The Glass Wall

Author: anja

Rated: PG

Chapter 1

The steam from the shower caressed my skin as I turned the water off. I hated getting out, but it was late and I needed to get some sleep. I grabbed the towel and patted myself dry, then quickly slipped into a T-shirt and pyjama bottoms. After I had hung up the damp towel and grabbed a brush, I turned the light off and quietly padded into my room. The hardwood floors gave off almost no sound as I slipped through the door and closed it behind me.

I sat down on my bed and let my hair tumble out of the hair clip I had it in when I was showering, and started to brush my hair out, The ends curled as the bristles of the brush left them.

It was 9:37 p.m. I could hear the frogs croaking like mad in the moonless, starless night. The sound was almost deafening. A small bedside lamp lit the room with a dim yellow glow that was almost invisible to the outside world.

I ran my fingers through the untangled strands, still clutching the brush in my other hand. I couldn't help but sigh as I though about my day. I was having a hard time keeping up with all my homework, and I was having a rough time with my boyfriend. Sure, we didn't fight or anything like that, but there was a tension in the air that was unsettling at times. He was sweet, but it seemed like there was a growing distance between us. I didn't know how to fix things, and I didn't know if I had time to do so. I wished there was an easy solution.

I shook my head as I looked up, trying to banish the thoughts from my head for the time being.

That's when I saw --her-- sitting there, a deceitful smile playing on her lips. The bush dropped from my hand, landing soundlessly on the blanket pooled around my feet. "What are you doing here?" I whispered urgently.

Her grin broadened. "You seem surprised to see me. Almost...upset?" Her voice was like liquid honey, dripping with a deadly venom from her lips.

I felt the hairs on the back of my neck prickle up. "Keep it down, my mom's asleep in the next room," I whispered again, my heart racing in my chest.

She had a bored look on her face as she glanced to the door with me. "Don't worry. She won't hear me. She's sound asleep, remember?" We looked back at each other. I was finally recovering from my shock and that's when my memories started to flood back. Where had they been before?

"You shouldn't be here," I said, my voice betraying the anger I was beginning to feel. How dare she come back after what she had done to my previous boyfriend?

A sarcastic look of hurt filtered across her face. "Why, I'm surprised at you! You almost don't seem happy to see me, you poor dear." She smiled again. "Don't worry, sweetheart, I'll be out of your hair in no time."

I clutched the bed sheets I was sitting on. "No. You will leave now! You're not welcome," I growled as more memories flooded back, memories of hurt and deceit.

"Now, now," she said slyly, "that's no way to speak to a guest."

I glared at her. "You are no guest of mine," I snapped.

She glared right back. "Watch it, darling, you are the one who invited me, so don't blame me for my presence." I stopped glaring and she calmed down as well. "See? That's better. No use scrunching up your lovely face like that, now is there?"

I could feel my cheeks burning with both anger and embarrassment. " I didn't invite you, not this time or the last time. You came on your own." I swung my hand through the air in a gesture of annoyance.

She waved her hand dramatically. "Sweetheart, your mind and heart called out to me so I came. I knew you would need me and here I am." She looked directly at me.

"I don't need you. I'm doing just fine by myself. I don't need your 'help'." No, I didn't need it, not again...

"That's what you said last time at first, although I must admit you were much more polite about it," she said playfully.

"That's because I didn't know what you were all about," I snarled, not knowing how to get rid of her. "You destroyed too much last time. You can't possibly be here on good terms now."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk my dear. Have you forgotten the favor I did for you? What a pity." She shook her head, but the smile remained on her lips.

"That's a lie," I hissed. "You did me no favors. What do you want now? Why are you here?" I shook my head in disgust at the wickedness in her face.

"Calm down, luv. I have come to help you with your problems"

"What problems? I have none."

She stared at me with an icy glare. "Don't try to deceive me, my dear. I know every tear you've shed onto your pillow and the hours you've spent in confusion and self pity. You can't hide that from me."

I looked down at my hands. She was right. "I don't want your help," I murmured.

She smiled. "Oh come now, dearie, it's not so bad. I will only do what I did last time and be on my merry way to--"

"No!" I exclaimed as I shot up, cutting her off. "Not him! You can't hurt him! I won't let you do this to me again!"

She stood up calmly to be at eye level with me. "You have no choice," she whispered.

I shook my head. "No, I do have a choice. Last time I was too naive, but not now. I love him and you can't take him away from me."

"Isn't that exactly what you said last time?" she asked.

"It's different this time and you know it!" I responded.

She looked at me with fake sympathy. "This will be for your own good, dear. You know you have to let him go, but you don't have the strength to do it. That," she gave a triumphant smile, "is why I'm here."

I dropped back down onto my bed. "No," I whispered as my gaze dropped down to my hands.

She sat down too. "Oh yes, darling. Don't worry though, luv, you won't remember any of this again."

As she said that, I looked up at her. "I'll warn him before, I'll tell him everything! You can't stop me from doing that."

She laughed, an eerie, menacing laugh that sent shivers down my spine. "Do you really think it's that simple? You only think so because I let you believe you were still in control last time." I gave her a puzzled look, and then understood. "Besides, if you did warn him, do you really think he would believe you?"

"Of course he would!" I snapped.

"He would think you're crazy!"

"No, he wouldn't! H-he . . . he . . . "

She cut me off. "Yes, he would! Just look at who you're talking to!"

Suddenly there was pure silence. It seemed as everything came to a standstill; the frogs outside, the entire earth, even time. Her face was motionless as I stared, not daring to move. Slowly I raised my hand. I could hear laughter in my mind as I touched the smooth glass of the mirror.

'I win,' was all she said.