“Sometimes, wishes aren’t meant to come true. Especially when you’re willing to go to the extreme for it.”

    My name is Wendy Clara Ross. I am currently fifteen years old and attend a private school called Winston Academy . My parents are Lucinda Ross and Victor Ross. My mother is a news reporter and part-time florist while my father is one of the top heart surgeons in the country. You can say that my family is wealthy, which is pretty much true. I also have an older sister and a younger brother.
    Or, I should say had.
    My sister, Amanda, was an international journalist, but she died on an airplane crash when I turned thirteen. A year after, my ten year old brother, Kenneth, was diagnosed with a serious epidemic that caused his legs and arms  to become paralyzed and for his body to slowly start to deteriorate. He passed away in his sleep about seven or eight months ago from today.

    After the deaths of my siblings, my parents became more stressed and went through depression. My mother quit her job as a florist and my father gained a bad drinking habit. Both of them would argue non-stop, yelling at me as well every now and then. I would lock myself in my room and force myself to sleep, but I’ve lately been getting nightmares. They would display the happy memories of my sister and brother smiling, but then dramatically change into their death scenes: my brother saying goodbye as smiled weakly and closed his eyes and my sister crying her eyes out before walking towards the airport. I cried myself to sleep, praying that those nightmares would go away, but they didn’t.
    I then got insomnia. I couldn’t rest. Especially not with those horrible dreams swirling through my head, haunting me.

    School made it worse. My friends couldn’t even coax me enough. The school’s therapist tried, but he couldn’t do much. My teachers tried cheering me up, but nothing worked. Everything seemed useless. But I didn’t want to just end my life right there. I thought that maybe, just maybe, something would help me.
And something did.
But it wasn’t what I expected, nor wanted.

2: Chapter 1: The Beginning of a Tragic Tale

    “Wendy? Are you leaving for school soon?” Mrs. Ross asked, turning around to look at her daughter. Wendy nodded, grabbing her backpack and slinging it over her shoulder.

    “Remember to come straight home after you’re finished with your after school activities. I don’t want you to stay out too late.” she added.

    “Yes, Mother,” Wendy replied, putting on her shoes and walking out the door. She sighed once she walked out the house gates, straightening the red plaid skirt of her uniform.

    “Hopefully today runs smoother than yesterday…” she mutters to herself, proceeding to stroll down the block, towards her school.

~∎☐∎☐∎☐∎☐∎~

    “Wendy!” someone called. Wendy turned around, spotting her two friends dashing towards her.

    “Hello, Inez. Hi, Zach.” Wendy greeted, smiling. Zachary grinned widely, his messy brown hair dancing with the blowing breeze passing through as his light blue eyes lit up.

Things about Zachary “Zach” Hillan and Inez Valdina:
Zachary: Wears a silly grin, a huge video-game lover, and is sometimes competitive. Has eyes the color of a vast blue sea and has hair the color of chocolate.
Inez: A never shy girl, speaks her mind, and is very playful. Thinks class is always boring, staring out the window with her honey yellow hair on her left and coal black eyes in front.

    “Hey, are you busy today?” Zachary asked. Wendy looked up in thought, the three of them still continuing their walk.

    “I don’t really think so…” Wendy responded. Inez giggled.

    “It looks like she doesn’t remember~” Inez said happily, pulling back some of her blond locks behind her ear. Zachary chuckled, leaving Wendy in a the dust of confusion.

    “What are you guys talking about? What did I forget?” Wendy asked, but her silly duo of friends just continued to laugh.

    Once they got to class, Inez parted ways with Zachary and Wendy, for she had a different homeroom than them. Wendy sat down, sighing as she looked out the window. Suddenly, someone tapped her shoulder, causing her to turn around, only to meet a pair of unusual auburn colored orbs. Wendy’s body relaxed once she noticed who it was.

    “Lin, you scared me there…” Wendy said. Lin let out an awkward laugh, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly.

Things about Lillian “Lin” Nakari:
You’re typical awkward, apologetic, and stubborn friend. Born with a rare eye disease that caused the colors to turn from dark brown to an auburn/amber state in certain lighting. A great writer and decent artist who always acts kind, but can sometimes get very aggressive when people tease her.

    “Did I? My apologies…” she said. Wendy shook her head.

    “No need to. So, what did you need from me?” she asked. Lin pulled out something from her teal folder, handing it to Wendy. The paper depicted a picture of Wendy, Zachary, and Inez standing together, laughing and holding hands.

    “Zach told me about it yesterday and asked me to draw a picture for you guys,” Lin said. “Isn’t today your anniversary of when you all became friends?” Wendy’s eyes widened in surprise.

    “Anniversary…” she repeated. Zachary came up from behind Lin, scaring her. Lin was a year younger than them, so her short structure looked weak compared to him. Zachary patted her on the shoulder.

    “Thanks for drawing this for us, Lin!” he said. Lin smiled kindly, but her expression immediately changed as she swiftly jabbed Zach in the stomach with her hand.

    “You’re very welcome!” she said happily. She then turned to glare at Zachary. “Don’t you dare try to scare me like that ever again…” she muttered darkly. Zach laughed nervously, holding onto his stomach.

    “I-I’ll make sure to keep that in mind next time…” he replied wearily. Wendy giggled.

    “You guys… class is going to start soon,” she reminded. Lin sighed.

    “Right. Classes…” she grumbled, walking back to her seat behind Wendy’s. Zachary did the same, going over to his seat all the way in the back. The teacher then came rushing into to class, his glasses crooked as always and papers sprawled in his arms.

    “So sorry for being late again, class!” the teacher, Mr. Edson, apologized. Some kids muttered back a response while the other just boredly waited for his instructions.

    “Anyways, I’ll be taking attendance now. Then we’ll get started on your assignments for today,” he said, grabbing the metal clipboard from behind him that had the list of students’ names on it.

“Chase Dell?”

“Here.”

“Henry Albern?”

“Present.”

“Lin Nakari?”

“I’m present.”

“Zachary Hillan?”

“Here!”

“Yuzuki Lanka?”

“Here.”

    “Wendy Ross?” Wendy looked up at the teacher, nodding her head. Mr. Edson nodded back, noticing her and writing a check mark next to her name. As he continued roll call, Wendy looked back at the drawing Lin drew and smiled.

    “Now then, you all have a research project to do. I would like you all to partner up with someone and get started on it right away. The subject is based off of your definition of the word: “monochrome”. Of course, the answer is obvious, but how would you explain it to someone if you compared it to dreams? It’s a deep, dark answer, no doubt, so please try your best to interpret it in the best way possible. Understood?” he explained, asking if everyone got what he meant. There were a lot of whispers going around, mainly in the form of questions, but in the end, everyone nodded. Mr. Edson smiled.

    “Great! Sorry if it sounded complicated or  really weird thing to do a research project on, but that is what I have come up with. This is Literature Class after all.” Mr. Edson added. “Now then, go find your partner and get started!” Wendy looked around the room, trying to see who she can work with. Zachary already partnered up with Lin, and Wendy’s other friends, Vic and Rose, partnered up as well. She sighed, raising her hand and catching Mr. Edson’s attention quickly.

    “Ah, Ms. Ross! What seems to be the matter?” he asked.

    “I was wondering if I could work alone. As you do know, or at least should, we have an odd number of students in this class, and everyone seems to be satisfied with their partners.” Wendy explained. Mr. Edson nodded slightly, seeing that everyone was getting comfortable with their teammate and were already planning things out.

    “Hm… very well. I expect yours to be better than everyone else’s then, for you are going solo on this one.” Mr. Edson said. Wendy smiled.

    “You have my word; I shall do my best.” Wendy replied. Mr. Edson just nodded his head, looking back at the files of paper on his desk.

    As Wendy was doing her research, she overheard a conversation between two of her fellow classmates behind her.

    “Speaking of dreams, did you hear about a certain rumor going around recently?” one of them asked. Her partner shook her head. “From what I’ve heard, on a moonlight sky at 6 o’clock, a person will walk up to you and ask to get rid of your bad dreams! “

    “I think you’re really gullible when it comes those kinds of myths,” her partner said. She only shrugged her shoulders.

    “Who knows? I think it might be true...” Wendy rested her cheek on her hand, closing her eyes.

    “A man who gets rid of bad dreams… huh…” she thought. “Sounds too good to be actually true…” Suddenly, an image flashed in her mind, revealing a smiling boy’s face and a tall young woman next to him. Wendy’s eyes widened, gripping her head in pain. She began to choke as the atmosphere around her felt more heavier, making it more difficult for her to breathe. She pushed everything off her desk in frustration, gasping heavily for air.

    “Goodbye, Wendy…” they both said, walking away. Before Wendy could open her mouth to shout something out, someone smacked her back pretty hard. Once she snapped out of her delusion, she looked around her. Lin and Zachary were looking at her with nothing but worry while everyone else was staring at Wendy curiously. Lin then broke out into tears, hugging Wendy close to her. Wendy jumped in surprise; she forgot how sensitive her younger friend was.

    “Don’t scare me or make me hurt y-you again… I-I literally thought you were going insane…” Lin muttered. Wendy looked up at Zachary in shock, trying to ask him from her look if she really did do that. Zachary just nodded his head, making Wendy look back at Lin with tears in her face.

    “I…” Wendy began. She then smiled sadly, hugging Lin back. “I’m so sorry… for scaring you…” Lin let go of her, wiping the tears from her face. Mr. Edson looked at Wendy and Zachary.

    “Wendy, you might want to go to the nurse; Lin’s slap must’ve hurt badly. Zach, I want you to help Lin calm down, okay?” Mr. Edson pleaded. They both nodded as Wendy left the classroom and Zachary patted Lin’s back sympathetically (and awkwardly) to try to make her relax a little.

~∎☐∎☐∎☐∎☐∎~

    “I hate gym class…” Lin complained as we walked out of the girl’s locker room with Inez, heading towards the cafeteria. “Mr. Cardelli made us run twenty laps around the school. First off, does he not know how ungodly large our school’s campus is? Second, I think he forgot that even though I don’t have my cast on anymore, doesn’t mean my leg is all healed up,” As Lin continued to grumble about our stupid gym teacher, Inez began to laugh, patting Lin’s head sympathetically.

    “There there, no need to be so mad about it! But I do understand about the leg thing… how’s it feeling by the way?” Inez asked. Lin crossed her arms.

    “It was feeling better until Mr. Saukerl  forced me to do those stupid laps,” Lin muttered angrily.

Definition of Saukerl:
Saukerl is a German word, used as an insult to men. There is also a version of this word used towards women, which is Saumensch. The Sau in both words means “pig”.

    “Ever since you read “The Book Thief”, you haven’t stopped swearing in German. Be glad that Mrs. Benson is the only teacher in this school who understands German,” Inez replied. Lin rolled her eyes.

    “I don’t care if she hears me swear in German or not. And you shouldn’t be blaming me for it; Timothy does the same thing, so I’m not the only one at fault.” Lin retorted. Wendy and Inez looked at each other, smirking.

    “Oh yeah, how’s that love triangle thing going out for you with Timothy and Fl-” Lin quickly slapped her hand over Wendy’s mouth, her face scarlet red.

    “Will you stop teasing me about that already?!” Lin hissed. “It’s none of your business!” Just then, two male teens walked over to the trio, waving hello.

    “Hey guys!” the one with spiky brown hair greeted. This was Timothy Parker.

Things about Timothy Parker:
A soccer loving, lanky adolescent, always teasing his friends, mainly Lin. And because he has a special “charm” with his chocolate colored hair and light brown eyes, girls easily fall for him, making him a player.

    Lin glared at him, removing her hand from Wendy.

    “What is it, Saukerl? Aren’t you supposed to be frolicking around with your fangirls or something?” Lin asked, irritated to see his presence. Timothy snickered, playing with Lin’s hair.

    “Are you just jealous that we’re not together anymore, Saumensch?” Timothy replied. Lin slapped his hand away from her.

    “As if! I’d rather drop dead than to be with you again.” she said. The tall Asian standing next to Timothy let out a chuckle, pushing up his glasses. This was Floyd Mason.

Things about Floyd Mason:
A kind-hearted male who seems distant at first, but just really wants to help in any way he can. Has fair skin, a slender frame, and always wears his distinctive black framed glasses. One of the smartest kids, and is in the same grade as Lin and Timothy.

    “Oi, I thought you said you would stop calling each other pigs for one day,” Floyd commented. “Looks like that promise wasn’t fulfilled.” Wendy laughed.

    “Just let them brawl a little; it’s not like they’re starting a Streetfighter battle right here.” Wendy said, waving the matter off. Floyd then cleared his throat.

    “Either way, we should all head to lunch now. Zach was looking for you guys,” Floyd informed. Wendy nodded, grabbing Lin’s arm and dragging her away from Timothy before she could throw a punch at him. Inez quickly followed behind, and so did the two boys.

    “Ugh, the nerve of that guy!” Lin groused, crossing her arms. “He think he’s so perfect because he has multiple girls falling heads over heels for him, ha! I should’ve let those idiots have him; why did I even date him in the first place?!” Wendy sighed, shrugging her shoulders.

    “Who knows? You did. But that’s history, you should forget about it,” she reassured. Lin sighed as well, smiling.

    “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind,” she responded, walking to the lunch table she spotted Zachary sitting at. Wendy smiled.

    “She’s back to her regular self… that’s good,” Wendy thought. She then frowned, clenching her fists. “I just hope I don’t lose my temper again.”

    “There you guys were! Where did you go?” Zachary asked. Lin sat down, opening her lunchbox.

    “Ran into Floyd and a dumbass. Sorry for being late,” Lin replied, taking a bite of her sandwich. Zachary laughed.

    “Oh, you mean your ex-boyfriend, Parker?” he teased, quickly putting his legs up on the cafeteria bench to avoid Lin’s foot trying to kick him in the shin. Inez and Wendy came by sooner or later, and the conversation about the “love triangle” began once again.

    “Oh come on! You two are so cute together; you even walk home together!” Inez said merrily, clapping her hands together. Wendy nodded in agreement.

    “And if anything, it looks like Timothy also still has a thing for you; you’re the only person who he shows his soft side to.” Wendy pointed out. Lin groaned.

    “So what if I walk home with Floyd? It’s not like it means anything; we’re neighbors for Pete’s sake. And Timothy only shows his soft side towards me because I’ve been his friend for so long.” she explained. Zachary’s eyes widened.

    “Wow, did someone hear that? Lin-san finally called Timothy by his real name! This is a discovery no one has ever heard before until now!” he exclaimed, only to receive another jab from Lin.

    “What about you, Zach? Don’t you and Inez have something going on?” she asked with a smirk. Inez’s face grew red as Zachary wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

    “At least I’m not so shy about admitting my love for another person!” Zachary stated proudly. Wendy began to laugh while Lin just patted Inez’s head, who was feeling more embarrassed than before, covering her red face with her hands.

    “Aw, don’t worry Inez! I’m just surprised you out of all people would go out with this lunatic,” she said, jabbing a thumb at Zachary. He stuck out his tongue.

    “Love you too, Lin,” he mocked. Lin just rolled her eyes and stood up to throw away her trash. Wendy did the same while Zachary and Inez reluctantly did so as well.

~∎☐∎☐∎☐∎☐∎~

    Wendy stretched out her arms over her head, letting out a loud yawn. After she relaxed again, she proceeded to walk out of her school’s front doors.

    “I’m so glad school’s finally over…” she muttered. Wendy was suddenly stopped by both Zachary and Inez, who popped up in front of her with wide grins. Inez grabbed Wendy’s right arm while Zach got hold of her left.

    “Don’t tell me you’re just going to leave now!” Zachary said. Inez giggled.

    “We still have to celebrate that anniversary! Lin said it was okay to crash a party at her house, so let’s hurry up and go!” The three friends ran away, towards Roselea Street where Lin’s house was. She had to leave early to pick up her little sister anyways, so she was already inside, waiting for them to come over.

    Once they got there, Zachary softly knocked on the door. It flew open, revealing Lin in a white, long sleeved shirt and black leggings.

    “You guys must be really excited to start,” Lin commented, smiling. “Just make sure you don’t leave my house a mess like last time; my mom got really mad when that happened.” All of them burst out laughing as they walked inside, taking off their shoes and getting ready for the party. Lin baked a cake beforehand, while Inez and Zachary prepared the presents.

    “I feel so bad for not doing anything for you guys…” Wendy said. Inez shook her head, pulling her into an embrace.

    “Don’t worry about it, Wendy! You being here is just as good as any present!” she replied happily. Wendy let go, smiling kindly.

    “Thank you, everyone.”

    After the party, it was around 6 o’clock, and Wendy stated that she had to leave soon and it was getting pretty dark out. The friends parted ways, and Wendy walked out into the foggy, autumn night. She shivered a little when a cold breeze passed by, making her wrap her arms around herself.

    “It got so cold all of the sudden…” she mumbled. As another gust of wind blew once again, Wendy noticed a strange figure standing next to a lamp post. He looked around her age, probably a year or two older, and he was looking up at the sky without emotion. Taking a few steps closer, Wendy got a better look at him. He was wearing a black, swallow-tailed coat, collared yellow button up, black trousers, dress shoes, and a black hat with a yellow strap tied around it. His hair was as yellow as the sun and he had a pair of curious blue eyes mixed with a tint of green.

    “He sure is a weird guy just to be standing there without reason…” Wendy noticed. She just sighed, casually walking past him and pulled out her keys to open her house door. Just then, her keys were snatched out of her hand, causing her to turn around and wonder who stole them. The figure stood in the light again, revealing it to be the same young man as before.

    “Hey, what do you think you’re doing?!” Wendy exclaimed. She ran up to him, trying to get her keys back, but the boy moved out of the way, avoiding her.

    “What’s a missy like you doing out here so late?” he asked with a sly smirk, dangling the keys in his hand. Wendy crossed her arms.

    “I’d like to ask the same question to you,” she replied. He laughed, tossing this keys back to Wendy. She caught it, but stayed in her position to hear what this guy had to say.

    “Oh, it was just a lovely moonlit night, I had to come out to see it,” he said. Wendy looked up at the sky; there was a full moon shining brightly while the stars around it flittered.

    “I guess it’s nice…” Wendy muttered. The young man inspected her closely with his deep, aquamarine colored eyes, causing her face to flush a bright pink color. He chuckled, backing away from her.

    “There’s something bothering you, isn’t there? Perhaps… a nightmare of some sort?” he questioned. Wendy’s eyes widened.

    “How did you know?”

    “It’s pretty obvious, based off your expression. It has a happy and calm façade, but deep down, it’s in sorrow and pain,” he explained.

    “Just… who are you anyways?”

    “I’m Xaven Shiroku. But people always calls be Baku,” Xaven introduced, placing his black gloved hand over his chest and bowing servant-like to Wendy.

Definition of Baku:
A Japanese spirit that devours people’s dreams and nightmares. Usually said and drawn in traditional folklore and arts.

    “Baku…” Wendy repeated. She then gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. “A-Are you the strange person who can erase one’s dreams?” she asked. Xaven smirked, his bright yet slightly sharp teeth shining form the light as he stood back up straight.

    “Oh, it looks like you’ve heard of me then,”

    “I thought you were just a myth… but to actually see you in the flesh…” Wendy’s words trailed off, until she thought of something. “Wait, how can I trust you exactly?” Xaven held his hand towards Wendy, collapsing four of his fingers to leave the pinkie finger sticking out.

    “Let’s make a pinkie promise then,” Xaven said. “Contribute, and you can leave your bad dreams for me to handle. And if you don’t, well, let’s just say those nightmares you’ve been having will hang around for a little longer,” he explained. Wendy hesitated, her hand raised to her hip, questions spiraling through her mind.

    “I… I still can’t find a reason to trust you… even if what you’re saying is true…” she said, shaking her head. Xaven frowned, sighing, but still keeping his hand up.

    “Y’know, whenever people approach me, they’re the ones who ask to get rid of their bad dreams. And you know I can’t say no,  it’s what makes me happiest. I’ve never encountered a stubborn girl like you before; heck, I’m the one who’s offering what I do best,” he informed. “So, if you think about it, it’s a rare deal. What do you say?”

    “If he’s telling the truth… my nightmares about Kenneth and Amanda might finally go away… Should I take that risk…?” Wendy mused, thinking intently. Taking a deep breath, she extended her pinkie out and wrapped it around Xaven’s.

    “Fine, I’ll accept your help,” Wendy responded. Xaven tipped his hat to Wendy, letting go of her small finger as his joy from before sprung back to life.

    “I knew you would agree,” he said. Xaven wagged a finger at Wendy. “But do understand that not all good wishes like this will come and go for free.” Feeling more confident in this offer, Wendy took a step forward.

    “I’ll pay as much as it costs,” she replied. Xaven shook his head.

    “No no, I’m not asking for money…” He lifted Wendy’s chin up, forcing her to look at Xaven straight in the eye. His lips formed a devious smirk, his thumb lightly rubbing underneath her lower lip. Wendy trembled at this, but tried her best to remain calm. “But after the deal is done, I’m pretty sure you’ll find out what the price is.” Smacking his hand away, Wendy, whose face was back to an embarrassed, pink state, cursed under her breath.

    “Who do you think you are?!” she hissed.

    “My sincere apologies, madam. But do remember that I am the one who does all the magic, so you better respect me more often,” he said. Wendy rolled her eyes, walking back to her house.

    “Just keep your promise,” she said. He nodded his head, walking off.

    “You have my word; I shall do my best.” Wendy’s eyes widened, turning around to try and see him again. The only thing that greeted her was another light stream of air.

    “That’s what I said to Mr. Edson this morning…” Wendy shook her head, fidgeting with the keys until they got through and opened the door. “No, it must’ve been a coincidence. There’s no way he would know I said those exact words…”

    Locking the door behind her, she took off her shoes and walked towards the kitchen, where her mother and father were sitting.

    “Hello Father. Hello Mother.” Wendy kindly greeted. They both just nodded their heads. Before Wendy could get all the way up the stairs, her mother asked her a question.

    “Why were you out so long?” her mother asked. “You said you would come home at 5 o’clock sharp.”

    “I had to help a teacher move some files around,” Wendy lied. “I’ll be in my room if you need me.”

    “Don’t stay up too late, you’ll strain and stress out your brain,” her Father added. Wendy nodded.

    “Yes, Father.”

    Upon reaching her room, Wendy groaned, tossing her backpack aside and throwing herself on her comfy bed. She turned her body around to stare up at her blank ceiling.

    “Baku…” she muttered. She got up, turned off the lights, and tried to sleep.

Wendy’s Dream:
Kenneth ran up to her, embracing her warmly. Amanda stood next to her, smiling. The three began to laugh lightly and happily, just like a regular family would.

    Unknown to Wendy, a small smile tugged on her lips and a tear of happiness rolled down her cheek as she slept that night comfortably. This was the rarest time she had a good dream, and she enjoyed every single moment of it, never wanting it to end.

3: Chapter 2: Back to Normal?

    The next day, Wendy woke up, feeling refreshed and relieved. Last night, she had the best dream in a lifetime, never feeling as happy as she is today. But for some reason, when she awoke, her vision was slightly blurry. Wiping her eyes gently, she blinked a couple of times before allowing the world to clear up before her.

    “It must be because of the morning delay…” Wendy thought. She hasn’t pulled any all-nighters in a couple of years, so staying up late couldn’t be an option of why her vision is going bad. Either way, she began her normal routine as usual, leaving aside the matter.

    “Good morning, Mother,” Wendy greeted, smiling. Mrs. Ross looked at her daughter curiously.

    “Morning, Wendy. You seem awfully happy today. Is there something special going on at school?” her mother asked. Wendy shook her head, sitting down at the kitchen table and beginning to eat her breakfast.

    “No. I just feel like today is going to be a good one,” she replied, swallowing her food before answering. Mrs. Ross just looked at Wendy for a little bit longer before turning her attention to the time on the grandfather clock.

    “Oh, you have to go to school soon, Wendy,” Mrs. Ross informed. “Have a nice day.” Wendy nodded.

    “Goodbye, Mother,” she replied, walking out the door with her backpack over her shoulders.

    Halfway down the block, she let out a sigh. She couldn’t tell what happened last night to her friends. Wendy was scared that they wouldn’t believe her. Or, even worse, would avoid her. The story itself was too surreal to explain, and if she did, the ending would have a bitter taste. That’s what Wendy thought at least.

    Once she reached the school and walked inside, she bumped into someone. Falling on her behind, she looked up to see who it was. It was none other than Floyd, who looked pretty shocked. He held out a hand to Wendy to help her up, which she agreed to.

    “Floyd, what’s wrong? Your face is as pale as a ghost, and you’re later than you usually are to school,” Wendy wondered. Floyd looked down.

    “Something bad happened last night…” he responded. “You see, Lin and I were walking home together after you guys had that celebration, since we met up at the library to study, and this random guy came up to us. We ignored him at first, until he walked up to us and introduced himself. But all out of the blue, he stabs Lin in the side and runs off. I didn’t know what to do, so I ran all the way to the nearest hospital and demanded for treatment I would pay for later,” Floyd explained. Wendy’s hand flew to her mouth.

    “I-Is she okay?” Wendy questioned worriedly. Floyd nodded his head, making Wendy sigh in relief.

    “Fortunately, yes. The nurses said that the blade didn’t hit any of her vital organs, but she hasn’t woken up yet. Timothy and I decided to check up on her this morning,” he replied. “Timothy left earlier than I did though, so that’s why I’m behind schedule.” Wendy looked down.

    “Poor Lin… “ she muttered. Floyd smiled.

    “Don’t worry, Wendy. I’m sure she’s fine. But that man…” Floyd clenched his fist. “He better not lay another hand on any of my friends ever again… especially not her…” Wendy’s eyes widened as a thought popped into her head.

    “Hey, Floyd,” she began. “Sorry for asking, but do you remember who that man was?” Floyd looked up in thought.

    “Hm, he had blonde hair and green blue eyes. I remember that he wore a black hat and coat, but that’s pretty much it. I was too worried about Lin’s safety I can’t recall much,” Floyd said. Wendy gasped.

    “It can’t be…” Wendy thought, shaking her head. “Do you know if they’d let me in after school?” Wendy asked. Floyd nodded his head.

    “I’m pretty sure. But they close at five o’clock, so it’s best if you skip after school activities if you want to meet her on time,” Floyd responded. Wendy nodded, almost forgetting that they were still in school. Saying a quick goodbye to Floyd, she ran down the hall and up the stairs. Reaching her homeroom class, she rushed inside, right in time to hear Mr. Edson say, “Wendy Ross?”

    “I’m here! Or at least, now I am,” Wendy replied. The whole class stared at her, making her face turn pink from embarrassment. “U-Uh, I apologize for being late,” she quickly added. Mr. Edson sighed.

    “Take your seat please, Ms. Ross.” he said. Wendy nodded, awkwardly strolling over to her desk and sitting down. The uncomfortable thing was that it was near the center of the room, making her more apparent.

    “Now that everyone is here, you can all start on your projects,” Everyone in the classroom nodded their heads, spreading out in the somewhat small classroom with their partners. Zachary walked over to Wendy, tapping her shoulder lightly. She was staring off into space, so the sudden touch scared her a little bit.

    “Hey, you alright, Wendy?” he asked. “You look pretty down today.”

    “I’m guessing Floyd didn’t tell you then, huh?” Wendy replied. Zachary’s head tipped to one side, confusion splashed onto his face.

    “Tell me what? What happened?” he questioned, half worried, half curious.

    “Lin… got heavily injured last night after the party. Someone stabbed her as she was walking home, and she’s in the hospital right now,” Wendy explained. Zachary’s eyes widened in shock.

    “No wonder she’s not here today… we should visit her after school!” Zachary suggested.

    “Don’t you have Game League today?”

    “Nah, they wouldn’t care if I skipped one day. Besides, Inez is sick, and I was planning on meeting up with her at her house. But I can stop by for ten minutes for Lin’s sake,” Zach said. Wendy smiled.

    “She would appreciate it, I bet,” Wendy replied. Zachary grinned.

    “Of course!”

~∎☐∎☐∎☐∎☐∎~

    After the final bell of the school day rang, Wendy met up with Floyd, Timothy, and Zach outside. Suddenly, feeling like the only girl in the group made Wendy feel weird, but she got used to it once they started to walk halfway down the road.

    Upon reaching the hospital and receiving visitor cards, they went up to Lin’s room. Floyd softly knocked on the door, but instead of waiting for an answer, Timothy just barged in, slamming the door open. Lin, who was sitting up on the bed reading a book, became startled by the sudden intrusion. Letting out a sigh, she gave a sharp glare at Timothy.

    “You know it’s rude to just come in here like that,” Lin growled. Timothy snickered, walking over to her and patting her head. Her face flushed pink, but didn’t stop him for once. Probably because of her injuries, she doesn’t want to move too much.

    “Whatever. So, how have you been?” he asked. Lin shrugged.

    “Better, I guess. My head felt a lot less lighter and everything seemed to run smoothly afterwards.” she said. Wendy smiled.

    “The good thing is that you’re recovering. When can you come back to school?”

    “In a week. The doctor said that I should get some more rest before moving back on my feet again.” Lin replied. Zachary nodded his head.

    “That’s good to hear. You should get some rest right now if anything. Then you can come back much faster!” he joked. Soft laughter filled the room and died down a couple of seconds later.

    The friends began to talk, Zachary soon leaving after realizing he needed to go visit his girlfriend. Wendy left sooner or later as well, saying that her parents would get mad if she stayed any longer. It was just Timothy and Floyd left in the room alone with Lin. She fumbled with her thumbs, the thought stuck in the back of her head coming towards the front. She let out a long sigh, looking at Timothy kindly. This kind of threw him off for a while.

    “Can you… leave for a little bit, Timothy? Just for a couple of minutes, I-I need to talk to Floyd about something…” Timothy smirked, making Lin blush furiously, but he stood up and did what he was told. Floyd on the other hand looked very confused on what was going on. Lin stared at the bedsheets.

    “Um… Floyd? I-I’ve been meaning to ask you this for a while…” Lin started. Floyd’s eyes widened as she continued. “I… had this… infatuation, let’s say, with you since the end of last year and… would you maybe…” Lin stopped there, her face way too red and tears almost forming in her eyes. She then let out a nervous laugh, wiping her eyes with her arm.

    “S-Sorry, this is really awkward, isn’t it…” she then said, trying her best to avoid eye contact with Floyd.

    “I-It’s fine, really…” he responded. “But… I understand where you were getting at with that statement. Could you… give me some time to think about it? I-If that’s okay with you.” he said. Lin nodded.

    “Yeah…”

    Both of them were quiet after that, the room being filled with utter and awkward silence. Floyd then stood up to excuse himself, opening the door and shutting it gently behind him. Just then, he met the eyes of a certain friend. Timothy.

    “So, a confession, huh?” Timothy asked.

    “You were eavesdropping?!” Floyd exclaimed, but covered his mouth after the loud eruption. Timothy laughed. Floyd sighed, pushing up his glasses.

    “It was just so sudden, I-”

    “Look, just say you like her back and then just go on a date!” Timothy interrupted. Floyd’s face turned slightly pink.

    “I can’t do that to her! That’s deceiving a loyal friend!” Floyd hissed back, making sure not to make a lot of noise. He looked down, ashamed. “I… just don’t see her that way. And I don’t know how to explain it to her without breaking her heart.” Timothy patted Floyd’s shoulder, trying to show sympathy.

    “Dude, it’s okay to reject her, y’know. But, she did give you time. Maybe things could take a different turn by then.” Timothy suggested. Floyd just sighed again, looking at the clock.

    “It’s getting late. I don’t know when I’ll get time to see her again; I can’t afford having my parents worried of where I am once school ends.” Floyd said. Timothy nodded in agreement.

    “Just tell her when she comes back to school. It’ll be long, but at least it gives you time to think, am I right?” Timothy replied.

    “I guess…” Both of them then walked back inside to tell Lin that they were leaving. She waved goodbye to them as they walked out of the room, leaving the hospital. The kids parted ways, and Floyd walked home alone. It felt unusual; he’s gotten so used to walking home with Lin all the time, the atmosphere now felt strange.

    “Maybe Timothy is right… my thoughts can change overtime…” Floyd muttered to himself.

    “Having troubles, now are we?” a male voice asked in the darkness. Floyd looked up, meeting the eyes of the last person he wanted to see. He clenched his fists, taking a step back.

    “Why are you here?!” he yelled. The blond raised his hands in defense.

    “Hey, I came here to apologize for yesterday. I didn’t mean to stab the girl… but in order for your friend’s wish to come true…” A smirk grew on his face. “Something else should be sacrificed…”

    “What do you mean by that…?” Floyd questioned, interested in what this guy has to say. But all he did was laugh.

    “Oh, you’ll see. But I promise it’s not going to be physical,” he replied. Floyd sighed, staring straight into those deceiving blue eyes of the man.

    “Don’t you dare do anything to my friends. Or I swear on your grave you will meet a terrible fate,” Floyd snapped. The man shrugged, turning his back to Floyd.

    “I can’t make promises, but I shall do my best.” he responded. And with a chuckle, the man left in the blink of an eye, disappearing into a dark alley.

~∎☐∎☐∎☐∎☐∎~

    The next day, Lin woke up, feeling a short shock of pain come from her left side. She winced at the spark, but got over it nonetheless. She then let out a small sigh, staring at the blank ceiling. Lin then facepalmed, groaning.

    “I’m such a dumbass…” she complained quietly. She looked out the window, seeing her school from where she was. Her lips formed a smile, but it drastically changed into a straight line when she heard the curtains open, revealing a figure. Lin saw his body from the reflection of the window.

    “What do you want, Xaven? Came here to injure me again?” Lin asked, turning around. Xaven smirked.

    “Looks like you’re getting better now. And no, I don’t want to cause anymore trouble with you.” Xaven said. Lin raised an eyebrow.

    “Then what business do you have here?”

    “Just wanted to stop by and have a small talk. When was the last time we have?” Xaven responded. “Not including the day I almost killed you.” Lin glared at him, but answered his question anyway.

    “March 17th, two years ago before Wendy Ross moved into the neighborhood. Am I mistaken?” Lin answered, her tone bold rather than lazy and/or angry. Xaven nodded.

    “You have a good memory.”

    “How could I forget such a horrible memory?” she stated.

    “Good point,” Xaven said, laughing. “But hey, I was only doi-”

    “Doing what you so love to do. Eat people’s nightmares. And in return, make them suffer in a world of black and white agony.” Lin interrupted, finishing Xaven’s statement. She then laughed a little. “I should be glad I wasn’t one of those victims.” This caught Xaven’s attention, as his eyes widened.

    “What? That’s impossible!” he retorted. Lin wagged a finger at him, laying back down on her hospital bed.

    “You’re mistaken,” she said, pointing at her eyes. “All you did was damage my eye colors, not the colors that these orbs see. I wouldn’t appreciate it if you were to change the way I look at the world, so I decided to change the way the world looks into my eyes.” Lin explained. “It’s a simple trick, really.”

    “Someone who can counter my spell… You are really something,” Xaven praised, much to Lin’s surprise. She played along with this though, knowing that this young man in front of her had something up his lying black sleeve.

    “Thanks, but you don’t need to flatter. It’s easy to get away with having different eye colors depending on light; just fake a disease and bingo! Everyone just thinks you were born with it.” Lin responded.

    “The thing that interests me is how you changed the direction of the actual effect,” Xaven brought up. “I don’t care how you get away with it.” Lin placed her hand under her chin, thinking.

    “Hm… I don’t remember. It’s been too long for me to recall. Sorry,” Lin said. Xaven’s eyes narrowed.

    “Can I trust you that you’re speaking the truth right now?” Xaven asked. Lin smiled.

    “Like I said seconds ago, I don’t know, idiot. Besides, what good is it to you? To find a way to prevent it?” Lin told.

    “Maybe. It’s a possibility.” Xaven stood up. “I’ll see you around. Most likely without  knife to strike you with. Hopefully.” Xaven joked. Lin nodded.

    “Hopefully is the key word of that sentence, isn’t it? But, if you intend on hurting my friends…”

    “Augh, you’re just like that boy!” Xaven whined.

    “What boy?”

    “The one you always hang out with. You know, the tall one with glasses.” Xaven said. Lin’s eyes widened in shock.

    “Floyd…? What… what was he doing talking with this madman?!” Lin thought, slightly angered. She looked at Xaven with hatred.

    “Leave. Now.” she stated, frustrated. Xaven shrugged his shoulders, turning back around and leaving the room, closing the door softly behind him. Lin punched her pillow and smacked her face against the feather filled bag. She then laid down, groaning loudly.

    “I’d rather live a world of monochrome as long as I don’t get to see him…”

~∎☐∎☐∎☐∎☐∎~

    Once gym class finished, Wendy rushed down the hall towards the main office. The principal demanded her presence in her room, and because she’s very strict with time, Wendy had to make sure she would get there before the bell rang. Fortunately, she did, knocking on the door to get permission to come inside.

    “Ms. Ross? Is that you?” the principal’s voice asked. Wendy gulped, opening the door and walking inside. The principal’s face brightened up a little when she stepped inside the office, smiling.

    “Glad you can make it here in such a quick pace, Wendy. Please sit down,” Wendy did as she was told, her shaking hands gripping the end of her skirt. She has never been in trouble for anything, but it was hard to tell if she was even in trouble based off the principal’s expression.

    “Now then, Mr. Mason told a superintendent about the incident with Ms. Nakari. I’m assuming you are aware with that matter, correct?” the principal asked. Wendy nodded, her mouth a firm line. “Well, he was sent to my office to spill out as much information about it as possible. And to my surprise, he told me you looked to shocked when he described the man who hurt Lillian. So, tell me,” the principal leaned closer to Wendy, body over desk, and hands folded to rest her chin on top of it. “...Do you know that man?”

    “I… I thought I did. I mistook him for someone else,” Wendy quickly said, trying to hide her lying tone. She would feel guilty if she ranted out Xaven. Even though he is most likely the one who caused pain towards her friend, she just couldn’t build up the courage to reveal the truth. And, because of the contract they had… risking that would destroy her.

    “That’s too bad… I thought if you knew, it would help us find the ambusher,” the principal said, sighing.

    “I’m sorry for being much help in this… investigation, Ms. Farbell,” Wendy apologized. Ms. Farbell shook her head, her deep blue eyes staring.

    “It’s not a problem at all, Ms. Ross. You are dismissed; the bell will ring in three minutes and I do not want you to be late for your next class period.” Ms. Farbell informed. Wendy nodded, getting up and walking out of the office. Once she arrived at the hallway, she sprinted down and skipped the second step on the staircase, letting out a huge sigh of relief.

    “That was close…” Wendy muttered to herself, walking normally down the second floor.

    The rest of the day, Wendy felt pretty uncomfortable talking to anyone. She didn’t even want to talk to Zachary and Inez, for that matter. The whole thing about Xaven just invaded her mind too much, it began to bother her a little.

    “Come to think of it… I haven’t seen Xaven in a while. I don’t even have a clue on where he is. I wonder…” Wendy pondered as she walked back from school. It was kind of late, somewhere around 5:50 or so, and the sky was darkening by the minute. She had to stay after school to watch her friend during her Mock Trial practice, since she needed someone to walk home with. Now, since they have went their separate ways, Wendy found herself alone. The sense of nostalgia hit her once a gust of wind blew by. Wendy shivered a little, putting on her blazer again after taking it off earlier.

    “It was pretty warm a couple of minutes ago…” Wendy noticed. “Hm, strange weather lately.” She still continued her walk towards home, of which she was just about to enter. Once the sky was fully draped in a dark, hazy blue color, the lamp posts in the area beginning to spark with life. Wendy glanced at her wristwatch to the check the time: 6:01. Looking up, she noticed the sky had a full moon. Wendy sighed; she understood the situation now.

    “Xaven, I know you’re out there,” Wendy called. She heard a distinctive snicker as a young blond stepped out from the shadows. His devious smile and recognizable clothing made him stand out. Xaven walked closer to Wendy.

    “My my, isn’t it my favorite damsel in distress? What can I do for you in this moonlit night?” Xaven questioned, bowing to her. Wendy shook her head.

    “Nothing, really. I just wanted to thank you for getting rid of my bad dreams. But… there’s one thing I want to confirm with you-”

    “If it is regarding the injury of Lin then yes, I was the one who stabbed her that night.” Xaven admitted, more openly than Wendy expected.

    “But, why would you do such a thing?!” Wendy exclaimed, suddenly feeling furious.

    “I thought I told you: the cost for my service is something you don’t have to pay for. But, sooner or later, you will have to understand what that cost will be.” Xaven explained, his smile still plastered on his face. Wendy’s eyes widened in shock.

    “So… attempting to kill my friends… that’s the price I have to pay for you to make my horrific dreams go away? That’s… so cruel!” Wendy shouted. “I can’t believe I signed up for this kind of madness. Why didn’t you tell me before?”

    “It would only ruin the fun of it all! Besides, that’s not the only thing you’d have to give up.”

    “Murdering those closest to me is fun to you?! What else do I have to give up? My life? My virginity? Tell me you crazy bastard!” Wendy yelled, starting to feel regretful for not ranting Xaven out four hours ago. Xaven frowned.

    “Hey, don’t go that far. I wasn’t planning on doing any of that.” Xaven countered, feeling both offended and slightly frustrated. “Jeez, when I said you were different, I wasn’t kidding.” He then sighed, putting his hands in his pocket. “There is probably something I should tell you though.” Wendy’s anger evaporated, curiosity filling in the emptiness.

    “Tell me what?” she asked. Xaven opened his mouth, but then closed it, shaking his head.

    “Nevermind. I think it would be better if she told you herself…” Xaven said.

    “Why can’t you tell me yourself? Why do you need someone else to tell me information you’re already aware about?” Wendy questioned. Xaven smiled, adjusting his swallow-tailed coat hanging on his body.

    “She can explain the details better and I have to get going now. The beautiful full moon is fading on me. And if you’re wondering who ‘she’ is, I think deep down in that head of yours can figure it out. Now then, if you’ll excuse me…” Xaven walked over to Wendy, grabbed her hand and kissed it. Her body froze as her face grew hot at this action, watching as Xaven waved goodbye to her and whisfully left into the shadows. Wendy still felt confused; her questions didn’t get their full answers. She still wanted to know more, but for now, she decided to set all that worry for the next time she and Xaven meet. Not wanting to waste anymore time, she dashed home, opened the door, and walked inside. Her parents weren’t sitting at the kitchen table like always, but her mother was sitting on the living room sofa. Coming closer, Wendy noticed a sheet of paper sitting in her mother’s hand. Luckily, her mother was sleeping, so Wendy carefully took the paper out of her hand to read it. What she found was surprising and terrifying.

    “W-What? A divorce…?” Wendy mumbled, astonished. She placed it on the table, inspecting her mother’s face. It was slightly red with dried tears staining her cheeks, as if she was in a heated argument not too long ago. Wendy began to search for her missing father, but he was nowhere to be found. Wendy did find a folded note card sitting on her father’s wardrobe. Tears filled her eyes the moment she read the first sentence.

“My dear daughter,

        I’m so sorry this had to happen. But, your mother and I both decided that we should finally go our separate ways. I know it’s going to be hard for you to understand this, but it is what it is. Again, I deeply apologize for this day to come. If you are reading this, please do not cry, Wendy. I will still love you, no matter the distance. I’ll make sure to visit you as much as I can, but for now, this is goodbye.

                                    -Victor Ross/Father

    “Don’t cry? How can I not?” Wendy said, her shaking hands crumpling the note. With her other hand, she wiped away the tears falling down the side of her face and folded up the paper, tucking it away in her pocket. Glancing at the clock, she decided to get some sleep to forget this day. She locked her bedroom door once she went inside, plopping herself face first on the mattress. More tears clouded her eyes and dripped on her pillow.

    “Xaven…” she whispered, almost pleading. She closed her eyes, hoping that the dream eater heard her call.

~∎☐∎☐∎☐∎☐∎~

    Xaven’s elf like ear twitched, perking up his attention. He smiled, look at the girl laying in the coffin. He stroked her silky soft hair dyed in a beautiful shade of emerald.

    “Looks like I have to satisfy yet another customer. Wait for me; I promise to bring back home sweet montblanc for your imagination to savor~” Xaven whispered,kissing her forehead.

“Stealing is a terrible sin, you know.”

    Xaven chuckled at the voice that rang in his head as he stood up, placing another red rose in the coffin. He smiled at the girl dressed in white who was sleeping peacefully.

    “For you, my dear, it’s my job. Until the day your eyes flutter open, back to life, I shall destroy the eyes who criticized your beauty.” And with that, Xaven took his final bow before walking away. A memory filled his brain, the colors filling in with every step he took. A cruel, nostalgic memory.

“Let’s pinky promise, how about that?”

“No one has ever treated me so kindly before… until I met you.”

“I have never seen such a magnificent person before… until I met you.”

“It’s such a small world, isn’t it? For us to meet… it’s almost like fate…”

“Why did you do this to her?! And you all call me the monster?!”

“I-I’m so sorry, forgive me… it was for your sake of living.”

“Don’t leave me all alone… Sylvia…”

“Don’t make such a sad face… Xaven...”

“Please.”

 

4: Chapter 3: A Different You

    A week passed and Lin was released from the hospital. It was good news for all of her friends, as they were relieved that she has recovered quickly. But for some reason, she acted all lot more differently than usual. Instead of acting like her usual, short-tempered self, she became more shy and actually distant from everyone else. She even stopped walking home with Floyd. The only person she would openly and willingly talk to was Inez. But even though she would, Lin refused to tell Inez anything about her new self. Everyone else she would shut out from her world. Thinking about it made Wendy and everyone else worried for her.

    During Taekwondo class, while Lin was sitting out, Wendy walked over to her. Lin looked up at her, and then looked immediately back down. Wendy caught a glimpse of what her eyes had, the emotions it held. Only two words could fill what those eyes said. Anxiety and grief.

    “Nakari-san! You’re up next!” a girl called, panting heavily. Lin nodded, standing up and walking towards the center of the room. Zachary was chosen by the boy’s teacher, so he too went to the middle where Lin was. He gulped nervously when Lin began cracking her knuckles. But, this actually brought Wendy and Inez relief; Lin always acted like this in Taekwondo class.

    “Both fighters ready?” the teacher asked. Lin and Zach both nodded their heads. The teacher raised his hand up to signal the beginning of the match.

    “Begin!”

    Lin got the first hit with incredible speed, low sweeping Zach to get his balance off. He fell down, but got up quickly after.

    “I just have to pretend like this is a game of Super Smash Bros without the crazy superpowers and I’ll be fine!” Wendy heard Zachary mutter. Inez shook her head at this, sighing. Lin still continued, running towards Zachary to give a swift kick to the face. He blocked it wit his arm, his expression surprised when he deflected the attack. He got a hold of her leg, and threw her down. But, because Lin had a good lower body strength, she went into a short handstand and lifted her leg up, along with Zach. She then slammed Zach against the floor, the sound of a bone cracking making everyone in the room cringe. Inez gasped while Wendy covered her eyes, scared by Lin’s sudden strength. Zachary automatically let go of his grip on Lin’s foot, letting her free. She sighed, kneeling down at Zach and holding out her hand to him. He looked up, grinned, and grabbed her hand as she helped him up. Lin’s serious face then turned suddenly nervous as she bowed to Zach.

    “I-I apologize for hurting you! I don’t know what happened, I-!” Zachary stopped her by patting her head. Lin looked up at him, confused.

    “I’m okay! Besides, you really are good at this! I never underestimated your strength,” Zach commented. Lin stared at him, but then glared, pushing his hand off her head.

    “Don’t touch me.” she growled in a dark tone. Zachary only chuckled at this, limping back to the boys side of the room.

    “The winner is Nakari! Who wants to go next?” the teacher asked. All the boys looked at Lin, a little frightened. She was taken back by their looks, timidly looking at the floor. Just then, a hand shot up in the air as the student stood up. Wendy’s eyes widened when she realized who the new opponent was.

    “Mason! You want to fight against one of Winston’s best fighters?! Are you crazy?” a male student hissed, looking at Floyd as if he was out of his mind. Floyd took off his glasses and gave them to Timothy who was next to him.

    “Are you forgetting that I’m one of those best fighters as well? Besides, I know Lin,” Floyd said, turning his attention towards Lin after he finished his sentence. Her face turned red, but the students weren’t aware if that was because she was tired or because her affection for Floyd was showing.

    “Alright then! Mason versus Nakari!” the teacher announced, stepping out of the way. Floyd walked to where Lin was standing, smirking. Lin became confused by this look.

    “The only way you fight your best is if you’re angered, correct?” Floyd questioned. Lin looked at him, but didn’t reply. Floyd frowned slightly at this. “No words for me, huh? A bit rude, wouldn’t you think? Ah, it’s fine though. I bet you can’t even touch me in this fight.” Floyd taunted. Lin took a step back, eyes narrowed and fists clenched.

    “Begin!”

    Floyd went first, starting off with a standard fore fist. Lin blocked it with her arm, turning it around and aimed a front snap kick at him. Floyd barely dodged, but kept his guard as he tried to perform a side thrusting kick. It hit Lin on the side, causing her to stumble a little. Floyd chuckled.

    “Not bad. But I kind of expected more from an experienced fighter like yourself,” Floyd stated, sprinting to get another attack. Lin rejected him by sending a back kick to his stomach. When Floyd was down, she delivered an axe kick straight to his back. To everyone’s surprise, the axe kick seemed less painful than anticipated, since Floyd got back on his feet with ease.

    “I think Lin is going easy on Floyd. The look on her face tells me that she doesn’t really want to hurt him badly,” Inez whispered to Wendy. Wendy paid her attention back to the fight, biting her bottom lip while watching intently.

    Lin needed to distract Floyd so that she can pull off a good combination. She moved forward and faked a roundhouse kick. Oblivious to Floyd’s eyes, he dodged the “intended” roundhouse kick and countered it. Lin only used that to get closer, which allowed her to make an elbow strike, her bent am pummeled onto his chest and her fist springing up to his face. Floyd almost lost his balance, but recovered quickly. They sparred more hits over and over again, until Lin started feeling dizzy. She didn’t want to look weak at this point, but her stomach soon met with Floyd’s knee, and then she found herself low swooped onto the floor. Lin got up, her mind spinning, and performed a side thrust kick on Floyd. Aware of her current state, Floyd evaded the kick and ran over to Lin, raised his hand, and did a knife hand gently against her neck. It hit Lin’s weak point, causing her to fall and pass out. Before she fell to the floor, Timothy quickly got up and caught her by the arms.

    “Winner is Mason!” the teacher exclaimed. The boys all cheered, running over to Floyd and patting him on the back and head. Timothy glanced over at Floyd, who only gave him a nod. Timothy smiled, picking up Lin and carrying her on his back.

    “I’ll take Lin to the nurse; she looks more exhausted than all of you guys combined,” Timothy said before walking out. Once the crowd of males dispersed, Wendy, Inez, and an injured Zachary walked over to Floyd.

“Why did you tease Lin like that? You’re never like that to her!” Wendy pointed out. Floyd frowned, putting on his glasses.

“I’ve noticed that she hasn’t been like herself lately. Something must have happened. I only made comments about her to see if she would return back to her normal self. And luckily enough, it did. I think once she wakes up, I’ll try to talk with her about it.” Floyd explained. Inez took a step forward.

“I mean, I’m the only one who she seems to trust, so how about I talk to h-”

“Thanks, but no thanks. I know more information that you, and although she might start a fit with me, I think I’ll be fine.” Floyd interrupted.

“... You really do care about her, don’t you?” Wendy asked sadly. Floyd looked down.

“Of course I do. She’s… one of the few friends I’ve grown to put my trust to the most. I can’t stand seeing her less outgoing than she already was.” Floyd said, walking out of the room and leaving Inez and Wendy alone. They shared a worried look at each other before following Floyd out.

~∎☐∎☐∎☐∎☐∎~

    After explaining to the nurse the situation, she nodded and asked Timothy to place Lin on one of the beds. He did as he was told, gently putting her down. When the nurse left to get supplies, Timothy looked down at Lin. He was feeling a little shaky when he saw her like this; it brought back the memory of her being in the hospital. Timothy then chuckled, shaking his head.

    “I’m not your Prince Charming anymore… but hopefully Mason plays that role well enough to make you happy,” Timothy muttered, wondering if Lin could hear him. Regardless, he pulled a folded index card from his pocket, put it in her pocket, and walked out of the nurse’s office. When he left, he saw Floyd walking down the hall.

    “So, you’re coming to check up on your girlfriend, huh?” Timothy teased, patting Floyd on the back. Floyd glared at him.

    “She’s not my girlfriend, okay? We’re just friends… I think…” Floyd replied. Timothy cocked his head to one side, confused.

    “Even after the confession?” he asked. Floyd looked down, gripping the handle on the door.

    “I… never got the chance to make a straight answer.” Floyd said. Timothy’s eyes widened.

    “What?! Lin gave you almost two week already, dude! You can’t just leave her hanging like that!” Timothy exclaimed. Floyd curiously looked up at Timothy.

    “Since when were you concerned about her all of the sudden? I mean, I understand you guys are somewhat friends lately, but your relationship is not the best.” Floyd mentioned. The lanky teen shrugged his shoulders, putting his hands in his pockets.

    “Lin can be a stubborn girl sometimes, but she’s real sensitive and sweet on the inside. She doesn’t like it when I say that, but it’s true. Lin needs someone who can break her out of her shell. Someone to really care for her and look out for her when she’s in trouble,” Timothy explained, grinning at Floyd. He placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking him a little. “I can’t fulfill that job anymore. So, once you’ve found your true feelings, and I hope my calculations are correct, you’ll find out who that person is too.”

    “Why… are you telling me this?” Floyd asked. Timothy chuckled, beginning to walk away.

    “I’m just doing one a favor,” Timothy said. He stopped walking, turning halfway around to at least make eye contact with his friend. “I’m placing my trust on you, Mason. I really do hope you take good care of Lin for me. And if you don’t… I guess I’ll have to play the role of hero again.” Floyd’s eyes widened in realization, gripping harder on the metal handle. And with that, Timothy walked away, leaving Floyd alone. Floyd shook his head, opening the door and walking inside. He saw Lin laying on one of the beds and sat next to her.

    “Lin, are you okay?” Floyd asked, knowing that even though she was knocked out, it wouldn’t hurt to question about her state. Lin didn’t respond with words, but apparently she heard Floyd, giving him a small nod. The words that came out of mouth, however, changed Floyd’s thoughts.

    “I-It’s so cold… I’m so alone h-here… someone, please… save me from my nightmare…” Lin muttered. Floyd guessed she took his words for someone else’s, since he was completely puzzled at this point.

    “Who is she talking to?” Floyd wondered. Suddenly, Lin’s body jerked up, causing Floyd to fall off the bed and straight onto the floor. He winced at the pain shooting through his arm, but was distracted by the heavy pants from Lin’s mouth. He stood up quickly to rush to her side.

    “Is everything alright?” Floyd asked, grabbing hold of Lin’s shoulders to calm her down. Lin looked up at Floyd with terrified eyes, shrieking and pushing him away from her. After realizing what she did, she buried her face in her hands.

    “Sorry! I-I didn’t know who was there!” she apologized, cowering at Floyd. The sides of Floyd’s lips dropped; this is not how the real Lin he knew acted. In this kind of situation, she would slap him or something, but never would she hide like that. Before Floyd can act, Lin looked at him, fear dancing in her eyes. She moved a little from her position, the irises of her eyes changing color from amber to a bright auburn.

    “Why are you so interested in me…” Lin mumbled, almost too soft for Floyd to clearly hear. “I-I’m nothing special…” Floyd shook his head.

    “You are special. To me,” Floyd walked over to her, grabbing her wrists and gripping them tight. Her face became flustered, looking away from him. “Something happened to you and you refuse to give it out. It’s worrying the hell out of Inez and the others, and for their sake, I need you to tell me what’s going on.”

    “You don’t understand…” Lin replied, shaking off Floyd’s grip from her. Her tone sounded more like her normal self, but Floyd wasn’t satisfied with the way she acted. “Stay away from me… please…” And with that, Lin got up, brushing past Floyd and out the door. Once she left, Floyd groaned, flopping down on the bed and staring at the ceiling.

    “Lin… what has gone into you?”

~∎☐∎☐∎☐∎☐∎~

    Wendy was walking down the hall, ready to go to Technology class. Suddenly, someone familiar  in her vision stopped her from walking any further. Two familiar faces.

    “Shiro, don’t you think it’s kind of-”

    “No. She has to be the one who started this, Lanka. You know what to do.”  the boy replied, leaving the school through the main doors. The girl, Lanka, sighed and held her necklace tightly in her hand.

    “Oh Shiro…” Lanka muttered, walking off. Wendy looked right and left, making sure the coast was clear for her to walk out from her hiding spot. Her eyes narrowed at Lanka, who entered a classroom.

    “What is Yuzuki doing hanging around with him?” Wendy wondered. Once the second bell rang, Wendy jumped in surprise. She ran down the hall, not wanting to be late for her class. She luckily made it there once her name was being called for attendance. The Technology teacher, Ms. Schaeffer, noticed Wendy and smiled.

    “Well then, Ms. Ross. It looks like your timing saved you this time. For the sake of time, please go to your seat so that we can begin class.” Ms. Schaeffer said. Wendy thanked her, walking towards her seat and sitting down. The seat to her left, of which was Lin’s, was vacant. Wendy turned around to spot Floyd, who was sitting behind her.

    “Hey, where’s Lin?” Wendy asked. Floyd looked down, resting his chin on his folded hands.

    “Last time I saw her was after she went to the infirmary. I don’t know about her whereabouts in present time.” Floyd responded, sounding a little uncomfortable about that subject. Wendy decided to drop the conversation instead of trying to bother him about it.

~∎☐∎☐∎☐∎☐∎~

    Once school ended, Lin hastily ran out through the main doors, not wanting to waste a second on anyone. Unluckily, someone did step in front of her, almost making Lin knock them over. Getting a better look at who it was, it was Yuzuki Lanka; a fellow classmate of hers and the classroom representative.

    “C-Class rep!” Lin greeted. “What is the matter?” Yuzuki’s lips turned upward, giving Lin a warm, but strange smile. It was a little creepy in her opinion.

    “Oh, nothing is wrong~. But, I do need to talk to you about some important things. Meet with me at my house on N. Elk Street. You do remember which house is mine, correct?” Yuzuki asked. Lin nodded her head reluctantly, throwing off her shy facade and narrowing her eyes. She tried getting some information on what’s going on in that girl’s mind through her body language, but nothing was showing.

    “Great! Can’t wait to see you there!” Yuzuki said before walking off happily and leaving Lin in completely confusion. Lin looked down, pondering for a moment. She then confirmed an answer, but it was something she didn’t want to believe.

    “I know that kind of tone anywhere…” Lin muttered, walking to her street.

“Xaven Shiroko.”