Well, if he insisted on dragging it out in front of his dad…<span style="color: deepskyblue"> “Great. Thanks. Very much helped.”</span>Vivio responded acerbically, pointing at her shoulder.<span style="color: deepskyblue"> “I appreciate it <span style="font-style: italic">so</span> very much.  Please, <span style="text-decoration: underline">never</span> try to help again.”</span>She studiously ignored the implications of Isaac’s words.  Useless pansy ran into a fight, couldn’t even run out of the fight, and then tried to brand the entire thing as if<span style="font-style: italic">she</span>was at fault because..  With practiced ease, she cut off the train of thought.  No point dwelling there.  She should have never tried to save him.  She should have just left him to die, the useless ingrate.<br/><br/>Suddenly, ‘Tom’ was standing between the two of them trying to restore order.  Adults.  Why did they always think they knew what was right?  It was such a pain in the ass having to tiptoe around their delicate sensibilities.  Just because he was older than them, they had to listen to what he said?<br/><br/><span style="color: deepskyblue">“I’m no fucking young lady.””</span>The evenness of her voice didn’t hide the hatred the words carried.<span style="color: deepskyblue"> “I don’t need your useless apologies.  Sorry’s not going to change anything.  You still know and they’re… still.”</span>Her head leaned towards the TV which was currently running CSI or some other murder mystery show.  Vivio turned her accusing gaze from ‘Tom’ to Isaac, pouring all her hatred for them, this situation, and her shitty powers into the look.<span style="color: deepskyblue"> “I’m going home.”</span>She announced, taking a step back to put distance between herself and ‘Tom.’  Finally she looked away from the uneasy looking Isaac. Good, let him feel uncomfortable.  He had the gall to try to scold her for saving their asses when he was the entire reason they were in this mess?<br/><br/>She walked out into the overly bright day, pulling the GPS up on her phone to navigate herself to the closest bus stop.  From there, she took the bus into the city and walked to an increasingly familiar door.  A ring of the doorbell and an indeterminate time later, a hung over girl answered the door.  Bloodshot eyes stared at her from under a matted curtain of dull pink hair.  Aisha snorted and jerked her head, stumbling back to her futon.  “Don’t fck anything up,” was all the other teenager said as she collapsed into her bed and burrowed under the covers.<br/><br/>The blonde followed Aisha in and locked the door behind her.  She had met the other girl after she’d discovered her powers and had been terrifying of blowing everything up.  Aisha had stared at her huddled self, sighed in exasperation, and dragged her to her feet.  “You want to forget, right?  Let’s go.”  It was the first time she’d tried alcohol.  Vivio had spluttered at the liquid fire tearing its way down her throat but it was better than the numbness she’d felt before.  Something, even pain, was better than the guilt that had been consuming her.<span style="font-style: italic">I didn’t mean to!</span>The screams of denial had drowned themselves in the oblivion that alcohol provided.  It had been.. nice.  To get away from her overly concerned (<span style="font-style: italic">stifling</span>) parents.  From her cheerful (<span style="font-style: italic">way too perfect</span>) sister.  From the entire shitty situation (<span style="font-style: italic">murderer</span>) she was stuck in.<br/><br/>A grimace crossed her face at the maudlin route her thoughts were taking.  Stupid Isaac.  Stupid useless pansy who couldn’t do shit and still tried to play righteous.  Yeah, she didn’t have to do what she did.  She could have left him to his stupidity.  She could have left him to get beaten up.<span style="font-style: italic">No good deed goes unpunished. No act of charity goes unresented.</span>Hah.  She grabbed one of the bottles lying around and took a swig, face contorting at the disgusting taste of warm beer.  Ugh.  She chugged it quickly, feeling the haze of alcohol slowly bleed into her system.  The bottle dropped from limp fingers into the trash can she was passing by and then she dropped onto the futon, kicking its current inhabitant aside to carve out space for herself.  With a sigh, Vivio closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~~~~~~</div><br/><br/><span style="color: grey">Linda: Vivio, Gabrielle messaged me a little while telling me you’re awake.  Did you want me to pick you up?</span><br/><br/>Linda frowned when her daughter didn’t message her back.  Vivio and her phone had practically merged into one entity with how often the two could be found together.  She didn’t entirely approve of her daughter spending so much time on her phone. (“Go out and meet the person instead of just messaging them!” she tried to urge her youngest daughter.)  But Gabrielle used it to keep in contact with Vivio and it was good for the two of them to stay connected.  Linda sent another message but after thirty minutes without response, she finally dialed a number she had memorized just last night.<br/><br/>After two rings, someone finally picked up the phone.  “Excuse me, Mr. Payne?  This is Mrs. Rosenkreutz.  May I speak with Vivio?”