Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the Caster Chronicles.

Now that that's done. . . Yay! I have the first Beautiful Creatures Fanfic on here.

Lena's P.O.V.

I looked around the room as the thoughts went through my head. The light from the lamp, that sat on the small, oak table between our beds, cast light onto the hideous flower-print border that encircled the top of our room. Julia and I both hated those pale, pink flowers, but neither of us had never really had the time to change them. Time was up, now.

Why? Why did our family have to be Claimed Dark or Light? Why? It just wasn't fair. These questions were floating through my head as I lay on my bed, unable to sleep.

Tonight, Julia was going to be Claimed. Why? I mean, I was almost certain she would be a Light. She was one of the best people I knew; Casters or Mortals. Well, I didn't personally know that many Mortals, but still. I just thought it was unfair that our family didn't have a choice.

In my family, people are Claimed on their sixteenth birthday. The Caster then turns Dark or Light, there's no grey. There's no choice. Every other Caster family got to choose wether to be good or bad; black or white. Ha, even the judgmental Mortals got to choose between good or evil. They got to know their true names long before they turned sixteen. Not my family. Once again, why?

Julia got up from her bed. She hadn't been able to sleep, either.

"Lena, I'm leaving," she said.

"Why are you leaving? You don't turn sixteen till tomorrow," I pointed out.

"I'm going Dark, Lena Beana, I can feel it."

"You can't know for sure."

"It's gonna happen."

"You can't leave! Who's going to tell all those kids at school to back off when they start in with their insults? Who's going to tell everyone what to do? Who am I going to talk to when the one person who knows me better than anyone else is gone?" my voice was full of panic.

"You'll be okay."

I could tell that she had made up her mind. There was no changing it.

"Where do you plan to go?" I asked.

"To the train station. From there, I have no clue."

"May I follow you? Just to the station," I added. Julia nodded.

"You can keep our suitcase. I doubt I'll need it," she said.

I watched her as she stood in front of the mirror, messing with her choppy bangs. Julia was the better-looking of the two of us. Her hair was long, straight, and blond; my tight, black curls were always slightly frizzy. She had the coolest pink streak in her hair and choppy bangs that fell ever-so-slightly over her green eyes. I hadn't been bold enough to dye any part of my hair.

She turned away from the mirror with a sigh and walked out the door. I followed.

"Gramma, I'm leaving," Julia told her when we reached the end of the stairs.

"Bye, Jules. I love you," Gramma said, deep sadness in her voice.

"I'm going with her to the train station. I'll try not to be gone long," I assured her.

"Be back by ten," she ordered, her green eyes fierce beneath her once-blond-but-now-turning-grey hair. I nodded.

Jules' and my walk to the station wasn't that long. We were silent, not ready to say goodbye. We stopped in front of the station, the pale moon-light allowing us to see the sadness in the others eyes.

Julia took a deep breath. "Goodbye, Lena. I'll always love you, even if I don't show it."

"You'll come back, you'll be Light. You have to," I cried through my tears. The passing Mortals probably though I was crazy, but I didn't care.

Jules just smiled sadly, then wrapped me in a hug.

"Goodbye, Ridley," I whispered into her hair. She pulled back, smiled again, though it didn't reach her eyes, and walked into the station.

It was then and there that I decided; I would never get close to anyone, again. Well, except Gramma and Uncle Macon. It was to late not to get close to them. But I would not do this to others. I would not put them through this terrible agony. Next year, when it was my turn, no one would be worried about my fate.

I made this decision as my cousin, my sister, left to meet her unknown fate.

Julia's P.O.V The next day.

I was going to be Dark, I just knew it. I stood in an empty bathroom, worrying about Lena. She was going to miss me, but she would get over it, soon. Besides, I was pretty sure I'd see her, again. She was family, they couldn't keep her away, forever.

Then it happened. There was nothing extravagant, no flashing lights, or anything. It was just this feeling that it was over. That it had been decided. I had been Claimed. I glanced up at my reflection in the mirror at my golden eyes that were partly hidden under my bangs and smiled.

I walked out of the bathroom and strutted up to the counter. The boy standing behind it was looking at me in awe. I smiled, boys always did that when I was around. I picked up a pair of dark shades and a red lollipop and set them down on the counter.

"Aw, I don't have any money," I sad in the saddest voice I could.

"It's okay, you can just take it," the guy said, staring strait into my eyes.

"Thanks," I said, in an overly-perky voice.

I turned and walked out the door, the guy's eyes following me the whole way out.

Lena had been wrong. I wasn't Light, I was Dark. It was a relief to finally know what I was. I also now knew who I was.

I was Ridley.