Do You Have a Soul to Spare?

"Serena. Please. Wake up. Please. I can't live without you! I'll die if you do! So please...Do something!" a voice called between weeps.

"I didn't save them...I didn't help them again. I just screamed. Screamed and prayed to this 'God' that they would be okay when I knew they were gone for good. I saw it. The hand. Painted with blue nail polish. A diamond ring. I caught them. Then I screamed. Their faces were so... Flesh hanging, but not much. No eyes. Just a skull. 'I love you, baby.' she said. I screamed and fell. I'm not dead. After all that hell, yet somehow I survived. Why me? So many die, but I live. 'God' must want me to suffer. So he lets me live. But when I finally do die, off to hell for me. Life's a bitch, isn't it?" she sighed, taking in her surroundings. "Where am I?"

"My house...Don't talk like that. I love you and you were hallucinating. I didn't see any people. All I saw was you running to nothing and screaming at the same." Zane was sitting next to her and she sat up next to him.

"Don't ever leave me to live alone. Okay? Live as long as I do. Don't leave, don't die, nothing. Stay forever." She lay her head on his shoulder. "Because I love you."

"...I won't" Zane sort of withdrew from her, as if he felt guilty. "You don't have to worry about that."

"Is she awake yet?" There was a knock on the closed door. Zane pit some space between him and Serena.

"Yes, mother." The door opened and Zane's mother, Nicole came in.

"You must be Serena. Zane has told us so much about you. Yet, did he tell you about us?"

"No, mother. I'll let her meet everyone at dinner." Zane said, giving her a--what seemed like-- normal look.

"Who is 'us'?" Serena asked.

"Our family. We are very close. I'll send someone up to get you two when dinner is ready. Okay, baby?" Nicole asked, backing out the door.

"Yes, mother," he mumbled, not liking the 'baby' part. Serena giggled and Zane smirked at her. "What does that mean?" he joked. She smiled and he lay back on the pillow, a content smile on his face. He looked at her and she lay down next to him. He pulled her close and said "I love you" before leaning in and kissing her softly. She kissed back and the world seemed to melt away.

"Zane! Dinner's--Hello! What do we have here? You dog!" A boy that looked older than Zane said in the doorway. Zane slowly pulled back and, when he saw who it was, he stood up.

"You idiot! Go away!" Zane threw a punch at him, but he got thrown backwards.
"Calm down, Zane! I was only complimenting you and your--lovely, might I add?--girlfriend. I'm Alex, his--" he pointed at Zane with a thumb "--oldest brother. Whenever you two are ready, dinner's done. Hurry up, cause we don't eat until everyone is there." Alex walked out, leaving the door open.

"Ready?"Zane was standing beside Serena by now and held a hand before her. She nodded and take it. He lead her down stairs and all eyes affixed on her and Zane, knowing who she was and what she was to Zane: the world.

"Ah. Serena. You can sit between Tony and Zane. I am Jack, Zane's father." Jack pointed to a spot between an empty chair--Zane's seat--and to a boy--Tony.

Jack was sitting beside his wife and Zane's other older brother, Jason.

Jason was sitting beside James who sat by their older sister Mariah. Mariah sat by their younger sister Rose.

"So you're a human girl?" Tony asked.

"Yeah..."

"And you're dating Zane?"

"Umm...Yes." Serena looked at Zane, but Zane wasn't looking at her. He was looking at Tony, giving a warning with his eyes. Tony shrugged and started talking to James. Zane looked at her and tried to smile, but it turned out to be more like a guilty face hiding something.

"So, Serena, how do you like school? Are you in my grade? I think you're in some of my classes." Mariah pointed out.

"Yes. I am pretty sure I have seen you in my class. Mostly when I see Zane talking to someone sitting behind him. I guess that was you!"

"How long have you been dating?" Rose asked innocently, sighing as if it was so romantic.

"Um..." She blushed. "I don't really know. Seems like since the first week I came to this school."

"How lovely!" Rose smiled.

"Yeah. How did Zane get you?" Alex asked. Nicole looked at him and Alex stopped talking.

"I hear that you and Zane are doing a project. Have you learned a lot about each other with all the time you work on it at your house?" Nicole asked, smiling. She blushed once more.

"Mom!" Zane said playfully and she smiled, fully showing her teeth. Serena winced and forced herself to smile back, but couldn't make it show her teeth if she tried.

Serena ate dinner with occasional questions popping up. Zane finished and when she did he stood up.

"We'll be in my room, okay?" Zane took her hand and his mother called him over. Zane told Serena to wait by the stairs and when he came back from talking with his mother, he grabbed Serena's waist and led her up, afraid to let go. When they got to his room he sat down beside her on the bed. He looked at her for as long as he could, but finally he leaned closer and kissed her again. She pulled back after a few seconds.

"What?" Zane asked.

"Are you hiding something from me?"

"No." He said quickly and started kissing her again. She gave him the same reaction.

"Please. Promise me you are being completely honest."

"I am." He try anything so she leaned in, but this time he pulled back.

"What is it, Zane?" Serena asked, confused.

"We need to go. I'll take you home. Come on." Zane grabbed her waist and led her to the door and down the stairs. Tony's eyes watched her like a falcon as Zane opened the house door. He smiled and she about lost her balance. He frowned, but looked away, confused. Zane put her in the car and pulled out of the driveway.

Ten minutes later, he pulled into her driveway. He got out and took her to her bedroom. She didn't argue when he got ready for bed after laying her down. She didn't feel like changing, so she stayed in her day clothes. She asked him no questions and allowed herself to fall asleep in his arms, aware of his bare skin touching her as she lay in his arms. His arms wrapped around her and touched the skin on her waist, back, and stomach and it seemed to help her fall asleep quicker. She didn't dream at all. She just fell asleep to the unusual quiet of her room.