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"Life and Unrequited Love"
" 'When someone walks into your heart, through an open door' "
Kiara looked in the mirror and smiled as she realized how much has changed since the day she arrived into the Fray household. She was taller, more confident and bold. Her angular frame was sharper and for the past 7 years, the girl didn't have shadows under her grey eyes. She could never remember where she was until she arrived in New York. Whenever she tried, she couldn't see past an unexplained hazy gap in her memory, to this day Kiara could never quite explain it but she tried to not think about her past at all.
Kiara changed into the clothes she brought with her; a pair of black, ripped shorts and a strapless, black denim top with a little cleavage and a pair of black knee-high boots. She dabbed a little make up and clipped a pair silver earrings that curled up her helix like a snake.
Kiara clutched her shoulder, as another spark of irritation resonated. The scar was almost visible, quickly, she began to re-apply her makeup. Kiara looked back at the mirror and the girl gasped, her irises were glowing silver and her pupils were slits. Not again. Kiara blinked and they turned back to their original grey. This has happened to her three times before, since she turned 18 last year. Every time Kiara thought about her past, they appear as if trying to tell her something. She never told anyone, it was freaky.
Throwing on a smokey grey, sleeveless hoodie to hide her top from Jocelyn, the girl headed down stairs to see Luke in the kitchen with Jocelyn and Clary, who she noticed wore a green hoodie to hide her top as well.
"Hey, Luke, what's up?", Kiara said, running over to hug him. Adjusting her position so it didn't hurt her shoulder.
"I'll never understand why people ask that. It's the sky." Luke shook his head, he beamed when he saw Clary. "And I got you these", giving Clary a box of spray paint.
"Oh, they're perfect", she said picking one up.
"If I catch any of that paint on city walls, I will arrest Kiara." Luke threatened. Kiara poked out of her hiding spot behind Jocelyn.
"Why are you arresting me? I couldn't draw to save my life. Much less embarrass myself by spraying graffiti." Kiara pouted.
"The only reason the paint would end up there in the first place, is because you made her do it." Luke waved aside her argument. Kiara gaped and tried to make a smart come back but she ended up opening and closing her mouth like a goldfish.
"Case withdrawn." Kiara slumped on a kitchen stool.
"The paint is for Simon's van", said Clary patting the older girls back, sympathetically.
"We're insisting that Simon renames the band", Kiara said, to change the topic, while Clary nodded vigorously.
"Oh, yes, please", agreed Luke and he saw the stele poking out of Clary's hoodie and Kiara's short's pocket. She didn't know why she kept it with her but its touch felt oddly comforting, in her hands." Did Jocelyn talk to you about that?", he asked.
"The heirloom. Yeah, it's beautiful", answered Clary. Luke looked at Jocelyn before saying,
"Look you're both 18 now, and-"
"What is with you guys?", Kiara cut across him.
"Yeah, I'm turning 18, it's not like I'm headed off on some epic journey." said Clary looking back and forth between Jocelyn and Luke.
"But you are!", said a familiar voice from behind the four of them, and Simon walks in. "See, we are going to Lombardi's, to celebrate Clary's birthday after our gig."
"Amazing, I'll go grab a couple of lances and shields to mangle the waiters, with." Kiara drummed her fingers against the counter top.
"You should come back here after", said Jocelyn. "The city's not that safe right now and Kiara, sweetheart, I know you have your loft but I-"
"Ah... thanks, Joce, but we're set", said Kiara apologetically. And I love you but you have to accept the fact that I'm a well organized adult, now." Jocelyn folded her arms, in a grudging response.
"Yeah, we will take a rain check", added Clary.
"Wait. Do I smell chicken cacciatore?", asked Simon, sniffing the air hopefully and Jocelyn looked ready to use that as an excuse for them to stay.
"Si, our gig", said Kiara poking his glasses so they were lopsided. She loved doing it, it was a favorite past time that the two of them never got tired of.
"Oh, you two are singing?" asked Luke.
"Yes, big gig", said Simon.
"And by big, he means not so", Kiara added, leaning on her best friend's shoulder. Jocelyn moved forwards and held Clary in a tight hug.
"Losing circulation here", said Clary in a muffled voice.
"Breakfast, you two and me, tomorrow, promise?" she says firmly.
"Yep", Kiara and Clary say in unison.
"Joce, you have to let us go, we are biologically and legally adults. Plus Simon and Clary are sitting ducks without me." Kiara laughed at Simon and Clary's protests and half hearted attempts at punching her.
"That's what I'm afraid of" said Jocelyn sadly, though only Kiara seemed to hear her, as she walked out of the kitchen with Simon and Clary.
"Shall we?", asked Simon, hoisting Clary on his back and holding out his hand to me.
"We shall, but wait, I'll be back in a sec". She ran back into the kitchen, where Luke stood alone. 'Luke, do us all a favor and marry Jocelyn, already. It gives me physical pain watching to two of you act like a married couple and then call each other 'friends' ", she said sternly.
"Kiddo-"
"You're already acting like a husband, go be one", patting his shoulder , an amused look on his face, before leaving to join her friends.
➳
"My mom is so overprotective lately", said Clary. They were almost there and Kiara was sitting on the driver's seat of the damn van, as she liked to call it. Kiara's reasoning was that it was too slow, had a terrible paint job and the interior smelled like something died recently. Clicking her tongue in impatience, she pushed her foot down, to accelerate.
"So, do you remember in 'Aliens', when the alien queen was defending her eggs from Ripley?", asked Simon.
"In this scenario, is Jocelyn, Ripley or the alien queen?", Kiara asks, partly amused.
"Both", he said.
"What?", Kiara scorned.
"Think about it, a mother defending her young."
"Defending us from what?", Kiara asked. "Clary practically lives in an art studio and I am being pulled into a ridiculous battle of control, by her."
"Our lives couldn't be more mundane." said Clary. At this point, Kiara zoned out of the conversation only picking up bits like, "I don't know much about when she was young", "the Lewis clan" and "don't you guys, find that little bit suspicious".
Kiara cared deeply for the Frays', Luke and Simon. But sometimes she wished there was some more excitement in her life. A new thrill or an old one she feels she has but could never quite click in her mind. She sometimes came to a silly conclusion that she was missing half of her identity. But she didn't understand why. It was a loosing battle. A frustrating one, have at it. So much so that when Kiara glanced at the rear-view mirror. She caught silver cat-eyes staring back at her.
"Trust me, my mother is incapable of concealing anything." Clary finished. Unaware how wrong she was.
➳
♪ Forever young ♪
♪ I wanna be forever young ♪
♪ Do you really want to live forever ♪
♪ Forever young ♪
The crowd clapped and cheered, Clary the loudest of them all.
The whole time when they sang, Kiara watched Maureen stare at Simon, while Simon gazed tenderly at an oblivious Clary. Love triangles. Unrequited love. It just sucks and all Kiara can do is watch from the sidelines.
➳
"Thanks for being our roadie and singer in the residence, Ki" said Simon.
They had just parked the van just outside the Pandemonium, which acquired people in droves. All laughing drunkenly, talking or cat calling. The air rumbled with the sound of techno music and the distant traffic and the alley was hazy with smoke. And tossed around the scent of nicotine, piss and the acrid scent of smoke machines.
"What can I say. You guys need me. So don't lose me," she added mockingly. Kiara glanced at the other three but only Simon was listening. Maureen and Clary eyed Simon as he changed his shirt.
"So, you went on stage tonight as Champagne Enema", said Clary, clearing her throat.
"Yeah, what were we thinking, right?", said Maureen, completely forgetting Kiara existed and that unlike Maureen, she does not follow Simon around like a lost puppy.
"I actually remembered arguing with you guys every time you called the band something absolutely ridiculous, but did anyone listen?", Kiara said in mock of thought. Simon and Maureen averted their eyes.
"I thought so too. Lets see... she says while doing a countdown with her fingers. 'Sea Vegetable Conspiracy', 'Lawn Chair Crisis', 'Furious Mole'—"
"Okay, okay, we get it but now...we're Rock Solid Panda", said Simon, looking at his best friend for approval.
"For the first time, I don't hate it. Better than 'Sea Vegetable Conspiracy', anyways", Kiara replied, making them all sigh in relief.
" 'Rock Solid Panda', coming up. I'm feeling inspired", said Clary, shaking the spray paint in her hands.
➳
"What's that tag?", asked Simon. Kiara looked up and saw that along with the 'Rock Solid Panda' logo and insignia, Clary had painted a blue symbol that resembled a diamond with two curved lines on the top of it. A sudden image appeared in her mind's eye 'gold-green cat eyes and a blue mist pulsing with energy'. What the hell? She mentally asked herself, her hand absentmindedly ran over her shoulder.
"Weird, I didn't even mean to draw that" said Clary confused, "Second time today", she added.
Kiara vaguely heard Clary and Maureen discuss how Clary might know a language without ever learning it but the girl's mind was elsewhere. She normally never looked twice at a boy, other than Simon but this one held her gaze, grey eyes trying to decipher what she was seeing. He was tall and fit and looked about 20 or 21. He had a wiry build and raven-black hair that fell around his ears. What really made Kiara stare was his eyes, beautiful blue eyes. He didn't catch her staring but looked intently at the crowd heading into the Pandemonium. Before the girl could follow his gaze, she heard.
"Hey, can you watch where you're going?"