AU: Third installment, after a bajillion days. Sorry for the wait, and sorry for the sloppiness.

Do read and review, s'il vous plait! (I don't remember the combination for the 'i' with a hat.)

Enjoy!

Project Pygmalion
chapter three.

It is hard for someone like Rayelle, who has gone through so much trauma, to avoid remembering it. When you go through something that chills your body, that shakes you to your very core, you cannot forget the feeling.

You can conjure the feeling very easily too, and it's always haunting you, always in your shadow, ready to pounce when you expect it the least.

But it is equally hard for those around you, who have to watch you deteriorate.

"I am fine now, sister."

The chilled and calm voice irked Adrienne slightly. Her sister, who went through various panic attacks, especially around mirrors, was always a product of worry for her, however much she tried to seem confident and fine. This mask, this façade that her sister insisted on putting up, irked Adrienne, because she knew what was before this mask. Adrienne had known what Rayelle was like, behind the mask, and it angered her to know that she was a cause for the masks to be put up.

However much Rayelle tried to convince her sister of her status, it never worked.

"It is okay now, sister." Rayelle said once more, cold fingers grasping Adrienne's protective arm around her sister. "I am fine."

But Adrienne couldn't help but think that the words were spewed not to convince her, but to convince Rayelle herself.

After a few more exchanged words, Adrienne stood up in her stately way, and made her way out of the room.

"We're going to leave soon, so you'd better finish that stuff and eat before we go." Adrienne said with a slightly wavering voice.

"Will do." Rayelle's musical, whimsical voice replied. But the tone was always melancholy, always burdened with something.

Adrienne had no idea if Rayelle would ever be the way she was before any of it happened. Ever again.

Adrienne called for Margaret, telling her to make sure that her sister did not catch sight of her reflection at all. She requested, also, for Margaret to cover the mirror in the washroom with the drapery that had been present in the previous house.

Margaret nodded, and went back into the room. Rayelle seemed a little limp, like a broken doll, as she sat on her bed in her garments.

"Let's get you dressed, Rayelle." Margaret said, trying to give a cheery tone to brighten the atmosphere.

Rayelle's head tilted upwards, and stared. Suddenly, the dejected and sorrowful look on her face was replaced with a bright smile.

"Sure!"

But Margaret knew that the tone behind this voice was considerably fake. A mask, a façade put on to fool the rest of the world, with, of course, the exception of her sister and her parents, and the rest of the personal staff who had been with her since the beginning.

Margaret decided not to say anything, and helped Rayelle into her uniform, brushing her hair once more and sending her down the stairs to eat breakfast.

"Go on then," Margaret said, "or your breakfast will get cold!"

A small smile still rested on Rayelle's face, but her eyes and thoughts were somewhere else.

That girl was not the same as she was a few years ago. What could've broken her to so many pieces?

No, would these pieces ever be put back together?

October 27th.

It had been a month since the Bredoteau sisters had arrived, and Adrienne tried to resist the urge to stare at her sister and act like a mother hen.

Adrienne tried to calm herself by making a mental list.

There was a HRA Student Council meeting today, after school. And she had to ask the Grade Reps what they were planning on doing for Halloween... And of course, more finalizing of the Halloween Dance plans.

So much to do, but what else was there...?

Oh, and right. Adrienne put an imaginary star beside this note; to find Devon Beckett. Observe. Question. Perhaps befriend?

Well, it will all depend on who he is, of course.

It always depends.

"Ms Bredoteau, the answer please?" the teacher lowered her head slightly in a very clichéd fashion, peering over her glasses at the young girl.

Adrienne glanced at the question on the board. She knew very well what the answer was, simply by looking at the question. She wasn't the Student Council President for nothing.

But, instead of saying the answer and sounding a little bit snooty, she smiled.

"I'm sorry, Mrs Harper. I wasn't paying attention, my mind was on today's very busy schedule." Adrienne was perfectly diplomatic, and it was obviously an answer that the teacher was not accustomed at all to hearing. Adrienne thought differently than most students, the school board had remarked.

Mrs Harper, not quite knowing what to do, nodded hesitantly.

"Please do not let it happen again."

Harper continued on with the class, but ten minutes later, the bell rung. The students gathered their things speedily. It was third period, and she had lunch. She decided that since she had time, she would find this Devon Beckett character and see what he's like.

But as she took slightly heavy steps towards her locker, Adrienne couldn't help but understand the real hassle of the given task. Find this boy? And talk to him? And convince him to do something he obviously and apparently refuses to do?

With every step towards the office, the task seeemed harder and harder. But Adrienne had agreed to do something, and when she set her mind on a specific task, she was never one to withdraw from it.

Even if it meant wasting a few lunches over a mere boy.

If only Ares was here to help.

Devon was in the Art Wing again, but this time, he had been trying to work on something other than a portrait of the Bredoteau sister. He was now painting aimlessly, sans direction, trying to get his mind off of her, though the image and created portrait still laid in the back of his mind, ready to pounce back into action when he felt like it.

When Devon was wandering aimlessly in his head and letting his hands act impulsively, he joked with himself and called it is Artist's Daze. A state in which, if anyone bothered him, they were promptly glared at icily, and usually ran away, spluttering and stuttering.

It had happened a few times before, and Devon liked to believe that word had gotten out to other pesky people who dared to annoy him as he drew or wrote.

But we all know that when you wish for something not to happen, it usually does. As if on cue, someone tapped Devon on the shoulder, mid-stroke. He whirled around, paintbrush in his hand and ready to strike, but was surprised to meet the gaze of Adrienne Bredoteau.

Her face was absolutely blank. Her eyes captured his immediately, and it seemed as if he was a story or a book of some sort, and she was reading every single word so easily. Devon realized that this girl was much more than he had thought; her aura was powerful and she seemed to command a strong presence. She was able to understand things very easily, and most of all, she was empathetic. As she stared into his eyes, he knew immediately not to lie and not to mess with this girl.

Biting his lip but not able to look away, he was a little bit intimidated by this girl, who was just about his stature and height, though he was tall for his generation and age.

After a few moments, a bright smile dawned on her face.

"Hello!" she said. Her voice reminded Devon of a clarinet. It could be commanding and powerful if she controlled it the right way, but more or less, it was a medium ranged tone that was soft and tranquil but bright anyway. Her voice was just like that. It was not high, but not low either, and it was vivacious as well. "My name is Adrienne Bredoteau, but I hope you already know that."

This girl never looked away from his eyes. She was obviously unafraid of staring right into people's souls, or telling the truth straight up. Devon admired that.

"You have caused quite an uproar." Devon smiled, trying to keep himself calm. "My name's Devon. Devon Beckett."

That was clichéd, Devon thought to himself. That first name, then repeat first name and last name type of thing. He mentally scolded himself, but then told himself to pay attention.

He watched her reactions very carefully. Somehow, she didn't seem very surprised. As if she had already known his name...

That was it. She had already known his name. There was definitely something behind this visit to the Art Wing. There was something behind those eyes, but Devon was quite an opposite of Adrienne. He could never tell what someone was thinking, sometimes even when it was dead obvious. For Adrienne, he'd had absolutely no clue whatsoever.

"I know. Listen," Ahh, so she did already know. Devon mentally hit himself in the head. Of course she wouldn't hide it, "the girls at this school are pretty catty, and they're slightly annoyed with you."

Devon cocked his head to the side, but just slightly. That was an odd thing to hear. How could he have irked them? It's not as if he'd ever done anything to any of the girls that would cause some sort of grudge against him.

Right?

Adrienne seemed to sense this thought, and laughed good naturedly. "No, no. It's what you didn't do. They're a little bitter because, well, they adore their lovey dovey school atmosphere, and it makes them unhappy that you're still single."

"But there are other people who are still single." he said pointedly.

"But they don't want to be. Well, for the most part." Adrienne smiled once again. "I don't really ask that much. On their whims, I have come to ask you to find a girlfriend, or lessen the focus on the studies and try to have more of a social atmosphere. Who knows, maybe that special someone is somewhere here in this school."

Yet again, many things dawned on Devon once again. He was talking to Adrienne Bredoteau, the sister of that girl he had seen. It was the perfect chance. But so many horrible case scenarios began to pop into Devon's head. What if it had been someone else? No, it can't be. What if... what if Adrienne refused to tell him? And he'd never find out his muse? Or she got mad at him for even asking, and started a rebellion against him?

Adrienne, who sensed this sort of impending danger, added to it her explanation.

"Hey, there's no rush, dude." In comparison to the other people at their school, Adrienne was a pretty contradictory leader. Though she was very active and motivative, she was, at the same time, relaxed and calm. "Take your time, but I'll be back in a week to check. Those girls really want you to be with someone. Just like mother hens, aren't they?"

The rest of the conversation consisted of the farewells and goodbyes, and the find-me-if-you-need-me's.

And then, she was gone, and Devon felt the need to draw that other girl once again.

"She has a slightly shorter face than her sister... but their eyes are the same shape. Colour... colour was definitely different..." Devon muttered to himself as he uncovered one of his paintings, immediately going back to work.

At the end, when he could no longer do anything more, but was still unsatisfied with the finished product, he covered it once again.

The bell for the next period rung, and Devon lazily got his things and walked to class.

Another day, another class, another desperate search for that girl.

When would it end?

Adrienne was ever so vexed.

The girls were nipping at her heels at all hours of all days of all weeks in all of the months. She was beginning to think that there was no end, and that she would have to somehow beat Devon into doing something. But no, he never seemed to do anything. Whenever she passed by him in the halls, he was gloomy and depressed, he was floating about like a ghost. Sure, his gaze whipped around the halls, as if he was looking for someone, but somehow, it became more and more repelling as the year went on. Was he crazy or something?

He had most of the girls at his feet! Well, that was an exaggeration, but he did have quite a selection. Why wasn't he doing anything?

She had begun waving at him in halls, stopping to talk to him, but he barrelled on, trying not to be affected by her.

Two weeks later, the girls were beginning to get irked. They were tired of having fantasies of what it would be like to date Devon, and were ready to just jump him or drug him. Adrienne had to do something, and fast.

"I just don't know what to do, Ares! Ugh. Those girls are just so obsessed with him, it's quite disgusting."

"Oh, Adrienne, you are quite judgemental, aren't you?" he laughed.

Ares York's father was actually the owner (and keep in mind that that does not mean he's the headmaster) of the school. Ares had chosen not to be at the school for this reason, but began to find it a hassle that his girlfriend was there, and that it was so convenient but he didn't go.

Ares was quite the ladies man. Not only was he graced with devilishly good looks (black hair and dark midnight blue eyes), but he was a nice person and intelligent as well. He enjoyed alternative rock music, love football but not American football, and had lived in Bath, England for a good part of his life. (Enough to acquire an English accent.)

When he moved, he met Adrienne, and the two of them hit it off immediately. At first, they were attacked by the school students, since Adrienne was prone to protecting people and causing fights with rivalling schools, but soon enough, the rest of them grew to respect the two of them, as two people and as one couple.

It was hard for the two of them, being separated, but they kept in touch all the time.

And now, it would be even easier.

"What are you doing right now, Ade?" Ares said.

"Just in the front courtyard. I wish you were here, Ares." Adrienne sighed.

In truth, Ares had just gotten off of his motorcycle when Adrienne called him. He had something planned.

"Oh my God." Ares said suddenly into the phone.

"What?!" Adrienne yelped, surprised.

"I think I see the most beautiful girl ever. In the history of all time and all after." he said.

"What--why are you telling me that?! Is that any way to treat your girlfriend?" he knew that Adrienne was joking, but at the same time, he knew of that slight trace of jealousy.

"I can't help it, Ade. She's stunning, I think I've stopped breathing..." he deliberately made his voice fade away.

"Pft, where are you, mister? Seducing ladies in the night or something?"

"No, I'm just watching this beautiful girl."

"Stalker much?"

"She's just so captivating. Black hair, as dark as night, ending silkily at her shoulders. Bangs, straight and evenly cut. She's kind of pale, but her skin is still flushed somehow. She looks a little angry, and his tapping the bench impatiently with her right hand, and now, a look of realization dawns on her face... she sits up straighter, and--"

"Oh my God, is that you?!"

Adrienne shut her phone and stood up immediately, and saw someone advancing towards her shut his phone as well.

"Ares?" she whispered, but it was loud enough for him to hear.

"The one and only." Ares smirked.

And then, Adrienne proceeded to squeal so loud that the whole school heard, as she ran and tackled him to the ground.

"What are you doing here?!" All shred of sanity and calmness had flown away from Adrienne, and she was practically blinded by happiness. His arms slipped around her waist with ease, and hers around his neck.

"Guess."

"You're just so in love with me and have missed me so much that you've decided to transfer to this school to be with me?" she answered sarcastically.

"Bingo!" he said.

"... really?! Aw, you little sapster!" she said, slugging him in the arm.

Ares chuckled. He was glad that she was his girlfriend, although he'd gone through a lot for them to be together. Don't get them wrong, it wasn't a Romeo and Julie type of situation, no. In fact, their parents had encouraged their being together, but Adrienne, being a stubborn one, was set on having him prove himself first. Through a set of trials (eerily similar to Atalanta and Meleager), eventually, the two of them fell for each other pretty hard. Finally, when they got together, Rayelle even had the audacity to throw a congratulations and finally-you-guys-got-together party.

But that was... that was before everything went wrong. In fact, that was where everything came wrong.

Adrienne's smile faded and Ares remarked this. He knew what she was thinking about; he knew that she was worrying about her sister, and to be truthful, though it could be a tad annoying sometimes, he knew that she had a right to do so. He was as well; the girl had been mentally scarred so deeply that she was shoved into a shell that only she could come out of when the time was right. At that point, Ares and Adrienne doubted and wondered if she would ever come out.

He put a hand on her shoulder knowingly. "It'll be fine."

But Ares was convincing himself at the same time, or trying to. Across the school, in a hidden courtyard, Rayelle sat beneath a tree, nibbling at her sandwich and wondering...

Rayelle recollected her memories of her small time at HRA. Most prominently, when her sister and her had entered, she remembered distinctly the boy who had caught sight of her ugly face and had run away. Remembering this, her face became hot and she folded her knees up to her chest, hugging them and hiding behind it. Her uniform was slightly untidy, but she couldn't be bothered.

Why did this happen? How did she let this happen? It had been purely well-intentioned--when did everything start going wrong?

She unconsciously began to think about the things, no, the thing that had caused her so much pain. The party. Her sister and Ares, finally being together. Closing her eyes, everything was played back as if it was happening in real time...

Ares and Adrienne were sitting on the green couch, his arm was draped around her shoulder and she was smiling so genuinely that she seemed to be shining. A few people were sitting around, laughing, making jokes, making toasts, eating snacks. The parents were out, as they were. Rayelle was thirteen. Everyone was acting so much older than they were, and somehow, someone got into the alcohol.

Rayelle was wary of this. Not wanting her sister to do anything but enjoy the night, she took it upon herself to put it away before real damage could be done. She was the kind of little sister that seemed like a big sister. The blasting music was loud, pounding, she could feel it on her heart.

Suddenly, someone staggered into the room. She remembered the face so clearly; it was an uninvited guest. He had been obsessive with her sister, and was obviously smashed from the way he walked and acted as he approached Rayelle. Genuinely scared, she gripped the bottle in her hand, tried to stand more erect, tried to seem more confident than she actually was. The face was menacing, the whole stature was like Godzilla, towering over and dominating. The boy, no, the man was bulky, easily overpowering her without even touching her. Rayelle shook, and she willed herself to stop, but too late. He saw. He smirked and grinned like a maniac, advancing towards her more quickly now.

Rayelle had no time to scream. The bottle slipped through her fingers, her palms felt sweaty, the way you feel after gripping something for a prolonged period of time. It fell to the floor, shattering, and that sound alone seemed to make everything go quiet... so quite...

The crack of footsteps on the dried and fallen autumn leaves brought her back to her senses quickly. Wiping her eyes as quickly as she could, Rayelle jumped up from her spot, grabbing whatever she could and fleeing in the opposite direction of the footsteps. She heard, vaguely, a voice calling, but she ignored it, surging forward.

She didn't want anyone to see how ugly and cowardly she was. She didn't want anyone to see how sinful and horrible she was. She just wanted to hide away and never be seen again.

R&R. please, please review or message me and tell me what you think! any sort of criticism or comments are greatly appreciated!

-chewyyy.