Author's Note

Yay! I love this chapter! This is where it all began, folks! The scene featuring middle-school Cain and Adrian is the very first scene ever imagined. Let me explain:

There was a long period of time where I wasn't writing at all because of school and homework--I didn't have time for anything. So I started seeing little tidbits of scenes that could be stuck into anything every moment of peace I had. The most persistent of the scenes was one of a bloody girl on the ground, a young, mischievous boy beneath her: The scene at the end of this chapter.

I really loved this scene, so I really wanted to use it, but there was really no room for it in the story I was working on. I decided to make a whole new story, and thus, Break was born. So appreciate this chapter, because it really is the birthplace of Cain and Adrian.

"Get away from me, fool, I was in a good mood," Adrian snapped, roughly brushing past him.

"Hey, no need to get testy," Cain chuckled, putting up his hands innocently. "Just a friendly check-up."

"I don't need your help," she hissed between her teeth. "I know the way to my own house." Though Adrian was relatively level-headed, she always felt an uncontainable fire when she saw Cain--he was the only person who could ever cause her to lose her temper.

"But you're so young and beautiful and innocent," he said, walking alongside her. "Anything could happen to a girl like you."

"A girl who can turn matter into weapons?" she inquired. "Like I said, I can take care of myself."

"You're nothing," Cain retorted. "You haven't even discovered all your powers yet. I on the other hand--"

Adrian turned on him. "The only reason you're farther along than I am is because you use your powers excessively, and for the wrong cause." She resumed her walking. "I don't even know why I'm talking to you. Would you kindly leave?"

"Hey, how's Hato doing?" he said, very obviously changing the subject.

Their angry arguing continued all the way to Adrian's apartment, though with all the people on the streets, she didn't dare start a fight with him--she knew that he wouldn't shy from hurting others to get to her.

At her door, their tense conversation ended. "Good night, Adrian!" said Cain.

"Quit following me home!" and leaving him with that, Adrian slammed the door behind her with enough force to knock it off its hinges.

While Adrian stared openmouthed at the wrecked door, Cain burst out laughing. She blushed angrily and stomped away, returning with a hammer, screws and a few spare hinges. She went to work efficiently and silently, still embarrassed from her show of anger.

"You actually have spares?" Cain guffawed, wiping his eyes. "Does this happen a lot?"

"Shut up and go home!" she growled, finishing and testing the door.

"Allow me," he chuckled, reaching out and closing the door. "I'll come to pick you up again tomorrow!"

"Ugh!" Adrian stormed into her room and furiously started her homework, grumbling angrily to herself. "That retarded idiot!" She shut her mouth and blushed when she realized how immature she sounded.

Hato arrived a little while later in a panic. "I saw Cain on the way here! Are you okay, Adrian? What's burning?!"

"Don't worry; I didn't let him in, and he didn't touch me." She was too chagrinned to admit that she had been the one to damage their home.

"Whew!" She came into Adrian's room and flopped down on the bed. "He seemed to be in a pretty good mood when I saw him, so I got anxious." She calmed down, then said, "How was school today?"

"Fine. Nothing new, really."

"I expected Alexander or Sam to be here--you usually take them home when you don't have work."

"They both had stuff to do," said Adrian.

"Oh, you're still wearing your uniform," Hato pointed out. "I'll let you change."

Adrian watched her as she left, noticing how incredibly pretty her friend was. With her petite figure and innocent features, she looked like an angel. Even though Adrian was younger than Hato, she always felt as though the blond girl was someone who needed to be protected and taken care of.

After they had both changed and Adrian had finished her homework, Hato ordered pizza--as was tradition on Thursday nights--and pulled out two game controls. The two settled in for a long Halo tournament, which Hato was uncharacteristically good at.

A few hours passed, and the girls finally turned in. As Adrian was doing some late-night reading, Hato came in and sat down on the bed. "What's up?" asked Adrian.

"I have a question, but it's a rather tender subject, so I've never brought it up…" she began, looking at her toes. She took a breath and raised her head. "Why do you hate Cain so much?"

Adrian sighed and put down her book. "I couldn't tell you. I only learned his name a couple years ago. We ended up in the same middle school. Have I never told you how we met?"

Hato shook her head.

Adrian began to describe the memory, and soon lost herself in it. Two years ago, when she was in seventh grade, she hadn't known Cain existed. She was a perfect student with lots of friends and good grades. Her life was happy and simple--she smiled so much more often back then.

That perfect life was shattered with just a slight bump on her shoulder.

She was walking down a narrow, crowded hall with a group of friends, when they passed a group of ninth graders. Adrian smiled at them and brushed past one shoulder, two, three, then…

Adrian stopped in her tracks. An electric charge rushed urgently through her veins, setting fire to her soul. She whipped around to see that the fourth boy she had touched had stopped as well. He stood with his back to her, head down and arms hanging loosely at his side. Adrian growled and turned the pencil she held into a knife. She cried out and lunged toward him, a red veil flooding over her vision. The boy with white hair whipped around and parried her blow with one arm. His blue eyes glinted with sarcastic malice as he kicked her legs out, sending her crashing to the floor. Their classmates had gathered around, a ripple of concern and confusion coursing through them.

Adrian gasped as her own knife was pressed against her throat; she heard a girl in the crowd scream at the sight of it. The boy whispered, "Where have you been hiding?" She threw him off and jumped back, just as he lashed out with his fists. He grabbed her wrist and twisted, smiling as she cried in pain.

Some brave teachers were working through the crowd to break the two up. Adrian gasped, "This isn't the time or place--people could get hurt."

He snatched her arm and grinned. "Then let's ditch this joint, sweetheart!"

Adrian felt a great, blinding rush, and she suddenly found herself outside the school, surrounded by thick mist. She glanced wildly around, trying to locate the boy. He suddenly leaped out from the fog and pinned her to the ground, still grinning maniacally. "Who the hell are you?" Adrian managed to choke out. She kicked him off and rolled away.

He straightened up and answered. "Cain."

Adrian threw herself into a flurry of raging kicks and punches, never managing to touch Cain. He bore into her with his icy blue eyes and hissed, "Why are you doing this?"

"I have no idea." She flew at him, hands slashing. "All I know is that I hate you!"

Cain screamed and brought down the knife. Adrian grimaced as it cut across her arm, drawing blood. She clutched the wound and glared at her opponent.

A change seemed to have come over Cain. He stared at the oozing blood, his breath heaving. A terrible, devilish grin stretched over his face. "Yes," he whispered hoarsely. "More!"

The rest of the fight passed in a blur to Adrian. All she remembered clearly was the pain. Merciless, invisible pain, coming in from every side. There was no stopping it, no stopping the blood pouring out from every bare spot on her body.

When it was over, she crouched on all fours, staring at the ground in shock. Her breath forced its way out in painful wheezes, her body unable to stand. Cain stepped out from the mist: Blood covered his fingers. He slowly licked them clean, staring down at her thoughtfully.

He slid down so that he was lying beneath her, his face turned up toward hers. "Why aren't you crying?" he inquired.

"You'd better get out from under there, or I'll bleed on you."

Sure enough, a drop of blood plopped down on his cheek. "Huh." He wiped it off with his finger and put it in his mouth. "Guess so." He brought himself to all fours until they were eye level. He caressed Adrian's face with one hand, disregarding her murderous glare.

Adrian was surprised to feel how warm his hand was, her skin pricking wherever he touched. She did not like the feeling.

Cain turned her head from side to side, studying every inch of it. He finally brought his face close enough that she could feel his soft breath flow down her own throat. He stared into her eyes, a concentrated look on his face. She stopped breathing. "Your eyes," he muttered. "So different…and strong." He finally released her and rose to his feet. "Tell you what," he said casually, stretching himself out. "I'll let you live this time."

She stared at him in disbelief as he turned to walk away. "Why?"

He turned around, stuck out his tongue and winked. "Because you're so darn cute."