I ride home with a little bit of difficulty. Back at Rob's place, things got a little out of hand, and i drank around five cans of Old Milwaukee. Way to much for me...I'm underweight, and the alcohol has rushed through my system faster than a cheetah on steroids.

"Just put one foot in front of the other Veiden..." I do as i tell myself and ride through the darkness of the city. The only thing lighting my way is a few street lights...which are flickering on and off...

"Huh?"

I stop my long board, and look around rather confused. The street lights are blinking and when one turns off, another turns back on. It's reminding me of mores code.

Whatever...i get on my long board and continue to ride. But i have a bad feeling, no matter where i go the lights flash and I have the impression that I'm being followed.

Thankfully, i make it to my house in a few more minutes and stumble up the driveway. I raise my hand to open the door, but it opens up for me. I think that it might have been magic, but it's just Grish...and he looks PISSED off.

"Where the hell have you been?!" Grish screams at me terrified and pulls me into the house. He's being so rough with me that i actually fall down flat on my ass in the boot room. Grish doesn't notice, he just slams the door shut and locks it tightly.

"What are ya freakin out about?" I slur. "I'm only a little bit past my curfew..."

"A little!" He mocks. "It's 1:00 in the morning Veiden. Your curfew is at 9:00!" I actually gasp when he tells me this. Has it really been that long?

"Oh..." I say oddly "I uh...didn't know that..." He almost growls at me, and I imagine Grish launching forward and strangling my neck.

"Obviously not, you where to busy getting wasted at Rob's house!" The tone of his voice is annoying the hell out of me. So i stand up and yell back at him-

"Stop acting like your my fucking parent, stop pretending like you care!"

"I do care!" He screams back. "And I put that curfew up for a reason. It's dangerous at night. You can't be walking around alone when-" I cut him off. "I'm sixteen years old Grish! In a month I'll be seventeen and graduated. You can't boss me around forever."

"I'm not bossing you around Veiden! I'm protecting you!"

"From WHAT!?"

"..."

We stare at each other for a few moments. "From yourself." He answers sternly. "Your reckless, and childish, it's as simple as that. You don't know what the real world is like, your naive."

This actually hurts me, and i answer him rudely. "Maybe i am..." I take a deep breath in.

"But your not like mom and dad where, you never will be! They where perfect, and you'll never be able to have the success that they had! Your just a sham! And a fucking heartless coward!" When i scream this at Grish, it sends all his rage over the top. He jumps forward, rests his forearm against my throat, and slams me into the wall right beside the closet.

"I've done more for you than you can possibly imagine Veiden. Everything I tell you, everything i do, Mom and Dad would have it done twice over."

"..." I go silent. "Then why aren't they here?"

"Huh?" He loosens his grip, and i whimper out my next sentence.

"If they would have done the same thing, why aren't they here to do it? Where are they huh?" I tear up. "If what your doing is there fucking job, then why aren't they doing it? They should be here shouldn't they?" A few tears fall and my voice cracks. "They shouldn't have died. Mom and Dad should be right next to us, proving that what we do is right!"

"Veiden, please don't-"

"Don't what?!" I shove him away. "Don't make a point? Don't say what should have been said a long time ago? Mom and Dad died because of us, and neither you, or I, will ever amount to what they should have become." I throw my arms in the air sarcastically "So fuck it all that's what i say. One day you and I are going to end up just like them. Two body's rotting in the ground. So why should i care how late i stay out? Or what grades i get? Or if i get lung cancer? Nobody will care in the end. Nobody will remember."

Grish shakes his head mournfully. "That's not true Veiden, people care."

"Well when I'm gone they won't care...and neither will you."

"Veiden please-" I don't listen to him though, i just walk past him and up the stairs.

"Our parents death wasn't our fault Veiden..." He mumbles to me. "And your more important than you could possibly imagine"

I don't sleep, and when Grish gets ready for work at 2:00 in the morning, i decide to go downstairs and meet up with him. I know that i should apologize, but when i reach the bottom of the stair case...something stops me...Grish is talking on the phone with somebody, and he doesn't sound happy.

"Don't take my warning's lightly Heirendel. More and more rifts have been appearing around town, and your apprentices aren't ready for-" The voice on the other end cuts him off. What does Grish mean by rifts? And who is Heirendel?

"This is my business Heirendel. This city is under the protection of my guild, not yours, and the apprentices don't understand that they threaten to let our secret out every time they enter a rift in reality. We need more seniors down here to close them quickly. Apprentices just won't do the job right" The voice named Heirendel yells at Grish again, and I'm hiding behind the wall really confused.

"Don't bring my little brother into this conversation" Grish almost yells at Heirendel. "I'll make sure he doesn't find out. I've been able to keep this a secret ever sense our parents died."

"..."

"Yes, i know Veiden will find out eventually. But not now, not when so many rifts have been appearing so close to our home. I'll tell him after he's graduated."

"..." I can tell Grish is getting annoyed at Heirendel. He begins to pace back and forth along the kitchens perimeter.

"Please Heirendel, retreat the apprentices and send it the seniors. We can't take any more risks"

"..."

"Yes sir."

Grish slams the phone down on the receiver and curses under his breath. "That fool, he has no idea what he's doing..."

He grabs a black bag from off the table (Where is his cop equipment?) and slings it over his shoulder. Then for some reason, he walks into the living room, down another hallway, and towards the basement door. He twists it just to make sure it's locked, and then walks out the front door.

"what the hell was that?" I mutter to myself after Grish leaves. I have so many questions, and i don't know if i should confront Grish about it when he gets home. I decide to leave it all alone for now, and try to fall back asleep. I'm not going to school today (Because of my hangover, duh) But I'll make sure I'm awake when Grish gets home. I curl up under the covers, but i just keep repeating old nightmares, and the conversation that Grish had continues to echo in my brain.

"Veiden, hey, wake up!"

I slowly open my eyes and stare at Grish. He seems concerned, and i utter words of profanity while siting up in bed.

"What do you want? Are you gonna get me in trouble again?" Grish shakes his head side to side. "No, I'm taking you somewhere" I frown and know this has something to do with last nights conversation with Heirendel. "Oh? Where are we going?"

"Not we, you. I'm taking you to Aunt Gemima's house."

"What? Why?" Grish pulls out a lie. "She called and said she wanted to spend the weekend with you. She also said sense your graduating, she's going to take you shopping for an expensive present"

Ok, this lie is pretty convincing. But it definitely leaves a bad taste in my mouth. After our mother (her sister) died. She avoided us at all costs. Now she's suddenly trying to ass-kiss the two of us? I'm not buying it. But i pretend i do.

"Fine, I'll pack up some clothes"

"Good"

"But where will you be Grish?"

"Working and here, at home." He begins to walk out of my room. "Where leaving right away." I nod my head as he closes the door.

Ya, something is definitely going on...

I get dressed into a long sleeved black and white striped shirt. Then put on black skinny jeans. I pack a weeks worth of clothing, accessories, my i-pod, my sketch book, and an extra pair of shoes. I meet Grish in the kitchen.

He already has his shoes on, and looks over at me plainly. "Alright Veiden, let's go"