Thanks very much to xXVampireXx for reviewing. I was re-reading and thinking and realized I made a mistake. Sam replaces Darren but not completely. So I'll be mentioning Darren in here as he leads his own life.


You ever feel like…maybe you're not the one who should be in that place at that moment? Like, you replaced someone who was supposed to do what you're doing. Well, I had that feeling a lot…especially when we got the tickets to Cirque Du Freak.

We had mentioned it to Alan, Tommy and Darren. Those guys I've known a year or so less than I've known Steve, but they were still my buddies. Although I always tried to beat Darren in soccer…he creamed me every time. Alan was probably the only one I could beat actually!

Anyway, although they were interested, they all had something to do on Saturday. Alan had some sort of science tutorial, Tommy had soccer practice and Darren…well, he said something in his gut told him to stay away. Although I found that weird at the time, I now completely understand what he meant. From now on, I shall worship the all mighty gut feeling.

So Steve bought us tickets and I went home on Friday. The plan was simple; sleep over at Steve's…but not actually sleep. While my father would encourage me to go and have fun, my mother would say no. She was old fashioned, as I said before. She didn't believe in me playing sports, let alone sleeping over at my friends (who was like a brother) house.

I wore blue jeans and a gray shirt with some cartoon on it, my hat on backwards like always. My bangs slipped from the hat and covered one of my eyes. It was the oufit I'd wear to Cirque Du Freak.

In fact…as soon as I stepped inside, I sensed something wrong.

My father sat at the table, his stub of a leg hidden by a blanket. He did that a lot lately, especially when we had guests over. Although I was never ashamed of my father, I knew he felt shame for himself. He couldn't look me in the eye as I stepped in!

"Samantha…" I grimaced, hearing my mother's voice. "I have great news, for all of us!"

"Really?" I grabbed a soda and sat down, sipping it silently. "What is it?" When she had good news for us, it usually meant bad news.

"Well, I was talking to my father's old friends and…well…long story short, my dear…you're in an arranged marriage!"

Soda went all over the table. "What?!"

"Samantha, that's not lady like! Now as I was saying, I set a marriage up for you. You'll meet the man tomorrow night and go dancing with him- ballroom dancing, not that hip hop stuff. Then within a year, you'll be married!" She clapped her hands together, her eyes sparkling.

"…Marriage? I'm only fourteen mother! The last thing on my mind is marriage!"

"Oh nonsense, I was married when I was your age!"

"I won't do it!" I understood why my sister was no where near; they sent her to her room to keep from warning me. I understood why my father could not and would not look at me in the eye; he was powerless to stop it. "I refuse to marry some guy I don't know! I'm too young!" Grabbing my stuff from my room, I slipped out from the window and into the night.


It was Saturday night. Finally, at long last! I didn't tell Steve about why I spent the night a night earlier; he could tell I didn't want to speak of it. His mother was ecstatic to have a girl in the house, even if that girl was a tomboy.

We walked into the old building, my eyes shining brightly with fear and amazement. I looked around, shocked to the core of how scary this actually was. But still, I loved it! This was a thrill, something so rare in this place!

"Can I help you two?" A voice came up from behind us.

I jumped and grabbed Steve's forearm, spinning around to face the person who spoke. There before us was a tall man with a red hat (making him taller, if possible), red gloves, a dark red (suspiciously looking like blood) outfit. He smiled, his teeth almost black and his tongue yellow. I shuddered…what a handsome man.

"W-We're here for the show." Steve managed to speak first.

"Tickets please." He repeated like a machine.

Steve took out his ticket with ease while I hesitated. I hadn't left it at home did I? If mother found it, she'd kill me! Forget the marriage, I'd be at my funeral! I felt a trace of panic; where is it?!

"Try your hat, Samantha." The man spoke up again.

I could have slapped myself; of course! My hat is the place I always hide important stuff. I just forgot this time because of the…How had he known that? Steve beat me again to speak, "How did you know her name? And where the ticket was?"

The man leaned down, meeting our heights. "I know many things, young man. I know you don't like your parents and snuck out of here after 'borrowing' the money from your mother."

His head turned to me and, much to my annoyance, I stepped back. His breath stank worse than garlic roasting with rotten eggs on a July afternoon! "And I know you resent your mother for putting you into that arranged marriage. And that you feel out of place here, like someone else should be instead."

My mouth dropped. "…Lucky guess!" I crossed my arms, "Anyone can assume that Steve hates his parents; he's a teenager! Anyone can guess that I resent my mother, I'm a tomboy. I dress the complete opposite than what my mother wants; most teens do. And of course we snuck out and borrowed the money; how else could we have gotten here?!"

The man chuckled darkly, "You'll see soon enough that I do not 'guess'. Now, follow me." As we walked, Steve nudged me.

"Why didn't you tell me about the marriage?" He whispered furiously.

I winced, trying to scoot away so he wouldn't hit me. "I didn't want to ruin tonight. I was planning on telling you after it…"

Thankfully, the man turned around in time. I silently thanked him and shivered when he nodded with a grin at me. It was like he heard my thoughts! We gave him the tickets, I had to stifle a laugh as he ate them, and stepped into the theatre.

The show was amazing…some new and different…something I'd become a part of.


Next chapter: Crepsley and Steve meet…and (here's another twist I spoke of earlier) Sam gets caught! Review!

This chapter was longer than anticipated so I couldn't really add the meeting yet.