Heartless

Chapter 5

"Come on in." Quin said with a smile. She held the door open for each of us. Her kindness seemed genuine but I was still suspicious. I mean, I'd rather be safe than sorry when I'm so far away from everything I know.

We waited for her on the landing. She closed the door behind us and directed us up the staircase. As we ascended, I looked down into another room where who I assume to be her parents sat. Their eyes were transfixed on a box full of light that cast their shadows on the wall behind them.

My eight year old sister pointed at the screen. "What is that?" She asked.

"You mean the television?" Quin replied. She turned to me. "How far away did you say you were from exactly?"

"Um," I had to change the subject. "Are you sure that your parents won't mind our presence?"

"I'd be surprised if they even noticed that any of you are here. They couldn't care less about what I do. They're too focused on their own lives. Not that I really mind, I mean, I'm not close to them but at least I get a lot of freedom."

"Okay, are you sure you have a place for us to sleep? I mean, we wouldn't want to intrude but you did offer."

"So you admit that you don't have a place to stay?" Quin said half jokingly.

"Um," I didn't know my face could get so warm so fast. I didn't have to see my face to know that I had gone beat red.

Quin just laughed and I found it surprisingly settling. Her grey eyes were just so full of happiness that I haven't seen them on my own for such a long time.

I know I need to learn to relax but that just hasn't been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I snuck out a lot as a kid and it was never to be rebellious. It was so I could be free to finally be me, even if no one else was around. That way I could use my powers without worrying about hurting anyone or being ashamed of who I am.

I offered Quin a smile to lighten my spirits, and for a fraction of a moment, it worked. "One night. We'll spend one night here."

"Aye aye, commander." Quin replied with a mock salute.

I thought it would annoy me more that she doesn't take me seriously but I find her relaxed composure is refreshing. Besides, how could I be mad at her for being happy? It's not her fault that my life is a mess and she is unaware of how serious it really is. Taking a break from being so uptight could do me some good.

"I'll settle you into your room upstairs before I start cooking dinner."

"You make dinner?" I asked.

"Yeah, everyday. I don't mind. My family is surprisingly lazy." She said with a cheery smile but I could tell that she did mind.

"We only have one guest bedroom but I can make up two beds for you in the game room." She said, moving on.

"Okay." I replied.

I helped her make two beds for the twins in the game room which was packed with toys, ones that I didn't recognize. There were these small metal containers with four wheels that Quin called cars and a string of them were called trains. There were many other toys in the room that I didn't understand but I didn't feel like asking like a 3D maze in a sphere.

I set my bag on my bed in the guest room. Jade walked up to me. I could tell she was shaking.

She tugged on my pant leg. "Asia, I'm cold." She whined. Jade gave me the nickname "Asia" when she was two. Fantasia was always too hard for her to say and she just never stopped calling me by my nickname.