Would anyone remember? (open)

[Aurora]

It had been awhile since she had stepped into this building. A good amount of time had passed...and she had changed. At least her outward appearance had. Her long hair was now dyed a light strawberry blonde, and her large eyes that were once a deep hazel color now had light blue contacts covering them. They made her pale skin seem...paler.

Her high heeled mary janes lightly clicked on the floor, her slender hands covered in black gloves with lace lining. The gloves had no fingers, and so her slender fingertips with red painted nails showed through. For once she was wearing something a little more comfortable than what she wore on stage. A pair of black Capri's with matching suspenders and a red t-shirt with her band logo on it.

A single book bag swung from her shoulder, black as well, and even her head band was black. Sighing Aurora kept walking, knowing that she had a lot to catch up on around here. A lot.

Would anyone even remember her?

[Zade]

Step by step, step by step. It was simple walking. It was only harder walking in hostile territory. Zade lifted his head, looking through the spaces in between his fringes. He had rather long brown hair that was let down on different directions, even spiking outwards. Funny thing was, it was a natural hair style. He had red contacts, like he always had when he was at school. Wearing a white T-shirt and a blue unzipped jacket, Zade seemed rather plain looking. He was also wearing dark blue jeans and a pair of black sports shoes. He also had a black sling bag hung over his right shoulder, across his chest. The bag had a design of a silver cross on it too. He sighed. After being away for so long, he didn't feel as 'homey' as he was at school.

And then, he bumped onto someone at a crossroad, which was not surprising. Class was going to start soon, and the hallway would be naturally filled with students. Taking a step back to keep his balance, he looked up, having been too deep in thought earlier to notice. Looking at the blonde in front of him, he apologised to her.

"Sorry, I wasn't loo-"

He was stopped short suddenly. Taking a better look at her, he suddenly found her familiar. Digging his brain, he tried to put a name on her face. And then, he found it. Although her hair and eye colour had changed, Zade could still recognise her. How could he not?

"Aurora? Is that you?"

[Aurora]

She hadn't been paying attention, and so when some one bumped into her Aurora had to take a step in order not to fall. Her now light blue eyes went to the person and she paused. Instantly the normal blush appeared on her face and she tilted her head to peer at the ground. Despite her new looks, and clothing that spoke of an attitude, Aurora was still the same off stage.

"Sorry!!!"

But still, it was some one who knew her. She clutched her book bag, but made herself peer up. To peek at the person who, despite her changes, knew who she was! And so her now light blue eyes stared at Zade, slowly picking him apart until the answer fell from her lips.

"Z-Zade?!?!"

Yup...that blush grew deeper. It was the color her hair HAD been. She was still good ole Aurora.

[Zade]

And then, he was suddenly reminded of that rather dramatic scene they had at their apartment, the same day Zade had returned home. He slightly blushed, his right hand going up to grab the sling of his bag but never moving it. His left hand went up to his hair, scratching the back of his head. A smile then came up to his rather hostile facial expression, wondering how big the coincidence had been that the person they had to bump at was each other.

"Uhh, hey, Aurora. You heading to class?"

That was a dumb question. Of course she was heading to class. Why else would she be in school for? Zade's smile grew wider a but, seemingly a little awkward. He put down his left hand, waiting for an answer as he placed it in his pocket.

[Aurora]

"I-I-I..."

Stuttering. She never stuttered when she sang. The words always came out so clear, so smooth. It was like she was another person on stage. Aurora hadn't been to school in awhile... she hadn't seen him in awhile, and that brought back the memories of how sad she had been. And though the pale girl smiled, that showed.

"I'm returning to school. I have to graduate...I have to."

Her agent, Rebecca, said she had to. That Aurora needed to be a positive role model even if she wasn't going to college. Even if her songs were what fed into the sadness everyone felt from time to time...the helplessness of just standing there when the world crumbled around you.

"So...I came back." A pause, a breath to recover, and yet that blush never changed. "It's good to see you Zade." And it was. Her crush....was it still there? Recently another band member had been making advances...and Aurora had just locked herself in her changing room, feigning illness. She didn't know what to do. Was it because her heart still clung to Zade? Aurora just kept smiling that sad smile.

[Zade]

She had to graduate? That reminded Zade. He still had no idea what she wanted to be. And they were supposed to be living with each other? Talk about a good relationship. And then, he noticed something peculiar about her. Her smile. It didn't seem... Smile-y. Zade subconciously took a step forward, his right hand suddenly coming up and cupping over Aurora's cheek. Her smile. She seemed sad, Zade could tell. He may not know a lot about her, but he knew her well enough to know that.

"You seem... Sad. Are you alright?"

It took him a while to realise where his right hand was and put it down, his blush slightly redenned. Shifting back slightly, he looked to the side, feeling foreign emotions pouring into his head. This was the first time he was in love, and he was unsure how he could take this.

"Ah... Sorry."

[Aurora]

Her hand had lifted, and for a moment...it was like she was on stage. The constant fear of messing up left her eyes, and her smile wasn't sad. Her free hand lifted and touched the side of her face slightly. And then those eyes went wide. Back was the blush and she took a step back swallowing down a stutter.

"I just missed you Zade. I haven't...been home...in forever. I... I got a record deal... My agent has been working me hard, I'm sorry I haven't been home."

She bowed, chin tucking in correctly. Aurora forgot he knew nothing about what she was sputtering on about. But god how she had missed seeing his smile, and hearing him walk around in the next room.

"A-and please... don't be sorry."

That horrid blush, Aurora bit down on her bottom lip. She couldn't believe that she had just said that!!!

[Zade]

A record deal? At that, he snapped back to reality, his mind going to another topic and away from the weird thoughts and images that Zade had been having with Aurora. An agent? Speaking of which, what had Aurora been doing that she was not at home, leaving Zade with nothing nice to eat but instant noodles. Not that he was complaining, he was used to it, but he simply loved Aurora's cooking too much to resist. In fact, he missed everything about Aurora at home, and out of their apartment. He missed seeing her in the kitchen everytime they wake up, cooking their breakfast. And now, for the answer.

"An agent? For what? And where have you been the past few days?"

His eyes turned back to her, his smile fading away slightly. Why? Well, it was the worry that plagued him everyday, having to sit on the couch in the living room, waiting for her to enter through the door, only to fall asleep and never see her at all. In fact, he couldn't even find her in school. He missed her, but was too proud to admit it. Too proud to actually leave the house and look for her. That was his problem. His pride blinded him, just as love did.

[Aurora]

"O-oh... you were gone when it..... happened."

Her blush left and the girl could only feel...guilty. Despite the fact that Zade was the one who had really started it all. She looked at the floor again, scuffing a high heel on the ground.

"I-I...couldn't stay in the apartment. I felt... so...sad...," her voice dropped to a whisper for that moment, naming that emotion without the reason," and I had to get out. I went to the park. But I couldn't...shake it. So I sang with everything I felt...because I thought I wasn't alone..."

Rebecca had scared her so badly. But the tanned, blonde, beautiful woman had calmed her easily. She was so easy to talk to...she understood everything it seemed.

"Rebecca found me, had heard me. A band was looking for a female vocalist...and I was...perfect. She brought me there and I sang... and the band liked me...but I didn't...look right," her right hand pulled on the edge of her bright, tight shirt. It showed what she had, that much was for sure.

"So...Rebecca dyed my hair, and gave me contacts and went through my clothes....and bought me new ones. I...I'm going to sing...in front of crowds!"

She looked up, blushing just slightly. There were only two places she felt right at. Like she belonged. In the kitchen at home, loosing herself in her cooking and her thoughts on Zade, or on stage with the lights shining down on her.

"I...couldn't find you to tell you. When I was at the apartment... y-you weren't...Zade..."

[Zade]

"I-I...couldn't stay in the apartment. I felt... so...sad... And I had to get out. I went to the park. But I couldn't...shake it. So I sang with everything I felt...because I thought I wasn't alone..."

She felt sad? At that, an arrow of guilt pierced through Zade's heart, causing him to look down and close his eyes for a moment, mentally scolding himself for not being there so. Then again, he only left to protect her from those that hunted him And why was he being hunted? Simple. He pissed off the wrong people, and in America, that often got you killed. And now, not being there for her seemed like a dumb thing to do too, but being there, for that period of time, was dumber. Much more dumb.

And who's Rebecca? Her agent? Probably. So, while he was gone, she spent her time with a band, singing in front of groups of people. That sounded just wrong for Zade. Why? Well, Aurora was a shy girl. Zade had never imagined her in front of a lot of people. True, she sang well, but Zade knew that she was uncomfortable in crowds, even worse when she was in front of them.

And Rebecca changed her. Changed her appearance from the shy cute Aurora to a confident 'rocker'. Zade looked at her and for some reason, she didn't feel right to him anymore. And once more, she spoke about Zade not being there and it made him look down once more when he was just comparing her new self to the old one. Taking a deep breathe, he prepared himself to reply, a hint of guilt and worry in his voice.

"I'm very sorry for not being there for you. I can never explain it to you, but I hope you can understand. But this..."

He stepped forward, this time barve enough to take her hair in between his fingers, but not tugging at them, simply lifting them up for her to see.

"This, is not the Aurora I know..."

It hit him. It wasn't her fault that she was like that. It was his. He was the one who left her and made her this way. He let go of her hair, letting out a soft sigh as he shifted back once more.

[Aurora]

She stared at him, those light blue colored orbs just staring. Not the Aurora he knew? What Aurora did he even know?!?! For the first time in awhile, the girl...felt...angry. But once again, sadness took over and she turned away. Back toward him. Sometimes crowds were good. One crying teen aged girl wasn't going to stand out here.

" D-do you know even who I am, Zade? I don't even know who I really am! So how can you know who I am?!?!"

Whispers toward the end. Angry little whispers. The first time she had been angry... and it ate her from the inside out even as the hot tears poured down her pale, heart shaped face. Those fingers lifted, and took the contacts out from her eyes. Once again a deep hazel, her fingertips dropped the things on the ground.

She turned toward him, those deep hazel eyes looking at him. So many emotions running through her, and all she wanted was to hug him. Hug him and scream at him all in one go.

"I...I...I...," deep breath, struggling with the words. Hiccups, and she made her voice steady," I changed because I wanted to figure out who I am! But I was sad, because I didn't have what I wanted. All...I wanted....was you Zade..."

And suddenly it hit her like a mac truck. What she said. Those eyes widened in horror, hands covering her mouth. Aurora had said to much. She couldn't love, she wouldn't let herself. Not after all the pain with her mother...her step father... She turned, feet going to leave. She had said too much.

[Zade]

Zade stepped forward, his right hand stretched out, as Aurora turned her back towards him. She was right. Zade was not even sure if he knew her. But there was one thing about her that he was sure about, though. He loved her. He stepped back, looking at the crowd that simply passed them as if such situations happened everyday in 259. That rather pissed him off. He looked at Aurora once more as she turned back to him as he mentally scolded himself for being so dumb once more. He looked at her, into her hazel eyes. Her hypnotising, mesmerising eyes. And then, she said it.

She wanted him. Those three words that Zade had always wanted to hear from her, but now, it didn't seem so nice to hear at all. Still...

Zade lowered his head as he felt a weird sensation going through him, going through his eyes. And then, he felt it. The warm liquid as it seeped out from his eye sockets, rolling down his cheek. Once more, he had lost it. He had forgotten the tension between them. He had forgotten that they were in school. He had forgotten that they were in a crowd. And why did he forget? Cause it didn't matter anymore. In his head, there was only himself, and Aurora. And that was all that mattered.

And then, he stepped forward, his hand outstretched as he enveloped Aurora in a tight and warm embrace, his eyes closed as he lowered it, the side of his head touching the side of hers. He hugged her, tightly and lovingly. He hugged her. He loved her. And then, he was home once more. He was no longer in danger, he was no longer worry. He no longer need to. He was alive, and he had Aurora. That was all he wanted, all he needed.

"Aurora... Thank you...

[Aurora]

She froze when he touched her, hugged her so tightly. Why? Because she had told herself long ago that she wouldn't feel like this. Because after her family situation... she wouldn't let herself get hurt again.

And yet her body relaxed and the pale girl wrapped her arms around Zade. She buried her face into his shirt, drying her tears with the fabric. He smelled good.

"Z-zade?"

The stutter, the ever quiet voice, the fear of getting too close to some one. It was all held in saying his name. She was scared, but felt alone. And Aurora didn't want to be alone. Her hands tightened, hugging him just as tightly as he was hugging her.

[Zade]

And for the moment, nothing else mattered to Zade as he hugged her, and she hugged him back. A warm smile came onto his face as he closed his eyes. Was this the happiness that Zade had always looked for? Searched for? What a dumbass had he been, looking for something that he thought was so far, when it was just in front of him. He felt pressure on his shoulder and guessed that it was her face. At that, he lowered his own head too so that his mouth was near to her ear. And then, in a soft voice, he spoke.

"I love you, Aurora."

He knew that he was taking a risk. Before Zade had left, he could already tell that Aurora was against the choice of being too close with anybody. He did not know why, simply guessing that it was due to some past experience with someone. But whatever it was, it was not going to make any difference to Zade. He loved her, and he will always do.

[Aurora]

Aurora's heart skipped a beat, and she kept her eyes closed. He loved her? Zade loved her? It was such a weird rush of emotions then to. Being oh so happy, and yet scared... deeply scared. Who could love her if her own...?

No, she wouldn't think on that. The pale girl just kept hugging onto Zade, fresh tears hitting his shirt. It was like opening an old wound on her heart...but she wanted this.

She had wanted Zade to love her.

Because, while she couldn't say it at the moment...Aurora loved him. But it was a little too much for her to say then. Just like everything else...it would take time for the words to fall from her lips...and probably a lot of emotion welling up in her. But that was life, right?