• Prologue: The Dream
    Chapter 1:
    Ch.2

    Ch. 3

    Chapter III: part 2


    Jeff
    I SAT anxiously at my desk, thumping my pencil nervously against my History book.

    “Jeff...would you chill out?” Julie whispered across the aisle.
    Sighing helplessly, I leaned casually back in my seat. Relax. “Don't you think it's strange that she didn't call us, though?”

    I couldn't see her, but I knew the fact that she didn't answer meant that her concern was equal to my own. This morning, Kida never showed up at our normal meeting place. I figured that since she hadn't stopped by my house, maybe she had gone ahead to Charlie's, but Ju and I waited almost twenty minutes for her, and she never came. We called her cell phone to see if she was running a little late, but she never answered. What if something happened to her? I shook my head quickly.

    No...that wouldn't happen. She's probably just sick.
    Suddenly, I heard the door creak open, and a girl whom I'd never seen before walked in. Or...at least I thought I'd never seen her before. The girl walked up to the front of the class, and she looked oddly familiar. Mrs. Johnson appeared to be equally as interested as I. Squinting my eyes to better focus, I could've sworn it was Kida, but that was impossible. This girl had pitch-black hair and—

    Then the girl glanced quickly over at me, and I knew.
    No....way.

    Looking over at Julie, I wasn't surprised to see the same look of awe on her face. Then, out of curiosity, I looked over at Vincent and was equally as shocked to see the expression on his face. He literally looked...afraid. Normally I would've laughed, but there was something very troubling about his reaction. He was leaned forward tensely at the edge of his seat, clutching his fingers tightly on the sides of the desk, and his jaw was so tightly clenched that I thought the muscles in his face would bulge right out of his skin.

    “I'm sorry I'm late, Mrs. Johnson...I...I forgot to set my alarm clock.” Kida sneaked another quick glance in my direction. I shot her a questioning expression, but she just smiled reassuringly and winked.

    “What have you done to your hair?” Mrs. Johnson asked.
    She shrugged and handed the teacher her tardy slip. “This is actually my natural hair color.” Mrs. Johnson narrowed her eyes and observed Kida's face with a hint of fascination.

    “Kida, are your eyes...red?”
    Red?
    Kida's face turned crimson with embarrassment, but she smiled despite her nervousness. I could see right through her. “Uh...yeah. I'm just trying out these new contacts for Halloween. They're pretty scary, right?”

    Mrs. Johnson looked at her with a bit of apprehension. “Yes. Quite scary. Go ahead and take your seat, Kida. That's two days in a row that you're tardy.”
    Kida laughed skittishly and started walking toward me. The closer she got, the more bizarre she began to appear. Man...did I have some questions for her.

    ***

    Kida
    OKAY, I understand that I look completely different...but is it really necessary for everyone to stare at me like I'm some sort of freak? Then again for all I knew I was a freak. When Jeff raised a questioning eyebrow, I just smiled and sat in my seat. Now was not the time to explain. Besides, I still hadn't come up with a good excuse for my appearance other than, “I dyed my hair back to its natural color”, and the incredibly embarrassing, “I'm trying out these new spooky contacts.” Ugh! I just wanted to smack myself for not coming up with something better!

    I was happy that Jeff didn't turn around and insist an immediate answer, but it was hopeless to think that Julie would spare the same generosity. “Pssst. Kida,” she whispered. I rolled my eyes, and Jeff just shook his head. “Kida!”

    Pursing my lips, I turned around toward her and noticed all the students who were still staring at me with mixed looks of awe, curiosity....and amusement. “What?” I asked annoyed.

    “Don't 'what?' me. I knew you'd dyed your hair! I can't believe you tried to lie about it.” She sounded wounded, but the tone was only a mockery. Her lips were curled up at the corners, and she crossed her arms as if daring me to come up with some excuse.

    “So I lied. Who cares?” I looked back up to the front of the class, but was even more annoyed to see Julie squinting at me from the corner of my eyes. “What now,” I asked.

    “Are you wearing make-up?”
    I covered my face defensively. “Yeah, why? I always wear make-up.”
    She lifted an eyebrow, and said tersely, “Not that much.”

    “What are talking about?” The question was just for show, since I knew exactly what she was talking about.
    “Kida, you're skin is like...silverish.”

    “So I went a little over board.” I rolled my eyes. “It's none of your business anyways, Julie.” I winced after saying that. Ju was only concerned, and she had a right to be.
    “Whatever, Kida.”



    THE ENTIRE class period, I was forced to endure countless staring and even a few snickers. But the worst thing of all was the fact that Vincent continued to glance back at me with a look of complete fear. He seriously looked like he wanted to cry almost, and a few times I almost asked to leave the classroom. Did no one else notice?

    Then it hit me.
    Maybe Vincent knew something about my transformation. He had to.

    But that was just ridiculous. Still, I found it difficult to come up with a good reason why he was giving off such an aura. Maybe he doesn't like brunettes?

    I almost giggled at the thought of that. How could someone be so disgusted by a simple change of hair color?
    No. There was nothing simple about this.



    IT CAME as no surprise that Vincent didn't even bother showing up for Physics. Nor did he bother showing up for third or fourth period. And under any normal circumstances I'd be in the midst of complete celebration, but for some odd reason it annoyed the hell out of me. I mean, I knew Vincent was a p***k, but honestly, how shallow could a guy be? I change my hair, and now all of a sudden he can't even stomach to be in the same classroom with me?

    Then again...it could also be the luminosity of my skin combined with the red eyes.
    I sighed dramatically as I stuffed my books in my locker.
    “Ready for lunch?” Jeff asked as he and Julie walked over.

    I knew I forgot something.
    “Sorry guys...I...I was in such a rush this morning that I forgot my lunch on the kitchen counter.” I banged my head on the locker impotently.

    Julie sighed. “Yeah, yeah. Go get your lunch in the cafeteria. We'll be waiting at the picnic table as usual.” She winked and punched me playfully on the shoulder after realizing how resentful her tone of voice was. Jeff wrapped his arm around my neck and tousled my hair.

    “Hey...keep your head up, Kida. We know you're having a bad day.” Then he whispered in my ear, and my heart jumped a little. “If you want to talk...about anything,” he emphasized, “then you know where to find me.”

    I smiled crookedly and tousled his hair in return. “Thanks, Jeff. I'll see you in a bit.”
    He nodded and walked off with Julie.



    I MOANED out loud. “Chicken enchilada? For lunch?” I asked myself as I stuck out my tongue in disgust. “I hate Mexican.”

    Suddenly, I saw an arm leaning against the wall beside me. When I turned around, Vincent was standing there with a smirk on his face. “Forget your lunch?”
    I frowned and crossed my arms. “Where've you been?”

    His eyebrows pulled together, and he crossed his arms as well. The tension was higher than I'd anticipated. “The nurse. I wasn't feeling well after first hour.”

    I snorted. “Yeah...right. Was that before or after you avoided me?”
    This time he snickered and relaxed. “It had nothing to do with you.”
    If looks could kill...

    He sighed, defeated, and leaned against the wall. “Look. I was just wondering if you would like to come have lunch with me.” It took everything inside of me not to gawk, but I thought better of it.

    “Well...um.” There was no reason why I shouldn't. “Yeah, sure.”
    “Cool...follow me.”
    Other than the fact that he's a possible stalker killer!
    “Wait...follow you?”

    “Yeah,” he said confused. “To my car? You don't think we're going to eat here do you?”
    “This is a closed campus.”
    “And?”
    I was at a loss for words. There was no way I was going to get in a car with Vincent.
    Absolutely...no...freaking...way.

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