I remembered the café, eating ice cream with Zero, the scent of his cologne and coffee, laughter, and feeling really happy. I remembered the heat from the day, classes being canceled, the glaringly hot sun, the bustling crowd, the venders crowding the streets, the shouting, then the screaming. I remembered running after Zero, calling out his name, for him to wait for me, I remembered red eyes, snarling, fangs, being dizzy, so dizzy, throwing up.

Everything else is completely dark.

When I opened my eyes I was in my bedroom, lying in my bed, surrounded by my familiar scents, wrapped up in softness and comfort, safe and secure.

"You're awake."

I turned my head at the sound of Yori's soft, familiar voice, wondering what she was doing here. It had been awhile since she came over to my house. She sounded so worried. She was seated in the white, cushioned armchair next to my bed, gazing down at me, her forehead creased with concern.

"Yori? Why are you here?" I asked, groggy from sleep. I sat up and leaned back against the cushioned headboard, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "What time is it?"

"It's after eight." she said. "In the evening. The Headmaster called me awhile ago and said that you weren't very feeling well. He said you passed out while shopping in town with Zero. He sounded really worried over the phone, Yuuki. I came to check on you, per his request."

That was strange. Usually the Headmaster would never leave my side if he was concerned for my wellbeing. "He isn't here?"

She shook her head and moved to sit with me on the bed. "He and Zero went somewhere...they didn't say where they were going, even when I asked them. Just that I should come and keep an eye on you until they get back. It won't be until late though. I also brought this-" she handed me a small notebook from her purse. "Though you probably don't want it right now."

I flipped through it curiously. "What is it?"

"You've been missing classes lately, not paying very much attention even when you are there. I've been taking extra notes for you, so you don't fall behind."

I set it aside on the mattress, feeling truly touched by the small gesture. Yori was always the thoughtful friend, always trying to look out for me.

"Yuuki, we've known each other for years now. And I'm not going to pretend like I understand what's going on with you, or that I don't notice when something is wrong. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to-I'd never force you, or make you feel guilty for keeping things from me-but I just want you to know that I'll always be here for you, if you ever need to talk. About anything. After all, we're best friends." she grabbed my hand, staring down at our entwined fingers. "When I first came to the Academy, you opened up to me right away, made me feel so welcome when I felt like just the opposite. I want you to know how much that meant to me, how much I cherish your friendship. I don't ever want to lose it."

"You won't!" I whispered, choking on emotion. "You won't ever lose me." I cleared my throat. I wish I could tell her everything. Instead I just smiled and said; "I feel the same way, Yori. I mean, if you ever have anything that you ever want to talk about..." I knew I was hurting her feelings by keeping things to myself. Yori had a way of seeing right through me. I felt absolutely rotten then.

She sighed. "I'll go make you some tea."

I watched her walk away.

It was my first year of high school. I remember that very first day so perfectly, the day I became a high school student. I was so very excited. I was finally going to be in the same building as Kaname, share the same classrooms, walk the same halls. But more than that, I had the chance to meet new people. The sky was a crystal clear blue, the sun was bright and warm, blazing down on the earth below. I was fourteenyears old. I remember how thrilled I was to try my uniform on for the very first time, even though now I don't even like it that much anymore. I remember feeling nothing but absolute excitement as I ran up the stairs of the Sun Dormitory to my designated dorm room, wrapped in the cotton of my brand new uniform. When I arrived the door was already wide open. Though slightly nervous, I enthusiastically popped into the room, extremely excited to meet my roommate. At that time I didn't know that dorm life was so terrible. I also didn't have any friends, other than Zero. Her luggage was spread out on her side of the room and she was sitting on her bed, twisting her hands in her lap and staring down at her feet. My first impression of Saiyori Wakaba was that she was a very sad, lonely, and shy girl. Reserved, in a way that she wasn't going to speak unless she absolutely needed to. I also saw a very quick glimpse of her father, as he pushed past me and left the room, not saying a word to me. His presence there that day seemed to have upset her. Back then friendship to me was known as physical affection-the love that I had always received from my father and from Kaname, hugs and gentle kisses, kind words and sweet smiles. I introduced myself to the forlorn Yori, told her I was so glad to be roommates, looking forward to spending all of our time together, and knew that we were going to be best friends forever, before I hugged her to me tightly-

"Yori, wait." I called, stopping her before she could leave the room. "Please don't go." I wasn't going to lie to her anymore. I didn't want to create a rift between us. She trusted me with everything. I could trust her.

She sat back down next to me on the bed, looking at me expectantly, waiting for me to speak.

"There really is something wrong with me." I told her, though it was already obvious. "I haven't been completely honest with you and I'm sorry." I sighed, not really knowing exactly how to tell her these things. "I'm just really tired, Yori. I've been having nightmares lately. Always the same one."

"Tell me about it."

"Well," I began, shakily. "in the dream I'm a lot younger, eight, I think. I'm wondering around in a snowy clearing. The snow is really thick and it's dark, I can barely see anything. It's cold, even in the dream, you know what I mean? Like I feel like I'm freezing. I know that I've been abandoned, and it makes me feel really sad. After a few minutes of wondering around I hear something behind me and I start running, like I somehow know that I'm in danger and I need to get away. But then I trip and fall down and...It gets me." I shivered, recalling the nightmarish figure. "I turn and look and there's this big, ominous figure looming over me. It's so frightening!" I started crying, my body shaking from trying to hold back my tears in front of my best friend. I have never told this to anyone before. I couldn't look at Yori during my confession. "It looks so monstrous and terrible. It has these gleaming red eyes and long, pointed claws, and razor sharp fangs. I know It's going to kill me too, It tells me so. It wants to kill me. It's voice is so terrible. And I'm so terrified that I can't even breathe, can't even move. I'm too small to fight back. And no one comes to save me." I grabbed my shoulders to hug myself and cried, too overwhelmed to continue.

Then I felt Yori's arms wrap around me, pulling me in for a tight hug. "It's okay, Yuuki." She whispered softly into my hair. "The dream isn't real. It can't hurt you. Nothing's going to hurt you." She said soothingly.

It was real though. It had happened before, though the details in the dream were slightly different than what had really happened that night. "But it feels so real." I cried into her shoulder, my voice muffled by her shirt. "And lately, whenever I doze off, I come too and there's blood everywhere."

"What? What do you mean there's blood?" she sounded confused and kind of scared. She pulled away so she could see my eyes, holding me by my shoulders.

"I see blood. Like a vision or something."

Yori squeezed my shoulders. "You haven't told the Headmaster about this?" she asked.

I shook my head. "I can't. I'm too scared about what he'll say. What if he thinks I'm going crazy or something?" I didn't know if the Headmaster knew about what had happened when Kaname had found me that night-if Kaname had told him or not, but no one knew about the dreams, except Yori. If I told him about the blood, I'd have to tell him about the dream. "Yori, please promise me you won't tell anybody." the idea made me feel frantic.

She was quiet for a moment. "I won't tell anyone. But Yuuki, I really think you should consider telling your father."

I wiped my tears on the back of my hands. "I'll think about it." I lied, knowing there was no way I would.

She nodded. "Do you want me to spend the night?" she asked. "I don't mind at all."

"Yeah." I smiled. "It's been awhile since we've had a sleep over."