(Those of you that skipped the prologue, please go back and read it. If you don't you will be VERY CONFUSED! So, please go and read the prologue, if you don't and you have no idea what is happening, it is not my fault.)

I blinked open my icy blue eyes and opened my mouth in a huge yawn, bringing my hand up to itch my eyes. Glaring at the alarm clock, which blasted horrid rock music through my room. Why didn't I pick a better wake up call? Oh yeah, because all other music makes me fall back asleep. I groaned and silenced my alarm.

Charlotte, my fat cat, yawned and half leaped half fell off my bed. She walked to the door, her round belly swinging from side to side. Charlotte sat in front of the door with a dull thwump, and began to caterwaul.

"Charlotte, you fatty be quiet." I groaned, which made her yowl even louder now that she knows that I'm awake. "Just five more minutes." I grumbled burying my face in a blue pillow with white spots, and pulling up the covers.

"Rrrrowwwr! Meeeowrrr!" Wailed Charlotte, which I'm pretty sure means, "Let me out I have to pee! Then come feed me!" Unearthing my buried face I sighed, "Fine, I'm up, I'm up." Standing, I slid my pale feet into blue kitty slippers that meowed with each step I took.

I meowed to the door and let the cat outside my room, swiping my hand across her smooth, fluffy, striped fur. Charlotte meowed thankfully, then shot straight into her litterbox like a rocket. I walked into my bathroom, standing on the white tile triangles, and leaning against the baby blue walls.

I yawned grabbing my blue box-like hairbrush, and pulling it through my straight platinum blonde hair. I slathered acne scrub thickly over my pale face, which was dotted by a few freckles on my cheeks.

I splashed water over my face to wash it off then snatched a soft royal blue face towel, and wiped the remaining water off my face. Stretching, I stumbled into my small closet and changed into a pair of jean shorts, with a white top. The phone set in the living room rang, and I walked across the carpet, and onto the large, square stone floor tiles. Grabbing the phone and pulling it to my ear I said, "Hello?"

"Hello darling, are you feeling alright, you sound tired."

Sighing, and annoyed I said, "I'm fine mom, I just woke up, its ten in the morning what did you think I've been doing?"

"Bailey Nicole Hyde don't talk to your mother that way." She said sternly. "I was just saying hello, I forgot about the time differance in Texas, and you know, there are some good colleges in Texas that would be glad to have you. I'm still convinced that you need to go to college, you're smart enough."

"Here we go again, mom. I do not want to go to college, I am fine here, without a school to go to, and without homework to do, and essays to write."

"I am not going to argue with you again, darling, just please try to get a schooling, somewhere, I don't care what you do, as long as you get a schooling."

"Alright mom, I'll try, but I have to go."

"Bye sweetheart, I love you."

"Love you too mom." I said as I pressed the red 'Hang Up' button. I walked into my kitchen, examining the marble counters, and the fancy carved wooden cabinets.

I got out a pan and turned on the electronic stove, then set the red and black pan on the heated surface. I sliced a piece of butter, using a silver butter knife, and a spatula to spread the butter around the pan.

Opening the silver refrigerator and putting the butter back, I grabbed the eggs and raw bacon. Cracking the eggs, and fishing some eggshell out, I began to cook them. Once I put the cooked sunny side up eggs onto a blue glass plate, I began to sizzle the juicy strips bacon.

When the bacon was soft and golden brown, I set the thick pieces next to the eggs. As I sat in a wooden chair by my wooden table, and seasoned my breakfast, I saw a trail of moving trucks drive down the road. I scarfed my breakfast down, surprised at how hungry I was.

Belching, I washed the dishes and gazed out the window, looking at the yard, and watching the moving vans pull into the large stone house down the street. I should greet the new neighbor later, I thought.

Then looking straight across the street at a small house where a quiet boy about my age, named John, lived. He never really came out of the house, and seemed very shy, I saw him through the window. He had shaggy blonde hair, dirt brown eyes, and was very skinny.

I felt bad that he had no friends, and wanted to reach out to him. The only hard part was that I did not know how to approach him and talk to him.

I don't know why its so hard to talk to him, I'm usually good at this kind of thing, he just unsettles me whenever I'm near him.

Pushing that thought to the back of my mind I picked up a mint from my little glass bowl and popped it into my mouth. Stretching, I fed Charlotte and grabbed my keys, stepped out the front door, closing it and locking it. Walking down the small driveway I began to walk up the hill.

I saw another girl, who looked my age, standing on the side of the road. She stared at John's house, her eyes narrowed and when I got closer she turned to face me. She had tan skin, and a thin, muscular body. Her golden-brown eyes shined, as if to welcome me.

"Hello." The girl said smoothly and confidently, "My name is Serena Caparelli, what's yours?"

"My name is Bailey Hyde." I replied, smiling. "Your the new neighbor, right?" I asked. " I uh, just saw a moving truck and uh, assumed that you were..." My voice trailed off as I turned my attention to the ground. It's like when I talk to John, I feel intimidated or something.

"Yes, this is a nice neighborhood, peaceful, I hope it stays that way." Serena said in a far off voice.

"Uhh, sure." I said, beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable.

Serena smiled brightly, running her hands through her smooth golden brown hair. "So, what do you like to do?"

"I didn't go to college, but I know how to use medecine, and I probably could be a doctor, or maybe even a writer, but I'm really still thinking about it, what about you?"

"I didn't go to college either, but I'm thinking of becoming a cop, or a super spy, just kidding, but a cop would be nice." Serena said.

Suddenly a question popped into my mind. "I know your new and all, but do you happen to know anything about the boy that lives there, like has he come to say hello or anything?" I asked pointing toward the small house that John lived in.

"No, why?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Oh, John Harrison, the boy that lives there, is just shy, and I feel bad because he doesn't have any friends. I just want to get to know him."

"Well if I find anything out, I'll let you know."

"Ok, bye, nice to meet you."

"Bye, see you later." She said, then opened her mailbox, and fished out some letters, then walked back to her house. I shrugged and set off on my run around the neighborhood.

As I walked back to my house after my run, I decided to gather up my courage and knock on the door to John's house. Walking up to the wooden house, I knocked on a perfectly carved door.

The door opened and John stood there, his eyes tired with dark under-eye circles. His clothes were worn and dirty, and he smelled like candles and coffee. "Hello, Bailey, fine to see you here today." He murmured.

"Hello, John how are you?" I asked, smiling.

"I'm fine, but why are you here?" He asked.

"Oh, I was just seeing how you were." I said with a smile.

His eyes narrowed "I have very important business to attend to so please leave." A hint of a snarl crept into his voice.

Saluting, I said, "Sir yes Sir!" trying to be funny.

A scowl masked his face and I looked at my feet. "I just came by to see how you were, but because you're fine, I will just go back to my house, bye." I turned and walked away, feeling confused by his reaction.

I spent the rest of the day walking around town, discovering places I had never even known about. It was pretty fun until I saw John coming out of an allyway, I watched him look around cautiously then head into another allyway. I walked back to my house, thinking about how John acted so weird.

As I looked toward the horizon as the sun was beginning to slink behind the treetops. Better go to bed early. I thought, walking into the house and locking the door. After I changed into my P.J's which were blue striped pants, and a soft red shirt, I watched John go back to his house, carrying a bag full of things.

He kept looking around, as if he was afraid that someone was watching him, then slipped into his house. I dismissed the thought of John from my mind. I didn't have to worry about his life. Yawning, I picked up Charlotte and crawled into bed, closing my eyes I drifted into a soft slumber.

If only I had known how much I did have to worry about his life.