Unhappy Aniversary

Subject: Unhappy Aniversary Mon Aug 20, 2012 1:31 pm

Awake before everyone else, the brunette had grabbed coffee and hidden in the attic room with the piano. She simply sat on the large window sill. Today was that day; it was the day he had died-- been killed by that murderous bastard Kira.

This was always a day that she couldn't handle well. It was a day that disappeared from the house and didn't come back until everyone was asleep. She'd never told anyone other than Ani what this day meant, but each year it would be the same routine. Wake up before everyone, hide in this very room, shower, put on a simple black dress, twist her hair into a bun and clip it up, then disappear before anyone else woke up. Then she'd buy flowers and spend hour after hour at her brother's grave in the back corner of the cemetery. Hell, she never even stopped to eat because the day always completely eradicated her appetite.

She avoided people completely on the anniversary of his death, she couldn't handle it. The girl envied all of the happy people when this day came around. Paige became frigid in personality on this day; edgy. That was why she avoided people. One of two things would happen: she would snap at everyone, or she would completely break down.

The girl was tied together with a smile every other day of the year, but slowly falling apart at the seams the moment this August day came.

She finished her cup of caffeine and vanished back to her bedroom to shower and change.

Slipping the dress on over her head, Paige smoothed out the light fabric, causing any wrinkles to vanish. Leaving her bangs out, she used the brush to gather her hair, twisting it and clipping it into position. She grabbed a pair of black strapped heels and tiptoed to the front door with her shoes in hand.

Hearing someone descend the staircase, Aika's father peered out from the kitchen in time to see Rayne slipping shoes on her feet at the front door. He lifted an eyebrow in curiosity at her attire and the fact that she was heading out at such an early hour of the morning.

"A little early to be heading out, isn't it?" He questioned, noticing how the girl grew tense at his voice.

She completely avoided turning her head to face Aika's father, as well, she avoided replying to him. Instead, she simply grabbed her keys off the hook and slipped quietly out the door, closing it behind her.

She began her walk to the flower shop.

Hiro was surprised by her, not having expected such a reaction based on the person who had introduced herself upon their arrival days earlier. he found her attitude to be particularly strange, but the questioning of it would have to wait until others awoke.

Subject: Re: Unhappy Aniversary Mon Aug 20, 2012 4:55 pm

Fey walked into the living room with a glass of milk, surprised by the sight of Aika's father sitting along, practicing some poential moves on the chess board. He seemed to be more lost in thought, because the pieces remained where they originally were. "Father, good morning~" The girl greeted with a smile, taking a seat across from him. He still stared off at the sky outside the window. Fey blinked a couple of times and waved her hand. "Um, father...?"

Hiro shook his head out of his trace and greeted the girl with a smile. "Hello there, Fey. You're up early."

Fey smiled. "I'm going somewhere today with Near, so I couldn't really sleep with all the excitement." She admitted with a tongue sticking out. "I could say the same to you; is everything okay? You look like something's bothering you." She leaned slightly forward to listen to his explanation. Hiro let out a long sigh.

"I was just a little surprised by Rayne's attitude this morning; she just left the house early in the morning, all sad and angry looking. She didn't even answer me when I questioned her attire." He explained, leaning back in his chair. "Do you have any idea why she's acting like that?" Fey grew slightly worried at Hiro's explanation, shaking her head with an apologetic look. She really wished she knew too. One possibility came in her mind.

"Well, Rayne usually gets these really bad nightmares; she told me before that the shock of losing her brother would bring them from time to time." The girl placed a finger on her lips. "Perhaps that's why she's in a bad mood; in any way, Rayne probably needs time on her own. We'll let her have some time alone." She was still deeply worried, just as much as Hiro had grew right then and there. Fey leaned in. "But please keep this a secret between you and I; if mother asks where she is, we'll just tell her she had this day committed to something."

Hiro nodded. "If dear Rayne can cheer up a little that way, then I'll keep my lips sealed."

Subject: Re: Unhappy Aniversary Mon Aug 20, 2012 5:52 pm

"Good morning." Aika greeted as she walked in the living room when she spotted her father and Fey there. "What's with the worried faces?"

Subject: Re: Unhappy Aniversary Tue Aug 21, 2012 1:21 am

Fey and Hiro smiled towards the purple-haired female. Fey tilted her head and held her hands in front of her. "It's Rayne-nee-san... She left without a word this morning."

Hiro nodded. "It was pretty early too! She just left the house without giving out anything. I really didn't want to bother her; her glares can get pretty scary..."

Subject: Re: Unhappy Aniversary Tue Aug 21, 2012 4:41 am

"Yes, she can look pretty scary if she wants to." Aika agreed. "But in her case, most of the time her bark is harder than her bite."
She walked in the kitchen and returned later with a cup of coffee.
"Come to think of it... I think... she has done this every august. But I'm not sure... she disappears more often without saying a word."

"Morning..." Came a barely audible grumble.
Matt was awake surprisingly early.

"Hey, Matt do you know where Paige has gone of too."

"She's gone then...?" He asked.
He clearly wasn't fully awake yet.
"No idea... she's my girlfriend... but she refuses to tell me anything... coffeeeeeeee." The last part came out in a movie-zombie voice.

Subject: Re: Unhappy Aniversary Tue Aug 21, 2012 11:40 am

Fey could only raise an eyebrow at Aika's claim. "Even though I was absent for two years, I recall her acting the same way a few years back. And now she's acting the same way again, huh?" The girl scratched her chin in thought, eyebrows stitching together. She grew a little fearful for her friend being all alone out there; the thought of Kira popped up in her mind, but she had to stay silent, due to Hiro's presence.

Hiro let out a sigh and scratched the back of her head. "She could've at least written some kind of note or something. Now she's got us all worrying about her... Poor kid... In any case, we'll just have to wait for her to come home."

Subject: Re: Unhappy Aniversary Tue Aug 21, 2012 2:34 pm

L descended the staircase only to find Aika,her father, and Fey all in the living room with looks of concern on their faces.

"Has something happened?"

Meanwhile~

The girl had long since left the flower shop, purple alestroemerias in hand. She'd then stopped by the coffee shop to grab some caffeine so that she had something to drink while she sat. Paige headed off towards the cemetery.

Subject: Re: Unhappy Aniversary Tue Aug 21, 2012 4:53 pm

Hiro sighed and laced his fingers together, resting his chin upon them and coolly closing his eyes as Fey waved towards L in greeting. "Our little friend Rayne had mysteriously left this morning."

Fey nodded. "She didn't tell us where she was going, nor had she mentioned anything about it; but it seems like August is a month she does this. Still though, we're worried." Fey tilted her head. "Do you have any idea, L-san?"

Mello shortly came down the stairs, hearing about the little situation that was going on. He raised an eyebrow in thought. What was going on in her mind that she couldn't even open up to Matt about?

Subject: Re: Unhappy Aniversary Tue Aug 21, 2012 6:06 pm

L sighed. "Yes, I remember that. Though I can't guarantee that she'll answer, or that she even has her phone, has anyone tried calling her cellphone?"

It was somewhere to start at least.

Kneeling in front of the grave, she put down the flowers and gave the tombstone a halfhearted, sad smile. "I'm back again. I think the only day as bad as this is your birthday. I miss going for dinner and then ice cream with you.

Subject: Re: Unhappy Aniversary Tue Aug 21, 2012 6:07 pm

"Even though we are all worried..." Aika said after thinking about it for a moment. "But I really believe that whatever is going on... she just needs some time alone. She'll be back..."
I hope... She added in her head.
"We are living together with a lot of people so there isn't much room to be on your own for a longer period of time... maybe that's all it it. We all have our days when we need some quiet time."

Sarah had walked down and was listening to everyone talk.
"S-she seemed very sad j-just recently..." She said softly. "...s-she was playing the piano a-and I think there was s=something b-bothering her."

Subject: Re: Unhappy Aniversary Tue Aug 21, 2012 9:00 pm

"It's somewhere to start. Sarah, did she say anything at all?" He questioned.

Subject: Re: Unhappy Aniversary Tue Aug 21, 2012 9:17 pm

Fey's eyes lit up at the idea of calling her. The girl stood up and pulled out her cell phone from her pant pockets. "Sarah, continue on without me. I'll try calling her." Fey punched in the numbers and brought the cell phone to her ear, mentally hoping that Rayne would answer.

Mello crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall behind him, listening intently to what Sarah would say.

Posts : 193 Join date : 2010-08-28 Age : 30

"Uhhh.... s-she did not say much..." Sarah stammered, feeling more nervous than usual now that everyone was listening to her. "...o-only that her brother h-had taught her t-the song she was playing."

((oh just to complete the picture... Matt and Near are both present they're just not that talkative early in the morning xD ))

Posts : 182 Join date : 2009-10-31 Age : 34

((Heehee, well, they're more of the listening type. Let's just go with how they're trying to make sense of this situation in their minds, right~? ;D))

Mello walked closer towards Sarah when she noticed Sarah's nervousness, reaching over to place a gloved hand atop her shoulder. "Was she being extremely vague when she explained things about either the song or her brother? Like she was trying to tell you something in a way you could only raise an eyebrow too?" He narrowed his eyes to show he was serious.

Posts : 193 Join date : 2010-08-28 Age : 30

Sarah shook her head.
"S-she did not want to talk..." Sarah explained. "So I... I didn't push the subject... I'm sorry."

Posts : 182 Join date : 2009-10-31 Age : 34

Mello smiled. "Don't be sorry; it was best to keep low rather than just keep questioning her. She would've done much worse than she'd done today."

Fey returned back to the room with a sigh. "It's no use; I tried five times. She's turned her cell phone off."

Subject: Re: Unhappy Aniversary Wed Aug 22, 2012 7:46 pm

"Hmm. She disappears for a full day every August and she avoided the subject of her brother but saying nothing more than the fact that he'd taught her to play. I'm thinking that we've missed something; we haven't realized that she's probably disappearing on the same day every year. Perhaps today is the day of her brother's death." L pieced two and two together quickly.

"I still play from time to time, not much anymore, but I played the other day. It was the very first song you taught me. I'm still with Matt too; I think you would have liked him. He puts up with me just like you did. I miss you...a lot. You know...sometime I'll wake up from a nightmare and I'll find myself looking for you; especially that dream of mom and dad..."

Subject: Re: Unhappy Aniversary Thu Aug 23, 2012 4:45 am

"Oh dear..." Aika just said with a sigh. "That would explain a lot."
Aika stared out of a window.
She knew how much this day must hurt for Paige... anyone who has lost someone close could understand in some way, even though everyone has their own way of dealing with it.

When L pieced the puzzle pieces together Matt's first reaction was surprise, the next moment he just stared at his shoes.
Why did she never tell me about this? He wondered.
It was that moment that Matt realized just how little he knew about Paige, for every time the subject about her past (and with that who she is, deep inside) she'd always changed the subject.
"Excuse me..." He muttered and with that he walked out the door.
He had no idea where he was going, he just needed some air.

Subject: Re: Unhappy Aniversary Thu Aug 23, 2012 10:53 am

((//flails
MAAAATTTTT ;n;))

Despite being awkward when it came to certain things, L could tell that Matt was feeling rather disheartened that she hadn't said anything to him. He too wondered just how much anybody really knew about the young brunette.

She'd been quiet for the last few minutes, just staring at the grave.

"Would you be mad that I'm doing this alone all the time; that Ani's the only one who knows? I know you'd understand why, but would you be mad at me for it?"

Subject: Re: Unhappy Aniversary Fri Aug 24, 2012 2:56 am

"I say we leave them be..." Near said, speaking up for the first time.
He was talking about Paige, but also about Matt, because in his opinion Matt was about the only one who could talk some sense in the brunette's head (and the only one who could reach the deepest parts of her heart).
"If both of them are not back tonight we can always go and search for them. But both are old and wise enough to take care of themselves."

"Hmm..." Aika's father thought about it for a moment. "...I suppose, I hardly know either of them. But I think you have a point there. After all, there's a reason she left so early in the morning. If she wanted us to go after her she would have done the same thing you did when you were sixteen."
At the 'you' part he looked at Aika, knowing she'd understand what he was talking about.

Subject: Re: Unhappy Aniversary Fri Aug 24, 2012 9:53 am

((//Flaills. MATT USE YOUR BRAIN TO FIND HER. YOUR BRAIN MAN. <3))

L nodded in agreement with Near and then looked to Aika and her father. "What did she do at sixteen?" He questioned with curiosity.

"I don't know how much longer I can be of any use to anyone, I'm falling apart and I know it. Hell, last night when I was playing I couldn't help but feel a burning sense of jealousy towards Aika; my friend. I'm so jealous that she still has her parents, the people that took care of her. I'm becoming a horrible person...I know you taught me better than that and I'm so sorry..."

Subject: Re: Unhappy Aniversary Fri Aug 24, 2012 3:48 pm

((did you not know.... he turned into a zombie thanks to playing all those videogames... he has no brains >.>))

"Absolutely nothing..." Aika said a bit too quickly.

"Oh you mean that day she ran away from home, taking our car without permission, because we did not allow her to go to that concert and she was arrested by the police for driving without a license and endangering others so we had to make a four hour bus trip to get her and our car, which was severely damaged, back home?"

"Remind me to never get in a car with you behind the wheel." Near said jokingly.
He received a look from Aika that basically told him it was safest to stop talking.

"Well, I was actually talking about that day she and her friends secretly wanted to get their belly-buttons pierced but she made the mistake of talking with her friends too loudly, saying she was so nervous about doing it that I dragged her back inside... without actually knowing what they were planning to do." Aika's father said. "That concert thing happened when she was seventeen."

"Thanks a lot for sharing those stories." Aika mumbled.

Meanwhile somewhere in town

Matt was walking around aimlessly.
He wasn't sure whether he should go find her, although he had a pretty good idea where to start, or that he should leave her be.
There was no way of knowing what she wanted him to do.
When he passed a small flower boutique he made up his mind. He walked inside to buy some flowers after which he started walking in the desired direction.

Subject: Re: Unhappy Aniversary Fri Aug 24, 2012 4:39 pm

((He still had a brain....somewhere deep inside his mind >>))

L laughed. He'd definitely poke fun at Aika about those things at a later date.

The brunette poked at the petals of the lilies she'd placed on the grave. "Do you ever wish that you didn't get involved in the Kira case that way you were still here? I do sometimes...I know it's really selfish but I wish you didn't that way we could still be happy like we were. It's not fair...I didn't want to grow up yet and I had to and now I'm lost. It's not fair..."

Posts : 193 Join date : 2010-08-28 Age : 30

((lazy >>))

"Then maybe you should allow someone to help find your way." Matt spoke up softly behind her.

In his hands he held a few flowers. They were called Aster tataricus... or Shion as the Japanese woman had called them and apparently they were associated with memory and remembrance... 'I won't forget you' were the words the woman had said.
Matt had no idea if that was true or not, he had just asked the woman what flowers he should bring to a grave of a person he had never known in true life but of who he wished he had known.

He took a few steps towards Paige... not sure what he should do or say now that he was here.
"Hi..." He muttered awkwardly.

Subject: Re: Unhappy Aniversary Sat Aug 25, 2012 11:12 am

((Aren't we all? xD))

She was absolutely surprised to hear Matt's voice. The brunette then felt a sense of utter vulnerability, having him see her in this state of all things. As far as everyone could see, she held her own very well and dealt with her issues in a very reserved manner, still staying strong. To have someone see her like this wasn't something she'd ever wanted.

"...hi" It was the only response she could give.