CHAPTER ONE

Serena looked up at the imposing building in front of her and took a very deep breath to try to calm her nerves. 'This is,' she thought, 'I've made my decision and I must see it through.' All around her, the other students were hurrying through the gates so they would not be late when the bell rand. Some were throwing her curious looks but mostly everyone just ignored her.

Serena had picked this particular school in New York because she knew that it would make it difficult for her to be found. And being found and hauled back to her old life was something she wanted to avoid for as long as she can. She was in the last year of her high school life and for one she just wanted to be a normal teenager. So she escaped in the middle of the night and caught a plane without telling anyone where she had gone. She did leave a note. She wasn't stupid. But it would take someone months and she hoped at least a year for the note to be found. She grinned at that. And with that thought in mind, she went through the gates of her new school and went to look for the office.

As soon as Serena went through the front door of her school, she was immediately assailed by doubts. The school was a lot bigger than she imagined. Left, right and center students were running around, joking with each other or just plain socializing waiting patiently for the bell for homeroom to ring. How was she going to find the school office through this sea of people?

"Are you okay? Need a hand?" a voice suddenly cut through her thoughts.

Serena turned to the voice's owner and was surprised to find a girl with short hair and wire-rimmed glasses framing her face. And she was smiling so sweetly that Serena immediately felt at ease and comfortable. Her first friend!

"Thank you so much! I am looking for the school office so I can acquire my class schedule," Serena replied enthusiastically.

"Oh. Right this way," the girl said directing Serena through the throng of students.

As they made their way down the hallway, Serena introduced herself to the girl and she learnt that her name was Amy and that they were in the same year. When they got to the office, they were both glad to find out that they were also in the same homeroom and that most of their classes were the same.

As they made their way back to their homeroom, Amy studied the girl next to her. Amy thought that Serena was gorgeous with long golden hair that was pulled into two pigtails on either side of her head each topped with a bun. And her eyes were sky blue and they seemed to twinkle. And the way she talked was also so fascinating. She obviously came from a European country. She just seemed to have this energy around her that Amy could not help but be drawn to it. She knew that Serena was going to be a really good friend.

Serena was amazed by everything around her. This was the first time in her life that she finally felt normal. And for the first time she was to be able to enjoy going to school with people her own age and who did not know who she was. Because Serena had a secret. And if that secret were to come out, she would be dragged right back where she came from.