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The world is full of evil, lies, pain, and death and you can’t hide from it. You can only face it. The question is when you do, how do you respond, who do you become?

-Agent Coulson, Agents of SHIELD-

"Do you want a ride to school?" Lena asked as I headed towards the door, eager to leave this place that they call home. I'd prefer to think of it as Minas Morgul, inhabited by the Nazgul and led by the Witch-king of Angmar.

After my mom's death, my father and his brand new wife, Lena, decided to take me in and offer me some much needed shelter from this harrowed place called Earth... the fact that I was just fifteen at the time also helped.

Despite my inability to be in the same room as them without going into some kind of rampage, it was an offer that I simply couldn't refuse seeing that my mother has no family of her own (she was under the foster care system) and that my father, as much as I hate to say it, is the closest thing that I have to one.

"No, thanks," I said, faking a smile, "I'll just walk,"

"Are you sure?" she probed, standing uncomfortably close to me.

I honestly don't know what to think of Lena. Because every time that I do, my brain would be clouded with so much hate...

That I sometimes forget how much she cared.

"Yeah," I said as I unlocked the door, "Oh, and Lena?"

"Yes?"

I stared at her, wondering what my father ever saw in her. Yes, she's blonde and statuesque with blue eyes to boot.

But what else?

Does she have a heart of gold?

Is she intelligent?

Is she in it for the money?

Why did he leave us, his family, for her?

What was so darn special about this woman?

"Stop acting like you give a s**t," I said as I pulled the door open, an immediate blast of cold wind slapping me raw on the face.

As if it was nature's way of punishing me for what I just said.

"Contrary to popular belief, Kristen," she replied, her lips pursed, "I do indeed give a s**t. And I don't know what I did to deserve this kind of treatment,"

"You're a smart girl," I said bitterly, "I'm sure that you can figure it out,"

---

I walked onto the school premises, feeling a lot grimmer than usual. And blasting sad music into my ears isn't going to make me feel any better, either.

I yanked the earphones out of my ears, thinking that that would bring an end to this feeling of impending doom.

"Hey!" Andrew called from behind me, "Holmes!"

I stopped in my tracks and took a deep breath in, he'd better not want to talk about last night's incident. Because even I can't come up with a reason for my behaviour.

But Andrew's not the type to let things like this go.

"Hey, bud!" I said as I turned to face him.

Andrew stood with his arms crossed, his expression stern;

"Don't you 'hey bud' me," he said, "You owe me an explanation,"

Here we go...

"'An explanation'?" I asked, slightly cocking my head to one side, "For what exactly?"

"For last night," he hissed as a group of students walked past us, "To be honest, you acted pretty... weird,"

"Will there ever be an explanation for my weirdness?" I said coolly as I tried to worm my way out of the conversation.

"Will I ever get an explanation as to why you never give me one?" he asked with his eyes narrowed.

"Guess not," I shrugged.

"Huh," he said, his lips quirked at the corners, "One day, Holmes. One day,"

Phew, I thought as I mentally gave myself a pat on the back,That was a close one.

"Thanks,"

"For what?" he asked.

"For letting me have this one,"

"Come on," he said as he offered his arm, "We've got a class to attend,"

---

"Ever heard of this thing called 'The Imp of the Perverse'?" I asked the cat that was rolled up in my lap, "Of course not, you're a cat,"

I was sitting near the doors of the public library, a place that I frequently haunt after a long day of mental torture. I could have just gone in like any normal person, but I seem to find great joy in watching people walk in and out of this sacred building.

To quote Shakespeare;

All the world's a stage,

And all the men and women merely players;

They have their exits and their entrances

I could feel Tris' (the cat) head nudging against the palm of my hand, awakening me from my reverie.

"Oh, Tris," I sighed, rubbing her head, "You're the only one who loves me in this world,"

I looked up, hoping that no one would hear what I was about to say;

"My mother never did," I whispered, my eyes beginning to sting with tears at the thought of her, "She killed herself, you know. Couldn't handle the fact that my father found someone else,"

My eyes were practically burning at this point, the image of that day ingrained into my memory; how the floor was littered with pills that she tried to cram down her throat...

Tris remained silent, as if she were prompting me to continue.

"You should have seen her after he walked out on us," I went on, the burden beginning to lighten with every word, "She was so depressed... I practically had to raise myself,"

I fiercely wiped the tears away, suddenly aware of the large group of people walking by, some of them staring at me like I was some kind of freak.

"You know what," I sniffed as I carried Tris off my lap, "It doesn't really matter. That was a long time ago. No one cares about it anymore. And speaking of time, it looks like I've got to go. But it was nice talking to you, Tris,"