Becoming "Forever Yours"

Ch. 8 Compassion.

I stayed up later than usual that night, finding myself more triggered than tired.

Who do you think you are?

I turned over in bed, staring at the wall my door was met with.

You're the stupid new kid. Shouldn't you be the stereotypically quiet, shy girl that sucks at making friends?

I thought of all the people and questions surrounding her on her first day. How she made a point to not be deemed the awkward, new kid by storming right on in and declaring herself a seat in the class.

So arrogant, ugh!

I pictured all the times she bore a toothy smile in the midst of those crowding faces, and how she managed to make even me notice the quirky smile she would only shoot my way.

What is it about me?

I scoffed, rolling my face into my pillow.

It's nothing about me. It's you. It's been you from day one, Gwen. You've just been a persistent little shit, there's nothing about me to.. like.

I couldn't think of anything I may have said or done for her to want to get to know me, let alone already like me. She knew nothing about me, other than my name, English is too easy of a class for me, and that her locker happened to be right next to mine.

I groaned, picturing her face on that first day. How her bright brown eyes peered just over everyone's heads and found mine as if they'd already known I'd be looking.

The lopsided smile she always bared, even when I had made, what I passed as witty though I knew was usually rude, remarks toward anything she said to me. She'd always smiled.

Is it because I couldn't, that she would do that for me? No, like I said.. she doesn't know me enough to even care to.

Dealing with my parents, Margot and her Barbie gang, and just being.. me, I had enough to plague my thoughts with. I didn't need the new kid on the block pulling at my temples either.

I turned on my other side, facing the window to be met with what was a full moon tonight.

What do you want from me, Clay girl?

She hadn't responded.

Well, rather she had, but not the way I would've thought. Not the way most people would. Either they would let you know their feelings were reciprocated, or they would let you know they were not.

She stared at me, eyes not wide, but.. blank. And then before I knew it, I seen her back as she walked off and in a noticeably brooding silence at that.

Had I been wrong to say 'like'?

No. "I like you, doll face. That I'm sure of."

But why don't you like me? Do you?

She had been the only one able to resist temptation, the allure of the unknown quality I and my kind naturally have. It was a natural trait within us, but with the Professor's experiments.. it'd only enhanced that quality within me.

I hadn't expected to be surrounded by puppets on my first day. And I surely hadn't expected to not be surrounded by one little doll in particular that day either.

I couldn't help but to smile. For she seemed to have an alluring quality about her, herself, that I found myself unable to resist. I wanted her company, I craved it. Far different than I had craved anyone's company before.

And it made it all the more enticing that she made it difficult.

What secrets are you hiding? What do you think about, doll? Why do you block out everything? Everyone?

It was annoyingly intriguing. Sexy even, to think something other than my kind-a mere human, nonetheless-could have such a mysterious air about them.

I wanted to pick at more than just a vein, I wanted to dissect her brain. With words, with charm, with compassion. I had.. never found myself wanting anything of the sort before.

"Are you awake.. Gwendolyn?"

I turned over to see the never-aging child in my bedroom doorway. Her long, blonde ringlets curling around her small face and even further down her petite, little body. Her pale blue eyes focused on me with no problem, even in the pitch darkness of my room.

"Professor will be upset if he sees you out of your room."

"The Handler.. she wasn't able.. to read to me.. tonight." She spoke in her usual pause-like voice. So soft and airy, had I not had such hearing as I do, I probably wouldn't have heard her.

I always caved when I looked at those tortured blue eyes on such a little girl. "I will not read to you. But come, you can lay with me tonight."

She crossed the room in what would have looked to be one stride to the human eye, and climbed into my bed. Since I could remember, she did as she always had and clutched onto the bottom hem of my shirt and closed her eyes.

"Good night.. Gwendolyn."

I turned away from her, facing the window to see an almost complete moon, glad that I had paid attention to it. I hadn't in quite some time. And it sure was beautiful tonight.

"Good night, Anya."

Good night.. Cole.