• October 1st 2010: 6:15 a.m.



    The sky churned from an unusual murky dark brown, to a dark navy blue and then finally a sharp gunmetal gray. I watched this all from the seat near my window, my arms folded across my knees and my chin resting on the caps. I physically felt the temperature drop and the coolness made me shudder. A short sleeved black shirt and caprice aren’t exactly the most ideal clothing to wear in this weather. Wiggling my socked toes, I swung my legs across the mattress and hissed aloud when cold met hot from touching the threadbare floor. Forcing myself to tip-toe at an almost painfully slow pace, I inched toward the door, opening it just a fraction of a crack before slipping out and muffling the sound it made when it closed. The corridor was dark, faintly illuminated from the bluish light outside. Shuffling through the hallway, I pressed my body against the wall, trying my best to blend in with the darkness.

    If I so much as make a miscalculation in this, the consequences would be very steep. Every minutely move would be vital.

    My foot bumped into the hallway table and I winced in pain, hobbling on one foot while trying to silence the loud scrap that echoed through the house.

    A creak arose from downstairs.

    Ah ********, ah ********, ah ********]. I thought in a panic, limping quickly down the hall.

    No more hiding; I was heard.

    Turning into the next corner quickly, I forced the door open. I was still being unnecessarily cautious by muffling the click with my hands.

    Flicking the lights on, I slipped through the door my heart pounding but relieved. I made it. Snapping on the faucet, I splashed my face with water and reached for my toothbrush, my head turning automatically at the sensation of being watched.

    “s**t!!” I screamed, jumping back in shock. My head smacked hard against the back wall and I cursed again, dropping my toothbrush and clasping onto my head with both hands.

    He threw his head back and roared with laughter, practically teetering on the rim of the bathroom tub and the floor.

    “Dammit all Adrian!” I continued to yell, more out of shock than anger, “How the hell can you get here first?”

    “You can’t wake up earlier than the early bird.” He said with a sly smirk while wiping a tear from his eyes, “Besides, you don’t sleep anyway, do you?”

    I huffed. “I do sleep. Just not around you.”

    Rolling his eyes, he pushed himself up into a standing position, and even though we were only a few feet apart, I could tell that he towered above me. For someone who just turned ‘‘twenty’’, Adrian looked undeniably like he was seventeen or eighteen at best. His skin had a healthy toned shade, and his blond hair was in a (as much as I hated to admit it) adorably cute disarray. A large baggy white T-shirt and mahogany sweat pants covered as much as his skin as it could.

    Tilting his head to the side, he stared at me with bemused blue-green eyes. “Are you…checking me out?” He asked suddenly.

    I coughed back laughter. “Not even your holyfied dreams could conjure that up. This is too sexy for ya.” I motioned toward myself and it was his turn to hide his laughter.

    “No, no no no no no.” He said over my chorus of ‘‘yes’’, shaking his head as he pushed me out of the bathroom.

    Turning on one heel, I folded my arms across my chest and leered at him as he smiled tauntingly. “That’s the only restroom and you don’t have to go!” I cried out indignantly, “So let someone who has been waiting to use the bathroom, use the bathroom!”

    Chuckling lightly, Adrian looked at me evenly, purposefully blocking the way inside the bathroom by narrowing the door.

    “Let me think about that…” He pondered mockingly, his eyes landing everywhere but at my face. After waiting about five minutes, a decisive look flashed in his eyes and he smiled, opening his mouth and--slamming the door shut in my face.

    Kicking the door viciously, I yelped in pain and hobbled on the opposite foot, all the while screaming profanities at the top of my lungs. “Goody-goody sunuvabich!” I yelled angrily, stomping downstairs as laughter erupted from the other side of the bathroom door.

    *



    Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I paced in front of the kitchen-slash- living room. Actually, for a two story house, the downstairs was pretty small. The kitchen, which was painted in a ghastly bright green, was organized and the counter was decently cleared off. Small boxes that were written in Sharpie Bold red ink said: “Objects Not to Be Held by Jo” were thrown off into the corner; most likely a corner where Adrian could see it. Although I knew that he knew that I knew that the box held very pointy objects that would be very helpful in making sure his demise was eminent, he still kept it in his line of view as well as mine like some teasing little game. Barely concealing Objects Not to Be Held by Jo, were small potted plants or canisters of grainy foods that I would have never known existed somewhere in a country across the world. I had been to a lot of places when I could, however unsurprisingly Adrian has been to a lot more since he doesn’t have to pay airline fees. Beside the small kitchen was the living room, the biggest unnatural disaster I have ever seen. The couch was half constructed; and when I describe it to be “half-constructed” I meant that only two cushions and a couple of legs were there, the rest of the parts were turned over and all over the site. Chairs, something that looked like a T.V. stand, a few imitation plants, and the window curtains were either slanted, cracked, dusty(I added the words: “Help me” to quite a few of them. Tee-hee. ) were dangerously close to the phrase: “This is a job for Chuck Norris”.

    Bouncing on my heels, I stared up the staircase and then quickly back down, my stomach clenching to hear the water running.

    Ignorant freaking-- “Hurry up in there dammit!!” I screamed, cutting my enraged thoughts off.

    I heard the water pipe snap shut and the door open, racing upstairs, I practically ran into a shocked Adrian, his hair wet and glistening gold. Finally whipping into the bathroom, I slammed the door shut behind me.

    Humidity clung onto the air and I fanned my nose at the guyish rank of cologne. Snapping on the air vent, I wiped at the mirror to clear up the fog and began scrubbing at my teeth immediately. Wiping my mouth clean with a face towel, I reached for the mouthwash next while my hands automatically grasped for a flat iron and brush. Spitting the acidic liquid out after less than ten seconds, I quickly brushed through my black hair.

    Once upon a time, my hair was blond and my eyes were blue. They were both beautiful colors too, a sincere combination, but since I “changed” I thought it reminded me of my past. My eyes were no longer the ocean blue that my mother had, but they were now a jade green. And I dyed my hair to something that matched me, or what I have become.

    Something that was ominous, lethal, and sarcastic; and so black became my new hair color. Finally finished going through it with the flat iron, I reached for the hair sheen and gave it a quick spray. Then, fluffing it out a bit, I yanked the door open and rushed out quickly.

    “’Bout time.” Adrian said when I met him at the door, “Jo, remember our conditions?”

    Rolling my eyes, I threw on a hideous teal colored rain coat that matched somewhat to Adrian’s deeper blue.

    Sighing deeply, I forced my spine to straighten, or get as straight as I could underneath the weight of a ten pound backpack, and met him in the eyes. Most days I really wished I was older than him and gave him the annoying you‘re-still-too-young-to-do-this-or-that speech. It made me feel like a caged animal(that was probably his goal).

    Hesitantly, I opened my mouth and recited: “Don’t wedgie the students…or teachers. I shouldn’t try and mix two unknown chemicals in a public area. No poking fun at the obese sized principal. I can’t ask someone who has huge mooma’s if those are real. Never threaten to kick someone in the pe--”

    “Area.” He interrupted quickly.

    “Why can’t I just say p--?”

    “Because I said you can’t.”

    “Oh, and that makes a world of difference.” I muttered sarcastically.

    Adrian grumbled something underneath his breath and shook his head, waving at me to continue with the retarded rules he had me hooked to.

    “And I can’t vandalize the school property.” I finished, eyebrow raised and hands on hips, “Can I go now?”

    He remained silent, eyes staring past me and his body still blocking the door. I groaned loudly.

    “May I go now?” I revised.

    “Yes, you may.” He replied with a smile so sickening that I pretended to yurk.

    Marching out into the pouring rain, I ground my teeth against each other when the garage door took a sluggish pace to open, just barely showing the grey bumper of my car when I saw Adrian pull out of the driveway. I glowered what I hoped he thought were death knives in his general direction when he waved at me.

    “Good luck at Forks High.” He yelled, rolling up his window before driving away.