"Nope. Never even seen the first Grudge. But it does look very scary."

"Do you want to watch it?" Keiichirou looked up at Zoë eagerly. "Right now. Together. Just you and me?"

"Sure that would be nice."

At the end of the movie if anyone happened to look in the room they would have seen the young boy snuggled up next to the ghost girl fast asleep.

The vase shattered sending the fragments of glass clattering to the floor.

"Satsuki Miyanoshita." The girl said. "You will pay for what you've done. You will pay. I HATE you!"

We fell asleep together on the couch, my head resting gently on his shoulder. When my eyes finally flickered open it was five hours later and my dad was home staring down at the two of us. I bolted up right waking Hajime up in the process.

"Oh my word!" I screamed. "Dad! What are you doing home so early?"

He narrowed his eyes at me. "I'm not early. I'm actually an hour late."

My eyes were very wide. "We weren't… it wasn't… we didn't… no!"

"That's definitely what it looks like, Satsuki. Now I want him to leave."

Hajime sat up. "Uh…hello! I am sitting right here. If you want to talk about me. Address me."

My dad glanced at him. "I want you to leave this house, right now."

My boyfriend climbed to his feet, but he stopped moving and looked down at me. "Satsuki, what about…you know…Zoë?"

I jumped to my feet. "Dad! I want you to meet my friend!"

He glanced at me then looked around the room as if someone were hiding there waiting to jump out at him at any moment. "I don't see anyone."

"She's upstairs. With Keiichirou watching scary movies."

"She's with Keiichirou? Alone?"

"Uh…yeah. So?"

His eyes narrowed again. "How well do you know this girl, Satsuki? Did you meet her at school or just somewhere?"

"Dad? Do you think that I'm a good daughter?"

He was taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"Do you think that I qualify as a good daughter. Or do you think I need some obedience lessons? And some plastic surgery." This last part I muttered under my breath, but my father still seemed to hear it anyways.

"Plastic surgery?! What on earth are you thinking?!"

I was cornered now, but I wouldn't give in. "I'm a terrible daughter! And a terrible friend!" I tried my best to get tears to spill out of my eyes and I was doing a pretty good job. My father was stunned. He wrapped his arms around me and said in a touched voice. "What would make you think that you're anything less than perfect."

"Well…well…my friend…her house burned down and she has no where to live now. And she's and orphan so…so…she's all alone." I instantly stopped crying. "Can she stay here with me?"

"Her house burned down? That's terrible! And she's an orphan? Oh! Of course she can stay here!" And at that he walked out of the room to go make dinner.

A grin spread across my face. "I scored twice!"

"Twice?" Hajime.

"Yeah! First he said that Zoë could stay there, then…and this is the best part! He said…well not exactly said, but you get the idea…that you can stay here. At least he didn't make you leave." My smile was so wide that someone could have wrapped it around the world…a couple dozen times.

Hajime laughed at my obvious excitement. "Well." he said, still laughing. "I guess we have to go and break this terrible news to Zoë. What do you think?"

"Oh, of course."

WE climbed up the stairs and I knocked gently on my brother's door. When there was no answer, I called out to him. "Keii? Keii, are you in here? Answer me! Keii? Are. You. In. This. Room?" There was still no answer so I pushed the heavy door open and sighed with relief.

Keiichirou and Zoë lay on the bed asleep, the credits for the Grudge still playing on the TV. I walked over to them and gently shook my brothers shoulder. He groaned and pulled a pillow down over his head and muttered a few muffled words. "Just five more minutes, Sask."

I laughed at that, then pulled the pillow away from him. "Come on get up! I have some good news for you!"

He sat up---very reluctantly, but you get the idea---and waited patiently for me to continue.

"Well, Zoë can stay here—"

"Yes!"

And at Keiichirou's outburst Zoë awoke and lifting her head up said in a voice burdened with sleep. "Who lit the on fire?"

"Very funny." I threw Keii's pillow at her and she caught it with a laugh. I turned back to my brother. "For now, but I can't make any guarantees that it'll be forever."

"Hey, one day is better than no day."

"Uhuh."

"Huh? What's going on here?" The ghost girl asked.

Hajime spoke up. "You get to stay here with Satsuki and Keiichirou."

She grinned. "Cool!"

She won't be able to hide forever. I'll find her it it's the last thing that I do.

We were sitting at the dinner table and this is where I began my downfall.

"So, Zoë." My father said, turning to face the girl. "How is it to lose your parents and your home all in one single night?"

Her eyes grew very wide at this. "How did you know?"

"Oh. Satsuki told me. About your house burning down. Was the fire electrical or do you think that someone intentionally did it?"

"Wha— my house—"

"Dad!" I cut in. "Zoë doesn't like to talk about what happened . Do you, Zo."

Her eyes seemed to shimmer like jewels. "Actually, I would love to talk about what happened to me." She shot me an annoyed glance. "But most people don't believe me even when they've seen impossible things happen." Her eyes bore into mine. "Like appearing our of nowhere."

My dad opened his mouth to say something, but the ghost girl continued her speech. Downfall number two.

"No one can really understand what it's like for me. Not even if it has happened to them. It's just life has always been hard for me. You know, not fitting in at school, being overweight, not being able to have anyone love me for who I really am." Her eyes had misted over at this point.

"Zoë, you don't have to talk about this." I reasoned with her.

"No, I have to. You might believe me."

Keiichirou, who was sitting next to the ghost girl, piped up and saved me from destruction…for the moment. "Is Zoë coming to school with us?"

My dad's head shot up. "She doesn't go there?"

A lie jumped instantly to my lips. Downfall number three. "She used to go to a private school, but can't afford to go there anymore."

The girl seemed to flinch slightly, but I couldn't place my finger on the reason for her obvious distress. She quickly finished her food and climbed to her feet.

"I'm done." she announced. "I'll be in the guest room if anyone needs me." And at that she left.

Beauty comes with a price.

Love comes with and expense.

Danger follows perfection.

Heartbreak follows me.

For every footstep

I stumble.

For every breath

I choke.

For every heartbeat

I die.

Why do I crave beauty?

When it only leads to disgrace?

Why do I crave love?

When it only leads to pain?

Why do I follow?

When I should be leading?

Why do I listen?

When I should be speaking?

For when we were together

I felt that I could fly.

For when we were close

I knew my heart had stopped.

But if love is for me

Why have I lost it?

But if love is everything

Why do I feel so much hurt?

For you've broken my heart

With this broken love.

NO more pretending.

Cause you've crushed my soul

With all of your theories

Of bro-o-o-ken lo-o-o-ove.

The notes drifted across the still air until they reached my ears. I was confused for a second until I placed the voice as Zoë's singing a mournful song about broken love. I knocked gently on her door and the music instantly ceased before the girl opened the door just a little.

"Can I come in?" I asked.

"Just a sec." She shut the door and I could hear her scurrying around inside. A few moments later she re-opened the door. I stepped inside and sat down on the bed.

"We have to talk."

"Uh…OK. Go ahead, shoot."

:Well, you have to come with me to school tomorrow." I held up my hand to keep her form protesting. "I know that it's going to be difficult, but what will my dad think if you stay here?'

A small smile played on the corner of her lips. "I don't mind going to school. It'll be a relief after what I've experienced. But what I want to know is why you lied about me."

"Zoë—"

"Don't try to make up excuses. I want the honest truth."

"It's just…my father wouldn't have let you stay here with me…with Keii, otherwise."

She sat down nest to me and stared at the door. "I thank you for your kind thought, but I'm trying to live a truthful life and you're only making it more difficult."

"I was only trying to help!" I protested.

The ghost girl jumped to her feet, furious. "You're not helping me, Satsuki! You're hurting me! Lying about me! You don't know anything about me, so just shut up! I don't want to hear your stupid excuses!" She was steaming mad now. "If you can't tell the truth, I think I'll be better off living wherever I can! Get out of my room!"

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Don't' forger who got you this room! I did! Without me you'd be freezing your butt off outside in the cold!"

"GET OUT"