Part 1: The Hunted
Catalina- 11, Axel- 13
I woke up and rubbed my eyes. I glanced at my watch, the date read July 14th. The day I lost everything, including my parents. I pulled the covers over my head refusing to get up. Shall I tell you what happened? Yes? Okay, I will.
It was my 10th birthday and my friends were going to take me to the movies. My parents dropped me off in front of the theater and left to prepare for my party at home. After the movie, I took out my cell phone and called my mom to have her come pick me up. Then, I got that stupid phone message that goes: "that number is no longer active. Please hang up and try again." I figured I had misdialed. So I hung up and tried again. I dialed again and this time made sure it was right and I got the same message again! Now I was worried, and before anyone could stop me, I was racing home. When I reached it, my house was in ruins. It had been burned to the ground, and my parents lied on the ground, smothered by smoke that still hung in the air. I looked around to see if whoever had done this was still there, but all I saw was a person in a hooded black robe. After some weeks of wandering, I finally found this orphanage. Yes, this shithole of an orphanage.
It's been a year since that happened, and I doubt any of my old friends remember me. Oh well, I guess what's done is done. I went to get up when someone with spiky red hair appeared at my side. "Hi!" he said cheerfully, "what's your name?"
I tired to smile, but couldn't so I just replied, "I'm Catalina. Who are you?"
"I'm Axel. Are you okay Cat? You don't mind if I call you that do you?" He asked. I burst out crying because Cat was what my mom and dad used to calling. "Omigawd!" He cried, "I'm sorry!"
I shook my head. "No," I said, sniffling, "it's just, that's what my parents called me."
"Oh." He said. "I'm sorry. What happened to your parents?" I suddenly found myself telling him what I had told no one else before. When I finished my story, he stood there in shock. "I'm sorry," I told him. "I really should be going. The next thing I knew, Axel had wrapped me into a hug. "Ummm, why are you hugging me?" I asked, now sort of scared.
"Because you need a hug." He said. "You've been through so much. Now c'mon, let's go get something to eat."
He dragged me off to the breakfast hall and told me to wait at a table while he got some cereal. Okay, I know I'm only 11, but I think I'm in love. He came back and put a bowl of cereal in front of me and said, "Bon appetite!" with a terrible accent that made me laugh. Then he asked, "Is there anything else you want to tell me Cat?" You mean besides the fact that I love you to pieces? I thought to myself. "Well, I think that the guy or guys that burned my house wanted me or something I have." I told him as I took a bite of my cereal.
"Hmm," he said considering what I had said. "You may be right, but why would they want you?"
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded.
He laughed, and replied, "Nothing, nothing at all. But seriously, why?" I shrugged and spooned more cereal into my mouth. "Well whatever. I'm leaving this hellhole. Ya wanna come with?" Axel asked.
"Why me?" I asked.
"Because you're my best friend!" he replied, hugging me again.
I blushed, and then said, "If I'm YOUR best friend, then it goes both ways." I don't know what made me do it, but I plopped a kiss on his cheek and whispered, "Wake me up when you're ready to go." I walked out of the hall leaving a confused and blushing Axel staring at his cereal.
Aww... it's love at first sight I tells ya! Don't forget to review!
