Chapter 11

Naming the borders

The weeks settled into a steady rhythm of flowing seconds and hours. School, study with my new friends, chores with Jen, and helping Kyte in the library.

There were never really any problems or significant changes. There was never any difference between today and tomorrow.

"Noah, will you be my partner in Science class?"

"Sure, Rayne."

"Cross-san, can you help me in history?"

"All right, Syaoran. I'll bring Konno and Aya, too. What about you Noah? Would you like to come?"

"Yes."

The steady beats of mornings and afternoon never seemed to be interrupted. For some reason, none of the other kids ever came near us. There was always a fine line between "us" and "them". Although, we were never the ones enforcing it. It was strange, but I never really thought about it before.

Between the steady beat of tomorrow and today, there was the one moment of another time. The dreams and hints of memories behind the borders of my mind never surfaced until this moment.

I was walking down the hall during free period. I was alone. I had been looking for Cross. She had promised to come to the library with me and Kuroyuki so, Yuki had sent me to find her because she was late and Yuki was getting impatient again. I was about to turn the corner into the White Hall, the hall where upperclassmen and members of the student council usually were, until I heard voices and stopped. In the back of my mind, a memory of Jen telling me that eavesdropping was wrong and never to do it chimed, but I ignored it because I recognized the voices. It was Cross and Kyte.

I had never seen them talking before. I didn't even know they had ever met so, this struck me as strange. Cross had him against the wall and if I hadn't known them I would've said they were fighting.

Cross spoke. "What do you think you're doing?" She sounded irritated and I was afraid she was arguing with Kyte.

"Going to the council room to pick up some papers." He smiled but it seemed dry and mocking.

"You know what I mean. Why are you taking care of Noah? I thought you were one of them so, why are you helping us?"

"I was never one of them or us. I was helping Noah and that's that." His smile was still frozen on his lips.

"Don't be coy with me! You knew she'd be in at least one class with one of us. You knew we would have taken her in."

"Now why would I know that, little Miss May?"

Anger flashed in Cross's eyes, "You know no one has called me that since that time. "

"So, you'd prefer to be called something that means a gravestone." Kyte's smile seemed smaller, but less mocking and his eyes seemed to show a flicker of near anger. "No thanks, dear, but I'd rather call you by a true name. You deserve to have it."

"Shut up!" Cross yelled. "Quit making this painful for me. Please, just stop it. " She seemed almost desperate now. Her eyes had softened and half of her really did seem in pain.

"Hmm… All right then. But what does it really matter. Noah doesn't know, does she?" He didn't smile when he said it, "As long as they don't interfere anymore everything will be fine. You can all be normal and Noah will never have to find out. You don't have to keep pushing yourself away from everyone."

"This isn't about me. I know that we can all have fun now, but what happens when they get here. You know they'll never leave us alone. And after stealing her, I imagine they'll take revenge on you, too."

"I suppose you're right. But let's not worry now. I'd hate to think that after all I'd gone through to help that you'd spend your break trying to think of a plan to fight them."

"I could never sleep with him still alive."

"I didn't know you could sleep at all. I guess those sci-fi guys can really work wonders these days." He smiled and started to leave.

"You know this isn't over, Kyte."

"I know." He started walking down the hall.

"And just so you know, you made me late to a meeting with Kuroyuki and Noah!"

"I'll make it up to you, someday." He chuckled to himself. Then said, "Good night, May."

Cross glared at his back for a few seconds, but said, "I hope you wake up to a better twilight, Mister. Night." She turned to leave, too.

And started walking towards me.

I ran backwards, trying to stay quiet. I turned around the corner and opened the door to a storage closet. With questions swirling in my brain, I jumped in and shut the door. My foot was in the mop bucket and the mop was on my hair. The closet smelled of cleaning supplies and old lunch food, but I stifled a cough as Cross walked past.

I could almost see the words and questions in front of me as my vision swam and my head became dizzy. As soon as I was sure Cross was gone, I jumped out of the closet and fell to the marble floor. I lay there on the cold stone as I thought over what I had heard and questioned everything, but for some reason the clearest thing wasn't even related.

I think it was a dream, but I felt awake. It was white everywhere and I felt like I was floating. I was there as much as I was in that school hallway. I could see my hand, my uniform, my feet. I could see the white paper world. And then I saw it. It looked like a normal person, but it just didn't feel the same way a normal person would.

Its face was hidden behind its black hair. It was wearing a simple black dress and was barefoot. It could have been a normal girl. After all, there seemed to be nothing wrong with it, but…

I opened my mouth to ask what it was, but instead my mouth spoke something completely different.

She looked up and stared at me with lifeless eyes. They seemed to whisper "I know." But her lips didn't move.

I woke up looking at the ceiling with a dull throbbing in the back of my head. The words echoed through the halls.

""You" aren't "me." "