Prologue

Warm brown eyes gazed at her over the six foot ledge. As she stared they changed from a sweet tea color to their original milk chocolate. The eyes seemed to be smiling at her, even though she could only see the top half of his face. His beautiful innocent eyes were framed with raven's wings lashes, both long and luscious. A strong, confident nose was partly obscured from view but she could imagine a sensual mouth just begging to be kissed. His shaggy sandy blonde hair hung in his ever changing eyes.

As I peered back at him, he stood up from behind the terra cotta wall and towered over my 5'6 frame. He sauntered from the behind the shelf and started laughing, probably from the somewhat bewildered look on my face. Laughter brightened and perfectly balanced his masculinty, while his gorgeous hair shook into his eyes. I moved toward him at the same instant he decided to. I was walking but he suddenly swept me up into a wonderfully warm embrace. Blushing, I pulled away after only a few wonderful seconds. I studied my beat up Converse bashfully. Giant oak and pecan trees intertwined into an arch above our heads. Sunlight filtered through the subtly shinning leaves. Rose bushes grew around the arch completing the already the incredibly romantic setting.

A graceful, yet slightly shaking finger pulled my face back up to his. He slowly leaned in, giving me plenty of time to pull away. This time i stood my ground. I had already recognized that flying sensation I was feeling, as love. The oldest, most time-less emotion. Love lasted as long as the ancient trees that surrounded these two mortals. I wanted to give in completely and to make him feel the same as I did. From the cautious, careful joy in his eyes I believed that he felt the same. Our mouths caressed and he moved his lips to my neck, making me groan with pleasure. Suddenly i felt something sharp press againist the side of my elongaited neck. I gasped and called out his name. He turned towards me, and snarled, nostrils flaring..

"SUZETTE! GET UP THIS INSTANT! YOU HAVE SCHOOL TODAY, REMEMBER?"

I was startled out of my wonderful dream just as it was reaching the climax. I had sensed that this mystery boy was about to tell me something. Something important...

I stumbled down the stairs of our ancient two story house, that was starting to fall into a state of disrepair.

"Stupid cobwebs." I grumbled to myself, while descending the last few stairs, before finally reaching the bottom floor.

"Wahjasae?"

Dad asked questioningly, his voice was already slurring, and he seemed to be unfocused. His head cautiously came out from behind the wall from the adjoining room.

"Just thinking a loud. You? I mumbled pathetically, still trying to stay in that magnificent dream

"Reedin da papuh. Wher ya mahm?" He rubbed the inside of his left arm, smearing the tiny drops of blood popping up from his veins.

I didn't answer, knowing fully well he knew what happened to the dream about that guy was the dream I had been having ever since 2nd mom was killed by a stray bomb that her military unit had happened upon. The footage was caught by several random American citizens trying to make 'peace' with the nearby extremists, and shown on TV. Ever since the day I witnessed that tape I had nightmares every night. During the worst nights I would wake up screaming, the best I would just cry. For hours. When they first started Dad would run into my room with a baseball bat at the ready. It had been a while since he had busted into my room, but if the dark circles meant anything, it was that he certainly wasn't getting a perfect twenty winks.

I settled into my creaky old chair, that had been at this very table, the very day, the very second, when Mom was here one day and then poof, gone the next. I stared mournfully down at my breakfast, while dad scrutinized the black rings under my eyes and the bagginess of my clothes.

"Why aren't you at work yet Dad? I asked him, still gazing at this thing called breakfast.

"Welllll i uhh..." he reluctantly let his sentence trail off. And instead focused on scratching at one of the many sores on his face.

"Ok then gotta go Dad. Bye.

I cut him off, not wanting to hear again about how bad the job market was and how easy it was for someone to get fired on 'absolutely' no grounds.

"No reason my ass." I mumbled to myself and strode out the door, barely hiding my limp. I'm usually pretty resilient to pain, but hated for anyone that wasn't close to me, to see any weakness of mine.

My dad and I hadn't been close since he turned to a needle and syringe as an answer to my mom's death. My own answer didn't involve anything illegal; or rather it wasn't as illegal. Usually.


Author's Note

should i continue this? please please PLEASE read and review or i might go into my room and never come out again. And we sure wouldn't want that now would we?

PLEASE READ AND REVIEW

(and yes i'm begging)