One

Chapter Four- part three

   When Phina had gotten home from Steve's house, it was 10 o'clock. And her mother had been waiting for her.
   As soon as the door to the garage had closed behind her, Karen's voice rang out, "where have you been?"
   On the way home, Phina had thought of the perfect lie, and she didn't even look at her mother to deliver it, "Lisle's. We have a chemistry project due tomorrow and we lost track of time."
   "No you weren't," Karen snapped, "I called Lisle, she doesn't even have chemistry this semester. How many times have you used that lie, ten, fifteen? Well I'm done letting it slide, where we're you?"
   "Nowhere important," she replied.
   "Look at me Seraphina," Karen snapped again, "do I look like I'm in the mood for this?"
   Phina's head snapped towards her mothers, "and do I look to be in the mood for this!"
   Karen instantly saw the redness to her daughters eyes, the puffiness. Her daughter had been crying, a lot. Karen was in shock, Phina hardly ever cried, ever. The last time she did, was when they thought Will Byers had died.
   "Phina? What happened, are you hurt?" Karen's anger had dissipated as she hurried over to check her daughter for injuries. "Did you crash your bike? What.."
   "I'm fine mom!" Phina pushes her mothers hands off her. "I just want to go to bed."
   The tone of her voice told Karen that she wouldn't get any answers from Phina tonight, but she knew her daughter well, when she was ready, she would.
   "Ok sweety," Karen sighed, "please come get me as soon as you're ready to talk."
   Phina gave her mom a halfhearted smile as she made her way to the stairs. The weight of the day pressed down on her, so heavy that she almost crumbled beneath the pressure. She almost didn't make it to her door.
   Phina pushed open the door and stopped. Like her mother had been waiting for her down stairs, Mike was waiting for her on her bed.
   "Where have you been," he asks, sounding exactly like their mother.
   "What are you doing up? You should be in bed, you have school tomorrow," she says.
   "So do you," he fires back, "you ran away earlier."
   "Yes."
   He gives her a look, "why? Where did you go?"
   Phina sighs, this is a conversation she wanted to avoid more than the one with her mother. She takes off her shoes and her jacket, taking her sweet time before she has to answer. Mike moves over so she can sit down next to him, turning her body to face him. They watch each other in silence, both of them waiting for the other to speak.
   "I was scared," she finally whispers.
   The look Mike gives her is one of confusion, "why?"
   And the one she gives him is sad, "because I saw the way you all looked at me. Because I looked in each one of your eyes and saw fear, of me. Because I saw what I did. I could have hurt you Mike, I could have hurt all of you. I don't know if I could live with myself if I had."
   Mike's shook his head, "you would never hurt me."
   "Not on purpose," Phina argues, "never on purpose. I lost control Mike. Everyday I find my powers becoming more and more unchecked, and I'm terrified."
   "Stop it," Mike chides her, "if you're scared of yourself, how are you supposed to learn to control it. You can't push it away, that'll just make it worse."
   Phina let her head fall, "what if I can't control it?"
   "You will," Mike argues, "because you are my sister and you never give up, ever. You are the most strong willed person I have ever met and you'll find a way, I know it."
   Phina smiles, "glad to know someone believes in me."
   He smiles back, "of course I do. You're my superhero."
   "And you're mine."

   "Phina? Have you seen your brother..."
   Karen opened the door to find her two kids fast asleep. Mike was cuddled into Phina's side, her arms wrapped around him. They had fallen asleep last night before either could think of getting Mike to his own room.
   Karen smiled at the two, who looked peaceful in sleep. She walked over to the bed and gently started to shake Phina awake.
   "Time to get up hun," she said warmly.
   Phina's eyes slowly blinked open, taking in the blurry image of her mother, "hmmm."
   "Good morning," Karen chuckled.
   "Mornin'," Phina mumbled, poking her brother's side.
   He grumbled something inaudibly and turned over to the other side of the bed, out of Phina's arms.
   "If I have to wake up, so do you," Phina chuckles.
   "Not necessarily," Mike mumbled.
   Karen smiled at the two of them, "well breakfast is almost ready."
   Mike turned his head slightly, "breakfast?"