Chapter 2- Our Sugar Rush to the Kingdom

Wiping away my tears, I give Sarah one more squeeze hug. "Thanks for letting me cry on your shoulder."

"No problem Rose, that's what best friends are for. Now, I'm hungry."

"How about the fattest food we can find?" I ask with a dangerous undertone. "I know coach will kill us if he finds out, but, I have some of the most delicious sugar-filled sweets at my home."

She responds, "Ohhhh, so that explains why you are always having the sugar crazed look in your eyes. Teach me your ways, oh master." Laughing along with her we bound out to my car and drive to my place, talking about all the candy and syrups of our future. After a while, we fall silent, drifting into our own thoughts.

Is it possible for me to ever find someone? I chuckle silently to myself. That is such an overused relationship question. But, yet, I still wonder: what would he look like? Act like? Smell like? Perhaps, a raven haired man, with dashing cobalt blue eyes, who is sporting chivalry that is long past this age of man and smelling of the sea... Smiling softly as I daydream, I go into autopilot. Stopping at red lights, turning left, curving right, we eventually get to my home outside of town. I park and we both exit from my car.

"Remind me again, why do you live outside city limits?"

"Well," I begin, "My foster parents are writers and they prefer wide open spaces and the silence that goes with it. They say it helps their 'imagination to function superior' than other writers." I smirk and shake my head as I unlock the front door. "I don't disagree on the living conditions, just on the fact that they believe people can be superior to other people."

Throwing off the track and field bag that is threatening to break my shoulder, I grin widely. "Welcome to La Casa de Aber! The sugar rush capital of the world!"

Sarah bows ever so slightly, "I am but a humble , unworthy vagabond, seeking the way of the rush."

"Oye. First we need a few rules here." She groans, but I keep a straight face. "One: All deserve to learn the ways of harnessing the candy's power. Two: After it has been shared, you must promise to share this knowledge with all who wish to learn. Three: This form of rush is not as potent as others but it still packs a punch. Therefore, once you enter, there is no turning back."

Smiling, she hooks arms with me, "Consider me a member."

I smile and drag her into my kitchen. "Tally-ho!"

It is a simple cooking area with an island in the middle. Walking up to my pantry, I fling open the doors and start filling Sarah's arms with every sweet substance I can find. She looks down at the ingredients and puts on a confused look, "What is this called?"

"An Everything-but-the-Sink Sundae."

Sarah laughs, "No I meant this." She holds up a glass jar.

"Oh, that? It's swedish fish. The bag broke and I didn't want to waste them."

"Swedish fish?"

My eyes widen in surprise. "You don't know what Swedish Fish are?"

"No, I do. I'm just curious why we are putting this in our sundaes."

"Well… It's Everything-but-the-Sink Sundae. That means, find every sticky, gooey, sweet substance you can find and put it on top of every type of ice cream you have in your home."

"Wow," She grins evilly. "This is going to be fun."

After making our sugary concoctions and taking them up to my room to eat, Sarah looks at me, eyes calculating, "What about a kingdom? Isn't the king superior to his subjects?"

"Pardon?"

"What you said before, when I asked why you live out here. You said your parents think people can be superior to others. What about a kingdom and its king? "

"Well, in a social structure, yes, like how the president is above the citizens of the United States. But in a superiority of nature, no. We are all made up the same ingredients, flesh and blood. Yes, some may act and look different, but that doesn't change their morality or mortality." I look over at Sarah and my words stop short. Her green eyes are soft with remembrance. "Sarah?" I ask delicately, "Is something wrong?"

"No…well, yes."

"Care to explain what has you so silent?"

"Rose," she begins softly, "Have I ever told you about my time in the Labyrinth?"