It's hard to keep on keeping on -- Spring 1977

He was definitely right about that.  "At least it's a Sunday... not many people wake up early today," I said, happy that I did not have to deal with the looks and the whispers.  It drove me mental adn made me feel worse about myself.

I nodded, knowing that Ember would be grateful for that and as to why she was.  I heard what people said and I tried my best to get them to stop -- we all did.  But we could not stop everyone no matter how hard we tried.  "Yeah," I said, "but it's not like they really know what they're talking about anyways..."

I nodded at him, wishing I could believe him.  "I know," I said quietly, looking down.  But the fact that no one could keep their mouths shut about everything they knew nothing about.

I hated that look of despair and unwantedness in my sister's eyes. I stopped walking and put ahand on her shoulder.  "Ems... you can't listen to the whispers," I said to her, knowing that she did not believe me.

I sighed, leaning against my brother, fighting back tears all of a sudden.  "I know, James," I said quietly.  "But it's just so hard... they make me feel like it was all our fault... and that we're dirty somehow... tainted..." How else could I explain how the rest of the school made me feel?  I could only imagine how Lily and Chloe felt.

I wrapped my arm around Ember, pulling her closely towards me, letting her lean against me.  I hated how they did this to her -- to all of them.  It made my blood boil and me not think clearly.  I kissed my sister's forehead in a way that only a brother could do.  "Ems... you are not tainted -- none of you are.  You have us.  We love you.  And if you're tainted, you don't get to be loved... so there you go," I said, trying to make her feel better.

I looked at James and could not help but laugh at his logic.  "James... your logic... thank you so much for being there for me... but that is so flawed," I pointed out to him, shaking my head.

I grinned, glad to get her to smile.  "It doesn't matter if it's flawed if it got you to show your pretty little smile," I said to her simply.

I gave James a look, sighing.  "James, stop it," I said.  "You're just being flattering so that I feel better.  Well, that's just a ruse.  I can see right through it."

I rolled my eyes.  "Just because I hardly compliment you doesn't mean that this is a ruse," I pointed out to her.  "But even if you can see righ through me just being nice, it's woring.  It's starting to make you feel better."

Sometimes I hated James' logic.  I groaned slighlty out of frustration.  "You are such a pain," I added, pulling a plate of eggs towards me.  For once, I was actually not forcing myself to eat.  I was really hungry.

I grinned at her.  "I know I am," I said, piling my plate full of food, too.  "I'm glad to see you eating, though.  You've lost weight."

I rolled my eyes.  "James, I've been eating fine," I said, trying to lie to my brother.  I never really could, though, he would always see right through it.

I stopped piling my plate with food and looked at her.  "Ember, I know better than to believe you," I said to her simply.  "So eat. Or i'll start forcing you to do so."

I glared at my brother, my eyes mere slits.  "Oh really?  I don't think you can force me to do anything James," I said to him, my glare just a big joke.  I was glad that my brother was this concerned about me.