Chapter One
The darkness was all around, enveloping and caressing like thousands of fingers. She ran along the hidden path, revelling the feeling of freedom and wild abandon. She collapsed down in a pile of dry leaves, happily inhaling the scent; the forest at night was the best place to be. It had secrets and an allure all own that she couldn't resist yet. Her laugh spiralled upwards to the very sky and the moon, as she lay spread eagled.
'I never want to leave here; this is where I should be. Not where I am here; I should be in this place of trees and shadows.'
She closed her eyes with a sad sigh, knowing that she could never escape the shackles that had kept her there for so long. It was sad; she had done so much and would continue to until the end of time. A frown came upon her face slightly as she felt the air around her warming up quickly; odd, the air had be nice and cool a few seconds ago. Opening her eyes, she was greeted by the sight of a flaming sphere, a black slit down the middle like a pupil.
'I will get you.'
The last thing she remembered was screaming as she scrambled up and ran before slipping on a rock and hitting her head and falling unconscious.
"Kayla! Kayla; wake up Kayla!"
The noise was followed by a sudden light that flooded behind her eyelids making her squeeze them tighter.
"Christ Kayla, wake up!"
Groggily she opened her eyes to see the concerned face of her roommate hovering over her. "What is it Alice?"
"You were screaming in your sleep again. Was it another nightmare about that physics test you have tomorrow?"
Kayla looked up at her pushing a hand through her red hair. "Wouldn't you have nightmares of numbers and symbols chasing you don if Waltham was your teacher?"
"I would I guess; that guy has the equivalent of permanent PMS." Alice chuckled before she fell serious. "Are you sure you're gonna be all right?"
Kayla waved away her concern. "Yeah; I-I'll be fine."
Alice gave her a critical look before she grabbed the brush and sat down behind Kayla. "Ya huh, you'll be perfectly fine after you relax. I can still see it; you're all tense. I don't know what you worry about; you're like the best physics student here. You'll pass that test easy enough."
Kayla simply nodded her head as the brush moved through her locks. How could she tell Alice what she had really seen; Alice would think she had finally lost it like so many others in Waltham's class. "Or it could have been the burrito you brought back for me to eat." she said, attempting to break the tension she felt.
Alice laughed. "Sure blame it on me why don't you?" silence descended for a few minutes. "You're doing it again you know."
"Huh?" Kayla looked back at her. "Doing what?"
"That necklace of yours; that's how I know you're lying. Every time you get worried about something, you hold it. And you don't even realize that you do it too."
Kayla dropped the necklace immediately, the sense of calm that had pervaded her vanishing away like before, like all the other times.
"Hey, you coming to that party for the exchange students?"
"Party?" Kayla was even more puzzled by this news. "What party?"
"You have been studying too much in the library for the past week. We have some foreign exchange students coming from Japan and we're holding them a welcome party. You have to come Kayla, get out there, meet some people and-"
"Oh no you don't. I know exactly where you're going with this. I'm tired of you playing matchmaker Alice. All the guys you set me up with are too immature."
"I know...but I really do have the perfect guy for you this time. His name is Xander and-"
"Well poor Xander will have to go alone." Kayla replied scratching her head pensively. "If I study now I can get in at least six more hours of studying. I could use that-"
"You're going back to sleep afterwards Missy. No more late nights for you. You can't write the test if you're fast asleep. When I'm done brushing your hair, you are going back to sleep." Alice admonished. "Besides, you don't want your nice hair to fall out now do you?"
"You idiot; hair doesn't fall out form lack of sleep!" Kayla laughed as she took the brush from her. "Thanks Alice. I'm fine now really."
"All right then; now turn off the lights and get some sleep."
Kayla watched as Alice slid back into bed and fell promptly asleep. 'Wonder how she does that...' Absentmindedly she rose and placed the brush back on the vanity table before she paused before the mirror. 'How am I going to pull off not going to this party; I know Alice will drag me anyways; I have track a few hours after the test...then I have that equestrian meet two days later...then fencing at the end of the week.' She slowly started to braid her long hair to stop the endless tangles that she got. Then she tucked the hair behind her ears; she rarely did that but she was starting to forget what they even looked like, she kept them hidden so much. The delicate skin slanted back to a fine pointed tip on both sides as she ran her fingers along it gently. With a small snort she pulled the hair back out, covering the tops; she had these ears for as long as she could remember. They reminded her so much of the stories of Elves that she had heard long ago in her life...so very long ago. With a heavy sigh she flicked off the bedside lamp and sat on her bed in the dark, holding the necklace in her hand.
"Where did you come from? Did you come from the parents I never knew? Or from somewhere even older than me? I shouldn't be alive this long you know...it's not right...I just don't understand it. I have forever to figure it out and I don't think I ever will." she looked at the metal that gleamed with an unreal glow that cast soft shadows around the room. "Will I ever find where this came from?" she whispered softly.
"Kayla," the half asleep mumble came from Alice. "Turn off the frickin' light and go to sleep. And stop talking."
Kayla gave a gentle laugh as she tucked the necklace away, extinguishing the glow. She settled beneath the blankets and closed her eyes, hoping the flaming ball wouldn't be there; only the forest she wanted to go to so much.
With a heavy sigh, Kayla sank into one of the cushioned chairs that littered the student lounge. She slouched in to the chair and stretched her feet out as her head rolled back to rest against the soft cloth. 'Why did on earth did I take physics again? I could have studied anything I wanted and I took quantum physics of all things. Quantum physics! Such suicidal tendencies won't help me much. If I remember that battle in Rome correctly...heh, that was the ultimate height of carnage next to World War One and Two.'
"That looks like a face that just took Waltham's test."
Lifting her head, she found herself looking up at a slightly amused face. "Was the pain written across it that obvious?"
"That's a new way to look at it." the guy took the seat opposite her. "I'm Xander. I just wrote the test too. Not that Alice's badgering helped much."
Kayla groaned. "Don't tell me she sent you to talk me into coming to that damn thing tonight."
Xander laughed. "No; even I don't really want to go. I'm sure the students are nice people but I just don't like such events. I'm guessing from your reaction that you don't either."
"Man my face must be an open book." she replied with a smile. "I guess you know my name already?"
"Actually no; Alice told me what you look like but I stopped her before she told me your name." Xander paused. "Do you really want to go to that party?"
"No. I'm thinking I can stay at track a bit longer then retreat to my room, grab some money and head out all night."
"That sounds like a good idea." Xander leaned forward. "How about I meet you at your room and we both split?"
"Are you asking me out on a date Xander?" she leaned forward and looked at him curiously.
He grinned. "I was going for something original; did it work?"
Kayla shook her head; in all her years, that was the most original line she had ever heard. "Sure. Say around seven...seven fifteen?"
"All right then seven fifteen; you need time to get ready and-"
"I'll be ready by seven; will you?" she arched her eyebrow.
"Seven then." he said. "Then I better go and finish up my essay. I'll see you later Kayla."
"Bye Xander." she waved as he took off.
She sank back into the seat not too sure of what had happened there...but it left her with the rare smile of true happiness on her face.
Kayla walked into the dim coffeehouse, Xander close behind her. "So what's playing tonight?"
"Jazz. I figured this would be somewhat more interesting than making small talk."
"My God, someone else who hates small talk; I like your style Xander." she smiled back at him. "Let's get something to eat and enjoy the show."
Soon enough, Kayla and Xander found themselves seated comfortably in the plush chairs, waiting for the band to come out and play.
"Are you enjoying yourself so far?" Xander asked looking over at her.
Kayla gave him a smirk. "Better than being at some party for God knows how long. Company makes it even better." she grinned at the flush that spread over his face.
"You know I was half expecting you'd give me an excuse like you needed to wash your hair or something."
"No no. If I wasn't going to agree, I'd tell you straight up. There's no point in hiding the truth when it can be so obvious." she took a bite of her cookie, thinking. "Besides, that was the most original way a guy has ever asked me out. I like originality."
"And I like frank people; you always know where you stand with them." he smiled at her. "That's why I can't stand Waltham."
Kayla nodded in agreement. "He says on thing but then he does something completely different. That has got to be the most annoying thing ever." she popped the rest of the cookie in her mouth and swallowed.
"And that head of his. It glares so much in the light."
"Yeah, He keeps on talking about glare and stuff but he causes so much!"
"Bowling ball Waltham." Xander muttered.
Kayla snickered, trying to not burst out laughing. "That's the best! And so true!"
"I try I try, thank you." he bowed his head before looking up. "Jeez, you gotta be kidding me!"
"What?" Kayla asked.
"Don't turn around; it's Alice. Maybe she won't-"
"There you guys are! Come on the party is going to start in a few!"
Kayla groaned. "Did you hunt us down or something?"
"Well you guys abandoned me. I don't like going to these things alone and-"
"Pull up a chair and join us." Xander motioned to the free seat beside Kayla.
"And I want to go. Can you guys please come? For me?"
Kayla looked over at Xander before looking back at Alice. "Get going. We're coming." she watched as Alice clapped her hands and went to wait by the door. "She's pretty good at this isn't she?"
"Yup." Xander said shrugging into his jacket. "We better get going before we miss the whole shindig."
Kayla laughed at the look on his face. "Don't worry; if anything, we can hide in the back and no one will notice us."
Xander laughed as he suddenly hugged her. "Thank God you're not like most girls I've known."
Kayla smiled. "Yeah, you know Alice. Come on, before she bursts from us taking so long."
They walked to the door easily, listening to Alice's chattering all the way to the hall where the party was.
"Maybe we should have just told her no when she showed up." Xander whispered as they removed their coats and sat down.
"Like we would have had a choice. We may as well make the best of the situation while we're here."
"Hmph." he gave a non committal sound as he settled into the chair.
Kayla did her best to not laugh as she looked around. "Looks like Alice abandoned us again. And she wanted us to come with her."
"No, she just wanted us here and not elsewhere. Partypooper."
Kayla's mouth twitched; it really wouldn't be good to laugh out loud here and now. "Well...maybe she just meant that we have to be in sight and not off doing our own thing."
"That too. And she's bringing people over as well." Xander groaned. "I wish I had brought my book to read."
"And miss the fun of torturing poor Alice afterwards; where's your friendly spirit?" Kayla grinned at him, getting the same response.
"I suppose you have a point there." Xander said with a shake of his head. "So we are here to the end I suppose."
"Nah. We'll skip out in two hours. I'll suddenly get sick and you'll take me home. If I stay any longer heads are going to roll; I'll have to do something to alleviate the boredom."
"Then two hours. Just let me set my watch and we'll be off."
"Hey you guys. I want you to meet two of the new students." Alice said walking through the crowd with two people coming behind her. "This is Takeshi and Midori. They're here to study history and languages."
"It is a pleasure to meet you." Takeshi said with a small bow. "Ireland is a very nice country."
Xander shrugged. "It's nice enough. Where's your friend?"
Takeshi looked behind him to se an empty space and gave a sigh of disgust. "Somewhere. If she's in the library I'll kill her. She spends too much time in that place."
Kayla watched as he disappeared into the crowd, searching. "Well, that was a wonderful first introduction; one nice guy and a person who clearly doesn't want to meet us."
Xander craned his head up. "Well, he's coming back with someone now, so we'll see in a few won't we?"
Kayla watched with a small smile of amusement as Takeshi pushed the person forward with a visible struggle before she popped out of the crowd. "And you are?"
"This is Midori, my girlfriend." Takeshi said as he stood beside her. "Midori this is Alice, Xander and Kayla."
A sudden tense silence descended around the table as Midori and Kayla looked at each other, not saying single word. What was one supposed to say when one was looking into a near perfect double of yourself?
Furor: And there's the first chapter all typed up and ready to go.
Peridot: I'd say you took your own sweet time. You know how long I have been waiting for this one?
Princess: You know what Furor; you overstretch yourself. Finish up what you have first. That's a much better idea.
Jasmine: Yeah. Are you almost done with those chapters of 'Under Desert Skies'?
Furor: I'm getting there. You guys know what an incredibly slow typer I am.
Peridot: No shit man.
Furor: *rolls eyes* If you guys are done, can I get back to my work please?
All: *look at her with jaws to the floor*
Furor: Not that kind of work you fools. I meant typing up all this crap. You think I meant like school work or studying my notes over the summer?
Jasmine: No. Just never thought I'd hear you say that you want to get back to work.
Princess: I know. Are you OK Furor; do you want some chai?
Peridot: CHAI!!!
Princess: CHAI!!
Furor: CHAI!!
Jasmine: TEA!! Oops. I mean 'CHAI!!!'