One of Them

Chapter 19

At first Piccolo looked confused, but his eyes widened in shock and fear as he realized he was no longer wearing his mask. Sprite, Venom, and Ivory ran upstairs to their rooms, not wanting to witness what was about to happen.

"I... I..." Pic stuttered, unable to speak.

Burst stared at him in shock. "Why?" She asked after awhile. "Why did you pretend to be Jamie?"

"I wasn't pretending." He said. "I am Jamie, that is... I was, once...."

"W-what do you mean?" Burst asked.

Pic sighed and looked down at the ground. "My name was Jamie before I became a Specter." He said. "Before... Before I found the flute."

He looked up at her, his eyes full of sorrow and fear. "My friends hated me," he told her. "They planned to kill me behind my back, all because I always played a flute in my free time. They told me to meet them at the lake, and I went there, not expecting a thing. They broke my leg and threw me in, knowing I couldn't swim with a bad leg. I sank to the bottom and my hand brushed past the flute. Thinking I was going to die, I decided I would go out doing what I loved most. I began to play the flute, even though it made no sound. I went unconscious, and when I woke up, I was still at the bottom of the lake, but it was surrounded by some kind of air bubble that kept me from drowning. I stayed down there for weeks, I wrapped my leg in seaweed to help it heal. After my leg healed, I swam back up to the surface. I went back home, only to find that my parents had moved to another state, not wanting to grieve for their dead son every time they walked past my room. I tried to go to school, but when my so-called 'friends' saw me, they screamed and threw things at me, saying that I was a zombie. I decided to hide, I found the mask in an old bin in the attic, which my parents had completely forgotten about. Grimm found me a few days later. He took me to the mansion, and I became a Specter."

A single tear rolled down Pic's cheek. "When you came," he said. "I was afraid of you, but as I got to know you, I found that you were kind of like me. But I was afraid to tell you that... I wanted to be more than just one of the people that lived here with you."

Pic looked up at her, his eyes full of pain. "I thought we would just be friends," he said. "But... now I see you as more than that."

Burst covered her mouth with her hand, shocked at what he was trying to say.

"But... That doesn't matter anymore." Pic said, turning away. "You probably hate me now...."

He began to walk towards the stairs, but Burst ran over to him and stopped him.

"Piccolo," she said. "I don't hate you, and I never will."

Pic turned to look at her, a sparkle of hope in his eyes. "R-Really?" He asked.

Burst smiled at him. "Really." She said, wrapping her arms around him in a hug.

At first, Pic tensed up, but then he hugged her back. They stayed like that for quite awhile, neither of them ever wanting to let go.

"Ooh!" Someone said. "Yo guys! Pic's hugging Burst!"

Burst and Pic broke apart and turned to see who had spoken. Venom was at the top of the stairs with Ivory and Sprite. Sprite smiled. "You need to teach me how you do that sometime, Pic." He said, glancing at Burst.

Pic smiled in amusement. "It's easy," he said. "Don't be a pervert."

Everyone burst out laughing, including Sprite.

After everyone calmed down, Pic bent down and picked up his mask. He put it on and flipped up his hood. Burst gave him a funny look.

"I still need it," he said. "Besides, I think it's fun not having people know who I am."

Burst smiled. "But I know who you are now." She said.

"I still like it." He said.

Burst shrugged. "Alright," she said. "But at least take it off sometimes."

Pic's eyes sparkled. "I will." He said.