Ardea's POV

"She crept slowly up the stairs. One. At. A. Time… She couldn't see him… Couldn't hear him… But she knew he was there. Just one more step and she could reach the phone… BAM!"

Azalea shrieked in terror as I screamed in her face. It was so easy to scare her! My cousin wasn't good with scary stories. Then again she had been wrapped in cotton wool ever since she was born into her comfy rich family. I however, was less fortunate. Well, not so much anymore.

The door to Azalea's bedroom flew open and we both jumped up screaming in terror as a dark figure ran into the room brandishing a hammer.

"OHMYGOD IT'S THE AXE MURDERER!" she screamed. We clutched each other, horrified… until the lights were flicked on and we realized it was just Azalea's dad.

"What on earth is going on in here?" he demanded, wide-eyed. I stood up slowly and blinked twice.

"Uhh… We was telling ghost stories… and Zaylie got scared." I could feel my cheeks burning. I was still intimidated by my uncle, even though I had been living with him and the Wyatt family for just over a month now. Imagine what I was going to be like when school started… not a happy thought.

Uncle Thomas seemed to visibly relax. He was very protective over Azalea. I looked over at Azalea and she looked at me. In sync we turned to look at Uncle Thomas, smiled and said "Bye!"

He sighed unhappily, but slowly made his way out anyway. Me and Zaylie giggled slightly. We had become best friends ever since I moved into her house. We made a good pair of twins. Metaphorically at least. We did look kind of similar though. My hair is a dark auburn left natural and wavy to my waist. My eyes a jade green and my skin pale. Zaylie has reddish purple long, slightly messy hair, dark brown eyes and pale skin. But you can see the family connection to our grandmother in our features and long legs, though we were both only just over average height.

I smiled at my cousin and she raised an eyebrow at me.

"Bed me thinks," I chirped. That was enough storytelling… for tonight at least. Azalea nodded a tired agreement and I left her room after saying god night.

My room was bigger than any I had ever had. Even now I marvelled at the stark comparison between this cream and gold paradise and my old room at my Dads house. And that was it… just that small thought started me thinking, and I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight. But I pulled my PJ's on a lay down anyway.

I had lived with my dad for my entire sixteen years of life. Up until this past month that is. I would still be there if it wasn't for my mother. Dad would have spent his life happy… we would have been a family. But no. She left when I was very young, for a reason my father and me are oblivious to. Or at least I am now. My dad is dead. Overdose. I don't think I remember a time when he didn't cry himself to sleep over my mother. But he had held onto himself just enough to raise me. I guess in the end she finally killed him. Mission accomplished.

After my dads funeral I moved into my cousin's house. Or should I say manor. It was a big change for me, considering her family moved to Japan when Azalea was three, and I had never been to Japan in my life! Not that I didn't know Japanese, I had been studying it ever since my first day of school, all for the fun of it. I guess it came in handy now.

I was due to start my first day of school in a week. I would be going to the prestigious Ouran High School, on my uncle's money. I feel bad about it, but I suppose going to Zaylie's expensive school is better than spending my first day alone. Especially considering I was staring half way through the year. Woo, what fun it was going to be being the new girl in my first year of high school.

Thank goodness for cousins. Not to mention the fact that the uniforms were the ugliest things I have ever seen. Yellow and puffy just makes me think of cakes. Not a good thing to be wearing.

At least Azalea had some people to introduce me to. This should be fun. I hope.