All the tension and sadness disappeared as soon as we took a bite of Mama J's food it. I swear this is the best mac and cheese I have tasted in my entire life and that is really saying something since my mac and cheese is amazing.

Everyone sat around the table making small talk and jokes, not letting the things going on in the world change the feeling in this family. I paused mid bite when that thought went through my mind.

That's exactly what these people were, a family, and I fit right in. My life before wasn't terrible but I never felt like I was where I was supposed to be. I always had a lot of friends but I felt like I had to change myself to be something they would like and tolerate.

By the age of 16 I have been through more than people live by the time t they are 30. I wouldn't change any of it, the good or the bad, but something was always missing.

When I came back after Gus, that void just grew bigger and bigger and created the black hole I have in my chest, that is now filled with the vibrant colors of happiness and power.

Throughout the dinner, I could feel Adam's eyes on me a lot more than usual. I kept feeling the need to challenge him and stare back, but I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of my acknowledgment.

After everyone was done and the dishes were put away, Mama J ushered us all into our rooms.

"Goodnight babies," She said kissing us all on the head. "I don't want to hear a peep out of any of ya tonight ya here?"

Everyone mumbled 'yes Mama J' and walked to their respective rooms.

I have basically taken over the room that I first woke up in and it is starting to grow on me. The more I stay the more familiar the room feels. When I look at certain things I get glimpses of , my childhood flashing before my eyes.

I laid on the bed staring at the ceiling for I don't know how long. Everything in my life was forever going to be different now, and I didn't know what to do about it. Thinking back over my life, I try to find a moment that was normal but everything seems to have been tainted by the colors of magic floating through my mind. Even the cute moments my parents had together. I enjoyed watching had some type of magic surrounding it.

The only non-magical part of my life was the part I was desperately trying to forget.

"Dee dee dee! Doh dee doh! Lade..."

"Gus I am really hungry and the rope is hurting my arms, can you please let me go?" I said, shifting uncomfortably.

He quickly came to my side holding my face in a caring matter, "Oh cherie, I never mean to hurt you, not when you've been good. I can't untie you though, love, you'll run."

He brought my face closer to his and kissed me. It took everything in my power not to bite him as hard as I can. I could feel his disgusting slimy tongue running across my lips. he pulled away from me, staring into my eyes.

His hand came across my face so quick I almost didn't register it, "You are supposed to love me. I have treated you better then anything in the world and this is what I get in return?"

I knew what was coming and I didn't avoid it, "No one could ever love you! You're a monster! I ha....."

His hand flew across my face again, "You will not speak that word in our house! I will show you love!"

He picks me up by the ropes and drags me across the floor to the queen size bed in the middle of the room. He liked the bed small so it forced me to lay ontop of him.

He tore the remnants of clothes that were left on my body and dissected me with his eyes.

"I will show you love," he whispers to me before he pulls his pants off.

The memory left me there in the bed sweating and unable to sleep. No matter what I tried the images wouldn't leave my head. I got up and put some clothes on and let my feet wonder.

Dark blues, black and purple filled the void inside of me as I walked but I pay no attention to any of it. I am tired of thinking and just want some peace and quiet inside and outside.

My feet lead me outside to the clearing out back. When I look up I see a shirtless Adam jogging towards the house. I stand there, mesmerized for a moment and don't realize he's talking to me.

"Did you just zone out on me?'

I blush, "Sorry I stared, I have a lot on my mind..."

"I figured, would you like to go for a walk?"

I nod and follow him silently, staring at the ground the whole way. Something about his presence made everything that was going on in my head quiet and the peace I was wishing for followed it.

"You know, you do something to me," I say quietly.

"You do more than you know to me."

I looked up at him surprised, "You heard that?"

He laughed, "Just because I'm human now doesn't mean that I have a human's horrible hearing. I had to leave the house because I heard your nightmare"

"Y-you don't hear nightmares and I wasn't sleep. How do you know what was going on in my head?"

"I-I don't. Don't worry about it, it's not important."

"Not important? How is it important that you're in my freakin' head? How is it not..."

"Can you just shut up?" he snaps.

I step back, "Excuse me?"

"I said shut up," he says running his hands through his curls. "Look i know you been through alot in the past couple years but that doesn't give you the excuse to act like a bitch."

"How am I being a bitch?" i scream.

"You never stop talking! I get it your life sucks but you're not the only one affected by what happened to you that night!"

"My life sucks?" i chuckle darkly."oh i'm sorry. Is my life supposed to just be perfectly fine now because you came to my rescue? Oh yeah, it totally doesn't matter that i was--"

"Raped and kidnapped? Yes I know, you made sure to give me a really good reminder when i brought you here. Thank you for bringing it back to my attention that I want here in time, I appreciate it."

"Well maybe if you had've been here in the first place I none of it would've happened."

"I was out looking for- you know what, it doesn't even matter anymore." he starts to walk off but I follow close behind him.

"Well, I'm sorry it bothers you so much. I never did anything to you so who put the stick up your butt?"

"Never did...shit" he ripped his hands through his hair. "You did everything! You don't remember our childhood but I do! I had to see you lying there beaten and bruised and all you have in return is blaming and questioning."

I stared at him in astonishment, "I-I'm sorry I didn't think....I'm just confused."

"Don't apologize to me, I don't care about that. Go apologize to your dad who doesn't understand any of this fully. He stayed even when thing got bad, even when they didn't make sense and all you do is give him grief!"

I stayed silent knowing that he was right about everything but didn't have the heart to admit it. It made me wonder if everyone felt this way. Was the family I thought I had only pretending because they feel bad about me? Do they secretly not like me? Why do I care so much?

"Is it that obvious? I don't mean to be like this I just.."

"I know, I shouldn't have come at you like that."

"I deserved it, trust me," I took a deep breath before attempting to lighten the mood. "So what were we like as kids?"

Although there was still darkness in his eyes, a bit of light had seeped through and a smile adorned his face, "The best of friends."

We walked under the moonlight for the rest of the night as he told me stories about our time together and I told him stories about the childhood that I remember.

I don't know how long we had been out there but it was the first time I had had actual fun In a very long time. When we got back to the front of the house we were both quiet as he stared at me.

"Do you remember what happened here?"

"No, should I?"

He shrugged and stared at me intently, "This is where I found the girl who would help me break the curse."

I smiled up at him. "That's amazing! She could help fix everything and even help me find my mom, where is she?"

Before I knew it, he took me into his arms and kissed me. Bright red, yellow, green and lavender floated around us as we kissed. I knew I should've pulled away but I was mesmerized by the soft feeling of his lips and his rough hands roaming my body. I never thought I would be able to touch a man in this way after Gus, but he made everything feel better.

When he finally released me, we stared at each other, breathless. I was at a loss for words. He looked like he wanted to say something, needed to say something, but instead he walked inside, leaving me alone.

For the first time that night, I realized it's cold outside.

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

Adam and Belle finally had a moment together!!!!!!!!

Don't you love strong women like Mama J?  I swear I want to be like her when I grow up.

Vote, comment, tell me what you think

-Chey