• One

    “Kristen! Your mother wants you!”
    Okay, so let’s freeze for a moment; my family is planning on moving to a lovely land where apparently I don’t get to go, I go to my aunt’s house instead, and the best part of all I get to leave all my friends behind, if I had any.
    “She’s your mother too, Bethany!” Bethany believes she was the adopted one in the family. “And she can wait!” I slam myself onto my bed, more like mattress; mother decided I didn’t need a frame. I scream into the pillow, “I DON’T WANT TO MOVE!”
    Footsteps approach my black door, open and reveals my lovely mother. “Just because we’re moving doesn’t mean you can’t have fun,” says the lady in the most fabulous outfit any jock would wear.
    I whip around to face her, “why do we always have to move? I want to live in one town for awhile not for a year than leave.” She clumsily walks to my mattress and sits next to me. “Well, we have to move this time because your father got a promotion. And well, to tell you the truth I’m not too fond of moving either, but we just have to, okay?” I slowly turn my head so that I don’t see her anymore, “yeah, sure, whatever.”
    “Plus, this will give you a chance to be away from Bethany, and spend more time with your aunt,” she pushes herself off the mattress and walks to the door without looking back, and walks downstairs. The world is going to be upside down once more in one week, but thank goodness I’m going to be with my spoiling aunt, no mother or father, and defiantly no Bethany. To tell you the honest truth, I don’t even know my aunt, but mother says that she is too spoiling, that’s why I don’t get to see her most of the time.
    All the same, I can’t wait to meet her.

    Okay, the spoiling aunt count down is up to two days.
    YAAAAY! The worst part of my day is mornings, night is my lover, but still it would be deeply better if I did have at least one friend to share stuff with. I turn over on my bulky mattress, and see the lovely sun peeking through my tattered windows. Morning, I swear is the devil, mostly the little demon minions who help people not to sleep, but I will shut my eyes just for a while longer, “KRISTEN, you have company, get your a** down here!” oh lord, if you could give me a wish it would be for my lovely sister Bethany to rot in hell. I wearily sit up, blankets slipping down off of me, and slowly roll off my mattress.
    Company, how weird, I don’t have any friends or know any boys, so no company should be here for me. I slowly walk down the steps, dressed in my mini shorts and my favorite tank top, and there as I turn the shallow corner is Bethany flirting with a boy, oh ho no, but who else would it be but a complete jock from school, the only jock that doesn’t speak that much either, weird.

    “What the hell do you want?” I can’t help it, he’s so damn cute, but I still can’t show what I’m thinking, blah.

    “Oh, well, can I come in?” his whole face turns to a carnation pink, how adorable. I turn and wave my hand for him to follow, “mom, I’m going to be in my room,” I just had to yell while she’s sleeping. We slowly walk up the agonizing steps to my room, and as we enter the room his eyes wander the walls, floor, and ceiling in inspection. “So what do you want exactly?” I gently shut the door and twirl around to face him.
    “I, well, I don’t exactly know how to say this,” he nervously scratches the back of his neck, “ here goes, I, err, well see Kristen, ever since you came to live here, I’ve had a crush on you, and I know we run in different crowds. The only problem is that I don’t know how you feel about me, and I also can see that you aren’t into my type,” he gives a long pause.
    Oh, so that’s why he never looks at me and just avoids me. “Anyways, I actually ditched my friends, so that I could be with you, but it’s your decision,” I try my almost very best not to smile, but stand and give him my mean glare. I couldn’t help watching that cute face grieve, I ran up to him and we start making out, and when we looked at each other, I couldn’t help but notice he was on top of me on my bulky mattress. He’s such a sweet heart, but a huge jerk not to come forward with it a little sooner, whatever. “I have some terrible news though, I’m moving in two days, and probably never coming back,” I give him one of those sorry looks, but he starts to laugh, “what’s so funny.”
    “That’s my problem too, I have to move in two days up to New York so I could live with another part of family,” he’s kidding right, he’s got to be. “So you’re moving to New York, are you ******** kidding me? In two days, I have to MOVE TO NEW YORK!!”
    He gives a cheery smile, and sits up, “maybe we could go together, unless you’re taking a train?” Oh, well then how come my life doesn’t feel so glum any more? “Don’t worry we can, I have to take a plane.” With that said, we start making out hardcore, life is just perfect for me.
    An hour later, we both decide it’s time to stop having fun, so we pick each other up and walk down the awful steps once more.
    “MOM, I’M GOING FOR A WALK, I’ll be back before dark, and I actually keep my word this time,” I walk into the kitchen to find my mother making her disgusting diet smoothies, at the same time packing. “Where are you walking, and with who?” she gives me her motherly stare. “I am going to walk to the little park mommy, with my, err, friend, so I love you and I need fifty bucks,” I toss out my hand for her to set the money in it, which surprisingly does, score for Kristen, “oh and his name is Chad, he’s actually my boyfriend.”
    “Oh, how nice,” saying this without noticing me run out the door with Chad, mostly before she changes her mind with the money.

    _____________________________________________________________


    “So, Chad, why exactly have you had a crush on me?” I stop walking and plop myself on the cool park grass. “Well, I always wanted a girl and waited for a special girl, the one who wears dark clothes and makeup, who doesn’t care about what people think or do, and is just herself. Mostly nothing like what most people would want her to be like, but I like you because you’re cute, fun, artistic, an awesome musician, and most of all a great person,” he stops pacing and slowly lays on the park grass next to me.
    Never heard somebody say that to me, he has problems, really. “How nice of you, what next you want me to wear a collar and teach me to fetch? Brilliant idea, maybe you could even call me Foxy, or even Madonna,” I don’t want him to play mind games, he gives a short chuckle, “why would I let someone this beautiful go on thinking of the person I used to be. Listen I know you don’t want any mind games or s**t to ******** up your life, but I love you, and I want to live my life my own way, not everybody else’s way anyway.”
    “Is that why you ditched your friends?”

    “Sadly, yes, I ditched my own jock for friends to have a better life,” he gives a sly nod.

    “Oh what a good boy you are,” I pat him gently on the head as I would for a lone pup, “you finally came to reality to simply find out what crowd you are in, am I right or am I wrong?”

    He gives me a sexy kiss and looks straight at me, “you’re right.”

    “Oh I almost forgot, okay never mind, but still, it’s my birthday tomorrow, and since we’re like together, it would be nice to see you there.”

    “How ‘bout not, instead I throw a tiny pebble at your window, and we sneak out for the night, how does that sound?”

    “Sounds better than ever, see you tomorrow night.”

    We both make out for a while just before the sun hides behind the ocean, Chad takes me to a small hill, there we sat ‘til midnight watching the beautiful sunset, and as it finished setting we sat beneath a weeping willow. “You’re beautiful,” he shares a small comment as he kisses me tenderly on the lips, then I slowly shut my eyes and fell asleep in his gentle arms.
    My sweet sixteen birthday turned out okay, and then Chad came to sneak me out of the house. We went to his favorite hideout, it was mostly an abandoned shack, but we still had a blast. Candles were the best accessory to the love making on the new mattress and blankets he put in there, probably before he came to get me.
    Anyways, today I am meant to meet Chad at the busiest airport ever. The flight is going to be a blast, even though we have to wait ’til we get to New York to spend some fabulous alone time together. I still can’t believe some jock likes a nobody dark chick. Then again fate does come in different shapes and sizes, that’s always the bad part.

    _____________________________________________________________


    The flight wasn’t too bad, just boring and no entertainment, and so I spent the past day or so listening to the gothic songs on Chad’s iPod touch, fabulous toy. Now the hard part is splitting up, but Chad, being the smart one, gave me his cell phone number, plus a sexy kiss, before departing to his family. I met my aunt finally, and surprise, surprise, she’s one of those punk rock chicks who play guitar and doesn’t give a s**t what anybody says to her.
    “So you’re my aunt Kimberly?” I search her face for any resemblance to my mother.
    “Aw, you’re my devil winning niece,” she gives a cheerful clap and walks to the front doors, waving for me to follow.
    We approach a waiting taxi, which sends us to her home as soon as we sit our butts down.
    “I can’t believe I am finally meeting my own niece, I was going to spoil you with some new music, but then again I have no idea what your taste is,” she gives me a big happy smile.
    “I have a question; do you care if I have friends over, or should I say guy friends?” I just had to see how far she would let me go.
    “I don’t give a damn who you bring over, I might be working most of the time anyways,” her saying this makes me curious.
    “Where do you work?”
    “I have my own business, it’s a salon, but it also has a stage for the band that plays once in a while.”
    “I so wish you were my mom, all my mom does is shop and whine about if her thighs or butt is getting big, and which they are,” she stares at me for a second and gives a huge laugh.
    “Well, you don’t have to worry, I’m not much of a huge fan of junk food so I never whine, even though sometimes I do whine for some kind of yummy desert that I wish I had.”
    I do believe this is going to be the best year or so ever, and already my aunt is the best. We make it to a small condo that looks like a piece of s**t on the outside, oh how I can’t wait to get a good look inside. I made it inside with my sticker covered suitcases in both hands, but by my surprise the inside of this condo was like being in the fanciest hotel known to man. Aunt Kim walked me to my room, thank god, my room was an inspiration of life; rainbow paint splats on white walls, black silk covered king sized bed, purple carpet, a giant stereo, an occasional flat screen TV, and my favorite glow-in-the-dark stars stuck to the black ceiling.
    “I didn’t know how else to decorate this room, or even what to put in this room. Then, ever since you were coming to visit it was time to make this your room for now on. Now, when ever you do visit you have your own personal space. Oh, and I have a few rules not much though: one, you have to put your dirty clothes in the bathroom, I’m not coming in here to do it; two, this is your space I’m not allowed in unless you let me, so that means no going in my room ever; and three, if I’m not home by eight, that means you get to feed yourself, other than that I will make dinner,” she claps her hands together.
    I wander my room with my eyes and reach back to her eyes once more. “Oh, I’m never leaving,” I give a grin and a small chuckle. “I’m actually working tonight, so you can have a friend, if you have any, over and help yourself to food, and I will be back at around noon tomorrow.” She runs over and gives me a quick hug, shuts the door behind her as she leaves, and finishes off in her car to work. Okay, so this is the best day of my life. I put my clothes into the dressers and walk-in-closet, and walk into the lovely living room. I plop myself onto the coach and grab the phone, then dial my little friend for a night of fun.

    The phone gives a little ring before a sweet voice answers, “hello?”
    “Hey, Chad, this is um, Kristen.”
    “Hey babe, what’s up?”
    Did I just here that? He called me babe, he sounds cheery.
    “Nothing much, do you think we could hang out?”
    “Today?”
    “Yeah, you could come over to my aunt’s house, that’s if you’re not busy, of course.”
    “Don’t worry babe, I’m never busy when it comes to you.”
    What is up with him, he never called me babe?
    “Is there something wrong, because you don’t seem like yourself today.”
    “Don’t worry, I’m perfectly fine. Where does your aunt live?”
    I give him the directions of my aunt’s condo.
    “Okay babe, I’ll be there in twenty minutes, love you sexy.”
    That was it, he hung up before I could say anything else. He is so confusing; he confuses me the most when he nibbles my neck, then stops and starts kissing me instead. I’ll just take it as a disturbed child for now. I set the phone on the receiver finally and walk to the front outside steps to wait for him.
    When he finally arrives, I notice he came on his skateboard; he must not live far from here apparently.
    “Why were you calling me babe on the phone?”
    “I can’t call my own babe, babe,” he says this in a mocking way.
    “You never did, and it’s kind of weird when you just start.”
    “Can I still call you babe, sweetie?”
    Now he’s calling me sweetie, what the hell?!
    “Fine, but then don’t call me sweetie, that is annoying as hell.”
    He sets his skateboard on the steps and picks me up in his arms.
    “Open the door please, or then we can’t go inside.”
    I open the door; he walks in a bit, shuts the door with his foot and sets me on the coach.
    “So why are you so cheery?”
    Instead of answering me he starts making out madly with me, I guess that was the answer, good one sonny. I push him away gently for him to stop, which he does, finally, I couldn’t breath.
    “Answer my question.”
    “I’m just so happy to see and hear you”
    “It’s only been an hour we were apart.”
    “I know, now here’s my question, where’s your room?”
    I point to my open room; he looks then back at me, and then walks over while taking his shirt off and into my new favorite room.
    “Chad, what are you doing?” I tiredly get up to check what he’s doing, and to my surprise he is topless with only pants on looking at my room.
    “I’m not doing anything; I’m just really tired and want to go to bed.”
    “So why here, and not your house?”
    He looks at me nervously, “my dad and I got into a fight, and so he kicked me out, and I can’t live with my mom ‘cause she doesn’t have time for me.”
    “You could stay here with me, as long as you want to,” I walk to him and give him a giant bear hug, he hugs me back and kisses me on the top of my head.

    _____________________________________________________________


    At midnight, we settle in my bed, door locked and curtains closed, quietness fills the room.
    He whispers in my ear, “I love you, Kristen.”
    He slowly gets up and leaves the room, returning with four candles. He turns off the light, settles the candles next to the bed, lights them then sits next to me, his arms on both sides of me as he looks down upon my face.
    “What?”
    He doesn’t answer.
    “Chad, what’s wrong?”
    “You’re the only girl I won’t keep this secret from.”
    “What are you talking about?”
    I turn over onto my back, to look at him better. He slowly brushes away the hair from my face and neck.
    “You’re so beautiful.”
    He bends down slowly, starts kissing me, then my neck, and then a sharp pain wakens me from my daze. I try pushing him away, but feel weak, “Chad, please stop it hurts,” he stops. I fall into a deep sleep as he blows out the last candle and cradles me in his arms.





    Two

    I wake in the dark silent night, or more likely morning, still being cradled in his arms.
    “Are you okay?”
    I stare at him confused and dizzy, “what happened?”
    “Nothing, you just startled me awake when you woke.”
    I groan with pain, “what happened last night, is my aunt home, hi?”
    He gives his cute chuckle, “nothing, I’ll tell you later, yes, she got home a few hours ago, and hi.”
    He lays his head onto the headboard and looks into the far darkness. I slowly try to sit up but my body pounds in pain with every heartbeat. Chad looks down at me and smiles a weary smile, “do you remember last night?” I give a quick thought but I don’t remember one thing that happened, “no, not at all, why what did we do?” A small chuckle comes from his throat, “you fell asleep on me and I was pinned.” I gave him my half mean half in pain look, “ha, ha, I don’t remember falling asleep on you.”
    “But you said you don’t remember anything from last night.” I give him a funny face, and gently push myself to a more comfortable position. “And so you are a smartass, I’m learning lots about you.” A serious expression covers his face, “but not everything.” I give him a long serious face, “then lets learn about each other, what do I not know about you?”
    He thinks for a while and gives a stern look toward me, “I can’t say.”
    “And why can’t you tell me?”
    “Because it’s a very bad secret.”
    “How long have you had this secret?”
    “I had this secret since I was born.”
    “Oh, so you won’t even tell your girlfriend?”
    “Later, maybe I will, or not. Do you really want me to tell you the secret that bad?”
    “Maybe? You loser. Yes, I wish to know the secret so I will know you better than any other girl.”
    “What is your secret? I know you have one, every girl has at least one secret.”
    “I’ll tell you my secret, but it’s not a secret anymore.”
    “And why isn’t it a secret anymore?” He gives an adorable face which makes me giggle, yes I giggled.
    “It’s not a secret because you know it, I like you, okay, more like love you.” I hear him give a deep sigh of desperation.
    “What?”
    “Nothing, I just can’t stop looking at you.” I put my arm over his broad shoulders, “yeah, I have that affect on people,” I give my warmest laugh I could make.

    “So what do you want to do today,” he began a small conversation right as I was falling asleep.
    “I guess we could spend the day together.”
    He chuckles, “wow, that’s amazing, did you come up with that all on your own?”
    “Shut up you,” I took my arm off of him and grab hold of his hand, “or we’ll have to do something naughty.”
    “I don’t know about you but I would rather do the naughty part.”

    I give him a proud smile as he closes onto my lips, we sit there kissing, and smiling as we stop for short breathes. I reach down toward his pants and began to undo them, but instead he grabs my hand and stops kissing me. He gives a stern look and doesn’t say a word as I watch him push my hand away from him. “I’m sorry, I went too far, I don’t know what I’m thinking.” I turn away from him in confusion and slide down the side of the bed to sit on the cold floor. “I am a loser, I shouldn’t have even tried,” I try talking to him, but my voice is to low to hear.
    I cover my face with my delicate hands and think to myself.
    “It’s okay, I just don’t want to yet. You, on the other hand seem very ready,” he gives a short chuckle when he says this. I didn’t know what to think of that but he was right, and I was a stupid girl.
    “So what do you want to do now? I mean anything else instead of stay in bed all day?” I give him smart voiced questions, which he seems to think of as funny and laughs.
    “What is that supposed to mean? You were the one trying to get in my pants.” I turn to face him but his head is back and eyes shut.
    I slowly stand up, face him, and with a swift move I push him off the bed, down onto the floor, and with a small jump I land onto the bed to face him. “HA, now who’s laughing?!” He looks at me like in shock, “what is that look for?” He grabs my wrist and pulls me on top of him, we both laugh as I squirm into a more comfortable position.

    _____________________________________________________________


    It’s been two hours and I still lay on top of Chad, and on the cold floor. My neck began to throb with pain as I began to stand, but when I reached my feet I became dizzy. The dizziness seemed to last a life time, I fell onto my bed still dizzy stroking at my neck. The pain wouldn’t leave, I turned over to get Chad’s attention, “Chad, wake up, HEY b*****d!” I turned over onto my back as Chad woke from my yell.
    “What happened?” he stared down at me as I held my neck.
    “Shut up! I’m in pain and I don’t even know why,” the pain gave a jolt in my neck and I screamed, loud too. He pushed my hands out of the way and grabbed my face. He tilted my head away and pointed the side of my neck in pain toward him, and with that he bent and kissed my neck softly. The pain slowly vanished with every heartbeat, but I also fainted as the pain went away.
    I woke up minutes later in his arms, on the living room couch, and he was smiling at me. “What?” he kissed my forehead when I said this, but I didn’t get my answer.
    “Do you want to go?” I must have given him a confused look, because he laughed.
    “Go where exactly?” I had to ask.
    “Uh, well I was thinking outside.”
    “Duh, okay and what would be the fun we should have today?”
    “Hmmm, how ‘bout fainting every second of our morning?”
    “Shut up. I have had a weird morning.”
    “Fine, fine, no need for arguing.”
    “Yeah, I’m going to get changed. Want to come?”
    “I’ll love to,” he grabs me before I get up and pulls me onto him, “good morning.”
    He pulled me even closer and kissed me tenderly, I pulled away smiling, he gave a smile as well. I jumped off his lap and pulled him to my room, “having fun yet?” He gave an enormous smile as I shut the door and pulled him to me. We kissed each other even more, walking to the bed.
    This time I undid his pants all the way as he did mine, we crawled into the bed, and with that he pulled off my shirt. “I guess we aren’t going, or do you still want to go?” I looked at him, then at my naked self under the covers. “No, I’m good, I like it better when we’re in bed together.” He gave a sexy kiss then we began kissing insanely, both holding each other like love freaks, rummaging in the blankets loving each one another.
    _____________________________________________________________

    I woke slowly realizing what we just did, I pushed myself up just a bit as I noticed I was on top of him, and my head was on his chest, how embarrassing. “Oh, s**t,” I whispered so I wouldn’t wake him, he looks so adorable in bed. His hair going in all directions from sleep, or more than sleep, his chest rising with every small breathe, stubble on his chin begging to be stroked, and arm wrapped above his head.
    “It’s not nice to stare you know,” he said this without his eyes open, creeper.
    “When did you wake up?”
    “When you said ‘oh s**t’ ‘cause it sounded adorable,” he gave a weary smile.
    “Are you tired or something?”
    “Why?”
    “You seem tired.”
    He opened one eye.
    “HEY don’t look at me I’m naked!”
    He shut his eye and gave a giant grin, “what’s the difference we spent all day in bed naked together.”
    My face began to turn red, “we spent all day in bed together?”
    “Yeah, it’s like five or something like that.”
    “Great, I spent my whole day in a room with you, doing what exactly?”
    He opened his eyes and looked at me with a sexy smile, “Oh you know, some fun stuff.”
    After that I became beet red, or maybe purple because it felt like I was holding my breathe.
    “I feel retarded now. I don’t even know if you wanted to or not. Did you?”
    “Yeah, I wanted to, but I was waiting for the right time, I guess today was the day.”
    “Yeah, I guess so too.”
    “So, maybe tomorrow we could spend the day out in the town.”
    “Let’s hope so.” I smiled at him and gave him a tender kiss, a very long kiss too, ‘cause it seemed to go on forever.

    _____________________________________________________________


    The next morning my aunt promised to drop us off near the best shopping places. Chad woke up earlier than me and started taking a shower, but lucky for me I knew how to pick locks. “Kristen, I’ll be back in an hour to pick you guys up, something happened at the salon,” she ran out the door as fast as her heels can take her.
    I knelt down next to the bathroom knob and began to unlock it as Chad opened it and was standing there in just a towel around his waist, “should I ask what exactly you were doing?” With embarrassment, I looked up at him, still kneeled, and began to giggle. “Nothing, I just thought I should scare you but, you’re done so I’ll just go now.” I started to get up, when he picked me up, took me into my room, and set me on the bed. “Are you sure you weren’t trying to get in the shower with me?”
    “Maybe.”
    “You could have knocked.”
    “Boo - hoo, I didn’t feel like it, in fact I’m going to take MY shower.” I stuck my tongue out at him which he licked and slipped his tongue into my mouth, which was so weird but soothing at the same time. When he finally let go I slowly opened my eyes and watched him go through his bag of clothes. “I’m sorry but was that your first French-kiss or something; you seem pretty amateur doing it.”
    I stared at him for a while then became aware he was talking to me, “oh, um, yeah, I never had that kind of kiss before, heh.” I stood and slowly walked to the bathroom, not even noticing he was following until I was completely undressed. He touched me lightly on the arm, which made me jump and try to cover myself. “Jumpy? Remember I already seen you naked.” I slowly relaxed from what he said, undid his towel, and put my arms around his neck. He put his arms around my waist as we looked into each other’s eyes. “Since when did you become so sneaky?”
    “Ever since I met this girl named Kristen.”
    He gave a warm kiss this time as we both entered the shower.

    The ride to the mall was quiet, mostly because my aunt was singing with the radio. Chad was staring out the window and wouldn’t look away, probably thinking.
    “Chad are you okay?”
    He turns to look at me, “no, not at all.”
    “I’m sorry, what’s the matter?”
    He looks away like in pain, “I think I did something I shouldn’t have done.”
    “And what would that be?”
    “You know,” he puts two fingers against his neck, “that whole mess.”
    “When did you give me a hickey?”
    He drops his hand and gives a stubborn stare, “let me guess you don’t remember?
    “I guess not, so really there’s no reason to be upset.”
    “I can be upset all I want, and plus I shouldn’t have even brought this up.”
    “Then why did you?”
    “’Cause I feel guilty about doing that.”
    “Oh, don’t worry about it, I don’t even remember so don’t worry.”
    “Yeah, okay,” he kisses my cheek and continues to look out the window.
    When we arrived my aunt ditched us and went back to her salon to do some more handiwork I guess.

    We walked around the mall in silent, he didn’t even look toward me, but instead of bringing up a conversation I gave a boring sigh.
    “What?
    I looked up at him and saw he was looking at me with worried eyes, “nothing, its just . . . Never mind.”
    “Kristen, I know you, what’s wrong?” as he said this he sat on a bench and put both of my hands against his lips.
    “I don’t know. You just seem so far away today, and I was wondering why you are. But I didn’t want to break your thinking moment.”
    He gave a warm smile and laughed, “Kristen, my thinking moment was if you were going to say anything. Kit, I have to tell you something.”
    He gave me a` nickname, Kit. That’s yummy. I looked away to make the scene dramatic, it didn’t work as well because it looked like I was going to cry.
    “Kit,” with a gentle hand he turned my chin to face him, “can I tell you something?”
    “Yeah, of course.”
    He took my hand and took me out of the mall and into a dark alley way where nobody could see us. My only thought was for him not to kill me, shove me in a trash can, and run, but instead he kissed me hard with every nerve in his body working in my mouth. When it was over, he looked at my face, grabbed me in a hug and began to cry, “I’m so sorry Kristen, you don’t understand what’s wrong with me. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so damn sorry.” He slammed me against a wall, pain surged through my back like it was on fire.
    “CHAD! What are you doing?! What’s WRONG?!”

    Three

    I didn’t realize he was still crying, I mean streams of tears were falling down his face, “Chad, please stop, what are you doing?”
    “Kristen, I’m in pain, you won’t understand! Please, just cooperate with me, it won’t hurt as bad.”
    “Chad, what won’t hurt so bad?” oh my god, he was going to kill me, he’s going to take a blade from his pocket and shove straight into my stomach, or heart, whatever I was still going to die either way.
    “Kristen, if I told you, would you still save me from my ******** pain?” he stared straight into my eyes.
    “Chad, I’d do anything to help you.”
    “But that’s what I’m worried about,” he dropped his hands from my wrists and looked away awkwardly.
    It became silent for a little bit longer until we intertwined fingers.
    “You’re so beautiful,” he put his other hand on my face. I leaned my head on his hand, and put my other hand on top of his. His smile this time was weak and unnatural. His lips went to my neck where he laid small kisses.
    “Kristen, do you love me?”
    I gave a giggle, “Chad, I will always love you, no matter what happens.” I wasn’t quite sure what was happening but a small pain ripped through my neck.
    “Chad?!?” I tightened my grip on his hands, and then the pain disappeared into something beautiful, his mind.
    “Chad, what’s happening?” I smiled with the glow of his mind, I noticed then that not only that I could feel him, he could feel me.
    “I’m sorry Kristen, I didn’t mean to frighten you at first. It’s just the pain--
    “Chad it’s okay, I understand now.” I just couldn’t get over the idea we were communicating by mind, but how was my question. “Chad, why is it we can feel each others feelings, see each others minds, and communicate with one another?”
    “Because we were meant for each other. When I drink from your blood, it feels like this. But if we weren’t meant for each other, this wouldn’t feel so beautiful.
    “I wish we could stay like this forever. It’s amazing. Chad, you’re amazing!”
    When we came apart, I found he was holding me up in his arms so I wouldn’t fall to the cold ground. We stood there watching each other like nothing happened, until I fainted.

    It was night when I awoke, my bed was underneath me, Chad beside the bed sound asleep, probably tried to stay up to watch me. I got up from the bed as quietly as possible, and snuggled up to Chad, his breathing soft and quiet.
    “Good morning kit,” he smiled down at me with drowsy eyes.
    “It’s really not morning is it?”
    He chuckled, “of course not. I’m sorry about earlier, I didn’t mean for it to hurt.”
    I put my delicate finger on his lips, “I know. It was still beautiful, I wish we could do it again. Well, in a way I do.”
    An urge settled into my body, my body wanted fresh air for some odd reason, “I need to step outside, and I’ll be right back.”
    My legs felt wobbly when standing but after awhile I could walk once more. I reached the front door with a large grin on my face. The door opened in a swift motion and clicked back in place as I closed the door. The night was beautiful, the moon barely visible because of city lights. “Beautiful night isn’t it?” the voice was soft but loud enough to be heard. My instincts took over and I was searching the area for that one person, “um, can I help you? Where are you?” I folded my arms in frustration.
    The voice made a short chuckle, and then a boy walked out of the shadows and into the porches light, “of course you could help me.” My eyes searched him; gothic black hair, pale skin, dark clothes, eyes like silver, a smile never to forget, he was no older than Chad, broader maybe, a little shorter, had a perfect body, and a beautiful face.
    “With what exactly?”
    “Oh, hmm, how ‘bout a walk to a back alley so I could get closer to you.”
    “******** you, you little weirdo.”
    He bent his head back with a disturbing laugh, “scared?”
    “With what? A gothic boy who gets a thrill with raping little girls.”
    His lips curled in a greedy smile, “well, no. I was hoping for you to be scared to die not being raped.”
    “Good cover up.”
    “Well, I thought so myself,” a second later he was on the steps in my face, holding my waist so I wouldn’t fall or run.
    “What now, you going to touch me and hope I faint?”
    “No, but your mind makes me want to play a game.”
    “What game? Hide and seek? Oh goodie, let me get my coat,” I tried to give the boy a vacant look.
    “Well aren’t you a smartass,” he grabbed my chin and tilted it to the side, “I see we got a little busy with a vampire boyfriend.”
    I slapped his hand away, tried to struggle away, but his grip tightened around my waist.
    “What? Don’t you want even more fun then he gave you?” his lips curled even more with a disturbing smile.
    I could feel his mind start probing into my mind, and then blackness filled my vision.

    I woke with a start as I felt the boy searching my pockets. I slapped and kicked him off of me, and ran to a nearby door, which was locked.
    “There’s no where to run doll.”
    “Shut the ******** up!”
    I turned to him, he was in my face now, “so what exactly is it that you need?”
    He grabbed my wrists and shoved me against a wall, “I need you!”
    “What? Why?”
    Instead of an answer, he bit down softly but swiftly onto my neck. There was no pain, but his mind swarmed into mine like fire. His mind took me by surprise and I gasped loud enough for the world could hear. A soft whisper swept through to me, I need you. I don’t know why. I just do. Confusion hit me like a freight train.
    Why is it I can hear you, feel your emotions, and see your mind?
    That’s what happens when you’re meant for someone.
    I know that. But I could also hear my boyfriends.
    He stopped and looked at me, blood dripping down his chin, and without bothering to wipe it away he turned and sat on the edge of a bed. I walked over to him, knelt, and wiped the blood from his chin, “why is this happening?”
    “I don’t know, it isn’t supposed to happen.” There wasn’t much I could say about that because he was being thrown across the room by Chad, “CHAD! Stop, you don’t understand!”
    “YES I DO! He just wants to kill you!”
    “Shut up man,” the boy was on his feet now.
    Leave Kristen, NOW!”
    “******** YOU CHAD! You don’t understand what’s going on!”
    My thoughts went blank as a black blur was behind me holding a knife to my throat.
    “Let her go!”
    I wanted Chad to shut up so badly but my mouth couldn’t form the words.
    “Not until you give me a chance to speak,” the boy’s voice was very dark and calm.
    “Just let her go. This is our fight, she is not part of this!”
    “No,” with a flick of his wrist Chad was sent to the opposite wall.
    Chad slowly got to his feet in pain, blood rolling down his forehead.
    A ferocious scream came out of my throat, “STOP IT YOU TWO! There is no reason to fight! I’m not a prize to win!”
    “Yeah, what she said. Just let me speak, you wouldn’t want your prize dead.”
    Chad looked away for a brief moment then glared at the boy with intense eyes, “fine. Speak before anyone else gets hurt.”
    “You mean before I kill you?
    Chad gave an annoying glare toward the boy, as I became even more uncomfortable about the situation, “fine, talk, say whatever but don’t hurt Kristen, deal?”
    “Ummm, sure deal,” he didn’t move the knife from my neck as he leaned on one foot.
    “Okay, I know that when you tasted her beautiful blood, that you saw each others minds, but that was not real feelings. This ******** knows how to play the minds of the young ladies.”
    I looked at Chad’s expression change from serious to almost vomiting; he was hiding something from me. Realizing the knife was away from my neck I took a step toward Chad, “what’s wrong Chad?”
    “Oh nothing is wrong with him, Kristen. He just didn’t want to show the real him to you, this is the truth I do not lie.”
    The boy’s fingers slowly wrapped around my small arm, I yank it from his grasp and swing around to face him. “DO YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY?!”
    “Kristen, of course not. I’m only trying to help your poor life out, mostly when all he does need is your blood to stay alive on this forsaken earth. The demon of the devil does know how to play, but how far does his powers continue?”
    I grabbed Chad’s arm in a hurry, and continued out the door without another word to the boy.


    Four

    The very instant we were out the door I became very aware of how pissed off I was at that moment.
    “WHAT THE ******** WAS THE GUY TALKING ABOUT, CHAD?”
    He gave a pitiful look and began with a grunt, “er, I can’t really explain what he was talking about.”
    “Of course you can’t, that’s all you’ve been doing lately. Can you not explain at least one thing, or does everything come so hard for you to explain?” he looked away with every word that came out of my mouth. It hurt to say these things but somebody had to figure things out, and that was the girl’s part of the relationship. Sadly.
    He didn’t look my way as he hurried across the street and not to be seen. Something was wrong with him all of a sudden, or I didn’t realize the spark of panic in his eyes, whatever. I was to walk home, alone, in the dark, creepers out, and no weapon, nothing. It didn’t seem right, mostly when I knew he wouldn’t just leave me in the damn road like that, but he did.
    “Thinking if you should go or not?” the calm voice made me jump and twirl to try to attack my intruder, but instead it was that boy who also grabbed my hand from in the air. “Hey now, that’s no way to greet someone.”
    I tried jerking my arm away but he held his grip, “what do you want now?”
    “I thought I should walk you home since your little player decided to leave you here, not walk you home, in the dark, with creepers, and no weapon,” he said this close to my lips. I couldn’t push away from those nice, sweet, plump lips.
    “Uh, er,” I turn my head to the side to stop thinking for a moment, “I can’t. I mean I can walk my self home, I’m a tough girl.”
    “If you’re so ******** tough why can’t you resist me at the moment?”
    “I was taken off guard, that’s all,” I stick my chin out to give more emphasis, he doesn’t take the bait though.
    “Oh, well, that’s going to happen a lot in this town, so I think I’ll just walk you home,” he starts to walk off when I can’t help but say something I will probably regret later.
    “I don’t want to go home.”
    He stops, tilts his head just right to see his perfect structure in the moonlight, “why would you say that, every girl loves to take a guy back to their place.”
    “Chad lives with me, and I really don’t want to talk to him at the moment.”
    He turns to look at me better, “are you pulling my strings?”
    “No, he really does live with me,” I give him my best don’t look at me like that glares.
    “What kind of look is that?”
    My jaw drops, “Shut up, this is a hard face to make.”
    “Whatever, so do you want me to take you home or not?”
    “No.”
    “Well, then where are you going?”
    I start to walk away from him without a word, straight back through the building, and all the way to his little thrashed apartment.
    “No, you are not staying here.”
    “And why not, I have a right you know,” I give him my honest look.
    “Uh, no you don’t, I only tried to help you. I didn’t want you to stay with me.”
    “That’s a lie,” I point my index finger at him.
    He points his Index finger at me mockingly, “It was worth a try.”
    “Well, I call bed, you get couch, and I don’t want to talk to you. Deal?” I hold my hand out for him to shake.
    “Your ******** nuts, you know that right?”
    “Wow, you must be getting smarter,” I lay myself on the bed, he sits next to me without a word, “what do you want? Go to your couch.”
    He stares at me, leans over me, and starts touching places I don’t like.
    “Stop, you f**!” which he doesn’t but spreads my legs, and holds my hands down when I start to squirm.
    “This is my room, I do what I want. Right now I feel like getting down and dirty,” a disturbing smile crawls across his face.
    “STOP!!!”
    “Give me the bed and I will stop.”
    I think about this for a moment, but then he starts grinding on me.
    “OKAY, OKAY you can have the bed, just get off me!!!!”
    He rolls off me and onto the bed, while I take refuge on the couch.
    “You sick ********.”
    “Hey, my room, my rules doll.”
    “Whatever, I’m only staying here for an hour or so,” I get comfortable on the couch while he just pays attention to the ceiling.
    Staring at the ceiling helped me fall asleep, and about an hour later I wake up to the sound of the door shutting. I look at the door in front of me, and with my luck a naked guy with only a towel just looks back.
    “What?”
    “Nothing, just enjoying the view,” I stare a little harder for my sleepy eyes can focus.
    “Yeah, well keep staring, you’re not getting anything from me,” he walks over to the bed, of course I’m still staring, “I hope you’re enjoying because this is as close as naked you get to see from me.”
    I looked up his back and what I seen horrified me. The scene of his back slender, muscled, and tanned. Then the saddest part, white streaks covering his shoulder blades, showing scars of once was. I walked over to him and gently stroked the scars.
    “What happened?”
    He didn’t say anything as he turned toward me, and sat on the bed.
    “What happened?”
    “I, umm, well. Nothing. Nothing happened, I was born with them.”
    I looked down at him, his eyes shining bright comparing to the whole room, “what’s your name?”
    “Heh,” he rubs the back of his neck, “don’t laugh, okay?”
    “Okay, I promise I won’t laugh,” trying to push back the small giggle. I hope to God his name is not Mexican or something insane.
    “Okay, my name is,” he starts to stall for a while, “Gabriel.”
    I tilt my head to the side, “why would I laugh? That’s a gorgeous name, it reminds me of the angel Gabriel.”
    He gives a wry smile, which makes his eyes glow brighter than the sun itself.
    “Yeah, well everybody says that about my name,” he looks down at the floor, “plus, if it were up to me I would have gone without a name.”
    I sit beside him, “I wouldn’t. No name means you’re a nobody.”
    “Yeah well, I am a nobody.”
    “True, but you could always start to be a someone,” I lean back to look at the scars once more, “please tell how you got these scars.”
    He turns to face me, “no. You’ll find out soon enough.”


    Morning came sooner than I thought, because I found myself in the arms of Gabriel, who is still in the towel. The sun was beginning to peek into the curtains, as I tried scooting away from Gabriel, but he had a good grip on me like he was protecting me from something.
    “Gabriel,” I tried to be nice and whisper.
    “What?”
    “Can you let go of me please?”
    “No.”
    I hate him right now, “why not?”
    “Your player is on his way up here.”
    “Let go of me, or then everything is going to be awkward!”
    Right when I said this, the door slammed open revealing my Chad. Gabriel stood with one swift motion and grabbed Chad and through him across the room.
    “What do you want Chad?”
    “I came for Kristen,” he stood without another word.
    “No.”
    “Why not? She’s mine.”
    “Well for one, I’m not letting her get killed by some demon.”
    Chad glares at him, “I am not a ******** demon. Kristen lets go,” he starts to walk but then notices that I’m not coming.
    “Chad, I don’t know what’s happening. Can someone explain?”
    This made Gabriel laugh, “no. That means you will know Chad’s true self, then he’ll have to kill you even sooner. Kristen if you stay I will explain, but if you go, you’re as good as dead.”
    Well, there is not much to say there, I mean sure I would love to go with Chad, but I really want to know what is happening.
    “I’ll stay, Chad I’ll meet you at my Aunt’s house,” and with that Chad walked through the door once more, this is pathetic.
    Gabriel walks to the door locks it, and faces me with a cruel smile, “okay, that was fun, now it’s my turn.”
    He comes at me fast and furious but I run, okay more like trip, but he still manages to grab a hold of me.
    “LET GO GABRIEL!” he doesn’t of course, but instead he touches his index and middle finger to my forehead. Sadly, I pass out.

    I wake up in the back of a car, tied, and my head on Gabriel’s lap, “WHAT THE ********, GABRIEL?!”
    He puts his index fingers to his lips, “shhhh, you should be sleeping.”
    “Let me go. NOW!” the car stops.
    Gabriel pushes the door open and drags me by the hands, onto desert ground, and in the middle of no where.
    I start to squirm with every step he takes, “GABRIEL! YOU MOTHER ********, LET ME ******** GO!”
    He stops and slings me over his shoulder, then begins to walk to an abandoned house, “stop squirming, Kristen.”
    As I look back the car drives back in the direction where it came from, far away so nobody can escape.
    “What are you taking me prisoner or something?”
    “No, I’m taking you away so that it takes longer for Chad to find you.”
    “You piece of s**t, put me down!”
    He takes me up a flight of stairs, and dumps me on a springy bed. I start to crawl forward to get a way from him, “where the ******** do you think your going?” he grabs my foot and drags me back toward him. Gabriel then grabs my belt buckle in the front, and forces me up to face him, “Kristen, I’m not going to hurt you.”
    His eyes shine with sorrow, but his jaw line gives the fury away.
    “Why did you really bring me here?”
    He gives a short chuckle, “to show you something.”
    “Can I ask another question?”
    “Shoot,” he sounds annoyed this time.
    “Where exactly are we?”
    “Oh, umm, Arizona,” he tightens his grip on my buckle.
    “So, when are you going to show me this thing?” I emphasize the thing to bring out the humor in my voice. He stares deep into my eyes, “tonight.”
    Okay, so that doesn’t sound so bad. He lets me down gently onto the mattress, walks up another flight of steps, and onto the hot roof. Night is so far away, I need something to occupy myself. I stand and walk to a small table with an unlit candle.
    I occupy myself with books I found from a shelf before I fall asleep. A cold wind sweeps through the building as I start to wake. I flop myself near the edge of the bed, looking at the now lit candle, and there I notice a trail of rose petals. The petals form a heart then trail off again up the steps. Before I could think my body takes control, taking me with the petals, and all the way to the roof. The night air feels cool against my cheeks, as I stop at the end of the trail of red petals.
    Arms cover my waist, “you followed my trail I made.”
    I turn around in his arms, “it was hard to resist,” I notice the candles arranged around the roof. I also notice his bare skin under my fingertips.
    “Are you ready for the surprise?”
    “Yes,” but of course I really wasn’t.
    “No, you’re not, but I’ll continue anyways.”
    He steps back a couple of feet to give space between up. I stand there like a dork as he shuts his eyes. When he opens them, they turn to a bright white. He looks into my eyes, and something magical happens.
    The scene was magnificent. White wings with a small tip of black, glow in the dark of night, but his expression is worth the while. He smiles like a child, spreads his glowing wings, and lifts himself off the roof about a foot.
    “Care to join me, Kristen?” he puts his hand out expecting me to take it.
    A tear fell from my eye as I took his hand, “yes, yes I do, Gabriel.”
    With that he lifted me into his arms, and took me above the dark clouds. He gently put me down onto a cloud, but I was scared because I knew it was impossible to stand on a cloud. As I stepped down, I kept a good grip onto his hand, and felt the wetness on my feet, “this is impossible.”
    “Nothing is impossible,” h