*Laurance's PoV*

He... did he just...?

Oh, he just.

I didn't think he would—

Oh, I don't think he does. He's probably just saying that so you don't feel bad. Not many people take rejection well, Laurance! He may think you're one of those people.

Okay, now you can just shut the fuck up.

No. I'll shut up when I please!

Shut up or I'll—

You'll what? Let me control you?

THAT'S—

"Hey lovebirds," a familiar voice interrupts my mental argument, "Sorry to interrupt this... confession, but diner's ready if you want food."

"Yay! Food!" Garroth shouts standing up, offering a hand to help me up. I take it. "Wait... how did you know what was happening?" he asks my sister curiously.

"Y'know, that creepy-twin-mind-reading-thing," the two of us reply.

"Oh..."

I laugh at his cuteness. "Come on. Let's go get food."

We follow Ren in the house to find everyone else gathered around the kitchen. They turn to face us.

"You two were out there for a while," Aph says, concerned, "Did something happen?"

"No, not really," I say, praying to the six that the acting lessons Lauren gave me actually payed off.

"They were just talking," Ren says.

"And you know that how?" Lucinda asks, clearly not buying it. Garroth just stays silent.

Ren just sighs. "Remember how we said we could do that mind reading thing?"

"Yeah, that's how she knew," I finish.

Garroth nods his head in agreement. "Y-yeah. It's, really creepy."

Everyone nods and turns back to what they were doing. Garroth, Ren and I grab some food. Garroth walks over to Aphmau with his food, leaving me with my sister. I turn to her.

"So," I begin, "Who's the lucky guy you have a crush on?" She looks up at me calmly, her eyebrow raised. I remember something she told me. "Or the lucky girl?" I add.

At this, her eyes widen and a blush creeps onto her face. She hides behind her long, brunette hair and looks away from me. I just laugh.

"Sh-shut up," Ren stutters.

"No, I wanna know," I say, still laughing.

"Y-you wouldn't know her."

"Ah. So, you admit she's a girl. At least you don't like that dumb Reece guy." (This Reece is different from the canon Reece! This Reece is one of my OCs! I'm not hating on different dimension Reece! Back to the story!)

"Grr! Laurance!" Ren blushes more. Then she calms down. "You're right. Reece is an idiot."

We laugh, then spend most of the evening talking and catching up. Everyone eventually ends up in the one conversation. After a few hours of hanging out, everyone goes home. When Zane, Garroth, Ren and I get home, Zane walks straight upstairs leaving the three of us downstairs. Ren yawns.

"Well, I'm gonna head to bed," she says, "Time zone changes are still messing with me. Night!"

"Night!" Garroth and I call as she walks down the stairs to the basement.

The two of us are silent for a minute. Garroth breaks it.

"Did..." he starts, "Do you really like me?"

"W-wha...?" I'm a little surprised he asked that, "Y-yes. Of course. Why would I lie about that?"

"I... I don't know. Some people do."

"Like you in high school?" I joke.

"What?"

"Remember? In high school, you were sick of all the girls flirting with you, so you pretended to have a girlfriend to throw them off."

"Oh... Oh yeah! I remember! Wow. I was a terrible teenager."

"Eh, I wouldn't say that. You were just... mildly crappy."

We both laugh at that.

"Yeah... I think I stole Aph's first kiss too."

"Okay, I take it back. You WERE a terrible teenager."

We laugh more. Garroth's always good to joke around with, but there are times when he's really serious. He can go from being serious or emotional, to his regular, giddy self in a second. This is why I love him.

I wrap my arms around his neck. He blushes. I smile.

"You're adorable when you blush."

"H-hey!" he stutters, flustered.

I kiss him, he kisses back, wrapping his arms around my waist. I want this moment to last forever. Just me and him. Not a care in the world. No one to put us down. No light, yet no shadow. No right or wrong...

Until I show up.

Of course... until you show up.

We break apart, 'cause humans need oxygen to survive. I smile at him, placing my forehead on his. He's just perfect. I love him. But it's only a matter of time until he finds out... and when that day comes... will he still love me? Will he still care? Or will he be afraid?

Beats me.

Just... shut it... for once.

"Well, we'd better get to bed," Garroth says, still blushing. I peck him on the cheek.

"Yeah," I agree, "Night, Love."

"Night Laur."

As soon as we leave each other's arms, I feel empty. Still, I walk into my room and lay on my bed. Did tonight really just happen? Did... did he actually say he likes me? As quietly as possible, I fanboy. Hey! That's a thing! Don't judge!

Not judging, I'm ultra-judging.

Oh shit...

Yes, Laurance. 'Oh shit' indeed.

Why are you still here?

Laurance, you already know the answer to that.

Yes, but the readers don't.

(LAURANCE!! THE WALL!!!)

Oh crap sorry.

You're not sorry.

(You can just shut up.)

Awe damn. You too?

(Why... am I writing this?)

Don't ask us. Ask yourself.

(................... I'm gonna go get duct tape. Someone grab the glitter glue. I'll be back. *death glares Laurance and Shadow* Don't. Break. Any. More. Walls.)

I won't. He might.

Okay. That's your cue to shut up!

Or my cue to do this.

I feel a zap near my temples. Without my control, I stand up and walk out of my bedroom and into the bathroom. I stare at my reflection and a pair of blood red eyes stare back.

What are you doing?

"Laurance..." I say, in a voice unlike my own, "It's been so long since I've done this."

I open the bathroom cupboard and dig around a bit in the back. Then I finally find it. A small razor blade. It's been so long since I've used this, and I would have liked to keep it that way, but... he... likes to be a bit difficult at times. I raise the blade to my arm.

"Worthless."

Cut.

"Pathetic."

Cut.

"Untrustworthy."

Cut.

"Unloved."

Cut.

No.......

"Evil."

Cut.

Each cut is deeper than the last. It hurts like hell. I look back at my reflection. The blood red eyes smiling at me, tears in the corners of each. My reflection laughs.

"Good," I say, "Well, I'll see you later Laur-Laur."

Don't... call me... that.

My eyes change back to their natural sky-blue colour as my shadow returns to it's normal state. I drop the blade on the counter as I search in the cupboard for the bandages. I find them and wrap them around my arm where the cuts are. I'm gonna have to find a way to cover this up tomorrow. No doubt Ren will notice it. I don't want her or Garroth to worry about me. Or anyone. This is something I have to deal with alone. Like I always am.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SURPRISE! I'm not dead! I might as well have been though. I was at school.

Fuuuuuuun!~

Either way, I'm going to be publishing more now, since I'm on holidays. No promises though!

I've got nothing to say right now so I'm gonna leave now. Bye Crystalites!~