Gen 3- Staying is worse than leaving.

I gripped the bars of the jail cell that I was placed in, my knuckles started to turn white but I refused to let go. Honestly, I wouldn't care if my fingers just gave out and fell off.
My eyes were pinned on the enter sign...The only thing running through my mind was "I'm not guilty. So don't act guilty." Over and over again.
Aphrodite was asleep. Now that we've been here for almost two hours I believe that our parents aren't coming on purpose just to teach us a lesson. That is, until the door opened around 9:00 pm...

The consistent glare focused on me from the doorway caused me to sink back from the bars and shake Aphrodite until she was standing up in front of me. My mom didn't tear her gaze away from me though, no matter how scared and small I must have looked, cowering behind my best friend...I would have never owned up to being such a wimp, but I deserve it...Even though I've not even done anything wrong.

"Aphrodite, please let me talk to my daughter." She flipped around and shot me a look of complete terror as my mom gripped the bars and I inched closer hesitantly.

"Is this some cry for attention? Are you trying to get everyone to look at you and say 'Oh, poor girl. got herself mixed up in drugs.' Ande, I don't care anymore! All you've been to this family is a problem! I have half a mind to just leave you here and let you sort this out on your own. But I'm your mother and I still love you. I'm taking you home, but you aren't leaving your room for ANYTHING. If you're ever caught with drugs again, you will never see sunlight again, understand?"
She let out a sigh as soon as she realized that I wasn't planning on responding. I hadn't talked to my mother other than to fight with her since I was 15. I'll never admit this to her, but she doesn't really realize how much I really do need her guidance.

"Come on girls." Officer O'Conner opened up the cell soon after mom paid bail, it was easier for her than it would usually be in any real civilization because she like owned the ground we all walked on or something. I found it easier just to listen and by the time I got home...I was ready just to curl into a ball in my bed and stay there for as long as I needed. I was ready to not care anymore...

So, when it got late enough, dark enough, and I had enough hate and resentment balled up in my heart for not only Riley, but for my own family...I got up out of bed, threw on the first outfit I could find, and packed up everything that had any importance to me. Before I tiptoed through the living room, I called Aphrodite and told her to meet me on the beach...and then I left.

"Ande...what are you doing?" Aphrodite grabbed my arm as I neared the edge of the ocean. "You'll get yourself wet."

"I don't care. I'm leaving. I don't ever want to see this island, Riley, or my family...Ever again."

 "What do you mean, you're leaving?" the look that crossed her face showed heartbreak...I couldn't look her straight into her eyes
"I'm taking a boat and I'm leaving." As I said this, I hopped into one of the stray boats that looked sturdy enough to make it to...somewhere other than here.

"What about me? Damnit Ande! Don't leave me here alone with Riley!" Aphrodite begged but I just kept rowing further and further.
"I can do whatever the fuck I please. You can't stop me. Hell, I don't even know why I called you here."

"I'M YOUR BEST FRIEND...ANDE...PLEASE DON'T!" tears finally started streaming down my face. I don't want to leave her but if I don't, I'll never get away from this damned island. I rowed far enough that I could no longer hear what she was yelling at me...and that, in a way, killed me.

I set out on my own...I didn't know where to go, how to get there, or how I was going to ever survive...But confidence in myself is all I really needed.
I let the wind take me where it wanted...If I died on the sea, I wouldn't mind that either because I'd still be away from the wretched island that kept me prisoner for so much of my life. So, I was running away...Even that thought didn't bother me as much as it should...

I had it easy on my little boat. I was lucky enough to find a bit of old metal that could easily be used as a bowl or in my case...a fire pit.
Every night I caught fish and cooked it over a tiny fire. I had to teach myself how to start a fire with two pieces of wood but it really isn't as hard as it seems.

On the 9th day, while I was asleep and curled up in the bottom of my boat, I finally hit land. I stepped out of the boat easily and being on hard ground for the first time in a week and a half really takes a toll on you...But I almost didn't notice how off balance and awkward I felt...

When I saw the large buildings of Bridgeport.

Gen 3-Take a bow

I stood on the doorstep of the Goodman's house, cursing at my mom for making me do this. My mom told me before she left that she wasn't punishing me for anything and that she loved me and that she's just trying to help us become friends. She didn't see me flip her off as I left.
I could have gone anywhere but I'm trying to work on my obedience.

 "Riley! Please get the door?" I heard Mrs. Goodman yell from what I remember was the kitchen. She opened the door and the first thing I saw wasn't the Riley I remember...The punk bad ass chick that ruled the school. Instead I saw a girly girl who was dressed from head to tow in pink. Her blonde hair was rested on her shoulders and when she saw me...she slammed the door in my face.

"MOM! WHAT IS ANDE-UGLY LANGLY DOING HERE?" I heard her scream so I knocked again. Arley answered this time and invited me inside.
"What a pleasant surprise, beautiful." He whispered, touching the small of my back as I passed. I pushed his hand away and walked into the kitchen awkwardly.

"Ande! How have you been, sweetheart?" Mrs. Goodman greeted me with a hug. "We've missed you in class."
 Riley sat in the corner and just stared at me as I hugged her mother and her brother seemed to fall at my feet with compliments and pet names. I realized that this was better than I thought it would be...I get to sit here and watch Riley smolder at how her family adores me.

"Riley, go show Ande your room. Be down for dinner in at least an hour."

I was sitting there awkwardly on Riley's bed, a pile of clothes where on the floor and Riley was standing up next to the mirror. Trying hard to do what my mom wanted me to do...I started to make small talk.
"So...what do you do in spare time?"
 "Nothing."
 "At all?"
 "Nothing."

She looked at me and walked over to where I was sitting. I became nervous at once, I realized that I was alone with the girl who tried to kill me but little did I know...I had a much bigger reason to be scared of her...

Because only a few seconds later, she had leaned in and...She leaned in...and kissed me

 Holy mother of hell. Riley....just fucking kissed me.

I pulled away and a billion emotions flew across my face as she grabbed my shoulders and pushed me onto the ground.

"Speak to ANYONE about this and you're going to DIE. Understand?"

 I nodded and just sat there blankly as she kicked open the door and screamed "Mom! Dinner better be ready."
My breathing finally pulled back into its normal pattern and I stood up, unlocked the window, and jumped out. scaled the roof and jumped into a pile of hay. I took off into the darkness and didn't look back in fear of...well everything in that house.

Soon enough, I found myself curled up on the edge of the dock, my mind was blank and I wanted it to stay that way. If I allowed myself to think about it...I'd be a little more freaked out about this whole thing.

Four hours later, I flopped onto my bed in exertion and fell asleep. But Riley's face seeped into my dreams...I saw her with her hands around my throat and then with her lips pressed to mine. My mind was betraying me in every possible way.

Relief came soon as Aphrodite was shaking me awake and rummaging around my room telling me that it was a "big big big day!" I was confused until she pulled my ballet outfit out of the closet and threw it at me.

I gulped...People were waiting out there to watch us...I smoothed down my skirt one last time while Aphrodite helped me do my hair up. Jose was working on putting little decorations on the dresses and in our hair. Aphrodite looked wonderful and told me that I did too. I had been able to keep Riley and what happened at her house off my mind for long enough and the day was filled with enough distractions...

But when I stepped into that spotlight next to my best friend...everything was gone but that exhilarating feeling that comes whenever I'm about to do this routine.
Jose smiled at me and Aph as we perked up on our toes and the music started...There is always this chill that runs up my back as I realize that people are watching me and most people would find that annoying, but to me its the best thing in the world.

And right now, the world was nothing because I was dancing.

As soon as it was over, my mom and dad dropped me and Aphrodite off at our favorite cafe and hugged us both, saying

"Good job girls!" and "I almost started crying...just so beautiful."

Eden, on the other hand was not quite as amazed as everyone else was. She just sat and watched with a very blank look on her face and didn't say anything when they dropped us off.

I leaned over on the table as if to whisper something to Aph but instead handed her a note that said "I have some new info on Riley."

She folded it up and stuck it in her purse before actually starting the whispering conversation. "What happened when you went over to her house?"

 "Her mom sent us up to her room alone..."

"AND?" She broke in again. "Did she hurt you? Do I have to skin her?"
 I shook my head and promptly replied "She didn't hurt my outside this time."

"So, what happened?" I pulled Aph closer so that no one could hear and whispered it into her ear, just loud enough for her to catch it and gasp and she pushed me back into my chair. I stared at the emotion crossing her face and she just laughed when she asked "Did you like it?" I screamed at her and kicked her under the table. "No! It was the worst thing to happen to me since Eden!"

"So, she's a lesbo and tried to make a move on you." I scoffed and asked to change the subject so Aphrodite started to talk about...get this...prom.

"I was thinking that I could wear a dress covered in cheetah prints and wear a cat mask." She laughed and purred at me from across the table, knocking over her coke. She quickly picked it up but it was already too late, I was laughing my head off and disturbing the people at the next table.

"Your recital went really well..." I heard Riley Goodman's voice from behind me. Aphrodite huffed and treated Riley exactly how she has been treating us since 5th grade.

"What do you want Riley? No one likes you." I gulped and Riley pulled up a chair next to us. "I need to talk to you guys..." Her voice sounded hoarse and she seemed strangely...nice for a change.

"What is it?" I exchanged glances with Aph, hers said "Ande...what are you doing?" I shot back one that told her just to trust me and that I'd take care of it. "I have something to give you...I swear, I wont touch you." So...Us being the little naive girls that we are...followed her. For some reason, I felt that I could really trust her! She had that shy innocent look that I used to use and I couldn't help it...Not knowing that I'd be making another mistake.

She took us to this little hut by the water. It was cute, filled with computers and seemed to be the Goodman's storage area.
I walked inside and tromped all over the pink carpet. Aph had her guard up, I, surprisingly let mine down for once and tried to accept that Riley was just trying to be nice to us.

"I have something to give you, but you have to swear not to tell anyone." We both nodded and she sat a bag in our hands, before we had the chance to open them in of her, she sprinted out the door yelling
"Be right back..I have to go get the rest of it." Aph and I sat down on one of the couches and started to open the package...

I pulled out a bottle of white liquid that I've never even heard of before and Aphrodite was handed what looked like a bag of flower but once she opened it...we both knew that it very well wasn't flower...but what was it?
She put her nose into the bag and sniffed it and then handed it to me...My mind was instantly buzzed and the feeling felt amazing. Aphrodite pulled the bottle out and sniffed that as well, then put her lips to the rim and and took a deep drink.

"Aphrodite! You don't know what that is..." I pulled it away and shoved the lid back on it...the buzz forming a cloud around my thoughts made it hard for me to keep focus on Aphrodite and how childish she was acting, especially now with her slurred speech and how I had to sit her down to help keep her balance.

"They're in there, sir." Riley's voice echoed though the room and I heard, instead of one pair of footsteps, there were 3.
Two police men came in and one of them took the brown bags from us and looked inside them. The other police man told Aphrodite to stand up and checked her pupils and her breath. He did the same thing to me.

"I'm officer Lucian O'Conner and you two are coming with me. Not only for illegally obtaining cocaine but also being in possession of alcohol at age 17."
He flipped out his badge then quickly put it away again. The other officer had already left and Aphrodite and I were handcuffed and lead away by officer O'Conner...I looked over at Aph and gave her a look that said it all... "My parents are going to kill me."

Gen 3- Cookies, please?

*Della's POV*

The hallway to the infirmary seemed to melt behind me, I saw stains on the floor left from who knows what. The door wasn't very large and easy to push open. But right as I did, a young man ran right into me. I recognized him as Arley Goodman and the look of horror on his face when he realized who I was.

"Oh my gosh...Mrs. Langly, I swear to god...It wasn't me! It was my sister..."

This instantly scared me, I bit my lip and pushed past him and into the room.

Ande was sitting up with her back to me and a woman with purple and black hair was massaging her neck. When the woman turned to me, she let her hands off of Ande and all I saw was the black and blue bruises roped around her neck. The woman reached her hand out to me and I shook it silently as she explained what was going on.

"So, there was a little fight in the school hallway. Arley Goodman and Aphrodite Piper saw everything. Riley was bashing her out and she was trying to defend herself when things got out of hand. Ande is fine, her breathing will be a little off for awhile and she's not allowed to talk for about 2 days. Give those bruises some time to heal, put a little ice on her neck and be careful not to make her move too much. It'll all be fine."

"And Riley?" I choked out. I figured it was the sound of my voice that made Ande stand up and turn towards me. Her expression was full of fear and I could tell that she was in pain. She looked tired, like she just wanted to curl up into a blanket and sleep the day away...so I decided that when she gets home, that I'd let her sleep for as long as she wanted. All the bitterness that pulled at my heart before I was called to come pick Ande up was all gone. I had no idea what she had been going through so how on earth would I be able to judge that?

"She's been suspended and has a very high chance of going to juvie." The woman with black and purple hair handed me an ice pack and I wrapped my arm around Ande's shoulder and directed her towards the door. "Thank you.." I nodded towards the woman and walked my little girl to the car.

 *Ande's POV* 

I laid on the couch, my mind blank and my head still feeling light from the lack of blood. I was tired but couldn't sleep...I needed a drink but the energy that I needed to get up wasn't there and talking wasn't an option. So, I laid there with thirst tickling in my mouth, eyes open, staring at a picture hanging on the wall of me, mom, and dad playing together when I was just a toddler.

"Ande? Are you ok?" Eden stood right in front of me and tilted her head, playing with the side of my blanket. "How did you get those bruises?" Her eyebrows knit together. I didn't say anything, I couldn't. I gave her a pleading look and she just hung her head and walked away silently.

When I finally closed my eyes and felt myself falling asleep. my dad sat down next to me and smoothed my hair back and started to talk.

 "You know, all my life I've never wanted kids...but the second I saw you, I realized that I was meant to be a dad. Watching you grow up has been the most wondrous experience of my life, But...I just don't know what to do to help you..." He paused and I could feel my mom standing in the doorway watching as dad leaned down, kissed my forehead and said quietly "I'm sorry..."

 "Adam..." Mom whispered beckoning to him. "You should let her sleep," she smiled slightly and came a bit closer.

 "Dells, let me talk to her for just a few minutes." she nodded and went back into her room. "Ande...if there is anything I can do...anything at all, you need to let me know. I can't stand the thought that you....end up like this...just by going to school. Just say the word...and I'll do whatever you need."

He kissed my forehead again and pushed himself up to his feet. I only heard him say "Goodnight, darling.." before his door clicked and my eyelids grew heavy before I fell into a complete daze...asleep at last.

Dreams quickly took over and the sun was rising over a terrain filled with shrubs that seemed to be winding around themselves. It took me a few minutes to realize it was a maze and I was dressed in a strange outfit that only my dreams would place on me.

I maneuvered my way through the maze picking randomly at my clothes and brushing my hair back. My legs started to get tired but my instincts told me not to stop. Before I could keep my mind telling me which way to turn, I ran into a door.

The room on the other side was decorated beautifully and a four poster bed sat in the middle. On the couch was a beautiful man with purple tinted skin and hair, next to him sat...Me. well, not me, but it was me...Smelling of strong wine and candles. The nearer I approached, the weirder I felt about this...It wasn't the first time I had seen myself as an adult but the first time I saw myself with anyone.

I realized that the two couldn't see me. This was opposite of what happened when the older me would visit me. Instead I was visiting a conversation between myself and this man who claimed me as his wife.

"Thank you for a good time tonight Spence.." Sh- I whispered with "my" eyes closed. "Thanks for letting me prove to those little bitches that my wife is, was, and will forever be...the most beautiful woman in the world."

 The other me blushed and I rolled my eyes and spit "You're acting like a hopeless romantic Ande! Snap out of it."

"So, you still think that I'm prettier than Riley?"

 "Nobody could be more ugly than Riley."

Now, I like this guy. He leaned in and kissed me sweetly and I just watched...

The dream was interrupted shortly after by a knock on the door which actually turned out to be Aphrodite. My mom let her in and told her that I was laying on the couch. She rushed to my side and started talking really fast and I could hardly understand what she was saying...
It was probably just sleep turning my head around.

 "Ohmigod Ande...I'm going to fucking kill Riley. I'm so so sorry...Just look at those bruises all over you. Next time I see her, she's dead."
 She stopped and put her face in her hands. If I could have told her that I couldn't talk then I would have but I sort of just laid there and looked at her.

"Damnit Ande.. Talk to me. Whats wrong?"

 "She can't talk.." Eden whispered to Aphrodite as she was coming inside. "I guess Riley bruised her vocal cords or something." My mind shot back to the dream and over and over...I watched myself kiss that gorgeous man and thought "Hell no. Just a dream." And slowly fell back to sleep with my best friend sitting next to me.

 *Two weeks later* 

"ANDE! Make me cookies." Eden sat at the table, doing her homework. For this reason, I didn't object...I hadn't been in school for over two weeks and I wasn't missing it at all. Though, mom did really enjoy having me home all the time.
I do help and when Eden gets home, I help her with homework. Dad gets home around 5 every night and I help make mom make dinner. So, really the only reason mom can find to not like having me home would be that I hardly ever talk anymore...I kinda like it that way. With mom sitting on the couch, sewing or knitting and watching the view while I work on cleaning dishes or math or something...she really just wants someone to talk to in the afternoon. Sometimes she'll call up Aunt Ness but with the new baby, life for her has been hectic.

"Here you are, sweets." Eden gave me this look of confusion that always crosses her face when I'm nice to her or when I do stuff that I wouldn't have ever done two weeks ago. But I find that a near death experience changes your look on everything, Except maybe the person that almost killed you. Aphrodite comes over after school every day to give me a ride to ballet, Riley doesn't show up anymore so we're kinda down a firefly for the recital in 2 days.

I did my best the be the nicest big sister to Eden but nothing can stop her from being the brat that she is. Lets take what happens next for example:

 "Ande, since I'm prettier than you are, I get your cookie too." I huffed at her and pulled my cookie off the pile and starting to walk away. On the tip of my tongue were the words..

"If you were as pretty as you think you are then you would at least be somewhere. You wouldn't be sitting alone in a corner in the 4th grade room whining about how you have no friends, now would you?"

Now, as we were both getting mad and working on smoldering into a nice hot mess of yelling and hatred in the living room, she decided to take things into her own hands. She grabbed my hands and got up in my face "DELLA! I WAS TALKING TO YOU." This had crossed a line that I wasn't ready to cross with her.

"What did you just call me?" I hissed, pulling my hands away.

"I called you Della."

"You're so full of brat that if I cut you...that's all that would come out." I adapted to using a very mono-tone voice when fighting with Eden...But only because I really don't care what mean things she has to say to me.

"Was that a threat?"

her mischievous smile flickered as I grabbed her arm and pulled her to the kitchen. I reached into the drawer and pulled out a sharp, long knife. The end glittered and I pressed the tip to my nose as a warning signal to her. She struggled to get away but I wasn't allowing that. My grasp on her arm remained firm and I pulled her closer as I touched the knife to her hand.

"Hey Eden? Wanna see what comes out?"

"ANDE!" my mom bellowed at me on the top of lungs. I let go of Eden, my curiosity suddenly gone.

"WHAT THE HELL WHERE YOU DOING?" She was right up in my face but I couldn't help but smile as I whispered through my teeth....

 "Trying to see if brat comes out."

It was about 5 hours later when I was sitting at my computer looking up things for a report that was due on my first day back to school when I got the worst news of my life...I wouldn't say this usually because I do have a lot of life left but as soon as I tell you, you just might agree. The report was halfway done when my mom popped her head in the room and said...

"You're spending the day tomorrow at Riley Goodman's house."

Gen 3-What now?

"One fuck, two fucks, three fucks. I don't give any of them." I sang while doing chin-ups in my room. I had just finished being yelled at for "disobeying rules, calling my sister names, running around amuck with Aphrodite." If only they understood what was going on in my life. But do they try? NOOOOOOOOO. I'm alone in this world. My best friend is a giggly optimist and I'm a sullen, hostile person with no need to be optimistic because I've already got someone to do that for me.

 What my lot in life is though, I'm not sure. Maybe I was put here for people to pick on and say "Oh, she's stupid and ugly. Lets make her our target." Seems legit.

I could easily hear my parents in the kitchen, mom was doing the dishes and dad was making himself coffee.

"What do we do?" Her whispers were easily transmitted .

 "Well, you're the one who's had a hundred kids!"

"We should get her a boyfriend." Mom laughed, ridiculous! They should know me better than this. If I was in their shoes, I would just cut back on the freaking rules. They don't know how to have fun and now I'm stranded in my room without going out, other than school. It'll be this way for 2 freaking weeks.

through the walls and straight into my room. The good thing is that they think that I'm deaf and can hear. "Have you thought about boarding school?"

 "God, no. She'd hate us forever." Not true. Actually, I would be quite happy if they sent me off, but how were they supposed to know that?

"We could get her a therapist?"

"I don't think that would go too well with her either." Mom sighed. I laughed.

I heard the same old familiar sound of my dad giving my mom a kiss and felt like I could throw up in my mouth. The bitterness was taking over my entire body and I felt myself become someone cold and unwanted. No one would ever want to kiss me like that. I would never get married...And nothing can change my mind about this one.

The next morning I bustled out of the house as fast as I could but it was obvious that my parents had other things on their minds about now. I took this chance to wear what I wanted and get away with it. Although, I was ready to face the pains of going back to school, I couldn't tell weather today was gonna end up being hell.

I made a point to sneak into the school early, mainly so I cold be alone. I slumped into a ball next to my locker just to think. The insane thoughts running through my head hardly made sense at all. Mom told me to grow up and act like an adult and that means following rules. Dad went completely against her and said that I needed to act like a kid, because if I don't then my adulthood would more than likely crumble to the floor.

"Hello, beautiful," I looked up cautiously and raised one eyebrow at Arley. "What would such a lovely lady be doing in a school, on her own, at 7 in the morning?"

 "Um...Going to school?" The unusually light look in his eye caused another line to form between my brows "Doesn't start for another two hours, though." He stated. Getting down to my level and staring me in the eyes. His were sky blue, almost white and the freckles that covered his face were scrunching together as he studied me.

 "Will you please leave me alone?" His laugh was weird. It made me think of some kind of duck who was in the middle of dying.

"Why would I leave you to be so down in the dumps? I do owe you one..."

"Hell, yes you owe me one! You broke my spirit. Hurt me. And I thought we were friends."

 "Well, maybe that's why I'm trying to help." His expression got hard and Aphrodite appeared behind him. Saving my butt.

"What's going on Ande?" I gave her a distress signal and she started out on Arley. "Have you finally learned how to be nice?" She grabbed my hand and pulled me up to stand next to her. "We're both freaking tired of you and your sister. If you don't leave us alone then principal Sanders is gonna hear a lot more about it."

But even Aph had to back off when Riley showed up, bustling in and I was quickly cornered. Arley shot me a look that didn't say that he was sorry but at the same time it didn't exactly show that he knew she would attack like this. "Have you not yet learned that no one likes you?" Riley sneered into my face before grabbing me by the arms and pulling me away from the small crowd.

"You are such a freaking loser! You're going to die alone!" I laughed a laugh that didn't belong to me at all. I didn't want to do anything harsh in fear of getting in trouble or suspended. "You don't understand? You. Are. Stupid. And. Ugly! Get a life ANDE."

"At least was born pretty." I smirked one last time before she lunged for me and clasped her hands around my throat. Every second she squeezed harder and my air supply was getting scarce but screaming would only give her the pleasure..I had Aphrodite to do that for me. Right before I lost consciousness I opened my mouth but no sound came out...

The darkness scared me.

 **********************DELLA'S POV**************************** 

The last few nights have been just awful. Having a peaceful night was new, given that I had no clue where Ande had gotten off too...I figured that I need not worry. She has been turning into such a drama queen in her teen years. I know she's only 15 years old but she should know better than to disobey rules and stay out so late. So I'll leave it on her. I agree that clothes should be to express yourself but I did that for her. If she wants to be picked on about her clothes, then just let her.

Now Eden, she's just the sweetest little thing. Her heart is pure gold and I just don't understand why Ande doesn't get along with her. I've come to the conclusion that letting Ande have her way her entire life has made her hard. Therefore I'm going to blame myself for however awful she becomes.

"Don't get mad at her when she gets home, Della." Adam said, picking Eden up and taking her to bed. "Give her some space." I was fully prepared to do just that when the phone started to ring... "Mrs. Langly? You might want to come to the infirmary downtown? There has been an 'accident.'" I could hear the quotations in her voice and thought "What on earth did that girl get herself into this time?!"