"Hey... what's your middle name?" Mae asked as the two were walking along a well known brick walkway.

"Huh? Why do you want to know something as useless as that?" Lloyd asked, looking down at her.

"Might be useful in the future, you never know." She said, looking up at him.

The male sighed, "It's Julius, I think..." He said, scratching the back of his head.

"Ah, named after Julius Caesar, I'm guessing." The blue eyed girl said.

"No, it's named after my... father..." He stopped walking and his tone of voice changed.

"...What's wrong...?" She inquired, lifting an eyebrow, and stopping as well.

He shook his head, "nothing... it's just... I think I forgot something back at my apartment..."

He's lying but... I don't want to ask him about it... his tone of voice changed... so he probably won't want to talk about it- The raven haired young woman thought.

"You know I'm lying. So why aren't you calling me out on it?" The male questioned.

"Because I didn't want you to scare me. To put it in simple terms." Mae explained.

"Scare you?" The white haired male asked, a bit confused.

"People are scary when they're angry, so if I made you mad you would've been scary." She explained. "And you're my friend, so I don't want to make you upset in general..."

She'd think I'd be scary huh...? He thought, Lloyd shook his head, as he continued walking. "What's your's?"

"...I thought they were useless...?" The raven haired young woman said as she followed beside him.

"Just answer the question." The light green eyed male said, starting to get annoyed.

"It's Cynthia." Mae answered.

"What kind of middle name is that?" Lloyd asked.

"That's rude...! It was taken after my dad's mother's name... just before she... um..." The blue eyed female stopped speaking.

"Ah... I understand. Shit, sorry must've been hard on your dad." The whisper white haired male said.

The young woman shrugged. "Yeah... but... he got through it I believe... how would I know though...? I was just a baby..." she let out a weak laugh.

"... I've been meaning to ask... and since we're already into depression rants anyways... you said you wanted 'your say' in the household... are you not allowed to speak?" Lloyd asked.

"It's not that I'm not allowed to speak, it's more that I can never get a word out." Mae shrugged again.

"Why? Because of your parents and siblings?" Lloyd lifted an eyebrow.

"Kind of... and sometimes the neighbors will come over too... then it gets louder and it just... gets harder and harder to speak... you know...?" She explained.

"I'd say come over, but where I live, you have a nice probability of getting killed." The young man shrugged.

"Huh...?! But I've come over before multiple times and I'm still alive." The dark haired female said, shocked.

"Yeah because you didn't let me finish saying that you had a sixty percent chance of death." Lloyd said.

"...I don't like that I didn't see any flickering..." She said before sighing, "...but I'll keep taking my forty..." Mae let out a small laugh.

"Wow aren't you brave~" The white haired male let out a small chuckle.

"...Oh..." the young woman stopped.

"What?" He stopped a few steps in front of her.

"Aren't they... cops...?" She asked him, pointing at a few people ahead of them asking someone questions.

"Shit... yeah... glad you stopped. C'mon let's go into an alleyway." He said.

Unfortunately, a cop had seen them, and even more unfortunately...

"Shit this wasn't the one I was thinking of...!" Lloyd whispered. This alleyway was closed off, making it hard for them to make it through on time.

"HEY!" An older male had yelled.

"Oh no." Lloyd and Mae both whispered, sweat creasing both of their brows.

"Stop where you are!" The police officer said.

"Do you have a plan?" Lloyd whispered.

"Um..." The raven haired young woman bit the nail of her thumb. "Oh..." Please let this work... please let this work...!

"I see your eyes widening and your face going red, what are you thinking...?" The green eyed male asked. Mae stood in front of him, closing her eyes, she pulled down his mask, stood on tips of her toes and kissed him.

This. This was her plan?! His face started to flush pink.

Please. Please let this work! She repeated in her mind once more.

"Ah, I thought I saw someone familiar... Never mind. It's just two people that don't know how to keep their hands to themselves!" The police officer yelled, to make sure the two younger people heard it before walking away.

After making sure the officer was far enough Mae pulled away, pulling up his mask to cover his mouth before opening her eyes, she was flushed red. "S-Sorry... that's the only thing I could think of in time."

"K-Kissing me? Kissing me is what you thought of in time?!" He asked. She nodded. "And you pulled down my mask too, since when did I say you could do that?!"

"I didn't see..." the long raven haired female quietly started mumbling, glancing away from him.

"What?!" The young male inquired.

"I didn't see anything... I closed my eyes before I pulled down your mask and kissed you, so I didn't see anything..." She says quietly. The girl had a guilty expression on her face. "...I'm sorry..."

"You're really irritating, you know that?!" The light green eyed male said.

"...I know..." The dark blue eyed young woman says, feeling even more guilty, her appearance looked pitiful.

She's gonna make me feel like shit if she continues to say something like that with that expression. Lloyd thought.

"Err... why didn't you just kiss my mask?" He asked, scratching the back of his head, and slowly calming down.

"Because I wanted to make it seem real if he came up to us... sorry... I wasn't thinking very clearly..." Mae said, biting the inside of her lip.

"And why'd you think that work?" The whisper white haired male questioned.

"Because if I remember correctly on the poster... you had your hood up. Now, you don't so if the officer just saw the back of your head with only your hair, he maybe wouldn't... question you...? It's silly I know but-" The young woman got cut off.

"Well he thought we were actually a couple so, I guess... Nice job...?" A bit more of a question than a statement, "but think better next time." He said, and she nodded.

"...Sorry again..." Her expression still looked a bit guilty.

"Quit saying that, it's annoying." He says with a sigh. "Let's wait until they leave and then head out into another alley..."

"Okay... and to be honest I was nervous if that man was going to question us..." Mae started, "that officer... isn't very good at his job."

"That's what I was worried about... and then if I were to be caught..." Then no doubt I'd be killed... since I'm a criminal... one of the worst types of  criminals... but I can't tell her that... because I won't be... "...but you're right, he isn't very good at his job." I won't be 'incredible' anymore... damn why should I care about that...! Yeah, yeah, one of the first compliments ever... and not from a creep like- The male had seemed to be cut off from thought.

"Hey...! Lloyd...! I think most of the cops went away." Mae whispered a yell. Lloyd noticed she was peeking outside the alley. "So if we head into a different alley, we should do it now."

"Let me check," The green eyed male said, "because who is the criminal here?"

"...You..." she answered, looking blankly at him.

"Correct. Now let's see if we should head towards the alley." He says, peeking above her. "Yeah, looks like we can, but just try not to be seen."

"Eh? Why do you think I'll be seen...?" The dark haired girl asked, looking back up at him, confused.

"You can be klutzy, plus you have a long thick head of hair with blue tips that can easily be spotted." He explains.

"...Oh..." She mumbled, looking around at her hair, and tapping at it. "B-But hey I-I'm the one who spotted the cops in the first place..."

"Well who caused this predicament in the first place?" Lloyd asked, repeating her wording.

The Evans eldest daughter looked back up at him, giving him another blank stare. "...Me..."

"Smart girl. Let's go." The green eyed male said, quickly heading out of the alley they were in and into an alley close by, Mae following close behind.

...I can't really tell what he's more pissed at... she thought the fact that I kissed him or the fact that I pulled down his mask... I'm assuming it's the mask thing, since he's probably been kissed before... She gave an internal sigh.

...Wait. Mae felt like a light bulb just switched on in her head. Oh my gosh, it just clicked. I gave this man my first kiss- No stop thinking like this! You're eighteen it's not like you're some fifteen year old school girl!... but still, it's sad that it was for fooling some police officer...

Lloyd tapped at her forehead. "Hey, are you good? You're spacing out."

The raven haired female's face turned completely red. "...Y-Yeah I'm fine..." she whispered  "Just thinking... sorry..."

"Stop being so apologetic, it's annoying." The green eyed male told her.

"Eh? Oh sor-" oh wait. That's the side of her that he just told her was annoying.

"So where is this house of yours anyways?" He asked.

"Well if you go to the grocery store- the one we went to before- it's by there." The blue eyed female said, trying to explain.

"Very detailed." Lloyd said sarcastically with a roll of his green eyes.

"I'm not good at descriptions...!" Mae said, shaking her fists, before sighing. "Y-You know the houses that are colored white... the ones that all look the same."

"Oh? Those? Yeah." The young male, nodded.

"It's in the front row... the second from the left, next to the sign of the neighborhood, heading in from this way at least..." She explained. "I-Is that a better description?"

He nodded. "Perfect. Now I know where to rob you~"

"I'm going to headbutt you again, please don't joke like that." The blue eyed girl said, staring blankly at him.

"Headbutt me? Damn you're mean." The male said. "That really hurt, y'know?"

"Well you saying that hurts more." She mumbled. He let out a chuckle.

"You know I'm lying. Plus I'm not a robber... if I were I'd be in the rich district with all my money by now." He said.

"If you were rich. Your poster wouldn't be up." The raven haired young woman said.

"Okay, that was rude." The green eyed male said.

"...That wasn't the intended purpose..." She said.

"Pfft... but I guess you're right." He laughed. "I think my poster wouldn't be up... that's the difference between our districts..."

"Yeah... I know... I've known that for a bit... the government treats mine better, and I don't like that... they need to treat ours the same..." Mae said.

Lloyd laughed, "When did you start thinking that? Are you gonna say that cliche of 'ever since you met me'?"

"No... ever since I was around six...? I heard it from my mom. One night when I was supposed to be asleep... she said to my dad, 'Travis, you know, no one cares for the people in the Poor District, the government will cover up the riches crimes... and it'll be blamed by the poor it's how the system is run.'" The young woman explains.

"Wow, I'm surprised you remembered that... You said you were six right? How old are you now? Nineteen?" He whistled. "Damn that's a long time..." but... I hold grudges too, so can I really blame her?

Nineteen hah... I wonder how upset I'll be when he ends up hating me if or when he finds out I'm in high school? But other than that it's the stupid system that's much more upsetting... the raven haired female thought.

"Hey! Why the hell are you crying?!" Lloyd asked, shocked.

Mae was surprised, and put her hands to her face, she was crying...?! "I-I think it's because I feel bad about how you were in the worst part of the whole system...! I hate this system and the government...!" Mae explained, only half lying about the reason she was crying.

"Shh! Mae don't say that! You don't know who's around and who could hear you!" Lloyd said, covering her mouth.

"I'm sorry...!" Her apology was muffled by his hands.

"Come on, let's just get to your house. That was our original goal wasn't it?" He asked and the girl nodded, rubbing her eyes and sniffling. "Well then, you have to lead the way." She nodded again, walking ahead of him after calming down.

~

"Is that your house?" Lloyd asked, and she only answered with a nod. "Are you really going to be all quiet again because we're here?" Another nod.

He sighed. "You mentioned 'accepting them' that's really your choice. Do you?" The male questioned.

Ah, that's right... accepting... and loving... those are two different things... I love my family... but do I accept them? I mean they've forgotten bits and pieces about me, work has become more of a priority for them... and most likely popularity with the neighbors too... Mae thought, narrowing her eyes at her house. And after that big scene I made... it's hard to say I'm even welcomed in the household now...

The young woman walked up to the porch and before she even had a chance to knock on the door, her eyes were bombarded by long dark colored hair. Her little sister tackled her into a hug, and they both fell onto the lawn.

"Maebelle!" Audrey yelled. "We thought you ran away for good!"

"Audrey...?" The older girl mumbled, rubbing the young girl's head that was in her lap. Audrey had tear streamed cheeks and was shaking in her sister's lap.

"Huh?! We thought Maebelle ran away!" The one twin brother, Kyle yelled.

"Yeah! Like forever, ever?" The other twin, Carter yelled, both the twins running outside and onto the lawn.

"...Boys..." Maebelle said. Both her brother's were starting to cry as well.

"I-It's okay... I just needed to cool down." The oldest sibling explained, she looked back at Lloyd, but...

The whisper white haired male wasn't there. Huh? Where did he go...? She glanced around her house. Ah...! He was on the left side from the front, trying not to get caught. I understand... The eldest dark haired female thought before looking back down, gently patting her younger sister's hair, the boys kneeling down on the right side of her, continuing to cry a little. It was only one night... Mae thought, rubbing one of her brother's tears away, then doing the same to the other brother.

...Looks like I'm accepted by my sister and brothers... but- The eldest sister believed.

"Maebelle." A man's voice had gotten her out of thought, her pale face then went stern, like a doll's.

"Father... mother..." She said, standing up, her sister and brothers were clinging onto her as if she would disappear if they let go.

It was silent, awkward, no one knew who should talk first until... "I-" Maebelle was going to start.

"Are you going to apologize for that little stunt you pulled last night? If anyone saw that you would have humiliated our family." The father explained. The elder daughter glanced away, a little bit of guilt in her eyes, then she looked him in the eye, continuing to be serious. No... I won't give him that satisfaction. The young woman thought.

"...First, I want you to apologize for forgetting about me..." Maebelle said.

"Hm? I'd think I'd remember my daughter quite fine..." He said.

"Then why'd you question if I was an adult...?" The blue eyed girl asked. "And go quiet when I asked if work and district rules were more important than your own child?!"

The man went quiet, unsure of how to respond.

"I want to ask you something else too. Do you remember my middle name, the one you guys gave to me, and the reason behind it?" The daughter asked.

''It's Cynthia... It was taken after my father's mother." If he doesn't remember that... then...damn... Lloyd thought.

"Your middle name...?" Travis mumbled. The wife went silent, it was obvious she knew, but did her father?

The father slowly looked to the mother for support. "Don't ask mom. It looks like she knows, but do you, father?" Maebelle asked.

"Maebelle, do I have to answer what you ask for first? Why is it always what you ask for? Can't you just apologize?" The father asked.

Always what I ask for...? Hm...? The Evans first born thought.

"...When was..." The oldest daughter started.

"Huh?" The elder male said.

"WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME IT WAS EVER ABOUT ME?!" All the younger siblings backed away and the parents were shocked to see their first born yell like this. She was never like this, their perfect usual puppet and doll-like child... suddenly shouting?

Oh shit. She snapped. The light green eyed young male thought, simply just listening in.

"Y-You know when um-" Travis looked to his wife, the wife just bit at the thumb of her nail. They didn't know... because... there wasn't an answer.

"I've endured so much pain and stress! And you've both told me to endure it since my first year of junior high school?! God I'm so lucky my classmates got bored with me! Sure! I get you both have jobs and your own stresses! Yes, I know that! But now I feel like you just don't care for me anymore! I know I have siblings you guys need to take care of too and I know they're a hell of a handful! Trust me! I'm well aware! Because when you guys are at work or out at a restaurant or with the neighbors! And when I'm not at school or with a friend I'm here taking care of them, because they are not self-sufficient!" Maebelle yelled, before taking a few deep breaths.

"Maebelle... you really want to be kicked out of the house, don't you?" Travis asked.

"Travis?!" Cassandra yelled at him.

"What?! With her yelling like this?!" The raven haired older male yelled.

"She was just stating how she felt!" The blue eyed mother replied.

"She didn't have to yell it, what if the neighbors heard?" The gray eyed father said. "Which I'm sure they did."

Well then it's obvious we're not accepted on both sides I- She was cut off from thought when one of her brothers spoke up.

"Please don't kick her out!" Kyle yelled standing in front of her.

"Yeah, we love our big sister, please don't!" Audrey followed suit.

"Yeah! Please! Please! Don't!" Carter followed both of them.

"Guys... it's okay. I'll live somewhere else." She said with a small smile. "I'll be okay..."

"No, it's not okay! We don't want you living somewhere else! So don't go!" Audrey yelled, all three siblings starting to cry a bit more.

"Guys don't cry, if you start crying again. I'll start crying too..." Maebelle says, tearing up a little.

The white haired male peaked out from the side of the house. Damn the kids are getting really upset... and the dad's not really giving a shit... I mean... I could- He had a glare in his green eyes before shaking his head, but... let's just see how this plays out...

It was quiet for a few moments. The three younger kids were crying and the eldest was sniffling. The mother covered her face and started to sob.

"Mom...?!" Maebelle yelled, shocked. What's going on...?! She randomly started crying...?!

"I'm sorry... I saw the harm those kids were doing to you since Middle School...! And I just told you to stick with it and didn't do anything!" The older woman said, upset.

"Damn it! I don't think this is appropriate right here-!" Travis yelled, getting cut off.

"Shut up, Travis! I'm talking to my daughter, Maebelle because I love her and don't want her kicked out of the house!" The mother yelled.

...Mom...?! Maebelle thought, surprised.

The oldest raven haired woman walked up to the eighteen year old one. "I'm so sorry we never realized how you felt, we do care for you so much, so so much! You and the rest of your siblings! Even if they're a handful, and we do love you all..." The mother explained. "If you have any problems... you just need to let me know, and I will definitely help you."

"Huh? You understand...?" The young woman asked.

"I understand. I was exactly like you..." Cassandra said with a small smile.

Quite the trusting and understanding mother, huh? I had one the same way... Lloyd thought.

Mom... seems to be understanding me, but the thing is- The young woman got cut off from thought.

"Your middle name is Cynthia... named after your late father's mother." Cassandra whispered in her ear, which caused Maebelle's eyes to widen in surprise. "...and your age is eighteen... you are an adult... sorry that slipped my mind last night."

"...Mom..." Maebelle whispered back with a small smile. I definitely know now... acceptance in... both ways...

"What did you say to her? Did you know the answer all along?!" The father asked, shocked.

"I did~" the mother replied, happily, turning to face her husband.

"Father if you just... don't love me. Please just say it if you just don't accept me in the house... your life... I'll leave." Maebelle said, looking up at her father. I don't even know if I accept him... the bits and pieces he's forgotten about me...I feel as if work and social status has become more important to him than his own kid.

"I want to discuss these matters inside, I don't want anyone else hearing this." Travis said.

"...I see..."...He's avoiding what I'm saying again... The young woman thought, her expression looking sorrowful.

Everyone else went in first, the father stood in the doorway. Maebelle went in last.

"Cynthia." The older male suddenly whispered, while Maebelle was walking inside.

"Huh?" The eighteen year old dark haired female paused, looking at her father.

"Your middle name, right?" The gray eyed older male said. "That's also my late mother's name right before you were born. That is what you wanted me to answer, correct?" The male shrugged.

"...But I-I thought you forgot it...? That was the whole point of this conversation. I'm confused... huh?!" She was so flabbergasted.

"Now anymore questions you will have to ask both I and your mother inside our house." The father said.

"...Oh... I... I will... Yeah, sorry..." The oldest child said, both parent and daughter walking inside.

...I suppose... I will accept until any troubles yet to come with you, father... yet still... I have ripped off my bandages. Maebelle thought with a small smile.

After a long talk between Maebelle and her parents, she learned that the recent October Third was an accidental slip up, and they had a lot on their mind that day, whether it was District related or work related. However, they wouldn't do it again. Also if she needed help with her siblings they will help out. Then, she apologized for that 'scene' she made the night before, which was a bit embarrassing on her end, they luckily will be able to move on from that as long as she doesn't try and 'completely run away' again.

"One more thing." The oldest daughter started.

"Hmm, what is it?" The father questioned.

"I want to be able to speak in this house." Maebelle replied.

"Huh? Maebelle? You are allowed to speak, you know that." Cassandra said.

"But I hardly get the chance too. It's always so loud, with the twins, Audrey and even the neighbors kids always yelling. And speaking of the neighbors... they're just as loud." The young woman said.

"Ah, that's true... I mean-" the older raven haired woman had replied.

The wife was cut off. "But you are a quiet girl yourself, Maebelle." The husband said to the daughter.

"You wanted me that way." Maebelle folded her arms.

"That's true as well..." Cassandra muttered.

"How about we make this compromise, if it's 'unbearable' then we'll quiet the neighbors or ourselves whenever you want to say something." Travis said.

Maebelle sighed, thinking for a moment, before giving a small smile and a laugh. "That's fine... I guess."

~

Maebelle closed the door to her room and put her forehead on it. "That totally didn't take forever..." she said, sarcastically.

"So, you're one of those people who talk to themselves when you think you're alone huh?" The whisper white haired young male said, sitting on the girl's bed.

The blue eyed young woman frantically turned around, slamming her back to her door. "H-How did you get in here?!" She asked.

"You know when I was hiding so your family couldn't see me?" The white haired male asked, and she nervously nodded. "Yeah, so there was a tree next to me. I climbed up it, the window was open. Then there were books. I assumed, 'Hey! This must be Mae's room!'" He said.

"Shh! D-Don't be so loud, what if my parents or siblings heard you?!" She whispered, the raven haired female put one index finger to her lips.

"Don't worry. Your walls are soundproof, I may or may not have checked." Lloyd said, pointing to a small hole he 'may or may not' have made.

"You made a hole in my wall...!" She said, clenching her fists. "...I don't even know... where to start with you...!"

"How about, 'Hey Lloyd you're great, thanks for bringing me all the way here, I love you~!'" He exaggerated.

"No. Absolutely not...!" She said, her face maroon colored.