Well! Due to GREAT demand from a certain someone (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE) only moments after posting the first chapter, I must post the second. *sigh* oh well! ^^ here ya go!!!

CHAPTER 2

The next morning I woke to the sound of voices and footsteps outside my door. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and groggily got to my feet. Pain shot up through my legs and I collapsed back onto the bed. My muscles were extremely sore from yesterday, and I could barely stand. After a while of painful stretching, I was able to walk.

As I reached for the handle I snapped to my senses and yanked my hand back. Should I go out? All the girl had said was to be careful. So I would be. I opened the door a crack and peered out. Seeing nobody, I edged out. Suddenly a short girl with dirty blond hair, a plaid skirt, knee high socks, and a tight t-shirt rounded the corner. Before I could dive back into the room she shouted at me.

"Hey! Have you seen Marisa?"

I faced her sheepishly and she froze. "Who are you? Are you new?"

"I…err…not exactly." I replied.

"Then what are you doing here?" Her voice had turned skeptical.

"I, uh, arrived last night. I met this girl. She, um, had long brown hair and blue eyes…?"

"Oh, yeah, you mean Marisa." The girl replied. "Well I'm looking for her too so come on." She hooked arms with me and we started off down the hall. We passed Lynne, who glared intently at me.

"Wow man, you've already pissed off Mermaid-Boy? Nice!" She grinned at me.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh EVERYBODY here hates him. And he hates everybody. Well except Marisa."

"Does he like her?"

"We think so, because he vows he'd give up his life for her and protect her and all that crap. And he's always staring at her…I'm Mary by the way."

"Darren." I replied.

Heading up the stairs, Mary said, "Hm…Darren…Marisa has always liked that name."

As we arrived at the top of the steps, we turned a sharp corner and suddenly we were in the theatre. Speaking of Marisa, there she was, sitting in the front row of seats reading a book. She looked completely relaxed, the opposite of how she was the previous night.

Mary had disappeared off my arm and was skipping down the aisle.

"Marisa!" she called.

Marisa snapped her book shut as Mary plopped in the seat next to her. Mary said something in a low voice and Marisa nodded. Mary said something else and I locked eyes with Marisa. After a second she looked back at Mary and shook her head. Then she beckoned for me to come over. When I was standing in front of her she said, "We were never properly introduced. I am Marisa Mallinson."

"Darren Shan." I answered.

Marisa glanced at Mary and I noticed she was now wearing jeans and a white button-down shirt instead of her previous sweats. As I studied her, she studied me. Coming to a conclusion, she said, "I wasn't finished. I'm Marisa Mallinson, ringmaster of this circus."

I blinked. "Circus?"

"Why yes," she said, standing and walking up the steps onto the stage. "This is the Cirque du Nuit."

I recalled brief snippets of French from my memory. Circus of the Night.

I looked at Marisa, at her soft pretty face that seemed so innocent, wondering how she could manage an entire circus.

"How old are you?" I asked her.

"I just turned 15." She answered.

I jumped up next to her with ease. "So how did you manage to come by that?"

She studied me, her iceberg eyes scrutinizing my every feature.

Stepping closer until she was only inches away, she said coolly, "Right now, ignorance is your new best friend."

Well there ya go little missy! Hahaha

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