~~~~~~Violets POV~~~~~~
I didn't know what having a lady-likeness actually meant, I was gonna try to perform it anyway. Barry let Rose through the door and leaned on the side of it speaking to me. "Ladies first."
"Pardon? Me? A lady?" I joke and he seriously nods his head.
"Yes, you… M'lady!" He jokes. (A/N: Don't forget to tip your invisible fedora, Barry! Hahahahahahaha! I'm so funny… and surprisingly big headed.)
"O-okay… Thank y-you…" I reply going under his left arm. I enter the building to see Rose, who looked pretty psyched about what just happened. She honestly looked like me when I watched the scene in The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi where Kyon and Haruhi first made-out.
"Aww, love at first sight!" She said clapping her hands together and keeping them in front of her chest. If Corpse Party taught me anything, it was how to deal with this moment in particular… Thank you, Nakashima Naomi.
I latched onto Roses cheeks and began swirling them around. "Whatever are you talking about, huh, sis?" I speaking in a tone that sounded obviously so I'm-going-to-kill-you-later-Just-you-wait-missus! Barry walked past scooping me away from Rose by putting his hand on my back.
"Come on, Suzy just text me telling me to get us back now, alright. You haven't got time to kill your sister yet." He joked. "You can do that later." I simply look up and smile at him. Rose followed behind us.
"~ do you have a clue, when I say to you, 'aishteru', don't you know that it means I love you. ~" I mutter a line from the English version of "Motteke! Sailor Fuku!" in a sing song-y style.
"What was that?" Barry leans towards my face. "Where you talking to me just there."
"Uurgh… N-no. No, I was not." I was embarrassed. What if he heard me and didn't know it was one of my favourite songs? I was extremely, incredibly lucky just there.
"Oh, alright." Barry smiled. 'Well played, Blackwell. You should be proud of yourself. At least I'm able to dig myself out of holes like that… Well, most of them.' The sketchy way in which he said Suzy wanted us made me super uncomfortable. There was one reason for that: Suzy's quirky personality has ended in so many awkward conversations that I haven't even considered talking to myself about.
You have no idea how hard it was to not suddenly hug Barry, as I feared for my sanity. I felt an extreme need to just stop walking but my legs didn't grant me the opportunity. My head did grant me the opportunity to quickly turn it to look to the side, but I would look paranoid. I avoided making the action. Not even my mouth allowed me to speak, I couldn't move it no matter how hard I tried. All I could do, that was within my control, was move my eyes and breathe as my legs were on auto-pilot. We reached the doors without another word. My head dropped as my eye lids slowly fluttered, in nervous disposition.
Out of nowhere we stopped walking right in front of the doors. "What are you nervous about, hmm?" Barry asked kneeling in front of me to meet my eyes. (ON BOTH KNEES, KEEP IN THE COMFORTING CONTEXT! JESUS CHRIST! CHILL OUT!) 'Can you read my mind? What the fuck? How? What? I don't seem to even anymore.' I didn't understand. How did he know I was nervous? "You need a hug?" I began shaking.
I loosened up enough to throw myself at him, still shaking like an earthquake was upon us. I heard the creak of the doors and Suzy speaking.
"What's taking you guys so lo-?" She stopped from completing.
"She just stopped functioning." Rose spoke for me, don't worry, I liked it when she did. "Violet, doll? You okay?" Rose stepped towards us. The feelings were coming back… the feelings of anger, loss and regret, this time it was all at once. I couldn't speak, still, it was impossible to control myself. Paranoia was incredibly over-powering at this moment in time.
"Violet? Violet?!" Barry asked in desperation. "Suzy, she's not responding." I wasn't removed from his grasp but I'd lost contact from the floor. My eyes glazed over. This felt like de-ja-vu, as I could've swore it'd happened to me before. My life's bad times flicked through my mind, specifically the bad days of my years of being bullied.
"Nope, definitely not responding… What do we do?" I heard my sister speak then gasp. "Oh no, not again! I remember now… this has happened again. This is a do worry /don't worry situation, right here. She can hear us, but she can't respond… this used to happen every two weeks when she was bullied." I felt like a ragdoll, beforehand, I was constantly being shaken around. "She might freak out a bit afterwards… It's like a silent panic attack. Well, it's the best description I've got right now."
"So, she's fine?" Dan asked out of nowhere.
"Yeah, exactly… Don't have a go at her, she can't help it… don't freak out either, just act calmly." Rose corrected them on my situation. "Give her five minutes… Is that… a ring on her middle finger?" My hand was picked up. "It's a skull ring as well… Should I expect any less from her, though?"
Five minutes later, like Rose assumed, I had control again. I noticed that I was in a slightly uncomfortable place, not a floor or table, no. A pair of arms. "Urrk… for fucks sake… That!? Again?" I asked myself.
"Hiya." My vision cleared and I was allowed to blink for the first time in ten minutes, afterwards, I was greeted by Barry. I squeal and jump, only to fall on my back.
"I told you not to frighten her." Rose sighed. I roll and pick myself off the floor. Trying to centre my balance, I fall into the chest of a familiar face who my brain soon recognised as Arin.
"Hi…" Arin seemed awkward about it. I stand away from him after the balance reformed, gripping/massaging my neck. Slowly, I move back pressing down on the skirt of my dress. My back cracks.
"You okay sis?" Rose asks me.
"Sorry about that… My crazy brain does some weird shit to me. Oh, well the show must go on." I awkwardly say realising the scene that just played out had an audience of people… I'd been taken into the main hall.
"Are you alright though? What happened?" Suzy asked.
"What happened, hmm? I don't know, luv. You tell me." I joke everyone in the crowd begins to laugh. "You know what, in the most polite way I can say it… Screw this pin up. Say goodbye to the two bobby pins. They're going in my fu-, I mean there being placed in my hand bag… Pardon my filthy language." I let down my hair and put the accessories in my bag like I said.
"You look like a poodle!" Ross explains.
"Goddamnit Ross." Dan, Barry, Arin and I all mutter at once.
"What was it that you wanted to show me and Bar, Suze?" I ask.
"Well, Birthday boy Barry has already seen it but you have not… The birthday cake!" Suzy said as Holly steps out of the way of it along with Mark and Jacksepticeye.
"Oh, hi, Jack-a-boy!" I smile and wave.
"Hi!" He calls back. Then, I notice the cake.
"Holy sh- mother of god." I exclaim trying to get rid of my awful language. "IT'S F-ING HUGE! IT'S MOTHER F-ING HUGE!" I exclaim again.
"What the H is that gorgeous aroma?" Rose asks.
We both sniff up. "Mmm, chocolate! Heheheheheh!" We giggle together.
"There are a grand total of 52 candles on that thing!" Arin announces. "I know that because I put them on myself!"
"Nice goin' bud!" I put my hand out for a high five… And who is stupid enough to deny me a high five? Not Arin of course, he always delivers. The lights come on. "Dude, those figures are awesome. Why does mine have a bigger chest size than Suzy's?"
"Well, we wanted to get it accurate enough." Dan smiles.
"Of course you'd say that." I smile back at him, hopefully intimidatingly. "Dan." My eyebrow was twitching slightly
"Urr-umm, n-no reason." He backs up slightly.
"Perv…" I mutter under my breath so that no-one hears.
A movie theme plays a little while after the partying, dancing and conversation making had begun.
I begin doing something I used to do a while ago, back in England, whenever I heard it. As it was also my sister, Annabelle's favourite movie piece, Rose and I ran out to the field behind the family house and take our boom box with that tape in it just so we could smile while we spun, danced and lay out on the grass, in memory of Annabelle, keeping her fresh in our minds. The most memorable days were when it was a hot day in the summer but the wind didn't fail to join us as we flailed around in dresses… Like I said, that was in the family house… I never did it again from the day mother and Rose left.
Rose instantly joined me after coming out from one of the crowds, as she knew what I was doing. We giggled like the two little, happy girls that we used to be, before everything had went to complete and utter shit. Are eyes met and our hands intertwined as we endless spun around. The movies name? The Blue Lagoon.
We began the dance we'd done for years to this song, even though it was the classic slow dance, we made the dance our own.
"I don't understand." Rose looked down after twirling me around.
"What don't you understand?" I ask looking deep in to her grey-blue eyes.
"Why did she like the film that much…? I remember watching it with you and it wasn't that good… *sigh* I wish I could have asked her." Rose shut her eyes for a brief moment.
"Rose…" I get her attention after she looked away. "Did you request this song?" The question was asked before we began to pivot around a bit.
"Yes… Yes, I did. I wasn't gonna let you forget about her, ya know." She smiled.
"I never did forget… It's all coming back… the, now, painful memories. They're back again." I blink away the tears that were about to flow.
"Now… it doesn't matter." She twirls me again. "I'm gonna hand you off to that eager looking guy over there." She teases before nodding to that eager guy, who I wasn't able to know the name of him until I got there.
"Don't… leave me, again." I whisper and forget about the tears that were falling. Out of nowhere, Arin, began dancing with me.
"What're you crying for, huh?" He asks.
"This is my dear departed sister's favourite song… What Rose and I just did there… We used to do it every day of our damn lives. We were so majestic." I smile quickly removing the moister from my eyes with my knuckles. I look over at Suzy who just smiles in approval, just so I knew she didn't mind… Arin was her husband, after all. "Thank you, Arin."
"What's the sudden thankfulness for."
"I've always been thankful for the people that give me the time of day… You, sir, have done more than anyone has done for me, along with all of our friends." I look up at him, under his failed chin hair that I could describe as anything but dignified. "You act like my fucking dad, for god's sake. He was that one man that made me want to live another day because he tried to be patient, loving a-and everything that he could… The other guys are, as you could say, just as caring. But you will always be consistent." I break out a teeth-y smile.
"Violet, as much as it's deformed… The grump family is the most permanent, not related by blood, family that is to exist in all of our lives. Where would be without each other, hmm…? By the way, that question was rhetorical." Arin smiles. "Oh, there's someone over there who may wanna dance."
"Do these people think I'm a rag doll, constantly throwing me around?! I never know where I'm gonna end up next." I mutter, after looking down and rolling my eyes.
"Did you just say something?" Arin asks.
"Umm, no?" I kid around, pursing my lips, making him smile quite a bit.
"You said something, didn't you?" Arin grinned wider than before.
"No, I didn't say a single word." I was desperate to not tell him. The man who I was dancing with mouthed- "Tough, you will dance with her!" to the other side of the room, over my shoulder.
"You ready to go now?" He asked after noticing I'd saw him mouthing to the mystery man and looked everywhere but at me for a moment.
"Fine." I sigh.
Arin twirls me and I had no idea where the fuck I was going. Instead of being caught by the next person, I crashed into their chest. I looked up and Barry's face was so do-not-want it was unreal. I knew how to solve this little problem. Operation: Moé girl is underway! Somehow I found myself able to generate those last few tears as I pulled a really cute anime expression at him.
(Kinda like this: . I know, I was too fucking kawaii!)
I looked at Dan and Alex, Barry's brother, then back at him. Dan looked like he was gonna be unable to even. When you pull the same expression as Asahina Mikuru you tend to be fucking adorable. I removed my hands shyly away from his chest and ball them up nervously. I look at my feet in which were both turned inwards and the more I stayed like that, the more I actually felt that way but it was 'all part of my master plan'.
I awkwardly rub my eyes after looking up at him. "Hey, I'm sorry. I'm just gonna go… now." I point my thumb backwards before swiftly but slowly turning around. I take my first step and all of a sudden I am spun back around as the music coming from the speakers changed to Emeli Sandé's song Clown.
Barry had plucked up the courage to dance with me. This is when I realised, I was still completely barefooted so my true height was seen. As short as ever. I put one hand on his shoulder and held the skirt of my dress out with the other one as we glided along the floor. When did Barry learn to dance? Who could have suggested this song? Fuck it, I sang along anyway.
"I'd be smiling if I wasn't so desperate. I'd be patient if I had the time. I could stop and answer all of your questions. As soon as I find out, how I can move from the back of the line… I'll be your-" I sang but stopped because at the chorus I lost contact with the ground. Barry had somehow managed to pick me up and spin me around. I was in the air for a good minute, spinning in a circular motion the entire time. My eyes just widened as I was shocked. This was… beautiful. And it happened all because I fake cried? Jesus Christ, he's so gullible. The whole time I was in the air, I felt so alive. I tried not to cry for real and covered my feelings with a smile. Luckily, not the whole crowd of people noticed, due to the fact that this happened behind a wall. Unfortunately, Dan, Arin, Ross, Holly, Suzy and Barry's brother did see it.
Suzy wouldn't leave off afterwards so I accidentally made her feel bad. "Oh, Violet, there's something you haven't told me about Barry, isn't there."
"Shut up! I bet you had kind friends who didn't tease you on the matter." I say directly to her face. "I haven't had one year in my life that I haven't been teased in. Why can't people poke fun at someone else?" I then mutter before turning around and went to sit at a table far away from her. I sat flicking through Instagram, angrily, after thumping down on the seat. My back became sore as I was leaning over my mobile so no one could see what was on screen.
It had been half an hour since I first sat down. No one had come over to me so my brain automatically assumed that I was easily forgotten. It was time for me to realise that I always became a jerk when I'm teased or something that is embarrassing happens to me. I locked my phone and threw it in my bag. By the way, I didn't mind being alone. After all, I always was. It still was heart breaking to have so many people there and not one of them notice you for half an hour. How long was this party going to last? 'I'm not staying too long if I end up like this the whole time.'
I thought about going home several times but the immediate thought that followed was of Suzy upset with me because this was mainly for me. To be on the safe side I stuck around. I put my hands on my cheeks, pushing them up, in tiredness, anger and boredom. I was ticked off because I looked kawaii as fuck and still, nobody fucking cared. It was bugging me that I'd been unintentionally mean to Suzy but didn't have anything to say to her. I got up and decided to go on a hunt for my shoes instead of looking completely bored.
The lack of crowd by the door was good enough so that I could look for my foot wear without a lot of people noticing me. I didn't want to be seen just in case I got hot and bothered, I could escape and stand out in the hall for a bit. I found my black, leather wedges and leaned against the wall to put them on. I then speedily slipped out of the main party area without being spotted. I exited and went to the wall to the side of the door as I touched it and it was freezing cold. Exactly what I needed from it. I slid down the white wall while fanning my face using my right hand. I sat with my knees up in front of my face, touching. My legs were apart and my feet were turned inwards with the toes touching. My dress moulded to my shape.
I began to think about my recent life choices and the shocking truth was that one of those choices were up to standards. One.
I look down and shame myself. 'Violet, you are an asshole. What does Suzy think of you now, hmm? You fucked up… just like the last time… and thirty-odd times before that. I'm a fuck up and that is a problem now. It never used to be when you didn't have any friends but… now you do so get your shit together. Oh god-' "Violet, your impossible you know that. You're a fuck up who messes everything- and I mean everything- up. You're gonna have to punish yourself for this again… just when you thought you didn't have to anymore." I remind myself of the consequences I'd made for fucking up and knew it was time to feel ashamed. "You're a prick, Violet." I remind again. I have always punished myself for messing up. Most would say the way I do it is unthinkable. I, on the other hand, see it as a mandatory exercise. The reason I do it is because it's the one thing that still hurts. I put my hands over my face to block out the lights as they gave me a headache. That was one of the reasons, anyway.
As I look up there was someone heading towards me. 'What is it with these people, always looking for me? It's not like I'll run away. Well… Now I get their point.'
"Hey!" They called from the right of me.
I got lost in my own thoughts again. 'I'm- I'm a fuckin' idiot. I should've hidden. They can't disturb me right now. I've got a little too much on my plate at this moment in time. Goddamnit, even though he gets pissed at me for running, I should of gotten out of here ages ago.'
"Hello, earth to Dahlia?" The male voice was confused. 'Wait, Dahlia? Oh, shit. God lord, exactly who I didn't want right now. Prepare yourself for the questions… Fuck it, be tired. I don't give a shit about the questions. I can't be arsed with them, man.'
"Hello?" He asked for the final time. I turned my head in his direction, slowly and stared up at him for a good 30 seconds.
"All your questions are invalid before you start. Are we clear?" I snapped because I couldn't be bothered with anything.
"Uuur, how did you-?" He asks me.
"I just fucking know your gonna throw questions at me, from every fuckin' angle. I can't be fuckin' chewed with them right now." I complain while looking down again.
"What have you got on your mind, Violet?" Barry asks me.
"Your question is invalid." I say almost shoving his face away from me. All of a sudden, I feel the blazers sleeve loosely hugging me.
"I know that you don't wanna talk about it now. But one day, you'll have to tell me. You'll go insane if you keep everything to yourself like you do." He rests his head on my shoulder.
"Your right." I lie. "Someday, I'll have to tell you but until that day comes only I'll know." I stand up without any warning and Barry falls on his ass. I lend him a hand to get back up while speaking to him. "Why'd you come looking for me?"
"Suzy's worried about you." He replies.
"You guys are impossible." I mutter. 'What is it with them and being unable to concentrate on their own lives?'
"Were not, Violet." Barry links arms with me and walks me back into the hall. "After everything that you've been through in your life, you deserve some attention."
'Don't you see? I'm supposed to exist so I can be the person to say-' "I was always lonely, no one ever cared. It was just meant to be like that." I say brushing my hair out of my face and behind my ear. "That's what I live for, to be… forgotten. As I can… never say the things… I need or want… to… say. I admit it," I blush. "I am an introvert and I can't handle myself… at all." Out of nowhere I was brought into his chest, Barry just hugged me.
"I know it's hard to come to terms with your circumstances but you are someone who is, I don't know, amazing, well versed, educated, careful, cunning, witty, level headed, self-disciplined, sarcastic- in a humorous way, intellectual, high-spirited, self-controlled, skilful, strong, bashful, shy, unpredictable, daring and definitely not normal." Barry describes as I tighten the embrace as I was embarrassed, just a little too much. "The people who don't know you may describe you as unsociable, childish, weak, pessimistic, clumsy, headstrong, insecure, mediocre and melancholy but like I said, they don't know you. They don't know you like I do, so I don't care what they think."
I'd heard that last sentence before I just didn't know where and then- 'They don't know him like I do, so I don't care what they think.' Just a couple of weeks ago I'd said almost the same thing to Suzy, while I was in the cold bath. I sigh with happiness. I was still super short compared to Barry, even in the heeled shoes.
I hugged him, trapped in the moment. I felt that if I moved I'd die. Moments like this didn't come around very often, they were rare. And to share such a moment with one of my best friends, well let's just say that, it was extremely special. It'd be awful to make them worry about me again so I just made sure that they knew I was still there. "Thank you."
"Well, dinner will be out in, like, 10 minutes." Barry said releasing me and looking into my eyes.
I nervously looked down grabbing my right arm with the adjacent hand, out of the silence I gasp and jump. "I've got an idea." The crowd begins small talk and sounds that question what I'm doing as I run to the stage. I sit down at the piano and flip up the lid. "Barry, you said some pretty sweet stuff just now but, you missed some words."
"What'cha mean, V?" Suzy asks.
"Well," I start tapping at the keyboard getting into rhythm. "~I'm adequately exceptional. I'm gradually professional, at being- mentally deficient.
I'm as shrewd as a sap, with an astute- mental gap. Occasionally I can be consistent.
I'm a fool. I'm a flop. I'm a failure. But you should never judge a book by its colour! Cos there's a heart that beats inside of me.
I'm an educational intellect. Quite exceptional in fact, perfect, at being- the remedial class brainless dunce~" I begin to sing a song by a British comedian named Lee Evans (Who is a very talented man, I must say. He also retired! [Insert sad face here]). Until I told the grumps, everybody thought I'd made it up as I went along. On the last line, of that section, Rose came on to the stage and put a dunce hat on my head. 'Where did that come from?'
"~I'm a success! At losing. I'm obvious when, confusing. I'm always asked for my opinion… once.
So I'm a fool. I'm a flop. I'm a failure. But you should never judge a book by its cover. Cos there's a heart that beats inside of me.
I'm a popular hit with the 'in' crowd. A regular wit to be with and loud. I'm a busy, active, unsociable recluse.
I'm an irresistible reject, with a formidable defect. Sexually, I'm celibate not in use.
I'm a fool. I'm a flop. I'm a failure. But you should never judge a book by its cover. Cos there's a heart that beats inside of me. A heart that beats inside of me. A heart that beats inside of me. ~ That is what you missed."
A round of applause filled the room. "Now, look what I've done." I hop side to side after standing up. "I've killed the good mood. Ah, I know." I say stepping to the front of the stage. "Let me tell you the tale of how I got here, and the addition of some of my thoughts along the way." I smile looking at the people on the tables looking at me, it made extremely nervous. "Well, I flew with Virgin Media and not easy jet. You wanna know why…?" I ask.
People in the crowd just stare, so my best bet was to tell some jokes from British comedians that I agreed with. The challenge, have a completely dead pan delivery. "Because you don't know where the fuck the people are. The backgrounds orange and so are the employees! All you see is a hair-do and some floating teeth. You know what I call people who have their make-up smeared on like that? Orange-face Phyllis." The crowd begins laughing. 'Finally, some happy people.' "I like how I said "The tale of how I got here" and skipped straight to the flight… Oh, we had to be so creative when we were kids, unlike nowadays with their iPads and heelies. The lads had slapsies and Chinese burns. Ya know I wondered about the Chinese when I was like nine, or something." I begin. "I always thought: "Why do they only wanna whisper and fuck up your wrists?" I spoke in a child-like manner, Arin began dying of laughter immediately. "Oh and the girls. There was a new kind of sorcery every day. There was that craze that still goes on now, but now its digital. The paper, fucking, fortune teller." I reach into my bag. "Someone like to try?" I smile devilishly. "Pick a colour, pick a number, pick a colour, pick a number." Dan bravely rose his hand. "Come on up, Daniel."
"Urr, I'm slightly scared." Dan nervously twisted his wrists together.
"Don't be scared Daniel. It's only me." I smile normally. "Pick a colour." I demand.
"Uur, umm- red."
"R-E-D… NUMBER!" I call as I pretended to be the girls at school.
"Umm, four."
"1-2-3-4…" I flip a slot up and read it. "It says… 'You're a dick.'" Dan was astonished. His nut brown eyes widened and I tried to gaze into them, but Arin's laugh, dude. After hearing it I couldn't help but keel over and also laugh. The crowd all died laughing, it wasn't just us, don't worry. In fact, Dan was the only one who didn't find it at all funny.
Daithi De Nogla was in the back and I called over to him. "Daithi! Daithi, son! I was gonna choose you but Dan was brave. Just beware, man!" He stopped laughing. "There's a catch to this." I whisper down to Arin and Barry.
"What is it?" Arin asks as I sit on the edge of the stage leaving Dan trying to register my witty joke.
I flip up all of the corners and: "They all say the same thing." I smile. Barry starts laughing. He becomes unable to stand, when Arin starts laughing, and leans on my thighs. I couldn't escape because the force that was applied was anchoring me in place.
"That is the funniest thing I've seen all day!" Barry says after calming down.
"Urr…" I say awkwardly as I was kinda scared. "Why are you touching me… there?" I was timid in the way I spoke.
"Huh…?" Barry's eyebrow raises and then he realised. My friend jumped back knocking into Kevin. "I am so sorry, Violet. I-I-I didn't mean to, I swear!"
I touch his shoulder comfortingly. "Dude, chill out. We all make mistakes, let it slip by. Alright? It's not the thing you should think about…" I smile. "Just continue with ya life. Don't worry about it. If it was Dan, it'd be a different story."
"Oh, umm, I'm still sorry! Thank you." He smiles back, removing my hand with both of his, slowly.
"Oh, food." I smile jumping off the stage. "Imma gonna go sit… on my own… again." I take the dunce hat off and put it under my arm. I was sitting alone as everyone, whose family was there, was sitting with their relatives. Rose was sitting with some fit single dudes who were on a table together. I look over at my sister. "*sigh* Typical Rose."
The worst part of my seating was, it was pretty far away from the others. Was this some kind of joke? Am I being put on the spot? When I was given my food, I put my headphones on and watched anime while I ate. Everyone else was talking about things. I learned to accept loneliness. "Super driver, hold on tight because I don't slow down for stragglers! I won't stop, till I reach the top! Get ready, GO! Sweet success, or so they say, is never quite like you'd imagine! That's a lie! Give it one more try! So hurry up!" I sing a section of Super Driver's English version by Cristina Vee, at what I'd thought was a quite tone. It wasn't really loud, but it wasn't the whisper I wanted it to be either. I get past it and watch anime again. I begin giggling at episode 23 of Ouran High School Host Club (in which I highly recommend you watch the whole entire anime) where Kasanoda Ritsu discovers that Haruhi is a girl as she is changing and the Hitachiin Twins come at him with a baseball bat saying: "We need to induce amnesia!"
~~~~~~Barry's POV~~~~~~
I was laughing and joking around with my brother when from the other side of the room I heard a familiar laugh. Then I realized that it belonged to Violet.
"Alex, I just need to make sure she's okay with being alone." I say getting up.
"You already asked her 4 times before sitting down, bro." He replied.
"Her mind changes like the direction of the wind." After that, I turned around and made my way to my colleague. She put her hand 2 cm's in front of her mouth as she giggled excessively. I noticed that the otaku was in her natural habitat (anywhere with anime or manga) again. I took a moment, before sitting on the chair in front of her, to assess which anime she was watching and couldn't quite tell. I look at the empty plate in front of her on the table, in shock. The women smiled at her phone screen after resting her arm on the table.
"Are you… alright, here by yourself?" I ask.
"I'm not by myself when I'm watching anime, Barr! Go back to your family!" She smiled moving one of the headphone speakers behind her ear.
"Are you sure?" I ask.
"Just go, damn it! Before I change my mind." Violet shoved the headphone speaker back on to her ear and began playing the anime episode again. I did as I was told to.
"Mom, how is the charity doing, hmm?" Arin asks his mother a question before continuing to eat and then looking at his wife as I pass.
"It's doing fairly well for now, Arin. How've you been?" She replies. He explains what had been going on and so does Suzy. I don't hear anymore as I get too far away, plus, I wasn't gonna listen in.
~~~~~~Violet's POV~~~~~~
I didn't want to force Barry to stay for multiple reasons: He'd want to be with his family more, I was watching a good anime and it generally looks weird and suggestive. As much as I felt bad for sending Barry away like that, it was better off to do so.
I looked behind me to make sure he was talking with his relatives and not looking over at me. I turned the volume of my phone down after looking back to it. Pausing the anime, I felt as if I was being stared at, and I thought I knew who by: The people who claimed to care about me. (The grumps from their separate tables, btw!) My best bet was to pretend not to notice it. I couldn't help but hunch my shoulders up and rub my arms with my hands because it was starting to get really cold. I didn't rub them too vigorously though, my sleeves would get smothered in the considerable amount of foundation on my arms.
I got bored of watching anime and moved on to listening to music. All of a sudden, three very butch shadows beam over me. They were joined by a lanky, skinny one which was delayed by a couple of seconds. I was fanning myself with my hand while making an over exaggerating face. When I turn to see Vanoss, MiniLadd, Terroriser and Daithi De Nogla behind me I shut my mouth.
"Hi!" I say excitedly. "What can I help you guys with?" I was trying to get weird thoughts out of my head when speaking to them.
"Jesus Christ, Violet. I didn't think you were this pretty!" Craig (Mini Ladd) smiled.
"Oh, you. You all don't look half bad yourselves. I mean, I've seen Craig in person before but… I expected a little bit less of… an image, when I thought of the rest of you… You can sit down if you'd like." I smile. Everyone aside from Evan (Vanoss) sat down.
"When I first saw you from a distance I was kinda like Damn Gurl!" Brian (Terroriser) made me laugh. It was the kind of half nervous and half I-found-it-funny laugh, so basically I made myself look a little bit dumb but that's okay. I fell back on my chair, directly into Evans rock hard abs! 'Hoooly fuuck! Don't drool, Violet. Keep it together.' I couldn't believe it, this was the first time I'd ever touched a guy's abs before. I mean it wasn't the first time I'd touched abs in general because I had abs, but JEEBUS! It felt amazing. I moved forward straight away and my face burnt up in embarrassment.
"I am so sorry Evan." I turn around and splayed my hands out multiple times. Daithi, Brian and Craig were laughing.
"You've only just met the guy, Violet. And your already feelin' 'im up." Daithi joked. Evan laughed after that and I knew a way to stop this embarrassment: Run from it.
I arose from my chair and sprinted out of there. My headphones were still around my neck so my phone got dragged behind me. My face was as close to the door as my hands were when opening it.
'Ugh, Barry's right. I shouldn't run like this… but what was I to do?' The embarrassment just from running was killing me. I was running down the hall with my hands flailing behind me. "Aaaaagh! I've done it aga-a-ain!" I cry while continuing down the surprisingly long hall. I open the doors that go out to the world and hear that voice, the voice I always think of in my time of need.
"Violet!" Barry screeched before panting. "What happened now?!" I heard him speak before the doors slammed behind me. I skidded to a stop so that I could change direction and chose to hide at the side of the building. When I reached my destination I slid down the wall, sighing in exhaustion. My phone was no longer connected to the headphone wire. 'Well, shit.' I thought to myself. 'What happened to it? You can't go looking for it… Fuck it.' I picked myself up and at that moment I heard it again. "Blackwell, where d'ya get to now?"
"Ooh no… Oh, fuuck. Where do I go from here?!" I cry. "That was so embarrassing!" I look around hastily.
~~~~~~Barry's POV~~~~~~
I ran out to look for Violet and Craig followed me and he was not too far behind. "You see that, dude? That's the tip of her headphone audio-jack thing!" I exclaim clutching her phone.
"Yeah, it's gotta be hers. Umm, Barry, was it?"
"Yeah! What is it?"
"She seemed really normal until I actually met her in person. What's Violets deal?" Craig asked me.
"In short, she's just weird. I'll explain properly later."
"Okay, fair enough." He responded.
"Oh, where could it be?" Violet muttered. "I should be more careful, now where is my phone… I'm such a dummy. Argh, I'm sick of my own childish behaviour. GET IT TOGETHER!" We hear a thump on a wall. "Uh oh... hmm! Just… urr… move away." She croaks and proceeds to cough. Mini Ladd and I hide behind the hotels wall.
"I can make her laugh, trust me!" Mini exclaimed. He peeked his head behind the wall. "Hey gurl! I just shit myself!" It totally back fired.
A/N You'll get the reference if you watch Mini Ladd's #AskMini series 3
~~~~~~Violet's POV~~~~~~
He scared the shit out of me. "KYYAAAAAAAGH!" I squeal. And in that moment of terror, you have no idea how inviting the usually creepy dark black alley's depths seemed. I ran into the darkness.
As I ran into what seemed never-ending-darkness, my fear of the dark kicked in. I began whimpering. "I really wish I had my phone for light right now… or a teddy that I could hug. Yeah, a plush would make this better, only… I don't have one. Fuuuu- This is super scary. Why did you do this?! A women without her sister is like a bird without wings. Look which bird can't fly!" I squeal. "Someone'll find you eventually. But for now… sing a tune." I put my hand underneath my chin, thinking of a song as my mind had went blank. I fall into something. "Is that a…? KYYAAAAAGH! I touched it! Eww. That's a dead rat… Ew-ew-ew-ew-ew-ew-ew! Songs, Violet you need one… just don't move without a light… Umm…" I shiver in fright and disgust. "Oh… okay. 1. 2. 3. ~musing through memories, losing my grip in the grey. Numbing the senses, I feel you slipping away. Fighting to hold on, clinging to just one more day. Love turns to ashes, with all that I wish I could say.
I'd die to be where you are. I tried to be where you are.
Every night, I dream you're still here. The ghost by my side, so perfectly clear. When I awake, you'll disappear, back to the shadows, with all I hold dear. With all I hold dear. I dream you're still here. I dream you're still-~" I see the light of my phone in the distance. It went off and on again. The light is turned around to reveal Mini and Barr. I start shaking. "Don't scare me like that! Especially you, Craig! I expect more from you!" I tried to walk forward but felt wrong for doing so for some unexplainable reason. "I need to wash my hands… fuckin' dead rats… Disgusting. A complete disgrace." I mutter tottering out of the corner with my right hand far in front of me.
I marched out of the alley muttering to myself. "Don't forget, Violet. That has to be something… you… have to do… I don't wanna." My head drops. "But you fuckin' have to. They only way to knock some fucking sense into yourself. I look crazy… Fuck it, let's be honest, I am crazy." 'Why did you say that out loud? Don't stress don't worry… Create a distraction… That should work… Actually, let's not.' I thought whilst shuffling forward.
"Uum… This is slightly awkward." Mini laughed awkwardly.
"Shut up. I'll lose my train of thought." I snap.
"Violet, that isn't necessary. You know that." Barry said in a disappointed manner.
"Excuse me for trying to think. Fuck right off." I begin to lose my patients.
"Is she- Are you always like this?" Mini asked.
"No-" Barry began.
"You've caught me in a bad mood. I can't stand myself, nor can I stand my inferior complexity right now. I fucking hate myself." I mutter.
"Hate's a big word to use."
"I despise myself then. Is that better?" I look down and just stop after speaking in an aggressive tone. My arms drop to my side.
"Huh?" The boys say while catching up to me. This was the only way to think straight. 'Right, Violet. Get your act together… Number 1, stop being a spoilt little brat. Number 2, you keep embarrassing yourself, which also needs to stop. Number 3, People already think your weird enough, never mind what you bound to do if you weren't having this conversation… with yourself.'
"God, I am fucking creepy weird." I mutter and then it hits me. "ファックのために。あなただけの日本の話を聞いた場合は、この全体的な状況を避けたかもしれません。 くそ！私はクソばかなんですよ！ばかは、あなたがおかしく馬鹿なよ！"
(In which means "For fucks sake. You could have avoided this whole situation, if you just spoke Japanese. FUCK! I'm such a fucking idiot! Idiot, you're such a freaking idiot!")
"Hey, look." I turn around, still keeping the hand that touched the dead rat in front of me. "I'm… I apologize. I just have, a lot of things on my mind that I don't feel comfortable enough to share quite yet." My hair blew in the wind as I force a smile on to my face. I put my clean hand out. "Let's go!" Barry grabbed my hand and Craig grabbed on to my wrist. "When we get in that hotel, I need to wash my hand due to me accidentally touching a vulgar and dead rat. And then, we wait until everyone's parents and other relatives leave."
"After that?" Barry asks.
"I get wasted on Sake!" I cheer. "Also many-many-many vodka and cokes. I'm great fun after having a load of drink." I face the other way and begin to march out of the dark back alley, dragging the guys out with me. When we reach the light I notice the sky. "*Gasp*. The sun's setting! It's so pretty, I've never noticed it until now." I slow down when looking up.
"You've been in Murica for, what? 3 months now and you still haven't noticed?" Craig laughed.
"And you haven't noticed how slow my brain is?" I laugh and it just sparks a laughing fit between all three of us. When we get inside I tell the guys to wait for me as I'm so useless I could get lost in a straight hallway with nothing in it.
I run into the bathroom and when the door shuts, the hot tap is immediately turned on. Operation: Get-dead-rat-gunk-off-my-hand-plus-minor-thinking-time was under way. I dose my good hand in the bathrooms sweet scented hand wash as the right hand was under the water. 'Is that seriously what I just said…TO TWO MEN?! For fucks sake. Goddamnit R- no. Goddamnit me. For god's sake, I am a friggin idiot!'
~~~~~~Barry's POV~~~~~~
Craig and I were leaning on the wall waiting for Violet and we hear: "I'm great fun after having a load of drink." Urgh. I am a retard. Even though, Violet, I don't think they would take advantage of me like that but…" Craig and I exchange shocked glances, his eyes particularly wide as if he were trying to say: 'Does she think we'd do that to her?' "Daww, shit! I said that out loud! Fuck me…! *Sigh*. That is fucking disturbingly inappropriate for what they've just heard me worry about. Uurgh… Make me unable to talk please, lord. Are you even up there? I know what I did in secondary school was wrong and you can't forgive me, but I'm not askin' for no forgiveness. I just kinda want to be like the Little Mermaid. A good and perfect life with the payment of my voice. It'd be cool if I could have of those voice things that Stephen Hawking has. It's be sooo totally awesome… Welp, a dreams a dream and they've just heard everything I've just said… See ya later God, my home boy!" She said. "Now the old hands clean." The door opened and she stood in front of it until she noticed us. "Oh, senpai...'s! Don't mind me… I'm just awkward."
"Violet, we'd never take advantage of you like that." I promise.
"Hmm…? Oooh, right. Man, I've gotta stop thinking out loud." She bowed in front of us, in a Japanese style. She rose again and started heading back to the main hall, walking backwards and tugging on to both our hands. Most importantly, she was smiling. Not just a closed mouth sort of smile, I mean a full on tooth-y smile. She looked down for a moment. "Wow, I'm surprisingly mood swing-y. Meh, I don't care anymore." Violet meets our eyes once more. "Come on! Hurry up."
I found myself and Craig running to keep our hands from being dislocated. Violet's hair was blowing in our direction as she crashed her back into the doors. They fully opened as we were dragged into the party. I barely notice the purple streaks of hair come out from behind her ears as she looks down and closes her eyes. Letting go of our hands, she jumps into the air and skids to a stop on the stage. "It's getting well into the evening and this is a little message to you. I want everyone to have fun for as long as they are gathered in this assembly. And that means you!" She points out to the crowd in general, well at least I think she did. Although it was more in my direction.
Most of our families stayed for 20 more minutes before saying goodbye to us and leaving. Rose, Violet's sister, stayed the whole evening. As she said she would, Violet obtained pictures with her sibling and Rose's phone number. She bought a round of drinks for everyone who still remained at the party at 8:30 pm. The black haired, flower named, women loaded up on Saké forgetting about the vodka and coke completely.
~~~~~~Ross' POV~~~~~~
I had to stay sober, as did Arin and Danny. After the party we collected the cake that wasn't eaten as well as our stuff. We decided to go to the beach for a little while afterwards. The three of us sober men leaned on the railings talking to each other while watching as Suzy, Holly, Violet, Barry, Rose and Mark flailing around the beach. They decided that it'd be hilarious to kick surprisingly well-built sand castles down and skid rocks across the water amongst other of their drunken shenanigans. I was only allowed 3 drinks, Arin and Dan were allowed 5 drinks as they didn't have a half shredded foot on their side.