Chapter One: Moving Day

"Dad, where are you?!" Kat called up the stairs, a large box in her arms. Her deep red hair was pulled up into a messy bun; long, curly strands fell into her face and mystical sapphire blue eyes.

"What is it, Katarina?" asked Kat's step-mother, Anna, as she came out of the kitchen. Her dirty blonde hair was pulled up in a perfect bun; her hair was streaked with gray.

"I'm looking for Father, Anna," Kat said, her eyes narrowing. She and her step-mother never really got along.

"He is busy. What do you need? I'm sure I can help," Anna said, staring down her hooked nose at Kat. Her beady black eyes stared coldly at her step-daughter, hatred and resentment filled in her gaze.

"No, you can't. It's something my Father needs to help me with," Kat said, setting the box down at the foot of the stairs.

"Fine, then!" Anna said, glaring at her. "Look, why don't you leave? Go out, have fun. Find the local hang-outs, yeah?" She turned around, facing the kitchen. "You can take your guitar with you."

Kat glared at the back of her step-mother's head. "Fine, I'll get out of your way, Anna. Just set my boxes down in my room for me," she said, quickly snatching up her white and gold guitar and slinging it over her shoulder. She gave Anna a final glare and stormed out of the house, gazing intently at the stone side walk.

Kat wasn't always so unhappy. But that was back when she had her little brother, Edward. She and Ed used to have so much fun together, playing soccer all the time, Kat singing to him. Whatever they did, they had fun, as long as they were together. She loved her little brother more than anything.

Soccer was her second love. She would play for hours straight, not pausing for anything. She was the star of her team, the Kix. She showed up early for practice every day, and would often refuse to go home until long after practice was over. And Ed was always there watching her, cheering her on.

It went on like that for three years. Then their father, Daniel, had started seeing Anna. Their mother had died giving birth to Ed. Their father started dating Anna fourteen years later. That is when everything changed. Daniel had stopped showing up for Kat's soccer games, had stopped giving Ed rides to the games. He spent almost all of his spare time with Anna.

That was how the accident happened. Kat remembered the day clearly. It was about two years after Daniel and Anna had started dating. It was a rainy day and had been for almost a week. Her tournament was due to take place that afternoon after school let out. She was going to take a bus straight to the fields, so she could get in some early practice. Ed was going to take a cab there later that day, so he could watch her like he always did; Daniel had said that he would drive Ed, but Anna had called and wanted to have a late lunch with Daniel, so Ed was left a cab fare.

Finally the rain stopped, and the game started; still no Ed. Kat was worried when he didn't show up to wish her luck before the game. She played, her mind not entirely focused on the game. Her team was down by one point as Kat advanced toward the goal with just under a minute left, the black-and-white checked ball bouncing between her cleated feet. Just as she kicked the ball, a sharp pang in her chest made her falter. She closed her eyes at the last minute, and the ball flew way off course, bouncing off the corner of the goal and out of bounds. Kat fell forward, her forehead resting on the damp grass. She could hear the cheers around her, the cheers of the other teams' victory, and the sorrow of her own teams' loss.

She felt angry towards Ed for not being there. Though her team mates told her that they didn't blame her, she was still upset. She packed all of her belongings, not bothering to take off her cleats and shin guards. She waited, sitting on the side walk. She glared at the pavement between her cleats, her jaw clenched.

Suddenly her coach pulled up in her dark blue car. Kat had looked up, confused. Coach Sarah had left almost an hour ago; why was she back?

Sarah had walked up to Kat and explained everything; the wet roads, the cab's rush to get there in time, the out of control drunk driver, the accident, everything. Kat sat there as if numb. Sarah helped her into the car, driving her to the hospital. She was escorted to the hospital room, in which her brother laid, his deep red hair, even deeper than Kat's own, hidden beneath blood-stained bandages.

Kat fell then, her tears falling. "Ed, I'm so sorry!" she cried, holding her face in her hands. She tried to reach out to touch his hand, but the heart monitor suddenly let out a long echoing beep. Kat felt her heart stop as nurses and doctors rushed around her, bumping into her as she knelt on the cold floor.

It was chaos in the room when a nurse finally noticed that she was there. The kind, elderly woman helped Kat to her feet and pulled her out of the room, a blank look on her face. "Wait here," said the old woman, rushing back into the room.

Kat stared at the doors, her face streaked with her already shed tears. Her sapphire blue eyes were wide with horror as she gazed at the door, her heart pounding violently.

Minutes passed, and Kat still stood there in her soccer uniform. Finally a nurse walked out of the room, and looked at her. In whispered tones, the same elderly woman told Kat the news, how the accident was too much for him, how he had lost too much blood and the transfusion had gotten there too late, how her brother's heart had given out. Kat said not a word, her mouth hanging open slightly. Her tears welled up in her eyes as the nurse walked away.

Suddenly someone called her name, and she turned to see her father running down the hall, Anna behind him. As he slid to a stop beside Kat, she closed her mouth, trying to breathe. "What happened? Is he all right?" Daniel had asked his voice hollow.

Kat looked at him again, and her tears fell, cascading down her cheeks. Her father's face blanched, and he turned to Anna. His actions caused Kat to cry more. Daniel was her father, Edward was her brother! Not this woman's husband! Not this woman's son! How dare she?! Daniel was supposed to comfort Kat, not Anna, who wasn't even pretending to be upset.

Kat slipped into the room, leaving her father outside in the corridor. Edward was lying on a bed. Kat could have sworn that he was sleeping, except for the bandages and the machines attached to him. All of the doctors had left, and Kat was alone with her brother. She pulled up a metal stool, setting it next to the white bed. She cautiously put her hand in his, feeling the lifelessness of it. He had already gone cold.

"I'm so sorry, Ed…" she whispered. "I shouldn't have made you come…you should have just stayed at home…" Her tears fell more rapidly, and her brother's peaceful face swam before her eyes. "It's my fault, Eddie…and I am so sorry…" She buried her face into the sheets of the bed, still clutching his hand gently.

Anna and Daniel were married less than two months later.

That night was the last time Kat had ever played soccer. She refused to touch the equipment as they were packing to leave. Her father had packed them, even though Kat had begged him to leave it behind.

She had taken up a new hobby to keep her busy. She taught herself to play the guitar, and now, almost six years after Ed's death, she was constantly playing. She played to keep her mind off of Ed, and to remember him at the same time.

In a month, she would be celebrating her twenty-fifth birthday, and she couldn't care less. Nothing had mattered much to Kat since that day. The only thing she celebrated regularly was her brother's birthday, on July 13th. Before they moved, she would visit his grave and sit there, playing her guitar for him all day. Now, she couldn't even do that.

Kat sat down on a bench, her guitar in her hands. She slowly tuned it, feeling the cold wires beneath her finger tips. She closed her eyes, and began playing, losing herself to her memories again.

She was born in Ireland, and her mother swore that she was the greatest thing to ever happen. She was instantly named Katarina after her grandmother, who had died before she could see her first granddaughter. Daniel, Kat's father, was always working and never really spent time with her. Ellie, Kat's mother, was always there with Kat, playing with her, singing to her. Ellie was strictly instructed to not try having children again, because of her health.

When Kat was three, Ellie discovered that she was pregnant again. She was ecstatic. She happily told Daniel, who became angry about her health. She didn't care. She was happy. Kat made her happy, as did the coming baby.

But things didn't stay that way. Ellie went into labor three weeks early, and Ed was born almost three days after her water broke. Ellie, smiling weakly, had named him Edward after her father before she died quietly. Edward was immediately put into intensive care for fear that he wouldn't live. But he turned around, and Kat was enthusiastic about her younger brother. Daniel, upset about losing his wife and having to raise two children, moved them to America. As Kat grew up, she became fascinated with soccer. She played whenever she could, and her father signed her up for a child's team. Even then, Eddie would come and watch her.

A sudden shout brought Kat out of her thoughts, and she quickly ducked as a black and white ball came flying towards her. "Oi, sorry!" called a boy as he ran over to fetch the soccer ball, his friends laughing at him.

Kat brushed off her hands and looked at him. He was tall with cropped black hair and light blue eyes. "It's okay," she said, straightening her guitar. She looked over her shoulder as he grabbed the ball. "You guys are playing soccer?" Her chest felt tight.

"Soccer? Oh, you're American!" he said, smiling a bit. "Yeah, we're playing football." He looked at his friends then back at her. "You want to join?"

Kat looked at the ball, her eyes clouded. "I…don't know if I can anymore…it's been almost ten years…" she whispered, her heart in her throat.

He looked at her, and something made him stop. "Hang on a second, 'kay?" he said, and he sprinted back over to his friends.

Kat watched him, her left hand still on the neck of the guitar. He ran back over to her ,his friends playing on behind him. "Is something wrong?" he asked her.

She looked at him. "Why would you care? You don't know me," she said.

"Well, because I know what it's like to no have anyone to listen to what you have to say," he said, sitting down. He held out his hand. "I'm Ben, by the way."

She stared at him for a second. "Kat," she said, shaking his hand. "And it's nothing…"

Ben smiled. "You're lying, mate," he said.

Kat looked at him. "How can you tell?" she asked.

He smiled again. "I couldn't. You just told me yourself," he said.

Kat had to smile. "Oh," she mumbled.

"So what is it?" he asked.

She stared at the ground for a while. "Six years ago, I was great…the star of my team…and our team was unbeatable," she said, a sad smile on her face. "I was so happy, both me and my brother, Ed. Then there was an accident, and Ed was killed. I blamed myself so much that I stopped playing." Tears were falling from her eyes.

"Why did you blame yourself?" he asked.

Kat looked up at him. "Because I begged him to come to my tournament so much…and it had been raining so bad…but he still came because I asked him to…so I felt it was my fault…" Kat said. She wiped her eyes with the palm of her hand.

Ben set his hand on her shoulder, and she stopped crying after a while. "Better?" he asked.

Kat nodded. "Sorry," she said, pushing her hair back.

He was silent for a while. "Do you think you would ever play again?" he asked her.

She shrugged. "I guess, maybe…why?" she asked him, and she turned to look at him.

"Because if you do decide to play again, I know a very good pro all girls team. My friend, Joe, is the coach," he said, "and I know that they would be ecstatic to have you."

Kat looked at him, and a slow smile spread across her face.