AN: This story will deal with suicide attempts and several sexual situations, you have been warned. This story is nearly finished so I thought the timing was perfect to post it. The main plot really takes place in the next chapter, please give it a chance and let me know what you think.

Summary: Julienne floats through life quietly hoping to be ignored. Michael torments her every chance he sets. When their mothers become friends and he's suddenly in her house all the time Julienne doesn't cope very well. Michael decides to use a different tactic to get the normally silent girl to speak. He never expected it'd open up an attraction he never deemed possible.

Sanity Siphoned

Chapter 1

Julienne was happy for her mother when she landed the job she wanted last month, she was happy again for her when she became good friends with one of her co-workers. She wasn't happy when she found out that co-worker was the mother of Michael Gregory and they were coming over for dinner that week.

The thought of having him in her home scared her right to her core. It wasn't an overly dramatic reaction, oh no, he terrified her and she had good reason for it.

He had been bullying her for the last two years, since the first day she stepped foot into that high school. When it came to bullying she could deal with the teasing, whispers behind her back, and the occasional prank, she had been dealing with it most of her life. Except Michael took it to a whole new level. He was blunt with his dislike for her. And why did he dislike her? Simply because she was different. She was the girl that liked to blend in and hope no one noticed her. He made sure she didn't get her wish every moment of every weekday.

He spread vile rumors, laughed in her face and more times then not made sure she felt his dislike physically on top of mentally when he'd not too kindly bump into her or stuck his foot out to make sure she fell flat on her face.

She hated him but she hated herself more. She hated that she couldn't stand up for herself, that she was a terrified little girl who didn't know how to stand up on her own.

Her mother tried to help over the years but Julienne Teller was a lost cause after all and a coward. She couldn't even muster up enough strength to tell her own mother about Michael and how it'd kill her to spend an evening with him. She was an only child and from she knew so was he, at dinner they'd be expected to entertain each other.

She cried for hours when the dreaded night finally arrived. She continued to cry as she put on the dress her mother beg she wear. She wanted to make a good impression on Patricia Gregory and her family.

Julienne combed her normally unkempt, long, black hair and refused to do anything more. It was her curtain to hide behind and it was a lifeline she couldn't give up. Her legs were actually in pain with every step she took away from her room and into the hell awaiting.

"Julie, come on." Her mother motioned with her hand for her to hurry as the doorbell rang for a second time. "Have you been crying?"

She stared blankly at her mother and said nothing; she never said anything during incredibly tense moments. It was normal for her to go days without speaking. Knowing this, her mother continued to usher her to the door. "Hi!" she greeted the Gregory's with her biggest smile. "Come in, come in."

Before Julienne took refuge in staring at the carpeted floor she noticed the look of pure disgust that over took Michael's face. He must've not realized where his parents were dragging him off to that night.

Her mother continued completely oblivious, she worked well like that. "This is my daughter Julienne, sweetie this is Patricia."

Julienne forced her grey eyes up and smiled unsteadily at the woman as she shook her hand. The older woman's expression turned into what looked like pity but she said nothing on the subject and went on to introduce her husband and son. She boasted about how well Michael did in school and how he was on the soccer team.

Hearing how she gushed about him made Julienne want to cry again. Yeah he was the perfect junior student, sure he was, she thought bitterly while wishing she could take all the anger bubbling in her chest and use it to tarnish Michael's perfect exterior.

The parents went into the kitchen where dinner was still being cooked while the 'children' stayed in the living room. Julienne never prayed harder for the world to open up and end her misery.

"This was a surprise." Michael commented while she kept her eyes down on the carpet. "Not a pleasant one though. The last place I ever wanted to step foot was in your place. It's nicer then I thought, the way you carry your self I thought you lived in some rat hole."

Julienne said nothing and waited for his offensive observations to worsen.

"What's with the dress?" at the mention of it she tightened her sweater tighter around her chest. "Your mom forced you into it." he stated. "She must really want to impress my folks. Geezus you don't even speak in your own home? You are a bigger freak then I thought and trust me that shouldn't even be possible." He walked up to her and bent to see her eyes, when he couldn't he used his hand to tilt her chin up.

Julienne stepped back. She never replied to his endless remarks but when he touched her she reacted. That was something she didn't take easily.

"Ah she springs to life. Sometimes I wonder if you like when I touch you since it's the only time you respond, but I have to tell you the thought of having sex with you is the most disgusting thing I could imagine. I think I'd rather go gay." He chuckled at his own humorless jokes. "This would be so much more fun if you fucking actually spoke."

Julienne swallowed hard and winced at the screaming inside her head. She wanted him to leave her alone; she wanted to yell at him that she wasn't there to be his plaything.

He reached for her again, this time by the shoulders. "I know you're not a mute, I've heard you talk in class when the teachers force you to." His strong grip tightened until he got what he wanted.

"Let go." She whispered.

Her pain and small broken voice brought a smile to his face. "Now was that so hard?"

The doorbell rung again and he let her go. Confusion filled her mind, who was at the door now? Her mother and Mrs. Gregory came out of the room. "Oh that's my other son Shane, I told him to meet us here on after class." Patricia clarified.

Michael wasn't an only child after all. Julienne didn't move from her spot near the back of the living room and watched while the new guest was welcomed. Shane was a taller, older version of his brother; short brown hair and cool blue eyes. He smiled politely at her mother as they were introduced and next she introduced Julienne. Shane was nice enough about it but like his brother he was probably good at putting on the perfect lie.

Much to her chagrin she was left alone with the both of them.

"Is she ok?" Shane asked his brother.

"Remember I told you about her? She's a total basket case, just ignore her."

"Dude, she's standing right there and you're in her house." He slapped him upside the head. "Mom taught you better then that." The room fell into an even more awkward silence. "Um, Julienne right?"

"She won't answer you." Michael said smugly while falling into one of the sofas.

"I'm going to pound on you, shut up." He warned his brother before walking over to where she stood; far away from them.

Her mental stability was on overload, she was ready to lose it at any moment. Without a firm grasp on her fear and the need to prove Michael wrong she looked at Shane. "What?"

"Whoa." Michael jumped from his seat and ran over to the other side of the living room. "That's a record, how'd you do that?" he asked his brother. "Maybe she likes you; I've heard she'd give it up pretty quick."

Julienne's body started to shake with rage. Those remarks bothered her the most. She was a virgin who had never even been kissed but because of Michael and his lies she had the reputation of a slut willing to do whatever whenever.

She couldn't take anymore; it was either walk away or break down crying in front of the enemy. With the Gregory brothers focused on each other she made her escape into the kitchen.

"Julie," her mother beamed. "I was just about to call you. Make the salad while we go get the dinning room ready."

She nodded and watched the retreating adults before embarking on her task. Making a salad was pretty simple, she had done it a hundred times but this salad would forever be different.

It started off like all the others; she went into the fridge and pulled out all the supplies. She cut the lettuce and tomato with ease. When she reached the onion things changed. She held it in her left hand while cutting slivers with her right hand. This time she cut herself. The onion fell from her hand but the knife remained.

Her red blood dripped into the pretty green lettuce. Her eyes became transfixed on the macabre of it all. Mindlessly she dragged the blade farther into her hand.

"Holy shit!" it was Michael who yelled. She barely heard from through her daze, it was as if he was somewhere very far away.

Someone grabbed her wrist and took the knife away, everything grew more hectic after that as her mother came rushing into the kitchen.

-

Isabelle A.