Yay! Another chapter! Not much to say now. Hope you enjoy this!

Oh, by the way, I'm not terribly consistent with my stories. So if you do find a mistake, please let me know! (For example, I might say that in chapter one, Rin is 15, but here, I might say she's 14. Yes, I'm that bad.)

Vocaloid (c) Yamaha

The Schoolgirl and the Prayer

Rin was sitting in the back seat with her father in a black car, the chauffeur driving silently to their destination – it was going to be an overnight stay at a private hotel before they set off home the next day. Rin stared out the window, refusing to even glance at the man beside her. Without blinking, still watching the scenery fly past, Rin spoke up.

"Why do you hate Len so much?"

"Don't you?" replied her father gruffly. "Don't you hate him for all he's done?"

Rin knew he was hinting at the fact that she was deceived by Len and was given back to her father. The man she hated so much. The man she was sitting next to now. It felt unreal.

"I can forgive him," said Rin bluntly. "He had no other choice. Now tell me. Why do you hate him so much?"

There was long sigh from the man. He took his glasses off, and wiped them, before placing them back on the end of his nose.

"…We were never meant to see him again," explained Rin's father reluctantly. "I didn't know… I would never have guessed… that blasted organisation… they even tried to recruit orphans."

He spoke in disjointed sentences, as if mumbling to himself.

It took a moment for the words to sink in and make any sense to Rin.

"Father… what do you mean?" she asked, addressing him face to face as her 'father' for the first time in years. Her eyes widened in shock. "No way… you mean—"

"It was because your mother and I loved you. That's why—"

"You barely spent any time with me! And besides… Mother…" Rin trailed off as the abrupt argument stopped. There was complete silence in the car until they arrived at the hotel.

The hotel was more like a cottage than a hotel. It was small, homely, covered in ivy, and furnished with vintage items. Oak tables and chairs on top of fluffy carpets. Chandeliers draped with beads of glass. An old grandfather clock ticking chiming in the hallway.

Rin stormed up the stairs the first chance she got and didn't come back down until it was time for dinner. By then, the sun had set and the sky was quickly darkening. The first diamond stars had peeked out from the velvet twilight.

There was an awkward silence and sinister atmosphere at the dinner table. Despite the warm heating, the air felt cold and dangerous. Sitting down on one side of the long table, Rin was determined to keep a scowl on her face. The food smelt delicious, yet when she was eating, it was bland and tasteless. Worry, suspicion and confusion gnawed at her.

"Listen, Rin, dear," began Rin's father, breaking the silence. "Tomorrow, we're heading home. Your… mother… is very worried about you." There was no answer from the stormy-eyed blonde girl. As she left the dining room, the chandelier dimly lighting the place, her father stated, "We're going back whether you like it or not. There are plenty of better schools." He paused. "And better people, for that matter."

An hour later, Rin sat on her bed. It was comfortable and soft. She was in her school uniform, still. She hadn't brought any spare outfit changes with her. A girl's big mistake. She couldn't believe it: barely a day had passed since Len had come in, dripping wet, to her (and Miku's) apartment. Closing her tired eyes, Rin tried to recall all the day's events. She had finished school; she had gone over to Len's house without telling Miku; there was the whole… talk… with Len; she had been handed back over to her father; and now she was sitting on a bed, feeling frustrated and exhausted.

The bedside clock read 10:30pm. It was late. She was stuck with her father now. Inevitably, he wouldn't let her out of his sight ever again. Rin let out an aggravated cry. More importantly, she wanted to change her clothes. The red school blazer hung on a clothes hanger on the wardrobe door. She had her white blouse and black skirt on. That was as comfortable as it was going to get.

Rin pulled her feet up onto the bed, and curled up into a ball, arms hugging her legs. She placed her chin on her knees and sighed. Emptying her head of most distracting thoughts, she left herself with a small prayer. It was just a tiny bit of hope, like a single star against a vast black sky. Either the star would be drowned by the inky sky, or it would shine like a signal for help.

Please, Rin prayed silently, I don't want to be here. I don't want to go back. Please, let me go.

A few moments later, nothing had happened. Rin didn't feel any different. As thought, it was useless. Hopeless. She snuggled under the thick, down-filled duvet, resting her sleepy head on her pillow. Closing her eyes, Rin tried to sleep, yet no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't. Something was keeping her awake. It was as if something was about to happen. Something big.

Late into the night, Rin lay there, occasionally tossing and turning. Time slipped by so slowly. She glanced at the clock beside her every so often, only to find out only ten or so minutes had passed… 11pm… 11:10pm… 11:30…

After what seemed like decades of lying, motionless, on the bed, the clock ticked to midnight. The air was still. All was silent. Nothing moved.

CRASH!

Suddenly, there was a commotion. The sound of breaking glass shattered the air.

BANG!

A lonely gunshot pierced the night.

An equally lonely voice spoke out of the darkness.

"Seems like you need better security, sir," – unusually polite, and annoyingly mocking.

Rin sat bolt upright in the bed. Her eyes were wide open. All fantasies of sleep and peace had vaporised in an instant. She knew that voice. She knew that voice all too well.

There was a soft knock on her bedroom door. She waited, but after a few second of nothing happening, she whispered, "Come in."

A shadow entered the room. More accurately, a person clothed in shadows entered the room. Ice blue eyes with a mischievous twinkle stared at the girl.

"…Len," breathed Rin.

"Hmm?" he replied. He threw his hood back. He wore a pitch-black cloak which covered his whole body and flowed down to his heels. Presumably, he was also wearing black underneath. He looked like a phantom thief. His black leather shoes made not the slightest sound as he approached Rin.

"Wh-why are you here?" stammered the girl.

"Why am I here?" repeated Len, as if asking himself the question again. "That's a good question. Do you know the answer?"

"I asked you because I didn't know," retorted Rin firmly.

Len smirked. He liked this. In one swift motion, he leapt and perched upon the windowsill. The silvery moonlight framed his sleek, cat-like figure.

"I guess," he began, gazing at Rin as if she was some precious jewel, "I guess I came here to steal you."

Yay! End of chapter! Time to get working on the next one...