The Manipulation Room

Chapter 10 - A United Group

Manipulation Room victim no. 
Name: Elouise Floyd 
Age: 17-year-old 
Occupation: Student  
Family Member: 17-year-old best friend, Araminta 
Description: Knocked unconscious from hammer across the head before bleed to the brain caused instant death 

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Kierra leant against Jaxon's body, they almost merged into one person. He kissed her forehead and whispered 'I love you' causing a slight rosiness in her cheeks. She glanced up at him and grinned, and just like that, I was third-wheeling again. They walked down the street hand-in-hand whilst I ambled behind them. The definition of third-wheeling, really. Why did I agree to go to the park with them again? Kierra turned around, noticing my solemn expression. "You okay, Lyric?" She dropped her eyebrows in concern. I smiled widely, like I do every day and only those who knew me well could tell a real smile from a fake. My father always told me that life's winners were the ones that smiled, the ones everyone wanted to be around. He never told me how lonely it would feel though, not a soul ever understanding the things that brought me pain. 

I shrugged, "'Course! Just a but tired, you know." 
She nodded her head, her eyes glimmering with unknown understanding. "I get it, I'm exhausted too." She opened her mouth to say something else before Jaxon doing something that really wasn't that hilarious caused her to turn back around and go into a fully-blown laughing fit. I wanted to tell her how I truly felt but I felt awkward and selfish. She seemed so happy with Jaxon, I didn't want to be responsible for ripping away her happiness. I'd just tell her how I felt later. I'd let her enjoy the present. 

Suddenly, Jaxon came to an abrupt stop and I banged into his back, almost falling to the ground. I stepped back and raised an eyebrow at him, "You good?" 
Kierra was also staring at him confusedly but he wasn't looking at either of us. He was staring with a concentrated, remembering glance somewhere off into the distance. His mouth was hanging open, his eyes wide with shock. I followed his glance and my eyes were drawn to the same thing his eyes were drawn to. Ezra. 

Ezra was ambling down the road with his earphones in, clutching a scrapbook with one hand and balancing a pencil on the back of his ear. He ran his hands through his hair, his sun-kissed face staring intently at the pavement in front of him. He hadn't noticed us at all, his eyes glued to the ground as he walked. I remembered what Jaxon had previously told me, that he knew Ezra from primary school. His shocked face had clarified that. 

"Ezra! Ezra, is that you? Over here!" Jaxon yelled across the road, waving his hand manically in the air. I found myself brushing my yellow dress down and flattening my static blonde hair with my fingers. I dropped my hand to my sides as soon as I saw him stop in his tracks. He pulled his earphones out of his ears and looked around, till his eyes found us and stopped. There was a lovely moment where Ezra's face washed blank with confusion, like his brain cogs couldn't turn fast enough to take in the information from his wide eyes. Every muscle of his body just froze before a grin crept onto his face, it soon stretched from one side to the other showing every single tooth. God...his smile really was gorgeous. 

"Jax?! Oh my God, it's really you!" I'm guessing 'Jax' was a nickname; they must've been close. Ezra's surprised voice was even more cute than his normal voice. His normal voice was deep and had that rich, silky tone. His voice was like nothing I'd ever heard before. It sounded like a drum, but deeper, like a tuba, but deeper. His tone was as deep as the sun at midnight. This shocked voice, however, was ten octaves higher. It definitely suited his face a lot more, and for a minute, I could see exactly what he looked like when he was younger. When him and Jaxon had been best friends. 

"Mate, it's been so long!" Jaxon unwrapped his arm from around Kierra's back and ran forward to greet Ezra. When I peeled my eyes off of Ezra and looked back at Kierra, I saw that she looked absolutely delighted. "It's happening!" She squealed in half-whisper, watching as the two of them embraced in some sort of manly hug. I scoffed, "What's happening?" 
She leaned closer to me and whispered in my ear, "Double date!" 
I groaned, rubbing my temples as I raised an eyebrow at her. "Really? How many times do I have to tell you that we're not-" 
"-dating? Yes, I know. Not yet, but..." She smirked at me and I chuckled at her silly expression. "You're crazy." I laughed.