Leaves fallen and not gave the calm of the forest an enchanted beauty of green. The Beckham family had settled in quite nicely and the huge wooden building had become home.

The slightest trace of crazy could not be found by a hint or unexplainable gesture.

The slightly crazy Alice often smiled ear to ear and blessed the house with the bliss of a motherly feel.

Even Mary the irater one had become quite ordinary. No one spoke of discovering her past or origin.

Well, no one except Richard who continued on with his mischievous calls but at a low key. He had grown weary of George's curiosity.

Everything was in the right word 'perfect'.

All was beauty and well but not everyone thought so.

While the Beckhams moved forward with their lives, a member of the family felt cheated by the workings of life.

By the workings of life; his uncle's abs and top model jaw bones were the reference in this case.

George Beckham was the individual who felt maltreated amongst the family.

He thought of life as a large bowl of injustice and his heart was ship that had sunk in it more than once.

George made a fuss about nothing and everything.

Peace reigned greatly in the home of the Beckhams but in little minutes and hasty seconds George oft corrupted a wonderful day with his attitude.

He yelled at everyone, punched the walls of his room, refused to eat dinner most nights and sat alone at the highest branch on an old maple tree just beside the house of wood.

His episodes meant a lot to him but to the rest of the family, he was a teenager like every other in the world who craved for attention by any means possible.

Due to the later belief, George's actions were oft ignored after a sentence or two.

He hated it.

George wanted to tell his mother why he was that way but she would make a big deal out of it. It would be the first topic spoken of at the dining table.

He would have told his father but the man seemed beyond salvation on account of his suspicious behaviour recently. He would only mock George and call him what he always called him 'A boy'.

George would have loved to express his feelings to his baby sister.

If only she was older than he was. Presently, she was just a child and George thought it unfair to ruin her innocence with his problems.

It would have been absolutely normal and well advised for George to open up to his uncle and best friend, Todd. Well not in this situation. Todd was the source of George's current problem.

Mary had become a part of the family and she began to engage in small talks with everyone, including George. It would have been nice to talk to her but SHE was the problem.

Mary was the reason for the pandemonium in George's mind and Todd was the ignition to the fiery cackles of anger that roamed his soul.

Yes, in a very simple and silly term, George Beckham had been inflicted by the Green-eyed monster. He was jealous.

He hated the fact that Mary opened up so easily to Todd and not him. It reminded him of a sad past. The only past where Todd was the bad guy.

One morning of tranquillity and total norm, on his way to the bathroom, George spotted Todd with Mary.

They were in Todd's room! Together!

An alarm rang in Todd's very teenage mind.

Mary and Todd stood beside a window in the room. A white linen curtain not parted, gave the room a solemn glow as it kept the rest of the sun's brilliant rays outdoors.

The two green eyed adults spoke in whispers.

They were completely immersed in whatever they talked about, for they were ignorant of George's presence at the door.

George fixed his eyes on Mary.

She wore a short pink silk night gown that kissed her thighs. Long legs smooth and pretty made George's mouth water. Her feet were hidden by furry pink flip-flops.

The thin straps of the gown fell off her shoulders slightly. Black lace embroidery on the bust of the pink gown revealed cleavage in a seductive yet graceful way.

She hugged herself with her slender arms. She was obviously cold.

"Stupid Todd! Dude give her a coat or blanket damn it!" George said in the language of thoughts.

Mary's neck was kissed in parts by her hair. The bun on her head was quite undone since she just woke up.

Some of her hair by healthy black strands fell uneven on her shoulders as well.

She was beautiful.

Todd whispered something and there it was. The one thing she never showed George.

A smile. A beautiful smile.

George was pissed. He turned his gaze to Todd.

Todd Beckham was a bold presentation of pretty for a man who just woke up.

He wore a white vest on knee-long grey shorts.

His hair was just a tad wet due to his morning workout which gave profit.

The profit of Todd's morning exercise was his bulging arms. Biceps well-built were boldly displayed that morning.

A small white towel hung over his neck. Beard in gentle studs and vibrant hair gave him a macho look. He was what George's father never called his son. Todd was a man. By the dictionary of 21st century damsels, he was a real man.

Todd took a step closer to Mary.

Their bodies were a few inches apart and their foreheads were distanced by just a few centimetres.

George felt a disturbing itch on his throat.

Todd moved his face closer. His lips were close to Mary's. Too close.

George's heart halted and started again but it left a pain with every beat. His skin was hot all over. His palms began to sweat.

Mary looked directly at Todd's eyes.

"What is she going to do?" George thought.

Todd moved his arms and placed them on Mary's shoulders. Then his left hand titled her chin.

George's chest got plunged by pain. He knew that move too well.

He took a few steps from the door of Todd's room and in an Oscar-deserved pretence he made a noticeable entrance.

George yawned as loud as he could. Both eyes closed.

He opened one eye and peeked. Nothing happened between them. His performance was a success.

"Hey there buddy! You hand a good sleep huh?"
Todd asked in the gentlest way.

"Sly bastard" George's thought cursed at Todd Beckham.

"Yeah I did and did you?" George asked. His eyes were fixed on Mary.

Todd noticed and laughed silently.

"It was good. Good morning." Mary told George.

Her eyes gazed at the floor while she spoke.

Was it out of spite or did she like George? It was unclear but one thing remained quite lucid though.

George became more jealous than he once was.

"Yeah you look at the floor when you talk to me, but with Todd it's like a Jack and Rose Titanic moment." The bitter words sewn in George's emotion voiced themselves as thoughts.

Troubling thoughts.

"Mary?!" Alice called from downstairs.

Mary had become an older daughter to Alice. Asking for the young girl's help came to her quite naturally now.

"I have to leave. Good bye." Mary said in a hasty whisper and walked out the door.

The realm of silence and awkward dwelt in the midst of George and Todd.

Both men lead by testosterone, knew exactly what was going on but chose not to speak.

"So, do you want to take a look at some more pictures of me in Holly wood or would you like to play games? I'd prefer games but it's too early and I don't want your mom to..."

"What the fuck are you doing Todd?" George's question sailed on Todd's word cutting his sentence short.

Todd looked at his nephew and friend in awe.

The blanket he held in his arms swept the floor as his hold on its edges grew weak.

Todd was very aware of the emotion that consumed George, but he never expected him to act out.

"I'm making my bed?"

"Oh for fuck's sake Todd you and I both know what I'm talking about."

"Well you know what you're talking about but I don't. Enlighten me would you." Todd told George. A smirk grew on his face. His eyes were fixed on George.

"Don't use that tone on me man! Don't try to sound like you're smarter and I'm just an idiot!" George yelled like a child deprived of sweet treats.

"Well, you're not an idiot but I am smarter than you are." Todd laughed.

"Let's be serious Todd! What the hell are you doing? And with Mary? She's not one of your loose chicas in California alright? She a beautiful and reserved person! She doesn't need you being all Casanova on her. What she needs is a friend she can trust. Someone she can talk to."

"But we did talk George..."

"Not in stupid sex oriented whispers Todd! She needs someone to share her thoughts with!"

"And let me guess you're that person or you want to be that person, don't you?" Todd asked.

George fell silent and counted wooden rectangular patterns on the floor.

"George you don't want people treating you like a kid but you keep acting like one and so desperately. Dude you're almost sixteen and you're still whining like you did when you were twelve. It hurts man. I'm hurt for your sake."

Todd spoke calmly. His eyes spelt mockery but his words were kind. He was quite the sly one.

"Look, my chemistry with Mary is totally normal. I'm a man, she's a woman. I've been told I'm gorgeous and Mary...Oh my goodness...she's pretty. Ladies think I've got a body like Vin Diesel and Mary? Mary is without a doubt one of the hottest babes I've ever seen. So you see, you can't put two people like us under the same roof and expect nothing to happen. It's totally inevitable. Sex is completely unavoidable bro."

"Don't fucking tutor me on sex education Todd. I don't need it! Also there's something called self-control. You can't just pounce on any lady you consider attractive. There was a time I considered you the coolest person I knew for that reason but now...now it's just disgusting!" George said.

"Yeah sure. Now it's disgusting because I have interest on a girl you like. Ain't that a pickle?" Todd asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about." George blushed.

Todd dropped the blanket he fondled on the floor.

"Oh for...Come on George! You're not even going to admit that you like her. You want me to stay away from her right? I will if you admit that you like Mary and tell her about it."

"You're fucking crazy dude! I don't like Mary!" George squealed.

"Fuck you bro! You're such a kid! You're almost sixteen and these feelings you're having...these feelings are what you need to express as much as you can at your age or you'll become an old loner. You've always done this with other girls and I always ignored. Honestly I was pissed back then because you looked like such a loser. Now here's a girl you've had a crush on greater than any other female you've ever encountered and you hide your tail between your legs! I mean forgive my words but have you seen your mom? Yeah that's right! Your dad wouldn't get a babe like that if he was such a jealous little freak like you!" The veins on Todd's neck began to dance closer to the surface of his skin due to growing rage.

"Fuck you Todd! Fuck you! You're the kid here. You hungry pervert. I keep telling you that Mary needs a friend for life and not a one night stand ...there's a reason she needs a ..."

"Yeah I heard that like a hundred times already! She needs a friend...bla bla..."

"But she does Todd!"

"Why are you so keen on Mary getting a confidante?! Just say you like her! Express yourself like a normal teenager George! You know what? Don't say anything...It'll be better that way because I like her too...I'm going to have all the steamy nights I can with her! I..."

"Stop being a jerk and listen! This isn't for her or me! It's for you jerk!"

"What do you mean? Spit it out George!"

"She's fucking crazy! The girl is like mom but worse! Poodles didn't really die from a sickness! Mary killed her!" George confessed.

Sweat in form of beads strolled on his forehead. He hated himself at that point. He was truly a kid.

"Wh...What?!" Todd stuttered.

"No one wanted to tell you because we were getting used to her but she's got mental issues. Mary is sick Todd. She cut off Poodles' head and limbs off her tiny body." George continued. He had past breaking point and could not stop himself.

"She...she...she killed Poddles? You mean Melody's Miss Pink? That Poodles? She...How..." Todd stuttered again. He tried hard to find words but he could come up with none.

"Well she..."

George's words were cut short in an instant by a loud voice that echoed around the house.

"Oh my...Mary what are you doing?! Stop that?! Mary! Stop it! You'll hurt him!!"Alice screamed.

Her voice sent wicked chills down the spines of Todd and George.

They looked at each other for half a second and ran down the stairs to the kitchen where the pandemonium had originated.

Richard lay on the cold tile floor.

His skin was covered in burns and bruises that shone red. His eyes gave off the element of surprise.

He looked like one who did not expect a sudden attack.

Alice sat beside her husband and placed cubes of ice on the red burns. Tears danced like a glass film over her eyes.

Melody's loud sobs were heard clearly. She bit her fingers and sat on the kitchen floor, drowned in hopelessness.

And there was the source of the trouble that morning. Mary.

She stood a few steps from Richard.

She eyed Todd and then George.

A hot skillet that dripped blood was held in her right hand. The white tiles in the kitchen were spotted in abstract art by red.

Mary's eyes had their whites reddened by fury while the beautiful green shone still.

In a shaky voice, George asked;

"What the fuck happened here?"