Lost Again [Revised]

~+~ Three ~+~

She's a freak! Tate's inner mind screamed, unable to comprehend that she used to do much worse things to people. She fought against her adversary, her eyes closing ever so slowly. It was when Tate was falling limply to the floor did Cerise let her go. Tate fell to her knees, reaching for her bruising throat and gained as much oxygen as her opened lungs could handle.

Cerise laughed again. "It hurts, doesn't it?" She repeated her question from before. Tate's lungs were frozen and her breaths came out in foggy pants. It seemed the temperature had risen a few degrees but it was still cold enough for her to shiver. Two claps echoed through the hallow room and the room was brought to life. Light escaped from the ceiling, causing Tate to close her eyes from the bright light. She hadn't even noticed the lights were turned off.

Heat flooded in as Tate absorbed as much as her body would allow her to. Tate turned to lay on her back as the heat from the light scanned her skin. She relished in the heat, completely forgetting about the other presence in the room until a weight slammed onto her torso.

The girl looked down on Tate with a smile. Her face was still painted, the black carvings still dark as ever. It was as if it were brand new even though it was on before the fight had begun. The smile wasn't genuine but instead one filled with mischief, one that Tate glued onto her face for many years. "Control is a powerful thing. You can try to gain it, but in here, I own it. All of it. Pull this stunt again and you'll be in a lot more pain." Her tone had gone from amused to deadly in all but a second.

Cerise applied pressure to her foot, taking the breath away from Tate. "You see, control can be your best ally, but if you gain too much it'll destroy you," she snarled. Tate sucked in a breath as the weight was removed from her chest. It was silent for a few moments. Tate had thought the girl had left.

Debating against standing up in her critical condition, she stayed on the floor, catching her breath. The sound of heavy footsteps around the room clarified that Cerise was still in the room, and most likely still seething with anger that would end up being taken out on Tate.

Gaining her strength, Tate stood up, watching the girl gaze around the room with a stern glare. Confused, Tate also looked around the room, wondering what was so important about it. It was a plain beige room with a bed and a full length mirror across the room. A poster of some sort of band hung against the wall opposite the bed.

"He even let you use his room," Cerise uttered, containing her anger by clenching her fists and grinding her teeth together.

Cautiously, Tate asked, "Who's room is this?"

Cerise glared at Tate, a passionate angry glare held in her brown irises. She turned away, her breath heavy. Her fists unclenched, stretched and closed again. It repeated for a few minutes, the room silent despite Cerise's ragged breathing. "It belongs to Jasper," she muttered quietly. Tate almost didn't catch it.

"Oh," Tate responded awkwardly, having no idea what to do. She sat down on the end of the bed. This roomed belonged to somebody, and here she was claiming it as her own.

She didn't notice the other girl stalking towards until she was already standing in front of her and dragging her off of the bed by her hair. Tate screamed, reaching for her hair. She struggled to grab it as Cerise threw her back on the floor. The pain flowed throughout her entire scalp, causing a headache to erupt.

Cerise grabbed Tate by the straps of her tank-top, bringing them face to face. They were mere inches apart. Tate could see Cerise's brown irises clearly. How they weren't just a boring dull brown but instead bright and alive, lined with a hint of gold on the outer rim. Tate swallowed nervously, afraid the girl with the fiery, anger filled eyes would end her in the room at this exact moment. But she didn't. Instead Cerise glared at Tate for a long minute before slamming her against the floor. The breath escaped Tate once again as Cerise picked her back up.