Paul sat in his studio, his head in his hands. Every now and then a quiet sob would escape his throat and he shivered, although it wasn't at all cold in the room. His eyes were bright from the unshed tears. He had just one thing on his mind. Tim. How could Tim do this to him? How could he just leave? Paul hugged his knees tighter, trying to drown out the real world.
There was no pain in loneliness. If there was no one you loved, there was no one to hurt you. The tears that had been held at bay for so long, finally began to fall. Once they had started, he couldn't stop them. Tim had left him�

Sharon knocked loudly on Paul's door. She was worried about her twin. She hadn't seen him for several days, which was highly unusual if they were in the same city. She had heard about Tim, and knew how much he had meant to Paul.
When there was no answer, Sharon had to fight the unreasoning fear that swelled in her chest. He's probably just in the shower or something, she told herself. She reached in to her pocket and pulled out her spare key. Slipping it into the lock, she turned it and entered the appartment, shutting the door behind her. Sharon gasped. She had never seen a room this filthy before - even Paul managed to straighten up every now and then. Tearing her eyes from the cluttered floor, she quickly scanned the room for her brother. She didn't see him.
A slight frown on her face, she picked her way through the mess, and began to search the appartment. Finally she found him in his studio, huddled up in the corner of the room. She nearly went straight past him, such a small shadow he made in the darkness.
"Oh Paulie," she whispered, and knelt down beside him. She felt him flinch as she touched him. He looked up, seeing her for the first time. A small cry escaped his lips and he flung himself into her arms, holding her tightly as though he feared she would disappear and leave him alone once more.
"He�he�left me," he managed to stutter between sobs. Sharon's heart went out to her shattered brother, and she held him to her, gently rocking him back and forward and making soothing sounds. Tears welled up in her own eyes. It hurt to see Paul this way - she would give anything to make him happy once more.
Paul finally stopped sobbing, and it took Sharon a while to realise that he had fallen asleep in her embrace. She smiled gently and scooped him up in her arms. Sharon was stronger than she looked, and had no trouble carrying Paul into his bedroom. In fact, she thought with worry, it was a little too easy. Paul was dangerously light. He hasn't been eating she realised, her worry increasing three-fold. Her determination surfaced, forcing her worry down. And she resolved to help her brother in every way she possibly could. She softly placed Paul on his bed, and pulled up the covers.
"It's all right Paulie," she whispered, lightly stroking his tear-stained cheek. "I'm here now. I'll look after you."
Sharon left the bedroom and went back into the main room of the appartment, where she had first come in. Gazing around at the huge mess, she sighed. She'd need help for this one. She marched purposely over to the phone and quickly dialed a number.
"Hello?" a familiar voice in the other end answered.
"Hi, Esha. It's Sharon," Sharon said, absently twirling the phone cord. "Um, can I ask you a huge favor?"
"Sure, babe. Name it and I'm there," Esha's replied.
"Thanks so much," Sharon said gratefully. "I'm at my brother's house. He's a bit messed up at the moment, and I was hoping you could come over and help with some stuff." She gave Esha the address, and the room number.
"Consider me there," Esha said before hanging up. Sharon breathed a sigh of relief as she too hung up. Esha was a good friend, and could always be counted upon. Muttering absently to herself, Sharon headed into the kitchen to put on a kettle.

Esha checked the address she had quickly scribbled down, then glanced back up at the huge building in front of her.
"This is it," she muttered to no one in particular. She headed over to the intercom system and pushed a button labeled with the room number Sharon had given her.
A moment later Sharon's voice sounded over the static. "Esha?"
"Yep, 'tis be me," Esha replied, noting a few curious glances from passers-by. She ignored them - she was used to being stared at by people she didn't know.
"Come on up," Sharon said, and Esha heard a click. Opening the now unlocked door into the building, she got into the lifts, and pushed the button. She scowled up at the speakers as that stupid elevator music began to play.

Sharon, too anxious to wait in the appartment, was waiting outside the elevators as Esha got off. The two friends embraced. Suddenly Sharon noticed something.
She stepped past her friend, quickly climbed into the elevator, and glanced up at the speakers. Only static was coming from them, but Sharon could see nothing to betray how they had been broken. Sharon shook her head in amusement - elevator speakers had a way of breaking when Esha was near, but Sharon could never figure out how she did it.
She turned to find her friend grinning at her. "I don't suppose you'd believe they were already broken, would you?" Esha asked, putting on an innocent face. Sharon just laughed.
Turning, they walked up the corridor to Paul's flat, chatting about trivial things.
They reached Paul's appartment, and Sharon opened the door. Esha whistled appreciatively.
"Now this is a work of art," she laughed, turning back to Sharon. Sharon grinned in reply and began to pick her way once again through the mess, towards the kitchen.
After a cup of tea, the two began to tidy the appartment. Between the two of them, they had the place spotless by the end of the day.
Sharon slumped onto the couch, exhaustion written in every single line of her body. Esha, who somehow still had plenty of energy to burn, wandered into the kitchen and put on the kettle. Because the kitchen was closer to Paul's bedroom than the main room, Esha heard the quiet sobbing first. Suddenly remembering why Sharon was actually in her brother's appartment, she headed towards the sound to see if she could help.

Paul was curled up in his bed, trying to vanquish his pain through his tears, when he heard a sound. He glanced up, wondering if it was Sharon.
He found himself instead staring at a girl he didn't know, who was standing next to his bed, uncertainly holding out a tissue.
She was quite beautiful - her hair was long, hanging straight down her back, and was pitch black. Her skin was a soft, creamy color, with a slight tan presumably from a lot of time spent in the sun. She had a figure to die for, and an easy smile. Her eyes were a friendly green, and he noticed she was still offering him the tissue.
Slowly he reached out and accepted the tissue. The girl smiled and sat down on the end of his bed.
"Hi," she said, holding out her hand for him to shake. "I'm Esha. You must be Paul?" Paul, not quite sure what else to do, nodded and shook her hand. His hand tingled strangely as their skin made contact. He quickly glanced up at her face to see if she noticed it too.
"Fuck!" he swore loudly, dropping her hand and pushing himself backwards, away from her, his eyes wide. Her eyes had changed color. They were no longer green - they had changed to a deep violet. Even as he watched, they changed again, to a surprised hazel.
"What?" she asked, not quite sure what had caused his drastic alteration in mood. He continued to stare, and refused to answer.
"Oh," she realised what had spooked him. Her eyes changed yet again, this time to a sad blue. Paul couldn't tear his gaze away - he had never even heard of anything like this.
Esha climbed to her feet. She got enough stares out on the streets, and she didn't need them in here as well.
Sharon glanced up as Esha walked back into the room.
"Paul's awake," Esha said, but for some reason she didn't look at her. Sharon frowned slightly. "Are you okay?" she asked.
Esha nodded, and gestured towards Paul's room, indicating that Sharon should attend to her brother. Sharon got up and headed into Paul's room, but glanced over her shoulder at her friend, her face still worried.
Esha closed her eyes and sat down heavily on the couch. She hated this. She hated the stares, she hated the names, and she hated feeling so different from everyone else.
A single tear rolled down her cheek. She was different - she was a freak. No one else had eyes that changed color.
She hugged her knees to her chest, banishing the pain she felt. Sharon was her only friend, and she had enough worries with her brother, without having to worry about her too.
By the time Sharon returned to the room, Esha was in control again.
Sharon studied Esha's face, but her eyes were an unreadable grey. "Paul told me what happened," she said uncertainly. Esha held her hand out, and forced a smile.
"Don't worry about it - I should be used to it by now," she said, trying to be casual. "But that's still no excuse." The voice behind her made Esha jump. She turned to see Paul standing in the doorway, a guilty expression on his face. "I'm sorry for the way I acted." He studied the floor. Esha wondered if it still bothered him, and that's why he wouldn't look at her. He glanced up at her face, and she realised that he was just embarrassed.
She blushed, her eyes changing yet again. "Don't be. Why should you act any different from the little girl on the street, pointing out the freak to her mother, or the skinhead laughing and jeering from the safety of his gang?" she asked bitterly. She pushed past Sharon, and grabbed her coat. "I gotta go," she mumbled, and before either of them could say a word, she left.
Paul glanced at Sharon, his eyes questioning. Her face was sad as she replied, "She's had those eyes ever since she was born. She's always been an outcast - you know better than most people that society doesn't take kindly to those who are different." She sighed. "She has a right to be bitter."
Paul stared thoughtfully at the floor, lost in his own musings.

Esha wandered down the beach, keeping her head lowered. She didn't want any more unwanted attention - her self-esteem was low enough already. Luckily it was getting dark, and there were only a few couples walking along the beach.
Esha sat wearily upon the sand and gazed out across the dark water. She shouldn't have been bitter like that. Paul had just been trying to apoligise.
Esha closed her eyes and tried to force all conscious thoughts out of her mind. She listened to the sound of the waves pounding against the shoreline. She rested her hands on her knees, losing herself in the peaceful sound of the ocean.
Esha opened herself up to the sounds of her surroundings. Her mind blank, Esha contented herself to merely existing in her body. Her senses still worked, and she was aware of the things around her, but all capable thought was switched off.
Esha had no idea how long she stayed like that, but she was finally brought into the back into the real world by a sharp pain in her side.
Her eyes snapped open, and she jumped to her feet, ready and able to defend herself from any oncoming attack. Her eyes fell on the cause of her interruption. Paul sat at her feet, a worried and now startled frown on his face.
Warily, Esha sat down again, making sure to distance herself from him. He looked slightly hurt when she did this, but didn't say anything about it.
He hesitated, as though he didn't know quite what to say, and Esha didn't help him out. She inspected her side, where he had apparently elbowed her.
Paul blushed. "Sorry about that - I just got really worried when you didn't wake up." He stared at his hands. Esha frowned, but let it pass. She could get rid of the bruise when she got home.
"What're you doing here anyway?" she asked, her eyes an icy blue. Paul looked up from his hands, and stared her straight in the eye.
"Sharon was worried about you. You left so quickly, she decided to call you and see if you were alright, but you weren't home. She freaked out," he raised an eyebrow in her direction. "She kept going on about something like this happening before."
Esha sighed. She had forgotten about poor Sharon. She closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them again, she noticed Paul was staring at her strangely. She didn't realise her eyes were that strange deep purple he had seen that afternoon.
Avoiding his gaze, she muttered, "Sharon will be at the appartment by the time you get home. I'll call her from my place." She got up and left before Paul could ask how she knew these things, or could ask about what Sharon was talking about again. But Paul was no that easily swayed. Scrambling to his feet, he quickly ran after her fleeing back.
"Why don't you come back to my place," he panted, as he caught up with her. She scowled. That had sounded way too much like a pick-up line.
"Sorry," Paul apologized. "I didn't mean it that way. Sharon will want to see you, and you might as well stay for a late dinner, because, unless I'm mistaken, you haven't eaten yet."
Esha glanced at her watch. It was nearly midnight. Shit. She had been sitting there for about 5 hours. No wonder Sharon had been worried.
She hesitated, then accepted the invitation. "Fine. But only to see Sharon - I'm not hungry." She turned and quickly headed back the way she had come, with Paul hurrying to catch up.

By the time they had reached Paul's appartment, Esha was well and truly uncomfortable. Paul had been trying to make conversation with her the whole way, and she wasn't used to being talked to by guys. Most guys shunned her the instant they saw her eyes change - some didn't even wait that long and avoided her all together.
She had answered Paul's inquires politely if she didn't see them as too personal, but she still refused to explain what Sharon had told Paul.
As they climbed into the lifts, Esha noticed with disdain that they had fixed the speakers. The annoying music was playing even louder than before. Paul turned to face Esha about to ask her if she hated this music too, when he noticed she was scowling at the speakers, her eyes tuning that same deep shade of purple. Suddenly both of the speakers fizzled and cackled, sparks flying out from them. Both boxes fell silent, with only the sound of static to be heard.
Paul climbed off the floor of the elevator where he had ducked, and stared at Esha, his eyes wide. She stared back, her eyes quickly changing from the deep purple to the icy blue they were before getting in the left.
"Guess they've been having some problems with the system," she said casually. Paul didn't answer. That got him off my back, she thought a little grumpily. She glanced at him as they climbed out of the lifts, trying to assess his reaction now that she was calmer. He refused to meet her eye, and walked silently towards his appartment.
Esha sighed. Things could get a bit awkward from here. Still refusing to meet her gaze, Paul pulled his keys from his pocket, and was about to fit them into the lock when the door opened. He glanced up surprised, but Esha walked straight past as though she had expected Sharon to open the door at that exact minute. Sharon herself looked surprised at her timing.
Esha headed for the couch and sat down with a sigh. She closed her eyes and leant back, enjoying the feel of the soft material. She was so tired.
Dimly she was aware of Sharon going into the kitchen, presumably to make some tea. She realised Paul was standing in the doorway between the kitchen and main room, watching her. She sighed inwardly. "It's rude to stare you know," she said opening her eyes just in time to catch Paul's guilty expression. She laughed as Paul blushed and backed into the kitchen to help Sharon.
Esha yawned and stretched out on the comfortable couch. I probably should go home before I fall asleep, she thought, but she was far too comfortable to move.
"So tired," she muttered, closing her eyes once more, and finally surrendering to the sleep that had been plaguing her.

Paul and Sharon peeked in from the kitchen. "She's asleep," Paul stated unnecessarily. Sharon nodded and turned to her brother.
"What is with you?" she asked, staring at Paul. "Why are you acting so strangely? Don't you like her or something?"
Paul frowned. "I'm not sure," he admitted, gazing back at the sleeping form on his couch. "There's just something about her�she's different, and I'm not just talking about physically."
Sharon sighed, clearly exasperated. "What do you expect? She's had a rough life. You don't go through what she's gone through and come out untouched."
Paul glanced curiously at his twin, an eyebrow raised. She sighed and walked back into the kitchen, Paul trailing behind.

Sharon walked into the kitchen and over to the kettle, lifting it off as it started to boil. Paul sat at the table, waiting patiently for Sharon to start talking.
After she had made them both tea, Sharon came over and sat down next to Paul, handing him his mug as she did so. She opened her mouth to begin, but that was as far as she got.
Everything froze.
Nothing moved - not the steam from the hot water, not the clock on the wall, nothing. Through this complete and utter stillness, Esha walked. She watched Paul and Sharon for a moment, fascinated at how lifeless they appeared.
Shaking herself out of her daze, Esha walked over to Sharon and gently placed her hand on her forehead. Esha closed her eyes, her hand still pressed against Sharon's face. Concentrating, she erased Sharon's memory of the last 5 minutes, replacing it with an ordinary conversation, instead of the one she had just had. She also installed an extra thought, telling Sharon that she didn't want her secret told.
"I'll tell him when I'm ready Sharon," she whispered aloud. "Just give me time." She slowly pulled back and studied her best friend. All the signs were normal, but she hated doing this to her.
Sighing, she turned and did a similar thing to Paul.
Once she was finished, she walked back into the other room and lay down on the couch, making sure to get herself in exactly the same position as before. When she was satisfied, she unfroze time.

Sharon shook her head slightly. What were they talking about again? She noticed her brother looked a little confused as well.
"What were we talking about?" she asked. Paul glanced up at her, surprised. "I don't remember," he admitted. "Oh well, it can't be that important."
Sharon nodded in agreement and sipped her tea. They began to chat idly about what they were going to do tomorrow. In the other room, Esha listened with interest, her eyes closed.
"I'm afraid I have to work tomorrow," Sharon said, staring into her mug with a frown. She glanced over at Paul. "I tried to put it off, but I can't. Do you mind spending the day without me? I'll ask Esha to stay with you," she added. She felt terrible abandoning him so soon after his tough breakup with Tim.
Paul sighed.
"I know what you're thinking Sharon," he complained. "Is he going to be alright? What if he needs me?" He chuckled at her guilty expression. "I'll be fine, I think." He thought about it, then added, "but I wouldn't mind having Esha around non the less. She interests me."
Sharon gave him a weird look, but didn't say anything about it. "Okay, I'll ask her in the morning, or whenever she wakes up."
Paul nodded, then stood up. "I'm off to bed. Do you mind sleeping in the guest room?" Sharon smiled and shook her head. Paul lent over and gently kissed her cheek.
"Goodnight," he said. "Night," she mumbled, suddenly sleepy.
Esha waited until they had both gone to bed, before climbing to her feet and pacing the room. What was she going to do? She knew that it would mean a lot to Sharon if she spent the day with Paul, but she really didn't want to. Paul would ask her all these questions, and she didn't if she would be able to answer.
Esha sat down again and buried her head in her hands. Her eyes turned a deep blue, and began to fill with tears. God, he reminded her so much of Ben.
Esha fought in vain to control her tears as she thought of her lost brother. Closing her eyes, she let her memory drift back to a time when she was happy�

Paul awoke early the next day, a rarity for him. He wanted to say goodbye to Sharon, and also he was curious to see if Esha would stay.
He wandered into the kitchen, trying to wipe the sleep out of his eyes. He could hear whispering in the next room. Obviously Sharon and Esha were both up.
Paul put the kettle on, then headed towards the sound of their voices. He was surprised to see the two were in a heated conversation.
"I know what this means to you Sharon, but could you please not ask me this," Esha pleaded, her eyes desperate. Sharon's face was sympathetic. "Esha, I know how much this hurts you, and I'm truly sorry - but I need to know my brother is going to be alright. I can't just leave him here so soon after�" her voice trailed off, and she didn't finish. Paul was just about to come to his defense, when Esha let out a loud sigh. He decided to see what would happen first.
"Please?" Sharon asked, resting her hand on Esha's shoulder. Esha's resolve crumbled. "Sharon, this pains me more than you can know, but you are my only friend, and I'd do anything for you. I will do what you ask."
"Thank you," Sharon said simply, and she hugged her friend. Paul decided it was time to announce his presence.
"A little early for that sort of thing isn't it?" he joked as he walked into the room. Sharon laughed, but Esha just turned to stare at him, her eyes an unreadable grey. Trying not to let her watchful gaze unnerve him too much, Paul asked casually, "So what's happening today?"
Esha didn't answer, but went into the kitchen instead. Paul frowned slightly, and turned back to Sharon. "What's with her?" he asked, mystified.
Sharon regarded him for a moment, obviously trying to decide whether to tell him or not. "Nothing," she said finally, and the expression on her face told Paul not to push it.
"I gotta go," she said abruptly, "I'll see you tonight." She hugged her brother and left. Paul turned and went back into the kitchen.
He watched silently as Esha toddled around, making them both a cup of tea. He finally decided to break the silence.
"Just you and me today, huh?" he said. Not the most brilliant thing he'd ever said, but he was just trying to start a conversation. Esha jumped at the sound of his voice.
"I guess so," she replied after a moment, avoiding his gaze. Paul frowned slightly. Why was she acting so strange around him?
"So, what do you want to do today?" he asked, sitting at the table and pouring out some cereal into a bowel. Hesitantly, Esha sat down on the opposite side of the table, watching him eat his breakfast.
"Um, I thought we could go down to the fair near the park," she said, trying to hide her awkwardness. Paul smiled.
"Sounds good to me," he replied, trying to sound as cheerful as possible. He quickly finished off his cereal in record time, and went to get changed.
Esha sighed and let her head drop lightly to the table. He had noticed her unease. There was no way he could have missed it.
"C'mon Esha," she muttered aloud. "Pull yourself together - you've kept up the act for long enough, don't get cold feet now." She forced a smile, that despite her feelings, looked totally natural. She was a great actress, and could fool anyone, including Sharon. She could handle one day with some guy. No problem, she thought. Just pretend he's Sharon. But Sharon doesn't look so much like Ben, a little voice whispered. Esha's unease came back briefly, but she fought it down.
"You can do this," she told herself. Just then Paul came back into the room. Esha spread a big smile on her face, refusing to listen to the nagging voice in her mind.
"Ready to go?" she asked cheerfully.

Paul glanced at Esha, clearly surprised. A moment ago she hadn't even wanted to be in the same room as him, and now she was gung-ho to spend the day with him. He studied her closely, trying to detect any sarcasm, but she seemed genuine.
"Sure," he said, his face brightening. Maybe today wouldn't be a total loss after all. Esha grinned and offered her arm to Paul, just like rich people do. Paul laughed and put on a posh face, linking his arm in hers. Noses in the air, they turned to walk out the door, but unfortunately they couldn't see where they were going and ran into the wall.
Esha giggled, and rubbed her nose. Paul scrambled to his feet, also nursing a now tender nose. Grinning, he offered Esha a hand to help her up. Esha accepted, putting all the confidence she could into the gesture, although inside her was a quivering ball of nerves.
Together they wandered down to the fair, chatting idly between them. They found they had quite a few things in common, although Paul noticed that Esha still avoided questions about herself.
Finally they reached the colorful show. Esha jumped up and down in excitement, trying her best to conceal her true feelings. Paul laughed.
"I love fairs too," he admitted. Esha felt slightly guilty about deceiving him, but suppressed the feeling. It's not like he'll care anyway, she told herself.
Once they had paid and were inside, Paul couldn't contain his excitement.
"Let's go on the rides! No, let's get some fairy floss! No, let's go get some showbags!" he cried, bouncing around like a 5-year-old. Esha laughed.
"How bout we go on the rides first, then get something to eat, then get some showbags," she said with a grin. Paul stared at her as though she had just invented a cure for cancer.
"That's brilliant!" he yelled, and Esha had to run to catch up to him as he raced off to the roller-coaster. She paused at the entrance, staring up and the giant maze of tracks, her doubts clearly writen across her face. Paul ducked back outside and grabbed her hand, pulling her into the line before she could protest.
"Uh, Paul?" she said uncertainly as he paid for their tickets. She didn't get to say any more, as Paul grabbed hold of her hand again and dragged her into their waiting seats.
Esha watched nervously as they were strapped in. It wasn't until they were climbing the first hill that Esha decided to finish her sentence.
"I think now would be a good time to tell you - I'm scared of heights," she confessed. Paul just laughed, and took hold of her hand yet again.
"Don't worry, I'll protect you," he said with a grin. Esha's smile fell from her face as they reached the top of the climb.
"It's not me that needs protecting," she whispered to herself. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut as the rollercoaster began to go down, picking up speed. She let out a frightened whimper as the carriage turned upside down and jiggled from side to side at an alarming speed. Finally she couldn't stand it anymore.
"Stop!" she screamed. And everything did. Just like in Sharon's appartment, Esha froze time. Slowly she opened her eyes. The carriage was slanting slightly sideways, but it didn't really matter. At least she wasn't moving anymore. She glanced at Paul. He had his head back and was laughing.
Esha took a few moments to catch her breath, then reluctantly closed her eyes again and resumed time. She felt the carriage surge forward immediately, but now that she had had a break, she didn't feel quite so bad. All the same she was a little shaky as she climbed out after the ride had finished. Paul couldn't suppress his excitement.
"That was so much fun!" he cried with a happy whoop. "Didn't I tell you it would be fun? Told you I could protect you," he added triumphantly. Esha could only manage a small smile. Her magic was totally unpredictable when she was scared. She was only grateful she hadn't turned Paul into a radish or something�purple was not his colour.
Esha quickly hid her after-shock nerves as Paul turned back to face her, a grin still plastered on his face. "Can we do something else now?" he asked excitedly, as though he was asking his mother's permission to go and play with the big kids.
They spent the rest of the afternoon going on rides and playing side-show games. Paul won Esha a giant fluffy toy cat, which she named Smuffy, much to Paul's disgust.
They were just contemplating whether to leave and find a nice restaurant, or to stay and eat junk food, when Paul noticed a small stall he hadn't seen before. His eyes wandered up to the sign - fortune telling. He grinned. That could be fun!
Without a word, he grabbed Esha's hand - for the millionth time that day - and began to drag her towards the stall. He was surprised when Esha steadfastly dug her heels in when she saw where Paul was taking her.
"No Paul," she said, her eyes hard. Paul blinked. "Those things are usually a crock," she added lamely. He frowned.
"Come on, it'll be fun," he reassured her. Esha's expression was still dubious, but she let Paul drag her towards the stall.