Larceny

27

I enter El's code and let myself into her room. Just as she has for the past nights since she was returned to her room, she lies still. The only noise that fills the space is the constant beeping of the heartrate monitor. I set my bag alongside her bed, pull her desk chair and sit. I look her over and over all she looks the same except for the bags under her eyes that have become lighter, and the bruising on her neck and feet has lightened as well. I reach in to my bag and take out the soothing balm begin applying it to her calves and ankles, when I finish I wash my hands and return to her side. I look to her face. Her eyes move rapidly beneath their lids and sweat has begun to materialize on her forehead and at her temples. I take the small towel from the side of her bed and sop up the sweat. Suddenly her muscles tense up and her lips part. I gasp as my heart picks up speed in my chest. But as quickly her lips parted they meet again and her muscles go limp once more. I take her hand. 

"El," I start, watching her. "I don't know what's going on inside your head but I want you to know that you're safe. No one can hurt you; I promise." She doesn't move whatsoever. I slump back into the desk chair and begin massaging my forehead as a sigh escapes my chest. The lyrics of one of my own songs comes to lips and I begin to sing. I put my right hand over her left one. I sing each word slowly with full pronunciation. My voice clothes every word smoothly as it did before this ordeal, as I remember it; she encouraged me to start practicing again. I want to smile but it is as though my facial muscles refuse to comply. Mind doesn't hold enough happy thoughts to allow my face to do so. As I sing the last note I place her hand back to its place on the bed beside her and lean in to the desk chair as I stare up at the ceiling. 

Jessica, has been informally seeing Jaoquin for some time now. Judging by the way that TMZ has had their eyes on the two of them things are becoming increasingly more serious. Logically, I know that shows like TMZ blow things totally out of portion but they always seem to get their information from rumors that have at least a sliver of evidence and even truth to them. I hate just sitting and letting this 'clone' of mine reek havoc on my life but there's nothing I can do about it from in here; there's nothing any of the people trapped in here can do. There's a huge part of me that is angry at her but I can't totally blame her either; I'm angry at myself too. In my heart of hearts I actually believed that I would spend the rest of my life with her; she mean't and still means alot to me but on the other hand, I can't believe that she would leave me over something so trivial. In her defense with the way that my clone has been acting she has a right to be mad at me but I still can't understand. This makes me even angrier that I fell for her so quickly...so easily...when she could have done this to me at any time. I hate to think that she would pull something like this over me but the fact the she could floors me. I clench my fists and take a deep breath. There's no point in getting all riled up over something I can' do anything about. I look back to El. Her eyelids have returned to their usual motion. Her chest rises and falls as she slowly breathes.  

"You mind if I tell you a story? I'll try to make it interesting so you don't get bored," I say. I start telling her some of the most famous stories from my childhood. One after another, giving as much detail as I can. I welcome the imagination of El's fixed dark brown eyes looking on me with interest but no evidence of raw emotion. It has changed over time just like her actions toward me. In the time that I've spent with her I've realized that despite how much she tires to it bottle up, all the emotions she tries to keep to herself, I've cracked her shell. I got her to trust me. I got her to laugh. She has re-instilled the confidence I have in my talents. She accepted the nickname I made up for her. I my close eyes and welcome the imagination of her gentle presence, even her touch. Though she only touched me when she had to, even those times are memorable. She has opened a small part of herself to me and I am open to her. I finish my last story and open my eyes. The imaginations disappear and I am faced with reality once again. I glance out the window and notice with faintest hint of the sunrise. "I'm so sorry El," I breathe to her. Then I gather my things and as she taught me I soundlessly exit her room and return to my own.

I place my back pack in the trap door beneath my bed and climb in bed beneath the covers. When I close my eyes I see my family. Both of my parents, my sisters, my brother and my nephews and my new niece. Man, I miss them. Not that I haven't been away from them for long periods of time but I just...it feels like I've been without them for so long. The closeness that we have is something I treasure, something that I would hate to lose. I long to see them face to face and I long to feel my mother's presence I close my eyes and drift into an alert half-sleep. 

When Elinea wakes I will be there to help her recover. I will look after her as she did me. It's what she needs. 

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Author's Note

My apologies Hoolies; I know, the chapter is short this week but it is a well inteneded segment to the story; I don't know why it ended up being so short but it happened. Thank you SO MUCH for all the love and support for this fanfic. I still can't believe that it has long surpassed NOY as the most popular fanfic on my page! You guys are incredible. 

Thanks again Hooligans, 

~Jaz