Chapter 1

It was a cold February day in midtown Manhattan, quite frosty if you will, when 18-year-old Kitara Anise Smith was walking home from the nearby bank with 4,000 hard-earned dollars in her purse, getting ready to go and pack her suitcases for her 5 week vacation to Montego Bay. It was 9:00 pm, the full moon was out, peeking from behind the fragile snow clouds and this was her last stop after the Manhattan Mall, getting 4 new swimsuits and a couple new pairs of shoes, along with some new sea glass jewelry.

"This should cover me for 5 weeks…or will I need more?" She asked herself. She started to turn back around when she heard heavy, fast footfalls. Abruptly turning around, she saw someone running straight for her in a black jacket.

"Someone, help me!" she said, running fast. "This is a fine fucking time for me to get robbed!" she said to herself.

She turned the corner and into the alley shortcut, but the man was gaining speed.

"Stop running, bitch!!" He pulled out a Beretta.

She was slowing down; her breath was catching and she couldn't get away from him. On top of that, her bags were weighing her down. She heard shots and one bullet whizzed past her shoulder.

"I want that money, whether you're dead or alive! Preferably dead!" He kept shooting, but kept missing.

"You sick bastard!" She screamed. How did he know that she had the money in her bag?

She turned the corner and before she could blink, she was grabbed and muffled by a weird stranger. Just then the man came up in front of her, breathing heavily. She was sure she was going to die at this point.

"I was just…trying to…tell her something…" he lied.

"Okay, so you're trying to tell her something, but then you shoot at her. I suggest you get the hell away from this girl."

"Get the hell out of my way!"

The stranger that had her muffled pulled out a pistol. "Now I know you can hear me well!"

He looked at Kitara with death in his eyes. "I'm coming back for you…" He ran off.

Kitara shook violently with fear, wriggling to break free. "Who the hell are you?!?! Someone…please…help me!" She started screaming and tried to take off, but the stranger grabbed her arm with the tightness of a vice grip.

"I don't want to hurt you. I saw that man in the bank looking at you strangely and I had a feeling he was going to do something stupid."

"Wait...what?"

"I was in the bank while you were there and I followed you."

"You FOLLOWED ME?" Who are you?"

"I'm sorry if I freaked you out a bit."

She turned around slowly to face him. She couldn't believe who it was. Was she dreaming? The man she spent countless nights dreaming about…whose guitar licks and riffs she listened to any time she possibly could, was standing in front of her, like he was no one.

Did HE even know who he was?

"Oh my God, you're…you're…." she stammered. She couldn't find the breath to say his name.

"Tom, I'm Tom…Tom Kaulitz…what's yours?"

K-k-Kitara." She stuttered. " I'm Kitara." She said, hoping she didn't sound as weak as she thought.

"Tom," She had a hard enough time looking at him as well as speaking to him, "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I'm just doing a little shopping, that's about it."

There was a long silence, and Kitara slightly considered walking away when he finally spoke up.

"Well...umm...Kitara, may I walk you back to your house?" He said smiling.

"I can handle myself…or try…Where are the others?"

"I can't tell you that. I don't know." Tom said with a smile.

"Well…"She said shyly. Truth be told, she did want him to walk her home; she thought he was really cute, not to mention an awesome guitarist…and she did owe him a favor for saving her life. Her head was in a whirlwind and she didn't know what decision to even make. But he made it for her; they started to slowly walk towards the nearest station.

"How old are you?" he asked.

"Umm…what?"

"How old are you?" he said while slowly putting his arm around her waist. She started to walk closer to him.

"19, okay? I'm 19."

"I'm 20."

"I know, silly."

"Oh, you know? Have you read all about me?"

"NO…yes…a bit…"

"It's okay, I like for fans to know a little something about me."

"Oh? Well then I think I'm pretty well off." She felt her heart beat steadily rise as she got a smidge closer to him for warmth.

"Where exactly do you live?" Tom asked.

"We have to take the train to get there." Kitara answered.

"The train? To where?"

"You'll see. Now just let me-"

"We can just use my car to drop you off."

"Your…your car?" Kitara stammered. "I don't think-"

"Come on!" Tom pulled her to the big, black Escalade they used to roam around town.

"But can all my stuff-"

"Yes, it can fit." He helped Kitara put all of her stuff into the car and pulled her into the back seat. He then went over to the other side of the car and sat in the seat next to it.

There was an awkward silence inside the still car until Tom finally spoke up. "Umm…tell him where you want to go…"

"Oh Right!" Umm…take me to West 59th Street and Fifth Avenue, the Plaza Hotel."

"Got it." The driver said, and then he pulled off. Kitara couldn't help but look over at Tom a couple *or more* times to see if this was really real.

Me…inside…the Tokio Hotel Escalade? This CAN'T be real! Say something! Don't sit there like a dummy! Do something! He's looking at you! Move…your…lips!

But as hard as she tried, the things her brain was telling her to do just didn't happen.

Kitara slowly wished it was all over, and before she knew it, she was pulling up in front of the hotel.

"This is my house." She said when they reached the steps.

"Wow...this is your house, eh?" He said looking up.

"Well, not the whole thing silly! I live in the penthouse on the top floor! See, my mom is a lawyer and mt dad is a surgeon so-"

"It's okay, you don't have to explain." Tom smiled a small smile at her.

Kitara laughed. "Now, stop staring...hold out your hand." She said.

"Why?" he asked. She took out a pen.

"Just hold it out..." She wrote down her cell phone number."

"1-917-753-2871, okay, so when can I call you?"

"Tonight, at 12:00 midnight...maybe?"

"So late?"

"Problem?"

"No, not at all." he said. He lifted a finger to her chin and pulled her lips to his, and kissed her sweetly. She melted like ice in his strong arms, while he held her perfectly and ran his hands along the small of her back.

"Mmmmmmm......" she moaned, but to her dismay, he pulled apart from her. Kitara's head was spinning, going a mile a second, with the reality of what just happened hitting her like a lightning bolt. She stepped out of the car, and with Tom's help, got all her bags to the front doors.

"I'll call you tonight…"

"I'll…have my…umm...phone…" she said, The doorman pulled open the door for her and she stepped inside, looking back one more time to see the guy who saved her life looking right back at her.

"Go in already…"

"Okay…" she shut the door slowly.