AN: Okay, so to make up for the fact that i have not updated in FOREVER, I wrote a longer chapter. I will now actually be writing regular chapters and will do my best to take the input of my reviewers into account. This means if you want me to include some specific thoughts in Derek's head or to go into how he feels about certain things/people more, review and your wish is my command! Okay, enjoy!

-Trin

I raced from the kitchen, hardly catching a whiff of someone approaching the kitchen as I bounded to the second floor, taking the stairs two at a time. I plowed past Rae's room, where the blunt scent of smoke was drifting down the hall. It was rumored that she had a "thing" for fire. She might actually be the only kid here who is mildly nuts. Simon and I sure aren't, and the other kids don't seem to be either, it doesn't add up, I thought to myself. The fact that your Dad disappeared the day you were on the front page of the local paper doesn't either, the wolf part of me growled back. I slammed the door to my shared room with Simon shut and winced; I still don't know my own strength.

It had been 20 minutes of rummaging through my horrendous mess of a room, and I still couldn't find the book I had originally come up here to find. With a huff, I gave up and started downstairs for lunch.

To keep from staring at Chloe, I inhaled my food twice as quickly as usual and never once moved my eyes from my plate. The noises from Peter's DS were probably the only sounds above the hushed babble of best friends Tori and Liz. I was preoccupied with not paying attention when a sentence that spewed from Tori's infamously bratty mouth made me look up in reproach.

"Didn't Chloe tell you why she's here?", Tori asked Simon, "She sees dead people."

Chloe turned bright pink and stared at her shoes. My mouth dropped open. Being of the supernatural type myself, and having a wizard for a foster brother, I new that the accusation probably held some truth behind it.

Suddenly I was sure that the likeliness of their being three members of supernatural society in one place was very low, and I knew it was no coincidence that Simon and I were placed here after Dad disappeared.

My lip curled in disgust, and not just at the quality of our lunch food. The thought that someone had set up a bunch of supernaturals here, telling us we had mental disorders and shoving pills down our throats in hopes of 'fixing' us was sick. Chloe looked up to see my sneer-like expression and her face fell, thinking that I was smirking at her seeing 'dead people'. Chloe immediately started stuttering an explanation in horror and embarrassment. Chloe seemed to stutter out of nervousness constantly, so naturally, Tori (being the demonspawn she was) made a jest of it.

"There she goes," Tori sighed, "Liz slap her back, see if you can restart her."

Everyone stared at Tori in shock. "Tori, stop being such a..."

I smirked at Simon's colorful language (which you're going to have to imagine for yourself). Tori instantly started bumbling apologies at the first sign of Simon's disaproval of her actions, squealing things like: "I didn't mean it that way!" and "If she does see ghosts, maybe she could help Liz with her, you know, poltergeist."

Liz did NOT approve of the reference to her 'issue' and amid the chaos that ensued, I sneakily took the last bit of casserole from the serving plate.

The next time I looked up, Simon, Tori, Liz and even quiet Peter were quarreling as one of our 'nurses', Mrs. Talbot, tried to shut them up and are slunk of to do her laundry. The thing that most caught my attention though was a pair of blue high-tops disappearing up the stairs after a toss off blonde hair streaked with red, and Chloe's empty seat at the table.

OOOh intense emotional cliffy! Please review! New chapter up by next Friday!