Disclaimer: I don't own Cherub, even though I would really like to.

A/N: I've yet to build up my skill for action/adventure writing, so bear with me.

Golden One

-&-

Chapter One

The last thing Aurelia could comprehend was a damp cloth with the strong stench of chemicals clamping over her nose before she blacked out completely. It was a few hours later, when she regained consciousness that she noticed the starched and stiff sheets that she lay on. Her lean fingers ran smoothly across the surface, her face contorting into a grimace as she squinted into the bright light.

"Oh the young thing is up," a blurry figure above her whispered. She groaned and she felt as though a large rock had been hurled directly at her head; that was the extent of the pain of her headache. She had to steady herself as she sat up; since she had the queasy feeling she would quickly throw up. "Take it easy dear, no need to be in a rush."

Aurelia's eyes were slipping in and out of focus, but not for long, as the images her eyes deceived her with came to a slow standstill and everything was as clear as crystal. She was in a state of shock, realising that she was currently situated in a sick bay. Her voice was rather hoarse as she started to question the nurse that was standing by her bed, "Who are you and where exactly am I?"

The aged nurse with wiry grey hair chuckled. "You're quite the inquisitive one, aren't you?" She smiled pleasantly and continued, "Just wait here dear, someone will be with you soon." With that, she tottered off.

Aurelia got up and rubbed her eyes, yawning despite she had been asleep for God-knows how long. She had to force down a grin as she saw a woman with bright purple streaks in her hair and stylish earrings approach her.

"Hello, Aurelia, I'm Rachel." Rachel pleasantly stuck out her hand; Aurelia complied and shook it warmly. "How are you?"

"I'm not quite sure how I got here…didn't someone…there was a cloth…" Aurelia trailed off, even more confused than she was before.

Rachel laughed. "You're at Nebraska House, if that's what you're wondering." Her face morphed into one of sympathy and sighed. "My condolences are not enough for what you are feeling about your brother. I'm really sorry."

Aurelia didn't know what came up in her. "Of course they're not enough. No one knows my brother like I did, and it's all my fault he's gone," she said coldly, accenting the ending of each word. As her harsh words left her lips, she mentally slapped herself for speaking out of line, especially her feelings to someone she didn't know at all. "I'm—I'm really sorry, Miss. I don't know what came over me."

Rachel snorted and glanced at Aurelia. "There's something strange about you Aurelia. I've only ever been called Miss once, and that was by a boy who was in here not long ago—"

Aurelia's puzzled expression was evident on her face.

"Who?"

"Went by the name James," she replied. A shock of realisation hit her. "I never knew what happened to him…anyway, your room is on the second floor. Right up there." She pointed vaguely to what looked like a staircase, except it was littered with cans and McDonald's wrapping paper.

"Where's my belongings though?" Aurelia wondered. Without further a due, a boy pushed past her and nearly knocked her off her feet. "Watch where you're going!"

The boy turned his head and glared at her and continued to walk down the corridor, ignoring Aurelia's shouts of protests. She ran after him, hot on his heels and clamped her hand on his shoulder, forcing him to turn around and face her.

"What do you want?" he drawled, itching to get away from this clearly insane girl.

"Apologize for rudely bumping into me," she replied, looking him in the eye.

He couldn't help but burst out laughing, wheezing for breath in-between snorts of laughter. As his laughter subsided, Aurelia couldn't help but notice this boy's impish smile and his sparkling chocolate brown eyes. Shaking her head she dismissed all thought and tapped her foot impatiently.

He raised an eyebrow. "You're serious."

"Does it look like I'm joking?"

He smirked and raised his hand to her face and stroked her cheek. She flinched and glared at his amused expression, his eyes dancing as if in laughter as well. "My name is Tyrone," he introduced. "And who might you be?"

She gave him a furtive glance before answering curtly, "Aurelia."

"Interesting name," he commented.

"Why so?"

"It means golden one in Latin."

"Oh—right. Why did you bump into me?"

"You wanted your belongings…here they are…"

Aurelia dropped her head to look at the large duffel bag and suitcase in Tyrone's hands. She couldn't help but flush crimson in embarrassment. He grinned at her response and beckoned for her to follow him up the staircase. As she ascended up the narrow staircase, she noticed the cracks in the brightly painted walls and the graffiti sprayed and drawn on it. It was, in other words, a dump. But she had no other choice. Hopefully, she prayed, I'll be going to the same school.

Tyrone opened the door and led her inside, dropping her belongings on the ground. "Your roommate will be here in half an hour or so. I recommend you to find a big lock and hide your precious items." He smirked as he remembered something. "Oh, and your despite this being the girl's corridor, your roommate is far from a girl. He had to be put here as he was getting beaten up on due to his—sexual orientation." And with that, he waved and dashed out before Aurelia could open her mouth in disbelief.

Surely he must've been toying with her…

And when Aurelia flopped down onto the hard mattress, which was now to be her bed, she realised too late that Tyrone had not apologized to her.

Sneaky bastard.

-&-

That's the first chapter done. I've yet to write the second, and even plot it out. I think her roommate's identity is quite obvious. Don't you think?

Thanks for the people who reviewed, I appreciated it muchly. It makes me feel like an actual writer.