Looking In The Eyes Of Love
A "Higher Ground" Fan Fic
By MissKate

A/N...The and are for separating thoughts, and the *'s are used to separate writing from the rest of the story, just like before. =) I would like to thank everyone that has reviewed so far and I hope that everyone likes this story!! I am liking the way it is heading. I write spontaneously, so I have no clue what happens, even while I write. Oh yes, PLEASE R&R!!

Chapter 8: At Daybreak

It took Riley a few moments to realize where she was in the morning, as it had been her first night at Horizon. As she rose from her bed, she looked over at the others who were still trying to catch their last few winks before Sophie came in and practically pulled them up. She did not know what to expect of her new "home", and was already longing to see the boyfriend she left behind. He had always given her the comfort she needed when it was most dire a time.

Nearly no time had passed at all when they heard Sophie holler outside the door and enter. "I should have guessed," she said, seeing the sleepers still curled up in their beds. She looked up to Riley snickering, "well, I am glad I have one less to deal with. You go get dressed while I get the others up."

Riley walked casually into the bathroom, as the others began to stir in their beds, with Sophie practically pulling them by the hair. "Ah, come on, Soph! Let us sleep in for once!" screeched Juliette, her eyes still closed.

"What kind of an impression do you want to leave on Riley by acting like this, huh?" she said as soon as she heard the shower water starting to run.

"That living at Horizon will make you worship sleep even more than food...or in Princess's case, throwing up." It had not taken Shelby long to think of something to retort.

Juliette shot up and yelled, "That's not true!" before sinking back into her bed and hiding under the covers.

It was Daisy that finally gave up the hopeless war and stood up, stretching. "This really isn't a healthy way to live. Don't you and Peter know that teenagers, even dysfunctional ones like us, need at least ten hours of sleep?" Sophie shot her a look. "Hey, don't get mad at me! Get mad at the newspapers!"

Sophie gave a small laugh before continuing to pry the others up, which eventually got a bit easier. "You guys usually get up pretty easily! Why so different this morning?"

They all screamed at the same time "CAUSE WE'RE TIRED!!"

As Sophie left the room, the other girls sat back on their beds. "Might as well talk a bit while we wait for the newbie to get out of the shower," Shelby began. "Daisy...So, what happened last night? Huh, huh?" She was not usually one for gossip, but this was a special case.

"Nothing happened! Seriously! Nothing that my little book won't fix," she replied, reaching for the book on her night table.

Shelby looked closely at her. Daisy only wrote in that when she had something on her mind, or was very upset, so something must have happened. She walked over to her friend's bed and laid down as Daisy sat at the opposite end with her pen in hand.

*You say that you will try to
Understand
You can even pretend to
Know
But would you ever truly
Comprehend?
And how could you begin to
Empathize
If I do not even know my own feelings to
Recognize...
Unless you can sincerely
Imagine
Do not even attempt to
Console
My heart...*

Daisy tossed the book to Shelby, who read in silence. Was the smile on her face last night all a show then? To throw us off? she thought to herself. Juliette looked toward the two of them, Daisy staring the floor and Shelby gaping at the book spread wide in her hands. She knew something had to be going on and did not like being left in the dark, however she knew not to push either one of them. She stayed quiet on her bed, waiting for the door to the bathroom to open again.