d a r k nights |Zelphar|

[violethorses]

Azzurra stirred the hot chocolate absently as she watched her parents putting on their coats and looking over at her every couple of seconds. "Are you sure you'll be alright?" Azzurra's mother asked for the third time in the past ten minutes. "I'm fine," Azzurra replied, hoping to reassure her mother, though her tone didn't come out quite right. "Zelphar said he might come over, anyway."

Her mother nodded and they said their goodbyes and then Azzurra's parents left. Azzurra's face fell, tired from holding up the act she had been clinging to for the past two weeks. Her parents knew something was wrong, that was for sure, but Azzurra was unwilling to tell them what happened. She didn't know if she could force the words out of her mouth. So, as of then, Zelphar was the only person who knew what Alec had done to her. Azzurra doubted telling her parents would help anyway.

She walked slowly over to the living room and set the glass of hot chocolate on the table, then sat down on the chair, pulling her knees tight to her chest and staring out the window at the sight of her parent's disappearing car. Azzurra half-heartedly sipped her hot chocolate for a moment, then, feeling a sudden sense of dread, hugged her knees even closer to her body and started to cry, warm tears rushing down her pale face. She didn't feel like herself these days; it was like she was walking through an empty world, not seeing or feeling anything, just walking. That was life, it seemed.

The doorbell rang a few moments later. Hoping it was Zelphar, and not some stranger, Azzurra forced herself to stand. She wiped her eyes, though she knew it still looked as though she had been crying, and started for the door. The walk seemed impossibly long and once she got there Azzurra had the sudden need to collapse on the floor and cry once more. A hand reached for the door knob and pulled it open to reveal...

[squiggle]

Zelphar let himself in, because of his age, he was allowed to be out after dark, so long as he was back at the orphanage at ten, and it was currently about eight, so he would have two hours before he absolutely had to be back. "Hey Az," Zelphar said quietly as he stepped in and took off his shoes. After he did this he gave Azzurra a soft hug, she looked terrible. "How are you holding up?" asked Zelphar. The phrase 'are you okay?' seemed to be inappropriate, obviously she wasn't.

[violethorses]

Azzurra shrugged slightly after letting go of Zelphar and ushering him toward the living room. "I don't know," she said half-heartedly. Azzurra felt like all the life had been drained out of her. Whenever she ventured to look back at before the night of the ball, she felt like she was stupid and naïve. And now she sort of felt like she was floating, watching a world that she wasn't part of. She hadn't even remembered it had been her birthday two days ago until her parents jumped out at her with presents. All of them were still on the floor of her room. She stepped into the living room slowly, not really noticing the noise from upstairs. Aria, a newly found teenager, was probably just dancing to music or something.

[squiggle]

Zelphar frowned a bit. For the first time ever he felt awkward around his own best friend, what was he supposed to do or say? The last thing he wanted to do was further upset his closest friend. Zelphar had never seen her so miserable; Azzurra was almost always so happy, always loving life... Alec had not only betrayed her, but marred her spirit. Zelphar was determined to restore as much of it as possible. Somehow.

[violethorses]

Azzurra shuffled back into the living room and sat in the chair. "How have you been?" she asked, hoping that Zelphar would talk to fill the silence. Whenever the room was quiet, she could hear the memories of herself screaming. Azzurra liked to keep as much distance as possible between herself and her memories, so she usually just stayed in her room and played very soft music, so it wouldn't give her a headache.

[squiggle]

"I'm okay," said Zelphar, lightly shrugging his shoulders as he seated himself in the chair opposite Azzurra. He had gotten the usual talk from Mr. Grant, the owner of Grants Boys' Home a while ago. That once he turned eighteen they wouldn't have any choice but to force him out, that there were some homeless shelters he could go to if money was an issue... Zelphar had explained that he had gotten a job while away at school. "Had the same talk with Mr. Grant that he gives to the teenagers every year; how when we turn eighteen we can't stay there anymore and whatnot." Zelphar added.

[violethorses]

Azzurra nodded, listening to what Zelphar was saying, but unable to form a good response in her mind. "Well, you've got another two years, right?" Azzurra asked a few seconds too late. Zelphar would probably understand, though. Azzurra's mind was quite sluggish these days. But Zelphar had recently turned sixteen, she remembered, so he could stay at Grant's Home until the summer after he graduated from Hogwarts.

[squiggle]

"Yeah, I s'pose." said Zelphar with a light shrug of his shoulders. He had gotten used to the fact that his biological parents would never come back for him, they could be dead for all he knew. He ran a hand through his dark hair, blowing out a heavy breath, and then looking back at Azzurra. "Is there anything I can do? I mean, other than kicking the shit out of... Well, you know..." Zelphar finally said. He hated seeing his best friend like this, it angered him beyond belief; Alec needed to pay for what he had done.

[violethorses]

Azzurra looked at him questioningly, worried that Zelphar would do something stupid like confront Alec. Not only was Alec two years older than her best friend, he was also bigger and prone to fighting dirtier. Hopefully Zelphar would realize that trying to beat up Alec was not the answer. "Just stay for a while," Azzurra replied softly. She truly hated to be alone these days.

[squiggle]

"I can do that," said Zelphar. He knew that the second he got back to the orphanage that he would loose all control of his temper, and probably have to break something, but as for now he knew that Azzurra needed him to be there. He would do whatever she needed him to do, only her command was needed for him. Zelphar wasn't sure how to act around his own best friend anymore, Azzurra seemed so... fragile these days, as if he did or said something wrong that she would shatter.

[violethorses]

Azzurra felt weird these days, as though she were a robot made of porcelain. She moved slowly and mechanically, doing the things she had always done, yet everyone treated her as though she would shatter if they made any sort of wrong move. And Azzurra couldn't help but feel that way either. But she didn't quite know how to ask for help. She had always been the one doing the helping, be it caring for Aria when she was sick, or comforting a friend. Now that she needed help, Azzurra didn't know what to do. "Is there anything you want to do?" Azzurra asked after a moment.

[squiggle]

"How about we go for a walk?" said Zelphar, no doubt Azzurra had not left the house since summer started, and he figured that some fresh air would be good for her. They didn't have to go far, maybe around the block, or just up and down the street a few times. Whatever she was comfortable with. But Zelphar certainly was not going to let her hold herself captive inside her home. He would do whatever it took to have his friend back.

[violethorses]

"Sure, whatever you'd like," Azzurra said, taking one last sip of her hot chocolate before pushing herself into a standing position. As she moved for the door, her sister came bounding down the stairs. "I'm going for a walk," Azzurra said simply. Aria looked a bit skeptical, but nodded in reply. "Hey Zelphar," the younger girl said, spotting Azzurra's friend.

[squiggle]

"Hi Aria," said Zelphar with a small, rather forced smile to Azzurra's sister. It was hard for him to be in cheerful mood when his best friend was so miserable. He slipped his feet into his shoes again, not really feeling like going outside barefoot. The air outside was warm, but the ground was cold, it made for a pleasant night so long as you wore shoes. Zelphar opened the door and held it ajar for Azzurra.

[violethorses]

Azzurra slipped on a pair of flip-flops and stepped outside, pausing to wait for Zelphar to shut the door behind them. She glanced around at the neighborhood, feeling a bit like a stranger in her own world. She hadn't been outside in a long time, Azzurra realized. The night was pleasant, at least. The air was warm, though the sun was starting to slip below the horizon.