RockStar

Kept Secret

She's been here for three weeks. Attends school and comes back. In the morning she makes breakfast. At night she makes dinner. However, she does not associate with any of them. They've tried various things to get her to talk about herself, but she's always as silent as a mouse. Today, Mitchell hopes he'll get a different reaction out of her. He and the others set up in the living room. Or in Eijinn's case all over the hallway floor. It's him she avoids the most and they can all see why. Although, he's not clingy or obnoxious, well not too obnoxious, he still manages to annoy the hell out of her.

"We're really just going to leave him there on the floor like that?"

Alex looks at his band mates and friends as if they've committed some kind of crime. Of course in Aaron's case he may have, there's never any telling with him.

"She's going to ignore him anyway. Always does."

Alex rolls his blue eyes at Bryant, prompting the other male to flip him off. It also prompts a dirty look from Jason, who normally wants nothing to do with anyone. Before anyone else can protest the front door opens up and in steps Marie.

"Anya's home!"

She waves at Aaron, officially used to the fact that he's changed her name to Anya against her will. Ignoring the others she starts for the spare room she's been staying in, but of course Eijinn's sprawled across the hallway floor and looking up at her. Marie halts altogether and takes a few steps back. Her eyes widen slightly.

"Hi."

She nods before turning and exiting the house. To which Mitchell groans and Aaron gets up and follows her.

"Eijinn, can you be normal for once. Like can you not terrify her?"

"All I said was hi. And she took off."

"You're lying on the hallway floor. That's why she took off."

It takes Aaron a moment to spot her curled up by the side of the house crying. He hesitates before going over and sitting across from her.

"I know he's terrifying to be around but he's harmless. He means well, sort of."

She's silent, her tears stopped, head lifted slightly to look at him. Her brown eyes search his green ones, but finds nothing that says he's lying. No, not Aaron, he's been nothing but truthful to her since she showed up anyway. He doesn't treat her as if she's fragile but he treats her like a person, like she's the most precious thing in his life.

"Thank you."

Her voice comes out in a whisper, barely audible. But he hears her and smiles a little.

"Now, lets go inside. Maybe watch some movies or something."

She nods, lets him help her up, and follows him into the house. Where Eijinn is still lying on the hallway floor, eyes half-lidded. Again her instincts kick in and she's tempted to flee, at least until she's guided to sit next to Aaron on the couch.

Bryant can feel her shaking in her body. He's never had to deal with this before, a girl who's terrified of the male species.

"Hey, Marie can you help me with something in the kitchen?"

She's a little shocked, but otherwise nods her head and follows him to the kitchen. At first he makes it seem as if he does need her help and then turns to her.

"I know it's none of my business, but what's really going on with you? You refuse to go home. And you avoid us like the plague. I know we're not the best people to hang around visually, but i promise none of us will hurt you."

Wide eyes stare up at Bryant. She knows now that she can't hide anything from him. A frown forms on her tiny lips before she responds.

"It's complicated."

"Honey, there's nothing more complicated than holding it in. I'll keep it to myself if that's what you want, but you have to talk about it."

"You swear you won't say anything?"

"Yes, unless you did something illegal. We have nowhere left to hide the bodies."

He chuckles a little bit, so that she isn't frightened of him. However, he can still see the tension spilling from her skin and it makes him silently pray that whatever she has to say isn't too terrible. His heart on the other hand already knows that it's bad. Her mouth opens to speak, but then she stops, body visibly shaking. It's upsetting to see someone so broken. For a brief moment he's afraid that asking wasn't such a good idea and maybe it'd be best to leave her alone, that is until she does speak:

"I can't go home."

"That's not explaining why."

"It's complicated."

"It can't be that, bad. What could possibly be worse than almost being run over by Mitchell?"

"I'm scared of my brother."

"You're scared of your brother?"

She nods, fidgets, and then looks up at him again. He frowns and raises an eyebrow at her.

"Marie, princess, I'm going to need you to elaborate."

"He does things, things that i don't want to repeat."

He can hear the tears in her voice, see the gentle way her body shakes. His frown deepens and soon his mind registers what she's saying.

"Marie, does he rape you?!"

Her hesitation is enough of an answer and obviously more than Aaron bargained for. A small whimper leaves her lips as she tries to find a place where she's not between the two of them. Aaron's face is a considerable shade of red as he turns and storms out. Bryant on the other hand stands speechless, blue eyes wide with concern and anger. His mind can't process what's been said. Can't fathom why someone would do that to their own family, especially their own sister. He's not sure if he should cry or punch something. Instead he gently pulls her to him and hugs her, quickly letting go after. Without another word he leads her out the kitchen and to her room, kicking Eijinn in the ribs for still being on the hallway floor. Once her door is closed he goes off in search of Aaron.

He knew people were cruel and sick, but he never thought he'd come into contact with such cruelty. She didn't even look like the type to be victimized by this world's evils, yet there it was like a burning fire. Somehow she'd run into them and now that he thought about it, it was obvious how terrified she was and yet still so comfortable with them.

"They say birds of a feather flock together."

"We're only together because we're moths drawn to the same flame, Bry. She's different."

"Yeah, but she's still similar to us in many ways. Nothing is going to change that. Remember how different we all were? I mean you practically hated my guts when we met."

"Who's to say that I don't still hate your guts?"

Aaron runs a hand through his hair. A sarcastic grin poisoning the features of his face. His ears pick up Bryant's gentle scoff. The two have been friends for a long time. They know what pisses the other off to no end. Yet, they get along extremely well.

"You can't say anything about what she's said. It's bad enough I pressured her into telling me. You two, however, are best friends and it'd be best if you kept it to yourself. I know it pisses you off to no end."

"It does more than piss me off. It makes me sick to my stomach. To think someone she calls family can do that to her. If I knew where the hell that sick piece of shit was right now I'd kill him. I'd make him suffer a million times over."

"Yeah, well, for now keep your mouth shut and keep a close eye on anyone near her."

Aaron nods and sighs, knowing full well the consequences of exposing someone's secret. He just stares off into the distance green eyes dark and brooding.