Chapter 1

Beep! Beep! Beep! A loud and obnoxious noises started blaring right next to my ear, my eyes still stayed closed hoping that wretched noise would stop, but the noise only seemed louder when I waited for it stop. Beep! Beep! Beep! I lay in my soft, warm bed for a minute or so, but the noise was still blaring. My eyes burst open with annoyance and hatred of the blinking, blue alarm clock that was directly next to my poor ears; I raised my hand high in the air and smacked the alarm clock until the horrid beeping stopped. It took a few tries, but I got it.

I rolled over on my right side facing the dark green wall, my face was pressed up against it and the wall was absolutely freezing. My eyes burst open again, but this time I knew I wasn't getting any sleep. Neither body nor mind was ready for another long, boring, nothing filled school day, and I literally rolled myself out of bed and onto the light brown, hard wood floor.

I landed with a loud thud, and the entire building seemed to have shaken. My thoughts were slow, but there was always one important question in my mind—who was the man in my dreams?

My weak arms pushed my body up off the cold floor; I peered behind me at the blue alarm clock on the white nightstand—6:45—it was way too early to do anything let alone go to school as a freshman! High school is hard enough when you are normal, but I'm the furthest thing from normal on this entire planet; the blob fish is more normal than I am!

Just behind the white nightstand was a single, small, square window, even though it was early in the morning, the city always seems to be lit no matter what time of the day. Street lamps illuminated the fresh snow covered sidewalks; it twinkled in the dim light, and it made everything look so peaceful.

The floorboards creaked under my feet as I strode across the room to the small closet on the other side of it; I opened the closet and randomly grabbed a pair of jeans and a shirt, and slammed it shut—which sent an echo through the girl's home I live in.

Yes, I live in an orphanage. Miss Annie (who is insanely mean) and Miss Tawny (who is insanely nice) run Miss Annie's Home for Girl's in none other than Chicago, Illinois of course. Tawny tells me stories of how I was here basically since the day I was born, and they just couldn't I.D. my parents so I was left here; the only thing that I had from my parents was a note that was explaining my name and stuff and an open triad necklace made of pure silver. Nobody has adopted me since the day I came-which was about fourteen years ago-because I was very anti-social and depressed.

The air was cold and dry, so I shivered as I changed my clothes. Today's outfit included black skinny jeans that would cut off the average person's blood flow in seconds, a plain black fitted shirt, and a buttoned up to my mid-chest black cardigan. How could my luck be this good with my outfit that day? Up against the front wall was a black vanity, I peered into the mirror and my black hair was literally standing up strait in some parts.

I cringed at my reflection, and took out a heavy-duty hair brush from the top drawer and brushed down my tangled mess on top of my head. To put it straight forward, my hair is weird; some days like that one it would be slick straight, and other days it would look like Hermione Granger's hair from Harry Potter. Once my hair was tamed I took a comb at made it into what society would call "emo hair", no it's not all poufy and crazy, it's just spiked at some ends. I put on some eyeliner and was ready to go.

Quickly, I slipped on some black vans, grabbed my green and black stripped backpack and ran out the white door. My feet pounded against the same floor that ran through the entire building, since my room was on the very top floor, I ran down about six flights of steps.

My feet pounded against the floor sending quiet tapping noises through the seemingly empty building, the lights were bright in the gold colored hallways giving it a warm and inviting feeling. Then, as I got closer and closer to the bottom of the building, the atmosphere seemed less happy and more depressing. The walls faded to a dull grey, and the wall lamps gradually went away.

Finally, I reached the bottom of the pale grey stairs. I stared down at my feet and was not paying any attention to where I was going, and then my shoulder collided with a pudgy object, but I just kept walking not wanting to see the beast.

"Hmmmm….," the beast growled at me, and then said under her fowl breath "Disrespectful brat. No wonder your parents didn't want you."

I was right next to the large coat rack in the corner next to the grey, wooden door reaching for my black, knee-length trench coat. Something in my brain snapped when that fowl bitch—Annie—insulted my parents and I snapped "That's a lie!" I grabbed my coat, and spun around to see Annie's face.

Her toad-like face was covered in heavy makeup and wrinkles was red as a tomato, her chubby hands were clenched in two, tight fists and were turning white. Annie raised a pink painted finger at me, and she said in a sickened tone "That is why nobody likes you, and why you will be here until the day you turn eighteen you ungrateful little bit…" Annie was cut off by a sweet and caring voice from behind her.

"Now Annie, let's not use that kind of language around the kids," behind Annie was a young lady who looked to be only in her early twenties dressed in brown and tan; she had dirty blonde hair and sparkling, green eyes that could make a person feel better instantly when they were being yelled at by Annie—Tawny.

One of the pink curlers fell out of Annie's red and grey hair and bounced on the floor. She bit her red lip, glared at me with beady, grey eyes, and walked to the left into her office; the door slammed behind her. Tawny looked at me and smiled kindly, she asked "What did you do this time?"

I shook my head, "I bumped into her, and she exploded," Tawny looked at me like I was lying.

She laughed quietly to herself, and guided me to the door with her hand on my back "Just don't piss her off anymore; all she wants to do is make an entire orphanage of girls able to function." I put my black trench coat on, and Tawny opened the pale door with two windows at the top; the sleigh bells jingled, and a white wonderland emerged right before my eyes. I stepped onto the fresh snow, and the sky was covered with thick, fluffy, white clouds that had snow pouring out of each of them.

I began to walk away from the orphanage when Tawny yelled out "I'll be there at 7:30 to see the show!" Then the door slammed shut.

School was usually boring, but the last day of school before winter break is not boring when you are the lead in the school musical—"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street". I was so surprised that I got to be Sweeney, because I was just expecting an extra, but not the lead role that is meant for a guy to play. I could remember auditions like they were my dreams; I got up on stage and was so nervous, I sang "My Friends" from the musical, and all of the people in the audience were surprised that I had matched my voice perfectly to Johnny Depp's—even in the acting portion. Then the music teacher, Mrs. Tremble, had put up a cast list in the hall; I searched for my name in the extras/background characters and I didn't find my name there-I had assumed that I didn't make it-but I was curious to see who got the leading roles, and it big, bold letters were

Sweeney Todd Synyster Lokison

I had been utterly shocked; I didn't even think I was a good singer, not at all good enough for the star! But I went on with my life and practiced the songs and lyrics, and today is the premier of the musical is today.

Snow plows quickly tried to get the pure, white snow off the roads before traffic set in; I walked along the cleared sidewalk, and a thin layer of snow lay on the grey sidewalk. Wind whipped at my black hair and cooled my face. Warmth radiated from the Palskoni Bakery in front of me, the side walk was wet from the snow melting, and steam was forming on its glass wall in the front of the bakery.

The bakery was a part of a chain of small shops and markets, it was one story, always steamy and warm, and had the nicest workers. Mr. Palskoni was standing outside of his bakery in his usual white t-shirt and apron that seemed to always be covered in flour; his gray and black hair was slicked back-like the man from my dreams-and he had a deep tan from being Italian, his was warm and inviting despite all of the wrinkles.

I approached the bakery, and Mr. Palskoni smiled and opened his arms and said happily in his accent "Synyster," I wrapped my arms around him-and he was shorter than I was so it was strange-"my dear girl! I hear that you are going to sing at your school to-day, I must come and see you preform." Mr. Palskoni diverted his attention from me and yelled something that sounded like some cuss words in Italian into the bustling bakery.

"Syd," he gestured for his grandson Syd to come out, "come here." Popping his head out from the glass door was Syd; his dark brown eyes was sparkling, his long, brunette hair hung in his eyes. He had a tan like his grandfather, but it wasn't as dark. Syd's arms were ripped-from his six years of playing quarterback on the football team-and the steam made them shine, he wore a white V-neck under a heavy with a flour splattered apron.

Syd used to be-and still is—my one and best friend, he's my age but his family has a tradition where the oldest son is the only one who has the choice of collage, and since Syd is the middle child he was taken out of school to work. Of course I miss him, but I see him literally him every day.

"Hey," Syd said sweetly, he looked around nervously, "do you want anything to eat? It's on me."

Whenever a Palskoni offers you food you take it, because the bakery makes the best pastries in the world. "Yeah, I'll have a brownie," I said nicely and then smiled. Syd disappeared into the bakery, cars started to line up in front of the businesses and customers poured into the surrounding businesses. Girls in high skirts walked in and out of Smoothie Hut with their low fat, low carb, low everything mango smoothie in about the smallest cups I've ever seen. Guys tried to flirt with the girls while they sipped their orange concoctions, and occasionally a blonde girl with the most perfect face would glare at me. Austyn Word, queen of the school and she's only a freshman.

Syd soon returned with my brownie on a paper napkin, steam flourished off of the brownie and warmed my red cheeks. Austyn glared over at me once again, but this time her icy, blue eyes lit up at the sight of Syd, she ran across the snow in her hot pink uggs; to my surprise she was one of the very few girls who was wearing pants. "Sydy! OMG, I thought you moved. LOLS!" Austyn yelled running to Syd; she really said LOL as in L.O.L., it's really annoying.

Syd had the look of horror as Austyn sprinted towards him, her too many highlights, curled hair bounced with every step. Mr. Palskoni went inside. Then, I felt a strong force shove me to the ground, and a high pitched squeal was let out from Austyn.

I lay flat on my back on the cold concrete, my eyes were closed, and my back and butt hurt terribly. Syd was asking Austyn to let go of him, but she kept squealing louder and louder. "Do you need help?" this voice was so familiar, so kind, so loving, so Scandinavian.

I opened my eyes and lifted my head slightly, a pale and thin man knelt in front of me-he couldn't have been more than twenty-five-he had his hand out reached. He had vibrant green eyes, slicked back, black hair, but he was wearing a white dress shirt that was rolled up to his elbows and a black vest and tie that was buttoned up with black dress pants.

Austyn looked down at me and the man and was holding back laughter, I just ignored her and said politely "Yes, thank you." and took the man's hand. I was hoisted off the ground by the man; once I got to my feet I noticed that he had a silver, open triad necklace—just like mine.

"Are you ok?" He asked.

"I'm fine," I realized that I had been at the bakery for about ten minutes, "I've got to go, by Syd!" I picked up my backpack from the ground and sprinted down the street, and I knew in my mind that I had just "the man in my dreams" in real life.


COMMENT!