Mr. and Mrs. Vayne had tried for years to have children, but without success. One day, the local hospital called them as they had signed up for foster care. A baby had been left in the hospital safe harbor box and needed a family. The baby girl was dropped off with nothing but an unsigned note that read: “Please take care of Alyxia, she needs more than I can provide.” The baby was no more than a few weeks old. Even early on, the Vayens knew that Alyxia was going to be someone special, with her striking, overemphasized, wide-set violet eyes, classified as a rare case of extreme Hypertelorism.
Alyx grew up in a home where she had everything she needed, and when she wanted something extra, her parents taught her to save for it or find creative solutions. From an early age, she was enrolled in gymnastics or martial arts and became good at whatever she tried. But when Alyx started to realize that her looks started to effect the people around her, she got used to the stares she got because of her looks; most were out of fascination, some were in disgust, as she got older she had to deal with an infatuation from someone who had just fallen in-love with her; although her sharp tongue usually helped her out. Later, when Alyx entered high school for more specialized classes, she occasionally crossed paths with Stacy, but by then, too much time had passed. The gap between them only widened, and they had become little more than strangers. Alyx's features made her look more exotic, and jealousy was all the more prevalent. Alyxia had a couple of acquaintances, but honestly, Alyx's unique beauty ostracized her more than anything. It had cost her friendships in the past, and one small group singled her out as a target. Their leader was Stacy, who resented Alyx's independence and took every opportunity to antagonize her for reasons Alyx didn't understand.
Through the years, Alyx persevered, earning strong marks on state tests and financial aid. She earned a full scholarship to Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. Only a few miles away from her hometown of Yelm, Washington. Her first day of college was like every new student's, caught in the chaos of orientation and moving in. To her dismay, the very first familiar face she encountered was, of course, Stacy Rusten.
“Oh, look what the cat dragged in,” Right when Alyx heard the voice in knew that it was talking to her; and it could be only one person; (Stacy fucking Rusten... Great!) Alyx thought (There she was just standing there with her arms crossed, acting as if she owned this particular piece of floor.) Then Alyx realized that bitch had said something. Alyx searched her recent memory to recall what was said. (Fuck! What did this bitch just say?) Alyx must have had a “WTF did you just say?” face on, because Stacy smirked and repeated slower and perhaps enunciated a tad-bit more mockingly.
For her early years, Alyx was home-schooled and would have 'play-dates' for socialization with other home-schooled children. During that time, she became close friends with another girl, Stacy Rusten; they were as thick as thieves whenever they were able to get together. Unfortunately, as most early friendships do, they grew apart. Stacy stopped attending their 'home group' outings so often that Alyx drifted toward other children while still hoping for Stacy’s return. On the rare occasions she did, Stacey was standoffish and possessive. Eventually, she stopped coming altogether.
With a deliberate breath in, so Alyx could have a moment to make a plan, she remembered he newest favorite writings she had heard somewhere. The core of the poem was to navigate life's chaos peacefully, listen to all, avoid envy, nurture your own path with caution but also hope, be genuine in love, and find peace with yourself and the universe, even amidst its imperfections. But there was too much animosity between her and the current predicament to accurately parse and apply the newly found wisdom. Alyx went with plan 'b'.
Alyx dropped her burden with a loud thud then straightened with exaggerated calm and mimed taking something out of her ears, as if she was listening to wireless ear-phones and said with restrained sarcasm, knowing that what she had thought up on the fly could backfire, Alyx went for it anyways: “For the love of... Stacey?! What in the ever-loving hells are you doing here, of all places! I never have imagined you...” with a grand gesture motioning to all of Stacey to take a breath. “Would have shown up here. What happened to Paris? You regaled everyone with, like, some spoiled princess!” Alyx had her and didn't let Stacey retort. “You know what, I cannot say I am pleased, but I am absolutely thrilled that my luck has brought us back together, and even to the same dorm that I just used my one transfer on.” Alyx let out a little exasperated chuckle, hoping that the seed she had just planted would take root.
Stacy seemed offended; she even gasped and snapped her fingers at her companions. “Eh.. Whatever; Harper, Lilly, we're leaving!” She flounced off toward the exit, muttering about transfers and how she deserved one as well.
Alyx watched the trio leave, then started to lift her trunk again with a rye smile and shake of her head. Alyx wondered how long it would take for Stacey to realize that Alyx didn't actually transfer; Oh-well. Alyx herself realized she heard the sound of slow applause, and it was getting closer. Two strangers were approaching. One was clapping, and both were watching her with interest.
Alyx turned to her trunk to partially hide and to ward off the less interested, “May I help you?” Alyx asked, her patience running thin.
From their perspective, Alyx sermonized, she had just delivered a brutal insult to someone they did not know. The male grinned. “I was applauding your choice of words; that was subtle yet profound. Is there a story there, or were you simply not in the mood for a fight?”
Alyx smiled despite herself. “Honestly, Stacey, had it coming and was the watered-down version.”
“Watered down?” the male asked, with obvious interest. “Now you simply must tell us the other version,” the male figure said with a hoity-toity French accent.
Alyx was instantly intrigued and played along. “Must I? Good fellow, perhaps... but you see.” Alyx gestured to the trunk. “This trunk is heavy, and I am but only one, for me alone it is a taxing burden that I can barely move. Perhaps, if you help me carry this trunk upstairs.” Alyx stated, now fully in her role of not quite a 'damsel in distress' but certainly a 'maiden in need of help'. “I could, maybe, catch my breath enough to tell you. My name is Alyx; by the way.”
The male seemed to Alyx to be taken aback by her request, but then his eyes showed something new. “I am named James, madam, and of course, I will help you,” James said with that accent he was trying to pull off. He hastened to the unoccupied edge and finally got the full view of Alyx. Visible struck by her beauty when she noticed he was staring at her. After an extended moment, the woman who was with James cleared her throat.
Alyx heard the word 'brother' and came to the conclusion that these two were siblings. Alyx smirked and decided to play along with the overly formal introductions. Alyx first acknowledged and returned the compliment to Jordyn. Alyx said, “Oh, thank you. But I fear I do not even hold a candle to your beauty.” Alyx gestured to James and said, “It happens all the time.” She jokingly told them that she had tried wearing a burka once. But that made the men even more insufferable, because it drew more attention to her eyes, and what was hidden was more of a forbidden fruit.
Jordyn let out an amused laugh and said she understood the sentiment.
When they reached her dorm room, her roommate, Breyanna, was already unpacking. Alyx grinned and, in her most theatrical tone, revealed the insult she had restrained from using on Stacy. “By the celestial bovine’s progeny! If it is not the esteemed scion of pretension, appearing uninvited upon my humble threshold!”
Jordyn’s eyes widened, and James burst into laughter. “I dare say,” James managed between coughs, “I could not have put it better myself.” James turned to his sister and asked, “Can we keep her?”
“Yes, brother,” Jordyn agreed. “We must keep her.”
Alyx saw the girl she assumed was this 'Breyanna' reclining on her bed with a book in hand, but was looking at them with a smirk on her face, clearly amused by the absurdity of their conversation.
Alyx was not antisocial per se; she just didn't have much experience with multiple people. Many of the other freshmen cared only for parties, while she focused on academics and a few strong friendships.
About a week after 'move-in' day, in the commons, Alyx stumbled across a club booth for Historical European Martial Arts, advertising a new member 'open house'. At first, she hesitated, too shy to commit, but curiosity got the better of her. Alyx asked her cadre if they wanted to come with her; the three others agreed without hesitation.
At the open house, she tried archery, and saber, but the 'long sword' captured her imagination most of all. Alyx found herself drawn to the bastard sword for its versatility. During the night, noticed that her friends gravitated towards other interests. Breyanna took to archery, possibly more about the instructor than the weapon, the way she was flirting (...but, whatever), while James and Jordyn showed enthusiasm for fencing and dual-weapon combat.
Over the weeks that followed, the four built a bond that deepened with every shared experience. One evening, the Carter twins invited Alyx and Breyanna on an “expedition” to find a 'local-ish' hot spring rumored to be up in the forest somewhere east of Mount Rainer this coming weekend. After arriving at the trail into the woods, Jordyn teased about forgetting a swimsuit, and James feigned dismay. Breyanna saw Alyx stripping and, after a moment’s hesitation, followed her example, hurried to beat Alyx to the spring. Both Alyx and Breyanna surprised the Carters by racing ahead unclothed into the steaming pool. James laughed while saying. “ I knew I liked them for a reason.”
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The rest of the year continued in the fashion of work hard, play harder. Their circle didn't fluctuate much, as others did, the core four remained steady with few associations outside their core. Through classes, training, and late-night conversations, they forged a foundation of trust. James and Jordyn flirted shamelessly with anything that had a pulse, including each other, their sibling bond carrying an eccentric intensity that fascinated those who knew about it.
As the quarter and the year drew to a close, the friends gathered in the campus café. Their last Finals loomed, and the air buzzed with tension. Streetlights flickered outside, and an odd vibration filled the night. Alyx felt the prickling of her skin.
“Do you feel that?” she asked softly.
“Nothing but the wind, darling,” James replied with mock elegance as they were inside. Jordyn, in her own playful way, teased that Alyx was being superstitious. Alyx laughed with the jest, yet she could not shake the sensation that something auspicious was going to happen, as though the earth itself was in peril. She tried to push the thought away, as there was nothing her now 20 year old, first year in college no body, can do about it. Tomorrow morning was their last exam, and there was work to do. Breyanna rose to leave, and Alyx followed. James and Jordyn lingered for a moment before reluctantly joining them. The four returned to their dormitory, unaware that their world had a timer and it was losing time fast.
The morning sun filtered through the blinds, slicing into the room and across Alyx’s face like an interrogation lamp. Her body was heavy, her mind thick with exhaustion, and her mouth was sticky with the aftertaste of too much coffee creamer. Breyanna and Alyx had pushed each other through the late-night study session, every whispered equation, and half-serious joke.
Although caffeinated to the nines, they both had fallen asleep somewhere between cups 4 and 5. One last exam, one last hurdle before summer, and she had managed to turn the night into a haze of flash cards, laughter, and the steady drip of caffeine. Caffeine never seemed to affect either of them; they both joked that they could be undiagnosed, but there are signs.
They drank coffee and liked to think that it was as an alternative to those so-called energy drinks, but to be honest, it is more like coffee-flavored creamer than actual coffee.
Creamer was permanently inked on the grocery white board list with right under their favorite creamer. She made a mental note to try less creamer, and then promptly decided against it because coffee straight-up tastes like what paint thinner smells like.
“Alyx!” Breyanna’s semi-annoyed voice, with a gentle pushing from beside her, jostled Alyx awake. Breyanna continuted edged with mulled irritation. “Either get up or shut that damn alarm off! I was having the most delicious dream.”
Alyx rolled toward the noise. Breyanna was sprawled across her sheets, hair tangled, tank top slipping from one shoulder, and her shirt threatening to bare at least one of her roommates..."assets". Breyanna looked like she had been posed that way by some decadent artist, all sleepy sensuality and irritation wrapped together.
“Dream?” Alyx rasped, dragging herself up on one elbow.
“Yeah, that Witcher guy, the good one before they switched the actor. Gods, the things he was about to do to me…” Breyanna trailed off, stretching provocatively. Then her eyes snapped wide. “Shit. The final! Are we late?”
Alyx’s stomach dropped. She reached blindly for the alarm clock and cursed when she saw the time. “Fuck!”
She rocketed out of bed, sheets tangling at her ankles. The textbook she had fallen asleep to, only 3 hours ago, hit the floor with a thud. She tugged on the outfit she had set out earlier, silently blessing her own foresight. A part of her almost smiled; some dark corner of her brain had known that this would happen, oversleeping on a finals day. (Why did that sadistic fuck-tard think it was a good idea;… Who in their right mind puts a fucking Calculus final so fucking early in the forsaken morning!) Alyx thought with such vehemence that she felt it showing on her face. 'Breath.' she told herself. 'Focus and Channel'
Behind her, Breyanna rummaged for clothes, half-asleep and half-exposed, muttering curses as she pawed through the chaos. Alyx, already lacing her shoes and slinging her backpack over her shoulder, had a chance to cool down and remember this final doesn't really matter, and to let 'what will be, will be' but adrenaline still had her blood pumping and she reminded Breyanna; “Brie, darling.” in her best imitation of James she could muster “don't you think we should get a move-on.” Breyanna snort-laughed and started to tug her shoes on. Alyx returned to her anxious pace. “We do really need to be out the door.” Alyx harried Breyanna one last time.
The scent of old coffee and sweat hung in the air. Alyx grabbed a cold cup anyway, gulping it down. Bitter, stale, and acrid, cold creamer twinged with coffee was sweet and coated and clung to her tongue like regret, but slid down her throat just the same. The pair sprinted across campus, breathless and bleary-eyed. Alyx thought to herself that boot camp would have been easier. At least in the military, the pain had purpose, maybe. Here, it was just exhaustion and the gnawing weight of expectation.
She shoved open the classroom door. Sunlight poured across the room, catching the dust in the air, and the sound of silence was piercing, like they had intruded on a private conversation. Pencils scratching over paper filled her ears. Every head turned, including the Carters. Their smiles cut through her like blades, smug and knowing.
Professor Cox loomed at the front, suit pressed, posture stiff. He held the exams like a weapon. “Miss Alyx,” he drawled, voice nasal and mocking. “I was just about to lock the door, your luck is with you two, let's hope it stays with you. Do your best with the time you ladies have left. There will be no extra time given. Everyone else made it on time.”
Alyx swallowed down the sharp retort that burned on her tongue. (What an insufferable prick. All polish and superiority, pretending his power means something.) She forced her lips into a polite curve. “Thank you, sir,” she murmured, her voice sweet but laced with steel. She took the exam with a deliberate flick of her wrist.
As she passed James, his shaggy hair fell across his eyes, and his lips curled into that half-smile that always made something twist low in her belly. “Nice of you to join us,” he whispered, voice soft enough for only her.
Her response was subtle, the flick of her middle finger, hidden by her notebook. He chuckled, deep and warm, and the sound curled around her like smoke. “Only if...” escaped his lips as she continued past him.
She dropped a copy of the exam on Breyanna’s desk, then slid into her own seat. The paper stared back at her, one massive problem and a bonus riddle. She worked through the main section easily, her mind sharper than her body felt. But when she reached the bonus, her pen froze.
Unbidden thoughts about flooded Alyx’s head about how James and Jordyn were “dating” each other, but in a very open so-called “relationship”. Were they siblings? Technically, yes. They are half-siblings, related only by marriage. They had grown up together and had become close; really close. The Carters treated each other as booty call whenever either was feeling particularly randy, or so the 'rumors' say. Alyx knew that it wasn't exactly true, but other things were going on. They looked for open-minded partners. Not to mention that they were both nonchalant with each other, Jordyn even sits on Jame's lap at mealtime while in public. Their parents are some 'mucky-muck' lawyers who worked together for a mega corporation; they were both away a lot, leaving James and Jordyn home alone, as the story goes...
Shaking herself from her musing, Alyx managed to focus on the limited time she had left and started the exam, noticing it was only one question, and a bonus question. Even though they were the last to arrive, they were not the last to finish. Alyx knew her math and knew it well. The main question had several different parts to be derived from and manipulated in order to find the answer, but the bonus question on the exam was not what Alyx was expecting. Although it was easy, it still gave Alyx pause.
The Bonus Question:
If 1=3, 2=3, 3=5, 4=4, and 5=4, then what does 6=?
(This is absurd! Not math at all. A puzzle. A tease.) The kind of question meant to burrow into your mind and stay there. Alyx bit her lip, eyes narrowing, before the realization clicked into place.
(How does 1=3 if 2=3, but 3=5 ... there is no variable. 4 and 5 equals 4, okay... this isn’t a real math question.) Alyx thought. (What does 6 equal? 6, hmm, 6 is spelled s.i.x. … something else is spelled with an s and x isn't it... sex is just one letter off. Sex… hmm... sex... focus Alyx!) Shaking herself again and wiping the mental drool from her thoughts (Okay, Alyx… Fuck girl, get it together… “fuck-girl”… Dam-it…FOCUS!... 1 and 2 can not equal 3 at the same time. So what is 1… One, O.N.E., has 3 letters, and Two, T.W.O., has 3 letters. Three has 5 letters, 3=5, 4 and 5 = 4... and “THAT NUMBER” is spelled out in 3 letters, so the answer is 3.)
Alyx scrawled her proof down as to “show her work” to the question. A weird microsecond of nostalgia flitted across Alyx's awareness; noted, but forgotten just as fast. She got up and pantomimed a kiss to Breyanna and in return got a wink from her, Alyx walked past James, purposely kicking his foot playfully as he tended to leave it in the aisle, she reached out gently, lovingly and picked up a lock of Jordyn’s hair letting her fall back through her fingers back down as she passed continuing up to the front of the class to turn in her exam to the 'Professor'.
The twins were not slackers and were actually highly intelligent in their own right. They had also finished their finals and were waiting for the roommates to finish as well. Alyx nodded and smiled at Mr. Cox while thinking (“Zucker”), handing her exam in. He immediately picked it up, opened it, and looked at her work. He nodded and placed it back onto the desk. Alyx left the room with her pulse racing.
Jordyn followed a few moments later and was quickly followed by James, her voice a purr in sultry tones, “Done already, Sweetie? That was fast.”
James admonished his sister with “...that's what she said.” stage whispered just loud enough for Alyx to hear, as he came sauntering by, while he calmly draped his light jacket over an open shoulder. Alyx shot him a glare that only made his grin widen. All three waited across the hall for Breyanna.
“
Breyanna then came out and stood in front of the trio and asked, “Like, what did you think about that bonus question?” Jordyn answered, mocking in the overly used valley-girl vernacular. “Like, hello? As if 6 could ever equal 3.” James came back with a California surfer voice; “Ra'i'ght… like; totally. That question was like, not math, man; 4 and 5 can’t be 4… 4 is four; man, 5 can’t be four…. Can it?” James fell out for the accent, but continued talking. “Wait… five can be four if you spell it out, making 6 equal to 3… FUCK!” Then James gave a very convincing ‘well that sucks’ harrumph and crossed his arms. Clearly sulking.
Breyanna plastered a straight, thin lip 'sucks to be you' smile on her face, trying very hard not to bust out laughing, and gave Jame a side hug as he faux-pouted for her sympathy.
Alyx’s phone vibrated against her hip with a slow, insistent rhythm. Fishing it out, she saw a missed call and a new voicemail from Zack. She swallowed, taking a step away from the group and hit the button to play the message first, thinking she would call him in a bit. (better to let him stew than seem desperate.) She thought.
“Hey Alyx, just checking on … finals… can hardly...Happ <'schreech'> day! I lo..
A garbled squeal cut him off, then a high-pitched squeal like metal on glass, and the call ended in a frantic cascade of beeps. Time seemed to slow. (Oh my... did he say, what I think he may have said?) Alyx felt her face start to flush.… (Am I ready for that? I mean. It has been almost a month, does it only take a month?) Alyx pondered
Thirty seconds later, every phone in the hallway erupted in the same high-pitched tone; Alyx was shaken out of her quandary as her own phone started to sizzle and hiss as well, her phone started to burn like she’d left it mounted in the car in full sun in summer. Reflexively, she flung it away, but before it could register that she had just thrown her phone, a thunderous thwump roared through the corridor. It rattled her down to her very bones, a visceral explosion that seemed to tear the air itself.
Pain lanced through her skin—sharp, electric, as if she were aflame from the inside. Around her, students screamed and fell. A blinding, fuzzy light crowned the end of the hall. Then, as though the world had been yanked off its axis, everything pitched, spun, and came to a violent halt. Darkness swallowed her senses.