188 Bellaire Drive - The Ross Residence

[hanashyrexchana]

OOC: Some of this information (and pretty much the entire house) comes from this website: look and be amazed.

The outside is very boxy and covered in windows, two features Anika hates. The entire ground is covered by concrete and all plants are potted. Fully landscaped gardens with automated irrigation system. Heated granite driveway with access to garage with four car capacity and Klaus turntable. Fully automated stainless steel gated access control system with integrated video entry.

One enters the Ross house on the second floor into the main hall. On the left is the study, a room barely used. The solid cherry wood desk and it's 30” monitor goes unused as both Ross women have their own laptop. All of Anika's sociology books are kept neatly in a tall matching bookshelf that lines the entire right wall. On the right of the entryway is the coat closet, which shares a wall with the formal dinning room. This large room features a twelve chair long table underneath a long chandelier that spans the whole thing. French sliding doors lead back outside.

Across the hall from the more formal dinning room is the family kitchen and dining room. Bespoke kitchen with high gloss ebony veneered doors. Gaggenau cooking range incorporating gas hobs, deep fat fryer, electric grill, steamer, microwave, warming drawers and Gutmann extractor hood. Top of the range Gaggenau double oven with automatic programs. Full height stainless steel integrated Gaggenau fridge, freezer and wine chiller. Dumb waiter from commercial kitchen. Blanco sink with integrated waste disposal unit and soap dispensers. Statuary Venato Marble island worktop imported from Carrera, Italy with breakfast bar sitting 8 people. Zimbabwe black work top with stainless steel backsplash. Fully automated espresso machine, and a 42” Pioneer plasma television. A large backdoor leads to the largest of the many patios. The rest of this floor is made up of two “reception” rooms and yet another terrace.

The third floor is made up of four bedrooms, the largest of course being the master. Originally, this included a fully self-contained bedroom suite with integrated custom made joinery incorporating his and hers desks Wet bar area including champagne fridge and coffee machine. Flou bed with Frette linen. 60” full HD Pioneer wall hung plasma with blu-ray and surround sound. Integrated house audio system. Fully automated sheers and curtains with fabrics from Brian Yates of Chelsea Harbour. Designer wallpaper incorporating Swarovski crystals. However, since Ani moved in, the decorating has become quite different. Her room stands out from the rest of the house, having a more old fashioned feel to it. All of the furniture is antique, though it is a complete set. Stuffed animals liter the hardwood floor upon a handwoven area rug. The blinds are always pulled on every window. The original furniture was moved to the fourth floor, which has been renovated into one large suite for the Mrs.

The first floor is best saved for last, as it best shows the Ross's wealth. It can be accessed from the four car garage or the staircase. A third of it is made up of the laundry room, conventional kitchen, and servant suite where their maid Eliza lives. Mrs. Ross would never dare enter this part of the house, but Anika frequents it often when invited for tea. The staircase leads directly into the family game room. Any sort of board game imaginable sits inside a large wooden cabinet, presenting a fake image of family bonding, along with a pool, Foosball, and ping-pong table. From this room you can enter either the “cinema” room or pool. The cinema features a Full HD projector and screen with 7.1 surround sound, with blu ray and PS3. There is a fully fitted bar including wine and beer fridges, display freezers, popcorn maker, yet another espresso machine and a Sony full HD plasma. The pool is 10 by 5 meters, bordering the Jacuzzi with integrated 40″ inch plasma. Anika's favorite part of this area is the Steam room, while her mother's are the pedicure chair, massage table and hair treatment facilities.

[The Phantom of Paris]

OOC: Thanksgiving interaction, Hana! You'd better post this time! XD BIC:

Vikram Singri

Whatever he'd been envisioning for Thanksgiving, it wasn't this.

Vikram's father had been called away on business a few days before, meaning he would miss Thanksgiving. And through an unfortunate trick of fate, even with the falling-out of Anika and Vikram, their mothers were still best friends. He didn't know which mother it had been to originally suggest it, but he could guess. And now him and the rest of his family were making the trek across the street to spend Thanksgiving with Anika and Mrs. Ross.

"Aren't you excited, honey?" Mrs. Singri asked, glancing over as she carefully handed Latika a container of stuffing. Each of the boys were in charge of handling a pie--Mrs. Singri had been in charge of stuffing, cranberries, and dessert. So Mohin and Nariv had pecan and apple, respectively, with Vikram toting the pumpkin pie over to the house. He rolled his eyes at his mom. "Ecstatic, Ma. Simply cannot contain my excitement."

"I'm excited!" Latika said, bouncing up and down. Both Vikram and his mother instinctively reached forward to grab the stuffing before it ended up all over the street, but Latika righted herself and kept right on talking. "We haven't seen Ani in forever, I miss her so much! And Thanksgiving is so much fun--I've never been a Pilgrim before!"

Another roll of the eyes. Vikram and his mother were the only two in their little party to not be in costume--the triplets had insisted on wearing the costumes they had worn for their Thanksgiving pageant at school. As if it couldn't get weirder. Vikram sighed. "You two excited?" he asked glumly, glancing over at his brothers. Nariv only nodded and smiled shyly, and Mohin grinned, voicing a "Yeah!" that was lost in Latika's endless chatter.

It's noon. Is it Friday yet? Can we get this day over with?

In seemingly record time they were standing in the Ross' entryway. Dimly Vikram recalled how he and Anika were always at odds over the decor of the house--he loved the futuristic take on the architecture, while she had to be contradictory and hate it. Letting his acting skills take over, Vikram immediately let his face slide into a natural grin. "Hello, Mrs. Ross. It's nice to see you--" he glanced down. Instantly his face grew hot with embarrassment. The pies had just been baked that morning, with Vikram helping his mother since the servants had the day off. "Why didn't you tell me I still had these on?" he hissed at the triplets.

"I didn't notice them!" said Latika loudly.

Vikram sighed, wishing the floor would swallow him up. He was still wearing his apron and oven mitts.

What a nice way to start Thanksgiving. You know what? Screw you, Pilgrims.

[The Phantom of Paris]

OOC: This is another Private RP of Hana's and mine, passed back and forth in a notebook, so I'm gonna be posting as both characters for a bit. XD BIC:

Anika Ross

It wasn't that special of a night. As usual, the Ross' had eaten dinner in silence--both women slowly and politely forking food into their mouths, out of words to say to each other. There had been a time they had chatted, cheerfully tearing up other girls and their mothers, laughing at the most superficial things. Anika hated that kind of thing now. How could anyone be so cruel? Yet she wouldn't have minded even talking about that, if it had meant an actual conversation. But they were in different worlds now. She had no idea who was dating who or what the best shoes of the season were anymore. To be fair, it wasn't like she let her mother know what she was into, either. So instead they ate in silence, letting the click-clacking of their forks speak for them.

Anika left the table as soon as she was finished, leaving her plate to be cleared away by staff as usual. Up the stairs and to her room, where she was alone. As usual. Her life had, somehow, become a strange routine of loneliness, of silence. The only voices she heard anymore were her therapists and the ones on her ipod, which was constantly playing soft ballads in her room. Crouching to pet Nala, she sung along to the newly starting song "In our bedroom, after the War" by Stars.

"...And if there's no one there, then there's no one there, but at least the war is over..."

Tink. Tink.'That's not part of the song.' Tink.

Standing up, she looked around for the source of the sound. Tink. 'Oh, it was the window. Going to it and looking down, she saw a nostalgic sight--Vikram, hands full of pebbles, ready to launch another one. Staring down in shock, she was somehow able to point towards her old room, then run.

Throwing open the familiar door, she jolted into the now-empty room and threw the window open. 'He should remember how to get in!' she told herself, unhatching the screen. 'But why would he want to. Doesn't he hate me?'

'And don't I hate him...?'

--

Vikram Singri

His head was spinning. He needed to get out of that house, that torture chamber. Fast.

He didn't even bother telling anyone where he was going, simply letting the slamming door speak for itself. Once outside, Vikram took a deep breath of the evening air, trying to clear his head and bring some sense back into his life. He felt heavier, more jaded, as if he'd aged a hundred years in just one night. And tired. Oh, so tired.

If I just went to sleep, would I wake up to discover this was all a dream? That it never really happened?

Vikram knew in his heart that he couldn't run away from this, no matter how much he wanted to. He couldn't handle this! What have I done to deserve this, seriously! What?! Sure, cheating on Mia had been a mistake. He shouldn't have slept with Izzy. But this...this was too much. He was sixteen! He couldn't be a...a father!

Vikram felt like he was suffocating. He had to get out. He had to talk to someone.

He didn't even notice where his feet were taking him until he found himself crouching down in front of Anika's darkened window, gathering rocks. He tossed a few, feeling like the hero out of a bad '80s movie before he remembered that this was no longer Ani's bedroom. With a muffled curse, he moved to the next one, making his presence known until Anika's face appeared through the glass.

Her eyes met his, conveying so much more than words ever could. She pointed, and he nodded, moving back to where he'd been before.

I guess everything is different now.

Hoisting himself through the open window, Vikram let himself drop to the floor. "I need," he began quietly, meeting her eyes once again, "to talk to you."

--

Anika Ross

What a sight. The Vikram she knew was slightly smaller and could pull himself through the window with confidence. In fact, everything about the boy had screamed EGO and CONFIDENCE. So this was new, even for Anika who had been his best friend for years. He looked scared, almost pathetic as he fell to the floor by Anika's feet.

"I need," Anika fought to kep herself from screaming again. She didn't want him to leave. Not when he had finally come back. So she forced herself to look down at his eyes. 'There. Doesn't he look scared? You can't kick him out.'

"--to talk to you."

She hated thinking so much. As soon as he even said 'talk,' millions of questions flooded into her mind. 'About what? Me? You? Us? Does it have anything to do with me? Do you need ME or just someone to talk to? Why now? Why so late?' You come to me about your problems, but you ignore mine. Is it important? Do you want to make up, scream at me, tell me a secret, like before?' Of course, she couldn't even voice any of these. "Sure." How eloquent.

Standing there awkwardly, she stared down at the boy, expecting him to pick himself up off the floor. Out of habit, she crossed her arms, gripping them tightly. Waiting for him to speak, she had to imagine what she looked like to him. Short, short hair now dyed brown, sweatpants and a sweater although it was nearing summer. He's not the only one who used to carry themself with confidence.

"...About what." She prompted after a long silence.

--

Vikram Singri

Once thing was for sure--climbing up through the sleek, modern window and into Anika's house was a lot easier at age eleven than it was at sixteen. Not that Vikram had gained a bunch of weight or anything, but there was certainly more of him to deal with now. He was taller, less flexible. The truth was, he had grown up since he last saw her, spoke to her--had it really only been two years or so since they'd had a real conversation? He had grown up. As much as he hated to admit it, they both had.

Vikram barely recognized the girl that stood before him now as he clambered over the windowsill, landing far less gracefully than he remembered. Her beautiful blonde hair was gone, chopped off so short she might have even been able to pass for a boy if one didn't look so closely. It was an ugly brunette now, not like her at all, brunette like Mia's...he shook his head. He couldn't think about that now. Not about Mia, not about Izzy...the mother of his baby. Oh my God. No. Not now. He couldn't.

"I need to talk to you." Almost the exact words he had used to his family just hours before, but spoken so differently. Less guilt, more desperation. And maybe, just maybe, a glimmer of hope.

He thought he saw her eyes widen, or maybe they just looked like that because of the dark circles that lined them. She looked like she never slept, like at any given moment there was some threat that she might have to face. She was all bundled up, too, frail and mouselike... Oh, Ani, what happened to you?

"Sure," she replied, her tone implying the opposite as she stared at him, seemingly in shock. It's like I don't even know who you are anymore. Or else I don't know who I am.

He didn't realize how much time had passed until she spoke again, startling him out of his reverie. "About what?" Even her voice was different. Anika.

He took a deep breath, standing up partway before changing his mind. He scooted backwards on the floor until he was sitting with his back propped up against the wall, bringing his knees up almost to his chin and wrapping his arms around them. "Look, I know you probably hate me now. God knows I deserve it. But I need to talk to you. I didn't know where else to go, and I knew you'd understand.

[hanashyrexchana]

Anika Ross

Her old best friend landed on the floor with a thump. It was almost symbolic. As soon as the boy collected himself, she could feel his eyes upon her. 'We're both surprised,' No doubt he wasn't used to seeing her so... so... She took the silence as an opportunity to think up a word for herself. Raw. The unconfident girl she had always been, finally out of her beautiful shell. Before, she had always tried so hard to do her hair just right, say the perfect things, just so no one could hate her. No one could touch her. Lately Anika had realized how she was always scared. But not around Vikram. ' We're both terrified.'

"I need to talk to you." Now? Two years later? Or was it not even about it. Not about her. No, it was probably all about him. It always had been.

But she daren't refuse. 'Why? He wouldn't hurt me. He'd never hurt me,' No, no. Two years had passed. 'You don't know him now.' She reminded herself unnecessarily. “Sure.” Biting her lip, she waited in silence for an explanation. But it didn't come. “About what?” She tried again, her voice a bit stronger this time. Wavering, but stronger.

Vikram started to stand and Anika found herself taking a step back. But he stopped and sat back down, hugging his legs close to himself, leaning against the wall for support. Anika knew that position well. It meant confusion, fear, and the overwhelming need to be held. On Vikram, it looked pathetic. She almost laughed. ' Vikram, pathetic? Is that even possible?'"Look, I know you probably hate me now.” 'Do you? Was it the screaming that gave it away?' It wasn't true, though. She had hardly hated him then. If he had only came over, let her hit him, let her scream at him until she was to tired to. If only he had held on to her and never let go, no matter how much she begged him to.

Maybe it would be different, then.

” God knows I deserve it. But I need to talk to you,” He repeated. Anika fund herself pulling her sweater down, nervously pulling at it every which way. ' Does he even know how crazy he's making me just from standing there?'” I didn't know where else to go, and I knew you'd understand.”

'Oh?' “Understand?” Could she? What on earth could have happened that... 'Oh. Of course. It happens to guys, too. More often than people know.' Falling to her knees she leaned forward on her hands towards him. “Oh, Vikram, I'm so sorry. When... when did it happen, if you don't mind if I ask...” He hadn't been there for her, but she would help. Because god knows he needed someone to understand him. God knew she wanted someone to need her.

[The Phantom of Paris]

Vikram Singri

“About what?” Ani asked nervously, biting her lip. Vikram remembered how much he used to love that little habit of hers when they were little, how it would always appear when she was anxious or thinking hard about something. Seems like a hundred years ago now. Still, the memory was enough to give him back a bit of the confidence that he usually took for granted, and he prepared to stand up, to tell Anika everything. She backed away, looking as scared as a rabbit. What? I'm just...God, what happened? What happened to you, what happened to us?

Deciding it would be best to stay where he was, Vikram sat down, hugging his knees and using Ani's bedroom wall as a pillow. "Look, I know you probably hate me now,” he began, looking up at her and giving her a chance to protest to his assumption. He had been wrong before--it was possible he was wrong now, although somehow he doubted it. When she didn't react, he continued. "God knows I deserve it." And maybe he did. As wrong as she might have been to shut him out of her life completely after she got knocked up, as strange and distant as she'd become since then, as crazy she had been to scream at him when he called...maybe some of the blame rested with him. He was, after all, the one who had never called back after that day. The one who refused to press her for information...the one who hadn't cared enough to find out the truth.

"But I need to talk to you,” he repeated himself, watching Anika fidget. "I didn't know where else to go, and I knew you'd understand.”

“Understand?” Ani echoed, seemingly not comprehending. Vikram nodded, refusing to meet her eyes. "Yeah."

Something lit up in her eyes, and she knelt next to him. Vikram breathed a sigh of relief. There. You get it.

“Oh, Vikram, I'm so sorry."

"Yeah. Me too," he said, playing with a loose thread on his shirt.
"When... when did it happen, if you don't mind if I ask...”

Vikram looked up. "About a month and a half ago, I guess? Maybe longer. It was after rehearsal one night." He sighed wearily. "I don't even...God. I just...I keep beating myself up over it. It's been driving me crazy and I only...I didn't think it would end this way! She and I really clicked, you know? Cheating on Mia was stupid, I get that, but I didn't think that one time would make a difference! And now she's pregnant. Because I'm a selfish moron, and I don't know what to do. At all. Neither does she, though. With the kid, I mean. But you get that...right?"

[hanashyrexchana]

Anika Ross

Anika couldn't think of what to do with herself as Vikram spoke. It was awkward looking down on him like that. After not seeing him in such a long time, it was weird seeing him look like this. Was it possible that he had been broken, too? Anika slapped herself mentally as she hoped he had. ' But maybe then we'd have something to relate to. Ground to stand on, somewhere to start over from.'

”But I need to talk to you,” Noticing his eyes on her, Anika looked down at her bare feet, trying to ignore the feeling of being watched. 'Whats the matter? You used to love being the center of attention. ”I didn't know where else to go, and I knew you'd understand.” So you came to me. Maybe some things don't change.

But what on earth could he be talking about? “Understand?”  Understand what? We share nothing now. Not a single thing.

"Yeah." Suddenly, she knew. No wonder he looked so confused. No wonder he pressed himself against the wall, not wanting to be anywhere near Ani, even as he spoke to her. “Oh, Vikram,” She dropped herself to his eye level, careful not to surprise him or get to close. “I'm so sorry.”

Vikram didn't look her in the eye. He just sat there, messing with his shirt. "Yeah. Me too."

"When... when did it happen,” Silently, she wondered if he had told anyone else. Anika herself never would have, had there not have been evidence. If it wasn't for those cuts cascading down her arms, if it wasn't for John... “If you don't mind if I ask...”

"About a month and a half ago, I guess?” He was looking at her again. ' But now you know he wouldn't.' Anika reassured herself. ” Maybe longer. It was after rehearsal one night." The poor thing, having kept it a secret for so long. "I don't even...God. I just...I keep beating myself up over it.” She just shook her head.

“It's not your fault. I know it seems like it is at first,” Ani had to try hard not to stutter. She had to sound reassuring. “But you really aren't the one to blame.” She was just repeating what her therapist had told her those days she just sat there crying, sobbing about how it could have been different if only she hadn't left so early. If only she had seen the signs. If only she wasn't so pretty.

” It's been driving me crazy and I only...I didn't think it would end this way!”

“Of course you didn't.” Why would he? But she was patient; she of all people knew these things made people irrational.

”She and I really clicked, you know?” Anika listed off statistics to herself about girlfriends who raped their men. ” Cheating on Mia was stupid, I get that, but I didn't think that one time would make a difference!” Wait, hold on a second.... what now?' Anika stared at Vikram in disbelief, finally beginning to understand what really happened. ” And now she's pregnant. Because I'm a selfish moron, and I don't know what to do. At all. Neither does she, though. With the kid, I mean. But you get that...right?"

Anger boiled up inside Anika's stomach. “How dare you.” She didn't move, just stared him in the eye. It was a trick she had used back when she was on top, back when she could ruin someones social life with a single word. Some habits just don't die. “How is that.... How is what you did ANYTHING like what happened to me?!” Her voice was rising, but she didn't care. Her mom would just ignore it anyways, thinking it was one of Ani's frequent meltdowns. “What is WRONG with you, Vikram!?”

[The Phantom of Paris]

OOC: Vikram's a jerk. There's not much else to say. BIC:

Vikram Singri

“Oh, Vikram,” Ani breathed, catching on almost immediately. See? I knew I could come to you. I knew you'd still be here for me. I knew you'd understand, Anika. And somehow, he had. He had always carried a torch for her, not just due to his feelings for her but because of their long-lasting friendship as well. Even if they couldn't be together--a very real possibility ever since Ani's freakout--he would have been fine with that as long as they could have remained friends. In time, he had reasoned with himself, he would find someone who would be able to love him for thirty, forty, fifty years--even if it wasn't her, he told himself he would be okay with it, as long as those years were spent with Ani as his friend. Maybe this is our chance to finally have that again. “I'm so sorry."

"Yeah. Me too." As he spoke, Vikram fiddled with a loose thread on his Les Miserables shirt, not solely out of nervousness but partly to have something to do with his hands. Well, something other than taking her and kissing her, anyway. He twisted it around with his finger, letting it roll up into a ball on itself before letting it go, unraveling like a spring or a ball of yarn. Unraveling like his life was right now.

She asked him when it had happened, and he thought back to that night after rehearsal, after everyone had gone home and they were staying late to organize costumes or whatever they'd promised their director they would do that evening. "About a month and a half ago, I guess? Maybe longer." And the truth was, he couldn't actually remember how long it had been. Izzy hadn't mentioned how far along she was when she'd told him, but he knew it couldn't have been too much longer than his estimated time frame. It made sense, anyway. That puts a due date, what? March-April-May-June-July-August-September-October-November-December. November. My child will be born in November. Oh God. "

"It was after rehearsal one night," he admitted. "I don't even...God. I just...I keep beating myself up over it.”

"It's not your fault. I know it seems like it is at first, But you really aren't the one to blame.”

What? Yes, I am. Isn't that kind of obvious? "Um, I think I am," he said with a hint of disbelief, half-wondering to himself if Ani was being sarcastic. But she wouldn't do that, would she? Not for something like this. "It's been driving me crazy and I only...I didn't think it would end this way!”

“Of course you didn't.” Vikram didn't get it. Why was she being this way? He tried to pick up on any subtle cues in her voice he was missing, listening for what she wasn't saying in the silence left in between her words. But something was still avoiding him as he tried to understand.

”She and I really clicked, you know?" he began, his eyes unfocusing slightly as he tried to go back to that night in his memory, tried to explain his sick reasoning for being the two-face that he had chosen to be on that night of insanity. "Cheating on Mia was stupid, I get that, but I didn't think that one time would make a difference! And now she's pregnant. Because I'm a selfish moron, and I don't know what to do. At all. Neither does she, though. With the kid, I mean. But you get that...right?"

The silence that followed was enough to make Vikram's blood run cold. It was so much worse than the ones that had followed his confessions at home. I don't...

“How dare you,” Ani said viciously. He knew that voice. He knew it well. And it had usually made him laugh, smirk, feel powerful. But now, he felt like a fly caught in a spiderweb, teetering on the brink of destruction. He'd never once stopped to think how it would feel to be on the receiving end of that tone. “How is that.... How is what you did ANYTHING like what happened to me?!” Vikram flinched, moving backwards as if afraid she might strike him. “What is WRONG with you, Vikram!?”

Vikram stared at her, dumbfounded. "What's wrong with me?! I'm not the one who goes spouting off like a freaking psychopath at the slightest provocation! I thought this was what happened to you!! It's not as if you ever gave me any reason to think otherwise, right? Right?! I thought what's his name, Leslie or whatever...doesn't matter, I always hated his guts. I thought you'd understand! I mean, God, it's not as if you're unfamiliar or anything with teen pregnancy, Juno!"

[hanashyrexchana]

Anika Ross

“How dare you,” Anika all but spat the words out of her mouth. She hadn't used this tone for a good two years, far to meek to risk using it until now. But now she didn't care what he thought of her. He already thought the worst. And it was about time she set someone straight. “How is that...” No, thats not how to say it. “Why would you say...” She started again, curling her fists and resisting the urge to hit the now scared boy. He shook a little, and Anika suddenly felt even worse. ' Is that how I look... is that how I look when ever someone so much as looks at me?' “How is what you did ANYTHING like what happened to me?!” Ani tried again, finally wording it right. “What is WRONG with you, Vikram!?” She had always known he was cruel. The two of them had tag teamed people into little puddles of socially ruined pulp. But this was just.... was he stupid or something? 'Did he make this entire story up just to make fun of me?' The two of them stared at each other for the longest time before Vikram, usually so eloquent, thought up something to say.

"What's wrong with me?!” Anika surprised herself by not backing down. She just sat there, staring, waiting. ” I'm not the one who goes spouting off like a freaking psychopath at the slightest provocation! I thought this was what happened to you!!” What would he get from lying like this? Was he dared to go provoke the crazy hermit, the ghost of who used to be the most loved girl in school? Anika bet herself that were she to go over to his house now she'd find a gaggle of drunk high-schoolers, giggling in anticipation to hear what insane little Anika said. ” It's not as if you ever gave me any reason to think otherwise, right? Right?! I thought what's his name, Leslie or whatever...doesn't matter, I always hated his guts.” The anger subsided immediately. He didn't know. He never knew. Mrs. Ross had never told him, his mother had never told him. 'I never told him.' Anika felt like laughing, crying, hugging him tight.... he didn't know, and when he found out, he'd forgive her. It was so simple! ” I thought you'd understand! ” But how would she tell him? ”I mean, God, it's not as if you're unfamiliar or anything with teen pregnancy,” She opened her mouth to explain herself, ” Juno!"

The anger was back. Only it was more like rage now. “You never....” Her stomach turned over, and for a second she thought she'd be sick, but she soldiered on. “ You never asked.” That's right. He didn't even bother to get his facts straight. “You never even cared.”

Reaching out, Anika grabbed onto his shirt with both hands, all reservations passed. “Never, ever, ever!” With each word she gave him a shake, her voice getting louder and louder. “You and every one else! You just said I was beautiful and amazing and smart and... and... and the best at everything.... just like everyone else.... You all just said that about me until-” Until came out as a sob, but she managed to keep her voice at least comprehensible. “Until I needed you most, and-” She had to gasp to keep another sob subdued. “ and then you left me-”

Breathing heavily, she loosened her grip and put her forehead against his chest, right below his neck. “You left me,” She repeated. This time, she couldn't stop the tears from coming. Her power-high from before was gone- she no longer felt like she could do anything. For not the first time in a while, she felt helpless, and weak, and so very tired. But not scared. Vikram smelled like how she remembered his house- a mix of cleaning products and chai tea. Mrs. Singri had always made sure to have a cup for Anika every time she went over, even though she wasn't a fan of the strong spices. Lately, she had been asking her mom to buy some whenever she went out to the store, though she could never get the milk to tea ratio right.

One more time. “You left me,” Ani pressed her palms flat against Vikram, curling her fingers ever so slightly, “Even when I loved you so much,” In the very back of her mind she wondered if his shirt had been soaked through yet.

“I never liked him either,” Ani confessed, her head still buried in his shirt. This way, she wouldn't have to look at his face. “Leslie. He never even touched me, not like that,” Would he get it, then? How much would she have to say before he put the pieces together. There was no way she'd tell him the entire story – she didn't have the strength to put it in words. Not yet.

Anika almost laughed as she continued. Almost. It would have been dry humor, if anything. “Did you really think just getting pregnant could break me like that?” The tears were finally slowing down. “Come on, I'm Anika Ross. I was at least stronger than that.” At least, she used to be.

[The Phantom of Paris]

Vikram Singri

“What is WRONG with you, Vikram!?” Ani screamed at him, loud enough to make him wince a bit. Easy there, what if your mom hears? I really don't want to have to explain this to her. Or to my mother, about why I snuck over here to talk to you. Not after all that's happened. I fear for my life enough as it is right now, thank you very much. God, with all this going on she'll probably think it was me who got you pregnant all those years ago.

Still, her words hurt him, and he couldn't help shouting right back at her, figuring if Mrs. Ross heard them it was Anika's fault for starting this whole thing. "What's wrong with me?!” he retaliated, returning Anika's death glare for one of his own. "I'm not the one who goes spouting off like a freaking psychopath at the slightest provocation! I thought this was what happened to you!!" Because you never told me what happened after that. You just walked right on out of my life. "It's not as if you ever gave me any reason to think otherwise, right? Right?! I thought what's his name, Leslie or whatever...doesn't matter, I always hated his guts." As he talked, Vikram noticed some of Ani's anger start to subside, but he plowed right on, too angry and upset and maybe even scared to care about anything other than getting his feelings out. This was over two years of pent-up rage and confusion now being directed at poor defenseless Ani, after being locked up with nowhere to go. He couldn't stop himself from speaking his mind. Not anymore.

"I thought you'd understand! I mean, God, it's not as if you're unfamiliar or anything with teen pregnancy,” he couldn't resist one extremely low blow as he tacked on, "Juno!"

This was a mistake of Broadway-sized proportions. If Anika was angry before, that was nothing compared to what he now saw cross her face. “You never....You never asked.”

"That's because you never let me ask," he retorted petulantly.

“You never even cared.”

Vikram's eyes narrowed. "Don't you ever say that, Anika Ross. Don't you ever--

His words were cut off by Ani's furious attack. Her hands grabbed handfuls of his shirt, pulling it tight against his skin as she shook him violently. “Never, ever, ever!” Vikram felt powerless for the first time in her grasp, head bobbing back and forth like a rag doll as she continued her barrage on him. “You and every one else! You just said I was beautiful and amazing and smart and... and... and the best at everything.... just like everyone else.... You all just said that about me until-“Until I needed you most, and- and then you left me-”

Her grip slackened, and Vikram, still in shock, dimly realized that she was leaning against him now, face against his chest as if she needed him for support. As if she needed support after what she had just did. “You left me.”

His shirt was getting wet--Ani was crying. Vikram gaped down at her, wanting to wrap his arms around her, stroke her hair, anything, but not knowing whether that would just trigger another bout of psychotic violence in Anika. So he just sat there, like a statue, waiting again. Waiting for her to speak, to confide in him, to do anything.

“You left me. Even when I loved you so much.”

Vikram's heart turned over at this. No. Don't do that. That's not what she means and you know it. She means friendship love, so just get over it. Just...do something. But don't think of that. Just...don't.

"I know. I--I'm sorry," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Slowly, almost hesitantly, he raised his hand to touch her hair, gently but ready to ward off another attack if necessary.

“I never liked him either,” she said, her voice slightly muffled. “Leslie. He never even touched me, not like that. Did you really think just getting pregnant could break me like that? Come on, I'm Anika Ross. I was at least stronger than that.”

"Ani..." Vikram breathed. "Tell me what happened. What really happened, if I really do have it all wrong. I need to know. Please, just trust me. Like you used to."

[hanashyrexchana]

Anika Ross

It could have been possible for Anika to forgive him then and there. Even as he sat and yelled at her, she realized for the first time that he didn't even know what happened. So how could she blame him? She was about to let all the misunderstandings slide, she was so happy. Once he knew the truth, things could go back to normal. They would, somehow, she just knew it. Until he pulled out the not so clever yet oh so common nickname. ”Juno.” Though Anika herself never bothered to watch the movie, she knew the general plot and what the name implied. Even if she hadn't looked it up, she had been accused of being a 'Juno' so many times in the school halls after that movie came out she would have figured it out eventually. And that did it.

“You never....You never asked.” She sounded surprisingly strong; Anika had been expecting more of a whimper.

Vikram was ready to debate it. "That's because you never let me ask,"

Anika, however, wasn't. “You never even cared.” She accused, not even listening to his argument.

"Don't you ever say that, Anika Ross. Don't you ever--” Ani didn't let him finish. Filling her hands with the cotton embodiment of Les Miserables, Anika began to shake the boy as hard as she could. Lucky for Vikram, she wasn't the strongest of girls. Still, it managed to shut him up while she got her point across. “Never, ever, ever! You and everyone else!” When they were young, Anika had always thought there were two different kinds of people. There was Vikram, then there was everyone else. Not anymore.

“You just said I was beautiful and amazing and smart and... and... and the best at everything....” Already getting tired, Anika stopped her assault. “Just like everyone else.... You all just said that about me until... Until I needed you most, and- and then you left me-” Of course she had realized that before. There had been nights she had huddled over herself in regret over it- but it had never felt so real as it did now that he was so very close to her.

She was drained. Loosening what was left of her grip, Anika rested her head on Vikram. It was a thoughtless action; she would have been much more surprised at herself if she wasn't feeling so tired. If it wasn't Vikram. Tears came out in buckets, and she half expected to feel his strong hands on her shaking shoulders. But neither of them moved as Anika sobbed into his chest, getting the worst of it out.

Finally, she could speak again, though the words came out squeaky. “You left me. Even when I loved you so much.”

That seemed to get to him. "I know. I--I'm sorry," They were done shouting now. Both spoke so quietly they might not have heard each other were they not so close. Finally Vikram touched her, lightly running his fingers through her hair. Ani tensed for a second, but it passed. He didn't pull at it like the last man who had held her had.

The tears stopped sooner than Ani had anticipated. “I never liked him either. Leslie. He never even touched me, not like that. Did you really think just getting pregnant could break me like that? Come on, I'm Anika Ross. I was at least stronger than that.” She hoped that would be enough. She hoped she wouldn't have to say anything else, that he'd understand and would hold her and tell her it would be alright and sing all her troubles away.

But of course he didn't. "Ani..." She nearly shivered at the mention of her name. "Tell me what happened. What really happened, if I really do have it all wrong. I need to know. Please, just trust me. Like you used to."

And without hesitation, she did. “D-do you... do you remember Mike? My mom's ex boyfriend, the one that used to bring home random movies on Saturday nights?” For the first time ever, she told someone the entire truth. Even her therapist thought the offender was a complete stranger. Her mother thought the only reason Ani wanted Mike out was that he was a man, nothing more. “I didn't want to, of course I didn't, but he had a knife, and he threatened my mother and he threatened you and I couldn't let him... but I let him... I didn't want to...” Out of habit she crossed her arms, holding where she had been cut.

Anika choked out an apology, feeling tears start to run down her cheeks again. “I-I'm sorry,” she looked him in the eye again, for the first time since she started screaming. “I was so scared. Of you and everyone else. I'm sorry." Biting her lip, she waited in silence. She was done talking.

[The Phantom of Paris]

Vikram Singri

“You never even cared.” This simple sentence turned Vikram's veins to ice. How could she even say that, when she'd never acted like she had cared? Did she honestly think he was that shallow, that stupid, that cruel? Of course he had cared. He had cared more than she probably knew, even if he'd never had the courage to tell her so. Every day that he hadn't heard from her had killed him, and yet somehow he hadn't been able to walk across the street and confront her, comfort her, ask her what had happened that had changed everything. But he hadn't. He had just sat, waiting for an answer that never came, an apology that was never delivered, a declaration of love never declared. He'd waited, alone.Because I'm a coward, that's why. And I don't even understand why. Get me on a stage in front of hundreds, even thousands, of people, and I'm perfectly fine. Maybe my mother is right. Maybe I hide behind my theatre roles, like she told me I did. Maybe the reason I can throw myself into my role so perfectly is because I become somebody else, and then I don't have to face what's out here. What's real.

Maybe I didn't ask because I was afraid to know the truth.


"Don't you ever say that, Anika Ross. Don't you ever--” he was cut off by Anika lunging for him, grabbing at his shirt so hard he thought it would rip and shaking him with such force that his teeth rattled in his head. At least, that's what she appeared to want to do, but her strength was betraying her. Anika! “Never, ever, ever! You and everyone else! You just said I was beautiful and amazing and smart and... and... and the best at everything....” Her attack on him slowed, but Vikram remained tense, anticipating another round of abuse. It's not like I expect anything less. Or deserve anything less, really.

“Just like everyone else.... You all just said that about me until... Until I needed you most, and- and then you left me-” Seemingly defeated, she leaned against him for support, the quiet but fierce shaking of her shoulders alerting Vikram to the fact that Ani was crying. He froze--he hated it when girls cried.

Or, more specifically, he hated it when Ani cried.

“You left me. Even when I loved you so much.”

She was right, of course. He'd never expected anything less from her. What frightened him was how close to the mark she was--and her use of the word love. It was a dangerous word, he had learned, and he wondered just how well Anika knew that.

"I know. I--I'm sorry," he said, his voice containing more unspoken words than he knew what to deal with. Not knowing what else to do, he gently stroked her hair, running his fingers through it not the way he did with his girlfriends, but more closely resembling how he comforted Latika when she had a nightmare. Because that's what Ani needed him for now. Comfort. She seemed to grow anxious for a second, but soon relaxed, leaving Vikram to try and pick up the pieces of what she'd just disintegrated into right in front of him.

“I never liked him either. Leslie. He never even touched me, not like that." Vikram looked down at her in surprise, even though she couldn't see his face. Or wouldn't. Then what...? "Did you really think just getting pregnant could break me like that? Come on, I'm Anika Ross. I was at least stronger than that.”

He couldn't help it. He had to know, no matter how much it would hurt. "Ani...Tell me what happened. What really happened, if I really do have it all wrong. I need to know. Please, just trust me. Like you used to."

When she spoke, her voice was filled with more confidence. It was hard to detect, almost invisible, but Vikram recognized it for what it was immediately. After all this time, she was finally ready to tell him. “D-do you... do you remember Mike? My mom's ex boyfriend, the one that used to bring home random movies on Saturday nights?”

Vikram gave a nod. "Yeah, I do. Black hair, kinda tall, pretty smarmy guy, was always staring at your mom's chest, knew nothing about Les Mis. We had some pretty weird conversations, and I always thought he was kinda--" He stopped, feeling as though he'd been hit by a train.

“I didn't want to, of course I didn't, but he had a knife, and he threatened my mother and he threatened you and I couldn't let him... but I let him... I didn't want to...I-I'm sorry.I was so scared. Of you and everyone else. I'm sorry."

She was looking at him now, but he couldn't meet her eyes. "Well, why the hell are you apologizing to me," he said, his voice quiet and void of emotion, "when you didn't do anything and I've just gone and made everything worse?" He moved his hand from her hair, letting them dangle at his sides uselessly. "Ani...why. Why didn't you fight back? I could have taken care of myself, you know. Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell anyone?" His voice was not angry, nor upset, simply astonished.

Then something clicked.

"Ani!" he cried, looking at her with wide eyes. "You mean Mike Coleton, right?!"

[hanashyrexchana]

Anika Ross

“You left me. Even when I loved you so much.” Her accusation seemed to strike a cord with Vikram. It took him a moment to apologize. Perhaps he was to taken aback by her crying to speak. Maybe he was feeling to guilty to make a sound. Serves him right.

"I know. I--I'm sorry," And she could tell he was. Usually, Anika hated those words. They seemed like excuses. One could get away with anything so long as they said 'sorry' afterwards. She hated them but she used them all the time. She hated them, yet she loved being apologized to. That way she knew she wasn't the only one with a curse of perpetual guilt. So I've become a hermit AND a hypocrite. Great. Anika had been expecting him to touch her, yet she couldn't help but tense up when he did out of habit. It didn't last long. She had come to her senses - he wouldn't hurt her. So she just kept talking. After all these years of silence, she couldn't stop. Not now. ”Did you really think just getting pregnant could break me like that? Come on, I'm Anika Ross. I was at least stronger than that.” If possible, there was a touch of humor in her voice. Who'd have thought she'd fall so hard with no one to catch her? Surely not her, not when she was so far up, surrounded by those who 'loved her'. How was she to know that she was caught in a web of unrequited, easily broken by one bold, cruel man.

"Ani...” She had missed that nickname. Everyone called her by it, of course, but he was the one who had started it. ”Tell me what happened. What really happened, if I really do have it all wrong. I need to know. Please, just trust me. Like you used to." Could she? Well, why not. The worsts already happened. The worst could happen again. No. He'd wouldn't ever. He wont tonight.

“D-do you... do you remember Mike? My mom's ex boyfriend, the one that used to bring home random movies on Saturday nights?” How could she describe the feeling of getting it off her chest. I had forgotten how easy it is to talk to you, Vikram.

He did remember, although Ani hadn't really expected him to."Yeah, I do. Black hair, kinda tall, pretty smarmy guy, was always staring at your mom's chest,” looking back on it, mine too. ” knew nothing about Les Mis. We had some pretty weird conversations, and I always thought he was kinda--" He cut himself short. He finally, finally, finally understood. Vikram knew everything; she was taken over with a need to apologize almost immediately.

“I didn't want to,” She explained, “ of course I didn't, but he had a knife,” Her arms tingled from even mentioning it, “and he threatened my mother and he threatened you,” Oh, I do hope that doesn't make him feel guilty, ”and I couldn't let him... but I let him... I didn't want to...I-I'm sorry,” Those silly two words again, “I was so scared. Of you and everyone else. I'm sorry." While Anika could finally look Vikram in the face, he could barely look in her direction.

"Well,” He began as Ani braced herself for who knows what, ”why the hell are you apologizing to me when you didn't do anything and I've just gone and made everything worse?" His arms dropped to his side. Strangely enough, Anika missed his hands right away. Was it affection that she really needed? Had she been depriving herself of the comfort she needed all this time? "Ani...why. Why didn't you fight back? I could have taken care of myself, you know. Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell anyone?"

She resisted reaching out to him by holding on to her own arms. It would only make things harder if he thought there was another attack coming on. “I already told you,” Her fingers caressed her upper arm, “he had a knife.”

"Ani!" Vikrams outburst made the petite girl jump a little, but she listened to his question attentively. "You mean Mike Coleton, right?!"

“Yeah,” she nodded, easily remembering the name. “Yeah, he's the one who... He's the one.” It was still so hard to say that four letter word aloud. It made her feel dirty all over again. “ Like you said, tall, dark and smarmy.”

[The Phantom of Paris]

OOC: Sorry for language...censored but still. Vikram is very upset. BIC:

Vikram Singri

“D-do you... do you remember Mike?" Anika asked, sounding as if the very mention of his name brought up memories she didn't even want to consider. "My mom's ex boyfriend, the one that used to bring home random movies on Saturday nights?”

Vikram paused for just a fraction of a second, trying to drag up the memories of these two years past. A face appeared in his mind's eye, cold and calculating eyes roving over both Ross women as if he owned them. Oh. Mike. "Yeah, I do. Black hair, kinda tall, pretty smarmy guy, was always staring at your mom's chest, knew nothing about Les Mis." This last point was said with the most derision of all, as if that was the worst offense Mike could have had against him in Vikram's eyes. Which, in a way, it was. "We had some pretty weird conversations, and I always thought he was kinda--" Creepy. Disturbing. Perverted, scary...oh. Oh. Oh my God.

All the breath rushed out of Vikram instantly, as if he'd just been punched in the stomach. So that's it. I finally got the truth I wanted. He...he did what I didn't want to believe...he raped her. He ****ing raped her!!

“I didn't want to, of course I didn't, but he had a knife,and he threatened my mother and he threatened you,” Ani said quickly. Her words were another jab to Vikram, and he looked down, ashamed. He used me to get to her. He knew. He knew everything and he used it to his advantage. And she let him...to protect me. I don't deserve her...I never did. ”and I couldn't let him... but I let him... I didn't want to...I-I'm sorry. I was so scared. Of you and everyone else. I'm sorry."

"Well,” Vikram said, stunned, "why the hell are you apologizing to me when you didn't do anything and I've just gone and made everything worse?" Suddenly afraid of scaring her off, he moved his hand away, releasing her from his touch. "Ani...why. Why didn't you fight back? I could have taken care of myself, you know. Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell anyone?" His voice was close to the breaking point again. Vikram never let himself cry, not unless he was seriously injured or something, for the sake of his singing voice. But Ani's news was threatening to topple what he had built himself up to be for so long.

“I already told you, he had a knife.”

"A knife," he repeated dully. "He had a ****ing knife." He lowered his voice. "I am going to kill him."

Suddenly, he remembered, the knowledge hitting him with almost as much impact as Ani's revelations had on him. Mike. Mike was Ani's mom's boyfriend, and he raped her. Mike was Cassie Wright's mom's boyfriend, and he tried to...if Ani would come forward...maybe we could stop him from hurting anymore girls!

But he had to be sure. "Ani!" he blurted out, looking at her with wide eyes. "You mean Mike Coleton, right?!"

“Yeah. Yeah, he's the one who... He's the one. Like you said, tall, dark and smarmy.”

Vikram shook his head in disbelief, almost brought to laughter by this news. "Ani, you heard what happened, right? Didn't you? Mike almost did the same thing to Cassie. Cassandra Wright, remember, from school? The redhead with the younger sister who went emo for a while? He dated her mom. And he tried the same thing to her. He didn't, but...anyway. Her mom wanted to press charges, but Cassie didn't want to, or so I heard...but, Cassie's mom has also apparently fallen pretty deep into a bottle lately. So now her dad is gonna press charges against him. I hear they're having a court hearing and everything!"

He grabbed her wrists for emphasis, but dropped them just as quickly, as if her touch burned him. "Sorry," he said quietly. "Anika. You realize what you have to do, right? You have to testify in Cassie's case against Mike! If there's more evidence, evidence that he's done this before and will do it again, they'll have no choice but to stop him before it's too late. Ani, you have to tell everyone!"