Chapter 1: Emotions Run Wild

I sit up groggily. I am really tired. I shake my head back and forth then proceed to wipe the sleep from my eyes. I shake my head again before shakily climbing out of bed. I have to go to the washroom...

Even going to the washroom is something I dread. It's all my parents' fault too. They both had to be so good looking. I have girls follow me everywhere from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed. It gets rather frustrating after a while especially when you don't even like them. I pull on a pair of uniform pants and a loose fitting uniform shirt. I straighten my hair the best I can by running my hand through it and I rush out of the room. The call of nature has become too much.

The minute I step out of the halls, I am surrounded, no enclosed by the total population of females at Whirl Wind Keep, the only place in the entire Dynasty where you can be trained to become a warlord. I don't want to be here. Again the fault of my parents, or more my father, Dais. He was a warlord so he thought that I should follow in his footsteps and become one too. The only good thing there is around here is my best friend, Reune Stryke of Dagger's keep.

I fight my way to the washroom, trying not to hurt anyone in the process. I don't like how the girls do this to me, but I don't want to hurt them either. I grumble loudly the whole way through. Why won't they just leave me alone? They all know that I don't like them. They all know what I am, but no, they still don't get the hint to leave me alone. Do I have to scream it out for them to comprehend?

Groan! I finally make my way to the boy's washroom, and step in, not so much to my surprise, Reune is in there laughing. I guess from the look on my face, he knows what happened. I glare at him, not completely seriously. I don't think I could ever do that seriously unless I was really mad. And I'm almost never really mad.

Yep, me Taran, never actually really mad at anyone, never actually really hate anyone, just don't like some people very much. For instance, Reune's girlfriend Aunja, not because I'm jealous or anything like that, because I'm not, I just have a bad feeling about her. I honestly think that she's just stringing Reune along. I tried to tell him but he got really mad and wouldn't talk to me until I apologised, which I never actually did, but he forgave me anyway, by just saying that I was his friend and I was just concerned. Yeah right. I haven't trusted her since day one. She was the one who got all of the others practically stalking me. She's the one who has been after me the longest. Now she's just conveniently going out with my best friend. There's something up. I tired to tell Reune that too, but no, he told me that I was jealous. Which I'm not, but oh well...

That's all Reune and I ever fight about and it hurts me to know that he never listens. He always telling me that I'm either jealous or envious because I don't have anyone. What He doesn't know is that I could have almost anyone at this school and I choose not to because the one I do want is with someone else.

Reune chuckles at my attempt to glare at him and walks into one of the stalls. I stick my tongue out at him but too late. He'll pay. I don't know how yet but I'll find a way. Maybe I could spread a rumour. Maybe that would work, considering I'm one of the first to know anything going on around the school and the fact that I'm Reune's best friend, I would know anything weird or embarrassing about him. Yeah, that's it, I'll spread a rumour. Now I just gotta think of one... That's the hard part. It can't be anything true and it can't lead back to me. Even if he assumes that it's me who told everyone, that way he can't be sure. He he he. I am evil...

I walk into the washroom stall and do my business, I walk out and see Reune there waiting. I fake glare at him again.

"Thought you might need some help trying to get to the bathing room, you look like you need a bath. Long night? Anyway, your fan club is still waiting." He tells me, a smirk playing on his face.

"It's not fair! Why won't they leave me alone?" I walk over to him and fake cry on his shoulder. I do this to everyone, so Reune doesn't take it personally. "I don't even like girls!" As soon as I say that, Reune pushes me away. What is up with him? He's never acted this way before. He's known it for a long time too. That's why I don't understand why he's acting the way he is. He looks at me like he wants to tell me something, but he seems to have decided otherwise. He turns to face the door. "Reune, what's..."

"It's nothing Taran, now c'mon you need a bath." I'm too confused to even think of a funny come back. Reune's never done that to me before. He didn't even tell his dad when he found out that I didn't like girls. He wanted to stay friends and that would have been far from possible if Sage had found out. But why now is he acting like I'm any different from anyone. It's not right...

What could he have possibly wanted to tell me? It's not like I wouldn't listen to anything he had to say, even if it was boring and long and stupid and pointless or had to do with school... ew... I don't like school, but I still listen to everything Reune tells me and I don't know why...

"Reune?" I frown at him as I ask the question, "What's wrong?"

He shakes his head disregarding me. "Nothing Taran, I'm fine." he snaps. I thought he was in a good mood this morning. He sounded like it while he was joking around with me. What happened? This isn't right. He's hurting me...

"If there's something wrong you can tell me Reune, I won't judge you or anything. I know you better than anyone else at this school, you can tell me anything..." I look at him pleadingly, he always pulls this on me. He goes all cold and reserved when he thinks that I'll make fun of him or something. He used to refuse to show me his school marks because mine were so much lower and he thought I'd call him names over that. Why would I call anyone names? What would that say about me? That I take joy in making other people feel bad? I'm not that type of person and Reune should know that of all people. He just never listened...

But why not? I always listen to him but then again he is good looking, intelligent, hot, and he always has something good to say. Even when I think it's boring. Anyone would be lucky to have Reune. That's why I can't understand why he's with Aunja...

Oh god! What am I thinking. I'm not allowed to love my best friend, I'm not allowed. Look at what he's got for a father! Even if Reune was like me, which he obviously isn't, we'd never be able to be together. But I wish, I wish, I wish... Oh Reune, why do you always have to run me through this? I like you, a lot, not the way I'm supposed to either, the way that I'm supposed to like girls and you'll never like me back! I look at Reune longingly, I'm really glad that his back is to me, or else he would see how I really feel. I'm not good at hiding things either. How I managed to keep this under wraps, I have no idea. I just can't let Reune find out. I don't think he'd still want to be friends with me then...

I follow Reune out of the washroom and half heartedly push my way through the girls. I'm in no mood for flirting right on. Even if it is one of my favourite pass times. It'd be better if it was with someone I really loved though, not some girl, or guy that just happens to be there, stalking, hunting, chasing me. I can't stand this much longer. I'm going to have to tell him...

But I can't. What's with me? If it was anyone else, they would have known as soon as I started to feel this way for them, but not Reune, no! I don't know how I could tell him. He wouldn't listen. He never does. That hurts me. A lot. He has to know though, and I'm the only one who can tell him. But I can't! Not with the way he'll react to me telling him that I'm in love with him and have been since I met him seven years ago! I can't! Not with Sage for his father! I can't because I can deal with the looks, the sneers, the rumours and everything that comes with who I am, but I don't think he can...

Reune, please talk to me...