Chapter Eleven: Dawn

Zoey's P.O.V.

I barely slept all night, both Mike and Mal were on my mind. I've never had to deal with two guys at once. Or even one guy, since my small town is full of dumb jocks. I needed to talk to someone- a girl. I knew the perfect one, too. I thought I would go talk to Dawn. She can read anyone like an open book; no, a CLOSED book, since she's that good. I decided to walk, since it was still early and it took about an hour to get there with a car.

I got dressed for the day and put one of my sling shots in my back pocket. If I can survive Total Drama (especially the season with everything being mutated), I can survive a long walk with a sling shot. I walked downstairs to the kitchen and found my dad cooking breakfast. I wasn't surprised he was up at six in the morning; it's his everyday routine.

"Mornin', Zo," he said when he saw me. "You're up early. Want some bacon?"

I smiled. "Hey, do you mind if I go visit Dawn?"

"Who's Dawn, again?"

"She's the... Uh- gypsy girl from the show." I fought for a way to explain her to him easily. I barely could understand her myself.

He nodded. "Ohhhh, right right right right. Yeah, sure, I don't care. Take something to eat with you."

I grabbed a handful of bacon and kissed his cheek. "Thanks, Dad! I'll see you later!"

As I ran out the door, he called, "Be careful!"

I ate the bacon as I thought about what she was going to say. My mind wandered the whole trip. It took a few hours getting to her house, but with my thoughts somewhere different, it seemed to go by faster.

I finally arrived at her house and knocked on her front door. A lady answered and I recognized her as Dawns mother, Alice. She and Dawn came to my welcome home 'gathering.'

She smiled sweetly as she opened the door. "Well, hello Zoey."

I smiled back and said, "Goooooooood morning, Alice!" I dragged out the word 'good.'

She laughed. "I assume you are here for Dawn?"

I nodded.

"I'll go get her real fast... Would you like a cup of tea while you wait?"

"No, thanks, that's alright. Mind if I 'steal' her for the day?" I asked jokingly.

Alice winked and told me to wait here. She ran upstairs to get her, but came down without her. "She's not inside, so she must be out. If you like, you may go around back to see if she is in her treehouse. You can take her then." She laughed.

I thanked her and left to find Dawn. Alice was right; she was in her treehouse. I called up, "Dawn!"

She looked down at me. "Zoey!" She called back. "I read in my tea leaves this morning that I would have a visitor, but I had no idea it would be you! Wait one moment, I will be right down!"

After about a minute, Dawn jumped down from her treehouse. "I was planning on going into town today to get a new furry friend. Maybe you could accompany me."

I smiled. "Sure thing," I said. "I also need to talk to you..."

We left her house and began our journey to the small town.

"I can see in your aura you are having troubles. What are they?" She asked.

I started from the beginning and told her all about Mal and Mike. "He's been unable to stay in control for very long and only Mal has been coming out. I'm scared something will happen to Mike. Plus, Mal seems like trouble, but he's been acting nicer to me. Well, his actions anyway. And I'm really afraid my feelings might be changing. I still love Mike, but there is something dark I find strangely attractive in Mal. I think that, by the way he acts towards me, Mal might have some feelings for me, too."

We were at the edge of town now and Dawn was listening closley. I continued. "I don't know if it's him showing signs or if I'm changing. I kind of like how he's scary then will suddenly change to do something protective of me."

I found us entering the pet shop. We walked over to the hamster cage and I finished my ramble. "I feel like I'm going crazy, and I am just thinking about it. Dawn, what do I do?!"

At this point, I saw Mike come through the door. I smiled then thought of Mal, making the smile falter since it wasn't him, but it found its original place. Dawn apparently noticed him come in.

"Greetings, Mike. I am able to see that you have been having a slight trouble finding Zoey and I. Am I correct?" She turned around to face him.

He looked confused. "Uh- yeah."

"Ah, by the dark tint in your aura, I can also see that something is troubling you."

"Yeah... Can I talk to Zoey, please?" He glanced at me. I couldn't keep eye contact with him. I felt a little guilty thinking about what I was just saying.

"Of course." She turned to me and said, "Talk to him sometime." After that, she left the building.

Mike walked over to where Dawn was just standing. "Zoey, are you alright?"

I looked at him, this time in the eyes, and smiled. "Yeah, I'm okay. What's up with you? I don't really need an aura reader to see you're upset."

"What has Mal done to you?" He asked bluntly.

I was surprised. "Well, nothing, really. He hasn't actually hurt me. Why?"

He let out a breath and smiled at me, saying, "I'm just worried about you, that's all. I care about you. I mean, you are my girlfriend after all."

"Mike?" I said cautiously.

"Yeah, Zoey?"

"I don't mean to sound rude, but I was hoping to hang out with Dawn today. If that's alright..." I rubbed my arm. I hoped he wouldn't be upset by that.

Thankfully, he nodded. "Right. Uh- sorry. I'll leave you girls to yourselves. Bye, Zoey." He went to my side of the cage, kissed my cheek, and left the building. I put my hand up to my cheek where he kissed it. Why didn't I feel a thing? My heart didn't pound like it normally would and I didn't even smile. I became scared; I wasn't ready to lose my feelings for Mike!

Dawn walked back inside and picked up one of the hamsters and said to it, "You are the one that is destined to be my new friend."

She went to pay for the hamster while I stood where I was. 'Who exactly did she mean by that? Talk to Mike? Or Mal?' I mentally fought with myself.

We left the shop and walked to the edge of town. Dawn stopped and turned to me. Patting my arm, she said, "Thank you for joining me and choosing me to speak to. I can see you would like to talk to one of them, so I will leave you here. Goodbye for now, Zoey."

At that, she left me standing there speechless. I turned and ran to Mike's house. When I got there, Laurene was just about to leave.

I caught up to her and asked, "Excuse me, Laurene? Is Mike here?"

"Yeah, he's in his room. You can go ahead and go on in if you want."

I thanked her and walked to his bedroom door. I hesitated before I knocked. A couple of seconds after I did, the door opened. My heart began pounding when I saw who answered.

Mal gasped and said, "Zoey."