The Neighbors
Back in the Future…
Laveda tried jumping off of the balcony, again. If for nothing more than to feel like she was doing something. Wyatt had her trapped there and she was going stir crazy. She didn't do well sitting still.
Like most people in the future they lived their lives hyper vigilant. They were always on edge.
Her body went flying backwards, into the center of that bedroom space. She swore as she landed, right before hearing the door open a crack. She turned around, expecting to tell Wyatt to get out but froze.
It wasn't Wyatt standing there at all.
"Vida?" a voice whispered and Laveda clammed up tighter than any she'd been before. She stood up and walked to the living room, closing the door behind her. Just seeing that girl again made the betrayal all too real, all too painful.
With that Laveda suppressed what little emotions she did have, leaving her cold and hollow. The young woman entered the room and Laveda turned to look at her. That's when Laveda noticed Pandora had a radio in her hands and a bag of cd's on each arm.
"I know you thrive on music so I brought your favorites," Pandora stated and Laveda stood there coldly.
"Thank you, Ms. Matthews," Laveda said, her voice devoid of everything.
"Laveda," Pandora tried but Laveda didn't let her get the chance to say whatever she wanted to say.
"I appreciate the gesture, Ms. Matthews but I don't need it," she stated to Pandora who looked like she was about to cry.
"V," Pandora whispered. "I wanted my cousin. I couldn't stand not having my family with me. I thought you'd understand. I'm sure if I look around here I could find Ebony and bring her to you."
That felt like a slap in the face. Of course, she'd never told Pandora the truth about what happened that night, how she killed her own sister. Still, the naïveté of that child hit her harder than she'd like to admit.
"Ebony died in battle, a long time ago," Laveda stated. "She was run through with a blade. Now, if you wouldn't mind, I'm kind of tired and would like to rest now."
With that Laveda walked past the girl and crawled in bed. She closed her eyes and heard a sigh before Pandora exited the room. Laveda didn't move for a bit, not ambitious enough to.
--
Robert watched Laveda through the screen. His eyes looked at the pretty blonde, trying to see something in her that he remembered. Growing up she'd always been the girl surrounded by the boys.
It had always been him, Wyatt, Chris, and little Laveda. They'd protected her even though she really didn't need it. Still, they'd all harbored secret crushes back then. He'd grown out of his. She'd been just his best friend till this war tore them apart. Wyatt had started this war and Robert knew his friend wouldn't survive the loneliness if everyone turned on him. Because of that he joined Wyatt's forces. Chris and Laveda had formed the resistance together. Those two were just as powerful as Wyatt when together though they'd never admit it.
They had always hated power. He'd never understood how two of the three most powerful beings on the planet could hate power as much as they did. They all used basic powers if that.
He shook his head, trying to urge Laveda to her feet. She was just lying on her bed. Had been for the past three hours since Pandora left. She looked so weak and powerless like that, even though he knew that was nowhere near true.
She'd destroy anyone who was in her way. A part of him was scared of his ex-friend. She reminded him of Wyatt, her cold manner. Wyatt was like that with people but she was even worse.
How she'd come to this was beyond him. She use to be alive, energetic, and optimist. She was the heart and soul of their friendship. Wyatt had been the bronze, the muscle. Chris was the brain, the smart one. Robert had always been the laughter – the conscience.
Somehow, he still was Wyatt's Conscience. He made sure Wyatt knew what was right and what was wrong. He swayed his friend as best he could. However, unlike Chris and Pandora, Robert didn't have that imperfect immunity to Wyatt's wrath. He had a better immunity than most but still, he had to watch himself around his friend.
Still, Robert was given a better life than most people and had his own group of guards to protect him. It was the same with Pandora and even Laveda now had a set of guards always watching out for her.
He shook his head, worried about there unraveled group. Wyatt had gone too far but he wouldn't dare tell him.
--
Pandora stood there in the door way. Two days ago she'd left Laveda in that bed and she hadn't moved since. She could already see that Laveda's thin frame was getting worse and worse.
Laveda had raised her for years now, raising her beside Vera as if she were both of their mothers. She could see Laveda's suffering. Laveda, the strong willed, force of nature, was giving up. She was letting go. Without the resistance Laveda had no reason to keep on living.
If Chris was here he'd know exactly what to say to help her. He always knew what to say to help her. It had always been that way between those two. When was down the other could always cheer them up no matter what was bugging them.
Yeah, Pandora had lost her cousin but Laveda had lost her soul mate. He may have been with Bianca and never actually dated Laveda but they were soul mates. They were meant to be together. Their lives seemed to bring them together, even before birth.
Her, almost mother, was hurting and she didn't know what to do. Pandora watched Laveda move her hand to face for a moment then lay it in front of her. That was when Pandora realized Laveda was crying.
Laveda, the Ice-Queen, the heartless bitch she'd become, was crying. It didn't seem real. Pandora didn't think as she reacted and moved over to Laveda's side and sat down on the bed next to her. After a moment Laveda sat up, her eyes red and puffy.
"Leave me alone, Ms. Matthews," Laveda said, her voice cold and emotionless. It stung, the woman who had raised her calling her something as cold and stiff as Ms. Matthews.
"Why can't you try and get along with Wyatt and be happy?" Pandora asked and Laveda grew cold and turned back into the Laveda she knew.
"I don't know if you forgot but this war he started killed all of my sisters. In fact, it killed your own sister – your twin, Persephone. You do remember her don't you?" Laveda asked and Pandora froze, unable to believe this. She slid out of that bed and walked to the door, feeling as if she'd gotten slapped.
She left the room in tears and found her guards outside waiting for her.
--
Wyatt hit that punching bag, preferring to keep both his physical and magical abilities up to par rather than allow either one to suffer. Still, his mind wasn't on his current activity.
He was thinking about his 'guest' the one who was determined to starve herself to death and it was killing him a little bit inside. He'd never admit it but he and his brother use to fight for her attention as kids.
He'd been in love with her and so had Chris. Chris was always a better fit for her though. They thought alike, acted alike, and she'd been in love with him. No matter what he did that would never change.
Even if he could convince her to love him now his brother would always be in her heart, he'd be her first love. He knew she'd never be able to get past that, especially since she believed he'd killed Chris.
It was then the door to the gym opened. Wyatt was prepared to vanquish whoever was disturbing him but froze when he saw his cousin running in with tears in her eyes. He knelt to her short level and she grabbed onto him tightly.
When she told him what had passed between her and Laveda he grew furious.
