Earlier, James (3 yrs) was looking for his oldest sister, Laura, (who is on AP) :) and he found out she was at wal-mart, he was so upset that he cried :'( so I wrote this, enjoy :)

I was about to be brave
But then reality came in
And I faked smiles to appease her
Though my watery eyes betray me
And I whimpered into pillows
And barely concentrated
Yet they came around to celebrate
And I pushed them away, crying
Waking the next morning with
A song ringing in my ears
A song about tragedies
Putting on my mask of smiles
I wandered aimlessly through the halls
Breaking behind closed doors
Screaming, wounded, what's wrong with me
I'm too this, not enough that,

i. The Art Museum
I walk through paintings
Hundreds of years old
And something about the colors
Of a world long ago
Makes me think of you
And as I read their poetic symmetry
I can't help but wonder what you'd say
As you'd hold my hand and look at them

I. Just Don’t

I just want to be beautiful
Don’t judge me for that
It isn’t a sin
Maybe because I shop for clothes
Explains the stupid fact that
I dress better than you

Friday Night

Chapter Nine

AS CAD AND IRIS RETURNED TO THE CAMP, Alaric was, of course, running around in a circle like a rooster with a missing head. As soon as he saw the two come out of the trees, Alaric ran up to them, hugged Iris close to him and glared at Cad.

“What were you two doing in there? Answer me!” He demanded.

Cad began, “I—”

“Cad was only teaching me how to shoot properly, and in turn I taught him which herbs were the best for headaches and cuts.”
Alaric scoffed and shook his head. “And why would a healer need to know how to shoot an arrow?”

Chapter Eight

WHEN DAWN CREPT OUT OF NIGHT’S ROBES, SO DID IRIS. She crawled out of her tent and looked about the camp. All of them were sleeping. She turned and watched the slumbering Bear and noticed that the new one was missing. Maybe Stilicho sent him out to hunt, Iris thought. She slung her satchel over shoulder, tightened the laces on her otter furred boots and snuck her way into the depths of the forest.

Chapter Seven

NOT LIKE BECK, NOT LIKE BECK. Cad rushed forward, then stopped and saw a fork in the pass. One to the right, with the sounds of the rest of the woodsmen and left where the sounds of Pika were being loudly heard.

And where’s Iris? Cad wondered. He looked at the right and then left and then ran into the left passage, leading him to a cavern. The ground became slant and turned into a slope. The ground was surprisingly wet and Cad’s boots slid on the stony ground.

He didn’t say hello. He didn’t say goodbye. The thing that struck me hardest was that he used to. He used to bring me coffee in bed. He used to sing love songs to me in the shower. He used to kiss me, just because he could. I was his, and he was mine.

When it first started, I told myself he was having a bad day. A few days passed, then a week. It turned into months and then years. Slowly they rolled by, painfully.

Now it seems a dream that he used to.

His smile, still there, lingering in my memory, is the only remainder now.

* * *

I. Uncertainty
so you’re telling me no
but when back then
i know that
yes is ridiculous
so are chances
but i really thought
never mind

II. Tipping
rose petal colored
fingernail polish spilled
on tiled aqua floor
stained it the color
contrast she called it
it was her own
abstract decoration