CHLORIS

12. CHOICES

Once again, Colleen yawned. It's been a day and she couldn't wait to get to her bedroom at the end of this hall. She exited Raven's room and shut the door behind her. She blinked away the tears that gathered in her eyes after comforting Raven.

Her hands scoped to reach the metal doorknob of her room until she realized it was unlocked. She was certain she had locked it this morning. Her suspicions was right, her bedroom has been breached by a presence. "Well, this is a surprise," she wrinkled her eyebrows at Erik who was found sitting on the armchair by the reading lamp.

Erik's eyes followed her to the wardrobe where she was headed to change. He watched her undress to reveal the curves of her body. He memorized the alignment of spots on her pale skin, even the faded cellulite lines on the thick side of her hips.

He twisted his metal-bender fingers together and quoted, "Mutant and proud?" Implying that he heard her entire speech for Raven earlier. "That was inspiring." Erik stood from his seat with eyes still all over her.

Colleen came out of the wardrobe in a sleeping robe that is untied, showing off her moss green lace lingerie. She fold her arms with an unamused expression at Erik. Unlike Charles, Erik doesn't care where to keep his focus when he's with a lady.

"Go away, Erik, I'm going to sleep." She ignored him.

Suddenly, she felt a tug on her neck. Under Erik's control, the necklace she was wearing drew towards him like a magnet. His fingers brushed on the floral ornaments that were carved on the locket. The rusted and aged texture gave it a vintage appearance. "Pretty." He commented.

A click. He opened the locket. A small photograph of a woman. Dark hair. Green eyes. Pointed nose. Smiling. The resemblance was obvious. Colleen grabbed it violently from Erik.

He was stunned to learn that this was her mother. "I didn't know you were–"

"Surprise, surprise." She scoffed sarcastically. "You're not the only orphan around."

Definitely not the first time in his life, but he certainly felt like an insensitive bastard. "How did she–"

"It was a long time ago." She cut his sentence briefly. The necklace was place back around her neck like a tattoo that she wears all the time. "Wish I could've been there for her." She began her story.

A series of moments flashed before her, taking her back that she had to shut her eyes to keep herself straight. She remembered the bruises on her mother's skin and how her father pretended to be the good, loving husband that he was not.

Erik witnessed the flashback. It erases the radiance that he loved in her eyes. He became speechless. "I'm sorry." He could only say, which was rare.

Her eyes opened as she managed to gather herself. Somehow, her automatic reaction to facing emotional distress is to walk away from it. "I think we should get some rest now."

Erik couldn't let her leave. He had to have her by her wrist and held her close. Intimately touching her showing skin as he tried to soothe her. "Erik," she called, pushing him away. "I was saying, we should get some rest... alone, on our own."

"Until when?" He whispered aggressively. As hard as he tried, he couldn't get himself to leave her. She was like a storybook that he would read over and over again.

He was clutching on to her hand tightly. Maybe he's truly gone crazy, or he was just in love. The man warned, "When the time comes, you have to pick sides. Choose the one who not only hears the story in your voice, but the strength."

Finally, she pulled free from his grasp. "What are you talking about, Erik?" She was baffled. Erik didn't tell. He exit out the door, but in her mind, it was filled of wonders about him. How can one person be see-through and mysterious at the same time?