Broken Vessels

| Chapter XI- Veronica |

| November 28, 2017 |

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Hello poppets! I'm back with a new chapter. I do apologize in advance if it's a tad bit short but I can't find it in myself to prolong these chapters. I am not quite sure why. Anywho, enjoy!

Warning- Involves quite the scene. You'll know when you get to it ;)

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| Chapter XI- Veronica |

*There is no more hope. -Anonymus*

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"I'm so very sorry," I whispered as I bumped into yet another person on my way to English. My reason for that was because I kept my head ducked down for the most part. Even though I concealed the growing bruise with concealer, I was fearful someone would take notice. I didn't need questioning.

No one needed to know that yesterday, after picking up my siblings from school, my home was full of strangers selling illegal substances to my family in my basement. No one needed to know that when I tried kicking them out as soon as possible, one of them threw a fist at my face, giving me a nice plum colored bruise under my eye. No one needed to know that I was being cussed at and told to leave and that I was not wanted.

I knew that wasn't the case. I knew I was wanted. Or rather, needed. If I wasn't around, my younger siblings would have died. My other family members would be in worse condition than now. Everything that I'm holding together would fall apart if I just left like I sometimes wanted to do.

As I rounded the corner to get to the classroom, I heard a soft voice speaking in one of the empty classrooms. I usually walked away to not eavesdrop but something about this voice beckoned me.

I slowed down in my step and peeked into the classroom, slightly surprised to see Ali sitting on a desk with her hands clasped together and her eyes facing up to the ceiling. Her mouth was moving and the words were soft but I was able to make out some of the words.

"I pray that you give her the strength to carry on with her day and that maybe one day soon, she will open up to me. I know that her life isn't the best right now. I know she's hiding something. I just wish she could see that I'm willing to help her carry the burden and that You could relieve it completely from her.

"Lord, I also pray that You give me the patience and the wisdom and to be ready when she finally decides to open up. She's going to need a friend. And I'm willing to be that friend. You have sent me here for that purpose- the purpose of being Veronica's friend," she was saying and I felt my throat close up.

Tears prickled behind my eyelids and I took an unsteady step backwards, eyes and throat burning with the need to go and cry. She was praying for me. But that prayer was unnecessary for there was no God.

There was no such thing as a Supernatural being who could relieve people of their burdens. If there was such a thing, I wouldn't be in this spot. All those suffering wouldn't be in that situation. It was just a fairytale. Something to give people hope. But hope was also an illusion. The only hope I had was the hope to leave this city and life behind and start a new one with my twin siblings.

I cleared my head of what I just heard and squared my shoulders, leaving as quietly as I came, never letting Allison know I was there. Instead, I made my way to the classroom, ready to see what this Friday had in store for me.

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I looked to my right through the corner of my eye and watched as Cole sank lower in his chair next to me, covering his face with his black hoodie, his dark hair peeking from inside. He said nothing. He did nothing. Except for getting comfortable in his seat.

"Today, you will talk to your new seating partners and you will get to know them a bit. And before class is over, I will hand out a book you guys will start studying together on Monday. I'll tell you the rest during that time. You have thirty minutes," Mrs. Jordans explained before taking a seat at her desk and typing away at her laptop.

The class all of a sudden became full of chatter- both happy and shy ones. However, Cole and I remained quiet. I had no idea how to start and I don't think he wanted to participate. At least, that's what his body language told me.

Even though he tried to be so careful with it, to someone who had to read people's body language to know what they needed, it was easy to spot. Or not as difficult. I just continued to eye him until he cleared his throat.

"I would appreciate you not staring," he said in a raspy voice and I frowned.

"Are you sick?" I asked and he grunted in reply.

"Oh. No wonder you seem so disclosed. I mean, you usually are but more so today than usual," I commented and he slightly tilted his head in my direction, one bright blue eye peeking at me from under his hair. It was a cold stare, void of any emotion. I could not tell what he was thinking at all.

"And you seem to be extra chirpy today. Mind your own business," he practically snapped in his raspy voice.

"Well you know, I would but there was a rule given and I tend to follow it. I don't need to fail this class because of some boy who doesn't know how to be social," I snapped back and he tensed up slightly before relaxing. I pushed that aside as nothing important.

"Well maybe I just don't care," he replied apathetically. I furrowed my brows before releasing a sigh in exhaustion.

"I wish I didn't either," I whispered so softly, in hopes he didn't hear me. Afterwards, I began digging into my backpack to retrieve a journal and a pencil. I then faced my desk and began to write into the white sheets some questions that I could answer about myself before sliding it towards him.

He looked at it before giving a heavy sigh and reaching forward for the pencil. I gave a hidden smile at the gesture. Step one complete. Hopefully this method would work.

I waited patiently for his reply and then he slid it back. I looked at it and smiled softly. He answered every single question and even put a couple of his own. I looked at him but his head was on the desk and an earphone was tucked into his ear, music resounding from it. I pressed my lips together to hide the grin and answered the random question.

Do you like cheese?

My favorite is Gouda.

I slipped it back to him and watched how he read over it, a very faint smile gracing his lips before he hid his face from me and tapped the page. We were making progress. 

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Hold your hearts my dears. Don't let them melt quite yet. This is the beginning, yes, but not near enough to lose your hearts over ;) 

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