"She only comes to me in my dreams,
So sleep becomes addicting;
It's not healthy, it's what makes you right..."

"Hey! Meta!"

I look up from my book to find a face just centimeters away from my own. Huge baby blue eyes peer at me behind curled eyelashes. Long and wavy blonde hair brushes my wrists as the girl smiles. She smells like bubble gum.

"Hi," I say simply, looking back down. The twenty year-old pouts in dissatisfaction, grabbing my chin with her hand and forcing my gaze back up. In her other hand she brandishes a camera.

Her name is Peach. A petite girl with an iron will and a hard punch. She's one quarter spoiled rich kid, one quarter motherly, one quarter pushy, and one quarter kind. She's also very inquisitive, not to mention the head photograph for the school journal. It's hard not to suspect her for the murder I witnessed; she can have a very short temper and isn't afraid to fight.

"Meta, please let me take pictures." Peach tries to look cute.

"You know my answer." I close my book, being careful to memorize the page number. Getting annoyed, the girl leans back and snorts. A taller figure steps in next to her and places a hand on her shoulder. Long green hair is pulled up in a tight ponytail, while emerald eyes glance tiredly at the blonde.

"It's no use, Peach. His answer is always the same." Lyn says, looking rather bored.

"But he's become sort of an icon for this school! Since he was a freshman he's been sitting under the cherry blossom every

day reading. Everyone knows him! He's like our unofficial mascot! I just need one picture for next year's brochure." The photograph whines, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

"You can badger him later!" Lyn exclaims, tugging at the sleeve of Peach's pink t-shirt. "Have you heard of what happened?"

"Of course I have!" The petite woman huffed, "What kind of journalist would I be if I hadn't?"

Now I am interested.

"Heard of what?" I inquire, glancing up curiously at the two females.

"Someone was murdered. Just a couple of feet away from your bench too!" The green-haired athlete replies, "there are no suspects yet. Or leads, for that matter. I'm just surprised they're letting the school stay open."

"Yeah, I heard it was some freshman. Poor kid," the blonde interjects.

Before I can say anything else, Peach grabs her friend's arm viciously, her gaze trained behind her. She whispers something harsh to Lyn before both of them walk away hurriedly. Confused, I search the campus for any sign of something unusual; I cannot spot anything.

And so I return to my book.

A single beam of moonlight filters into my room and rests on my cheek. For the umpteenth time I sigh and roll over. Just yesterday night I witnessed someone I know but didn't quite recognize murder a student. She spared my life. She should have gotten rid of me, but she didn't, and that is why I haven't gone to the police. It feels like something bad will happen if I do.

In my head, the scene repeats itself. Her voice, her demeanor, just her in general, everything digs into my skin... With a sigh I kick off all of my covers and hop out of bed. From my tiny dorm window, I have a perfect view of the university courtyard. The bench I usually rest on sits just underneath a tree, facing away from me. The clouds shift, illuminating my usual seat and revealing a figure perched upon it.

I don't have to double-check, I know; it's her.

Adrenaline pumps through my suddenly alert veins as I scramble around my cramped room. I pull on a pair of jeans before running out into the hallway and down the stairs. I race outside. She hears the door close and glances back, acknowledging me with a slight nod. The girl leans back and peers through the leaves of the tree shielding her from the heavens.

"The skies are beautiful tonight," she breathes, her voice soft and melodious.

I finally stop three feet away from her and double over, panting. There is a light breeze that brushes my bare chest and I shiver. I curl my toes in the fresh, dew-coated grass. The stars illuminate each blade of dark green, making the garden look like a bed of diamonds. My throat is dry.

"Why didn't you..." I pause to take in a gasp of air. "Why didn't you kill me?"

The blonde stays silent for a long moment, her back still facing me. She is so quiet that for a second I believe she has fallen asleep; just as I am about to ask again, however, she replies.

"For a number of reasons. There is something different about you, Meta. It draws me in."

Finally she turns around, though I still cannot see who she is. She conceals her features in the darkness and avoids my gaze.

"Who are you?" I whisper, still bent over.

Her eyes meet mine. She holds my gaze for what seems like hours, even though only ten seconds have passed. I find answers hidden in her brilliant blue stare.

"You already know." She whispers back. Hesitantly she holds out a hand. Slowly I reach out and grab it. Her hand is soft and delicate; it fits perfectly in mine.

"There is a lot of explaining to be done, Jennifer." I clear my throat.

"Oh, I'm aware. Just not today." The girl slips her hand out of mine. "I'm going to bed."

Quietly, she stands and makes her way back to her dorm.

A/N: Alright, now that I'm back from vacation I'll be updating every two days or so, so expect a lot more plot developpement from now on xD

Jennifer is not an OC; she's Jigglypuff (JP= Jennifer Petersen).

The snippet of lyrics is from The Deep End by Scary Kids Scaring Kids.

Read & Review!