Round Three

That's A Wrap

Selene: My bedroom? Ah yes... remember what I said about my bedroom? About, say, sharing with my sister Clare, for instance?

I hate it! Yuck! I've tried to add my own touches, like the bedding - my bed's the top one - and thankfully we're in agreement about the posters as we're pretty similar like that.. I just wish we were in others! I'm starting to understand how Chris felt - fish out of water springs to mind. S'alright for him, he's got his own room now where he keeps his coffin, he can deck it out how he wants... I so wish I had a room to myself. What's that? Tidy? God yeah, Clare's a neat freak! Just like Dad and Andy... still, it saves me a job! Pretty bare isn't it? She's quite the minimalist. I'd rather keep a bookcase and maybe a chair in here, but there's not much room.

Zephyr: My room? It's okay I guess.

This used to be Chris and Andy's room, before they had to leave. Selene and the others say it's 'cause they had babies on the way and couldn't stay. Now I've got their room, but Mum and Gina - as he calls her - made it all bright and stuff. When I'm bigger I'll make it how I want, maybe some black or red, better than blue. I like the bedding though, they let me pick that okay. Feels kinda weird though, being in my big brothers' old room. Wonder how it looked before...

Selene: More on our hobbies? Hehe, well, contrary to what you may think by now, we're not joined at the hip. In fact it's healthy to have some time alone, especially in a big family like this where we're in each other's faces all the time. I often find myself outside at night, gazing at the stars, wondering how many more extra-terrestrials are out there...

Zephyr: I like to practise a lot away from school. Our piano's nicer than theirs, and no other kids around to tease me about my eyes.

How would I feel without Selene? Um... I dunno... It'd be weird, and sad... she's the only one I think who's there when Mum gets into a fight with Gina. I'd miss the cuddles and the walks we take to get away from it. I'd miss our games too... *shrugs and goes quiet*

Selene: Zeph's a sweetheart, although I'm a little concerned for him - he's turned out the same as Dad and Chris. Trouble is, so have Clare and I - it's good in a way 'cause it means we can all look out for each other, but to tell you the truth, I'm terrified. Dad had a nervous breakdown, Chris cut himself and even attempted suicide. Are we cursed or something? With Zeph taking my parents' fighting so personally, I just hope he won't go through anything similar later on - he's already showing signs, I swear. He's too young to start down that path, I'd be torn open if I lost him the same way I nearly lost Chris. I almost feel responsible for him... should anything happen I don't know if I could live with myself.

Zephyr: If we won? *giggles* That'd be cool! I could just keep my sunglasses on in class, tell the others to back off 'cause I'm better than them now, they can't touch me! Hehehehe!

Selene: This may sound weird, but I'm not concerned so much with winning. Unless victory brings with it some peace and quiet *glances upwards*, but above all I hope Zeph will finally get the message that no one's out to get him, nobody hates him, that all it's down to is that people need to grow up and look beneath the black eyes, or Alex's features so apparent in his face. That's the only reason Mum gets so riled - he looks a lot like his Dad, which to her is a constant reminder that Dad strayed. Just for one damn night, with a man, not a woman, during a time he apparently needed reminding just to eat something, is that not enough grounds for diminished responsibility? Christ, I'm fifteen and I'm more mature than my own Mum! Huh? Would it make us any closer? *shrugs* Dunno, we're pretty close already, so why would that change?

Is there a special reason why you like each other?

Selene: Well, a lot of that's been explained before, but in a nutshell we're very similar. Both goths, if you will, both erm, very sensitive, intense, oh and logical. Generally we're on the same wavelength in a lot of ways.

Zephyr: She's nice, she gives me cuddles, she gets me things Mum or Dad wouldn't *giggles*
Selene: He means the outfits, mainly. He comes home in our nephew's clothes and asks me if he can have one of his own. He doesn't bother asking our parents anymore *smiles* They have something against "darker" clothes for some reason, even though it was them who introduced us to metal!

Round Two

If you like each other, has there ever been a time when you've had a big fight?

Selene: Ooh, wow... *rubs nape of neck awkwardly* Well, we have our moments like most households, but...
Zephyr: *shuffles from foot to foot* Erm, there was this one time when Dad came round... mind you, it's always when he comes round...
Selene: He actually banned himself from here after that. Poor guy didn't know what hit him...
Zephyr: It was about me again.
Selene: It wasn't about you, it was about him and Dad.
Zephyr: *shrugs and slopes off*
Selene: *watches him go* Actually, I'm glad he's gone, not all of it's for his ears. You see... Mum thinks those two still secretly want to get together again. I'm starting to wonder myself, Dad acts funny around him every time he sees him. Anyway, all three of them got into this almighty argument, and guess who overheard. *glances back at Zephyr* Emotions always run high at times like this, and it's catching - any attempt I made to calm his nerves was basically thrown back in my face. I tried to reassure him none of this was his fault, it wasn't him they were fighting over, and he just yelled back. I got rankled, not just by him but also the sparring adults, and my voice was rising too. Eventually I stormed out of his room, where he'd gone, and took a dip in the pool to cool off. Not even his Dad could console him then, and just left. We made it up afterwards though; when we were both more calm we had a normal talk which ended with a big hug. As awful as this sounds, I really hate my Mum sometimes... I still remember when Dad had a complete breakdown because of it all - that was down to her again. I was only Zephyr's age when I saw this shaking, screaming, black and green heap on the floor that in some way resembled Dad, and I get visions sometimes of seeing it again...

Zephyr: Oh, hi. My favourite object? This. *indicates diary* Sometimes it's the only thing that'll listen to me and not question my feelings.

Zephyr: I like to relax with a book. Or maybe a game of chess - Mum sometimes takes me to see Dad, which I like a lot. He's really nice, and big too, just like Chris!

Selene: My favourite object? My MP3 player! Useful for drowning out bickering parents.

Selene: Relax? What's that?! Oh alright, I do have some still moments, usually when Clare fancies sharing a movie.

Selene: It's not easy doing things with your parents when they can't go out during the day. Good thing we have our own pool, although the only way to get Dad to join us is by making it entertaining!

Ssshh! Hehehehe!

Where do you see yourselvs in six years time?

Selene: Well, hopefully I'll be working through Uni by then. Doing what I don't know yet, maybe something involving either science or maths.

Zephyr: I'll be bigger too! I wanna get big like Chris and Dad, maybe get one of them to show me that machine thingy that Chris used to use while he was here.

Selene: Extra muscle looks great on guys, but not on girls. I know Mum got pretty big, I just hope she stays like that. I don't think much will change other than my being in digs instead of here... hopefully we'll still be as close as we are now.
Zephyr: *snuggles up to Selene* Sure we will *grins* I wanna get good at music and play in Andy's band when he gets one.

Round One

That's Life

Zeph: Life sucks.
Selene: Oh come on, it’s not that bad.
Zeph: Yeah it is! Every time Dad visits there’s fights, not that they need his help…
Selene: Yes, Mum and Dad fight. So do a lot of other couples. It’s not the end of the world…
Zeph: It’s me they fight over!
Selene: Come on, that’s not true.
Zeph: Yeah it is! *storms off*
Selene: *sighs* It’s not him they fight over, it’s how he got here. Dad’s spent a good portion of my life being down, not thinking straight, you get the idea. He found out the hard way he likes guys too, when he had a one-off with Zephyr’s Dad. To Mum he’s just a reminder of that – I don’t think she’s ever forgiven Dad for that one “moment of weakness” as he puts it, not going by the way they argue. Yes life could be better, but at least we’re not cast out as freaks for looking alien. Would be a bit hard given the rest of our family, wouldn’t it? As luck would have it, there’s enough “oddities” (for want of a better word) in our town by now for us all to stick together.

Selene: I'm dying to tear the wallpaper and carpet up, and replace it with something more to my tastes. If it was only my room I would, but I share with Clare, one of the people in the family who can't even stand the way I dress. Bah...
Zeph: The only folk I really get on with, aside from the other girls at home, are those I left behind when we moved. Namely the kids of my oldest brothers, Chris and Andy. I love coming back with them after school. Everyone’s so happy, I wish I could stay here instead.

Zeph: That’s one of the only reasons I keep going to school, to see them. Not because I enjoy it, that’s for sure – teacher keeps telling me to take off my sunglasses, so the others make fun of my eyes. If I had to pick a lesson, it’d be music – I want to play at piano like Andy does, I love it when he plays!

Selene: I prefer Maths. My mind works in very technical, logical ways… Although I do get sick of the way some people still tease on my colour, I’ve learned to brush it aside and give as good as I get. Usually by going into this long-winded, complicated rant designed to blind them with science, so to speak… it does work! Dad didn’t send us to private school because of the teasing our brothers got, but if you ask me, I dread to think what we’d get there, it’s bad enough where we are! Not in exactly the same school since we’re in different age groups, but you know what I mean.

Selene: Favourite season?
Both: Halloween!
Zeph: Bwahahahaha!
Selene: It’s the one time of year we can go out as is and get away with it. Besides, it’s a good excuse to dress up darker than we usually do…
Zeph: Is that possible?
Selene: Um… *ponders* I think so. To a degree, anyway… oh, favourite food?
Both: Lasagne!
Zeph: Yum yum! It’s even more tasty when Selene cooks it…
Selene: Cheeky…! You wait till you’re old enough, you can make it yourself!

Mini-task

Selene: Dying my hair? Oh yeah, I do like to experiment sometimes. How about this? Goes pretty well with my skin, don’t you think?
Zeph: I like Chris’s hair. I also like Mum’s colour, it matches my eyes. … Oh, I can do that? Whee!

Selene: I define fashion as something that goes out of date a few hours after you’ve bought it. I live in that top, but like to pair it with different bottoms. Dad hates me wearing this but I don’t care!

Zeph: Joey lets me borrow all sorts of stuff! Like this. I get Selene to buy me them if I like them enough, we do a lot of shopping together! Who’s Joey? He’s one of my friends that I talked of before. He wasn’t in that first photo, he was off doing something else at the time.

Application Round

Girl: Hellooo! *waves* I'm Selene and this is my half brother Zephyr - he's seven* and I'm fifteen.
Zephyr: Selene's nice to me, and the others are too... *scowls* Her Mum hates me though, she was mean to our brothers too...
Selene: *lays arm round his shoulders* He's a lovely guy... it's a shame. He's not Mum's, I think that's something to do with it. Oh, you want to see us now? Here you go, this is me:

Selene: For only sharing one parent we have a lot in common.
Zephyr: I got Chris's old clothes from when he was little like me :D

Selene: Ah yes, our family... *shifts uncomfortably* Ookay...

Zephyr: Mum's eyes are scary...
Selene: That's because he's a vampire... *looks to camera* Yes, you heard right - he. My Mum is the beefy woman with red hair. Zephyr's Mum is my Dad, the only other male in the house. Both our parents are vampires.
Zephyr: She means my Dad too I think...
Selene: Well, that's what I heard. *back at camera* Those other lasses? They're our sisters - I'm one of quads! Our older brothers are twins - I'm not surprised they had to leave!
Zephyr: Know what I like about this house? It has a pool!

Selene: Sometimes there's nothing like a quiet game with someone. Like Clare for instance... I think she's the only other one who likes to play.

Selene: You may have already noticed, but we are one whacked out family, and not just in appearances either...