*Blue's POV*

            This morning, I woke up and did all the things that you would do to get ready for school and was staring at the empty fridge. The door was open and the cold air brushed soothingly at my zebra print leggings, begging me to fill it. But I couldn't. I didn't have any money. And Mom wasn't getting up to help anytime soon.

            My stomach lurched and I clutched it, my blonde hair falling over my face. This was child abuse. Not that it mattered. I hadn't eaten anything in over a week. Nothing but water. I'm surprised no one has noticed yet, not even Chase and his stupid adorable feelings for me.

            I let out a low groan and slammed the fridge shut, making it quake against the pressure. I ripped open the cabinets. Empty. The pantry. Empty. Even in my Mom's room. All were empty. We had nothing anymore. I didn't know what she did when I wasn't home. There's shattered glass everywhere, I don't know how to use the washing machine, we haven't payed rent. I'm wearing the same clothes that I wore yesterday. I just know that the Davenports are going to ask me questions.

            But I can't let them now how much pain I'm in right now. A human can go for a month without food but they have to have water, right? Then I'm good.

           I turned around, about to start writing a list of things that need to be fixed around here in order for me to live when I had to stop and grip the counter until my knuckles turned white from a sharp pain in my stomach. It felt like someone stabbing a knife into my abdomen again... And again... And again...

If our love is tragedy why are you remedy? If our loves insanity why are you my clarity?

          My phone blasted the ringtone to the song 'Clarity' by Zedd and I squinted my eyes against the pain, brushing my hand along the counter until I grabbed my phone. It was Chase.

          "Hello?" I groaned, not being able to mask the pain in my tone.

   "Blue? Are you okay? I was just calling to ask if you needed a ride."

          "I'm fine. Stop asking questions, everything's fine. No, I have another ride." I lied, doing my best impression. I suddenly felt guilty for lying to him.

            "Well, it's kind of hard not to when you won't even let us come over to your house when you say everything's fine." I let out a moan again as another stab hit my stomach.

            Chase mumbled something from the other side that I couldn't hear. "Blue, have you not been eating anything?"

           My eyes widened in shock. How the hay did he know that?!? "Y-yeah, I've been e-eating..." I let out another groan as the pain grew sharper.

           "Blue, you haven't been eating have you?"

           "No..."

           "Are you crazy, Blue? You could die from that! Are you trying to kill yourself?"

           "Maybe I am!" I snapped into the phone. "I told you everything's fine! You don't need to know what all goes on at home no matter how abusive it is! I am taking care of it, and I don't need you or your stupid sibling's help!"

            I stabbed the END CALL button and threw my phone across the room, hearing the satisfying bump against the wall as it tumbled to the empty, sherry stained floor.

            Little did I know that Chase had his phone on speakerphone, and Mr. Davenport, Adam, Bree, and Leo had heard the entire thing.

...............................

*Chase's POV*

             "Is it wrong of me to be worried about her? She's the one thing that I can't figure out. And I'm supposed to be the smartest man on the planet!"

I couldn't help it. I cared about Blue a lot more than I was letting on and when I care about something I need to know about it. And her telling me not to ask questions isn't going to make me go away. I told her I wasn't giving up on her and I'm keeping that promise.

"No, it's not. You have every right to be, and so do we. I caught a glimpse one time of what her apartment looked like, but I only got a second to look before a bottle slammed against the door and Blue shut it." Bree said. Me, Bree, Adam, and Leo were standing my her locker waiting for her, which she still hadn't shown up. I didn't believe her about the 'another ride' excuse either. Davenport told us that if we figured anything else out to tell him immediately so we could get her out of there.

             "What did it look like inside?" Leo asked.

  "Well, for starters, the place was a wreck. The lights were off so I figured the electrical bills hadn't been paid. There were shards of broken glass everywhere. The floors were stained with what looked like blood, but I figured it was some sort of wine. The windows were drawn shut. The carpets and tiles seemed unwashed. And the kitchen was blank. There was NOTHING on the counter. I'm starting to get really scared, she's with her Mom all the time once she gets home. I know we drag her with us, but what happens once she goes home?"

              I sighed and looked down at the floor. "She's starving herself. Seriously guys, have either one of you ever seen her eat something at lunch or breakfast?"

              They all shook their heads no. "And she probably doesn't have any money at home to buy food. She probably doesn't have enough money for anything. We may have to-"

            "You may have to do nothing," we all turned around to face Blue. She looked terrible. Her gorgeous blonde hair was brushed, but it seemed darker and unwashed. Her mysterious magenta eyes that usually glow weren't glowing anymore. She wasn't smiling, her lips were dry and chapped. She was wearing the exact same clothes as yesterday. And her skin was ghost pale. No, not even ghost pale. It was much paler than it should be. And she looked ten times skinner than she did before, tinnier than Bree. She avoided our eyes and unlocked her locker. "I told you, Chase. Everything is FINE. You guys need to stop asking questions and having your own secret gossip sessions behind my back. Like I said, I'm not a baby, I can handle this."

             I watched her, wishing that she would let me help her, as she lurched forward and gripped her stomach.

            "Blue, are you okay?" Bree cried in horror. Blue straightened back up, threw her bag into her locker, and slammed the door shut, turning around to avoid our eyes again.

           "Fine. I'm perfectly fine." She finally looked up to meet our eyes and I internally gasped. Her eyes... They were so... Depressed. Like a photo in black in white, only darker. She wasn't okay. She was hurting, but I knew that already.

            "Blue, you need to eat something. You need to let us help you. You're going to die if you keep this up." I tried to look her in the eye again, but she did something I wasn't expecting. She leaned over and grabbed my arm for support. She looked like she was going to fall over.

             I put an arm around her back for support and for once, she didn't move it. 'She's sick' I mouthed to Bree and Leo who looked at her in concern.

           It took all of us to help her get into the gym to hear the announcements.

.............................

*Blue's POV*

           I felt terrible.

It was like the knifes wasn't enough and they had to go get a shotgun. Chase set me down in a chair and he, Adam, Bree,  and Leo sat down next and across from me. They didn't ask me any questions, just looked at me. Chase's eyes never strayed from me though.

             I just fiddled with my wrists, which had shrunk since I lost 10 pounds.

"Good morning Westchester High. Wish I could say have a good day, but I can't. It's not possible," everyone groaned and I perked my ears up. "So here's some worthless announcements for you; girls soccer practice has been canceled tonight, boys football tryouts are starting up, and finally, make sure to sign up for the Westchester High Talent Show! Sign up sheets are behind the gymnasium doors and will be held on Wednesday. You're supposed to share a special talent that's enough to impress me. And I have to like you in order to give you a high score. So, good luck with that cause I hate all of you!" Principal Perry cackled into the intercom, then it shut off.

             "Ooh, I'm totally going to try out in that thing for my magic skills." Leo said enthusiastically.

             "I may try out for singing." I said under my breath and they all looked at me in shock. Probably because I said something nice.

             "Wait- you sing, too? You aren't just sarcastic all the time?" Leo asked.

    "Isn't being sarcastic a talent?" Adam asked, but we just ignored him.

             "I have other talents." I whispered barely audible because they all had to lean forward to hear me.

             "I think that's cute." Chase said. I looked up and smiled at him, feeling those butterflies come back. I just tried kicking them in the stomach, but they didn't go away. He smiled back.

              "What are you going to sing, Blue?" Bree asked.

           "I don't know. What about 'Confident'?" I asked, naming one of my favorite songs off the top of my head.

               Bree 'oohed'. "That's a good one. I may try singing myself."

After that they started talking about a couple of weeks ago at the last talent show when Chase turned into 'Spike'. I still haven't seen him in Spike form.

             "Chase, you should help me out with my magic too." Leo suggested.

"Why? So you can turn me into Spike again?"

             "I haven't seen Spike yet, I want to meet him." I said softly. Chase looked down at me and sincerely said, "Trust me, you don't wanna meet him."

...........................

  I'm wondering if Spike should show up in the talent show again... What do you guys think?
      Blue will meet him eventually, but I want to know if you guys want him to show up now or later. Thanks!

  Love,

               Danalpswolf