✷ Volume One ✷

one. the day i met you, i started dreaming.

The cool wind blew in through the open window, gently ruffling the curtains. inside the room, a young girl laid in bed, the sheets haphazardly thrown across her body. There was a frown etched onto her features, like a sculptor had purposefully put it there.

Her arms were thrown over her head, and her legs were spread out before her in a messy fashion, with her wild and untamed curls spreading across the pillow. She was muttering beneath her breath, beginning to twist and turn in her bed.

The teenage girl wasn't unused to the nightmares that plagued her, but this one felt different. It was sinister, not like her previous ones had been -- this one felt real.

In her nightmare, a dark figure loomed over her body, casting a shadow over her. His onyx eyes never left her figure, and she felt paralyzed, merely laying there unable to do anything other than look back at him. Something stirred inside her -- perhaps fear, or perhaps something else. She didn't have long to dwell on it before he came closer, and just before his face came into view, she woke up with a gasp.

Sophia Rossi clutched a hand to her chest, feeling the erratic beating of her heart. Her forehead was covered in sweat, and she could feel the shaky exhale that escaped her.

She was familiar with nightmares. They'd come and gone over the years, and no matter how many different kinds of medicines she was handed, they always came back -- but this one was different. It felt like a premonition of some sort, and Sophia felt fear rise inside her.

Maybe she was being silly, and as she looked to her left, seeing the light peak through her window, and suddenly the irrationality of her fear dissipated like a breath of air released from her lungs. Sophia felt a small smile grow on her features, and soon enough, she'd gotten out of bed.

The full-length mirror showcased her features, pointing out the curve of her body beneath the nightdress she'd recently purchased. Her features were striking, and anyone's attention was easily drawn to the freckles doting her button nose.

Sophia didn't dawdle, flouncing from the view of the mirror with a newfound sense of excitement. It was the first day back at school, and after a long summer traveling with her mother, she was more than ready to see her friends. She'd missed Bonnie's bright enthusiasm, Meredith's pessimistic attitude, and Elena's brazen confidence. Not to mention Matt's unwavering kindness.

The brunette made quick work of taking a refreshing shower, scrubbing her skin with her familiar strawberry scented body wash, forgetting all about the haunting dream as the water soaked over her bronze skin.

She massaged her scalp, letting out a gentle sigh of content as her fingers wove through her now tame curls. It felt relaxing, just... being. She didn't have to reminisce about the nightmare and most certainly didn't have to ponder on the strange familiarity the featureless stranger brought.

Soon enough, she was back in her room, clothed in her usual flowy attire. Elena had once joked that Sophia was their own personal version of a hippie, and the aforementioned girl had taken it in stride. Her fashion sense was impeccable after all (even Meredith had agreed, and the girl never bothered to interject into such trivial conversations).

A pale yellow, practically cream dress hugged the top half of Sophia's body before spreading out at her hips, flowing gently in a floundering fashion, and she knew that if she were to sway her hips the skirt would swish along with them. The dress was adorned in intricately stitched suns and patterns that decorated the fabric along the v line of her chest that dipped slightly (but not too much so that she'd get dress coded).

She shrugged on her signature knit bag and slipped her feet into a pair of white Chuck Taylor's, which were covered in doodles. Then, she finished off her look with dozens of gold necklaces and rings to add a touch of color. Sophia felt a smile make its way into her face as she opened her bedroom door, and the familiar scent of waffles hit her like a truck.

Until that moment, she hadn't been aware of how hungry she'd been, but apparently, the smell had awakened a newfound hunger inside of her. She walked down the hallway, the gentle tap, tap of her sneakers sounding through the wooden floors.

Making her way down the stairs, Sophia wasn't surprised to see her mother standing before the stove, a large and comfortable sweater practically swallowing her figure whole. Hannah Rossi hummed lightly to the music wafting through the air from the radio.

She looked up at the sound of Sophia's footsteps, a bright smile adorning her pale face. "Hey, kiddo, breakfast is on the table. I made your favorite, waffles with --"

She barely got to finish her sentence before Sophia lunged towards the table, a happy smile on her face. "With strawberries," the girl finished off.

Taking a seat at the table, her eyes scanned over the contents. There was a large jug of grape juice situated at the center of the dining table (Sophia despised orange juice). Her plate was stacked high with waffles that were drowning in whipped cream and strawberries just how she liked it. This was an annual back to school tradition she and her mother had every year, and no matter how old Sophia was, she definitely wasn't going to say no to an amazing breakfast.

Her mother finished plating her own breakfast consisting of bacon and eggs before joining her daughter at the table. Hannah took a seat across the brunette, and her crimson hair pulled into a messy bun. "So, are you excited to see everyone at school today?"

Sophia looked up, slowly swallowing the bite of waffle she'd taken. "Of course. We'll probably meet in the parking lot like we do every other day... and I can't wait to see the others."

Hannah chuckled, remembering the hoards of letters that traveled from Europe (where she and Sophia had spent the summer) to Fell's Church. If Hannah didn't know ant better, she'd have thought they were love letters but Sophia and Bonnie were both hopeless romantics and the mere prospect of exchanging letters, even if it wasn't in a romantic way was much too enticing to ignore. So, Sophia carried all of those letters around with her the entire summer. It was honestly adorable how close she and Bonnie were.

"I haven't seen Elena since she left for Paris with her aunt Judith and Margaret... and Meredith was off traveling with her parents. Bonnie and Matt were the only ones that spent their summer here," Sophia continued, slowly sipping on her juice.

The two conversed for a while, the conversation light and flowing easily. Sophia liked that. The fact that she could talk to her mother about anything and everything. By the time they were done, the Rossi girl only had a few moments to spare until school started, and she refused to be late on her first day back.

Soon enough, she was in her mother's embrace, promising to tell her all about her first day at school later. Then, she slipped out of the door, calling out one last goodbye.

As Sophia stepped out of her front door, she found the quiet morning air slightly unsettling, and her earlier enthusiasm seemed to seep from her body. It was replaced by a gnawing anxiety that made her stomach twist.

The strange thing was the empty street. The rest of the houses showed no signs of life, and unlike every other year, there were no other teenagers rushing off to school in disorganized groups. Perhaps she really was late. The thought drew the teenagers eyes to her watch, and to her surprise, there was still enough time to spare.

She didn't feel like thinking about it any longer and instead removed her walkman from her bag, slipping them over her ears. Sophia hummed along to the familiar tune of Linger by the Cranberries.

She was halfway down the road when something caught her eye. Atop one of the trees lining her neighbors front yard was a crow. Normally, she wouldn't have given it more than a passing smile or a mere glance, but it seemed to be watching her. Attentively at that. Almost like the peering eyes of a human, and she found herself frowning at the bird.

He was larger than the average size of most crows (not that she knew their exact weight, but this one was way too large to be an average bird). Maybe she'd discovered a rare species, but even the thought seemed prosperous to her.

She was rooted to her spot, gaze roaming over the animal, and her hands slowly slipped the headphones from her head, and they rested on her shoulders.

The crow caught her gaze, and it tilted its head, almost as if greeting her. Sophia felt the corners if her lips lifted slightly at the action, but then it shifted on the branches, and before she knew it, the bird had stretched its wings.

Sophia let out a gasp at the sight because instead of ink black feathers, the underside of the bird's feathers were the colors of the rainbow. And no, she was not exaggerating. It was, in fact, multicolored, a kaleidoscope of different colors. It was beautiful, but something about it felt... off. A crow wasn't supposed to have rainbow feathers, but that wasn't it.

There was something about it that she couldn't put her finger on, and before she had the chance to dwell on it any longer, the bird dived towards her so quickly that the only thing she saw was the bright array of colors.

The Rossi girl instinctively ducked, and the bird spread its wings further, before sweeping its body upwards and flying off towards the woods.

Her eyes followed the bird, her gaze hard as she glared at it. "Stupid bird," she muttered beneath her breath.

Sophia let out another sigh, flattening her hair, before slipping the headphones back onto her head. She pressed play, the sound of music filling her ears once more, and she continued on her way to school. She had a feeling today was going to be... interesting.