The Truth (Kamren, Oliver & Serenity)

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Serenity's 5th Year & Oliver's 6th Year
2024

It was a Friday afternoon, Kamren was nursing a headache from the week, a headache that Clarinda had insisted was because he was working too late, too much. The fact he had little other choice in this matter did not seem to deter her wishes for him to dose himself up with a potion or two to stop him from making himself ill. And, he had agreed (with little persuasion) to taking the weekend off. He, Clarinda and Lux were going out somewhere, and just having some good family time together.

But, of course, plans as the Minister of Magic did not always come in to fruition. They couldn't.

The announcement of one of the office's many workers bursting through the door of his office with the announcement of a commotion in the Auditorium. "He is insisting on seeing you, Minister. Wand out, sir. The boy's refusing to leave until he can speak with you."

"Boy?" Kamren echoed, arching an eyebrow at that, because seemingly adults could not deal with a boy that was demanding the presence.

"Yes, sir." The man replied, starting to cower backwards upon the realisation that Kamren did not look best pleased with this answer. How could his staff not subdue a boy?

"Bring him to me." Kamren insisted, much to the shock of the man before him. But Kamren was not fazed by the look on the man's face, and simply sat back to wait for the boy to come to him.

It didn't take long, and soon, a young boy - well, perhaps almost a man, Kamren wasn't one hundred percent sure - arrived in his office. He looked terrified, truthfully, but Kamren didn't let this phase him. Instead, waiting until the door had closed, Kamren motioned to the chair across his desk for the other boy to take up. "Please, sit." Kamren offered politely, watching the boy with mild interest. The, boy, however, shook his head in refusal.

"Minister, sir, thank you. But..." The boy paused, trying to find a place to start, before looking directly at Kamren. Ready to start, but Kamren cut in.

"Please, call me Kamren. And, you would be?"

The boy blinked once, obviously losing his place, before realising the question. "Oliver, sir." He responded, before continuing. "I've come to you for help, sir, you see, she's a Seer. A year younger than me. Your Ministry is using her for her visions. Her prophecies. You... You have to stop them!"

Kamren sat silently through this very quick, very brief explanation, looking at the boy and scrutinising as to whether what he'd said could be true. The boy, Oliver, was much too nervous to be faking it, and the words, no matter how brief had been said with feeling. Falseness, Kamren decided, would not be something that was included within the boy's words.

"You're the Minister of Magic," Oliver continued, looking at him in a pleading manner. "You surely can't condone the use of an underage witch in this manner? Stopping her from having the basic human right of free will. She's told what she can do, what she can't do. That's not something anyone has the right to take from someone. Your Ministry cannot get away with it. You... You are a man of no morals if you think for a second that I will allow Serenity to stay under such situations a moment longer. I love her, and you're killing her slowly, day by day. I can't..."

Kamren watched Oliver, watched the balling of the boy's fists, watched how he shook a little, anger or fear, he didn't know. He watched how the boy confronted a powerful man with little and less worry.

Love, Kamren knew, would drive you to do the most insane things.

"Mr..." Kamren paused, finding the last name Goulding being given to him from the boy a moment later. "Mr Goulding, I appreciate that you're highly concerned at the moment. But, I can assure you no chi-"

"But she is!" Oliver insisted, but Kamren held up a hand to get the boy to stop speaking.

"I can assure you that no child is working within this Ministry without my express permission. There are a total of four children inside this Ministry, for various reasons, and not one of them is a Seer." Kamren replied, softly, calmly. Yet, there was a niggling feeling in the back of his mind that he might not actually be as in control of his departments as he thought himself to be.

"Summon... Summon the elf, Tammie. Or..." Oliver paused for a moment. "Sally... Sally Newman. Of the Department of Mysteries."

"And, if I do..?" Kamren asked.

"Ask them about Serenity." Oliver replied, firmly, obviously not backing down.

***

Oliver Goulding had been moved to another room within the Ministry to wait out the result of his accusations. Tammie, the house elf, had been summoned by the Minister, and after (gentle) coaxing had explained how she'd been tasked with looking after Serenity through a number of years. The poor thing had been grief stricken, and Kamren had had to get another elf to look after her, whilst another went to get Serenity.

But, Sally Newman was next, and as her story matched the elf's Kamren could not help but fear the worst. Calmness had ensued throughout both interviews, but inside, Kamren was bubbling with rage. This was no better than what Clarinda's parents had done to her. Exploiting children...

He'd sent Sally away, to a room with two Aurors watching her. The Department of Mysteries had been closed, and the workers told to go home for the day.

The only person Kamren had not spoken to was Serenity.

The Minister sat behind his desk, waiting for her arrival. Penning a quick note to Clarinda that something had come up, and that he would be home as soon as possible.

P.S. ... I know this might sound ominous... but could you please make an extra plate of dinner tonight.

Kamren had sent that off with an owl, and turned back to see the door opening just a smidge, revealing a small witch a moment later. Kamren gave her what he hoped to be his most soothing smile, and motioned to the seat opposite him. "Hello Serenity, please, sit with me a moment. My name is Kamren..."

Guest

The day hadn't started out too oddly, although she couldn't seem to shake a small, almost negligible inkling at the back of her mind that something was about to happen. Still, she got those all the time, mostly resulting in a prophecy or a vision, and she shrugged it off easily enough; she would deal with whatever it was when it arose and not before. There was never enough energy to deal with it before -- and she had the scars to prove that trying only ended badly.

One day at a time was all she could do, all she could manage, if she were to survive.

It had been a month after her breakdown, and she was still carrying some of the guilt from what happened to the Slytherin girl; it had been elevated, slightly, by the fact that people managed to get to her in time and the damage done wasn't anything irreversible. With some physical therapy the girl might even walk without a limp, although that would take years.

Meaning to tell Oliver about her premonition of sorts -- more of a warning than anything, so that he knew to be on the lookout -- her worry started when she couldn't find him. As far as anyone she asked were concerned, Oliver had attended the morning classes and then, after lunch, had been nowhere to be found. Had something happened? Was he ill? Did something happen in his family that he had to go home for, without a chance to tell her?

There had to be a logical explanation for it, she was sure, and she forced down any emotions and went to class as normal. If it had been anything bad, she was sure, Oliver would find a way to tell her; he wouldn't keep it to himself.

But then, halfway during class, Tammie disappeared as well, another elf taking her place. The only reason Serenity had noticed this was because she'd turned to ask the elf a question about her premonition and found someone unfamiliar in her place. The explanation given had been that Tammie was called in to do something for a few minutes, but it wasn't anything that happened before; if the ministry wanted Tammie, Serenity always went along, because it usually involved her -- and, even if it didn't, Tammie was the one who knew all of Serenity's tells. They wouldn't risk something happening to their prized child Seer by entrusting her with an unfamiliar elf.

It had only been for a short while or so, but each of those minutes had seemed like an eternity as she tried -- and failed -- to pay attention to the subject at hand. Classes had normally been her forte, but everything the Professor was saying seemed to fly over her head as she thought about what could be going on. First Oliver was absent from class and nobody knew where he was; secondly, her house elf had also left.

And then came the worst of it all -- a message from the ministry, asking her -- no, telling her -- to present herself to Kamren, the Minister himself. The instructions had come right at the end of class, and she was glad for that; if she had been summoned in the middle of the class, she would've had to leave with everyone watching. As it was, all she needed to do was wait for a minute for the class to be dismissed and then she nodded to the new house elf and let him -- or her? -- apparate them to the ministry.

Her hands were trembling slightly, although she did her best to hide it, as she walked the few steps to the door of the Minister of Magic. Having been told to go straight in, she pushed it open a little, and then a little more, until she saw the man inside. She was fifteen, no longer a little girl, but she felt like a child again as he spoke, wanting to disappear in that moment. Had she done something wrong? Had someone found out how she nearly broke the future and reported her? (Not Oliver, that much she was certain, but someone else, although how and who she couldn't fathom.)

She obeyed -- as she always did -- and sat, quietly, opposite him, hands placed neatly in her lap as she was always taught to do, and back straight. "Please, sir," she started, after a few moments of silence. "Have I done something wrong? I've been trying my best, but there have been times I've very nearly disobeyed the ministry or done things I shouldn't have."

Guest

Kamren could only smile as the young witch acted all proper in that moment, as if it was at all necessary to act like that around Kamren. Many people made that mistake around him, though, because the Minister of Magic was supposed to be imposing, but Kamren did not hold power through scaring people. Though, of course, this witch didn't know that, but it was cute nonetheless.

The question of doing something wrong made Kamren shake his head instantly, making sure the witch knew she wasn't in any trouble. The comment about the Ministry made him bite his lip. He did not appreciate that, but the young witch did not need to know that.

"You haven't done anything wrong, Serenity, please don't worry. Relax, even." Kamren told them, hoping this might help to settle, but the setting was probably much too imposing in that moment. "You're here... because Oliver came to see me." Kamren explained to the witch, being a little obscure for a moment to allow the witch time to catch up with why she might be here.

"I have spoken to Tammie, and I have spoken to Sally..." He added, pausing for a moment. "I need to apologise, Serenity, it seems the system within the Ministry has failed you, and allowed you to be used in a manner that I would never have condoned, had I known it was happening." Kamren explained, truly looking sorry for this.

"But... I want you to tell me, in detail, Serenity, what you have been doing within the Ministry... since... well, you got here." Kamren suggested, allowing her side of the story to be given before he acted.

Guest

The assurance, if it was that, didn't do much for her. She'd been told many times before to 'not worry', that she 'wasn't in trouble' or that they only wanted to 'ask her something'. None of that meant anything substantial though; in the Ministry, she'd come to learn, words always had double meanings. After all, she'd been told many things before that had yet to come to pass, and while it didn't bother her any longer it was still something that proved to her that the ministry was not always trustworthy.

But as Oliver's name was mentioned, she froze. He hadn't... Surely he hadn't... Her eyes grew wider. What had he done? When he said he was going to get her out of it, she hadn't once imagined that he meant he was going to go to the Minister. What had he said? What had Oliver told the Minister? Whatever it was, it wasn't going to be good.

That wasn't what she expected at all, and the worry only tripled. This wasn't going well, so far; and she'd been right in not heeding the Minister's words to not worry. Why wouldn't she? Oliver had just reported... What exactly? Her breakdown? Her wanting to change the fate of a Slytherin girl? That he hated the Ministry? That they hated the Ministry?

She knew he was just doing what he thought was right. She knew he meant no harm, that he only wanted to protect her. After all, Oliver loved her. She knew that he wanted her safe, and happy, and free -- but was this really the right way to go about it? Wouldn't it just get her -- and him -- in more trouble?

As the Minister continued, she wanted to sink further and further into her seat, but just about managed to stay upright. That was why Tammie had disappeared, and what she was doing. And Aunt Sally, too? What had the Minister asked them? What did he want to know? Certainly he had already known about it? What had Oliver told him that made the Minister call for both her Aunt and her house elf?

But then he was apologising, and a frown touched her features. What was there to apologise for? How had the ministry failed her..? Surely it was the other way around, what with the way she constantly did things she shouldn't, or almost did them, in any case.

Had he known... That meant he didn't? Serenity was more than confused, questions pouring into her mind as she tried and failed to piece all the pieces together. One thing was for certain -- whatever was going on was the source of her earlier premonition. This was the thing that was meant to happen, and already she could tell it was something big.

The instructions given helped a little. Here was something she could work with; she was already used to potraying information to people. So, with a tiny shrug, she recounted, "I was left on the doorstep when I was three. I don't know who my birth parents are, but they found me with a sign explaining I was a Seer. The department of Mysteries took me in, raised me."

She paused, trying to think back. How detailed was detailed? "They gave me lessons, taught me ways to control things... Aunt Sally was tasked with overseeing me, and she decided to adopt me. I grew up thinking it was a legal thing, but I'm not sure now if any papers were ever officially signed, because I can't seem to find any proof of it."

Once more, Serenity stopped to gather her thoughts. Then, slowly, she went on. "I work for the Ministry -- for you, sir. When I have a vision, they record it. When I See things, they record it. That's why I have Tammie. She protects me and keeps me safe, and keeps the Future safe." She shrugged lightly. "Since the Ministry raised me and took care -- take care -- of me, I..." She faltered, trying to come up with the right word. She always used 'belong' with Oliver, but somehow that didn't seem like the proper one. But what else could she use? "Belong," she finally said, failing to come up with anything else, "to you. So, when I've graduated, I will come and work for you. It's how it works."

Guest

It took absolutely all of Kamren's will power to keep his features from changing as the witch explained, as asked, the situation of how she came to be 'working' for the Ministry. It took more will power not to simply get up and go from the room and tear the Department of Mysteries apart, one person at a time. It took Kamren an even greater amount of will power to not call for Clarinda, and get a neutral, second opinion to confirm that this wasn't right.

Kamren, however, was the Minister of Magic, and whilst he valued his wife's opinion above all else, calling a Head Healer here was not going to help the situation.

So, he simply sat quietly, listening and taking mental notes about how the witch before him had come to be within the Ministry. What she was doing, and how grossly his staff had abused the trust of a child. Even after Serenity had finished in her explanation, Kamren sat quietly, watching the witch for a few moments, before looking down at his desk and thinking.

"Serenity..." Kamren spoke her name very softly, looking up at the witch with soft eyes. "Your name is not upon the list of children registered to work within the Ministry." He told her, because he knew that list off by heart. He did not condone the children working here, they were children, however, he had to admit that some children were of use. "Which means... legally, you don't work here. And, what Ms. Newman has done, together with the rest of the Department of Mysteries, is very wrong."

Kamren paused, contemplating the witch for a moment. He didn't think her stupid, but he had to check. "Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you, Serenity?" He dared to ask, because he couldn't continue further without her knowing just how serious this was.

Guest

There was no reaction from the minister after she finished speaking, and for a moment she wondered if she hadn't said enough, if he was looking for more. But there was nothing more to say; she'd told her tale, fully, without skipping over anything. What more did he expect from her? His expression was unreadable and there wasn't anything from him that gave away what he was thinking or feeling, making her more than just a little uneasy.

It kept coming back to a single question: what had she done wrong? It couldn't have been any other; she wouldn't have been called there if she did what was right. No, she'd been doing that for all twelve years that she'd been there and the only times she was called into an office was when she made a mistake or screwed up somewhere. Of course, it had to be a very big screw up if it involved the Minister himself.

That left the incident that happened a month ago. Oh Oli, she thought, half exasperated, half fondly. She could never truly be angry at him, not for long, anyway. Whatever he had said to the Minister had obviously been a cause of concern. Was she about to be fired? Was that the way Oliver meant to obtain her freedom?

And then the Minister called her name and she looked up slightly, automatically, as he finally began to speak. What he said took a moment to sink in, a moment longer for her to process, and then yet another moment before she dared to believe it.

The implications of that single sentence stretched far and wide, and the more she thought about it the more things she found it meant, the least of which was what the minister had provided in his next few sentences. Yes, it meant she wasn't a legal hire. Yes, it meant that they had done it illegally, which was wrong.

But more than that, it meant so many, many other things that her mind was racing trying to keep up with each new one that presented itself.

It meannt that she'd been wrongfully held accountable for things she wasn't meant to handle in the first place. It meant that there would be investigations and questions and formalities that needed to be taken care of. It meant that she was never indepted to the ministry in the first place, and that she had never been a prisoner to begin with.

But if she was never a prisoner, that meant she'd been captive to nothing, and that was the worst kind of captivity, because it meant she could have walked away at any time but didn't. It meant that, for twelve years, she'd willingly made herself a slave.

The question brought a wry smile to her lips. She understood. She understood far more than most would think. If Oliver were there, she'd be telling him these things, needing to voice it out in order to fully understand -- but he wasn't, and Serenity knew that a nod was but an action. She would truly have to show the Minister that she not only understood but had internalised the implications of that simple fact.

Quietly, firmly, she said, "I was once told by someone I met that some rules were meant to be broken -- that a bird learns to fly by leaving the cage, and that fear only stops it from learning that the world is bigger than the metal bars that surround it. I never understood her before now; I always thought she was wrong. I see now I am that bird, and that those bars had been an illusion. Had I tried to leave -- to fly -- I would have found I had wings that could carry me far away from the cage I was put in."

She lifted a shoulder in a shrug. "It means the people who put those bars in place were poachers, those who prey on innocent beings and take advantage of those in situations they can't help themselves out of. I understand that much, Minister."

Pausing, she tilted her head a little to look the Minster in the eyes, hoping that there wouldn't be a vision. There wasn't, and she took a deep breath. "But I also understand that sometimes people who build cages and walls only do so out of fear or concern. Sometimes they think it's the best thing to do, that a caged bird is safer than a free one. And they are right. There are no dangers in a cage, save per the danger of losing the ability to fly -- but in a cage where everything is provided, what use is there for flight? The world can be too dangerous for a disabled bird, and that is what I am, sir. The Sight is many things -- useful, powerful, helpful -- but it is also a disablitiy."

Now that she had started speaking, she found she couldn't stop, the words pouring out as though from a faucet; the fact she was speaking to the Minister no longer mattered. All Serenity knew was that she had something to say and by hook or by crook she was going to finish.

"I understand, Minister, that you are telling me I'm free -- that I've always been free. That my cage doesn't exit, and the doors are wide open for me to leave. My question, sir, with all due respect, is simple: am I meant to fly, or were they right when they said the cage would protect me from what would otherwise be certain death?"

Her peace having been said, she lowered her gaze back down to the table and kept her hands neatly folded in her lap, although by now the top one was gripping on tightly to the one below, and waited for the Minsiter to speak.

Guest

Kamren's expectations in respect of the answer he was looking for was, perhaps, a simple yes, or no. He expected the witch to perhaps ask where this left her now, what she was going to have to do, if she were in trouble herself. What was going to happen to Tammie, or Ms. Newman. For her boyfriend to join them.

But this was not the direction that the witch went for.

No, Serenity Newman went along the lines of deep, philosophical ideologies. Likenesses to things that Kamren understood clearly at the age of fifty four. But, he did not expect for Serenity to understand them so clearly at the age of fifteen. The Minister's eyebrows rose as he listened, and even after she was finished, Kamren was sat, simply looking at the witch, not believing that he'd heard any of that correctly.

But he had.

The Minister blinked once. Twice. Not too quickly, but his eyes were shifting back and forth with thought. He did not mind to be so open with the fact he'd just been stunned in to temporary silence. How could he have expected that without... well, being able to See?

"Well, Serenity," Kamren replied, giving her a fond smile, because he was still thoroughly bemused with the most complicated answer to a simple question he'd ever heard. "You're asking me a question that only you yourself can answer." He told her softly.

"What I am offering you is the chance to remain in the metaphorical cage, or... a chance at freedom. You... you won't be able to go back to Ms. Newman's house, however. Your job at the Ministry, after being made legal, and the boundaries being set appropriately, would still be available, if that is what you would like. But..." The Minister paused, biting his lip for a moment before continuing. "For tonight, at the very least, you will be coming to stay with my wife, daughter and I, until I can sort this out. So, I don't need a decision now."

Kamren hoped that made sense, because he was not going to ask her if it did, too afraid of a headache of a reply coming his way.

Instead, Kamren added another sentence, quickly, to deter her from an elongated answer. "Would you like to see Oliver?"

Guest

Once again there was silence, but Serenity didn't left her head. Too used was she to judgement and scorn to want to see what was on the face of the Minister. Of all the people she had to be sitting opposite, it was the most important man in the whole wizarding community (in that part of the world, in any case). Why did she have to go and talk about things like that? Surely he had better things to do than listen to a fifteen year old rant about birds and cages.

Finally -- finally -- he addressed her and she lifted her gaze ever so slightly to his chin, not quite able to bring herself to look him full in the face. Not yet, in any case.

She took in his answer without a word, mulling over what he was saying. He was right, of course; it was her choice. For the first time ever, she was given the right to have a say in her own life. What she wanted to do, where she wanted to go, heck, even when she wanted to sleep. But did that mean that her visions would go unrecorded? Her prophecies unheard and undocumented?

And, in the long run, what did that mean for her? What would she do? It was as though she'd been living her life in the branches of a tree only to be told she could go anywhere and everywhere in the world -- but the world was so big, and she didn't knew where to begin. What could she do? For as long as she'd remembered, she knew exactly what was expected of her -- what she was going to do when she was older, when she grew up. It had been fixed and certain, and so while everyone else was mulling over career options and university choices, she'd simply resigned herself to what she thought was her definite fate.

To now be told that it wasn't -- that she could do what others were doing and choose -- was something that she couldn't quite comprehend. There was nothing that she really wanted; she never allowed herself to.

"I think that choice was made for me a long time ago, sir," she muttered quietly, almost to herself, during the very short lull in his speech. And it was true; there were no options for her to consider. She had been raised for one purpose and one purpose only, and her entire being had succumbed to it. There would be no other path she could take.

His next words, however, made her stop altogether. She was staying where? Why couldn't she stay with Oliver? (That wasn't so plausible, she knew, but still.) Of all people, it had to be the Minister. But it wasn't a question, and she could but nod despite wanting to argue.

The next part was a question, though, and for just a split second there she hesitated. Yes, she wanted to see him -- wanted him -- more than anything. But was that appropriate right now? She was still processing everything, still trying to sort it out. There was so much to say to her boyfriend -- the least of which was 'thank you, I love you' -- and she wasn't sure if any of it was appropriate to be said in her current context.

But her need to see him -- to hold him -- overrode her logic, and she nodded. "Yes. Yes please," she said, tone just verging on desperation.

Guest

Oliver had spent what felt like hours explaining to the Minister of Magic everything he knew about Serenity's situation within the Ministry. The people he knew to be involved, what happened when Serenity had a vision, or Saw a Prophecy. He explained how she'd been adopted. How the Ministry had been pulling her strings as if she was a puppet for as long as he'd known her. How he'd had to agree to look after her, and report to the Ministry just so that they could get time alone together without a House Elf interrupting... Well, Oliver had trailed off there, not wishing to embarrass Serenity, but he assumed the Minister would know.

The Minister hadn't said very much. Merely thanking Oliver, and asking him to go with a member of staff and wait. Oliver hadn't known what was going to happen, and as a man moved in to the room, Oliver had shrugged out of the man's grasp, and looked the Minister dead in the eye. "Please... don't hurt Serenity. None of this was her choice." Oliver had pleaded with the man, waiting a few moments, before turning and following the other man from the room, to another room. Being left on his own, Oliver had had only his own head for company.

And the hours had passed with excruciatingly slowness.

Time had the moment to play with his head. The silence ringing in his ears creating noises that weren't there. Serenity was going to be fine, he kept telling himself, but time was slowly wearing him down.

By the time someone came back for him, Oliver had curled up in the corner of the room, breathing carefully in and out to stop himself from becoming overly emotional. The sound of Serenity's name being spoken, someone telling him that she wished to see him, Oliver had gotten up without hesitation, shaking his head clear. If she wanted to see him, she was okay...

As Oliver came close to the Minister's office once more, the man in question was stepping out, moving to talk to his secretary in a hushed voice. "Don't let the boy in yet." The Minister's voice spoke softly, and Oliver stood by, waiting. Eyes on the door that kept Serenity from him. Just a few more steps...

Kamren Jennson's face appeared before him, and Oliver looked in to those eyes that seemed very easy to trust in that moment, even if Oliver was terrified as to whether the right outcome had presented itself to Serenity.

"Oliver," The Minister spoke, placing a hand on Oliver's shoulder, and giving it a small squeeze. "You know you've done the right thing today, it was very brave, to do what you did. Especially as I can see you did so without Miss Newman knowing."

Oliver simply nodded to show he understood, even if he didn't agree with the Minister in that moment.

"But, I need you to help me." The Minister continued, and Oliver couldn't help but frown in that moment. "Serenity doesn't think that she has any other choice than to work here, with us. With time... I need you to help me show her that she is not bound to the Ministry... do... you understand?"

Oliver's eyes watched the man for a moment, before nodding very slowly. "I understand, Minister. But... can I please see her now, I can't even begin to imagine what she's going through right now, and... well, I'd like to make sure she's okay." Oliver replied, watching the Minister step aside. It took all of his will power to walk calmly to the door, and open it, even more will power to not run to Serenity's side and envelope her in his arms.

No, instead he shut the door carefully, and moved to the seat Serenity had taken up, kneeling before her and taking her hands. "I'm sorry... for not telling you... I really am. But... I had to try to get you out of here." Oliver told the witch, a very small, apologetic smile on his lips as he looked up at his girlfriend.

Guest

The minister left her alone and her mind almost shut down from the overload of information. She would stay with the Minister. She wanted Oliver. She was free -- but what was freedom? Would she ever truly be free? No, she knew the answer to that. She would forever be a slave to the curse -- blessing, she reminded herself, as she had been told so many times -- she had been born with.

She heard muffled voices outside, but didn't try to pay attention to the words. Her senses were overloaded with what she'd just been told, a short meeting that would possibly change her life forever.

It was too much for her to handle and she blinked back a few tears. She wouldn't cry. She didn't cry; that was for weak people who couldn't control their emotions, and she was strong... Had to be strong... A quiet voice at the back of her mind told her that she was getting her chance to be a girl again; another, louder voice told her she'd already missed that chance. That she was fifteen and too old to be a child, and that she was a young lady and young ladies never allowed themselves to be girls.

She believed the louder one and the quiet voice died down till she could no longer hear it. What was the point of getting her hopes up, anyway?

But then the door was opening and she knew, instictively, that it was Oliver. Serenity did not turn, although she wanted to. She did not get up or run into his arms, although she wanted to. She did not even burst into tears, although she really wanted to. All she did was sit there and wait, trying to get her breathing under control, and hoped that Oliver would get to her sooner rather than later.

What meant to be a blink turned into a squeezing shut of her eyes as she felt the tears start to form as soon as she saw him before her, and she felt one seep out from the corner of her eye and make an agonising, itchy trail down her cheek. She did not move to wipe it. She opened her eyes.

Through the blurry vision of tears, she pushed herself off the chair and into his arms, pulling her hands out of his and throwing them around his neck; burrying her head into his shoulder, she let out a slow, controlled breath. Then, softly, for she new if she spoke any louder her voice would break, she said, "Thank you."

» The Horror of Pressure (Kamren & Serenity - TW: Depression, Self-Harm, Suicidal Thoughts)
» Getting to the Truth (Mimosa)
» All Will Be Well [Oliver]
» Hold Me Together [Oliver]
» Oliver Francis Goulding