Depression Saga: The Crystal Shards.

1.6

Cassidy Strike, Boston Massachusetts, 08/30/2012

We had arrived.

The blackness of the night had arrived some minutes ago. No light, sound or movement, not in the yard at least. Focusing my eyes onto the mansion, I could see some lights, and sharpening my senses, I could even hear music.

Lacey started walking, heart pounding. She had lost her morals in the last hours, and there she was, nervous with two gift boxes in her hands. Her jeans were shredded near the knees.

A deep sight was released through her lips. It took me only a moment to recognize it as an encouraging gesture.

"Are you nervous?" I whispered.

Lacey shook her head as if to say, I only want the approval of my friends, and to Andy to fall in love with me. She stared at the front door, where Jake was waving his hand to us.

Sighing once again, she started walking with me on her left side. As she arrived, she lent the gifts to Jake. "Happy birthday," she whispered. "The black one is for you."

"And the gray one is for me?" And there was Emma. Wearing jeans and a purple blouse; standing behind her brother with her cellphone in her left hand, as if she was the one controlling the music.

Lacey's cold gaze swept over Jake and Emma. Showing a small smile; making her look like a psycho. "That's right Emma, the gray one is for you. You can open it later. Right now, I'm starving, shall we go inside?"

It was Jake who walked backward, his gaze fixed on the present. Lacey walked inside the house after me. Emma closed the door behind us.

"Look who finally arrived!" Mara said, with a scarf around her neck, pointed her red vase at us. It's obvious that she'd been drinking.

Dylan's body was a soft line of unconcernedness and love as she stared at Mara, who was drinking from her vase. "What it took you so long?" Dylan said to me. "We've been drinking since 5 p.m. without stopping."

"It's just grape juice," Kenzie whispered, her bright green eyes on me. "I was really missing you." She hugged me and then kissed my cheek.

"Now I'm here Zia," I smiled and her. "I really need to tell you something. But first, let me talk with Mara."

Kenzie was silent for a moment as if she had been disappointed. She was expressionless, but there was a look of comprehension on her eyes that relief me.

At least Kenzie smiled. "For sure, I'll be in the kitchen. Do you want some juice to drink Dee?"

I shook my head. "No, thanks, but maybe you could give me water. It's exhausting to be with Lacey the whole day."

A giggle came out from Kenzie's mouth as she walked into the kitchen.

Mara was kissing Dylan, her red hair blazing as always. In front of them, Lacey was already talking with Andy—not about what she did this evening hopefully.

I walked straight right to them and touched their shoulders. "We need to talk."

It was Dylan who opened her eyes without stopping the kiss with Mara. As she saw the look on my face, she stopped and smiled at me. "About?"

"Lacey is already awake."

Dylan gasped in surprise. Mara reacted too if slowly, she grabbed the hand of her girlfriend. Her hand tightened as if it would make the new less impacting.

"How is that even possible?" Asked Mara; her eyes on me. "The last time she woke up at 21."

"A homeless appeared in the street. He technically forced Lacey to kill him. I can bet that it was someone that Zeus sent."

"Not helpful," Dylan muttered. Since France, she is always trying to find logic in everything. "The only reason why Lacey should be awake by now, it's because we might fight against them again. But they're only 12."

"Listen," I said, caressing my beautiful hair. "I really need to talk with Kenzie; do you think that you can figure it out?"

"We have the whole night. Taissa's activities will happen in 20 hours. Count on us." Dylan said without letting her girlfriend talk.

I approached the kitchen, moving past my friends. I felt as if a rock had fallen upon me. I hadn't felt so vulnerable since I fought against Blagon with my bare hands.

Kenzie was leaning her arms in the table, while using her cellphone with her right hand, scrolling through Facebook. She looks bored. After all, Jake and Emma were opening her presents, and the other ones were taking turns in order for them to play Mortal Kombat. She was only waiting for me.

As I stepped into the kitchen, Kenzie's gaze focused on me. "Can we talk now?"

I went quietly to a chair near to my best friend, sitting on it. "My mother wants to adopt you," I said.

I've been pretending to be my own mother, that way I could offer a home to Kenzie. Since always she has been beating up over and over again because her mother hates her for a car accident, I don't have to say that she wasn't guilty of that. And even if she has more friends, for the way she acts, I can say that the only thing that it's keeping her together is Jake and me. I thought of the way she has been acting with Jake since last year. Maybe she's in love with him, but I don't know if he's in love with her.

Kenzie's heart skipped a beat. "I would love to be adopted by your mother," she said with tears in her eyes; she was clearly pleased that she was going to finally have a family with me. "Come here, sister." She opened her arms waiting for a hug.

Withmy arms, I lifted Zia in the air, hugging her as I enjoyed her giggles and felthot warm tears falling into my face.