It had all started two years ago.

Two years ago, when Serenade Soriano was first met Alistair McGill and had an instant connection with him. It was rather like the time when she had been drawn to Coralie without knowing why, now that she thought about it. The curiosity as to why they seemed to be able to bond despite their age differences was revealed when they were both awakened. And even though this happened, they kept things quiet, their relationship a secret.

But even secrets could somehow leak, and rumors spread when some Crystal girls noticed that Serenade liked hanging out with him. At first, it was dismissed as a brother-sister sort of relationship, like most people would see them as. But rumors were cruel, and Crystal girls could be cruel.

"It's not as if he's her real brother."

"Pshaw, they're not even related or anything!"

"And you know, she doesn't really have any friends around Crystal."

"So she was desperate?"

"Hah, I wonder what he even saw in her. Just because she's cute and innocent-looking?"

"Oh please, she's totally leading him on. Using him in exchange for you know..."

"Ooooooh, you think so?"


And it wasn't as if she never heard them.

Of course she did.

They deliberately increased the volume of their whispers as she walked past and even though Serenade pretended not to hear, expression blank...

It still hurt. It was cruel and wrong, but Serenade never told Ally. Never shown any signs of it bothering her at all, just chose to focus on other things. It was like they said, right? Sticks and stones breaking bones, but words not hurting?

Of course, she had learned then, that heartbreak was the worst pain. Even worse than dying, and she could affirm this, having died before. Having to deal with the pain of losses dealt so severely, over and over again, killed her inside every time she tried to cope with it.

But he was gone and the rumors faded. She didn't know what was best, having the mean girls mock her but still have him or not have anything at all.

Still, it eventually all came back, although it was for unexpected reasons.

Bo had a hobby of visiting her, which Serenade welcomed, not knowing that this would open up that door of hurtful words once again. She didn't understand it; it wasn't as if she was really dating Bo, but the girls could find some way to work it in.

"Another Sovereign Heights student?"

"Yeah, he's definitely older than her too, like the other was before? What was it, four... no, five years?"

"Pshaw, she has such a thing for older men!"

"I know, right? Her taste is sooooo predictable!"

"He's totally that sort of oblivious cheery dude to be taken in by her scam."


This time, she was more worried because Bo was involved in it, and Bo wasn't like Ally, even though they pointed out similarities. Once again, she seemed to remain oblivious and impenetrable, but it was twisting her heart because it reminded her of when she had him. Except now, she hadn't.

She still didn't know how to talk about it. She struggled with it, losing herself as she sat alone in her room. Once she had brought up casually about Crystal girls being mean with Eve, and her Handmaiden had easily brushed it off.

"There are always people like that everywhere! Trust me, they like to feed on anything for gossip. And I mean anything! I swear, they probably had a rumor floating around the hallways about me and Rea because we got close pretty fast, y'know? And I've heard some before that are so far-fetched and there were some scandals that could make your toes curl! ... why? Have they been talking about you?"

The babble had eventually switched to concern as per how the blond usually went, but Serenade decided to shake her head with a smile. They all believed she was fine and unaffected by such things, so why cause them more concern? It was easy to trick them, because they all thought that she was perfect. And when there was no smoke, there wouldn't be any fire.

But she was human, and she had imperfections. And those imperfections were cracks that let smoke through, which only some could spot and hone in on.

She didn't want to tell Bo to stop visiting either. It was pleasant to have his cheerful presence around and she knew that if she let no one in her room, they would all eventually knock down her door in panic.

She did what she always did, the blank mask sliding over her face, her brain resolutely and sternly telling her heart not to bother. Every time she walked past them, every time they grinned, the smirk curling up at the corners of their mouths, every time they giggled...

It shouldn't bother her. She thought. It didn't bother her. She told herself, even as a small part of her twisted on the inside. There were more things to worry about than normal high school problems. It wasn't right, when she had other probing, more important things that held her concern.

But even when it wasn't right, it would still worm her way into her heart.

Serenade Soriano was only human, with cracks of imperfection.