*~Peace Shattered~*
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It had been a few weeks since Roselina arrived at the seaside manor. She found it to be rather relaxing there. The seabreeze was always blowing, giving the air a constant freshness to it. The scenery was always glorious; she could never get tired of staring out her window at the horizon, seeing the sky reflecting over an endless mirror of blue. The people living within were an odd sort, but friendly for the most part. She hadn't met all of the residents yet, but she was sure she would with more time. She was starting to like it here, moreso than her city life at home. She even began to think seriously about asking to live her permanently.
To Roselina, this place had become the haven she had needed. Here, she could forget her trivial worries and concentrate on what was most important. Though she never forgot her true purpose here, she realized that there were things in life that were far more signifigant. Here, she found time to read and walk the warm sandy beach, letting her mind wander to happier thoughts and imaginings. Even now, as she wandered through the hallways of this magnificent place, she felt completely at peace.
Months, it seemed, had gone by in peaceful bliss. Levi was very glad to have been found by this woman. She knew the meaning of annonimity. Within these walls, and the four walls of his room, he found peace and relief from his tumultuous past. No one bothered him or asked him questions about himself. No one here to remember who he used to be. Indeed, it seemed this was the fresh start he was looking for.
He felt truly relaxed. Within the confines of the kitchen, the quiet brought on musical musings. He had been in the midst of making some hot cocoa. While waiting for the water to boil, he found his mind playing tunes to itself. He didn't know why, but for some reason he found that he was thinking of swing music. Before he knew it, he went from simply humming the tune to actually singing it.
Please baby, let's get it right.
I don't think I can take it one more night.
I know I love you, I love you,
I love you as though the stars were mine.
So please, please baby, show me you are mine.
Levi somewhat danced as he prepared some Poptarts in the toaster. He was lost to the peacefulness of the quiet kitchen, forgetting his vow to himself concerning the silence of his muse. However, sometimes things just tend to slip through.
Roselinas ears perked up as she heard a soft, heavenly voice drifting down the hall. It came from the direction she had come from. Turning around, she followed the sound until she could clearly hear the words. It came from the kitchen. Unable to quell her curiosity, she peeked in the doorway. Her jaw nearly dropped to the floor when she saw who it was.
She rubbed her eyes a bit. Could it actually be? No, her eyes had to be playing tricks on her. She watched him closely, taking in all of his appearance. The tan skin, the sandy hair, the faint tattoos.....but most of all, those beautiful green eyes. Her heart raced, rising up into her throat as she gazed upon him. He was here.....he was really here...
"Levi?" Her soft voice inquired timidly as she stepped fully into the entrance to the kitchen.
Lost in his musical reverie, the panda was completely unaware of anything around him. He had even forgotten about his snack as he somewhat danced to the song in his head. He let himself belt out the tune in full, having forgotten how good it could feel to sing once more. Just as he came in for the last verse, his ears perked up to hear someone call his name. He tried to ignore it, but the tone.......the softness sounded so familiar....
He turned to the doorway and felt every ounce of color leave his face. His heart virtually stopped. Standing there in the doorway....was HER. It can't be.....it just can't be... He thought to himself as he stared at the beautiful mouse before him. Her curly chestnut hair, that creamy skin, the obsidian eyes.......those pearly black eyes that once held so many unshed tears....but how? She was dead! Yet there she was, standing before him.....his Roselina. Needless to say, he was at a loss for words.
"Levi Sullens?" She spoke louder this time, seeing him in full view before her, "It's you......it's really you!"
She couldn't help herself as she virtually leaped across the distance between them, standing closer to him now so that she could see his beautiful face. He was older.....but he was just as handsome as the pictures she had seen of him. Six years hadn't changed a thing about his perfect looks. Her stomach felt like it housed a thousand butterflies....she could barely contain her excitement.
"I've dreamed of meeting you....but I never thought that....Oh my god, I just can't believe that you're here! That you've been here in front of my face all this time! Oh wow, I have so many things to tell you, so many questions I need to ask..."
That dolcette voice rang loudly in his ears. It couldn't belong to any other. She was the perfect embodiment of his Roselina, right down to the.....uh.....age....yeah, age. That's right.
He jumped when she suddenly appeared right in front of him, gushing in that teenaged way he once was familiar with. So many girls he had known, all of them giggling like twits and gushing on and on out of nervousness. It was then that he realized something was....different. He barely had heard his Roselina speak, let alone leap out in front of someone and start spilling out words of idolism. She was never that bold....in fact, she was so quiet that he often forgot she was there. This girl was so daring and up-front as to start throwing words out at him. Even still.....being this close, he couldn't help but see that sad face upon her shoulders, looking at him from the sidelines.
"I...I'm sorry." He stammered out, backing himself away from her slowly. "I...uh....I think you have the wrong person."
Roselina narrowed her eyes at him oddly, her stumblings of words stopping as she heard him speak. She stepped up closer to him, feeling frustration rise.
"How? The hair, the eyes, the tattoos......you can't be anyone else." She spoke firmly, crossing her arms over her chest as she gave him a stern look. "And I have questions that only you can answer."
Levi had to turn away from her. Just looking at her, feeling her near.....the pain in his heart felt like a thousand hot daggers. Being this close, he could smell her....and she smelled exactly the same. He had to get away.
"I'm sorry. I can't help you." He dodged around her quickly and walked out of the kitchen as fast as he could, hoping she wouldn't follow.
Her eyes widened in disbelief as he dodged around her. Oh, he was not going to get away that easily. Not if she had anything to do with it.
"Hey! Come back here!" She called after him, following him in suit with quick footsteps. She wasn't going to let him avoid her....not when she had things that had to be settled.
He heard her call after him, not looking back as he picked up his quick walk to a run. He wanted to get to his room and fast.
He picked up to run....this only fueled her anger. She soon sped up to a sprint, giving chase after him as he made an attempt to dodge her around the corners of the halls. She was glad for her time on the track team at school. She quickly closed the distance and, when she was merely a few feet away, she launched herself in a great leap towards him, her arms latching around his waist. Once he was on the ground, she quickly turned him over so she could look at him directly, grabbing his necklace so she could pull his face up to hers.
"What the hell is wrong with you?! Why are you avoiding me like the plague? I have questions for you and you're answering them if I have to force you to!"
Levi hadn't even had a chance to look back when he was suddenly tackled down to the floor. It shocked him enough that he didn't even flinch when she rolled him over and began yelling right at his face. His bright green eyes blinked blankly, watching her scream....and then, she grabbed the necklace. He snapped then.
"Get the hell off of me!" He growled viciously, both hands pressed against her torso as he pushed with all the force he could muster. Once she was off of him, he lept to his feet, his eyes flaring with anger and hurt. After a moment, his gaze turned sorrowful, expressing the pain he felt within.
"I'm sorry.....but I just can't be near you. I'm not that person anymore.." He spoke barely above a whisper before he turned tail and ran into his room, locking the door behind him to prevent her from following.
The mouse yelped in shock when he both growled and then veridably threw her off of him. She hadn't expected such force to come from one that looked as slender as he did, but his strength was amazing. She hit the floor hard and skidded back a few feet, blinking in shock as he spoke before rushing into his room. She chose it best to not follow him this time.
She winced and rubbed her rear, the soreness stinging through her initial shock. Then, she noticed that her other hand was clutching something. She opened her fingers to reveal the silver cross that he had been wearing. She realized that she never let go of the necklace when he threw her, causing her to take it with her. She quickly examined it, noticing that the clasp was badly bent out of shape and some of the chain was broken. Guilt raged through her and she cursed herself aloud. It was bad enough that she lost her temper with him, but she had also nearly destroyed something he obviously held dear.
She brought up the curious necklace to get a closer look at it, her eyes roaming over the cross that dangled from it. She then noticed that there was something engraved upon it. Looking closer, she nearly dropped it when she saw what was etched upon the metal......Roselina. How was that possible? How could her name be on the cross that he wore? So many more questions filled her mind, driving her frustration to new heights.
Roselina sighed heavily and pushed herself up to her feet, deciding it was best to leave the questions for another time. For now, she concerned herself with the necklace and the damage delt to it. She had to find a way to repair it.
Within the confines of his four walls of solitude, Levi curled himself into a dark corner. He held his knees to his chest as hot tears streamed down his face, pooling on the floor beneath him.
"Oh Roselina.....why must you haunt me?"
