

Flecks

Cory Dawn

Copyright 2014 by Cory Dawn

Smashwords Edition

"Riley it's time to go in your room now. Make sure you are quiet this time" mommy says. She looks funny kinda like a clown. Mommy always puts stuff on her face. She says it is to make you look pretty, but I always think mommy is pretty.

"But mommy..." I try to say,

"No buts Riley. Mommy will be busy for a while." After she shuts my door she locks it. I can hear her get the other door. I can hear her talking to someone, it sounds like him again. I wish mommy would listen to me, I need to go potty and I'm hungry. The thunder is scaring me, it is so loud. I guess I'll just play with Lynoll, she is my best friend because she is a lion.

"Lynoll I think the bad man is here to see mommy again." I say while jumping onto my bed giving her a hug.

Did you try to tell her what happened last time?

"I tried to tell her what he did last time, but she said I was a liar" I tell her. I wish mommy would listen to me. The bad man had come in my room last time and hit me really hard. He said I was playing too loud, and that I shouldn't even be here. I just wanted mommy to come in and play with me, but she always falls asleep before he leaves.

"Lynoll I want to be a lion like you. You aren't afraid of anything."

My dear Riley you can be a lion too. All you have to do is think you are a lion. Pretend you are acting like me. You saw a lion like me once at the zoo remember? That is how you got me. Try roaring. If you roar so loud the bad man will never hurt you again. Keep trying Riley.

"Roar, roar, roar" This is so much fun, "ROAR! Oh no Lynoll, I hear him coming."

"Hey Kid, Shut up. Your mother is sleeping" He yells and bangs on my door. I need to hide. I can't let him find me. Where can I hide? Under the bed? No that is where he found me last time. The closet? I can hide under the dirty clothes mommy says she will wash.

"Hey kid, I know you are in there. Why don't we have some more fun and play that game we played last time?" I can hear him unlock my door. I can't cry, he will find me if I cry.

Be calm child, just breath. Everything will be okay as long as you keep acting like a lion. Trust me.

"Where the heck are you kid? Are you under the bed?" I can hear him walking in my room. "Huh not here, well there is only one place left." I hear him coming closer to the closet. Lynoll please help me, keep me safe.

I will just calm down, don't move yet. When he gets close to you, you need to roar and hit his face like he did to you.

The bad man opened the closet door, but looks funny almost like he is scared.

"What the he..."

Hit him now Riley. Now is your chance to get rid of him!

There is a big bang from the thunder, then I "ROAR!" and move my hand and hit his face, just like he had done to me. I make sure I hit him as hard as I can. Why is there blood? There was no blood when he hit me. That wasn't even my hand; it looked like Lynoll's paw. The bad man ran out the door screaming.

"You did it Lynoll. You helped me!"

No Child you did that all on your own.

"What do you mean Lynoll? You didn't help me? I made him bleed?"

Go look in the mirror child, and see for yourself.

******BEEP******BEEP*****BEEP******BEEP*****BEEP*****

Chapter 1

With a groan I reach my arm over my face to shut off my alarm clock. With both hands I rub my eyes, and after a huge yawn I lay here. Looking up at the ceiling I think to myself, as if today wouldn't be bad enough, now it will be. "Oh yeah, today school starts" I say out loud, my voice sounding dry and raspy. I just love the first day of school, at least it will be the last first day. That's the great thing about grade 12, no more first days, unless you decide to go to college, which I have no idea if I will do that or not. All I want to do is get through this year with no problems. Whenever I have that stupid dream, something bad happens. I wonder what it will be today? I don't even understand why I have that dream; it makes no sense to me. Maybe it was a movie I watched as a little kid and think it happened to me, but that is absolutely crazy. Who the heck turns into a lion? Unless you are a mutant or something bizarre like that.

Glancing at my clock it says 6:20 am. I do yoga in my room first thing in the morning. I usually only do 10 minutes, but decide that 20 minutes is best, especially after that dream. At 6:55 I get out of the shower, and then brush my teeth. Looking in the mirror I admire how average I look. I'm 5'5 and slightly curvy. I have light freckles across the bridge of my nose to my cheeks and straight chestnut brown hair, that falls down to the middle of my back with bangs that cover my not so average eyes. That is the only thing not plain about me, my eyes, which I try very hard to hide. For some crazy reason, my grey eyes have flecks that change color with my emotions. I was probably dropped on my head as a baby, I'm sure Lillian would do something like that. Right now for instance my eyes are grey, with flecks of dark purple, I'm feeling frustrated. Great, now I need to relax again so there is no extra color in them! I can't have another mishap of someone else seeing them. Very few people have actually seen them change color; I can count them on one hand.

Letting out a deep sigh I think to myself it is time to go and face the Collins. My mom decided to leave me with the Collins family, William, Emma, and Jennifer. I've been here since grade 9. Their daughter Jennifer is my age. William and my mom Lillian grew up together. Apparently they were good friends, really good friends, but she didn't talk about him often. I'm worried Emma thinks my mom is trying to get him back. She always gives me weird looks like I am conspiring against their marriage. Jennifer is gorgeous, she is 5'6, very slender, with blonde curly shoulder length hair, and the deepest blue eyes I've ever seen. They all seem to share those deep blue eyes.

I wouldn't exactly say we are best friends, but friends maybe. We don't hang out unless she needs me as an excuse to go to a party. Her parents see me as responsible, so they trust her to be the same if I am with her. Unfortunately, their plan backfires every time. Then they make up excuses and a positive to everything she does. For example, last year on the last day of school they said "at least she has a designated driver" and "as long as she comes home with you and doesn't go home with some boy." What they didn't realize is she had hooked up with her boyfriend Kevin Abbot as soon as we got there. Kevin is about 6' with really beefy muscles, blonde surfer hair, and is the football something or other. Whenever Jennifer talks about what position he plays in football my mind shuts off, but apparently he is really good. I've never actually gone to a sporting event at school, or ever, and I don't really plan to go anytime soon. I don't understand how Mr. and Mrs. Collins don't see what she does behind their backs, maybe if they actually noticed what their daughter was wearing then they'd know. I suppose they are too busy with their organic farm, store, and the two used car lots they own. I'm actually kind of glad to be staying here with them. I could never see Mr or Mrs. Collins leaving Jennifer their pride and joy with some random family and leaving for who knows how long or why.

This summer they all went on vacation to Mexico City. I stayed behind and said I'd make sure their employees showed up to work, and handle any problems that would come up. Mr. Collins said he would pay me a whopping $5000 and give me a good deal on one of the used cars. We are going to pick one out after school today. Mrs. Collins told me last week we would go back to school shopping after I pick out the car I want. I don't shop at the same stores as them, so I'm sure it will just be me following her and Jennifer around holding their bags while they try on a million clothes that they don't actually need. You should see their closets; you can fit my whole room in one! I'll pick out a few jeans and t-shirts, maybe a new pair of sneakers. Jennifer and I are nothing alike. She shows a lot of skin, where I show as little as possible. If only it were socially acceptable to wear a paper bag on my head. She wears heals, while I prefer sneakers. All I want to achieve in high school is to be invisible and so far I've done just that. It is nice staying with a family that actually acts like a family.

I'm Riley. 17 years old, 18 in February. The girl with the weird eyes.

Chapter 2

"Good morning Riley." Mr. Collins says as I walk into the kitchen "Are you excited for the first day of school?"

"Good morning Mr. Collins. Not really, I've just thinking about what kind of car to get later, as long as that is still okay with you?" I ask.

"Of course it is Riley. As long as you stop calling me Mr. Collins and call me William. Good morning to you too Jennifer. I hope you had a good sleep. Well girls, I'm off to check on the north car lot, someone is dropping off a car today. Riley I will pick you up from school today and we can go and pick out your car. Jennifer, if you wouldn't mind, please give Riley a ride to school this morning".

"Sure dad, I'll do that. See you later" Jennifer says while rolling her eyes. I guess being seen with me at school is too much to ask, maybe we aren't even friends. He winks at me then walks out of the room.

Jennifer glares at me then says, "Well I'll be ready in like 10 minutes, I hope you'll be ready in time. Meet you in the car." Then she is off down the hall. I'm left all alone in the massive kitchen. I'll take these 10 minutes and get my bag ready. This year all I'm taking is Science in 1st period, Social Studies in 2nd, and English in 3rd. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays I'll be helping clean in the cafeteria for extra credit. Tuesdays and Fridays I have a free period. I've already checked with Oliver and we have the same classes except the cleaning, he has to take math in 4th period. I took an extra math class this summer since I had a ton of free time.

Oliver Mabrey is my best friend. We met at grade 9 orientation; he just came up and started talking to me. At first I thought he was weird, for being so outgoing and talking to someone he has never met before, but then I thought who is the weird one, the outgoing guy, or the freak with changing eyes. We have been inseparable ever since. We've even managed to have all the same classes and we always sit together. He is really attractive, 5'6, dark brown hair, brown almost black eyes depending on what color of shirt he is wearing, really defined cheekbones, and a strong jaw. He is very good looking, but not at all interested in girls. Good thing too or else I don't think he and I would have bonded as much as we have over the years, we tell each other everything. I'm glad to have him as my best friend.

20 minutes later Jennifer is finally coming out of the house and looking like she needs to wear a few more articles of clothing. "You know you'd get more attention if you would get rid of those hideous bangs, and wear something other than jeans and t shirts. I mean you've never even had a boyfriend come around the house, what's your problem?"

"I don't have a problem. I just have other things to worry about other than finding a boyfriend. Most people in the world need to get a good education and find a good job to make it through life, not just rely on their looks"

"Whatever, come on let's get going. You are going to make us late."

It doesn't take long to get to school; thankfully I might just make it to first period before the late bell rings. The Collins live just outside of the city limit, so even if I were to walk it wouldn't take long to get to school. After today I won't have to walk there again! I just need to make it through the day.

West River High is full of Jennifer types, people who just want to get by on their looks, and not use their brains. All the students here are beautiful, and seem to have money to spend on nice clothes. At least Oliver will be here to keep me company again this year. Of course I find him at his locker staring at some guy he thinks is gorgeous. He has completely different tastes in guys than I do, obviously since his guys like guys and not girls. Sometimes it can be hard having a best friend who is over the moon gay, but then again I'm sure it is hard to have a freak with changing eyes for a friend. At least he doesn't come off as gay; I think he is still trying to hide it from his dad. If it came out at school, it would eventually come back to his dad. I'm glad that he is finally going to start working with me at Java Chip. I worked all last year, and he has yet to have a job. I think it will be good for him.

"Hey Riley, how was your summer?" he says as he gives me a big embrace like it has been years since we'd last seen each other. He smells just like always vanilla and sweet milk. He is a little weird I think, because he loves to drink steamed milk with vanilla syrup. It sounds too plain for me, but then again he doesn't like my jasmine green tea. He says it smells and tastes like he is drinking a cup of steeped flowers. He had gone out to Victoria to see his grandparents over the summer. They don't spend a ton of time together, so when they do they make it worth it. I even think they went whale watching. His grandparents have to mail him the pictures, because they are hopeless or just nostalgic and love to take pictures using film rather than digital. Oliver says it is because once his grandma dropped a brand new camera into the pool, so his dad has never gotten them another one.

"It was good but boring. The good news is I get to pick out a car later today. Now, let's get to class before the bell rings."

"Always ready to go to class, why can't you just ever hang out and relax?" he asks with a big grin on his face like he already knows my answer.

"Because the sooner we start, the sooner we are out of this place for good." I reply.

"Good point, let's get going then." Arm in arm we are off to first. This has become so routine for us: walking to class together, sitting together, eating together, and soon going to work together.

"At least we made it before the bell," Oliver whispers in my ear as we sit down by the back of the class, "we even made it before the teacher." That's strange, I think to myself, normally the teachers at this school are always in class even before the first kids start to come in.

"Hey Riley look who just walked in, looking untouchable as always" he giggles. I look up to see who Oliver is drooling about this time, Evan Grant and Alex Fuller.

"Which one are you ogling Evan or Alex?" I laugh.

"Well obviously Alex, you can have Evan." he says while elbowing me in the ribs.

"Ouch! Yeah, like that is ever going to happen. Oh look, here comes his lap dog Mila." Mila Chadwik is his girlfriend, I think, because she always seems to be following him around. It has been that way since last year. He doesn't look too impressed with her though, but then again he goes through girls fast, if you know what I mean. Jennifer is always talking about him on the phone and that he doesn't stay with one girl for long, in her words "he gets sick of them". He seems to have been with Mila longer than his other ex's. I can't help but hate him. There is something about the way he acts with girls, uses them like they are worth nothing.

He is handsome, part of his charm I guess, being 6'1, muscular, strong features, but has a slight chub to his face like a baby face. I have to admit it is adorable. He has messy black hair makes him look like the bad boy type. Girls fall for that all the time; you'd think they would turn him down instantly after hearing how many girls he has under his belt. Still, I can't help but wonder what color his eyes are. I've never gotten close enough to see, I have however noticed he has long eyelashes. Alex is maybe a little bit shorter than Evan, I'd say 6' even. He has light brown hair, it's cut short but you can still see the slight curl to the tips of his hair. I've never noticed his eyes either; from here it is too hard to tell with either of them. He seems to be muscular too, but his clothes are nice and crisp so it makes him look thin. I can only imagine that right now Oliver is picturing him without those clothes. Evan looks directly at me. I hear someone say "Hello." I look away quickly before he notices me staring at him, and look out the window. It's raining out, but the air is warm. There are a few birds in a puddle in the glass. The gardener at the school has done a great job this year. I think I heard Mr. Collins talking about how they hired a new one.

Distantly I hear Alex ask "Did she notice?" Notice what? I can only wonder, and just pray he isn't talking about me. What would I notice? The fact that he is good...

"Hello... Hello? Earth to Riley!" Oliver laughs trying to get my attention back to him. "As I was saying, he came out of the closet at the end of last year..." he continues on with whatever he was saying before.

"Who are you talking about?" I question, maybe girls around the world are finally safe from Evan's charm.

He laughs hard and says, "I knew you weren't paying attention to what I was saying. I was talking about Alex. He came out at the end of last year. I wonder if his parents were mad, or disappointed, or ashamed of him."

"Olive,r if you would stop worrying and just talk to your dad, honestly I don't think he would be any of those things with you. He always seems to be so loving and supportive of whatever you decide to do. Just trust in him and be yourself. It's not like he will just leave you with some family like my mom did."

He gives me this sad look as if he knows how I feel. "I guess you could be right Riley, but without mom around, dad just doesn't seem to notice important things. I think if she was still here, he would be more... I don't know, more accepting of me." I can tell he is torn as he is telling me this. I can't help but feel bad for him. He doesn't open up that often, not to this degree especially not in front of our peers.

"Just think about it, maybe you should just do it. What do you have to lose? Maybe he already knows? It's not like you are bringing girls home all the time, unless you count me but he doesn't seem that stupid."

"Hey don't call him stupid!" He elbows me again with a satisfied grin on his face.

"Alright class let's get started. First, I'm Mrs. Jordan. A few things are going to be different this year. It has been brought to the school's attention that most of you pair off in your classes and never sit with anyone new," Mrs. Jordan begins her lecture and I swear she was looking right at Oliver and me when she said that last part. "So this year we are going to have seating plans in all of your classes." A roar of groans comes from pretty much everyone in class,

"But we are in grade 12, this should be illegal!" groans one of the girls but I can't see who said it.

"You can't do this to us!" This time I see it comes from Mila, she has this pout look on her face. Oliver elbows me and tries to make the same face, but looks more like a duck face. I try not to laugh at his lame attempt.

Mrs. Jordan clears her throat gracefully then continues, "Yes we know you are graduating this year, which is the perfect time to get you out of your comfort zones. It isn't like you are going to work with the people you always sit with for the rest of your life. You are going to need to get out there and meet new people." More groans, but she continues as if she hasn't heard anything. "Class please be open to this change, because there is nothing you can do about it. We have already decided where everyone will be seated this year, so you cannot change where you sit. Tomorrow you will need to sit in your assigned seating that will be on the blackboard. This goes with all of your classes. "

"Can you believe this Riley? We won't be able to sit together anymore." He sighs.

"Not unless they never noticed we sit together every class" I try to say without sarcasm.

"I hope I get to sit beside Alex." He didn't pick up on that hint of sarcasm in my voice; blind as a bat this boy. I guess he isn't too upset that we can no longer sit together. All he can think about is Alex and here I am worried I have to sit beside someone like Lindsay Stafford. She has called me freak for the longest time. In the middle of grade 9 she saw my eyes change. I swear she has been out to get me since then. She cannot prove it though. Plus I have gotten good at controlling my emotions, my eyes still change but it is less noticeable. Not like in grade 9, they would change so fast and you could notice instantly that the color in the gray was different. I wonder how Lillian explained it to people. Maybe that is why she left me here with the Collins. Take the easy way out; never have to explain your daughter is different. For all I know she told people I had a brain tumor which caused it. Way to win the mother of the year award. Then it just hits me, that instead of sitting with Lindsay even worse would be to get stuck Mila. Oh please, let it not be those two people. Anyone else but them. I ask, well more like beg, whoever is out there watching my misery. I look around and I see Mrs. Jordan smiling sympathetically at me and nods. I think to myself that it was really weird that she just did that.

The rest of the day is a breeze, just picking up books, being told the same thing in every class about the seating arrangements. None of the teachers are giving away who we have to sit by so some kids are on edge. I don't really want to sit with anyone other than Oliver, he knows my eyes change. He thinks it's pretty cool. I don't have to hide it from him, but now I have to worry about sitting by someone and always needing to keep my emotions in control.

The teachers keep mentioning a boy who was supposed to start this year, but he hasn't shown up for anything. They haven't even heard any news of him yet. He picked up his books, but no news since then. I wonder what happened to him.

"See you tomorrow Riley, maybe you should pick me up in your new ride!" Oliver has to yell over the noise of the others in the hall.

"Sure, just make sure you are ready. I don't want to be the last ones in class and be shocked when we find out who we have to sit beside."

"Make sure you look hot tomorrow, maybe you have to sit by Evan." he gleefully says with a wink. All I can do is roll my eyes, hope no one heard his comment and wave goodbye as I walk away. What if I do have to sit by him? Who cares, I don't need to impress him. I don't need to impress anyone. I just want to get through this year, happy and unnoticed. That is my goal. Standing outside I wonder where Mr. Collins is, he said he would be picking me up so we can go pick out the car. I'll just find an empty bench and wait for him. Thankfully it stopped raining an hour ago. I love the smell of fresh rain, the world seems more alive after. Everything looks brighter after it rains too.

Chapter 3

"Hi Mr. Coll.. I mean William. How was your day at work? What kind car came in that you were expecting this morning?" I ask as I get in the Hummer.

"It was good, nothing went bad. Today at the north car lot we received a Black 2010 Dodge Challenger. It isn't anything special, it would make a wonderful car for a young lady." he says as he winks in my direction.

I roll my eyes and proclaim, "I don't need a fancy car, I just need something to get me from point A to point B. Something that is able to start in the middle of winter is a plus too."

"Yes Riley. I know but, you need something more reliable than just a pile of junk. Plus if you only buy one that gets you from point A to point B you will need to buy a new vehicle in a year or less. You could just buy a nice vehicle and not need to get a new one for a long time, as long as you don't crash it or treat them the way Jennifer does." he explains to me, but then I remember Jennifer going through 3 vehicles last school year alone. They were nice cars too, I can't remember what they were called. I didn't pay much attention. I was just envious of her for being able to have them.

"Oh great, way to go all salesman on me. Um let me ask you this. How am I supposed to afford a Challenger?" I ask.

He laughs a bit at my little joke. "Well Riley when your mother brought you to stay with us, she left quite a sum of money to help. Emma and I decided to save it for you and let you use it to buy a car. We are going to use the money she left you and you can keep the money you earned this summer. Since you are still in school, and you are like a daughter to us we are going to pay your insurance until you graduate just like we do Jennifer. We love having you in the house Riley and we are very proud of the grades you got over the years you've been with us. You are an amazing young lady with a bright head on your shoulders. You will go far in life as long as you're given the proper opportunities. This is your chance. I'd take it if I were you."

"Wow I can't believe she left money. I thought she just dropped me off on your door step expecting you to pay for everything and just forget about me. Live a happy life without me." I say looking out the window, wondering what it would be like if Lillian hadn't left me here.

"No Riley, it wasn't like that at all, we knew you were coming before you showed up. You don't know a lot about your mother, and that is a problem. One day we will sit down and have a chat. I know Emma doesn't think much of your mom, and neither do you, but your mother could have done so much more with her life. This is why I am giving you this opportunity. Emma agrees that you are a smart girl, if only you could see it too." Gosh he sure is laying it on thick. I wonder if he knows anything about my father, maybe he would tell me how to find him. Maybe he is why I have these weird eyes; I could ask him what is wrong with me.

"Snap out of it Riley, we are here. Look right over there is the car I was telling you about." He says with a smile on his face. Looking where he is pointing, my jaw drops.

"Wow. There is no way I can afford that, even with whatever Lillian left me, and not even with what I have saved, or the money from this summer."

"You should stop calling her Lillian, it is rude, and disrespectful. She is your mother. Yes, you can afford it, because it is already yours. It was really dirty with a ton of junk in it, so we had it cleaned this afternoon. All you need to do is sign the papers."

"What?! You didn't even ask if that is the one I wanted, or needed. Maybe I wanted a Jeep, or a van or I don't know a motorcycle!" I fumed then crossed my arms and looked away so he doesn't see the red in my eyes. Then I scoff under my breath, "plus she doesn't deserve my respect, she abandoned me."

"I knew you would want something less... well, extravagant. I wanted you in something I knew would work and safely. There is nothing wrong with having a nice vehicle or do you think I am so terrible for driving this?" He asks waving his arm around to point out the very large extravagant Hummer. With the finest interior I've ever seen in a vehicle. Not only do his seats warm up when it is cold, they also cool off when it is hot outside. I'm sure it is real leather I'm sitting on too. Not only that, but it is perfectly clean. Looking down at my feet I notice I tracked in some mud, no doubt about it though, it won't be there tomorrow.

"No, but it is a gas guzzler. You could try something smaller, maybe a hybrid. I mean no person needs a vehicle this big." I suggest rolling my eyes.

"Yes, but I do enjoy working for my money and I think I should treat myself to something extravagant. No arguing, you are going to take the Challenger and I know you will love it." He says with a forceful tone.

This question has been rattling around my head; this is the perfect time to ask I suppose, "How much did she leave me?"

"It was close to $14,000 if you must know. The car is $10,000 so we will keep saving the rest until you graduate. Unless you would like it now. You also have the choice of keeping the money you earned this summer, or putting that in with the savings left over from the car."

This fact confuses me, because when I was with her she never had a spare cent. "She left how much?!Do you know how she got the money? I can't believe she had that much to give to you. Where did she even go after she left me?" The questions flow from my mouth.

As I stare at Mr. Collins in disbelief and anxiously waiting for an answer. He simply replies with, "Riley as I said, we will sit down one day soon. How about next week? Then we can talk about anything you want answered. Now can we go in and sign the papers so you can have your car? Trust me you will love it. Your um, boyfriend? What was his name again? Oliver? Yes, I think Oliver will like it too."

"He is not my boyfriend! It would be kind of awkward if he was since he is... Never mind. Let's go." I can't believe I almost told Mr. Collins that Oliver is gay! He would never forgive me if I blabbed to someone and it got back to his father. I just wish he would tell him soon, so then I can stop trying to cover up for him. Plus, Oliver and me? Together? I think Mr. Collins is crazy.

About 20 minutes later I'm in the car and say to myself "Wow I can't believe I am driving a Challenger right now." The car doesn't have the "new car" smell. It smells like heavy cleaner. I'll have to buy a car freshener sometime soon. What will Oliver think when I pick him up in the morning? There are so many questions I have for Mr. Collins. He said we would talk next week sometime, but I might have to remind him. He doesn't know when Lillian will come back, but he assumes I'll be finishing off the school year here. To think this morning I woke up with the awful feeling that something bad was going to happen, and so far today things have been great other than having assigned seating in grade 12. *beep*beep* Oh great a text, no doubt from Oliver no one else has my number.

Well what kind of car did you get?

Don't forget to dress extra sexy for Evan.

Of course, what else would he say? Maybe I will just keep it a secret, surprises are always fun. I'm just going to ignore that last part.

Wouldn't you like to know!

You will see in the morning, make sure you are ready!

P.S. I thought I always dressed sexy?

Ha-ha Good night!

Maybe he will get the hint and drop the whole "dress sexy" thing. I won't hold my breath on that one. He seems oblivious to hints. He is still a boy after all and boys are useless for picking up on hints .

No you don't.

You should try it sometime.

I always look good.

Well he is right about one thing; he usually always does look pretty good. Unless it is movie night and we just hang out in sweatpants or pajamas and veg out and watch stupid movies all day. I don't need to look good for someone who I am not even interested in or probably has no idea I exist. I'm sure I'll be stuck with someone else. Please let me be stuck with someone else. I think to myself for the second time today.
Chapter 4

Pulling up to Oliver's house he is already waiting outside. Probably to get away from his dad, who by the looks of the cop car in the drive way, is home. "Holy shit," he gasped while hopping in. "No wonder you didn't want to tell me! How did you afford this? Spent less on clothes to pay for it? By the way you look like crap, I thought I said sexy, not clothes found in the trash can. I also suggest getting an air freshener, it smells rank in here." His nose curls up in the cutest way when he makes that face.

"I know. I am going to pick one up later today. Oh thanks for the compliment, that is so nice of you to say. I'm glad you approve. What if I got all gussied up and was stuck with Lindsay or Mila as a partner? Think of that!" I sneered at him. I am just wearing my usual worn darker blue jeans with a few holes, and a few doodles in permanent marker, and a gray long sleeve shirt with those neat thumb holes. It is more like a sweater, but not exactly a sweater. I have my regular black converse shoes. No makeup. Doesn't he realize I am trying to not be noticed? Unlike him, who I swear wants to be noticed all the time. He has nice lighter wash jeans and green shirt. The green makes his eyes look darker than normal. He has really nice boots on too. I feel very plain next to Oliver, exactly how I like it. Sometimes I wish he wasn't as flashy as he is, only because it does bring a little more unwanted attention and looks from people. I would never ask him to change who he is though. He is my best friend and I wouldn't ever ask him to be anyone but himself.

It doesn't take us long to get to school. The parking lot is really full for being early. I guess everyone wanted to know who they are sitting with early; I'm sure some kids are probably already complaining to the teachers. I really hope I get someone who doesn't talk a lot and leaves me alone. I don't know how much I can handle a talkative person.

Walking to our lockers Oliver says, "Want to make a bet on who our partners are? It could make things interesting! Heck I'd even give everything I own, even the clothes on my back to be partnered with a good looking guy." Opening my locker I don't even need to look at him, I know he has this big smile that could stop a million girls' hearts, if he wanted to anyways. His eyes are now in a distant dream land, no doubt thinking about some guy he thinks is attractive this week. The hairs on the back of my neck start to tingle like someone is watching us. I brush it off as nothing though.

Clearing my throat to bring his attention back to the conversation, "No, I don't. I just want to get this year over with."

"Well let's get this over with Riley as you put it. Today you might just meet your future husband." He winks and elbows me in the rib. I grab my side where he elbowed me. Great, he thinks I'm going to find prince charming, yeah right and I'm Cinderella. He laughs and says, "Or you could meet my future husband."

"Oh my gosh!" Oliver gasps as he walks into the room, and stops in his tracks. I smack right into him,

"Ouch! Why'd you stop?" I ask rubbing my head from hitting him.

"Look at the board Riley." Looking up, I notice his name

Oliver Mabrey – Alex Fuller

Oh great, now he is never going to shut up. I start laughing and say "I guess you are meeting your future husband today." He shoots me a glare, and then says "Did you happen to look at who your partner is? I was right." he winks. I can see that he is happy about being right, for once. Glancing back at the board, my mouth drops.

Riley Morrison – Evan Grant

Chapter 5

"Alright Class settle down and take your seats." Mrs. Jordan says with a smooth calm in her voice. How the hell is she so calm right now? Everything is out of control, why couldn't we just sit where ever we want? I don't know what I am going to do. Why does he have to be my partner? Thank god it is only just for one class.

"Try not to have too much fun Riley." He elbows me in the arm to bring my attention back. He is about to wink before concern hits his face, "Riley you really need to calm down. Your eyes are going out of control. Evan will surely notice something is different about you. Take a deep breath."

"What the hell do you mean? I'm calm. What color are they?" I start to panic even more. I can do this, I think to myself as I take in a huge gulp of air. I know how to control my emotions, I tell myself trying to sound positive but it doesn't help, and my air is getting stuck in my throat. What do I do? I can't let anyone see my eyes.

"Seriously, Riley, don't freak out even more! I don't know, yellow and dark purple? What does that mean?"

I don't understand they have never been two colors before. "I don't know Oliver, this hasn't happened before."

"Please take your seats Oliver and Riley," Mrs. Jordan says again. This time her voice isn't as calm as before, more irritated than anything.

?

"Don't worry, it will be okay" Oliver whispers in my ear before we take our seats. His seat is so far away from mine. My friend is too far away to help me now. I don't even think he remembers my problem now that he is seated beside Alex?.

?

"Now class, I will give you a few minutes to introduce yourself to your new seat partners. If you don't already know about the other, now would be a good time to ask questions about them. Then in a few minutes we will take a small test to see what you remember from last year," Mrs. Jordan says then sighs once the grumbles and groans start to pick up from my class mates. If looks could kill I'd be dead right now by the glare Mila is directing at me. Glancing over at Oliver I can see he is fitting in well with his new partner, I think he is even blushing. I take a peek at Evan under my bangs, oh my he is even better looking up close, and he smells amazing, unfortunately he smells like fresh rain. Of course he had to smell like the thing I love most. Okay Riley you need to take a deep breath, he is just like everyone else here, just way better to look at.

"Hello Riley. We haven't had the chance to talk before, I'm Evan." He says. Oh even his voice is smooth, almost like velvet. I'm beginning to think girls of the world have no chance at all against his charm.

"Hi" I manage to squeak out. Mentally I am punching myself in the face for making a total fool of myself. Just look down, don't look at him. Deep breath. In. Out. Stay calm you idiot.

"Did you have a good summer? I see your boyfriend is sitting with my best friend, what luck hey?" He is trying to make small talk. It would help if I could manage to say something to him. Anything at all would be nice!

"Yeah he is gay." Oh I didn't mean it literally. Why did that come out of my mouth? Sometimes I just can't help myself. I should really figure out how to think before I talk.

"Yes I know. Alex came out a while ago to everyone. I knew before though, it wasn't hard to tell. Why would you bring that up? Or do you mean your boyfriend? I thought he was your boyfriend, you two are always together"

I let my temper get the best of me and look at him and say "He is not my boyfriend!"

"Wow, you have beautiful eyes. They are such an interesting shade of grey, but wait..." I look away quickly. I can only imagine what he saw, red for anger. Hopefully he doesn't think I am crazy. I'm sure he is going to ask for a new seat as soon as class is over. I'm a freak and now everyone is going to know it. I glance at him from under my lashes and notice he is texting on his really nice phone. Oh even better, everyone is going to know before class is even over. Trying to see who he is talking to, a beep goes off in Oliver and Alex's direction. Well that answers my question. A few other beeps go off, and now it is my worst nightmare. Glancing at Oliver I notice Alex is the only one staring at me.

"Class please turn off your cell phones, you should be getting to know your new partner not talking on your phones!" Mrs. Jordan says with a less than patient tone.

I sneak a quick glance at Evan again; he is staring at me even harder than before. This time his intent is to see my eyes. He looks surprised. My eyes have clearly changed color again. No mistaking it now, before they had red, now they have dark orange. I went from angry rage to distrust. What next, I wonder? Flipping through my notebook, I start to doodle in the margarine. Evan leans in closer and I can feel his breath on my ear; I can smell his mouth wash, minty fresh. A chill goes down my back.  
"What? No way" Oliver yells. Everyone in the room eyes him suspiciously.

"Quiet down class." Mrs. Jordan says angrily.

Peeking back at Oliver to see what's wrong, he and Alex are in deep conversation. Boy did they ever hit it off quick. Not much to do now but to start another doodle in my notebook and try very hard not to notice Evan beside me. I am doing a horrible job, because all I can think about is him there.

He leans in again, and whispers so softly in my ear, "Riley if you would look at me, then you would notice something we have in common. You don't need to be afraid to show your gift." It sends more chills down my spine. Before I can even look up at him, my phone vibrates in my pocket. Thank goodness a distraction.

Riley u can trust him.

I glance back at Oliver who is smiling at me. Why does he want me to trust him? So we can be best friends dating the others best friend? I don't think so. I need a bigger distraction than my hormonal best friend. Please universe, give me a distraction. Please!

"Alright class. Since no one is excited to get to know your seat partners, it's time to take the test. It should take the rest of the class. If you forgot something over the summer, just leave it blank until the end of the test and go back. This isn't your first test and certainly won't be your last. Do your best that is all I ask. When you are finished, please bring it up to my desk then you are dismissed." Mrs. Jordan says as she hands out a stack of tests to each row. While everyone is groaning about the test, I am silently cheering inside. Just when I needed a distraction, I got one! It was almost like Mrs. Jordan knew that I needed distraction. Dismissing that thought and still really angry at Oliver I shoot him a quick text.

How the hell would u know?

You've never even talked to him.

I shut my phone off so then I don't get any more distracted or lame text messages from him.

The test was a breeze. I finished before everyone in the class. Looking over I can tell Oliver is still writing his test, looks to be about in the middle. Of course he did nothing over the summer to help his academics. I pack everything in my bag, get up, and hand my test to Mrs. Jordan. She gives me a sympathetic smile and a slight nod to her head. I take the first step out the door and take in a deep breath and let out a sigh.

"Something wrong Riley?"

"What?!" I ask turning around and notice Evan is right behind me. "No, nothing is wrong, I uh, I, just have to go." I stumble on the last few words not knowing what to say to him.

"Do you want to talk before the rest of class comes out?"

"No, I have to stop at my locker, and use the uh, bathroom," I stammer. Why does he make me so nervous? I can talk with Oliver just fine.

"I can walk you to your locker. I think we have the same classes this semester. Or I could drive you home after school, I think we should talk."

Why on earth does he want to talk to me! I can't deal with this today, I just want to have a normal life, not be stalked by this weirdo. "No its fine, I know where my locker is. And I just got a vehicle, I can drive myself." I say angrily, why won't he just take no as an answer. Does he not notice I am irritated with him? I'm sure my eyes have dark purple or red in them right now. Or both? It wasn't until today that that has happened.

"Oh, well I guess I will just see you next class in Social right? With Mr. Lewis?"

"Yeah, sure." I say just as the bell rings. Not exactly sure if he heard me, I keep going anyways. Great we have the same classes I think to myself and inwardly cringe. Heading towards my locker, I glance behind my back just to make sure Evan isn't following me. He isn't there anymore, but there are more kids around now I can't really tell. I guess I could just listen for a flock of screaming girls to know if he is there.

Chapter 6

Deciding to turn my phone back on was a mistake because the first message that pops up before I go to next period is from Oliver telling me to trust him.

I really don't want to talk to u about this.

I quickly send to him as I walk into the class room. Looking up, all I see is Evan. There is just something about him that seems so familiar but I can't figure it out. I guess if I wanted to know badly enough I'd let myself open up to him but I don't. He is just sitting there talking with Alex and Oliver who are sitting right behind him. Oliver is one of those people who is never early for class but is now. When did Oliver ever become a part of their crowd? Am I missing something completely obvious? They all seem so relaxed and at home with each other. I don't think I will ever fit in.

"Go sit down please." Mr. Lewis says to me. I guess he would since I am just standing in the middle of the doorway. Inwardly cringing again, I sigh then make my way over to my seat. At least Oliver is right behind me so this class won't be as bad.

"Hi Riley," Evan says to me as I take my seat.

"mmhmm" please get the hint I really don't want to talk to you, I think to myself.

"Can you please look at me? As I was saying earlier there is something about your eyes, but you didn't let me finish. Please?" Gosh it sounds like he is begging. Why does he want to see my eyes so badly? Did he notice my anger earlier? Oh god I hope not. Going against my better judgment I glance up at him looking anywhere but his face. To my surprise he reaches out and softly brushes my bangs out of my eyes. His fingers gently brush against my skin and I get chills. What is it with this guy? I'm sure my eyes have aqua in them now, trying to protect my secret from him, from everyone.

"Wow, I knew it!" He says with joy, like he won a bet.

Oh no, oh no! I start to panic, which means my eyes have changed.

"Calm down Riley," he says in a soothing voice.

"What did you just say?" I ask suspiciously, risking another look at him. Looking at all his features, he looks strange, almost like he understands.

"I said calm down. You are panicking for no reason."

"How? How did you know I was panicking? Unless... Holy shit! No way! You, your eyes!"

He is like me, whatever that means. Maybe he has a brain tumor too or too much radiation in food or bad genetics or something that causes this. His eyes are grey with light blue flecks, which if his colors mean the same as mine he feels understanding. Which makes perfect sense. I feel like such an idiot, like where you face palm yourself for not noticing sooner!

"Yes. Why do you think I wanted you to look at me so badly? Do you always shut off like that?" he asks like he knows he is going to get a sarcastic answer in return.

"No." I say defensively.

"Yes." I hear from behind me, but I already know it is Oliver by his voice. "She is intolerable," he says then winks at me.

Rolling my eyes, "No, I think you are intol..."

"Class please take your seats and let's get to work." Mr. Lewis calls from the front of the room. "If you haven't noticed you have the same partner as the last class. If you have the same classes as your partner you will always sit with that person. So you better get used to each other quickly. I have a test for you to do to see what you remember, I'm sure you will have that the rest of the day in your other classes. We just want to see what you remember\ and what we need to work on this year. This year there may be some interesting topics that we cover too. We feel that you are all ready to know why you are here. Now for the test, take one and pass it back. When you are finished bring it to my desk and you may leave." He finishes handing the tests out to the front rows then goes to sit at his desk which has a very delicious smelling coffee waiting for him. Which is weird because I don't even like coffee.

Evan writes on the corner of his test and moves it so I can see what it says.

I'll meet you at your locker after I'm done.

Maybe you and Oliver can sit with Alex and me at lunch.

That is if you want to.

I can't help but notice how smooth his writing is, it is kind of perfect, especially for being a boy. I've never seen anyone write that beautifully before. I just want to know what is wrong with me. I hope he knows; he must. On the corner of my test, I write:

You know where my locker is?

Are you stalking me or something?

Will you tell me why our eyes change?

Turning my paper a little so he can read it, he looks puzzled. The way his brow furrows just a tiny bit you can tell he is thinking. The "Evan is thinking" look suits him well. I bite the side of my lip as I stare at him. He is so hot, I think to myself. Then one side of his mouth turns up into a smile, like he knows I am admiring him. He starts to write something again and I really hope he erases it all after so the teacher doesn't read what we are doing when we should have been writing our tests.

Yes to all of the above

He starts to laugh when what I can only guess is a terrified look on my face. My eyes most likely have yellow in them when I start to feel sick when he says yes to all of the above, since I did ask him if he was stalking me. Him laughing, though, makes Mr. Lewis look our direction. He then gives us a questioning look. It isn't like there is anything going on. How can you cheat on a review test anyways? I try to go back to working on my test, but I am too distracted by wondering what Evan knows, wants to tell me, and how he knows where my locker is. I really want to know what Mr. Lewis is talking about also. What are these interesting topics that we are going to talk about in class? I mean what can be so interesting in Social Studies? He seemed anxious about it, I could tell just by how he was shifting around, and playing with his pen as he talked. Great now I start to wonder what is wrong with him instead of paying attention to the test. Even thinking about this boy who is supposed to be in class but no one has heard from his has gotten my attention.
Chapter 7

Once I start to concentrate, the test was actually really simple. I guess it helps when you spend all summer reading over your notes from the previous year. I was the first one to be done. It only took me 25 minutes. Once I handed my test into Mr. Lewis he looked at me and it made me feel uncomfortable. He is kind of a creepy teacher, usually they hire friendly looking teachers, not ones who look like they want to attack you.

Unfortunately Evan wasn't done at the same time as me, so it seems like I have been waiting forever at my locker. Putting my books and phone in my locker, I stand for a moment and then it dings on me that maybe this was just some big joke. "Nice one Riley. You fell for the oldest joke in the book. The hottest guy in school asks some loser to meet at her locker and eat together at lunch. Not going to happen. How can I be so stupid?" I ask myself while I shut my locker door then I lean forward and touch my forehead to my locker door.

"So you do think I'm hot?" Evan asks. Basically jumping out of my skin I turn around, and there he is with a huge smile on his face. This light doesn't do him justice, but very clearly I see his eyes change to have light blue flecks. Mine from being freaked out and now feeling sick, most likely have yellow. "Sorry, I thought you heard me coming up behind you. I really didn't mean to scare you."

"No I don't, you didn't, and I'm fine." I say as I take in a deep breath to steady my heart beat and get my emotions back in control.

"But I thought I just heard you say I was ho.."

Before he can finish I cut him off, "No, I didn't. So are you going to explain to me why this happens?" I ask as I point to my eyes and to his to make my point, and to get his attention off the fact that I did say he was hot, but I don't want him to know that. "Also, I'd like to know, how you knew this happens to me anyways? How do you even know where my locker is?"

"Well the second question is simple to answer. I heard about your eyes from a few people. I just never had the opportunity to talk with you or be near you. So I had my parents who are on the school board fix it so we need partners and they made sure you were partnered with me all year." He explains to me like it is no big deal.

"So let me get this straight. You needed a reason to talk with me so you made your parentsgo through all that trouble? Couldn't you just I don't know maybe walk up to me and strike up a conversation like a normal person and not like a rich brat who gets whatever he wants." I snap at him, no doubt my eyes have red in them. His on the other hand still have light blue, which means understanding. I really doubt he understands how I am feeling right now. I am beyond calming down now. I mean, who does he think he is that he can just set this up like some game? How could his parents be okay with this plan anyways? Are they scared of what their baby boy would do if he didn't get his way? Oh my gosh, I feel like slamming my head against my locker or maybe his head against the locker. It might knock some sense into him.

"Whoa. Maybe we shouldn't talk about this right now. You are right, I could have done the normal thing, but it wouldn't have gone well. I can assure you, this was the right decision. My parents also agree. If you want to have it your way, then here let's start this over. Hi my name is Evan. I heard your eyes change. So do mine. Oh yeah guess what you are a shape shifter. No big deal really. Oh didn't you know already? Sorry. Have a great day. No I don't think that would have worked out well at all." He finishes with a huff and then takes in a deep breath.

"Excuse me? What did you just call me? A.. A.. Sh.. Shape shifter? I think you are nuts." How does he think that? That is something you read about in books, not something you take seriously. This cannot be happening, I feel like I'm about to faint. The hallway starts to spin a little more.

"See my way was going to be a lot more efficient, but you wanted it your way. Oliver was right, you are stubborn. Riley what I am telling you is true. Haven't you ever done something you can't explain? Or do you truly have no idea what I am talking about? Haven't your parents ever told you why your eyes change?" He asks with such sympathy in his voice and I can see it in his eyes how much sadness is in them towards me. It is almost like a pity party. Oh poor Riley, her parents are messed up, she is messed up. I feel more lightheaded now than I did a few seconds ago. Before I can fall sideways, Evan grabs me and pulls me closer to him, and sets me carefully down on the floor. Not meaning to, but I take a deep breath against his chest. Before he just had the sent of fresh rain, but now that I'm closer I notice small hints of pine trees. He stays close to me a few minutes more than he needed to, then pulls away and looks down at me. "I'm sorry you had to learn the hard way but you asked for it." He says with a light joyful tone and laughs a little. I can see more now how perfect his lips look. Even though I've never kissed anyone before, I can only imagine that his are nice. After that thought went through my head his smile vanished, almost like he could hear what I thought, but that is impossible.

"I don't understand. I've never done anything weird before, well besides my eyes changing. I've never done anything I can't explain." I say to him. I just start noticing now there are students all around us. Most of them are giving weird looks at what is going on, this is just way too much attention for me. I get really uncomfortable with all the looks, and I try to get up but Evan puts a hand on my shoulder to stop me from standing.

"You need to take a few minutes and sit here. I really don't want you falling and hitting your head. I wouldn't worry so much with what other people think. Trust me; a lot of them are different too."

"Different how?"

"That will be a topic for another day, for now you need to focus on what I just told you. Didn't your parents ever tell you anything? I'm sure they must have explained it all to you or at least hinted at it."

"No. Lillian never told me anything, she left me with the Collins family just before grade 9 started. I've never met my father. Lillian's eyes don't change though. I don't even think she knows why mine change. I don't think she could handle me or handle needing to explain to people why it happens. Seriously, I thought I was defective or had a brain tumor."

"Wait, you said you live with the Collins? As in William and Emma Collins? The fa... Never mind."

"Yeah, why? What do they have to do anything? The what? Tell me Evan."

"I can't. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have even said anything." He says looking away.

Frustrated with him, "No you started to say something. You have to say it since you started. You can't just not say something you start to say. Please!" It pains me that I had to say please, I don't want to beg for anything, ever. Especially not from him.

"I shouldn't have even mentioned it." He sighs, but then says "William and Emma are Faeries."

"What? They aren't. They can't be, because that would mean they know about shape shifters and that stuff. If William knew what was wrong with me, he would have told me. I don't think he would have hidden it from me all these years I've been staying with them. Would he? How does this happen? If you aren't actually crazy and I happen to be what you say I am."

"No one really knows how it happens or why. There are some good people trying to figure that out, unfortunately there are also bad people trying to figure it out too. I don't know how to answer the first part. Riley they really are fae, I think their daughter is too. I shouldn't have even told you that. I really am sorry that this is a big shock to you. I grew up with knowing both my parents are shape shifters, and so are Alex and his family. I guess it would be hard to not be shocked though."

"You think?" I ask giving him a quizzical look. Can this be for real? I never in my wildest dreams imagine this... Wait. "Hey you said something before, about doing something you can't explain. I have a dream sometimes, but I always thought it was something I saw on tv. I wonder if it actually happened."

"What happened in your dream? Maybe we can figure it out together. How about we first go get some food in you? So you don't faint. Look here come Alex and Oliver." He says gesturing towards the end of the hall way. He gets up gracefully and offers a hand to help me. Being stubborn I refuse, and start to get up without his unneeded help, and almost fall back over. He grabs my hand just in time before I fall.

Oliver and Alex walk up standing a little too close to each other for my liking. "Hey is everything okay Riley? You look like shit," Oliver asks looking more worried than I've ever seen. Then he notices Evan still has my hand, I quickly take my hand away and feel my face heat up with embarrassment. Just wait until he finds out I'm an even bigger freak than before, if what Evan tells me is true. I don't even know if he will stay friends with me. I can't lose him as my friend. I need him in my life.
Chapter 8

After standing in line for what seems like the whole lunch period, Oliver and I follow Evan and Alex to a table beside the windows in the far end of the cafeteria. Oliver and I both have chicken fingers, some fries. I decide to have apple juice today, he wanted an orange soda. He also gets sweet and sour dip for his chicken and even weirder he uses it for his fries too. I on the other hand like gravy with my chicken and fries. Evan and Alex have these very greasy looking double cheeseburgers, and onion rings. Evan has apple juice like I do and it looks like Alex has the same as Oliver. I start to think it is so weird how alike our friendships are.

They both seem to be in deep thought though; I wonder what they are thinking. I look out the window, it is sprinkling rain again. I don't mind, it helps my mood improve just thinking about how it smells. Then my mind starts to wander and think about how nice Evan smells from when he held me close to him when I almost fell over. That was really embarrassing; I hope it never happens again. I'm still trying to process what just happened in the hall. How can it be true?

"So this food might be good and all but is someone going to fill me in on what is going on? Riley I mean why did you look so sick a few minutes ago? What happened? I thought I was your best friend, shouldn't you tell me. Someone should just fill me in." Oliver says looking upset for me, and then looks at the other two guys, his eyes lingering on Alex a few moments longer than anyone else before he looks back at me.

"I'm still trying to process everything that just happened. I don't even know if I believe what he said to me." I sound so lost, more than ever before.

"Who said what to you?" He asks looking even more upset, it's like he wants to fix whatever happened that upset me. He seems to be so protective of me right now it is weird, it's not like he is my boyfriend or anything.

"I told Riley she is a shape shifter Oliver." Evan says raising his shoulders like it is no big deal, like people are told they are shape shifters every day.

"You've gotta be shitting me right? Does that make you and Alex one too then? Since both your eyes do the color shifty emotion thing like Riley's?" He asks Evan; well it sounds more like he is demanding answers.

"Yes this is just one elaborate plan to get Riley to fall for me. Of course I'm not shitting you. What does that even mean anyways? Yeah, Alex and I are shape shifters too." He says, but before he said the last part he looks over at Alex almost if he was asking him if it was okay he said that. I feel like I was punched in the stomach when he made the joke about making me fall for him. Was I just not good enough? What if now I am no one's type, who would want to be with someone who changes into things. First it was the eyes, and now this? I should just go hide under a rock, maybe I could just turn into a rock. Can I even do that? I wonder then add it to the 500 page list of questions I need answered.

Oliver sits so still for a few minutes; I start to wonder if he turned into a rock. Then he takes a deep breath, "So this isn't a joke? There really are shape shifters? Any other freaks out there?" As soon as it came out of his mouth he gasped and his eyes grew wide in horror of what he just said. I just look directly at him. He can see the color in my eyes change, they have red. The look in his eyes is one I've never seen. Pools of tears start to form in his eyes as he says, "R-Riley I'm sorry."

I don't even have words for him. My body feels like it has heated up a few degrees. Under the table my hands grip my seat so hard I think it might just break, if only I had super human strength. I can't even take in a calming deep breath like I've been practicing since grade 9 to calm down.

"Riley? I didn't mean it. I swear. I'd never." He says. I can see he is so upset with himself. I don't even want to look at him. As I stand up I hit my hands down on the table, hard. So hard it knocked over the pop on my tray. All the pain I feel is in my heart but I'm sure I'll feel the pain in my hands later."Riley!" He yells but I don't even look back when I hear him yell my name. Almost at the door to go outside to the field, I can distantly hear Evan tell him not to follow me.

Once, outside I take in a deep breath. It is a musky smell, like it will rain more in a few hours. I can't believe that is how he feels about me now. Or maybe this is how he always felt. My best friend thinks I'm a freak. Just great I think to myself. Walking to the parking lot I try to take deep breaths to calm myself down. By the time I get to my car, I'm still not calm enough to go back to class. I just can't face them, any of them especially not Oliver. I can hear the warning bell. I don't even care that all my books and my cell phone are in my locker. All I need are my car keys and my wallet, which I keep with me all the time. Maybe I just need to be alone with my thoughts. I need time to process what Evan told me, and what Oliver said. I can pick everything up later, when no one will be around. I knew that stupid dream was bad, even though I had it yesterday. Nothing good ever happens to me, or ever will.
Chapter 9

I drove around for awhile not having an idea where I wanted to go. I just kept driving, without realizing I was driving to the north car lot that Mr. Collins works at. As I find a parking space I'm still trying to process what Evan told me. Could this really be true? Could I be a shape shifter? Could the family I've been living with for all this time really be what Evan called Fae. I don't even know what that is. I know what a fairy is, but is that not the same? I haven't seen wings or anything sprouting out of their backs so they can't be. Mr. Collins must have noticed I drove up, since he is walking towards my car. Deciding to get this talk over with, I get out of the car.

"No Riley. Get back in your car. Evan's parents called me. We will talk about it later today. You should really be back at school." He is almost yelling at me, which doesn't help the calm I was trying to achieve on the way here.

"Don't you think it is more important for me to find out where I come from? What I am? Why have you been lying to me all these years?" I ask, demanding answers from the one person besides Evan who seems to know more about me than I know about myself.

"Riley none of my employees know about this, so I would really like to have this conversation at the house. You are right, I am sorry. This is more important than finishing the class that is almost over for you. I will get everything squared away for the day and meet you back at the house. I will be there in 45 minutes to an hour. Is that okay?"

"So you are hiding it. It is something we all must be ashamed of being then. I don't want to talk to you or your wife and just have you lie to me like you have been this whole time." Without even giving him the chance to contradict me, I hop in my car and drive away. Just before I pull out of the car lot, I look in the review mirror, I see Mr. Collins still standing there, looking very broken. My heart starts to hurt. I have hurt the person who decided to take me in when my own mom didn't even want to be around me. Even though I am so mad, I feel bad. Not enough to turn around and apologize though, I think I am the one who deserves the apology.

Instead of going to the house, I decided to go back to school to pick up my cell and my books. Then head over to Java Chip to maybe see if I can start work in a week or two, not sure how I will explain why. I'm sure Greyson and Holly will understand though. They are the owners of Java Chip. It is a nice little coffee shop, with a bookstore attached to it which they also own. It is a pretty popular after school hangout.

Pulling into the school parking lot, it seems like class is still in session. Which means no one will notice me. I just want to get in and get out. The walk to my locker is peaceful, no students around to give me weird looks, no whispers of "that's the weird girl who fell just to have Evan catch her. How pathetic!" Putting in my combination 6-23-19 and opening it a letter floats to the floor. Bending down to pick it up, I turn it over and see it says:

To Riley

I can already tell that it is Evans writing. Not particularly caring what he has to say to me, I stuff it in the bottom of my bag. Noticing my phone, I look at the screen and it says I've missed 12 phone calls, 12 voice mails, and 34 text messages. No doubt all of them are from Oliver. I pay no attention to the screen blinking at me. I'll deal with him later. With everything I needed, I put the lock back on my locker and turn to leave knocking into Evan. "Ouch" I say rubbing my head.

"Maybe you should watch where you are going Riley." He says with a smile on his face, noticing his eyes, they have dark purple in them. He is feeling sad. I can tell, not just from his eyes, but his smile. It isn't the smile I had seen earlier today. Not my problem I tell myself.

"I think you should be the one who watches where he is going. Who just stands right behind someone without announcing that they are there? You are just asking to get run into when you do that. So if you are expecting me to say I'm sorry, I hope you aren't holding your breath. It is not going to happen. Not now and not likely ever. You wrecked my friendship with Oliver today."

"What? How did I wreck your friendship? Don't you think I made it stronger?" He asks.

"Are you kidding me? You were there. You heard him call me a freak. To be honest he was basically calling you and Alex a freak too, no matter how hot he thinks he is."

"No, you just didn't give him a chance to explain what he meant Riley. You took off right after he said it. I think you should talk to him. Oh yeah, did you read my note? I left it in your locker. I didn't break in or anything just slipped it through the vent." He adds the last part when I give him a weird look. It is the whole stalking thing all over again.

"No I don't want to talk to him right now, no I didn't read your note, and no I don't want to talk to you about it. I just want to leave, and forget this day even happened." I say as I walk away. Not looking back, with my head held high. He calls out to me and says, "But it did happen Riley. You'll need to deal with it sooner than later. We need your help. The letter helps explain a few things. Try to have an open mind about this."
Chapter 10

Sitting outside Java chip in my car, I decide to go through all of Oliver's voice mails. "Riley, I didn't mean what I said. I don't know what I was thinking. Please pick up." "Riley are you okay? Pick up your phone." It was pretty much the same thing over and over. The last one he said he wouldn't call back and he would wait for me to talk to him, no matter how long it takes. All his texts are just him saying sorry over and over. I see Evan's note there, with his brilliant writing. He wrote my name. He took the time to write me something, instead of texting, or calling or leaving a message. I just can't bring myself to read it right now. Maybe later tonight before I go to sleep, if I can even fall asleep. After the day I've had, I should be in a mental institution.

"Hey Greyson. Is Holly around?" I ask him as soon as I see him cleaning off one of the tables.

He looks up and says, "Oh hey Riley. Shouldn't you still be at school? Holly is out on a bank run right now actually. Is there anything I can help you with?" He has a strange concerned look on his face.

"I had an interesting day at school so I decided to take the rest of the day off. I suppose you could help me or at least talk to Holly when she gets back. I was wondering if I could start my work shifts next week or maybe the week after? As long as you can find someone to cover for me. I've just had a few, uh, personal things came up and I think I should just step back for a while. Until everything gets worked out. Is that okay? All I need is a couple of weeks max."

"That should be fine. Is it something you want to talk about? I can always lend an ear."

"No, not really. Thank you though. I really appreciate the time off."

"Don't worry about it. We can make do until you figure it all out. Who knows maybe it will all be worked out sooner than you think?" He says to me, almost like he knows what I am talking about. Weird.

"Well thanks again. I'm going to head home and hopefully get everything figured out a little better. Bye." I call out to him as I am heading out the door.

After picking up a tropical car freshener, I head back to the house. I'm sure I've taken enough time and that Mr. Collins will be home, and hopefully ready to talk about everything. The whole way back I kept asking myself how he could have kept this from me and how he thought it was a good idea to keep something this life changing from me. Didn't he think I should know what was going on? Or was I just not important enough for him to feel the need to tell me. These are all things I would like to have answered, but they probably will be left unanswered.
Chapter 11

"Hello Riley," Mrs. Collins says to me as I walk in the door. "We've been waiting for you." She gestures towards the living room. Nodding my head, I drop my back pack at the door, and head into living room, and take a seat in the arm chair by the fireplace. It isn't lit or anything yet, because it is still nice outside. I suspect in a month or two it will be lit all day. Mrs. Collins, Emma, sits beside her husband. They both have a sad look in their eyes. I'm actually glad they are upset by this; they should have told me something sooner. I sit here waiting for someone to talk first, no one does. I blurt out, "So is it true? All of it? Even about you two? What about Jennifer? What about my mom and my dad?"

"Yes my dear, it is true." Emma says to me.

"Don't call me dear. I am not your dear!" I snap.

"Riley." William says sternly, "Please try to understand our side of this. Don't you remember yesterday when I said we would sit down in a week? I was not expecting your friend Evan to tell you."

"Evan isn't my friend. Today was the first time I've ever talked to him. I don't even know anything about him. I've known you both a lot longer. I trusted you to tell me things. Don't you think I would have maybe taken this all a lot easier if I had heard it from someone I trust and know rather than from a stranger?"

"I was going to tell you next week. You must believe that. Emma and I are faeries, well people just call us fae. I know you don't know what that means so I will try to explain the best I can and hopefully not confuse you too much. Basically everyone of the Fae have a talent or a power if that is how you wish to call it. Emma and I we have a nature talent, which is why we can so easily grow organic crops when so many others fail without the use of pesticides. Some Fae have the ability to communicate with animals, some can control and read emotions, some have healing abilities, and the most often no talent ever becomes apparent. When there is no talent, then sometimes they go their life without even knowing they are a fae. No one really knows how it happens or why, but it does. We all just learn to deal with it." He explains.

"But this doesn't help me. Evan didn't tell me I'm fae, he told me I'm a... a shape shifter." The last part doesn't come out strong, it sounds meek. I can't be something that sounds so cool in books; I'm just a normal girl.

"We can't explain that part to you though, so we will have to let Evan explain it in more detail to you. From what your mom has told us Riley, your dad had the same eyes as you. She didn't have any idea about what he was. I'm sorry I don't know much about him other than what your mom has told me. He was around you as a baby but then disappeared." William says with such sadness in his voice. I can tell he wished he knew more about my past so I could know.

"So why did she leave me here? If she didn't know what was going on then she had no reason to just leave."

"No she didn't know for sure but she had suspicions. Especially after what happened when you were a little girl. Do you remember what happened Riley?" Emma asks softly, trying not to upset me again no doubt.

"When I was little? I don't remember. Does this have anything to do with that weird dream I have?"

"What dream is that Riley? You haven't told us about your dreams." William asks.

"I don't know who it is in my dream. I always thought it was just some weird tv show I got attached to. A mom locks a little girl in her room. There is a big storm, the thunder was so loud, I swear I would almost wake up whenever it cracked. The little girl talks with a stuffed lion. Some man comes to visit her mom. I guess the man used to hit the little girl and she changes into a lion and hits him. That can't be me can it?" I am shaking by the time I am finished explaining the dream I have. I look at both of them and they both seem to be in thought, trying to figure it all out.

"Yes it was you as a child. She told me about that and I think she even confused herself trying to explain how or why it happened, without sounding crazy. Although it is strange that the first time you shifted you changed into a lion. Most can't change into something they've never seen before." William explains to me.

Interrupting I say, "But I did see a lion, that is how I got the lion teddy bear. Lillian took me to the zoo a week before for my 6th birthday. I loved the lion exhibit so much and threw a huge fit for having to leave so she bought the toy lion for me as a present! I remember that because it was the only present I have ever gotten from her."

"Even if you had seen a lion, most can't change into something that complex, especially at the age of 5. Normally shape shifters can't change until they are 10-12 years old."Emma says looking very confused.

William looks equally confused then says "I think you should talk more with Evan and his parents. They will be able to figure it out more than we can. There are other things that you can do too, but I think Evan will tell you about that. Lillian left you here because she thought maybe you could find out more or just forget altogether if she wasn't around. She did what she thought was best for you. Your dad as I said before only saw you as a baby. We've never met him, and I'm sorry your mom didn't even leave a picture of him or anything. I don't think she even has one. She could only tell us that you reminded her of him."

"So now what do I do? I can't just keep living my life like I'm not a freak. I don't even have a best friend anymore. How do you both do it? How can you be what you are and not have anyone know? Are you ashamed of being fae? What about Jennifer? She is the most popular girl at school, how?" I ask.

"Well that is simple, she doesn't even know. She has no special talent or one that we know of yet. She isn't interested in much other than boys. You think we don't notice, but we do. We just let her live an uncomplicated life. It is better if she didn't find out, unless her ability becomes apparent. Most people aren't okay with the supernatural. Some hunt us, others idolize us, and some people just prefer to ignore all the signs. The people who know about our family being fae are themselves fae or something else. We are very close with Evan's parents Alexander and Avery. We also don't think of ourselves as freaks either and we do not for one second think that way of you. If people don't accept you then that is their problem Riley." William says then asks "Wait a minute. What do you mean you lost your best friend? Did something happen with Oliver?"

I can feel the tears starting to burn in my eyes, trying to hold them back I take a deep breath and say "He called me a freak today when I told him what Evan told me before lunch. I haven't talked with him since. I don't know if I can. He thinks I am a freak, he might have always thought that. I just don't know what to do about that." My breath hitches then one tear falls from my eye, it leaves a small trail where it rolls down the right side of my face. Looking away so they don't see how weak I am I wipe it away hopefully without being too obvious.

"I think you should call him back Riley. Let him explain." Emma says with sympathy in her voice. "I had a friend who said the same thing when he found out. Then a week later he found out about himself. Everything turned out okay in the end." She finished with a smile on her face, and reached out and held William's hand and gave it a light squeeze.

"You are talking about the two of you? If you haven't noticed Oliver isn't that interested in girls. He is gay, so it isn't going to turn out the same way for us as it did the two of you. No offense or anything." I say, but inside I am glad to know sometimes these things can work out for the better. "What else is there? Besides fae and shape shifters?" I ask trying to take their mind off of the fact I just ousted Oliver, no matter how mad I am at him I can't let it get out to his dad.

"Everything you read about in old tales is true." Emma says with softness, "One day you'll see. As for now I think you should read the letter Evan gave to you."

"Wait how do you know about that?" I ask raising my eyebrow.

"I told you we are friends with Evan's parents. They called William right before you showed up at the car lot, to tell him what Evan said to you and that he gave you a letter to explain a few things. You took off without him explaining things, thankfully he had written a letter just encase that happened. If you don't want to talk to him in person, the least you could do is read what he wrote to you." Emma says to me looking very soft.

"We will leave you to make your mind up on your own. Do as you wish Riley, the decision is completely yours. To forget this day ever happened or embrace it." William says. Then he and Emma stand with such a grace I never noticed before, but is very apparent now. I wonder if they were always this graceful or if I only notice it now that I know what they are.

"Wait!" I call out just before they are out of the room, then meekly ask without looking directly at their faces, "Do you still want me here? Even if I want to forget everything and live my life like none of this ever happened?"

"We would never turn you away Riley. You can stay even if you decide to hide it and forget everything." William says as he turns to face me.

Emma walks over and gives me a hug which she has never done before and whispers in my ear "You would be wise to not forget this. You are destined for great things. You will save many lives." As she pulls away she brushes my bangs from my eyes and leaves her hand on my cheek a moment longer. A smile warms on her face even though her eyes are still so sad then goes to join her husband. I can tell that there is something more she isn't telling me. I just don't know what.

I sit there in the living room a few minutes longer, before I distantly hear them leaving the house. A few more minutes pass before I decide to stand and retrieve my backpack and head to my bedroom.
Chapter 12

I sit on my bed for an hour staring at my backpack. Trying to figure out if I even want to read what Evan has to say. Just the way he has written my name calls to me so with a deep breath I open the letter.

Riley,

You left so quickly after I didn't have time to explain things to you. I know this must be a huge shock to you. If you could give me the chance to give you more details I will. From how you reacted earlier I get the impression you might try to not deal with any of this. It is what you've been doing the whole time you've been here. Have you even tried to figure out why your eyes change? What might cause it and why? No, I don't think you did. You just tried to be invisible and go unnoticed. Well I noticed, and I meant what I said earlier, that we need you. Something has happened to Alex's parents. We want to try to find out what happened and find them. I'm not trying to guilt you into helping us by telling you about his parents. I just think you'd be a great help. If you were able to change into a lion as a 5 year old, I can't imagine what you could do now. I didn't even change until I was 14 and it wasn't even that impressive. My parents didn't think I would ever change. Do not hide anymore Riley. You are much too special to hide. I will wait for your answer whenever you are ready.

Evan

p.s you should forgive Oliver, he was heartbroken after you left. He cares very deeply for you.

He is right, I should forgive Oliver. Opening my phone I send a text to Oliver,

It's ok what u said b4. I get it.

Not even a minute after I sent the message my phone rings. I don't even say hello and he starts talking immediately.

"Riley, oh my god, I am so sorry! I don't even know why I said that. I wasn't thinking. What can I do to make it up to you? I'll do anything, just name it." The sadness in his voice is so thick you could touch it and it even sounds like he is crying.

"It's okay. I get it. I even think of myself that way now. It sounds like the little girl in my dream I always tell you about was me. Isn't that weird? I never put it together before, or maybe I knew the whole time and I just ignored it."

"It makes sense though doesn't it? All this time you thought it was something else stuck in your brain, but it was just your subconscious was trying to show you. Before I get all smart and scientific, what are you going to do now? If you want to forget this happened I will never bring it up again, even though I think it is kind of cool. If you think about it in a non-weird way."

"I have no idea how you think this is cool because I certainly don't. What if I change into a frickin dinosaur in the middle of class?" I say kind of joking, but then after I say it I wonder if I can do that.

"Well then no more school." He laughs so hard at his own joke, but he is right no school. "Can you even change into a dinosaur? Aren't there like rules to this kind of thing?"

"I don't know, I guess that is something Evan will have to explain to me. Alex is one too so do you find him any less attractive now?" I can guess what his answer will be but I ask anyways.

"No he is still hot, it would take a bad hair dye job, and an orange tan to make him unattractive. I gotta go dad just got home. Thank you for forgiving me." I can basically hear the smile on his face when he says thank you. I smile too.

"Wait, before you go. The favor, you said you'd do anything. I want you to tell your dad this weekend, I'll be there with you if you want." I wait for an answer, which seems to take moments longer than I thought it would.

"Are... Are you kidding me Riley?"

"You were the one that said you'd do anything if I forgave you. I can just go back to being pissed and ignoring you if you want." A smile creeps onto my face as I know I have won this battle.

"Uh... Um... I guess. Yeah sure I'll do it, this weekend. As long as you promise you are there with me. Seriously, I hate it when you win. Such a pain in my ass. Bye Riley." He laughs.

"Bye." I say laughing and press the end button. With a sigh I notice the smile is still on my face. If Oliver can deal with telling his dad he is gay, then I can surely deal with being a shape shifter. Can't I? I mean it can't be too hard. Then my mind starts to wander, I'm just me. I can't do or be anything special.
Chapter 13

Waking up the next morning my head feels stuffed, and my eyes are practically glued shut. Making a mental note to not fall asleep crying anymore. I'm not even sure why I cried myself to sleep, probably just an overload of emotions. Or the fact that I wish someone could comfort me. Today might be a good day to take off of school. Deciding that I deserve to stay home I stay in bed a while longer. Even though school just started, I think I really need this day all to myself. There is a soft knock on my door. So much for the day all to myself, I rub my eyes a bit more and with a loud groan, and I say "Come in."

Mr. Collins walks in, gives me a look, and nods his head like his question is already answered. "So I see you are staying home today? Is there anything I can get for you?" He asks even though he knows I don't plan on moving from this spot for a long time.

"Yeah, I just think it would be best for me to take a day to figure things out, you know? I don't need much that I don't already have in here. What's that box you're holding under your arm?" I ask raising my brow. The box looks just like a normal cardboard box, a little dirty and tattered. I highly doubt anything important is in there. I surely don't think they put items they value in cardboard boxes.

"This is the only box your mom left with you here, besides your clothes. She said to give it to you one day. I don't know what is in here just so you know. I'll just leave it on your dresser. I'll call your school to let them know you will be absent today. Try to have a good day Riley." He says as he lightly puts the tattered old box on top of my dresser. He gives me one last look and a sympathetic half smile before he finally closes my door. As soon as I hear him head up the stairs I jump out of bed and grab the box with a little more force than I wanted, I don't want to break whatever is inside. Sitting on the edge of my bed I open it. There is only... The stuffed lion with a note attached to it. I sit back against my pillow and pull my legs up tight to my chest, and start reading the note.

Riley. If you are reading this, then William has decided it is time to give you this box. I don't know if you will remember but this was your lion. You called her Lynoll even though that is a boy name. You were rather an odd child, but I loved you until that day. I don't know what happened. I was sleeping in the other room. I don't want to ever know. All I know is you made life difficult for us. Ever since then we were on the run from weird people. I should have just let them have you. Then I wouldn't have to run anymore. I left you with William and his family because I thought either they would help you forget what happened all those years ago or they would help you figure out what is wrong with you. Don't look for me, I am happy now. I don't have to run. Good bye Riley.

Just great I think to myself. I can't even bring myself up to tear her letter or even cry at her hurtful words or her hatred of me. I just put it aside and look at the lion. Picking it up and setting it on my knees, I notice how soft it still is. After all these years it still feels the same as before. It doesn't look the same though. There is blood on the paws of the lion and it is a bit dirty. It really just needs a wash. She has a fierce look in her eyes even though she is a stuffed animal. I wish I had answers. What made me change at a young age when they say it is impossible? Was something wrong with me even in the shape shifter world? Can't things just be easy and not strange? Then I think about what I should do with the lion. Should I keep it? Or throw it away? What if I have a daughter and she is like me, maybe she would love the lion like I do, but now I am getting ahead of myself. I'd need to find someone who likes weird shape shifters.

Ding Dong The door bell rings with its musical chime. I'm not worried about answering it though. Whoever is there will leave when no one answers. Ding Dong. Again I will wait.

After a good 10 minutes, I decide to go and get something to eat since I didn't have breakfast and it is close to lunch now, I'm starving and really thirsty. Walking past the front door which is dark wood, with clear glass in down the middle of the door with frosted vines around the edges of the pane, I notice something on the door step. Not just anything but flowers? I think they must be for Emma. I decide to get them since it looks a bit chilly outside, I don't want them to die. They are a beautiful arrangement, and they look expensive. There are a ton of lilies and a few other flowers I don't know the name to, in a million different shades. It is probably the most beautiful flower arrangement I've ever seen. Walking with it in my arms, I smell them. It is so calming. Looking closer I see the tag with them that says my name. How weird. I've never gotten flowers before in my life. Setting them down on the kitchen counter I remove the thin lightly tinged blue plastic that is around them to keep them safe. Opening the note it says "Get better soon Riley." Knowing who's writing that is now, I know they are from Evan even without him signing his name.

knock knock knock

Jumping out of my skin, I try to steady my breathing as I go to answer the door. As I round the corner I see Evan standing there. He looks at me smiles and waves. Sometimes I wish the door had no glass or else I could have hidden and pretended I was still sleeping, but since he has already noticed me I go open the door. "Hi." I meekly say without looking directly at his face. Looking in the driveway I notice he drives some sort of bike. Then I start to wonder what it is like being on one.

"Hey. I see you got the flowers. I hope you like them. I didn't know what kind you liked." He says with a grin, still standing outside.

"They are beautiful. I don't know why you got them for me though." I say and I sound very confused because I am really confused. Why on earth would he get me flowers? I'm not anything special, well besides a shape shifter.

"Because of what went on yesterday. I thought it would be nice and well my mom suggested it would be a good idea. May I please come in?" Well obviously they are only pity flowers and not like I have feelings for you flowers. With a heavy sigh I open the door wider to invite him inside.

"Thank you. Nice pajamas." He says with a smirk as he walks inside and takes off his shoes.

Looking down noticing I do indeed have my pjs on still. At least they are cool and not something skimpy. It is just a normal t-shirt and some pants with whales on them. "Yeah, uh thanks. So, why aren't you at school?" I ask walking towards the kitchen to retrieve my lunch which is just a simple bowl of cereal, an apple, and a glass of tangerine juice. I sit down at the island with my food and the beautiful flowers in front of me. I pull my one leg up on the seat and I start eating without offering to get him something.

He stands for a moment looking around, and then sits on the stool beside me. "I wanted to check in on you. You look upset. Well I mean your eyes anyways. How come yours have two colors in them?" He asks looking hard into my eyes then I notice his eyes travel away from my eyes to look at all my features, which makes my face turn red so I look away.

"How the heck would I know? I just figured out why this happens to me. Does that mean yours don't have two colors?" I ask taking a bite out of my apple. It is crisp and delicious. Sweet and a bit tangy. It is probably the best apple I've ever had.

"Not that I know of, I mean I can't really see my eyes every time they change. But no one has ever mentioned it. Did you talk with Emma and William yesterday? Oliver said you texted him. Well, he told Alex anyways and then Alex told me."

"So they are pretty tight now I guess. I'm surprised Oliver didn't tell me they got so close. Yeah, I told him it is okay what he said then he called. We worked it out." I take a sip of my juice before I continue, "William and Emma both sat me down and talked even though they didn't know much about what I am and what I can do. They said I'd need to talk to you and your family about that if I wanted to know more. This morning William gave me a box that my mom left with me. It had in it the lion I had as a kid, the one I turned into when I was 5 apparently. I still think it is a little freaky."

"I think they have a connection. It is nice. As for Alex and Oliver, I think Alex needs someone to talk to, about you know that kind of stuff. Maybe they will start dating. Wouldn't that be cool? You never did tell me that story, about you becoming a lion. My parents think you changed was because you needed to and that's why it happened when it did. That you were put in a situation where you needed to change or else you'd get hurt."

Taking a nice long sip of my juice, I clear my throat and explain my dream to him. "I guess. I would have gotten hurt. Why didn't it happen before though? When he hit me? How do I even find out who that was? I don't remember his name. And Lillian left a note for me saying she doesn't want me to contact her. She said she loved me until that day and that now basically she is glad to have ridden me from her life. I am no longer her concern and she can be happy."

"One day you'll find out who it was, have you googled it?"

"And what would I put in as the question: "Weird little girl changes into a lion and attacks a man who was going to hit her?" Yeah I think it would be very likely that would pop up." I say rolling my eyes.

"I guess you have a point there. Plus who would go to the police or the media claiming a child morphed into a lion or that even some woman had a lion in a bedroom. I guess the idea was pretty farfetched, sorry. Did he see you change?"

"No, I don't think so. I was hiding in the closet when it happened. How does it happen? I don't remember it hurting."

"No it doesn't hurt. It is hard to explain, our bodies turn kind of translucent and then we just change. It's kind of fun to watch anyways. And I'm sorry about your mom too. That must be hard news to find out."

"Oh, that does sound kind of weird. Thanks, I mean I don't miss her much or anything. I guess I'm just hurt by her actions. Oh well... The Collins are really nice. I love living here with them. Even though I've never actually told them." I start thinking distantly about what it would be like to see someone change then I start to wonder something else, "Is there anything else we can do?"

"Actually yeah, there is a bit more. We can only change into something we've seen. This explains why you could change into a lion, since you had seen one a week before at the zoo. There are only a few shape shifters who have been able to change into things that they haven't seen or have only seen in pictures. There is one shape shifter who is well known in our species that has changed into a unicorn. I wasn't there to see it, but my parents were. They said it was beautiful. Not at all how we imagine unicorns to be. He was all black with a two toned ivory horn that wasn't straight, but kind of spiraled to a point. It was onyx black and white. I wish there was a picture of him. I can only imagine it and even the way I imagine it could still only possibly be the second most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life. No one knows what happened to him though. They say he hasn't been seen for in almost 17 years." I start to wonder what is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen? I have a hard time believing that there is anything more beautiful than the unicorn he described. He starts talking again to bring my attention back, "And we can talk to each other in our heads. We can't talk to other people though, only shape shifters, and they gotta be close by."

"What? Why can that happen? Can you shut it off?" I ask.

"Well when we are all changed into something else, we need to be able to communicate. There have been some situations where we need to change to get away or need to hide what we are thinking from others. Don't you remember me saying "hi" to you the first day of school?" He asks with a smile on his face.

"That was you? I thought it was Oliver; I was kind of ignoring him. He was gushing on and on about Alex." I admit.

"Yes that was me. I wanted to see if my suspicions were true." He says still with that smile, like he has won a bet or something.

"And what if your suspicions were wrong? What if I was just an average girl? Then you would have gone through the trouble of getting us to sit together all year for no reason, and you'd be stuck beside me all year." I sneer, then finish the rest of my juice.

"Well it isn't like it would have been a total waste. You seem to be an interesting girl to be around. Even if you don't want to embrace yourself as being a shape shifter, I think we might be seeing more of each other anyways. My best friend is kind of falling for your best friend."

"Yeah, I guess so." I say then sigh as I put my elbow on the side of the island and put my chin in my hand. Wondering what he thinks is so interesting about the girl who has tried her hardest to be average and not noticeable. "So what now? What if I do want to embrace it as you say? What if I don't? I don't know what to do now."

"As I said before, I think you should embrace it. You could help us." He says and I can sense there is frustration in his voice with the last statement, helping them.

"AH there you go; your eyes do it too! Red and dark purple. Do your colors mean the same as mine? You are angry and frustrated. Right?" Sounding too happy for the seriousness he must be feeling since you can hear it in his voice and see it on his face. His eye brows come together like he is thinking about something.

"Yes, the colors mean the same thing for all shape shifters. It is easy for us to tell each others emotions. I guess the two colors can happen for any of us. I've just never noticed it before I guess. Do you mind if Alex comes over here? Then we can talk about his parents. I think Oliver wants to see you too."

"This is weird. Two days ago we've never said one word to each other, and now we are all talking like we've known each other for years. I guess, if you think I can help then I will listen." I say, not without blushing when I notice how sweet his smile is when he looks at me. Deciding to not make an even bigger fool of myself I say, "You can invite them over, Oliver can tell Alex how to get here." As I hop off the chair and clean up my lunch mess as I notice, I am still in my pajamas. "You can wait in the living room, I'm going to go shower, and get dressed. I have a limit to how many people can see me in my pjs in one day, so far we are more than my limit." I say with a laugh awkwardly and walk towards the basement.
Chapter 14

Once I get out of the shower, I can already hear different laughs coming from upstairs. I hurry and get dressed in a pair of torn jeans and a forest green t-shirt. Not bothering to dry my hair, I just scrub my towel on my head a few times, and run my fingers through it to take out a few knots. I don't want to look like a total freak, so I put on a little mascara but not to impress Evan. "Okay," I say to myself out loud, "maybe just a little bit to impress him, but who am I trying to fool. He would never go for a girl like me." With a heavy sigh I head upstairs, I accidentally miss a step and smack my shin on the step above. "Ouch." I say and rub my leg as I finish going up the stairs more off balanced than before. The guys are all situated in the living room, like they all belong together being friends and here I am walking into it, messing it all up.

"Hey Riley." Oliver says as he gets up off the couch and gives me a hug. I notice that he was sitting beside Alex, and that is where he goes to sit after he gives me a hug. Three spots are available, one on the loveseat beside Evan, with the two love birds on the couch, who I think just might be holding hands trying to not be noticeable, or on the chair by the window and the fireplace. Preferring my normal spot by the window is where I head to sit. Sometimes I find myself sitting here for hours after everyone goes to bed, with the fire lit, just reading books. As I sit and pull my legs under me I say "hey" to everyone.

"Uh why isn't there a tv in the living room?" Alex asks, looking at me.

"Um well I don't know. This is the sitting room I guess. You know, rich people stuff. There is a tv in the living room downstairs." I say with a shrug of my shoulders. Oliver lets out a small laugh, because he thinks it is as weird as I do that they need a sitting room. That is why we always watch movies at his house, and not here. Well that and Jennifer is usually in there watching something stupid.

"You should side swipe your bangs Riley. You have nice eyes," Alex says to me with a wink, knowing he is gesturing to the fact that he has the same color of eyes and that he thinks they are nice in general, probably not about the shape of my eyes.

"Uh, thanks." I say, even though I leave my bangs where they normally hang. I don't quiet trust him. "So whats up?" I ask noticing everyone glancing at each other.

"I think Alex should be the one to explain what happened, and his plan he has worked out." Evan says to me, his eyes stay on me longer than I think they should. I feel awkward in my own skin around him. He gives me the chills like I shouldn't trust everything he tells me. I can feel goosebumps start to rise on my arms. Shaking the weird feeling off, and rubbing my arms I look over at Alex who takes his hand out of Oliver's before we give him our full attention. I can see the hurt look on Oliver's face as he looks away trying to hold it together. No doubt my eyes have aqua in them for feeling protective over my best friends feelings, I'm sure there is also red, for my anger. I look at Alex and I can tell he sees the color in my eyes as his change too; his are a mix of light and dark purple.

He doesn't say anything which is making me even more angry, I pipe up and say "Or maybe we could talk about the obvious elephant in the room right now. Get it out. We aren't stupid." Oliver looks taken back by my outburst, then a look of realization hits his face when he figures out I was talking about him and Alex.

Alex clears his throat and then says "Well I was going to wait until someone was ready before I said anything about making my feelings known." He looks sympathetically over at Oliver.

Oliver lets a huge sigh go, then looks at me. "I made Riley a deal yesterday that I am going to talk to my dad this weekend. I think it is time he knows." He says, still the sadness is in his eyes, even though he has a smile on his face. He can't trick me, maybe the other two, but not me.

"I can be there when you talk with him if you want. I don't mind." Alex says sympathetically to Oliver.

"No that's okay. Riley promised she would come with me. I think it will go good, she always tells me that he loves me and will accept me no matter what." Oliver says with a more hopeful look on his face.

Alex glares in my direction with dark green in his eyes. He is jealous. Of what, I don't know. It isn't like anything is going on between Oliver and me, obviously!

"Oh, okay then." Alex says as he gets up, "I need to use the washroom, where is it?" he snaps me.

"It is just down the hall and to the right. Should be the one with the toilet," I say with a smile trying to lighten the mood. It doesn't work since he glares at me again. This guy has a serious problem with me.

"Don't worry Riley, he just likes your friend. He wishes Oliver trusted him as much as he does you." Evan's voice says in my head. I look straight at him with my eyes wide and most likely popping out of my head. Probably not my most attractive moment in my entire life. Then I hear him laugh.

"Seriously? How the hell did you just do that?" I ask him.

"Do what? What is he doing? He didn't even move. Please inform the human of what is going on in this room right now. Hello?" Oliver says basically to himself because I am concentrating so hard on Evan's face trying to figure out what he did, and how to stop it. It is a weird feeling having someone invade your head with their voice, especially when it is so unexpected.

Laughing this time out loud, Evan says looking at Oliver "I was telling Riley something in her head."

"You can do that? Sweet. So, you can talk to anyone like that? Or just you guys?" Oliver asks, his tone in his voice gives away the fact that he is jealous of the fact he is missing out on this. Although I would love to switch him places, and let him have someone else invade his mind.

"Sorry to disappoint you Oliver, but only shape shifters can talk to each other in their minds. Unless you are telepathic then you can." Evan says, distantly looking down the hallway to see if Alex is coming back. "I think you should just go for it." He finishes with a wink at Oliver.

Oliver blushes then asks more to himself, or maybe just to forget what Evan said. "So there are people with telepathic ability? Cool."

"What's cool?" Alex asks as he walks back into the room looking around at each of our faces.

"Telepathy." Evan answers raising his shoulders, which makes Alex roll his eyes.

"Back to the original topic before someone got us off topic with butting into something that is none of her business." Alex says as he glares in my direction again. I have no idea why he even had to glare at me, we all know he was talking about me, since I am the only girl in the room. This guy has a serious problem and I'm not sure I want my best friend dating someone who could just fly off the handle at any moment.

"My parents were taken by a group of people. We think they are the group that likes to do testing on the supernatural folk. I want to find a way to get them back. From what I've seen their operation doesn't seem so advanced that a couple of kids can just break into."

"What? You want to break into a facility that does tests on people like us. What happens when they find us? Then trap us and do these tests on us?" I ask, giving him a snooty glare back.

"Well, we could just not get caught." He grumbles under his breath and lets out a "duh."

I try to ignore that last part. "How likely is that? Has anyone ever broken into the place and gotten out? Let alone gotten other people out?" I ask.

"Well, a few pixies went in once and got their friends out." Evan says to me, trying to sound hopeful to help ease my mind. It doesn't really help.

"Do I even want to ask what a pixie is?" Oliver asks looking from Evan to Alex to me then back to Evan.

"Seriously? Why did you look at me? I know just as much as you do Oliver." I say laughing.

"Sorry." He says then looks back at Evan waiting for an answer.

With a shrug, Evan answers "They look like normal people. Their wings hide in their shoulders, under their skin. When they need to use their wings, they kind of.. Well they shrink. It makes them really hard to catch and see because they are so small."

I start laughing and say "So like Tinkerbell?" Oliver starts laughing with me, then we stop once we notice Alex and Evan aren't laughing.

Alex coughs and explains "Unless you want to get hurt, I'd never suggest calling them that. Pixies can be very mean. Usually they are just needy, but they have a mean spirit." He then laughs and says under his breath "Unless you want to, I wouldn't mind seeing you get put in your place by a pixie." Evan shoots him a look and Alex shrugs his shoulders and looks away. Evan must have said something to him in his head or else they just know each others looks.

"Are there pixies at our school?" Oliver asks another question, I'm still stuck on the fact that there are pixies.

"Yeah there are." Alex answers and says, "Just like there are witches and the boys prefer to be called wizards. You'd be surprised at how many there are at our school."

Oliver just sits there. The boy who rarely ever is speechless is now. Then he lets out a "Wow." He has a weird look on his face, the one he gets when he is trying to imagine something he has never seen before, so I guess he is imaging a pixie or something else.

"So what do you think Riley? Will you help us?" Evan looks hopeful at me.

"I have no idea. It isn't like I even know how to shape shift, I can't even talk to you in your head." I shrug. Admitting my faults out loud makes me feel weak.

Evan starts laughing, looks at me and says "So that is what you've been doing this entire time? Have you even been listening?"

"Of course I've been listening. Alex wants us to go on this life risking mission that could get us captured or worse could get us killed. There are pixies at our school that you don't want to call Tinkerbell, witches and wizards. Why don't they like to be called warlocks anyways? Why be called a wizard?" I ask the last questions to help get his mind off of the fact I was trying to talk to him in his head.

Alex answers me instead of Evan, "Because only the strongest are called a warlock, also there are female warlocks, just not as many as there are male."

"Oh, I get it. How many shape shifters are there?" I ask because it seems rather odd that more people don't know about this sort of thing. Or maybe they do, they just don't talk about it.

"Not as many as there used to be unfortunately. They are the easiest to point out. You know, the eyes give us away pretty quickly." Evan says to me, looking sympathetically over at Alex who looks upset with this all.

"What if I do say I'll help? Then what?" I finally ask out loud, it is the one question I've been waiting to ask.

"Then we go and find my parents. The pixies who went have already told me how to get in and out without being noticed," Alex says. He looks over at Oliver and sighs then looks at me. "I'll do whatever it takes to get my parents back, but I won't risk anyone's life if they don't want to help."

"I need a glass of water. Let me just think about this all for a few minutes." I say as I stand up from my chair.

"Shouldn't you think about it longer than a few minutes? This is just so crazy; you should think it over longer Riley." Oliver says just before I get out of the room, which is all too warm for me right now. Looking at him, then I notice Alex's face behind him which is hurt, and his eyes show concern for his parents. I say "We don't have the luxury to sit around and wait when people are in trouble, do we?" Another sigh from, Oliver he shakes his head no and then puts his face in his hands.

"I'll help, but I don't want Oliver to get hurt. He cannot go. " I manage to say in my head to Alex, who then looks up at me with his eyes brimming with tears. I walk out of the room and get myself a tall glass of water, half filled with ice. As I stand there chewing on a large ice cube, I distantly look out the window. I try to imagine my life a lot easier as just a normal girl. With normal eyes and normal problems.
Chapter 15

This has all happened so fast. First, I find out I'm a shape shifter, next I find out my mom hates me, then I decide to risk my life on some guy who my best friend is attracted to. Let's hope I'm not crazy, which I am beginning to think I am beyond crazy, and way past help. We decided to wait until next weekend so we can plan it out a bit more. Alex is hoping to get more information from the pixies and hopefully even get their help.

In just a couple of hours I'm doing the unimaginable. Going to Oliver's to be there when he tells his dad he is gay. I really do think he will take it easy. He loves his son; you can see it whenever he looks at him with pride. I don't want Oliver to be there when we try to get Alex's parents back. I don't want anything to happen to him.

Before the week is over, Evan is going to show me a few tricks and help me shift easier. So far all I've been able to shift into is a tiny bird. I don't think that is going to help me if we get into trouble. I guess I could always fly away, but then I'd leave everyone else behind. He says it will get easier, and I'll be able to do more once I do it a few more times. His parents are stumped on why I can't change into anything bigger since I had already changed into a lion. They think it is just because I have suppressed this part of me for so long, it is just taking a while longer than most.

I haven't been to Evan's house. His parents have come here to talk to me about everything that is going on. His parents are really nice\ and you can tell how much love they have for each other. I secretly wish that one day I have a love like that, one that can surely stand the test of time, but then I realize I have no one like that in my life. Not anyone that can accept me for me and my shape shifting part. Even if I wasn't a shape shifter, I don't think anyone would even remotely be interested in me. His mom Avery is one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen, with long jet black hair, sharp cheek bones, a soft chin, and a small nose. His dad Alexander has short jet black hair; his face is masculine, very strong. Evan is such a nice mixture of both his parents. It always makes me wonder who I look more like, Lillian or my dad. I wish I knew what he looked like. Even just his name would have been nice. People have found their parents with much less information than that. There isn't even a name for him on my birth certificate. I wonder if there is any kind of supernatural who can look into your past and tell you. "Wouldn't that be nice" I think to myself.

Walking up to Oliver's house, my hands start to feel clammy so I rub them on my pants. I don't want to admit to Oliver that this might not work out as well as I think it will, I think he can tell how nervous I am though.

"Hey Riley. How has the first week of school been for you? Oliver said you were sick so you missed a day. That's too bad. I hope you are feeling better now." Mr. Mabrey says to me after I walk in. That's the thing with us, we just walk into each others houses. It isn't awkward or strange. We've just been friends for so long that it is normal. We are like family. Oliver's dads name is Paul. He is on the short side and a little bit on the chubby side. Looking at the wall I see Carla, Oliver's mom. She passed away when he was 9. He doesn't talk much about her, but she is beautiful. They share the same dark features, dark hair, a slight natural tan to their skin, and brown almost black eyes. There is just something magical about her, I get lost staring at her picture when I hear Paul clear his throat. "So what is going on? Oliver has been a little... Weird lately. Is something the matter?" He asks me looking a little uneasy.

"Dad who are you talking to? Oh hey Riley, I didn't know you were here yet." Oliver says as he walks in the room.

Trying not to look nervous, I smile and shrug "I just thought I'd talk a bit with your pops first." Oliver has a little chill run through his body, I notice him shake a little. I give him a sincere smile and a nod.

"I guess I'll leave you two kids alone." His dad says with a sigh, I give Oliver a look as if to say "You need to say something right now". Hopefully he understands what I am trying to say to him.

"Uh, dad. Can you wait a minute? I umm, need to talk to you." Oliver says looking at his dad, I can already tell there are tears brimming his eyes. Paul looks at his son, nods, and sits on his favorite chair that is closest to the TV. He has spent a lot of time there since Oliver's mom passed. When he isn't at work, he is in this chair. Oliver says he sometimes finds him there in the middle of the night sleeping or looking at Carla's picture. He has two pictures of her beside his chair. One is of their wedding day, but with just her. There is a beautiful tree behind her; I think it is a weeping willow with its branches blowing in the trees. My eyes play a trick on me as I can almost see them swaying in the wind. Rubbing my eyes, the branches stop moving. The other picture looks like it was taken just after they had Oliver. I can see she is in a hospital gown and he looks so small. She has a look of pure joy on her face, holding Oliver and looking down at him. She was so beautiful I think as my heart starts to ache for Oliver and Paul. His dad never decided to date again after that though. He always tells Oliver "Once you've been with the one, you can never truly be happy with someone else. They are your one forever, even once they have gone. I hope you are lucky enough to find your one Oliver. One day it will happen for you. When it does, you'll know. I cannot wait to meet that person when the day comes."

I sit beside Oliver on the couch. This is our couch, we sit and watch movies, the latest TV showes, but not the stupid "reality" tv, because we all know it is scripted. Sometimes though if we need a good laugh we will put one on, and laugh and point out which parts are probably scripted.

Oliver clears his throat and starts "So, dad, I uh.." He stops and looks at me. I just smile and nod.

"What is it son? You know you can tell me anything. I don't want you to keep secrets from me. You haven't gone and got yourself and someone else into a situation have you?" He asks and looks at me when he says someone else. I start laughing because that is so the opposite of what is going on here.

Oliver then starts laughing, especially when his dad sighs like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders. "No dad. Not even close. To be honest, that will never EVER happen." His dad has a confused look on his face, then his eyes widen when he realizes what Oliver is trying to say.

"You... you're..." he stutters .

Oliver doesn't say anything, just nods his head and then looks down at his hands that are placed in his lap. I don't think he has realized his hands have been moving the whole time. He has been picking under his nails since the conversation started. He doesn't notice because his head is down, but his dad has a smile on his face. I kick his leg to get his attention back up, he looks at me and I nod my head in his dad's direction. He looks over and his dad is smiling at him with a proud father look on his face.

"You know what I am trying to say right dad?"Oliver takes in a deep breath and as tears start falling from his eyes he says "I'm gay."

"Of course I know son. When you always bring Riley around, and you've never made any advances towards her, being as pretty as she is, I suspected that you might be. I never wanted to ask you outright though, just encase I was wrong about it. Plus, I wanted you to be able to tell me when you were ready. I didn't want to push you away." His dad explains to him, his tears fall freely too. I blush when he calls me pretty. I've never heard anyone really call me that before and mean it anyways. His dad continues "So what made you want to tell me now? Did you find your one?"

Oliver looks at me before he answers "I kind of promised Riley when she was mad at me."

Paul looks at me and raises a brow. "Do I even want to know?" I look down and shake my head no. He sighs, then asks, "You didn't answer me about the one Oliver. Did you?"

I turn my head slightly so I can see Oliver and I see a small smile grow on his face. "Dad, I'm only 17, I don't know. I might have." the last part was a sigh.

Looking at his dad's reaction, there is none. He just looks down at the pictures of Carla beside him and picks them up. He takes in a deep breath, and lets it out with a huff. Looks at Oliver and says, "You'll know when you find them." He puts the picture back down, stands up, walks over to his son who stands up when he stops in front of him, and gives him a big hug. He says in a raspy voice in his son's ear, "I love you boy. Don't ever forget it."

Oliver hugs his dad back, with a big squeeze then he says "I love you too dad."

As I sit here, I feel like I am invading this personal father son moment that they desperately needed to mend their relationship that has gone out of whack the last few years. I smile, as I think that this was all because of Evan telling me I'm a shape shifter. I guess some good has come out of that news after all.

Paul looks down at me and asks, "So what made you mad at him to get him to tell me. What did my son do to upset you?"

Feeling panicked, I start gasping for air. I frantically look at Oliver who nods his head to me just like I did to him. I try to swallow my fear, which only makes it seem like there is a lump in my throat, I choke out, "Uh, I found something out yesterday." I manage to say.

He looks at me and asks, "So what did you find out?"

Looking anywhere but his face I manage to squeak out "I'm a shape shifter."

Paul starts coughing, "What? You're one of those... freaks? You need to get out of my house right now. Stay away from my son. NEVER GO NEAR HIM AGAIN!" Each word gets louder and louder, until he is finally screaming down at me. Once he says never go near him again, tears fall from my eyes. "Get out of my house NOW!" I look at him and he is pointing towards the door, his face is bright red like when you hold your breath for too long or like when you are in the sun for too long. I can see sweat on his forehead. As I stand and start heading towards the door Oliver says, "But dad, she is my best friend."

With a huff Paul says, "Not anymore she isn't. Those people, no those things only get others hurt, especially the ones closest to them. You are to never see or talk to her again."

Not sure what I can say, I walk to the door then I turn and see them both standing there. Oliver looking sad and hurt by his dad's reaction and Paul standing there furious. I've never seen him this ma, and I doubt Oliver has too. I meekly say "bye" to Oliver. Tears still falling from my eyes I get in my car and drive away. Oliver didn't even try to stand up for me or say the boy he loves is a shape shifter too. I wonder how well that would work out, not very well now. He called me a freak, those things. Just as I get to the corner I slam on my breaks. "What? He knows about shape shifters." I say out loud, like it just hit me in the head. I dare not to turn around and confront him when he is mad. I wonder if Oliver will listen and stay away. I can't lose my best friend. I won't lose my best friend.
Chapter 16

Oliver didn't call me all weekend and avoided me Monday morning. I noticed he was avoiding Alex too. It must have been hard since they do have to sit together. I didn't even have to ask Alex either because I saw how his eyes had red in them. He was pissed. Alex hasn't asked me what is going on, but I'm sure he will.

During second period, Mr. Lewis started talking about weird things well no weirder than I've already had to deal with. At one point in the period he said, "Class I will be spending time with each and every one of you separately. Not all of you know it, but you are not average kids". I wonder what he is talking about. I mean we can't all be shape shifters. The only people I've ever seen with the weird eyes are Alex, Evan and I. From what they tell me both their parents are shape shifters too. I distantly wonder how many more like us there are.

Once the bell for lunch rings Evan asks me to sit with him and Alex at lunch, and well I'm not going to say no since I don't want to sit by myself. I'm sure we need to go over a few more details about what is going to happen this weekend. "So, just us three then?" Alex asks, looking around, no doubt for Oliver. I nod my head and raise my shoulders because I really don't know what is going on. I thought for sure Oliver would have texted me or called me to let me know he will still talk to me, but he didn't. I even thought he would talk to Alex since he has fallen pretty hard for him. "Oh, well I guess," Alex says with a huff.

"So we talked to the pixies that broke into the lab." Evan says to me in a hushed voice. "Only one of them has agreed to help us though. The others think it is too dangerous. Personally, I think the less we have with us the better. You already said you don't want Oliver helping us anyways."

Grunting Alex says, "Like he'd help us now anyways Evan." He looks around again hoping to find Oliver sitting at another table nearby to at least get a look at him. He looks so lost without Oliver already and they just met. If only his dad could be more understanding. I guess it is one thing to accept that his son is gay but a whole other thing to accept that his best friend and his possible boyfriend are shape shifters.I must be staring at Alex because I get a nice kick in the shin from Evan "OUCH!" I yell, "What the heck was that for?" All Evan does is open his eyes a bit wider and then jerk his head towards Alex whose eyes have found Oliver standing in the cafeteria lineup. Alex starts to get up before I grab his arm and pull him back down. "I'm sorry Alex, but I don't think that is a good idea. Not now." I say my voice full of pity, my eyes dark purple full of frustration and sadness.

He grunts "Why not? What happened? What did you do Riley?" He demands answers.

"Hey don't blame Riley, maybe he is just going through some stuff right now." Evan says, trying to sound hopeful, more trying to get the blame off of me.

"No he's right, it is my fault. If you'd calm down a little and sit down I can explain what happened," I say, trying to swallow the lump that is growing in my throat and trying to ignore the sting of tears wanting to escape my eyes I explain to them what happened this weekend. All about how he told his dad he is gay, to me telling Paul I'm a shape shifter, then the hard part of Paul's reaction to that news. "He said "those people always get others hurt" almost like he has had this happen to him or someone he knows before. I didn't realize it until after I had left, but I was too shaken to go back and ask what happened before. You should have seen how red his face was. I've never in all my years of knowing Oliver and Paul seen him that angry before. Whatever happened before, must have been serious," I finish with a chill going up my back; I put my arms around myself to try and warm up.

There is a distant look on Alex's face; he is still longingly looking in Oliver's direction, who decided to sit alone.

Loud laughter comes from Mila and Lindsay's table. I see them pointing at Oliver. They are clearly making jokes about him sitting alone. Lindsay says all too loudly, "Look at that loser! He must have had a fight with his freak of a friend." I can feel my body get warmer, I already know there is red in my eyes. Evan or Alex don't do anything to stop me when I stand up and walk over to the other table.

"What the hell is your problem Lindsay?" I spit in her face, so close she can no doubt see my eyes. I don't even care right now; she has no right to call Oliver a loser.

Mila laughs and says "Back off, I know what you are. I don't think you want your little secret getting out do you little miss Riley?" with an evil smile on her face as she says this.

Lindsay's eyes grow wide with wonder, "What do you mean "what you are"?" she giggles like she is about to find out some juicy gossip. I start to panic, but manage to not show it too much.

Mila starts to say "She's a..." but gets cut off by Evan who yells "Shut up Mila. Don't you say another word! You have a secret too and I can blow it for you right now if you finish your sentence." His glare is as cool as ice. I wonder what her secret is; looking at her there is nothing different about her. She definitely isn't a shape shifter because her eyes are light green that get darker around the edges. She is extraordinarily pretty, although I'd never admit that out loud.

With a shrug Mila says, "Fine, just get her away from us." She gives a wink over to Evan, which makes my skin start to crawl.

Right before the bell rings to go back to class, Oliver walks up to me and gives me a hug. "You didn't need to do that, especially not with how I have been acting the past few days."

With a heavy sigh I tell him, "It's okay. You'll always be my best friend. You should be more worried about what lover boy will say. He has been really upset about this. I think he will understand though. I kind of told them what happened at your house, he didn't get a chance to say anything before the rude show."

At that Oliver laughs and says "I never knew you could be so... aggressive Riley. I like it." Laughing I roll my eyes. "I thought you didn't like attention? I think you hanging around Evan has done you some good. Are there any developments on that topic anyways?" His eyes full of joy, hoping I have some good news on that.

"No. I don't think there ever will be either. He just isn't interested in me, definitely not the way Alex and you are into each other. Is he your "one" as your dad would call it?" I ask already knowing the answer is yes, on both of their parts. It was very obvious with how Alex was looking at Oliver with longing eyes.

He coughs then sighs, "I don't know Riley. With how dad reacted to him being told you are a you know what. I don't think he would be accepting at all of my "one" being a you know what too."

Remembering the fight I ask "Do you know what your dad was talking about the other day? When he said "people like you always get the ones around you hurt"? I mean he must know something to be able to say that. Maybe you could ask him? I wanted to go back to your house to demand answers, but he was really freaky, no offense."

"Yeah, no kidding. I've never seen him that upset before. He fell asleep in his chair the last few nights holding moms wedding picture. He hasn't said much to me since then except to stay away from you."

I laugh and say, "Look how well that's going". With a wink, we link our arms and walk to the next class.
Chapter 17

A few nights later behind the house, shifting lessons, as I call them, are getting better. I've managed to turn into an owl, a tabby cat, and a fish. Let's just say the last one was terrifying because I was gasping for breath. By the time I figured out I needed to change back, Evan was laughing at me. His parents had stern looks on their faces though. "I just don't get what I am doing wrong." I sigh and sit on the soft grass.

Avery sits beside me and puts her hand on my shoulder then says, "Don't worry it will get easier. Can you believe the first time I shifted it was into an earthworm? All the others around me thought it was so funny. The only thing I could taste after was dirt." She has a warm smile on her face and her eyes have flecks of light blue. She is understanding of my situation, at least someone is. As she tells me her earthworm story Alexandar has a small grin on his face, like he is remembering the story. "Don't mind them. They are just show offs." She says with a smile and nods her head in their direction.

"Riley, why don't you try again? This time think of a bigger animal maybe?" Evan suggests to me.

I sigh and say "

That's my problem, I don't think I can."

"Maybe the problem isn't you. Maybe she just isn't feeling threatened right now." Avery says hopeful.

Alexandar grunts "We should stop." Avery just nods, gives me a smile, then goes to join her husband.

"I don't know Riley. We'll keep working on it. I know you can do it." Evan says to me as he helps me up. His hands are soft in mine, which are a little sweaty. Right after I am up, his thumb glides over my hands, then he lets go of them. They drop hard to my side, like they are full of lead. As we walk towards the house he asks, "So have you heard from Oliver?"

Thinking of the last time I talked to him, he texted me saying he asked his dad about knowing about us, but he didn't want to talk about it. "Not really, no." I sigh, missing my best friend. I stop walking "Hey, how come you or your parents don't ever change? I mean you just stand there and watch me struggle."

"I don't know, we are just trying to help you? I actually haven't thought about it." He says looking confused, then his face turns grave "Do you think you'll be ready? We only have one more full day before we go."

Trying not to sound too deflated "I think I can do this. You never did tell me who the pixie is..."

He sighs "Mil..."

Interrupting I start yelling, "WHAT?! How on earth do you think that is a good idea? She hates me! She cannot go. No I won't allow it." I cross my arms at that and stand with my hip to one side.

He looks at me, "Riley we don't have a choice. Mila was one of the pixies who went in and got out. She was the only one who wanted to help me, I mean all of us. I've known her for a long time. I trust her."

"Well I don't." I walk away putting force into my movements and soon I'm running. Before I know it I'm at the house. I'm not even tired. All I see is everyone's face when I round the corner. In my head I hear Alexandar say "Well done Riley." Confused I look down and notice spots. Oh great, I've turned into a cheetah without even trying!

Once I change back into myself I let a deep sigh go and say, "I wasn't even trying to change that time, I don't think it counts."

Looking displeased Alexandar says, "At least it wasn't a goldfish again."

Avery on the other hand looks very happy with me. She hurries over to give me a big hug. Evan though doesn't say anything, but goes to leave. His mom gives me a look, then gives me one last hug, "Don't worry Riley." She whispers in my ear.

A few hours after that, Oliver texts me asking if I want to go to a movie. I decline wanting to stay in bed. Why don't I know when I've changed? I wasn't even thinking about cheetahs when I changed, I just wanted to get away from Evan as fast as possible. Changing into a cheetah though would come in handy on Sunday. I have a bad feeling about this, not just the fact that it is Mila that is leading us. Just a bad feeling in general, like something is going to happen that we won't be able to control.

Knock. Knock.

"Yeah, come in."

William opens the door a little, pokes his head in and asks, "May I speak with you for a moment?" I nod. He walks over and sits on the chair at the desk. He clears his throat and says, "Well I saw you from the window, very impressive, but we need to be careful. Jennifer could have seen, and I don't think she would have been okay with seeing a cheetah running around on our property." He gives me a sympathetic look.

I nod in agreement and say, "I'm sorry. I really had no idea. I mean, I didn't even mean to."

"I know, you are still working on it. It would be a lot easier if Emma and I just told Jennifer what was going on. You might get lucky and a talent may show up soon and then you'll be in the clear." He starts laughing and asks, "Did you really turn into a goldfish?"

I smack the right side of my face with my hand, "Yeah. It was so embarrassing. I can only imagine what it looked like. Me flopping around gasping for air."

"Don't worry Riley, you'll figure it out soon enough. Thanks for the little talk." He gets up and walks to the door and turns around. "Before I say goodnight, be careful." Before I can ask what he means he shuts the door.
Chapter 18

Oliver texted me early the next morning asking me to pick him up a block away from his house and that it was urgent. It feels so weird sitting here a block away from my best friend's house not being able to go inside. It feels like a part of me is missing. I miss seeing his dad; I even miss seeing those pictures of his mom. Oliver is jogging towards my car, I wave. He is slightly out of breath once he sits in the car. "So? What's up?" I ask once he gulps down a few breaths.

"I told my dad."

"Told him what? Also, where are we going? I don't want to sit in front of this house longer than I need to."

"Oh yeah, uh well, I don't know. Can we just drive around for a bit? Make sure you don't drive past my house."

"Okay," I say as I pull a U-turn. "Can you explain what you told him?"

"Oh yeah. I told him that I won't stop being your friend, even though you are what you are. I said it doesn't change who you've been the last few years and it won't change you going forward."

"Uh, do you think that was a good idea?" I glance over at him, who looks a little shaken. I'm not sure if it was from the physical activity or from the fact he stood up to his dad.

"Yes. I really like Alex. We've been e-mailing each other a lot, since dad has been around a lot I can't really call him without having to explain anything. I even told dad that the guy I like is a shape shifter too."

At that I slam on the breaks and yell "Are you crazy?! I think you might be sick."

"Seriously, Riley? That hurt. Way to give me whiplash, especially after I just stuck up for you."

"Sorry. Look I'm already driving. What did he say? When you told him about Alex?"

I could see him shrug from the corner of my eye. "Not really anything? I kind of bolted out of the house once I said it."

"Seriously Oliver, you are making me want to slam on the breaks again..." His phone interrupts me with his dads ringtone, which is his dad yelling "PICK UP YOUR PHONE OR I'LL ARREST YOU". He looks at me and I nod my head.

"Hi dad." I hate not being able to hear what his dad is saying; Oliver manages to put his phone on speaker.

"I think you should come home we didn't finish that conversation."

"I don't think we should until you've had a chance to think about things and calm down a little dad..."

"Riley?"

"Yes sir," I say quietly. I have to say I'm a little afraid right now.

"You need to turn your car around and bring my son home. I can have every squad car looking for you in a matter of minutes."  
"Dad you can't just boss her around like that, I did leave on my own"

"Right now."

"Yes si..." I start to say but Oliver interrupts, "NO dad. Not right now."

"Son, I want to talk to you. Actually, to you both."

"Uh, okay. We'll be there in a bit."

"Bye." His dad says without waiting for his son to say bye back he hangs up the phone.

"Oh no. Oh no. Oh no no no. This is not going to be good," Oliver says.

"You don't know that. It could be fine," I try to sound hopeful and think that this isn't one of the stupidest things we've ever done. Nope that is going to happen tomorrow I remember. Taking a deep breath, I turn the car around and head back to Oliver's house.

"Uh Oliver. Should I wait in the car, you know, just in case he tries to shoot me when I walk in the door?"

"What the heck is wrong with you Riley? He isn't going to try to shoot you. Stop being so dramatic."

As soon as we walk in the door, Paul tells us to sit down. I think to myself at least he didn't try to shoot me, at least not yet anyways.

"I obviously cannot keep you two separated. So I only ask you Riley to make sure you never hurt him."

With a confused look on my face I say, "You know I'd never hurt him."

"Dad, Riley would never do anything to hurt me, not even close."

"There are things you don't know son. Sometimes people go after the people they love most to get to them."

"I'll be careful dad."

His dad just nods at this and finally lets out a sigh, "So the boy you like? He is one too. I guess I can't stop you from that too, right?"

"Right. Dad he is great."

I clear my throat, "Oliver I should be going. I have to get ready for something."

"Is it the thing you are going to do with them?" He asks.

"Yeah. Thank you for letting Oliver stay friends with me. It felt like a part of my heart was missing without him around." I say to Paul. He has a weary smile, then nods and distantly looks at Carla's picture.

"Bye, Oliver." I wave and step outside. It has started to rain. I take in a deep calming breath.
Chapter 19

"So what is this place even called?" I ask from the middle seat in Alex's truck. They picked me up early; too early if you ask me, 5a.m is just not a good time for people to get up. Looking at both of them they are ready to go, I on the other hand look like I just crawled out from under a rock I'd been living under for 10 years. The sky is just beginning to show signs of the sun, it is causing a nice pink and light purple line to come up over the hill. "Also, Is Mila meeting us there? Or what? Cause I mean I thought you said she was helping, as much as I don't want her to."

Alex takes his eyes off the road and looks over and me then back at the road and says, "Well it is called F.O.N.H."

"And what the hell does that stand for?"

Evan bursts out into laughter, "These idiots couldn't even come up with something cool or even scary. They had to go and call themselves "The Freaks Of Nature Hunters". I mean it is pretty stupid hey?" He looks at me and I can tell he is nervous, but his laughter is infectious.

"Are you kidding?" I look at him and I know he isn't kidding. "This should be a piece of cake then."

Alex clears his throat, "So Mila is going to meet us at one of the older houses near their facility. She said it is easy to get to."

I roll my eyes and say, "Yeah if you can fly... Oh yeah, I can fly. Do we have a plan once we get there? I mean, I don't think we can just walk on in and demand your parents Alex."

"I think we should try to change into something they don't notice. Not anything completely vulnerable like a bug, but I don't know, maybe a mouse or a rat. Those things get looked past pretty easy sometimes."

"Nothing more vulnerable than a mouse. I don't think they will go unnoticed. The place is probably very clean, and there is nothing to hide under. I mean if they are running tests, don't you think it will be pretty clean? White walls, silver exam tables, you know that kind of thing?"

"White mice?" Alex suggests raising his shoulders. I just roll my eyes.

"Maybe we should have thought about this before now..."

"You think? Leave it to a bunch of boys to go into things fists swinging." I laugh at my little joke, they don't laugh though.

Looking around I notice Mila standing outside a car. Just great I think to myself. She couldn't bail and just not show up.

"Aww, look who it is, little miss shape shifter herself. I thought you would have been a wimp and backed out." Mila says with a winy tone in her voice, then looks at Evan with big eyes and blinks more than any normal person does. "Hey Evan, want to go see a movie or something later?"

Evan looks a bit uncomfortable then nods his head in agreement. Looking away, I accidentally look right at Alex, who sees the red and dark green in my eyes. Even embarrassed by him seeing me mad and jealous of the other two I look away. In my head I hear Alex say, "Don't worry Riley, I don't think he likes her. Remember what I said before? About pixies being needy. She's one of them." Looking back at him he has a smile. I say to him in his head, "I don't care!" But we both know that is far from the truth.

Evan and Mila are still in conversation so I clear my throat loudly and say, "So let's get this over with. What's the plan? Fly in, then change into something not very noticeable, get Alex's parents. What if they are drugged so they can't change? We can't just walk out holding them on our backs."

"That's the thing with these guys; they don't drug anyone while they run the tests, especially not the shape shifters. They want to see if they can put you in so much pain that you shift. I saw Alex's parents last time, so I know where they are."

"Why don't they drug them?" Thinking for a moment to myself, I figure out the answer to my question, "It is so they can capture whatever essence that is in our body that makes us change."

"Good job shifter girl. I always knew you were stupid, but this stupid." She finishes with a laugh. In my head I hear Alex and Evan at the both time telling me not to call her Tinkerbell, and that we need her help.

With a deep sigh, I shake my head and start to relax. I decide it is best to change into a blue jay at that moment as if to say "let's go" hoping they all take my lead. I fly to sit on her car and decide I will do what birds do best. The look on her face was priceless. "Really ,Riley? You had to poop on her car? At least you didn't call her Tinkerbell." Alex laughs in my head. I try not to be too proud of that moment, especially since I am only a bird. Watching Mila change into a pixie was nothing short of breathless. As her wings started to pull away from her shoulders, she got smaller. Smaller than even I thought. I distantly wonder how those people managed to capture one. Once she starts flying though, I think it must have been awfully hard to catch since she is faster than a humming bird. I start to wonder if watching her change into a pixie is the most beautiful thing Evan was telling me about. Alex and Evan both change into blue jays.

"So how do we talk to her when we are like this?" I ask both of them in their heads.

"We don't," Evan says.

Getting there was easy enough, it didn't take very long. "Land on the roof," Alex says to both Evan and I in our heads.

"What about Mila?" I hear Evan ask.

"Don't you think she will just follow us? Or maybe you should have told her a plan before you changed, instead of making plans for a date." I'm not sure but I think that last part was said to them. I hope not, I only meant to think it.

"Riley get a grip." Alex says in my head.

Turning my bird head to him, "I didn't mean to say it to you guys, I only meant to think it." I say in his head.

Once we land on the roof we change into mice, little white mice. Distantly I think we are the three blind mice from the old nursery rhyme, if I was human I'd be laughing at my joke right now, but I let out a little squeak anyways. Mila lands on the roof in the middle of us. She flies over to one of the vents on the roof. There are six vents scattered on the roof, I hope she knows where she is going.

In a very high pitched voice she says, "This one leads to one of the floors they keep test subjects on. I'm positive this is the floor your parents are on Alex. You guys might want to change into something other than mice, it is quite a drop. Humming birds or a bumblebee. Something that is small and can hover in spot."

"Can you do that Riley?" Evans voice fills my head. I watch them change into bumblebees, but I change into a humming bird.

"Close enough," Alex says with laughter in my head.

"Good, now we need to go down a few levels," Mila squeaks, "Once we reach the bottom, you can change into something small, maybe a cat? As long as you promise not to eat me. Then we are going left. There are vents for all the rooms; we just need to find the right one."

If only I could eat her, or even take a swat at her with my claws. "Riley!" Evan yells in my head.

"I swear I am only thinking that, I wasn't trying to say it, and I wasn't going to hurt her or anything. Back off!" I yell back hoping I give him a headache from him yelling at me which was not necessary.

I don't know how many levels we went down and it was hard to see. I had no idea I was near the bottom because I slammed right into it.

Alex asks me, "Are you okay?" I can tell he is concerned just from how his voice sounds in my head. At least someone cares.

After I change into a black cat, I reply, "Yeah, I'll be fine." At least cats have good night vision. I will admit, I don't know what he is asking if I am okay about. Evan yelling at me or me hitting the bottom of the vent. It would have been nice to know which left Mila meant, because depending on the way you landed, left could mean a completely different thing for someone who landed the other direction.

"This way you stupid cat." Mila whispers in my direction. All I wish I could do was tell her to shove it up her Tinkerbell a... "Riley, come on." Evan yells at me. My headache is at an all time high right now, I'm not sure if it is from him or maybe shifting so many times without having a ton of practice. Especially since we didn't practice shifting from one thing to another to a whole other animal. This has got to get easier I tell myself. As we silently walk down the vent we start to hear more and more voices from the branching vents.

"We have to find her." One voice in particular says. Something about that voice sounds familiar.

"We will sir. I think I found her at the school nearby, although I am not 100% sure. If you give me more time, I will make sure it is her."

The other voice sounds angry, "No. Even if you don't know if it is her or not, you will bring her to me. The next chance you get. Do you understand me?"

The other man meekly replies "But..."

"Do not disagree with an order or else someone else will be put in your spot very quickly."

"Yes sir." He sounds military, but I doubt he is, maybe more so just afraid of whoever he is talking to. As we near the vent I recognize the one guy instantly. He is a teacher at school, Mr. Lewis.

"Did you find anything else about the school? Are there more of them?" The man with the red hair asks. I swear I've heard him before, I just can't remember from where.

"Yes sir. Actually most of the class I teach is something." He tells the red haired man who at this news gets a creepy smile on his face. What? That cannot be true. Oliver isn't anything. He must be lying to cover his mistakes.

"Perfect. You will bring them all here. Find a way at least by the holidays. If you mess up again, you are done here. You may leave now."

"Yes sir. Good-bye sir." He gives a bow, not a perfect one, but one that shows respect or cowardliness. Who bows nowadays anyways? No wonder this guy was so sketchy teaching us.

In my head to Evan and Alex "Did you see this? That guy is talking to our teacher!"

"What are you talking about Riley? You were supposed to be right behind us. We wasted time coming back and looking for you." Evan sounds angry as he talks to me.

Alex comes in my head and says, "Hurry up, my parents are down here." As I run after them, I can't shake the feeling of déjà vu.
Chapter 20

Compared to some of the people locked up, Alex's parents look pretty good. There was one guy who looked horrible. I didn't get a good look at him since Evan and Alex kept rushing me along, but he looked like he had been here a long time. I wish I could help all of them, I wonder how many people they are holding. We wait what I think is 2 hours, but it is hard to tell when you don't have a watch. It looks like the "doctors" go on rounds every 45 minutes. So that gives us exactly 45 minutes from when they come around again.

"Mom, Dad." I hear Alex trying to talk with his parents in their minds, but they don't seem to respond. They both look fine, but they aren't paying attention. She looks a little bit worse than he does; I wonder why that is since they were taken at the same time.

"Alex. Look at their heads. There are wires." Mila says to him, she is pointing down at his parents. Even with his human eyes, you can see the colors change to have red and dark purple flecks. Trying to figure out why there are wires. I'm starting to think they are there to monitor their brain activity.

"Guys," I start, "I think those are there to monitor their brain waves. So if they try to talk to you, or each other, that is if they know shape shifters can do that. Then they won't talk back to you, or a herd of doctors will come in trying to figure it out. So if we unhook them, then we have to be fast. Should we try to get others out as well?"

"No my parents are my only concern."

"What about the younger guy that is in the room with them? What if he is a shape shifter too? Don't you think he will need help too or be mad when we don't help him?"

I can hear Evan sighing in my head. "We'll see if we have enough time."

"NO!" I yell back, "He needs our help. You and Alex can work on helping his parents. You each take one and I will help him."

Once the doctors are done checking on Alex's parents and the younger guy in the room Mila goes on the other side of the vent to help take it off. I'll say one thing about pixies, despite their size they are pretty strong. Once she gets it off, Evan and Alex are the first ones down. They change instantly and go to help each of his parents. I go down after them. Once I change back, I go towards the younger guy in the room.

Whispering I say ,"Hi. My name is Riley. I'm going to help you out of here." He just blinks at me. His eyes are like mine, he is a shape shifter. His emotions don't change when he sees me. I wonder if the brain machine monitors emotions. How would they even know all of this? His hair is a nice brown, a few shades lighter than mine. His features are strong, very prominent. His nose isn't big, but it fits his face nicely. His lips are full,\ and his cheeks have a soft peachy glow to them. They warm up his light skin. He also has light freckles all over his face. They aren't over powering, just very cute. I could look at him a lot longer if it wasn't for the timing. With a sigh of relief of him being a shape shifter, I start taking off the wires attached to his head, then the ones on his body. I try not to notice too hard on the fact that his stomach is so muscular, my fingers linger on his skin a moment longer than they should. I can feel my face heat up with embarrassment after noticing how long my fingers have been on his stomach for. Bringing my mind back to what is going on, I hear shouting outside in the hall way.

"Check room 8, then check the others!" A female voice yells. She still sounds far enough away from where we are, I still have time.

"Riley just leave him! We don't have time for this." Evan yells at me.

I ignore what Evan is saying to me, I can't just leave him. "Do you need help up?" I ask quietly. He tries to get up, but I can tell he needs help. I reach out and put one hand on his muscular shoulder, and the other on his back. I can feel his muscles working as he stabilizes. "Easy now. Can you change? We need to get out of here fast!" I say in a rather panicked voice.

"Evan go and put the chair on the door to buy us some time!" Alex yells. Evan is already over there with a chair. "Mom. Dad. Can you guys change? Can he change?" he says as he looks over in my direction. They all nod their heads.

Mila is yelling at us but it sounds more like a little bell ringing than yelling, "Hurry up. We need to go!"

Just as we change and get into the vent the door crashes in, and the female doctor looks at us in the vent. Her eyes are wide like she has never seen it happen before. Mila drops the vent. "What the hell?" Is all the female doctor can say. She is just stunned to see us all in the vent.

"We need to get out of here. NOW!" Mila says in her squeaky voice.

I hear more yelling from behind us, but I can't hear what they are saying. Going back the way we came, I look back into the room with the guy that looks like he has been in here for a while. I just stare at him.

"Riley?" I hear in my head, but it isn't Evan or Alex. I've never heard this voice before. It sounds old, and broken. Just then the man's turns towards the vent where I am I hear him say my name again "Riley?" How does he know my name?

"Riley! Come on! They are going to find us!" Evan comes back for me, just to yell at me more like it.

"No. We have to save him. He knows my name." Trying not to sound freaked out by the fact a person I've never met knows my name. Just then doctors come through the door.

"So Slade, who are you talking to? You think we don't know you said something? Are you talking to those things in the vent? They didn't save you. Next time we will catch them, now we know how they come in." He starts laughing; it has got to be the most disgusting laugh I have ever heard before in my life.

In my head I hear, "Go now." Too afraid to help, I back away from the vent and hurry away.

Passing the last vent I hear the voice again, the one I kind of recognized. "Oh, Lillian. I'd love to see you again. It has been too long." I stop. Lillian? That's my mom's name."Can we meet sometime soon? Will your daughter be with you?" He asks. I can see he is on the phone. Thank goodness my mom isn't here with this man. I can't remember him being around. "Oh she isn't with you anymore? That is too bad. Maybe I can see you sometime soon?" He pauses. "Ah, not for a couple of months. I understand. You have a wonderful holiday, and call me when you are in these parts. Good bye dear Lillian," he says then hangs up the phone. He laughs to himself then says, "I will get that girl of yours Lillian, no matter what. She will pay for what she did to me." There is a knock at his door, but he doesn't answer it. Even though it is one of those frantic knocks as if to say open me now.

"RILEY! This is the third time we've had to come back for you. Do you have a death wish?" Evan yells. My eyes stay on this man though. What did I do to him? "Come on Riley! We need to go now."

"Okay."
Chapter 21

Once we are back at the cars, the sun is already past the middle of the sky. It is warm and there aren't any clouds in the sky. It would have been nice for a little rain, and then I realize that there isn't enough room for everyone in the two vehicles that are here.

"Don't worry, I've called Mr. Collins to come and pick you and Evan up." Alex says to me when he notices I see how little vehicles there are for everyone.

"No! Evan can come back with me." Mila pipes up. Evan looks at me and shrugs.

"Its fine, you go with Mila, you can go on the big date. Alex can call them back to say I don't need to be picked up. I can walk home from here. It isn't that big of a deal." I say. I don't even need to see the color in Alex's eyes to know how happy he is about his parents being back. The joy is written all over his face. Even his body language is different than before.

"Oh yeah mom, dad I forgot to introduce you to Riley." Alex says to his parents.

"Hello Riley. Thank you for helping our son do something very stupid and dangerous. I am Liam and this is my wife Jamie" Liam says shaking my hand, Jamie on the other hand goes in to give me a great big hug.

"Um. You're welcome?" Unsure of what to do next, because I am feeling really awkward being here when they are having a family reunion. I go to sit on the curb. Looking at them all they look so happy. There are tears in Alex's eyes, his dad looks stern, and his mom is crying. The guy we helped out is awkwardly standing around. Alex had an extra shirt in his truck so he is wearing it. Too bad, I think to myself well I hope just to myself and no one else. I look around at all the faces and no one is looking at me but him. Oh god, please, please, please tell me I didn't say that to him. He must have heard me because he has a small smile on his face, only for a second though, I can't be sure I really saw it. His face gives nothing away, and his eyes barely show any extra color. He must be good at controlling his emotions. It almost looks like there are black flecks in his eyes, but my mind must be playing a trick on me. Before he thinks I'm weird, I look away and look into the trees. There are small patches of flowers that lead into them and a path. I distantly wonder where that path leads. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice the boy is coming over here. I notice that as he is walking towards me, he walks with confidence.

"Thank you for helping me," He says in a smooth deep voice as he sits down.

"You're welcome." I say after I find my voice. "It would have been rude of me not to help, since you were in the same room."

"Most people would have just left a stranger. I know they would have." He says nodding his head in Alex and Evan's direction. "The girl might have tried, but pixies tend to listen to the person they are in love with." Looking over my shoulder, I see that Mila is standing very close to Evan. He doesn't seem to notice, he is too busy staring at me. The look in her eyes is very clear how much she cares for him. I inwardly cringe. I see Alex look at me and shake his head, then go back to conversing with his parents.

"So, you never did tell us your name. I'm Riley, but I think I said that earlier."

"Yes you did, right before you helped me. My name is Caleb."

"Well it is very nice to meet you Caleb." I say extending my hand. He takes it and kisses the back of my hand like they did in the old days. I can feel my cheeks heat up with embarrassment.

"Hey, aren't you the kid who was supposed to be starting school here? The teachers were going crazy that you didn't show up. I've never really seen them that worried about a student before."

"Yeah, that would be me. Some of the teachers knew I was a shape shifter; I met a few of them when I picked up my books. Most of them are something too hey? I thought it was pretty cool. Then those people took me right before school started."

"Didn't your parents look for you? I mean they must be worried sick. Have you called them to tell them you are okay?" I ask frantically.

"I don't know how to say this. They aren't around now. I don't really want to talk about it right now..."

"Oh I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you or anything. I just thought..."

"Yeah, well don't. It's fine." He looks away, not before I notice a bit of red in his eyes. When he looks back at me it is gone. "So, how is school going? Boring as usual?" he laughs, but the laughter doesn't reach his eyes and it doesn't even sound sincere.

"You know it. Wait, you said some of the teachers are something. What do you mean by that?"

"Don't you know? I thought all the kids would know." He looks confused.

"No? I just found out not that long ago that I'm a shape shifter." At that he starts laughing, this time it reaches his eyes and the colors come out. They are gone before I can focus on what colors they are though.

"You've gotta be kidding me. You had no idea you were a shape shifter? Wasn't it kind of obvious since you could change?"

"That's a funny story. I've never changed since the first time when I was a kid. Well not until a few days ago." He just looks at me, trying to figure out if I'm telling the truth or not.

Someone clears their throat behind us, I look up and Evan is standing there. "So Riley, and um, you are?"

"Caleb." He says with a cruel tone, maybe upset because he thinks that the boys would have left him behind? I mean Evan did tell me to leave him.

"Ah, Caleb. Sorry to interrupt, but Riley I'm leaving. Are you sure you don't want a ride? I'm sure Mila would be fine to drop you off. Or we could call back the Collins to get someone to come get you?"

"No it is fine. You know how fast I can run." I say with a smile. It doesn't change his face though; he has a concerned look on his face. His eyes, they have aqua and dark orange in them. I could go with them, but I don't want to be near Mila. "I'll be fine."

He hesitates for a minute, then nods slightly and looks directly into Caleb's eyes. His face hardens as he concentrates. Oh sure, everyone else can say something to someone else without everyone hearing but me, I have to broadcast it to everyone around. When he is done saying whatever he decided to say without me hearing to Caleb, he looks back at me and in my head said "I'll talk to you later. Promise." then walks back towards Mila's car. She is waiting there with a huge smile on her face. I already know my eyes have dark green in them because I am jealous of the fact that I wish he was walking towards my car. Alex and his parents wave good-bye.

With everyone gone, it is just Caleb and myself. I start to feel more insecure about being left alone with someone I've never met before this day. "I think I should head back home now. My best friend wasn't allowed to come with us today, so he must be worried sick I haven't told him we make it. I'll see you at school Monday, right?"

"Sure. Do you want me to walk with you?"

"No, it's okay. I'll see you then." With a smile I wave.

"Thanks again Riley. One day I will repay you."

"Don't worry about it."
Chapter 22

The moment I step through the door Emma runs to me and says, "Oh thank God, you are okay."

Confused by her saying that I ask, "What happened?"

"Alex... His parents... You helped get them out!" She stammers. "I can't believe you did that without telling us. Riley what if something happened to you? What would we tell your mother?"

"She wouldn't care." I snap angrily at her, even though she is just being kind and motherly. I hate her right now, for the fact she cares more than my own mother. It isn't her fault, but it makes me mad.

"Riley? What happened?" She touches my shoulder. The kind that shows they care and that they want to help. It doesn't help. Not one bit.

"Why don't you ask your husband? He gave me the box. I'm sure he knows what was in the letter." I say then turn back around and storm out of the house. I need to go see Oliver, he will understand. I just need to talk to someone, anyone but them.

Just my luck Oliver isn't at home, I guess I should have called him before I decided to come over. Just as I am about to pull away his dad waves from the doorstep. Deciding not to be rude I get out and go talk to him.

"Hey. I guess Oliver isn't home, I just called him. I guess I should have called before I came over, I would have saved myself the trip." I say sounding a little disappointed.

"Yeah he left not that long ago. I think Alex picked him up. Said something about his parents coming back. You don't know anything about that do you Riley?"

"I do, but I don't want to talk about it?" Hoping he will just drop it, but I'm sure it is in his cop nature to keep pressing. Thankfully he doesn't.

"Would you like to come in for a bit? I think we some of your favorite tea, jasmine green tea right? Oliver makes sure there is always some in the house for when you come. There is something else I'd like to talk with you about." I nod, then go and make the tea just the way I like it. I add some honey to help sweeten it a little. The aroma of it fills my nose, it is floral in scent. Oliver hates jasmine green tea, he says it is like drinking flowers. Once it is perfect, I bring it into the living room where Paul is already sitting, in his spot, holding the wedding picture. Looking down at Carla, her beauty is still breathtaking. My eyes are playing tricks on me again as I see the willows branches sway in the soft breeze that must have been happening when the picture was taken. Rubbing my eyes, and looking back the picture is back to normal. I clear my throat as I sit down, "So what's up?"

"There is something you need to know Riley, but I don't want Oliver to find out. Not yet anyways, I don't think he is ready. Did he ever talk to you about how she died?" I can tell the memory hurts him, as his eyes start to shimmer with the memories that flood his mind.

"No, he doesn't really talk about her that much. I mean I know she passed away when he was younger, but other than that I don't know anything."

"Well Riley, I might have lied to him about how she died."

"What? Why would you do that?"

"Because she was killed Riley."

"What?"

"Let me finish would you?" He says a bit louder than normal. I shrink into the couch a little more intimidated by him than I ever have been before. "Thank you. Just let me explain, and then hopefully you will understand." He clears his throat a few times, like there is a lump in his throat that is making it hard for him to talk. After a few more coughs he continues, "One day Carla was in the garden, she loved being out there. You should have seen the flowers she had growing. She always had flowers inside too, it helped brighten up the place," he chuckles at the memory. "Not the point I was trying to make. One day while she was in the garden, these men came up from behind her and grabbed her. I can't remember much of what happened, Oliver was in the back yard at the time so he didn't see it. They had covered her mouth with a cloth to muffle her screams. If I hadn't been looking out the window when it happened, I never would have known. I was too slow. I couldn't save her in time. They threw her in the back of their van. I tried to find them on the description of the van alone but it was a dead end. A few days later, she was back. They left her on the door step. She was already gone." With the last sentence his breath hitched, and the tears were already falling from his eyes. The sight of him made tears fall from my eyes too.

"Why? I don't get this. Why would someone take her?"

"Because Riley. She was like you." He looks at me for the first time since he started the story.

"You mean, she was a shape shifter?"

"No Riley, but she was like you. Different. My Carla was a witch. A powerful one at that. Most called her a warlock, but she didn't like that. She always said how masculine it sounded and she wanted to be called something feminine. Haven't you ever wondered why you see her pictures move?"

"I always just thought my mind was playing tricks on me. I never thought that they actually were moving."

He laughs and says, "No, she always told me if she passed away first then she would enchant the pictures so that they would move and be like she was still here."

I accidentally think out loud, "Oh yuck, I hope there aren't any dirty pictures of her."

"Riley! She would never! My Carla was a classy lady, but it would have been nice."

"Please god, stop!" I yell as I put my hands over my ears and yell, "La la la la!" It only muffles Paul's laughter. At least one of us thinks this is funny, because I sure don't.

"Riley, you need to make a promise. You need to promise me you won't tell Oliver. You can't tell him anything!"

"What exactly are you worried about him finding out? The fact that his mom was a very powerful witch or that his mom was taken?"

"Riley, I'm worried about it all and that he might be one too. He has the same eyes as her."

"That doesn't mean anything though. It isn't the same for them as it is for shape shifters. I mean I don't know much at all about other things, I just know about shape shifters. You can tell who is a shape shifter by their gray eyes that have flecks that change with their emotions."

"So that is why you try to hide your eyes Riley. You know I knew, right? Carla always thought Oliver had something magical about him. It is more than that though Riley. I don't want him to get hurt. I don't want them to find him." He has a chill run through his body, and then looks at Carla's picture that is in his lap.

"You knew? This whole time! It seems like a lot of people knew before I did. I'm always the last to know. Wait a minute. He doesn't see the pictures move, does he?"

"No." He sighs, "Carla planned for a lot of things if she ever passed on first. I think she always knew it would be her first, even though I am a police officer. She knew that she was in more danger than I was. We also decided we wouldn't tell him until he was ready. Until he knows the truth, they won't move for him."

"I think you underestimate his ability to be okay with things."

"Maybe I do, but I am just trying to protect him. I'm sure you can understand that Riley. I just ask that you make sure he is never hurt. Please."

"That is why he didn't go with us. I didn't want him involved. Even with knowing this, I don't want it even more. Especially after seeing... Never mind. I'm going to go now though. I want to talk with Alex's parents a bit about everything."

"Thank you Riley, for trying to protect him." He sets Carla's picture down in its normal spot and gets up to give me a hug. "You are a good friend to him. He must be very loyal to you, if he went behind my back to see you."
Chapter 23

Once I get back home it's dark, I decide that after a day like today I should shower. Get all the grime of breaking into a place off of my body. Maybe it will help shake this weird feeling I have. Getting out of there was easy, almost too easy. Hopefully, though the shower will get that out of my mind. I need sleep tonight. As soon as I step out of the shower my phone buzzes with a text. I grab my phone and see that I missed 12 calls and I have 24 messages. "What the hell?" I say out loud as I check the first message, something happened to Alex's mom and I need to call Evan right away.

I speed dial him #2. He can never know that. It would be so embarrassing if he found out, I mean him being #5 would be less of an embarrassment but not #2. He will never have the #1 spot though, that will always be for Oliver. Even if we were super mad at each other, he belongs there. After not even one full ring it clicks, "Riley is that you?"

"Well duh. It says my name when I call, doesn't it?"

"Actually your picture shows up, but it could have been someone else calling from your phone." When did he get my picture\ and who would call from my phone? He doesn't give me the chance to ask those questions though, "Riley we need to bring Alex's mom there. Actually we are almost there. Can you get some ice in a pail or bucket or something? We need lots and I don't know. Can you make sure William and Emma are home?"

"Sure? What is wr..." He hangs up before I can finish. So many questions left unanswered. Is this what my life has become? A life full of unanswered questions?

Not even 5 minutes later everyone is at the house, including Oliver who I suspect was with Alex the whole time. Alex's mom Jamie looks horrible. Her skin is so pale and her cheekbones look like they are popping out of her skin. I never noticed how small she is until now. I wonder if this she looked this bad when we left the facility. I remember her looking not as good as his dad, but I don't remember her looking this bad. They bring her into the spare room, which is big enough to hold everyone in at the same time.

"What the hell am I supposed to do? I'm not a doctor!" I yell in Evan's head, or at least I hope it was only Evan's mind I was talking to. I didn't get any added looks so that must be a good sign.

Evan pulls me into the hallway by the arm. He whispers "Riley, do you still have those flowers I gave you?" His face is full of concern; there is even more concern in his eyes. I've never seen that many flecks before, the flecks take up the whole inside of his iris, the outside is still gray. I wonder what happens when an even more powerful emotion comes out. Would all the gray leave?

"They dried out Evan." I say with a shrug, they were only flowers after all.

"Yes but you kept them didn't you?"

Embarrassed by the fact that I did I try to look away before he can see the light purple in my eyes, but he grabs onto my chin so I have to look at him. Looking into both his eyes I manage to whisper, "Yes, I kept them. They are in my room."

"Good show me where they are." Evan says softly. Then I think this day can't get any worse, my room is a mess, and that is where they are. Although he doesn't seem to care how there are pairs of pants on the floor, or shirts thrown every direction, not to mention a few unmentionables in the drawer that is open. I can feel my face heat up in embarrassment. I grab the flowers off my dresser and close the drawer before he gets too close to fully see what is in there. He looks at me and says, "Thank you Riley." The concern is still written all over his face, but there is gratitude in his eyes as he stares at me.

"What will they do? Will it help?"

"Yes. Well hopefully. See this flower, the one with ivory petals, red flecks and black stripes from the tips to the center? Notice how dark green the stem is compared to all the other flowers? Well this is called Dragons Labyrinth. It is very hard to get, and it took a lot of bribing on my end to get it from a warlock in the area..."

"Why did you give it to me then?" I ask now more confused. Why would he do that for me?

"Riley, you've got to know how..."

Before he finishes Alex comes rushing in and screams, "We need it now! Hurry and get it upstairs to my dad!" Forgetting what Evan was going to say we rushed after Alex. The urgency in his voice scares me.

"Hurry give it to me," Liam says to Evan with his hand extended he takes the flowers away. He has a mortal and pestle beside him, and starts to grind up the dry flower. "I hope this works. Normally it needs to be fresher than this." His brows come together in concentration as he smashes the flowers in the small bowl. Once it is to the consistency he wants, he grabs a spoon that is on the side of the bed, and scoops the powder that once was a beautiful flower. Once he has the amount on the spoon, he gets closer to Jamie, he gently opens her mouth and puts it on her tongue.

"Wait?" I scream at everyone, "Won't she choke? She is unconscious! She can't swallow it."

"Don't worry, it will dissolve in her mouth," Liam says to me in a calming voice, then someone says in my head "I hope." but I don't know who said it, I'm too busy concentrating on Jamie. Alex grabs a wet towel from the ice bucket that was brought into the room. He lightly dabs his mom's forehead where sweat has started to form around her hairline.

"How do you know that flower will help? What is wrong with her?" More questions form in my head, but no one gives me a chance to ask. They hardly even give answers for me, which makes me come up with more questions.

"Those people gave her something at the facility," Liam says to me, sympathy is written all over his face as he explains this to me, must be because I know nothing of the world I've been forcibly put into. He is so calm waiting for the flower to work.

Panic seeps into my bones and a chill goes down my back as I clue in, "Oh no, what about Caleb?"

Liam looks away from his wife, looks at me in the eyes and says, "No Riley. They only gave it to her."

"How do you know that?" There is still panic in my voice.

"Because we were there before they brought him in. Strange people, I don't even know why they brought him into our room. It didn't seem like they were keeping species together, but maybe they just thought we would try to communicate with him because of how young he is."

Evan scoffs and says under his breath, "Or he was put there for a purpose." I hear him clearly though, I give him a look that I hope says shut up, you don't know him. At the look he just rolls his eyes and shrugs his shoulders.

"No, I don't think so. Anyways, they only gave it to Jamie that I know of. I'm not sure about anyone else that was in the building." I smile at the first part; Caleb is nice, and handsome. Liam continues, "Riley, I know you don't know much about all of this. I am sorry if it seems sometimes I, no not just me but, all of us... I am sorry if all of us seem to get a little frustrated with having to explain everything. We've all grown up knowing this, so it is hard to not expect it of you to know too."

I shrug and say, "It's okay, I get it. So can you explain the flower a bit more to me? I mean how can it help?"

"Yes. Dragons Labyrinth is a powerful flower and it is very hard to come by. Only certain warlocks know how to grow it. The properties within the flower are healing. So no matter what is wrong with the person, it will heal them. Unless the person is dying or dead, unfortunately the flower won't be able to help them then. Normally in these situations where it is an unknown illness, you are supposed to use fresh Dragons Labyrinth, but this will have to do." He sighs and holds his wife's hand a little tighter than before. Alex is on the other side of her, Evan behind him with his hand on her shoulder. Oliver is off to the side, looking very uncomfortable with everything. I know how he feels. I don't belong here, not around everyone who fits so nicely together.
Chapter 24

We waited around the rest of the night for Jamie to improve. She only opened her eyes a few times throughout the evening and she has yet to say anything. Everyone is on edge, because the Dragons Labyrinth should have helped her by now. Oliver fell asleep on the living room couch at about midnight, now it is 3am. Alex decided to sit on the couch near Oliver's feet. Oliver had asked Alex to wake him up if anything happened. I just think he didn't want Alex to think he didn't care about what was going on if he fell asleep. I could tell Alex kind of thought that once he fell asleep though, I tried to reassure him that Oliver does care, he must have been tired. I said, "If he didn't truly care about your mom, or you then he would have went home a long time ago, he probably wouldn't have even come when there was trouble." It didn't seem to help his mood though, but I can't really blame him.

The next thing I know I am being woken up by yelling from upstairs. "What the heck?" Rubbing my eyes I try to look around but I'm not able to see anything since it is so dark. All I see is the clock showing it is 4:45am. "How the hell did I get in my bed?" There is a grumbling noise coming from my floor. I scream and bundle my blankets up around my chest.

"Riley what the heck is your problem?" I notice it is Evan's voice asking. I don't breath a sigh of relief though.

"Evan where are you and why are you in my room?" I ask frantically looking around the pitch black. Then he clicks on the light. "Oh god, way to warn me first." I say after I cover my eyes with the blanket.

"You were falling asleep upstairs. It looked really uncomfortable; your neck was crooked to one side. So I thought I should bring you down to your room. Then you started flailing around, like you were having some sort of nightmare. You kept saying, "Don't hit me that hurts." So I thought I'd stay and wait for you to calm down. I also wanted to know what was going on in your dream, I thought maybe you would say more in it, but you kept screaming. Once you stopped, I guess I fell asleep."

"I don't remember having a dream. Seriously though the last thing I remembered was being upstairs watching Oliver sleep and Alex was drifting beside him."

"Well I guess you got tired of watching the world's most boring couple." He chuckles at his own little joke. "So why did you wake me up? I was having a good dream."

"I heard screaming from upstairs; maybe I should go check it out." I finish saying then look down, well at least he didn't change me. Then I wonder what the dream was about. His eyes are full of red orange flecks, it was a romantic dream.

Before I can ask him what the dream was about, there is knocking on my door then William says, "Are you decent? Or awake?"

I roll my eyes, "Yes we're decent and I am awake."

As William opens the door, he says, "We?" Then looks directly at Evan and gives him a questioning look with his eyebrow raised. "Ah I se..."

"No! Stop right there, you don't see anything." I say angrily. "Nothing is going on here, he has a girlfriend." I say then look over to Evan. He looks taken back and the red orange in his eyes disappears immediately.

"Well n..." Evan starts to say.

William interrupts, "I think you two need to come upstairs. Evan, your best friend might need you soon, more than ever before." His face looks stricken with grief. Evan bolts right up and runs out the door, I can hear him run up the stairs, it sounds like he is going up by 2s. "Riley, you need to be sympathetic if things go bad." I give him a questioning look, until it hits me. I get up slower than Evan did, because frankly I still don't think I belong, especially now if it is something like this.

Upstairs in the guest room, I find everyone gathered around Jamie, her eyes are open. Everyone is around her, leaning in to hear what she has to say. Feeling unsure I keep my distance and stay back by the door.

"Alex honey, you are such a sweet boy." She manages to say, relief is shown all over Alex's face when he hears her talk. She tries to put her hand on his face, but she can't lift it very high, so Alex holds her hand on his cheek. "Sweetie you need to be strong, make decisions with your heart, and never let anything hold you back." Alex nods, a few tears fall from his eyes, and he puts his head into her arm. She gives him a kiss on the top of his head, and then looks up at Oliver who is standing behind Alex. "You take care of my boy, be good to him."

Tears start to form in Oliver's eyes, then he says, "Yes ma'am." It sounds more like a squeaking mouse than anything though. I can tell he was nervous; he has a little line of sweat on his forehead.

"Evan dear, watch over my son will you?" This time she doesn't sound as good, her voice is shaking and she needs to take in more breaths between words. It sounds like it is hard for her. He nods his head. Jamie looks over at her husband, and there is an unspoken good bye there. You can see it the way they look at each other that they don't need to use words to express how much they will miss each other, and how much they love

each other. Just one look is all it takes. Tears form in Jamie's eyes at the point where they are looking at each other. I must be heartless because I'm thinking about how nice it must be to have someone to share that connection with. Then I notice she is looking directly at me. "You..," she says with a labored breath, "You are meant for greatness."

"Why does everyone keep saying that to me?" I get looks from all of them in the room and William puts his hand on my shoulder and shakes his head.

"Because it is the truth, you just don't know it yet." She takes a few deep breaths, "Believe it." Her eyes start to get a little more vacant, as she tries to focus on my face.

"Mom, please don't go." Alex says into his mother's hair. His tears are falling freely, and he doesn't care that others are watching him. His love for his mother is so strong. If only that could heal her. Her hand is on his head to console him, rubbing his hair. She must have done this while he was younger, because his sobs grow softer after a minute.

"I..." Jamie starts coughing and gasping for air, then manages to say "I... love you." Her eyes close, and her hand falls from Alex's head.

"Mom..." Alex looks up to her face, then screams, "MOM! No. You can't leave. Not now. Please. I love you." Alex hugs her, and holds her hand up to his face, and puts her hand in his hair. Liam goes around the bed to his son and has to pry him away from Jamie. He gives him a big hug and they stay likethat for a long time. Both holding each other as they cry over the loss of Jamie.
Chapter 25

"Riley and Oliver maybe you two should wait in the living room," William says to us grief is all over his face, but he is holding strong. Emma is broken. I think her and Jamie were best friends. "Don't worry, I will call the school to let them know you two won't be there today." He tells us just before we go into the living room. Oliver sits beside me on the couch; I've never seen his face like this before. His pain for Alex is written all over it, I've just never seen my best friend so sad. My heart hurts for him. He pulls his blanket that he had earlier over his body and just leans on my shoulder. He silently sobs on my shoulder; each one breaks my heart more and more. My shirt starts to get moist from his tears. I pull him into a hug and let him cry. I had no idea how much he cared. Maybe there is something wrong with me for not crying or showing emotions.

First, Evan comes in, he sits over on the loveseat. His pain is all over his face too. It looks like he is trying to hold back his emotions, well more so holding back his tears. Then Alex comes in, completely broken. As soon as he sees Oliver, he knows how much Oliver cares for him. All the doubts he had before, when Oliver was sleeping soundlessly while everyone was up worried are gone. He sits on the other side of Oliver, who then leaves me to comfort Alex. I try to hide the shock on my face when my best friend who I've known and trusted for so long leaves my embrace and goes to someone he hardly knows. William and Emma come in the room next. He sits in my chair by the window and she sits on his lap like a teenager would. He puts his arms around her as she cries. I am starting to feel more and more uncomfortable in the room full of people who seem like they've known each other for so long, so I get up and start to head towards the stairs before Evan says, "Riley, you can sit here," as he indicates to the empty spot next to him. I nod, and join him on the loveseat. I sit beside him awkwardly. He hands me his pillow and blanket. I take it to be polite, but wonder why I can't just go sleep in my own room; more importantly get away from everyone. I never noticed before how comfortable this loveseat is, or maybe it is just the fact that Evan is sitting beside me, his smell of fresh rain starts to relax me. I end up falling asleep, listening to the distant sounds of Liam's heartbroken sobs coming from the other room.

I wake up at some point that Monday afternoon, the living room is empty. There is just a little note on the coffee table with my name on it.

Riley,

You were sleeping so soundly no one wanted to wake you. I just thought that you would want to know what was going on. We had to take Jamie out of the house before Jennifer got home. Don't worry everything will be taken care of. Oliver decided to just go home; he didn't want to interrupt anything. Emma and William are helping Liam take care of things; I don't think they will be home until later tonight. I hope you are okay; there was nothing you could do to help. I shouldn't have even given you those flowers. I didn't know this would happen. I'm sorry Riley. I'll talk to you sometime at school.

Evan

"Hey, weirdo. Where are my parents?" Jennifer asks standing at the opening of the living room, with her weight on her left leg, tapping the right foot.

"I don't know." I answer without looking up at her.

"What's in your hand?" She asks taking a step closer to see. "Who's it from?"

I look up and glare at her, "Why do you care?"

She scoffs and says, "I've seen how you look at him, believe me he's not into you. His best friend may be dating your best friend, but that doesn't mean he is into you. Trust me. Besides that he is with Mila."

"How do you even know it is from Evan?"

"I didn't." She laughs, "I just wanted to see if you'd say who it was from. Looks like you are pretty stupid." She then walks away and goes back out the front door. I guess she didn't need to talk to her parents after all. With a deep sigh I know she is right. I could see the way Mila looked at him, but how do I look at him? I don't think I look at him any differently than I do anyone else, besides the fact that I can actually look him in the eyes knowing he won't think I am a freak. Now that I know there are more people like me, and other things out there then maybe I'd find someone who wouldn't look at me like I am a freak, and just look at me the way Jamie and Liam did when they said goodbye. I wonder how many shape shifters there are out there, and then I start to think about Caleb. I wish I had gotten his number. Then I start to wonder if he would ever be interested in a girl like me. He's good looking, probably the best body I've ever seen, which is only his, but that was an accident. If only I knew more about him, maybe if he got to know me he'd find something he'd like. Thinking to myself, so could Evan, if he looked I'm sure he would find something about me that would interest him. Every time I try to think about something or someone else, my mind always gets brought back to Evan. I try to think about what he would have said earlier, but it is hopeless. Besides Jennifer is probably right, him and Mila are together. I have no shot with him. He even said he shouldn't have given me the flowers.
Chapter 26

William and Emma didn't get home until late in the night, or would it be early in the morning since they didn't pull up to the house until 2am. I only know that because when they drove up to the house their lights were shining in my room because I forgot to close my curtains. Deciding it would be a good idea to talk with them I get out of bed and go towards the stairs, before I even get to the first step I hear them talking about me. Normally I wouldn't snoop, but after everything that has happened I decide it might be a good idea especially once I hear my name.

"But Will, Riley had nothing to do with what happened. How was she supposed to know that drying the flowers was a bad thing? Don't you remember the first time you gave me flowers?" Her tone with him is one I've never heard her use. She sounds irritated, but loving at the same time almost like it is hard for her to be angry with him, but she wants to get her point across.

"Yes, I remember, you dried them." He sounds exasperated and really tired.

"That's right I did. Do you remember why?" She sounds snarky. I think I like this side of her.

"Yes dear, because you always wanted to remember the first time you got flowers."

"So then how can they blame her?"

"Evan thought she would put them in water, and try to keep them alive a while. He didn't think she was going to dry them ."

"Does he not see how she looks at him?" Oh great, I think to myself, everyone can see something that I don't even notice. "Plus that is just what girls do when they get flowers for the first time. Even Jamie kept the first flowers Liam gave her."

"How do you know that? Also Evan does noti..." I sneeze, oh great dead giveaway. He stops talking once he hears me. "Riley no point in hiding we know you are there now." He calls down at me.

Panicked and no chance to think of a good excuse for ease dropping, "Sorry, I was just worried since you guys didn't come home for a long time. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay."

Giving me a harsh look William says, "So then why didn't you just come upstairs and talk then? Why hide at the bottom of the stairs like a mouse?"

I look at Emma to see if she will give me any help on this, but she doesn't. She just stands there waiting for an explanation. "Would you like me to change into a mouse?" I try to laugh, but when I see their faces, looking so stern I sigh. "I'm sorry. I just thought that since I know nothing about anything that has been pushed upon me; I thought that maybe I'd find out more I guess. Then you said my name, I wasn't going to listen long, I swear I was going to come up and make my presence known. I just want to know more, about me, about right now, about my past, and what could happen for my future. Now I know what I am, I want to know how to fit in." My head falls in the shame of confessing everything.

Only Emma makes a move. She comes to give me a hug and says, "In good time dear. Maybe the two of you should talk, even though you have school in the morning." Then kisses my right cheek and heads to their bedroom.

William gestures to the living room, "I'm thirsty and kind of hungry." I say.

"Fine," is all he says. Oh great he is mad, I wonder what I did now. After grabbing a few cheese slices and a glass of ice water, more ice than water, I sit at the island.

"I'm sorry I was ease dropping." I say without looking directly at him, because I can tell he already has a pissed off dad look on his face. I don't know if I can handle that look.

"Riley, if you wanted to know something you could just ask us."

"Do they all blame me? For what happened to Jamie?" I ask worried for what the answer will be.

He lets out a tired sigh, cracks his neck, and looks at me when he says "That is a difficult question to answer Riley..."

"You just said I could ask."

"Well if you would not interrupt and let me talk then I could explain." I give a weak nod, he continues "I don't know how much you heard or what exactly you heard. No one blames you for what happened, but Evan does blame himself though. I know how hard it is to come by Dragons Labyrinth flowers, so I don't blame him for being hard on himself. It was a pain in the butt to get them from a warlock that lived in town years ago when I gave them to Emma."

"Did that warlock like to be called a witch perhaps?" I ask, wondering if it is who I think it was.

"Yes, but how did you know?" He raises a brow at my knowing of this.

Finally I feel a bit better about myself and knowing something I probably shouldn't. "Paul wanted to sit down and have a talk with me, about Oliver. He told me about Carla and how she was a warlock but didn't like how it sounded or something like that so she just kept calling herself a witch."

"Oh I see. So he told you then, but does Oliver or anyone else know?"

"No. Paul didn't want him to find out. He totally freaked when I told him about me being a shape shifter, but I think he got over that. I think he was just more worried that Oliver would get hurt, or worse, like Carla. He told me how it happened, those people taking her."

"I had known her for so long. We grew up together, and I knew how talented she was. Even as kids she would turn broccoli into something sweet. She hated broccoli, so it was funny when she was pregnant with Oliver all she wanted was broccoli. Anything and everything needed to have some broccoli."

"How do you know that?"

"Paul would come and pick up some broccoli from the farm all the time. I swear there was one time where he was out in the field at 3 a.m. picking her some fresh." He laughs at this memory and says, "We didn't mind though."

"Wow. I had no idea. Does Oliver know how close your two families were?"

"No. After Carla passed away Paul didn't trust us anymore. He was worried that all we caused was pain and trouble. He wanted to keep Oliver away from anything different."

"So Paul blamed you guys for what happened to Carla?"

"I think so. It is hard to not have him around, but Oliver helped his pain fade away over time."

I start to wonder about something, so I ask, "Why did you need Dragons Labyrinth from her?"

"I was giving flowers to Emma. I had asked her out on a date, and then Emma said yes she would love to go on a date. I was so nervous. I wanted to make a good impression, and I wanted to give her something special, something that I didn't just buy at the supermarket. So I went to Carla knowing she could do it for me, since she was the most powerful in our class. She made me do a few things I'd rather not get into. Plus, they can only be made if the emotion behind giving them as a gift is true." He looks at me, with a soft expression on his face.

"So what happened when you gave the flowers to Emma? Why couldn't you just grow them? You said you are a nature Faerie. Why couldn't you just grow them yourself?"

"You need magic to be able to grow these special flowers. They are beautiful flowers, and as we've told you already they possess healing powers in them. The only reason there are healing powers in them is because they need to be filled with emotion from the person that wants them grown. I also grew Emma a few other flowers myself, I had liked her for so long. I was just terrified to ask her out. She was and still is so beautiful. I had been growing different flowers for her leading up to me asking her out, so then if she did say yes then I could give them to her. If she said no, then I would have just left them."

"But she said yes, and you lived happily ever after, and all that crud."

He scoffs, "Yes and all that crud as you put it. So back to the story. After I gave Emma the flowers on our first date, she dried them. She wanted to be able to keep the flowers I first gave her. She understands why you did what you did Riley. Just boys are stupid, and you should probably stay away from them."

I roll my eyes at that last remark, and then ask, "So what am I supposed to tell Alex and Evan?"

"There isn't really anything you can tell them to help. I'm sorry Riley but that is just how it is. I know you've never lost anyone close to you, so it might be harder for you to understand. All you need to know is that no one blames you personally for what happened to Jamie, you did what you could do to help. I mean you could have thrown out the flowers, and then I think everyone would have put some blame on you, but you didn't. Are you going to tell me what was going on in your room? Or is that something you'd rather not talk about?"

"Nothing happened. He said I looked uncomfortable or something falling asleep upstairs, so he carried me to my room. Then when I was there I started saying something in my sleep. He said he stayed to make sure I was okay, and then I guess he fell asleep." He gives me a questioning look, "Not in my bed. He fell asleep on the floor. I still hardly know him."

"But you like him, don't you? Or else you would have thrown away the flowers he gave you."

"I don't know really. The flowers were beautiful, and no one has ever given me anything that beautiful before, but he is dating a girl at school, a pixie. I don't know why he gave the flowers to me. As much as I don't like this girl he is dating, I'll never forget watching her change. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Anyways, he likes her, and I'm not really his type."

"Are you sure about all of that?"

"Why wouldn't I be sure? They were supposed to go on a date until Jamie got sick. It must have gotten postponed. It doesn't really bother me." I lie on that last bit then say ,"Plus there is this guy. I mean I just met him, but there is something about him."

"Is it the boy you helped from F.O.T.N.H?"

"Yeah, I mean I don't know anything about him, but there was something there. I hope anyways."

"Well only time will tell. Is there anything else you want answered Riley? You should be getting to bed, you do have school tomorrow."

"None for now," I say with a yawn. "I'm going to get some sleep. Thank you for this talk. You promise I can come to you or Emma if there is something I ever need to talk about?"

"Yes Riley, we promise. Anything. Anytime. Good night." He says then gives me a kiss on the top of my head before he rubs my hair around making it stick up at weird angles. Then he heads to bed. I chew on a few more ice cubes before I clean up my mess and head back to bed.
Chapter 27

At school today Evan and Alex don't show up for first class. Oliver is still upset with what happened. I think he wishes he could have helped Alex more. A few minutes goes by after the late bell and Caleb walks in the room. He looks a lot better than he did before when we helped him. He looks a lot better too; I try not to look too hard at him though. He just simply walks in the room, and Mrs. Jordan hands him a late slip. I see a flash of red in his eyes, but then it is gone as soon as he looks at me. He just gives a slight nod, then sits in his desk and doesn't look at me again. Could he one day like me? I wonder to myself.

Sitting in first class I just look out the window not paying attention. I watch as birds fly by the window, and a dear pops out of the woods on the far side of the field. It is just a baby faun, and then behind it a buck shows up with the largest antlers I've ever seen. They gracefully walk along the edge of woods; they don't stray far from it just in case they need to get away. The buck watches over the faun then looks around, then its eyes set on mine and stay there for a few moments before it looks back at the faun. After a few minutes of exploring the faun goes back into the woods, the buck follows. After a few steps into the woods I can no longer see them. It is so nice to see something so peaceful in these times.

"Excuse me Riley," Mrs. Jordan says standing near my desk "Riley?"

My attention comes back from the blissful woods, I look around the class and everyone has left. "Oh I am sorry. I'll go."

"Wait! Is there anything going on that you would like to talk about?" She asks concerned, like she knows something is off.

I give her a questioning look without actually looking her in the eyes or letting her see mine, then sigh "This last week, has been not at all what I was expecting the first week of school to be like."

"You know Riley, you can look at people. Most already know your secret." She says sweetly.

I look at her then, confusion written all over my face and in my eyes. "What? How?"

"Because most students at this school are something, I'm sure you've heard that already. I am really quiet glad you are partnered with Evan. I think he can help you." She smiles at me.

"How are you okay with all of this?"

"I am a faerie Riley."

"Oh wow. I had no idea. What um... What kind are you?"

"Well that is an easy question, I am a spirit faerie."

"So what does that mean?"

She takes a seat beside me, the one where Evan should have been sitting, then explains, "I can read and feel emotions just by being in the same room as someone, even yours without looking in your eyes."

"Wow that is pretty cool. Is there anything else that you can do?"

"Well yes, but I don't use that ability unless I need to." She looks at me, and notices the curious look on my face then says, "If I needed to, or wanted to I could change someone's emotions when I touch them."

That surprises me more than anything, "So you don't do it because you don't want to? Or why? I mean that is pretty cool. If someone is in pain you could help them, couldn't you?"

"Yes, but it can go the other way too. I could make people feel upset or very mad."

"Oh I see. Are there people out there that do that? Like evil Faeries?" I ask.

"Yes Riley. You need to choose your friends wisely. Some people who you think are friends or could be friends might not be the people you want to surround yourself with. Some are only out to hurt you, or worse."

"I don't know what you are talking about; I haven't made any new friends."

"You are trying to. I could feel your emotion when he walked in the room. Although it wasn't as strong as the feelings you were giving off for missing your seat partner. I understand though, it must have been hard with what happened to your friend Alex's mom."

"You know about what happened to his mom?"

"Yes." She says looking out the window, then at her watch. "Well you should get moving to your next class."

I grab my books and my backpack, and head towards the door then stop knowing who my next teacher is. I turn back around and go up to Mrs. Jordan and ask "What is someone supposed to do if you think you can't trust someone? What if the person you can't trust is a... A teacher?"

"Then you need to find someone who you can trust to talk about it." I think she can feel my anxiety about going to next class, so she offers her hand and I nod. She touches my arm where the sleeve of my shirt stops just above my wrist. I am filled with warmth and joy. I can feel my nerves starting to relax. Where she is touching my arm, there is a soft glow of light, and my eyes open wide and I look at her. She just nods. Once I am calm she takes her hand off of mine and the glow is gone.

"I will explain how that works one day soon, you go to your next class." Mrs. Jordan says before going back to her desk, right when she sits the bell rings.

As soon as I get to the second class, I take my seat without trying to get too many questioning looks. At least Oliver is behind me in this class. I feel better with him around, even with Mrs. Jordan's help. My arm is still warm where she touched me, I didn't' notice until now. I wonder if that is supposed to happen. I'll have to ask her the next chance I get to talk with her again. I can't believe there are spirit faeries. I wonder what else there are out there.

From behind me Oliver whispers, "Hey. Sorry I haven't talked to you much. I'm just feeling down you know. Plus my dad has been a little weird lately. I wonder what's up with him."

I glance over my shoulder and say as quiet as I can, "It's okay. I get it really. I don't know what is up with him." I lie on the last part. I know he is still upset with me being a shape shifter. After hearing what William said about how close they were, I know Paul is scared for his son. Or maybe he is thinking about telling Oliver about his mom, about what she was and how she died. I wish I didn't have to keep that secret from my best friend. I don't want him getting hurt, but if he knows I've known longer than he has, he will be hurt. I hope Paul tells him soon.

He taps me on the shoulder with his pen to get my attention back then asks, "Have you talked to Evan or Alex?"

"No. I haven't. I'm sorry."

"It's oka..."

Mr. Lewis coughs to get our attention. I turn around to look at him. Then he asks, "Excuse me you two, but would you like to continue this conversation in detention?"

"No." We both say at the same time. A small smile creeps onto my face at how close Oliver and I are.

"Then I think you best get to work. The problems are on the board. I am not going to explain how to do them again for you two. Figure them out." He sounds angry, maybe it is because he is a horrible person. I need to figure out what he is up to. I just don't know who I can trust with this information. I look around the classroom and I see Caleb. He is watching me. He is a few rows over, but I see him looking at me. He doesn't nod, or ignore the fact that I see he is looking at me. I don't know maybe he is just lost in hot Caleb space world, but it is kind of creepy that he is just watching me. I should be flattered that he is and maybe I am just a little bit curious about him.

"Hi." I jump as I hear his voice in my head.

"Hello there." I say back. A little more flirtatiously than I meant it to come out sounding.

"So did he give you shit?" He nods towards Mr. Lewis.

"Nah, not really. Power trip? Most definitely." I kind of let out a giggle which makes a few students turn their head to look at me and see what I'm laughing about. I just look down at my work with a small grin on my face.

"Nice one. Good job making the class think you are a weirdo."

"They already think I'm weird, so what if they think I am weirder."

"So, do you wanna go out sometime?"

I inhale sharply and look at him. Again more looks, then people look to see who I'm looking at, then behind me Oliver whispers, "What's up? Are you okay?"

I nod my head, and then shake my head no, and then I raise my shoulders as if to say "I don't know". Who do I answer first? What do I say? I've never been asked out before, maybe I'll think about it. Yeah that sounds like a good thing to say.

"I'll think about it." He just gives me a questioning look, raises one shoulder and goes back to work.

"Riley? What's up?"

"Nothing, I'm fine." I say a little flustered by what just happened. My hands start to get a little sweaty, so I rub them on my jeans. Right now I wish I had Mrs. Jordan's cool spirit faerie powers I could sure use them right now. Then my phone starts buzzing in my pocket, I look at Mr. Lewis and he is deep in thought, so I figure I have enough time to check my phone. I pull it out and it is telling me Evan texted me.

Hey. Can I see you after school?

If you aren't busy.

Or if you want to see me.

I blush, maybe he does like me. Or at least he wants to see me. I wonder why, but before I can reply Caleb says in my head "Do you want to go out for something to eat tonight? Maybe after school? Just hang out, it doesn't have to be a date or anything if you don't want it to be."

"I uh... Sure..." A smile creeps over my face and I put my head down lower so my hair falls in front of my face so he doesn't see the smile. My face heats up even more. I can't believe I said yes. I quickly text Evan back.

Sorry.

I am going out with Caleb after school.

There, it's done. Not even a minute after I hit send Evan texts me back

You can't go with him Riley.

Promise me!

What the hell is his problem with Caleb? He is a nice guy, and he wants to see me outside of school. No one has ever asked me to do anything outside of school, well besides Oliver but he doesn't really count. I can feel my body heat up, but not like before when my face blushed, but more with anger.

You aren't the boss of me Evan.

If I want to go out with him, I can.

I wait, and wait for him to text back, but after 10 minutes I know he isn't going to. So I put my phone back in my pocket. Oh well, who needs him. I get to go out with Caleb! Inside I do a little happy dance.

"So where do you want to go?" I ask Caleb in his head, a flash of a grin then it is gone like it never even happened.

"We'll see."
Chapter 28

Once class is over, Oliver and I walk to our lockers. He is giving me a funny look, like there is something on my face, or stuck in my teeth. "What are you looking at?" I ask, sounding a little ruder than I wanted.

"Nothing." He says.

I start to get a little more frustrated, at him, and everyone else. I scoff and say, "No something is wrong, why won't you just spit it out?"

Once we stop at our lockers, he looks at me. He looks upset. "Riley. Why are you doing this? Don't you know how he feels?"

"How who feels?"

"Evan, duh. Who else would I be talking about?"

"What do you mean how he feels? He doesn't feel anything for me. Trust me Oliver. You've just been too busy with Alex to notice. Evan has a girlfriend. He is dating Mila. Who cares anyways? Someone asked me out." I try to say that last part like it is no big deal, but it kind of is a big deal. A huge deal is more like it.

"Who asked you out? What did you say? Riley are you just so blind that you don't see it?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about Oliver. I mean seriously. Evan didn't even know I existed until last week, he doesn't care. Caleb asked me out, I said yes. We are going to hang out after school."

"No you aren't." I turn around and Evan is standing behind me, with a very angry look on his face, the anger reaches his eyes. I notice red and aqua flecks in his eyes. He is also feeling protective; he has no reason to feel that way though.

"I'm pretty sure Evan, that I told you before that you are not the boss of me. I can go out with him if I want to." I try to stand my ground, but it is hard being mad at his face. I can see the compassion in it, even with him being so angry.

"What can I do to keep you away from him? Tell me, and I will do whatever it takes." He says really softly. He grabs onto my shoulders and says, "Please trust me when I say I have a bad feeling about him."

"You haven't eve..." He doesn't let me finish, he just kisses me. I don't know what to do. His lips are soft on mine, it is nice. Instead of this making me happy, it makes me mad. I push him off of me and yell, "You can't just do that! I didn't say you could do that." My body gets warm again, I can feel my body start sweating.

"I'm sorry... I just thought..." He stammers.

"Well you thought wrong. You can't just take someone's first... Never mind. Just stay away from me Evan." I say then turn around and slam my locker shut, and walk away to go to lunch. Today I am going to eat alone. I don't care how many looks I get. I don't want anyone to come near me. How dare he take away my first kiss without asking. He has a girlfriend for goodness sake! Even if I did want him to be my first kiss, that is not how I wanted it to happen. As I am about to turn around the corner at the end of the hall, I hear Evan call my name, but I keep going. Once I turn the corner, I fall against the wall and take a deep breath to try to calm down. It doesn't help; maybe if I find Mrs. Jordan she can help me again, and maybe be able to talk a bit. I am near the teacher's lounge anyways so I decide to just see if she is in there. I get to the door and I hear Mr. Lewis inside talking to someone, instead of knocking I listen to see what is going on. At least I know I can't trust him, I need to figure out what he is up to.

"So will you consider going to dinner with me?" I hear him say. I wonder who would want to go out with him. He isn't good looking, and he has absolutely no charm to him.

"I will think about it." I hear Mrs. Jordan say. "No, no, no!" I quietly say to myself. She can't do that, she must see through him. Doesn't she feel his emotion! I mean it can't be good.

"I'm glad to hear you will think about it." He says.

"Now if you will excuse me. I have to go and talk with someone who is outside the door." She says.

"Oh shit." I say louder than I meant. She must know I am here, she can read emotions. I bet I reek of anger right now.

"Look who it is. Hello Riley." She says with a smile as she opens the door. "Would you like to talk to me?"

"Yes. Now." It comes out kind of like a growl, not sure where it came from. I just hope it never happens again.

"Fine. Let us go to my classroom. Good day Mr. Lewis. I will let you know soon of my decision." She says just before she closes the door I see the smile on his face. I don't know if he knows I am onto him, but he better be careful. He didn't see me at the facility; he doesn't know I was listening in on his conversation with that weird creep in the office there. I'll have to keep my eyes on him.

"Riley what is going on? Why were you sneaking around and listening in on other people's conversations like that?" She asks as she sits down on top of her desk. I give her a funny look because I've never seen a teacher sit on their desk like that before, but I guess she is a younger teacher.

I sit on one of the desks in

front of her, and I look away, embarrassed by the fact she is right. I shouldn't have been but I did. "I was trying to find you. Something happened and I thought maybe you could help me calm down again. Then I heard him talking in there. I don't trust him!" With the last part I yell. I'm still not looking at her, but I hear her sigh.

"What happened? Do you want to talk about it?"

"I got asked out on a date, but then someone told me well tried to forbid me to go out with the person who asked me out. Then he kissed me. I didn't want him to. Well no I did, but not like that. I always thought my first kiss would have been different. I wanted it to mean something special, not whatever just happened. I don't even know what happened. I wanted to find you to see if you could help my emotions again with your touch power." I look at her, she is blurry but only because of the tears forming in my eyes. When she shakes her head no, then the tears roll down my cheeks. "Why won't you help me?" I ask before I pull my legs up onto the desk and put my face on my knees.

"Because Riley, sometimes you need to learn how to deal with these emotions on your own."

"You didn't have a problem helping me earlier." My voice is muffled from my face being right on my legs.

"No you are right. I didn't have a problem with it earlier, but then your arm started to glow and get warm under my hand. That has never happened before. I don't want to risk something going wrong Riley. Plus boy trouble is no trouble at all."

"It is when you are confused," I say as I look up at her. Her face is full of joy and sadness at the same time. She really is a beautiful lady, even being a teacher. Her strawberry blonde hair, that has some darker strands, is all pulled back into a nice ponytail; her eyes are a beautiful sky blue. Her skin is nice and sun kissed like she spent all summer in the sun. She looks like a good person, inside and out. I wonder if it is just because she is a faerie that she looks so beautiful, too bad I'm not a faerie. No I'm just stuck being a shape shifter. "How old are you?"

"Excuse me?" She looks confused by my sudden question. "I am 29. Why do you ask?"

"You just look young," I shrug.

She laughs at this and then says, "You just noticed? Oh Riley. You have so much to learn. First, your boy problem. Who would you rather go out with? Maybe once you figure that out, then you'll know who you should and shouldn't waste your time and energy on. Plus your emotions are going out of control it is like being on a roller coaster for me!" She laughs more on the last part.

It does make me smile, and then I sit and look out the window. I ask myself who would I be better with? Evan or Caleb? "I don't know. They are both great, in their own way. I mean I don't really know either of them." I sound defeated.

"Well then why do you care so much about either of them if you don't really know much about them?"

I shrug and say, "I don't know. I think it might be because I've never known another shape shifter before. I think maybe a shape shifter would be more accepting of me. I wouldn't have to hide my stupid eyes and what I can do from a shape shifter."

"Riley you wouldn't have to hide it anyways. Yes you'd need to be careful on who you show your ability to, but you wouldn't have to hide it."

"Maybe. Evan also has a girlfriend, or at least she thinks she is his girlfriend. Caleb, well he is just dreamy. I can hardly believe he asked me out. I just don't understand. Maybe it is because I helped him get out..." I stop and bite my tongue before I say anything else.

"Get him out of what Riley?"

"I just helped get him out of a place, it isn't that big of a deal. Which reminds me,you shouldn't do anything with Mr. Lewis the creep."

"Watch it." She says in a stern voice.

"Sorry but it is true. I can't tell you exactly everything I know, because well I don't know that much. I just know you can't trust him."

She laughs again, "This sounds exactly like what you were explaining about your boy problem."

I laugh a little and say, "Yeah, well I'm not going to kiss you. I wish you would believe me. He isn't a good man. Can't you tell with your emotion radar?"

"Emotion Radar? Funny Riley. Keep insulting me and I won't help."

"I'm sorry, sometimes when I'm upset things just come out without my brain stopping it." I shrug like it is no big deal, but it is.

"It is fine Riley. Actually Mr. Lewis was giving off normal emotions; he had no ill-intent behind his actions. So I really don't know what you are trying to tell me. If you could be more specific, that would be helpful."

"I can't. I have to go." I quickly say and stand. "I just need to go." I rush out the door.

I hear her say "Riley wait!" I don't turn back. I just run. God please don't let me change into a cheetah again.
Chapter 29

As soon as I am in my car, I start hyperventilating. "Come on Riley, calm down." I say to try and calm down. It doesn't really help, I make matters worse by looking in my mirror when I notice my eyes are swirling the mix of colors I am feeling. They aren't just normal flecks now, they are moving. "What the hell?" I wonder out loud. I close my eyes, and take in 10 deep breaths. Once my heart is back down to normal, and my emotions are in check, I look back in the mirror. My eyes are back to normal, with only flecks showing yellow. Well thank god they didn't stay that way. Add that one to my list of questions that I still need answered. My phone beeps from inside my pocket; I take it out and see Oliver's face on it.

Where r u?

U ok?

I take in a few more deep breaths before I respond; I don't want to be mean to him. He is after all my best and closest friend. I don't want to push him away.

In my car.

I'm fine.

Might go home.

I wait a few minutes, then a few more, no reply. That is weird; I thought he would have said something back. I guess not. Starting my car I see Evan running towards my car."Oh hell no!" I say out loud, then put my car in gear and drive away. I see him in my review mirror, running after the car. I just keep going, eventually he will stop. After I left the parking lot he stopped chasing after me.

I don't go anywhere but home, I just want to be in bed. That is what I do. I get in my bed and pull the blankets up over my eyes. I stay there and cry for what seems to be for the rest of the day. William knocked on the door a while ago, but I told him to go away. Oliver has been calling nonstop for the last hour, even though his ring tone is annoying, I don't want to talk. Not to him, not to anyone. I'm so mad at him, he must have told Evan I was in my car. How else would he have been able to find me so quickly? I especially don't want to see Evan. After my phone is quiet for a few minutes, a text message comes in, but it isn't any of the tones of people who know my number. I wonder if it is spam, or something. Only a few people know my number. My curiosity gets the best of me and I retrieve my phone from the floor. I look at the number, and it isn't one I recognize and the message only says hey. That doesn't really help me out. Just as I am about to type who is this, it buzzes in my hand.

It's Caleb.

If you were wondering.

It feels like my heart is about to leap out body when I read his name. My hands start to get a little sweaty from the thought of him. Then it hits me about us hanging out after school.

Sorry I kind of ditched.

I just needed to come home and hang out.

Sorry.

I wait, a few minutes goes by he is still in class. So I get that he doesn't reply right away.

You said sorry twice.

I get it.

Do you still want to do something?

What should I say? I could say no. Evan did kiss me, that might mean something, but he did it without asking. Plus he has a girlfriend. It is none of his business who I see outside of school. A smile creeps onto my face as I text Caleb back.

Well I don't really want to leave the house.

U could always stop by here.

If u want.

A couple of minutes go by before he replies saying he will come over. I text him the directions. He said he would come by a bit after school is over. I start to get anxious about him coming over. I pick things up off the floor. "Wait." I tell myself. "He isn't coming in my room. No, I can't have that happen." I say out loud, making sure I hear myself. No we could watch movies, or something. I don't think Jennifer will bug us if we are in there, plus I think she has some stupid cheerleader thing to do after school today. So it doesn't even matter.

Ding dong.

"Oh great." I say out loud. I head up the stairs, there he is outside. Just the person I wanted to see... not. What the hell does Evan want now? I ask myself. I really wish they didn't have glass in the door. How do you hide from people you don't want to see? Since he has already seen me I go answer the door.

"What do you want? Make it quick." I snap, trying to hide emotion from my eyes. I am glad he is here, but I'm not at the same time. He confuses me, more importantly he confuses my emotions.

"Can I please come in and talk to you?" He asks with serenity in his voice. I can tell he is upset, it reaches his eyes.

"No you can't. I'm having company over soon." I try not to sound happy about this. I'm confused over the two boys.

"Who is coming over? Oliver?" The panic is in his voice, the calm serenity is gone.

Oh great what did I get myself into I think to myself.

"What do you mean? What did you get yourself into? Are you in trouble?" He asks one after the other without taking many breaths.

"What? How the hell are you always able to read my mind? I am just thinking things and you hear them. That is not supposed to happen."

"I think you are projecting them Riley. I think you want things to be heard sometimes. What is going on?"

"Nothing. Caleb is going to come over. We were supposed to go hang out after school, but someone decided to mess up my day. I came home, he still wants to see me though. So I invited him over."

"No, you can't have him over." He says with force. I mean it's hot, but he can't do this again.

"You stop right there!" I take in a deep breath to try to calm myself, it doesn't help. "I don't need your permission to have a friend over or if I can see that person. Why do you even care? No I don't care. I don't want to know. Why don't you just go and see Mila? Maybe you should focus more on that. Bye Evan." Before he even gets a chance to say anything, I shut the door in his face and lock it as he reaches up to the door knob. The look on his face is one that is going to haunt my dreams. Stand your ground Riley, I tell myself. So I turn and walk away from that face, the big eyed lost puppy dog face. Each step I take away from him, pulls on my heart. If he wasn't the way he is, or with Mila maybe things could be different. I don't even know why he is acting like this, he hasn't even told me. "Duh Riley, you didn't give him the chance to explain." I say out loud. "Oh great and now I talk to myself." I smack my forehead; this day could not get any worse. I slip on the stair and bump down 3. "Perfect. Thanks universe!" I yell at the ceiling.

Ding dong.

Oh great the door again, I think to myself. At least this time it is probably Caleb. He texted a few minutes ago just saying he is leaving the school and if I needed anything. I limp up the stairs from falling earlier; I can be such a klutz. As soon as I see him outside, my heart does a weird little jump and my palms start to get a little sweaty. Oh this is going to be so much fun, I think as I roll my eyes.

"Hi." I manage to say to him, as I open the door, no doubt my face is red.

"Hey, what's up?" He asks as he walks in. Then looks down at his shoes and I nod. He takes them off. I don't think he wanted to, not like Evan who took them off without even asking.

"Not much. What about you?" I ask it back, and then as he is bent forward I notice a scar on the back of his neck, just below his hair line. I wonder where he got it.

"Just about the same. What's up with your body guard?"

"My what?" I'm so confused.

"Your body guard?" He says again, but it sounds more like a question, like now he is questioning his own statement.

"I don't have a body guard. I have no idea what you are talking about." I say with a brow raised.

He stands and shrugs, "You know the dude who was at the facility helping you or you were helping them. I'm not too sure. When he said bye to you he was all "stay away from her" kind of thing. He's like at the end of the drive way. Gave me one heck of a dirty look too."

"He's what?!" I yell and then take off down the porch. I notice I change right away, because I meant to this time. I can see my brown paws, with claws that could probably rip through skin. Hopefully I don't by accident. This is kind of fun, being a grizzly bear. I should shift more often.

"Hey I just took off my shoes!" I hear Caleb call from behind me. Then in my head he says, "This is going to be good." I'm not too sure he meant to say it in my head though, inside I am laughing that I'm not the only one who broadcasts it to everyone around.

I can smell him before I even see him. His woodsy fresh rain smell that I love so much, then I see Evan's face light up with fear as he sees me running towards him.

"Riley you need to stop." I hear him calling in my head. I keep running at him until I am hardly a foot away. I can see my black nose almost touching his human nose, my breath is labored, I can feel the sharp teeth with my bear tongue. I can hear a growl forming at the back of my throat, I pull back my bear lips to show the sharp teeth, and let the growl come out.

"Riley." He says out loud. I see the concern in his eyes. "You need to stop. You can't do this. Change back. Please. We can talk about this."

I take a step backward and shift back into my human form. The relief shows in his eyes, more than it does on his face.

"Ah man. I was hoping to see some action." Caleb calls running up to us.

"Riley..." Evan softly says.

"Go away Evan." I say harshly.

"But..."

"NOW!" I yell in his face. He just looks at me, then at Caleb his eye brows come together like he is concentrating again. "No Evan. Don't do that. Just get on your bike and leave." He looks back at me; grief is all over his face.

"Now let's go back to the house. Want to watch a movie or something?" Caleb suggests.

"Sure. I'd love to." I say to him, one last glance at Evan, then we walk back to the house.

"That was pretty sweet you know. Watching you just change like that. It makes it really hard to believe that you haven't known your whole life. Imagine what you could do, if you had known." He says with a sigh at the end, then he does this grunt thing. I have no idea what it is about him.

He picks some action movie that was in the collection that Jennifer has. I wasn't all that interested in the actual movie. I would have gone for something funny, but he didn't even ask me if this was what I wanted or not. What is it with boys and thinking girls can't make up their own minds? I don't think I will ever understand them, well besides Oliver but he is not like Evan or Caleb. Not at all. Even though I hate this movie, I am enjoying it. That might just be because Caleb is sitting beside me. My heart tells me that this is wrong and that I shouldn't be here, but I am letting my brain lead me on this one. Whenever you follow your heart, it just gets broken. I don't want that, so I'm following my brain. That little voice in the back of my head is telling me how wrong I am, but I ignore it to the best of my ability. Caleb does sit rather close to me. I can smell him. He smells like gingerbread, I'm not a big fan of the smell and it is giving me a small headache. I won't say anything though. Even though we have been sitting this close together for the movie, my heart is still racing, and my hands are still sweaty from before. He makes me nervous, but in a good way. I think anyways. He also isn't much of a talker, and he hides his emotions from his eyes really well. I wonder how he can do that so well, I might need to ask him some pointers one day.

"Riley, will you shut up." He looks at me with this angry face, he looks better when he smiles. Which has only been once, unfortunately. I hope he smiles more.

"Um... I'm sorry. I think someone needs to teach me how to not project my thoughts into everyone else's head." I sound defeated.

"Or you could just not think and watch the movie." He says. I think he is pretty rude. "Yes I am rude, you might want to get used to it."

"Oh my gosh!" I smack my forehead. "I'm sorry. I will shut up now." I turn and watch the rest of this horrible movie. He grunted after I thought that, I'm still projecting. Fantastic way to end the night.
Chapter 30

After a few days of ignoring Evan at school I think he finally got the picture. It sucks being his partner, especially with me not talking to him. On the up side, Caleb has been hanging out with me more and more. I even think he is starting to be less of a crab. He still doesn't smile much, but I'll get it out of him, I hope anyways. No one should be that unhappy, especially when they are as gorgeous as he is. Oliver has been kind of distant lately too. I hope it isn't because the fact that his boyfriend is best friends with the person I hate right now. I didn't think anything could come in between our relationship, especially not after him standing up to his dad to be friends with me. Alex though has been nice, he will randomly pop into my head and say "hi" and see how I am doing. I don't mind, Alex is a great guy. I'm really happy for him and Oliver. I was just hoping I wouldn't lose my best friend as soon as he got into a serious relationship. I think that will change though. I could be wrong, it could just be because Alex is still grieving over the passing of his mom. Whenever I ask him how he is doing with it, he says he is fine. He looks like he has lost sleep and weight. I hope he is good; I don't want to see him upset. I'm glad he has Oliver around to cheer him up though, Oliver can be a weird person sometimes, but he is great. I've seen Evan in the hallways with Mila, I think they eat lunch together now, but that shouldn't bother me since Caleb has been eating with me.

Holly and Garrison scheduled me into work more now that things have settled down. I need to save up some money for the holidays now that I actually have some friends to buy presents for; this is really exciting for me. Work has been slow. It usually does get a little slow during the fall. Once the snow starts it picks up. I like going to work, the distraction is great. William and Emma told me to tell Holly and Garrison about me being a shape shifter. At first I thought they were crazy for wanting me to tell someone.

"I need to talk to both of you after work, if that is okay?" I say to Holly and Garrison after I clock into work.

"Sure whatever you need Riley." Holly says to me with a big smile. She is beautiful, long dirty blonde hair, deep green eyes. Garrison has the same hair color; it is a bit long, especially for a guy. He is handsome in his own way though. He has brown eyes, like milk chocolate. They are both pretty short too, shorter than I am maybe 5'2 he might be 5'4. I think they are a perfect match for each other.

The rest of the night I am nervous about telling them. Oliver came in just to get a drink and buy a book for his dad. Oliver kept telling me it would be fine and that if they fired me, then he would quit.

"You think they are going to fire me?!" I whisper so Holly doesn't hear me.

"No. Did you not hear what I said? Just relax, it will be fine. Make sure you call me when you get home okay?" He says with a big smile. I love that he is so happy now.

"Yeah. I will. As long as I'm not canned." I say, with a half smile. As soon as he turns around the smile is off of my face. I take in a deep breath and try to focus on what I was doing before Oliver came.

I clean up the counter, replace a few empty syrup bottles, and wipe down the tables. One of the tables was horrible. Whoever was sitting here decided to draw all over it, thankfully it wasn't in permanent marker, or else I'd be angry. I mop up the floor, and then go and find Holly and Garrison. I peek around the one corner of book shelves, and I see them sitting at one of the tables. I clear my throat so they know I am here and walk up to them. They are an adorable couple, the way they just hold hands as they read books together.

"So what would you like to talk about Riley?" Holly asks me as I take a seat across from them.

"I have something to tell you." I take in a deep breath and look away from them, "I'm a shape shifter. I totally get if you don't believe me, or if you want to fire me or whatever."

"Riley," Garrison says, "we know."

"Are you kidding me? How? How did everyone else know before I did?" I ask as I let my head fall back so I see the ceiling.

Holly lets out a small laugh, "Haven't you ever noticed anything different about us?"

I glare at the ceiling, and then pull my head back so I can see them. They look like normal people, then Holly moves her hair and reveals pointed ears.

"You've gotta be kidding me." I say not truly believing what is happening. "You too?" I ask looking at Garrison. He nods his head and moves his hair.

"Yes Riley."

"So what does that make you then? Elves? Is that even a thing? A real thing?"

"Yep it is and we are." Holly says with a big smile, her smile is breathtaking.

"What can you do then?"

"What do you mean Riley?"

"Well doesn't everything have a special thing they can do? Or is that not something that happens. Maybe I am just crazy. This could be one long nightmare." I try to laugh at myself, but it doesn't shake the weird feelings I have away.

"Oh I get what she means. Well that is a good question. Some elves can do different things than others yes. We both are great archers, but only for fun. Some elves are peaceful too, which we are. We have met some not nice ones in the past, before we moved here. This town is great Riley. You'll be surprised on what you'd find living here." Garrison says to me, he looks happily at his wife.

"So did you know? I mean know about me the whole time I've been working here?" I ask, then they nod their heads yes. "You didn't want to tell me?"

"It was not in our place to inform you Riley. You'll understand one day. Why do you think we let you have all that time off. We figured you found out about being a shape shifter. That is very rare you know, you should be proud of it." Holly says still with her smile. She is the prettiest elf I have ever met, well the only girl elf anyways.

"I understand. Thank you."

"Is that all you needed to talk about?" Holly asks.

"Yes, I think I will just head home now I need to get ready for a date." I say with a huge smile on my face, one that probably hasn't been there for a while.

Tonight Caleb is taking me to a movie, after I am done with work and get ready. Jennifer keeps telling me to wear something else; she seems more excited for me going on this date than I am. She thinks I should borrow one of her skirts and sparkly tops. I give her a stink face; she makes one back at me.

"Riley, how did you manage to get Caleb interested in you? I mean he is like the hottest guy at school. Well besides my boyfriend. All my friends are jealous." Jennifer sits on my bed, waiting for an answer.

"Um. I don't know. It just kind of happened." I can't tell her what really happened. She still doesn't know about any of this. It would be a lot easier if she knew, maybe she wouldn't think I'm such a freak anymore.

"Well it's kind of cool, but don't tell anyone I told you that. I'll deny it."

"I know you will."

"Riley. I hope you have fun on your date. I think it is really great that you've found someone, other than your gay best friend. Just don't do anything stupid okay?" She says with a serious look in her eyes, they almost seem to glass over like she is about to cry, but she holds her composure nicely.

"Oh don't worry I won't do anything stupid. I promise." I say with a smile. She gets up and gives me a hug, which is really out of character for her. Once she is out of the room I start to wonder what has upset her, or changed her mind about me. Surely me going on a date isn't the only thing that has made her instantly like talking to me.

The date goes great, I mean even though it was another action movie. Caleb held my hand throughout the movie, and I didn't think the whole time, so he didn't hear my thoughts. When he dropped me off, and said goodnight he gave me a kiss on the cheek. As soon as I got in my room, I sighed and started giggling. I've never felt this way before.

The rest of this year is going to be great.

I'm still just Riley, the girl with the weird eyes. At least I know why now. I'm a shape shifter and a damn good one too.

Special Chapter from

Evan's View on Riley

After having a restless sleep last night, I wake up sore and tired. Thinking I know what is going to happen today, and I just hope it goes the way I've planned. If it doesn't, then anything could happen. Alex keeps telling me to just tell her, but I think that is the wrong idea. If this goes badly, at least I wrote her a note, to help explain things if she runs. I really hope she doesn't run. Upstairs I see mom is already making breakfast for us and I smell her coffee which oddly smells like vanilla. Dad hasn't been around as much lately, I think he is too busy trying to find Alex's parents. My mom thinks this is going to work out, "nice and easy" is what she says. She thinks if I break it to her nicely it will go easy. I think this will be the complete opposite of easy though. This girl, even though I know nothing about her, or never even talked to her for that matter, seems like a wild card. "Son she might be something great. Remember the stories I always tell you? In particular about Slade turning into a unicorn?"

"Yes mom, I remember. You never let me forget. I would just give anything to see it though." I answer, sounding a little annoyed while trying to finish eating an egg and bacon sandwich for breakfast.

"Watch your tone." She says with that mom look as if to say "don't push your luck." Then she smiles slightly and continues, "Slade had no idea that he was a shape shifter when he was younger and look at the things he was able to do? I think he might have been the strongest shape shifter in a long time."

"What is the point mom?" I ask before I take a sip of my orange juice.

"That dear, you never know the things that someone can possibly do or even be capable of." She finishes with a smile, then gives me a kiss on the head before she leaves the room. I wonder if she is right. Could Riley be capable of what Slade can do? I don't believe she can, but she could always prove me wrong. I start to wonder what it would be like to be able to do what Slade can, or could do. I wonder where he went, or if he is even still alive.

Once I get to school I meet up with Alex at our lockers which are right beside each other. She is within my line of sight, and I can see how plain she tries to dress, worn old jeans and a regular t shirt, nothing fancy. Even the way she walks is like she is trying to go unnoticed. She doesn't swing her hips around like some of the girls do here at school, trying to get checked out all the time. The way she stands her shoulders are straight, but in a polite way, brought up to have good posture, not in the "I'm going to stick my shoulders back and push out my chest so you'll look at it" kind of way like a lot of girls I know do. She has her hair cut so it almost covers her eyes, but it is long and beautiful, which makes me start to wonder what it smells like. I don't think it is colored or has highlights. From here it doesn't even look like she is wearing makeup, she doesn't even need make up though. I admire her for being modest. Clearing his throat loud and annoyingly Alex says, "She must know something..." then he glances over in her direction and raises a brow, "I mean did you see the way she looked away after you said "hey" to her in her head yesterday? She has to know or else she must think she is crazy. I mean the people who start to hear voices in their head, go to institutions." He laughs a bit at himself then says "maybe we should mess with people who don't know they are shape shifters."

I give him a glace to see if he is joking or not, he isn't. I just shake my head at his childish jokes. "Alex I really don't think she knows. Look at her. She tries to be invisible. She might think she is crazy, but I don't think we should go around making fun of her for it." I say sounding a little irritated that he isn't more compassionate.

"Or she just has no fashion sense. Not all girls are like the ones you date."

"What's that supposed to mean dude?"

"You think I don't notice the way you are looking at her right now? I think you better quit while you are ahead, that is if you are even ahead. I don't think it will ever happen. Plus she isn't even the kind of girl you go for."

"Maybe she is my type." I try to sound confident in that, but by Alex giving me a disapproving look and rolling his eyes, I know I failed at sounding confident.

"Right, she's your type just like her boyfriend is mine." He laughs. He thinks he is so funny. "Common, let's go sit in class before she does so we can see the look on her face when she has to sit next to the third hottest guy in school."

"Wait, who's the first and second?"

"Well me being first. Come on lets just go." He dodges a bullet there, I am annoyed he won't tell me. Maybe he thinks we just can't talk about that stuff. Sure he can give me advice on girls but I can't give him dude advice? Yeah, he has a point there. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I close my locker door, and give her one last look before I head to class where she will be sitting beside me. Please let this go the way I've planned.

I try not to laugh out loud when I see her slam into the back of her boyfriend. Alex on the other hand is laughing so hard he might just explode. "Seriously dude, shut up!" I say to him in his head. "You've gotta admit it was kind of funny, look at her face! She is terrified! What's the worst you can do? Kill her?" She does look pretty freaked out. I can't hear what she is saying to him.

"Please take your seats Oliver and Riley" Mrs. Jordan says to them. I smile because I know why she doesn't want to sit down.

"Now class, I will give you a few minutes to introduce yourself to your new seat partners. If you don't already know about the other, now would be a good time to ask questions about them. Then in a few minutes we will take a small test to see what you remember from last year" Mrs. Jordan says then sighs once the grumbles and groans start.

I notice her trying to look at me from beneath her bangs. It's kind of cute how she tries to do things, irritating but cute. "Hello Riley. We haven't had the chance to talk before, I'm Evan." I say hoping to start this off on a good foot.

She just sits there but then finally manages to squeak a "Hi." Her breath starts to quicken.

Thinking my strategy over, maybe small talk would help her relax. "Did you have a good summer? I see your boyfriend is sitting with my best friend, what luck hey?"

"Yeah he is gay," she snaps still without looking at me. Well my plan backfired.

"Yes I know. Alex came out a while ago to everyone. I knew before though, it wasn't hard to tell. Why would you bring that up? Or do you mean your boyfriend? I thought he was your boyfriend, you two are always together"

"He is not my boyfriend!" This girl has a temper; mom would probably call her a "spit-fire".

"Wow, you have beautiful eyes. They are such an interesting shade of grey, but wait..." Hopefully she lets me know what she knows about her eyes. I can tell that they have red in them, I just want, and hope she will admit to it. She doesn't, so I pull out my phone and text Alex.

she doesn't know.

The stupid guy doesn't even have his phone on silent, well at least it wasn't only him.

"Class please turn off your cell phones, you should be getting to know your new partner not talking on your phones!" Mrs. Jordan says.

I start looking harder at Riley, and she is more beautiful than I thought before. I was right, she hardly has on any make up, maybe just a little of that stuff on her eyelashes. I think they'd be long and beautiful without that stuff. The shape of her eyes are big and beautiful. She has freckles across her nose and under her eyes. She is oblivious to the fact that I am staring at her, so I decide to lean in closer, to tell her to look at me. Before I can even say anything I am struck with her scent. She smells like cherry blossoms and jasmine. I could get lost in it forever. I notice she has a little chill, which makes me want to wrap my arms around her or give her my sweater.

Right when I'm about to say something Oliver yells, "What? No way." Then everyone in the class looks back at him, and I sit back straighter.

"Quiet down class," Mrs. Jordan says losing her cool. She looks back at her friend, and then starts to doodle. First she draws a little bottle, with an "X" on it, then a weird pirate ship. She is pretty good with her doodles. Well she was until she draws a pirate stick person.

I lean back in trying to not get distracted by her amazing smell, I whisper in her ear "Riley if you would look at me, then you would notice something we have in common. You don't need to be afraid to show your gift."

Eye Color Meaning Index

Red- Rage, Anger

Dark Orange- Distrust

Red Orange- Passionate

Yellow-Sick

Dark Green- Jealous

Aqua-Protective

Light Blue- Understanding, softness, healing

Dark Blue- Power, seriousness

Light Purple- Romantic

Dark Purple- Frustration, sad, gloomy

White- Pure, innocent

Black- Powerful, Death, Evil

