Hey, Guys!

Ok, I know I'm late and I am very sorry, and I have learned a valuable lesson. Never promise to update on weekdays.

This chapter contains a lot of Mara and Nina tension so beware.

Enjoy!

~IfWritersCouldSpeak~

Mara was fuming.

He ears were bright red, as she clenched her teeth. "What. Are. You. Doing."

I gasped, and began to hyperventilate. "F-Fabian," I stammered, "he's sick. I don't k-know what it is." I then begged, "Please, I have to get Trudy. We can discuss this later, I swear, just let me help him."

She stared at me. "Fabian's fine. He's had this for a while. He'll be ok. He'll be there by first period. Just forget it. You don't need to get Trudy." There was an edge of confidence in her voice, but a look of worry in her eyes.

She didn't want Trudy to know.

"He was ready to give up, Mara," I stated, "I don't think this could go on without Trudy knowing."

"Trudy knows," Mara told me. "It's ok. Just go to school, and I'll bring Fabian."

"I don't think I could let you do that," I whispered.

"Really?" she scoffed. "Then you might want to change your mind."

Her arms were folded across her chest, making her look tough. My hands hung loosely at my sides, slightly swaying.

She's probably right, I thought. It's probably nothing. Patricia said this "thing" went on for a while, and I've seen him in first period all the time….

I was ready to give up, and push past Mara and go to class when Fabian's moan ripped through the air.

I turned around, and saw Mara in the same position. "I'm sorry, I have to help him."

She stood there for a moment before waling closer to me. "Don't think I'm playing with you, Nina," she warned, her brown eyes staring into mine. "Don't go where you don't belong. I know about your fears." I gulped. "Your mum, your dad, even your older sister who ran away rather than be with you."

I gasped. "How did you-"

"I have influence on many things here, Nina," she informed. "I know that you can sing, but that you're too afraid to open your mouth.

"I'll make you a deal. You stay away from this mess with Fabian, and I won't tell a word about anything. Deal?" she offered.

I nodded, and I scooped up my bag and left the house.

I could hear the sound of Fabian's door opening and closing.

I left to the voice of his moans crying out in pain.

I came back to the house with everyone else, at three.

Fabian had only showed up to second period, and the way he looked at me, I could tell he didn't remember. I was glad; it would be much easier to keep up my end of the deal, if Fabian didn't keep begging me to stay beside him.

Fabian sat beside me in only one class, Chemistry, since he was the only student without a partner.

I could feel Mara's eyes burning holes in the back of my blazer as I asked him to mix sodium with chlorine, and turn on the heater to 23 degrees Celsius on the second burner.

I avoided as much contact as possible, because to her, a brush across his fingers would count as getting involved in his business.

When we got back to the house, everyone settled in the living room to begin doing his or her homework.

"Nina," Trudy called, "it's your aunt."

I walked over to where she was by the phone, before giving her a "thank you" smiling, and sitting in the chair. Trudy left soon after.

"Hello, Nina," my aunt's voice vibrated.

"Hello, Aunt Georgia," I greeted. "How's the farm going?"

"It's going, dear. But, listen I have to ask you a question. It's about your Gran," she explained.

"What is it?" I questioned.

"You see I found an old box in the attic. It was kind of buried. I believe your grandmother had it, and it was full of pictures of your mother and father.

"I was wondering if you wanted them."

It was silent. I could hear every breath of mine become shallower, and my voice shrinking, it was the size of a walnut… a peanut...

"Nina," my aunt's voice called, "Nina, calm down. I won't send them, I promise."

I nodded though she couldn't see me. I wiped my eyes on my sleeves, and wasn't shocked to find moisture in my cuffs.

"I have to go, Aunt Georgia," I told her.

"I have to too," she admitted. "I'll call you soon."

"Good bye," I said.

"Good bye."

I hung up the phone, and went upstairs.

If I had turned around, I would have seen Fabian, watching me, like a shadow.

That night was awkward.

I was tired, but I needed a glass of water. I crept down the steps, each one creaking as my ugly, weight stepped them.

I made it all the way down, when I realized there was a light on. Fabian was sitting at the counter, as he held a mug in his hand. He was staring at his reflection in the granite.

"Hey," I said. He was startled, and jumped. "Sorry, I needed water. Couldn't sleep either?"

I opened the fridge, and pulled out the cold jug when he said, "You know I remember."

I stood up and froze. I shut the fridge door and slid the container on the countertop. "What do you mean?"

He gave me a "you-know-what-I-mean" look.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked, cautiously.

He nodded, vigorously, and began, "It all started about a month ago, but the main thing started about seven months-"

"Nina," a voice called, "I was wondering where you went."

Mara emerged from the darkness, her cashmere robe, as fluffy as a poodle. But her expression she was just as vicious as one, and she was ready to attack. "Oh, hi, Fabian."

He lightly smiled, "Hi, Mara." Then his face changed, "Um, I have to go."

He got up from the table, and Mara stood still as he walked out the door, before coming back in, and kissing her cheek. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," she replied.

Once he left, everything in the world went silent.

"I thought I told you," Mara said through gritted teeth, "to stay away from him. I am pretty sure I was 99 percent clear."

"Fabian," I stuttered, "Fabian j-just needs someone to confide in."

"He has me," she spat. "I am his confidant."

"What if he needs to talk to someone else?" I asked, then added, "What if he needs some more help?"

"I don't know what you think," Mara said, "nor do I care. But all I know is that you care about Fabian. And if you care about him, you'll leave him alone."

Her words sunk in. For a second, I thought she was bluffing, but her face showed nothing of the sort.

"I don't know how you solve fights in America," she emphasized. "But, here we fight. We fight for love, we fight for blood, we fight to win. We don't leave the battleground without a win. Three hundred years ago, your country may have beaten us, and we may be friends, but war is war. This is war, Nina, I would suggest you surrender before you get hurt."

I sucked in a breath. Three minutes later, her gaze hadn't shifted; she still looked murderous. "Ok," I breathed. "Ok, I'll leave Fabian alone."

"No more secret meetings, nothing, you don't communicate with him unless it is school realted. You promise that, and we could try and be friends."

"Ok," I responded immediately, her threathing looks too much for me. "Fabian is out, forver. Nothing outside of school."

"Ok," Mara repeated. "Now get out of here."

I hurried out of the room, and as I crept back up the stairs, Fabian's begging words to me filled my ears. "Don't go. I won't let you."

As I entered my room, so did Patricia's. "I think it was because of Mara. I think… I think she broke him."

When I turned on my alarm for nine am, Patricia's speculations continued, "I think you're…you're his only hope Nina."

As I tucked in, Fabian's voice echoed in my mind, "It all started about a month ago…."

When I closed my eyes, his next line haunted me, "…but the main thing started about seven months-"

I popped my eyes as Mara's voice came in. "We've been together for seven months, twenty-three days, and nineteen hours."

Seven months.

I hope you understood the ending.

The next chapter update is Saturday, December 28th. Happy Holidays and I'll see you next week!

Bye!

~IfWritersCouldSpeak~