T h e • O u t s i d e

Cassandra: Tears are starting to fall down my face and I try to cover it with my hands. It's no use. One of them gently pulls my hand away and then looks at my sister. "Are they sick?" he asks as he touches a tear on my sister's cheek. "No, I don't think so," says the other. They both look at me and I look away. "Go away," I say in a small voice. One of them grins. "Not until you admit it!"

Ambrosia - I stare at her. Waiting to see what she would do.

Cassandra: When I don't answer right away, Khonsu turns to Helios and smiles. "What's this? It seems as though she doesn't want to believe." "That is unfortunate." "Quite a shame." "But do you remember something?" "Of course I remember that something. That something is one I happen to remember well." Suddenly, they lean down and kiss me on either cheek. I feel the blood rush to my face as they stand back and laugh. "Look, it still works!" "Yep, it still does! Maybe she hasn't be really kissed yet?" "Of course she hasn't been really kissed yet, otherwise it wouldn't matter." "Hey, Cassandra," theu both say. "Wanna make out?" I blush even harder and rub my sleeves I've my cheeks, flustered. "How-how can you even see them, Ambrosia?" They stick out their tongues. "Hm? She's still talking about us like we're not here..." I look at them and frown. "Well it doesn't help that I remember what pervs you two are!"

Ambrosia - I smile. "They started talking to me after you left," I shrug, "I'm second best."

Cassandra: I frown again and start picking up my clothes. "Well, real or not, I can't be doing this," I say. "I won't be sent to some asylum again because people think something's wrong with me."

Ambrosia - I frown again. "You're not the same Cass," I tell her. I look at the guys.

"True," they both say. "Your hair is shorter and you're ruder." I turn around and do something I haven't done in a long time: smirk. "Well you two should talk abou being rude. I mean, do you want to explain to me why you two were throwing my clothes at eachother?" "Because your clothes are boring and we hoped to spice them up." I sigh and run my fingers through my hair. "Look, Ambrosia..." I say. "I don't think I should hold onto this. I mean..." I bite my lip. "I'd love to run through the forest of broken things again, dance with the cannibals and fight mermaids. But..." I feel my heart drop as I let the words out. "Sometimes you just have to grow up."

Ambrosia - "You told me once that I never had to grow up," I let more tears fall.

Cassandra: I clutch the fabric in my hands and look down.'"Well, I was wrong. That was before I knew what I know now."

Ambrosia - "When you were smarter," I scoff.

Cassandra: "You can say that now!" I say, tears in my eyes. "No one knows about this yet, no ine's started throwing things at you or calling me crazy. When most people got to learn how to drive and have their first kiss, I got sent to an asylum. I missed you growing up, I missed what was supposed to be the happiest time in my life...I missed living itself. And now, I have to return to this hell hole, relive every horrible thing I've gone through, because Mrs. Devou is the only one who would hire me to take care of little
kids. I'm saying thus because I don't want you to be like this!"

Ambrosia - I sigh, "I'm missing life right now, and I will until the day I turn 18, because this place is hell, like you said, so, aslyum or here, it's the same."

Cassandra: "Ambrosia..." I say softly when I feel two heads on top of mine. "Yea, but if this is hell, I think we're the best demons you'll ever meet." They start grinning and I can't help it- I start laughing. Tears are running down my face, and yet I laugh as though it's the funniest thing in the world.

Ambrosia - I laugh, "Of course you two," I smile at them. "You know you've gotten me to fall for both of your charms." I tease.

Cassandra: As I start to stop, I smile at them. "Look, if you all get me sent away again, I'm blaming all of you," I say softly. "So promise to write me every now and then."

Ambrosia - "You act like I'm not smart enough to not get caught," I say to her.

Cassandra: I laugh and pull her into a hug. "Yea," I say. "Guess I shouldn't underestimate you. Won't make that mistake again."

Ambrosia - I hug her back, "Better not." I smile.

"Aw, how cute," says Khonsu. "Yes, very cute. But you know what'd be more interesting, brother?" "If they got into a fight!" "Yes! Let's go see if we can steal weapons!" "Yea!" I turn around and put my hands on my hips."Hey," Isay. "Before we do anything, you two owe me something." I hold out my bags and wait. They look at eachother and grin. "Your marbles?" "Of course. That's obviously what's been lost all these years. I'd just lost my marbles. So, fork them over."

Ambrosia - "Plus, I'm not fighting with her, yet," I smirk.

Cassandra: "Exactly. Because Cassandra of the Cannibals would definately be owning this girl," I smirk back. Khonsu and Helios drop a bag into my hands and I look inside. "And you didn't gamble away any? You guys are better than I thought!"

Ambrosia - "Don't let them lie, I had to stop them more than three times." I smirk.

"Aw, Ambrosia! You said you wouldn't tell!" they both whine and I smile. "Wait, Ambrosia?" I ask. "Does anyone else know about this? About the Outside?"

Ambrosia - I shake my head, "No, no one does," I say.

Cassandra: I look down at the marbles and think. There had been one other kid that could see the Outsiders, a skinny kid named Orian that had been here when I'd left... "I know that you were little, but do you know what happened to the kid we use to play with? Orion, very skinny, curly brown hair, very shy?"