SMOTHERED LIES

twenty four (Raine)

My heart is a bird, fluttering about in the cage that is my chest. Reeve's words taunt it, the thumping rhythm increasing speed with every sound that leaves his mouth. I can't possibly do what he's asking me to; I'm just me, just Raine. How can I face this? I look to Reeve, as he sits beside Adele, to Kade who stares yearningly at Aspen, and I realise, with a loud, final stutter of my winged heart that I have no choice. If I don't get out, if I can't escape this, then I'll be suffering for it the rest of my life.

A fire sparks from one side of the room, framed by a stone arch. The light of it floods the room in an orange, sunset glow, casting flickering shadows across everyone's faces. This room is not dissimilar from the room Adele, Aspen and I talked in last week. However it is considerably smaller, the furniture much more sparse, and extremely simple. This room has been forgotten, unused for what appears to have been a long while. But I suppose that's why Reeve chose it. So we can talk, without Oliver catching us.

"Hey," Henri murmurs, in a voice meant only for me. "You alright?"

"I'm fine."

"So you're bad then." His eyebrows are gathered, his forehead creased into slight caramel folds as he traps my gaze in his.

"I'm not upset." I reply in a whisper.

He raises a brow.

I sigh, relenting. "Fine. I just, I'm not sure if I can do this Henri. I'm not brave, I'm not-"

"Raine listen to me; look how far you've come! All you've been through. There's no reason for you to-"

"Is there something you'd like to add?" Reeve asks, slicing our conversation apart. I feel like I'm back at school, with the teacher interrupting my conversation, before asking me to repeat exactly what they just said. I wait for Henri to say something, until I realise he's waiting for me to do the same thing.

I should've known.

"No." I reply softly, smiling in response to the small smirk hidden at the corner of Adele's mouth. Reeve adjusts his jacket slightly. "Good; I'll keep going then. We'll have to leave soon; within the next three days."

"The next three days?!" Aspen exclaims, chocolate hair flying about her face. "That's so soon!"

Reeve breathes deeply, dragging a hand through his hair. I hadn't noticed the reddish tint to his eyes, the heavy bags beneath them. He's exhausted. "We don't have any time to sit around Aspen. If we don't leave now, Oliver will take you back to your parents; do you want that?"

"Hey! Don't speak to her like-"

"You're right," Aspen admits, completely ignoring Kade. "Sorry I'm just nervous that's all. Please continue."

Kade huffs to himself, folding his arms and looking away.

Kade. He's a big point of tension at the moment. I was shocked too, at what he kept from us, what he kept from Aspen. But I really thought Aspen would have forgiven him by now. It isn't hard to see that Kade regrets what he did; he's beating himself up about it. Henri talked to him the other day. Kade said he's tried everything, to get Aspen back, that he thinks he's lost her for good. But I can't imagine Aspen without Kade, it would be awful if they couldn't get past this.

They have both changed so much since they've been here, since Paris even. Aspen seems more real to me than she ever has before, less make up, less gloss; just herself. Her fashion sense is still the same, though there is certaintly nothing wrong with that. Her hair is a little longer now, slightly darker from the lack of sunlight. Similarly her skin is paler, but still it suits her.

She looks older, less like the fun loving teen I used to know. But she had no choice in that, and I almost think she is better off because of it. Kade is still Kade. Tall, muscular; naturally tan. But over these months his features have become stronger, harder, edgier. He is more serious now as well, he's grown up, become less of a teenager and more of a man. And to have any chance of getting Aspen back, he'll need to be.