This story, like many, start with one loney girl sitting all alone by the fireplace. She looks down at her feet while her shoulder length brown-black hair curles fall down around her face. Her brown eyes full of tears knowing it is the fifth year that her father is dead with her step-mother getting everything. "I do feel sorry for you," says her step-sister Annabelle as she rubs her back, "sooner or later things will get better for you Irini, tommarrow you and me have to go to the flee market to get things for mother."

Annabelle was her mother's youngest child and closer to Irini's age than her brother or sister who treated Irini cruel like the step-mother did.

Irini hugged her step-sister and went to bed without a fuss. By morning she was feeling a little better, but not worse, her and Annabelle walked past a little shop where the two peered into the glass to see if it was open. "It looks closed Anna, maybe if it's opened next week we can go in," said Irini. Annabelle liked to be called Anna but even this thought seemed wrong. She shook her head no as she went towards the door and tried the doorknob, "let's check it now or we won't get a chance next week. Remember mother is having that party?" Irini shook her head, "that's right I almost forgot, yes let's check it now or else." Irini followed her as they both took hold of a doorknob as there was two doors that had elegant painted glass in the middle with golden handles that made a heart shape. They both pushed down on the little handles that were on the handle bars as Irini's door opened but Annabelle's door was locked.

They peered in as the soft rock music plaied. "Hello," they both said as they walked in the dark room only lit by the sun through the glass. As they looked around there was glass counters and smaller round tables with chairs on top of them. "Hello, is anyone here," Irini yelled out again. Annabelle was on the other side of the room as she found a door, she placed her ear close to the door and heard the music get changed from behind the door. "Hey over here," she whispered to Irini, "I hear something from behind this door." Irini rushed right over and placed her ear near the door as she listened.

"Are you sure this will work?"

"It has to work, we put all that effort into nothing then if it doesn't work."

"That's true, but why these girls? Did it have to be them?"

Both girls moved away from the door thinking that whomever it was sounded like they were killers. "We should leave before they notice us," said Irini as Annabelle shook her head in agreement. But before they could even take two steps away the door opened up as a young good-looking guy with amazing blue-green eyes with a stern look saw them. "What a handsome boy," Irini said under her breath, but before he could speak Annabelle took hold of her arm and ran out the door pulling her away.

Irini looked back once again and saw the guy ran out behind them but not chase them before he went back inside. "He's not following Anna, we can stop now." But Annabelle just wanted to keep going as a bright light suddenly appeared in the sky. Irini felt like a bolt of lightning hit her in the chest as she fell down and landed in the dirt. Annabelle was trying her best to pull her step-sister up until she fell down beside Irini and felt the same until the light disappeared. They felt paralized and couldn't move for a little bit until a firm voice yelled at them to get up. They looked up, saw the step-mother and stood up right away.

"Look at how dirty the both of you are! Did you get everything I asked for?"

"Yes mother we did," Annabelle said, "We'll go home and wash up right away."

"Don't be silly," the step-mother said, "we have to get Josie a new dress and Daren fitted for his suit. Clean yourselves as best as you can and meet me in the Le Fine Gormet."

They agreed, turned towards the public bathroom and hurred to wash off. "Hey Anna," Irini said very sloftly, "did you feel weird as you fell?" Annabelle shook her head as she wiped her face, "can't say that I did, why do you ask?" Irini brushed her pants off, "just in case we ever run into that guy at step-mother's party. You know hers is the biggest every year just because Josie and Daren are twins and the most beatiful anywhere for miles and everyone loves them so everyone closes the stores all day on their birthday." Anna belle brushed off Irini's back as Irini did the same for Annabelle. "I mean," Irini continued, "if they weren't so popular then we wouldn't have to work hard like the servants do on their birthday party. Step-mother sure does plays favorite with them."

"I was a surprize baby and you never even met your mother because of what she did to your father," Annabelle said, "besides I expect her play favorite when it comes to Josie and Daren, everyone knows she spoils them rotten. Your father fell for mother's lies and trickery until he died from that heart-attack. I do miss him too you know?"

"I know you do Anna," Irini said turning around in the mirror, "my dad treated us very good until he died, now all we have left is each other." They ran out the bathroom and found their mother as Josie was trying on a tright fitting garmet that made her look like a princess. They finished there, had to hold Josie's dress, and followed the threesome to where Daren's suit fit perfectly. Irini noticed out the corner of her eye that the guy she saw earlier in the little shop was there in that store trying on a jacket. She tapped Annabelle on the arm until she saw and nearly screamed. She turned her head and apologised for her behavior then looked back at Irini finding out that he finally noticed them. He walked up slowly as they silently freaked out as every step he took nearly caused them to run until Joise went right up to him with a smile to her face.

"Hikaru, about time that i see you, I thought you forgot about me."

He spoke softly as he stared at Annabelle and Irini, "I had some business to do before I went anywhere Josie," he turned to look at her, "but then again I always have to do something before going out." Josie teasingly turned around, "that's why I can never see you Hikaru, because you are always busy." She pulled on his arm making him move towards her mother and brother until the girls turned to each other then nearly fainted due to the fact of they remembered who Hikaru was - the son of the mayor and the smartest college professor in the country!

They had anime ghost people comming out of their mouths.

The next day was easy because of school, but Irini still didn't feel any better from falling down. She opened up her locker to put her backpack until someone closed it with a bang. She looked and saw Joise with an angry look to her face with her groupies behind her too. "Stay the hell away from HIkaru, you can't even get a regular boyfriend Cinderella." Irini always bulked up to Joise but today she wasn't in the mood, "you can have him Josie, he's way to cool for me anyways. I don't feel like fighting today." Josie pulled her hair and slapped her across the face making her fall down. Irini teared up and held the place on her face where it hurt as she knelt there. Josie laughed, "if I ever catch you with him then I'm telling mother and she'll kick you out Cinderella." They walked off as Irini felt around for her backpack until she felt something silky. She turned and saw Yuki holding her hankercheif for Irini to wipe her tears away.

"I don't know why you tolerate her bahavior like that," Yuki said, "you are the best kick-boxer in school." Irini finally put her backpack up, closed the door, and walked along side Yuki to gym class. She slowly touched her cheek then answered Yuki, "you're just saying that because you are my best friend," she paused to look at Yuki, "and it's the truth because I love gym class." Yuki looked at Irini then smiled, "yeah that's right girlfriend!"

Today in gym class was soccer day, girls turn to play, and our two best friends are up next. Yuki was given the ball, droped it to the ground, and began running with it. Irini knew what Yuki was thinking as the two passed the ball back and fourth until they got to the goal. Irini wanted to take a shot but she had to pass it to their other friend Suzu, who took the ball and kicked it so hard she made a hole in the goal canceling the rest of the game for the girls.

"What was that about Suzu," Yuki asked taking a sip of her water bottle, "that was so hard you made that hole. Now we can't play for a while and ruined after school practice for the soccar teams." Suzu shook her head then answered very calmly, "ever since yesterday I've been feeling weird. Some red light in the sky and -..." she was interuped again by Yuki, "you too! I thought it was only me! The red light in the sky that hit my body like lighting!" Suzu's eyes got big, "you totally described how it was for me too!" Irini thought it was just a conincidence that both of her firends had that same experience but what did it ment?

School ended way too soon for the three girls until Annabelle joined them making four. For a while all they talked about was that red light until Irini and Annabelle told them what happened before the red light, the shop, and Hikaru. The other two didn't believe what they said until Hikaru, a girl their age, and a twenty-something year old guy stood right in front of them. "Hello girls," Hikaru said holding out a small pearl bracelet for each of them in a different color for each of them, "pick the color you want, you can keep them." They looked at each other then took a bracelet. Irini took the purple one, looked at it and saw a clock with amethyst gems around the edges, the pearls themselves were a baby powered purple with a liliac ribbon holding it together, it was just in general a wonderful present that she had to hide from her step-mother until she remembered.

"I can't accept this," Irini said holding it out to give back to him, "my step-mother takes anything nice away from me and gives it to Josie."

"I won't tell if you won't," he said pushing her hand away, "and let me handle Josie, I picked you and your step-sister for a reason if you let me finish."

"If you're going to date her I'm warning you that she's a brat," Annabelle said with pleading eyes.

"No I'm not," he said near laughing, "but thanks for the warning anyways." Hikaru then pointed towards Irini's face, "I'm more concered about you four girls, each of you is or has something troubling that has nearly nothing to loose but the life you are given to live, Irini is the perfect example because of how she's treated by her step family. Annabelle is the only one that treats her good because she is getting the same treatment from her family and they're blood."

The girl that stood silent had a white and cream colored bracelet on her arm suddenly spoke up, "my name is Eka, it means 'splender bay', and Hikaru is my older brother but I go to a private high school. It was Hikaru's choice to go to a public high school. But that's only because he's adopted just like me."

All four girls had anime boulders hit their heads because of the shock. Hikaru turned around and scolded her for saying that. The guy bowed and presented himself, "I'm Shino girls, and thier cousin and best friend. I'm blood related to their parents, they are my aunt and uncle and a pain to talk too." Hikaru patted Shino's arm to move him out of the way, "come by the shop tomarrow and I'll tell you what is going on."