I woke up the next morning to the dawn light floating through the window. I groaned and closed the curtains. Lexie suddenly bolted forward on her bed covered in sweat. Her eyes search for all of us wildly making a mental count of how many girls were in this room and safe. Her eyes landed on me and she let out a sigh of relief then frowned in my direction.

"Go back to bed Kane." She said voice like a razor blade. I shook my head refusing to listen, that and I was already awake. Her frown deepened. "Do you have to make everything difficult?" I shrugged. "I mean what fun would it be if everything was just easy, besides isn't one of the things about being a spy is to deal with people like me. Stubborn and annoying."

"And constantly getting in the hospital." Ouch. "You know the doctor asked us a whole bunch of questions when he saw your little 'collection'." I knew she mentioned the scars on my body. I shrugged. "Meh, it was hard to explain to the people who did my physical before school started." She raised a brow. I sat back down on my bed not realizing that I was standing. She got up and walked quietly over. I made room for her.

"Was it always like that for you, life or death?" I shrugged. Most kids grew up with a nice and decent childhood, I grew up knowing I killed a man at 7 and more later on. Not exactly princess stories with the prince. More like a traumatic version of Tarzan but with a girl and in the USA. I shrugged. "Kinda I guess. I mean not always, sometimes I was safe in a way." She waited for me to explain. I couldn't look at her. "You see as an orphan I'm not exactly free. Police are always asking where your family is," I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat as I looked over at Ash. Lexie put a hand on my shoulder. I smiled at her. "You know, and when you don't answer they usually took me down to the station or an orphanage. I was adopted twice. But you can see how that turned out."

She nodded. I took a shaky breath. "You get the gist. So I had to always be on guard. Always checking to see if anyone was coming for me from any direction. I would hide in parks and up trees. I would sleep in them from time to time, I fell multiple times if your wondering." She laughed. "Hey I was a kid Kay! No laughing! I mean it is funny but still(I fell way too many times and my butt remembers every single time). I always carried a pair scissors with me because my hair would grow and it got annoying and in the way." I gestured to my short brown crocked hair. "I got bullied a hella lot of being an orphan from older kids trying to gain attention or whatever but I delt with it." I clenched my fist remembering their stupid cocky smiles as if my pain made their day.

Suddenly Lexie's hand was on mine and then had I realized that I as shaking. I sighed taking deep breaths. I snorted remembering what I looked like back then. "You should have seen me, I looked like a boy!" I said trying to hold in my laughter. "Short hair, pale skin, dark circles like bruises. I was tall and as skinny as a bean pole. Always wearing shorts the same shirt and a hoodie. I bet people thought I was a zombie or something." I broke into loud fits of laughter that's on turned into helpless sobbing.

I could almost see the hunted look in my own golden eyes as I glared everyone away. I shoved people as far away from me as possible when really all I wanted was someone to hold me and tell me they loved me. But I lost that chance a long time ago. Suddenly I was pulled into a hug. I blinked the tears away but many fell. I wiped them away with the sleeve of my shirt. She held me close to her as I calmed down. But my own eyes hunted me with the murderous look in their them. I was scared of my self? Who knew. I probably was.

Once I calmed down she slowly let go of me. Our eyes meet.

"Never speak of this?"

"Your past?"

"No you idiot the hug!"

"But it was our first bonding moment!"

"What's was, I don't remember anything sort of bonding, I hate your guts, Baxter."

She glomped me in another hug. "But we're bonding!" She giggled as I tried and failed squirmed away. A small smiled grew larger on her lips. I shoved her face away. "Get off me you stupid Brit!"(no offense to other British people ).

Later the others woke up to a mess. Mel rubbed her eyes and then cleaned her glasses twice. "Oh for the love of, they're clean already!" I finally snapped when she tried to clean them for the third time. She shook her head. "Nope I won't believe it!" I rolled my eyes, "Well ya better believe it." Okay, okay so we got out of control fighting with each other about this fake bonding moment that never happened. We both kinda ended up trashing the place and waking up the others. Lexie smiled and laughed to herself like a crazy person.

Ash rubbed her sleepy eyes. "Well can one of you at least explain to us what happened?" I nodded my head. "Well ya see-" Lexie butted in. "Well ya see Kana and I had our first bonding moment-" I raced over to where she was across the room and silenced her with my pillow. she struggled under my grip and then shoved me off of her. "WE NEVER BONDED!" I shouted and Lexie tried to pull me into a hug. "But I held you in my arms!" I growled. "It! NEVER! HAPPENED!" Mel and Ash tried to rip us apart but I was so down to punch the Brit in the face and she seemed determined to hug me. So not gonna happen.

Suddenly our door burst open to reveal none other than Ms. I-Think-idk-maybe-mom. her toothbrush was dangling from her lips as she looked around our suite and then her golden eyes landed on us. I scrambled to my feet and pointed at Lexie, "I swear to god, she started it."

And that's how we ended up in the Grand Hall eating breakfast with our hands tied together by handcuffs.

Ash and Mel rolled their eyes as I sulked. Lexie seemed totally fine with it and made us look on 'the bright side'. (If there even was one). "Come on guys! Don't be mad, think of this as our first bonding moment as a full team!" Her stupid smug smile never leaving her face. Ash and Mel shrugged and joined in perfectly coordinated eating. I stood taking Lexie's arm with me by accident. "You know what I'm suddenly not hungry so I'm just gonna-" Someone cleared their throat behind me reminding us that we were seated near the front in the closest table to the teachers and co.

I met the eyes of Katherine Corduroy and refused to sit back down. We seemed to have a starring contest and I slipped out of my bonds. "Look this doesn't matter to me at all." I called back as i walked out the door. "All i need is myself and that's it. I don't need a team." A team that'll get hurt because of me. I marched up to our room with an empty stomach but that didn't bother me, I'm used to not eating for a long time.

I sighed and sat down. I mean I wouldn't mind being in a team, but I would just drag them down. that's all i ever seemed to do with people. Drag them down, force them into endless misery. I shook that thought away. Weak thoughts make a weak person, I have to be strong. If not I might never get back up again. I took my box of apologies realizing that I might need a new hiding spot for it. I found a decent place on the roof where me and Ash had our little heart-to-heart. I secured it but couldn't make my legs want to go back. I wanted to stay here and rot in my own being but I couldn't. Ash was counting on me. I had to protect my team. I made a promise. I headed back to our room but something caught my attention. The old coop.

I walked inside and saw a few forgotten chalkboards. I starred at their blank faces and wondered what it would be like for me if I just didn't feel anything at all. I rolled my eyes. I'd probably be a heartless zombie if I never felt any emotions. I walked back to our room seeing no one there and I cleaned the mess Lexie and I made. Well then again it was mainly me throwing stuff at the Brit. Soon the room went back to it's usual clean way and i made my way to the library trying to see if I could find any books on some subjects our teachers were gonna give tests on.

Soon i basically wrote the whole text book word for word once I got back to see the other's shuffling around to get ready for class. they didn't even look my way when I shut the door. I kept my head down ashamed of myself. Why did I even say that? And to their faces in front of the whole school! What's wrong with me?! Sometimes I just want to slap myself. I sat down on my bed and grabbed my stuff not sure if I should say anything or not. I probably shouldn't. They don't wanna hear it from me right now. I ran my hand through my hair as I tried to come up with a way to apologies. Letters worked with Ash but probably won't work again and not with everyone else.

Ugh! why am I so good at being an outcast?! Its like putting a fox in a pen full of chickens. Even if the fox is trained well enough the chickens are still going to be scared of it. Not that I'm referring to everyone else as a chicken. It's just an example. I didn't notice that I was tapping my foot till Ash walked over and looked at it concerned. I stopped and it felt like all eyes were on me.

I stuttered and messed up my words as I tried my best with the lamest apology in the history of apologies. "S-sorry guys, I uh, I didn't mean what I said back there I um...uh i...I'm sorry." I blushed madly as seven agonizingly long seconds passed by before she laughed and hugged me.

"Oh, you're such a softy sometimes." She giggled but I didn't push her away and melted into the hug. "Whatever." Lexie looked fake-hurt. "Oh so you hug her but not me?" I stuck out my tongue at her. "Ash has sister privileges, and those privileges include hugs." I could see Ash roll her eyes but she hugged me tighter anyways. Mel snorted and rolled her eyes. "Oh just admit that no one, not even you can resist Ash-hugs." I nodded. "True true."

We went to class and Lexie smirked. I raised a brow. "Do I even wanna know why you're smiling like that?" She shrugged. "I don't know , do you?" I nodded. "Yeah kinda, it's creepy to see you smiling like that. Or smiling at all." She then whispered in my ear. "We bonded." I shoved her face as far away from me as possible and switched places with Mel so I was in between Ash and Mel. Lexie smiled. I gagged. "Your smile's gross." I commented and Dan came up to us. "I disagree, I think Lexie has a lovely smile." The three of us shared a smirk as we looked over at a blushing Lexie.

"O-oh, thank you very much but I have to disagree with you-" he put his finger on her lips silencing her completely. "Nope, you're too modest." He laughed. As the day went on I dreaded the dance lessons that were coming up fast. Dan smiled at Lexie as Mel and Bree chattered away about something. Ash just looked off into space so I left her to think as we walked to C&A. I just then noticed even more what he and Bree looked like.

Bree was short with brown hair in tangled waves. In fact, I think she was shorter than Mel. Which is really short compared to pretty much the whole school. She had pale creamy skin and freckles danced all over her face. She wore a headband today to move her wild hair out of her face and it made her blue eyes stand out more.

Dan was taller than almost all of us, I still won him by about an inch. He had that beach boy tan, his blonde hair illuminated with that tan. His goofy troublemaker trade mark grin plastered across his face and I noticed one of his front teeth were chipped by the left side. He had that surfer boy body build. His brown eyes caught me starting and he smirked. He slicked his hair back trying to look like a movie star. The key word is trying.

"You like what you see?" He asked with a flirtatious grin.

"You mean the stupid chip on your crocked teeth? Naw," He blushed madly and his thumb rubbed the chip. "They're not crocked!" He complained and I rolled my eyes. "Sure they're not." He pouted. "You're so rude all the time, why don't you try to be nice for a day." He gave me a so-called 'charming' smile. "It'll be a nice experience for you." Is he freaking serious?!

I rolled my eyes again. "If I were every to be nice the world would explode, especially if I'm nice for the rest of the day." Mel shook her head and laughed. "No way! Kana Kane backing down for a challenge?!" This caught people's attention. Whispers about being beaten by a boy(sexist much) spread like wild fire. I scoffed. "I'm not backing down, I'm just saying that if I'm nice someone's gotta fill my shoes in so the world is back in balance."

Dan smirked. "I can be mean if I want to, so you have to be nice from this moment on!" Okay, we're doing this now. I shrugged and hugged Ash and did my best to try and stay in a random conversation with Bree. Dan, on the other hand, looked around bored out of his mind and shoved his hands into his pockets and grumbled not even bothering to move the hair out of his eyes like usual. Lexie grabbed my arm.

"This means we can finally bond as a team!" I could practically see the stars in her eyes. I shook my head and moved away, "Sorry, busy bonding with Ash." She shrugged and smiled. "You can't hide behind Ash forever, at some point you're gonna-" "Watch me not bond with you!" I called out and then raced everyone to class. Then I realized I could just relax and have fun for once without having to act seriously now. Score! I smiled and stuffed my hands in my skirt pockets and walked into class like I owned it. But then my happy mood was ruined when I saw her again. Who the hell even was she, Katherine Corduroy, supposedly my mom but I'm not so sure.

She turned our way but didn't even look at me like she usually does, normally she just can't take her eyes off of me. Taking a deep breath she then faced me. Okay so we both have golden-ish eyes, so what?! That doesn't mean we're related, millions of people probably have gold eyes right! Right? I shuffled my feet awkwardly under her stare, I bit my lip and scratched my scar. She fiddled with her clothes like they were lose or too tight and scratched the side of her jaw. She the wrapped up her conversation with our teacher Miss. Something and she nodded. Clapping her hands calling our attention. "Gather around ladies and gentlemen, we haven't completed our activity from yesterday so today we shall continue and let's all thank Ms. Corduroy for volunteering to help us today." I rolled my eyes and clapped with the others.

Mom kept her eyes on me as she explained how to do certain dances but how today we were just going for a simple waltz, and now suddenly all eyes were on me. We were an odd-numbered group. The girls out numbered the boys by two people so me and Ash had no partner but ourselves so when the music began I stood straight and tall like the boys around me and bowed at her. Giving her my hand offering a dance. Her hand gently fell into mine and we danced like everyone else. I noticed her looking at our footing, seeing how we moved and I counted how many times she stepped on my foot and how many apologies with in the span of 5 minutes.

I rolled my eyes, 31, she had stepped and apologized 31 times. People started to stare and Ash was becoming clumsier and a deeper shade of red every time. I sighed finally having enough of the stares and my toes getting crushed so I put my hands on her hips and held her up high in the air and gently put her back down but her feet were on mine this time. "W-What are you doing?!" she hissed face red. I shrugged and smiled at her. "This way it's easier no?" She blushed and nodded and I laughed at how cute she was being.

So like that we danced although we got a few strange looks Ash eventually got used to the moves and looked at me face adorably determined. "Okay, put me down. I've got this." I obeyed and put the small bean down and she did okay fumbling her and there and kept her eyes on our dancing while all I could do was stare and smile at her. I hummed along with the song and Ash looked up at me and smiled. We laughed and smiled at each other.

She watched from across the room as she helped teach some of the kids in the class how to do the dance right according to the song. She watched her daughter dance with the headmistress' daughter just across the way from her. She was dying, burning on the inside just to walk over and dance with her. To see her brilliant smile spread across her face like butter at the sight of her, to hug her and laugh with her. But she didn't even trust her yet. Katherine sighed and fumbled with her jacket, the one she wore at her baby girl's 2 birthday.

She swallowed the lump in her throat remembering the toddler's smile that day. But then just a year later she was standing right before her watching the horrible scene play as she was unable to move as the man she thought she knew and loved killed her baby. Suddenly she noticed Kana raise the Morgan girl in the air with an emotionless face and the gently put her back down and on her feet and they danced like that, laughing and smiling.

Katherine's heart ached even worse looking at her gorgeous smile place itself on her lips. She couldn't take it anymore and as everyone switched partners she walked over to her scared and nervous. The Morgan girl moved on and danced with other boys and everyone found a partner but her daughter. The boys seemed confused on wither or not they should dance with her and the girls did too. Katherine decided that there was no backing down now as she walked over and offered her hand to Kana. Her beautiful gold eyes shot up and made eye contact with hers and Katherine felt the world blow away leaving only them alone in a dark space.

Her eyes widened upon seeing her and Katherine gave her an awkward smile. "A dance?" Kana hesitantly took her hand and they danced. Kana playing the part of the lady and Katherine the part of the man. A smile spread across her lips as to seeing her daughter fumble around with her near by, it was cute. She could feel eyes on them but she didn't care about that at all, she was happy where she was dancing with her daughter. Kana met her eyes, they were looking at her as if expecting Katherine to attack or say something.

But Katherine said and did nothing more than dance. Kana seemed to relax a bit and focus on her steps. Katherine heard her almost quiet humming to the music. She held back a laugh at this.

I saw maybe-mom hold back a laugh and I realized I was humming again. I felt my face heat up and I looked away. I saw how we were away from everyone else in the corner of the room and no one payed any attention to us, they were all too focused on their own dancing and nailing the steps to really care about two people, especially if one of those people just so happens to be me. Maybe-mom leaned down so we were at eye-level with each other. "Nice humming kiddo," I felt my face burn. "Whatever," She chuckled and pointed to my feet like she was lecturing me on my stance which I gotta say was pretty damn on point. "You got good moves kid, wonder who gave you those genes." I frowned. "Well how would I of all people know that?" I made my voice as soft and quiet as possible. "Shouldn't you know, Mom?" Her whole face brightened up like the sun at the word mom. She shrugged herself. "Well I know I'm not the dancer, the other guy," her voice darkened at the mentioning of my 'father'. "He's whole family doesn't dance at all, probably Gram Gram. She's 79 but got jiggle in them bones."

Wait her Gram Gram or mine? I shook my head. "Okay look, I don't really get any of this, you, my parents, anything. Just, meet me on the roof after school. I wanna talk." Maybe-Mom nodded and left to go around the room helping people while I just stood there watching everyone spin and twirl, they danced like they were at a real ball or formal event. And I just stood there, out of place, I didn't have a partner and I defiantly didn't see any openings. So I sat down to think, the chair was comfy and fluffy and the view of town was nice. I looked out the window and wondered what would happen if I was born normal, blind to the world's problems like Tristan's family. Thinking that all I'll ever have was a little town where I was born and where I'll die.

Suddenly I felt someone walking my way, it was Ezra, he winked at a few girls and they blushed an giggled. He then looked over at me with a dazzling smile. "Hey Kane, I heard from emo Dan it's your turn to be nice." I shrugged. "Yeah, I mean I guess." He sat down next to me. "I don't think you're mean or rude." I shrugged again. "Meh, I don't really care what people think about me." He raised a brow at me. "Oh really?" I nodded. "People can talk but that doesn't mean I'll listen." He leaned in close and whispered in my ear.

"So if people spread rumors about you and some townee are hitting it up you wouldn't care?" I looked at him in the eyes, he wasn't kidding. I snorted and laughed. "They're actually saying that?" He looked at me confused. "I thought you didn't care." "I don't, but it's funny to hear the gossip and rumors." I rolled my eyes. Me?! Get flirty with a townee?! Ha! I don't even like myself, the hell's the possibility that some else does? Besides I don't know any townees...well there is the Moon's but that's about it. Class suddenly ended and we all shuffled off to our classes but I waited for the others before going to class.

The whole day practically flew out the window until the end of the day. I was bored and didn't want to start my homework so early so I thought of the places I could hang and then I remembered my deal with Maybe-mom. But she probably won't be there just yet and I felt the need to tell the others.

"Hey guys?" I called out and Ash instantly sprung to my side, eyes wide she looked at me with puppy eyes. "Yeah?" I laughed at her odd behavior and gave her a hug but then when Lexie came in it spoiled my mood. I wiggled her off and sat on my bed and took a deep breath. "Okay so I think I found something new for the Kane Mysteries," I nodded at Mel and she took out a red notebook. "Got it," She said and made a pen magically appear out of thin air. Nodding I tried to figure out how to say this right. Ash put a hand on my shoulder and gave me a reassuring smile. I smiled back and took a deep breath.

The others leaned in closer to hear their friend better. Ash watched as her sister scratch at her scar, she always wondered where that came from. It went from her jaw to the top of her lips, it looked old and she noticed at Kana had been scratching it whenever she was nervous or uncomfortable. "Okay guys so I found out something big but I'm not sure if it's true." There was a paused and Ash noticed Kana looking directly at her and she sat up straighter showing her sister she could take it. "I have reason to believe Miss Corduroy is my mom." Okay never mind Ash wan't ready for that. "What?" everyone cried out startling poor Kana. She raised her hands in the air and it quiet them down, Ash's heart felt like it was going to burst. On one hand she was overjoyed for her sister if the cool new teacher really was her mom but then again she was worried about how this would affect Kana. Kana had never really been cool with family, she either got really edgy (Kana you fucking emo) or broke into sobs and an emotional mess that really wasn't her.

"Look it surprised me too but there's a lot of evidence that's kinda sketchy." Lexie broke in. "Your eyes don't count." Kana shook her head and filled them in with everything Ash hadn't noticed that had been happening between Kana and the teacher. "And like I said it's kinda sketchy so I'm being cautious but I just wanted to tell you guys before I got any real answers." Ash smiled happy she shared this news with them, maybe she trusted them a little more now? Kana stood looking at her team seriously. "But there's more," Mel butted in this time. "You finally decided to stop being a regular at the hospital?" Kana growled and Lexie and Mel were the only ones laughing, Ash didn't really see the joke as funny. "It was only that one time!" Kana hissed and Lexie held up two fingers. "Twice, you went to the same hospital twice."

The brunette's face turned a bright shade of red realizing her mistake. "Whatever," she huffed crossing her arms and Ash put her hand on her sister's shoulder. Kana smiled at her, she puffed out her chest and stood taller.

I looked at my team, Ash, Mel and Lexie. "I'm gonna meet up with Ms. C on the roof in a bit," Ash butted in and smiled at me. "You got this Kana." I laughed. The others nodded and Lexie just gave e a thumbs up. I rolled my eyes at these idiots. "Who the fresh hell said I was going at it alone?" Their faces were priceless. "This is a real spy we're talking about, not Lexie." "Hey!" "I need some back up here guys. We need to get every word of this," Mel suddenly reached under her bed and took out a bunch of crazy gizmos. "Got you covered." I smiled at her. "We gotta be ready for anything." Ash nodded. "We need to be a full functioning team!" Lexie squealed and tackled me in a hug and the others joined in making me unable to pull away. "I said team, not hug!" Lexie ruffled my hair and smiled. Stupid Brit. "Awe Kana, it's okay to say you love us."

I'm so done with this crap. I wiggled free and sighed scratched my itchy scar. Ash grabbed my hand and smiled at me, I felt bolder. "Okay, so whats the plan?" Lexie asked as she got some gadgets from Mel's little collection.