Clean room. New start with Jorge. Slightly talking to Brenda.

Except for the nights, everything seems pretty okay.

She hasn't stopped going into the simulations, though. She enjoys it too much.

"What do you want for your birthday, Brenda? I don't have much to spend, but give me some ideas."

"Hmm." Thoughtful, the girl frowns.

"I hate birthdays," Siren announces.

Jorge gives her a look. It says, 'don't start this'.

"I'm just giving my opinion," she adds. It's the one time someone might listen to her.

"I do like birthdays," Brenda responds. There's slight snappiness in her voice. "But you don't have to celebrate with us if you don't want to."

"I like the cake. I'll celebrate."

Jorge swallows away his food. "And how come you don't like birthdays, Siren?"

She hesitates. Looks down. He'll get angry if she says it.

"Well?" Brenda chimes in, impatient.

Jorge also raises an eyebrow.

After Siren had sucked in a breath, she says, "Because you took me here on my birthday and gave me the worst life I could ever imagine."

Come on, to a nine-year-old, there aren't a lot of dreadful things. Siren's mind already contains way too many things she shouldn't even be aware of.

"I thought we were over this," Jorge says, trying to keep his tone casual.

There is still so much anger left inside her body. Amery took the anger out on her room, while she wanted to be the one to do that. He ruined it for her, just like he ruined everything.

And she can't forgive Jorge just because he has been nice for a solid two weeks.

Because he has also been rude for a solid... who knows how many weeks.

He broke his promises. He didn't believe her. He refused to help.

"Apparently not," Siren says.

With his eyes narrowed slightly, Jorge continues eating. Brenda follows along in silence.

"I'd like... hair clips," Brenda says. "My hair keeps getting in the way."

"Shave it off, then," Siren says.

Jorge shoots her another glare.

The brunette touches the top of her head. "Maybe in the future. I just want hair clips for now."

Stupid presents.

Siren can feel the weight of the diamond necklace on her neck. She brushes her fingers against the cold.

It's a constant, suffocating reminder of the man who gave it to her.

She has to wear it. He made sure she knew what would happen if she didn't. The threats often linger in her mind, no matter how hard she tries to forget.

Sometimes, he'd pull on the necklace while he was on top of her, tightening it just enough to make her struggle for air, her vision blurry until he'd finally let go.

Jorge still sits in front of her. Eating. Obliviously eating. Always so oblivious.

While he's the grown man. Not her.

But it's always the grown men.

"To... catch up, and become a little more friendly to each other, how about we go watch the stars tonight? And then we can have a... sleepover," Jorge suggests slowly.

Excited, Brenda claps in her hands—

"No."

All eyes go to Siren.

"No?"

"No," she says sharply. Rather a few minutes of pain than lying next to to a grown man for a whole night. Rather a few minutes of pain than risking Amery hurting Brenda and Jorge for stealing his opportunity. Rather a few minutes of pain instead of extra minutes added to the next time, because he missed one night.

Jorge sighs a little. "If you say so."

"Thank you for actually understanding my words for once," she murmurs, not loud enough for him to hear it. Then she gets up. "Good night."

"We haven't eaten a dessert yet. I finally got my hands on a few—"

"Good night."

Clenching his jaw, the man watches Siren leave.

What once was a joyful, curious kid, turned into a cold, almost emotionless thing.