front of me, glaring at me through her dark green eyes, "you know what! I'm beginning to think those rumours about you and him are true! Well you can have him! I wouldn't want him if you've been all over him!"
"And what's that supposed to mean?!" I snapped, my fists clenching as the already violent wind grew worse as my anger began to go out of control.
"That you're a whore and who knows what I could cat-" she was cut off as I punched her straight in the face, then she leapt at me and began scratching at my face with her carefully manicured nails, I kneed her in the stomach but she refused to let me go and we weren't bothering to use our powers, she was trying to kick the shit out of me while I was trying to get her the hell off me.
"GET OFF!!" I screamed, holding her sharp nails away from my face and she was suddenly yanked off me, I was gently pulled up and I looked round to see Garret holding my forearm gently but firmly then I looked at Juniper who was being held back by my livid looking father, "daddy, let her go," I said quietly, feeling blood trickle from the scratches on my cheek, "she's not worth it."
"Oh and you are?!" Juniper spat, not bothering to struggle since she knew she would never win, "you're pathetic and I hate you!"
"You were the one that started this!" I shouted, starting for her but Garret pulled me back harshly, "OVER A GUY!! YOU'RE THE PATHETIC ONE!!!"
If I couldn't hit her, I'd yell at her as loud as I could without my father telling me to shut the hell up.
"THEN YOU DECIDE TO BRING UP BARRON FUCKING BATTLE AND THEN I SLAP YOU AND YOU EXPECT ME TO APOLOGISE DESPITE THE FACT YOU TOTALLY DESERVED IT!!" I continued, not missing my father's almost unnoticeable flinch at the mention of my grandfather.
"That's enough!" a stern voice snapped and my mom stood between us, "Garret, take Serenity back inside, Warren let Juniper go and I think you'd best go home Miss Charleston, I'll be calling your parents, trust me, and then you'll both apologise to each other, do I make myself very clear?!"
"Yes," I nodded stiffly, following Garret inside while Juniper stormed off down the street and my parents followed me inside, both looking furious with me while everyone else looked incredibly confused, except Zeke who was just frowning like he was thinking about something very deeply.
"Oh, you're bleeding," Layla cried as I stepped into the sitting room and she gently touched the scratches on my cheek, "we'll get those cleaned up, but I want to know what in the name of Mother Nature that was about."
"So does everyone," Magenta put in, standing next to the redhead while my mother stood on Layla's other side, her foot tapping slowly, always a danger sign.
"She was bring a complete and utter cow," I hissed, I couldn't swear considering all the little ones were in the room too, "she's lucky I didn't kill her, okay?"
"No, not okay," mom snapped, "go and get changed into some dry clothes and then we're going to have a very long talk, and when I say we, I mean you, me and all the women in this house, including Jocelyn, you got that?"
"Yes mom," I muttered, going up the stairs without looking back, my fists clenched.
Juniper was going down the second I got back to Sky High after the holidays, no one there would dare stop an Elemental on a warpath, except my brothers, Zeke and Jocelyn, but what they don't know can't hurt them, they're not in my class except for P.E so I could easily obliterate Juniper when they weren't around.
I was soon sitting in the kitchen with my mom, Layla, Grace, Magenta and Jocelyn looking at me expectantly, I looked unwaveringly at the wooden table in front of me, I wasn't going to apologise for defending myself.
"Serenity, you better explain," mom growled and the taps rattled slightly which meant she was battling with her anger, "other wise you will have everything taken out of your room except your bed, and you won't be allowed to watch T.V until you go back to Sky High."
"It wasn't my fault!" I protested, "she called me a whore, I punched her, she attacked me, Garret and dad pulled us apart, end of story, okay?!"
"Why were you arguing in the first place?" Layla asked gently, her brown eyes understanding as they looked into my blue ones.
"She likes this guy and I like the same guy but she doesn't know I like his guy and then she saw us in a rather comprising position and accused me of sleeping with him!" I fired off rapidly without a breath.
"What kind of position were you found in with Zeke?" mom smirked and everyone choked while Magenta grinned.
"This is great, my son can marry someone I actually know and like," she laughed while I was currently bright red in embarrassment.
"I knew you liked him!" Jocelyn cried, "that was why were avoiding him!"
"I WAS NOT AVOIDING HIM!!!" I roared, standing and slamming out the kitchen, all the guys looked at me and I glared, "LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE UNLESS YOU WANT A LIGHTNING BOLT SHOVED WHERE THE SUN DON'T FUCKING WELL SHINE!!" I shouted before going up to my room.
"She's such a happy person," I heard Ronan declare and I was at the bottom of the stairs in an instant, lightning crackling in my hand and he gulped as I slowly made my way toward him, "daddy!" he yelped, leaping into my father's lap who just looked at him.
"Serenity, no," mom sighed, coming out the kitchen, "what on earth is going on here? Why are you cowering in your father's lap Ronan?"
"Because he's a sissy," I spat, going up to my room and slamming the door shut loudly for good measure.
(Garret POV)
Thoughts went through my mind slowly as I took the theories to pieces, looking for any faults, before putting them back together and continuing on with my search for answers about why Serenity and Juniper had been fighting.
"OVER A GUY!!" Serenity's furious words echoed through my mind.
It all started when Juniper walked in and saw Zeke keeping Serenity pinned to the floor, she looked almost jealous, like she had feelings for Zeke but she didn't even know him, Serenity was acting different around Zeke too, nicer, and she wasn't so snappy with Ronan and me anymore either, plus she hung out with us a lot during the holidays so far, so could that be the reason they stopped talking in the first place? They both liked Zeke and Juniper asked Serenity to talk to him, but she didn't because she liked him too, then Juniper may have come over here to apologise, but saw Serenity and Zeke in that position and figured Serenity had betrayed her.
That seems plausible but, how can I be sure? And Serenity's never shown any interest toward Zeke before, they were simply friends, pretty good friends since they were partners in Save the Citizen and they had to know each other inside and out to be able to fight so well together.
"Zeke? Where are you going?" Jocelyn asked, bringing me out of my thoughts, my head snapped up and I saw Zeke heading for the stairs.
"Find out what's up with Serenity," he shrugged, going up the stairs and I quickly stood, if my sister liked him, there was no way she was going to be alone in her bedroom with him.
"Garret, don't," mom said softly, sending me a 'look', she obviously knew what was going on, as did Jocelyn by the look of it, she was chewing on her bottom lip so hard I was surprised she didn't draw blood, I sighed and sat down reluctantly, praying my sister behaved herself.
"Mommy, why Serenity so mad?" Taylor asked quietly, obviously not liking all the yelling that had gone on, "I don't like it when Serenity mad or sad."
"She's just going through a bit of a rough time right now, what with not talking to Juniper and all," mom replied quietly, picking him up and her cuddled into her lap while dad pushed Ronan away from him.
"Oh, but she'll be okay soon, right?" Taylor continued, looking up at mom with his big blue eyes, "because she promised she'd take me for ice cream while she didn't have school."
"Yeah, she'll better soon," mom nodded, resting her head on dad's shoulder and he pressed his lips to her forehead softly, for once, none of us teased them about it as we waited for any sounds that indicated Serenity had decided to kill Zeke.
"If she has your temper, which she does Amaya, she will never be better," dad smirked and mom slapped him lightly on the arm with a glare, "I'm kidding."
"You better be," mom laughed lightly and footsteps sounded on the stairs, I looked round and saw Zeke walking downstairs, alone, and with a rather shocked look on his face.
"Zeke, you okay dude?" Zach asked slowly.
"Uh, yeah, yeah," Zeke nodded, shaking his head slightly and I heard the creak of floorboards upstairs.
"What she say?" I demanded, harsher than intended, I had the feeling there was something wrong with Serenity and I knew it had to do with Zeke.
"That's between me and her," he snapped, glaring at me and I narrowed my eyes slightly at him.
"She's my sister," I growled and everyone was watching slightly warily, "I deserve to know, so you better tell me other wise I'll roast you alive."
"Hey! That's Warren's line!" mom cut in, shoving me back into my seat as I stood, then did the same to Zeke, "and I don't know what the hell is going on but there is not going to be anymore fighting or arguing in the house today, it's Taylor's birthday for christ sake."
"Tell me what she said to you!" I ordered Zeke, ignoring my mother's hand on my shoulder, "I mean it Zeke, I will roast you alive if you've done something to hurt my sister!"
"I haven't done anything!" he snapped, "she told me something and I promised I wouldn't tell okay?!"
"What did you say?" mom whispered, turning to him and he instantly paled at the mother lion look on her face, if her baby was hurt he was so going down.
"I promised I wouldn't tell," he said quietly, "sorry Amaya."
That was when music sounded from upstairs and Serenity's soft voice floated down to us as she sang, no sadness or heartbreak in her voice:
"Grew up in a small town
And when the rain would fall down
I'd just stare out my window
Dreaming of what could be
And if I'd end up happy
I would pray
Trying hard to reach out
But when I tried to speak out
Felt like no one could hear me
Wanted to belong here
But something felt so wrong here
So I prayed I could break away
I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly
I'll do what it takes till I touch the sky
And I'll make a wish
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget all the ones that I love
I'll take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway
Wanna feel the warm breeze
Sleep under a palm tree
Feel the rush of the ocean
Get onboard a fast train
Travel on a jet plane, far away
And breakaway."
The guitar music strummed on its own for a moment before Serenity's gentle, soothing voice began singing again:
"Buildings with a hundred floors
Swinging around revolving doors
Maybe I don't know where they'll take me but
Gotta keep moving on, moving on
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway, breakaway, breakaway
Fly away, breakaway
I'll spread my wings
And I'll learn how to fly
Though it's not easy to tell you goodbye
I gotta take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget the place I come from
I gotta take a risk."
Silence rang round us for a while and the music and singing stopped, Taylor was suddenly looking sleepy and was leaning against dad's chest tiredly, mom was smiling just like all the other females in the room, the adult guys were looking as though they were in awe, Ronan was looking thoughtful, something unusual for him but, it was Zeke's expression that got my attention.
He looked sad, like he'd made a decision he regretted.
"What's up with you?" I asked him, sitting next to him and slinging an arm round his shoulders, "you look positively melancholy."
"You really need to stop using long words like that, Ronan doesn't understand them," Zeke groaned, "you know how confused he gets, and for the record Garret, I am not melancholy."
"Then what's up?" Ronan grinned, sitting on Zeke's other side, "did Serenity hurt you? 'Cause considering you've known her for as long as anyone can remember, you should be used to it."
"Nah, she didn't hurt me, she just told me something that kind of shocked me, that's all," Zeke shrugged, "and no, Ronan, I won't tell you, I promised her I wouldn't, okay?"
"Was about a girl, who likes you?" I ventured slowly and airily, "because, dude, if it was, unless the girl is really ugly, you should embrace the love man, just embrace it."
"Amaya, are sure that kid's my son?" dad's voice asked weakly.
"Of course I'm bloody sure, he looks just like you," mom snapped, rolling her eyes with a laugh while he shot her a teasing glare.
"Okay, putting my strange parents aside," Ronan shuddered, "who was the girl?"
"Juniper," Zeke muttered reluctantly, "she said Juniper liked me and asked if I'd go out with her, I said yes and she's currently calling her right now to arrange the date."
"But…?" I frowned, then realisation crashed on me, "YOU LIKE SERENITY!!!" I yelled and everyone's jaws dropped as they looked at me and Zeke blushed deeply, "THAT'S MY SISTER!!!"
You could've heard a pin drop in the silent room and Zeke looked like he was about to kill me, if I wasn't so mad, I'd be running for my life, those damn energy ball things hurt, especially when he packs in the radioactive energy, you glow for about three hours afterwards.
"Uh, why do I sense I'm walking in on an awkward moment?" Serenity said slowly as she stepped off the last stair, "Zeke, you okay? You're really red."
We all just looked at her as she shrugged and headed for the kitchen, I slapped Zeke over the back of the head as I saw his eyes following the sway of her hips, he scowled at me and rubbed the spot I'd whacked as Serenity came back with a bottle of juice and sat next to Ronan.
"Oh, you're date, Zeke, is set up for next Tuesday, eight, at the movies, okay?" she said lightly, but I didn't miss the flash of emotion pass through her blue eyes, it was sadness but she obviously wanted to be friends with Juniper again, Zeke nodded and Serenity smiled, "good, Garret, chuck me the remote while mom and dad aren't arguing over it."
Tada!! The second chapter!! Thanks for all reviews on the last chapter and please review this chapter.
In case there's any confusion about the ages, here's a list:
Peace Children
Serenity - 17
Ronan - 16
Garret - 16
Taylor - 3
Stronghold Children
Jocelyn - 15
Kayla - 10
Verity - 1
Ethan's Children
Petunia - 9
Violet - 5
Lumen Child
Zeke - 16