Prologue
You don’t want to wake up. You don’t want to end the thrill that’s coursing through your veins. You don’t want to end this dream. But then you wonder - is it a dream? Or is it a nightmare? And then - am I dreaming? Or am I living this? Are dreams really just figments of your imagination come to life in your subconsciousness? Or do they have a foothold in reality? And then you wonder what truly is real...and what really is true.

Chapter One - Sidekick
September 4th opened like any other day of the year. The sun rose over the horizon, spreading it’s rays experimentally across the earth before throwing light and warmth over the planet.
Wilhelmina Carter Jackson stood in front of her house. She refused to call it her new home. Considering she had been in nine schools for the past eight years and lived in eight different towns and an RV, the feeling was well-founded. She awaited the first day of freshman year with less than the usual apprehension, possibly because of the fact that starting over in a new school wasn’t a new concept to her.
Drawing in a deep breath, she hitched her black backpack over one shoulder before beginning the 1/4 mile walk to the bus stop, thinking of the way her father had said, “Be good today, Willi. It’s never too late to start over.” ‘Gee, thanks Dad,’ Willi thought, ‘that’s really great advice, coming from you. You had to drag me halfway across the country to escape from your past, and yet you tell me to forget about it and let it go, ‘don’t worry, be happy’?’
Willi heard footsteps approaching and pivoted. A clear female voice called out, “Hey,” sounding way too cheerful for the first day of school. The girl who stood beside her had to be her age, standing a few inches shorter, but lean like an athlete. She was wearing a jean skirt and boots, with a girly top and hoop earrings. Her eyes were green and sparkly, and they stood out against her freckled cheeks. Her hair was...Willi didn’t know what color to call it. The sun painted golden highlights along the top of her head, while the side ponytail that hung to her waist was the color of hazelnut coffee.
“Hello,” Willi replied, feeling somewhat awkward, “I’m Willi Carter.”
“I’m Evanora Dixon.” The girl extended her hand.
Willi shook it somewhat awkwardly, then looked down at her feet.
“Are you a freshman?” Evanora asked.
“Yeah.”
“Oh, same. That’s cool.”
So cool, Willi thought sarcastically.
The bus pulled up and Willi boarded, surprised to find that Evanora sat next to her and chattered about classes, all the while playing ‘Do You Hear the People Sing?” from the musical Les Miserables on her iPod (which Willi had avoided seeing sheerly because the actress who played Fantine reminded her terribly of her mother).
“So what do you have first period?” Evanora asked, then added, “and please call me Evie.”
“Okay,” Willi said as she pulled out her schedule (which, she realized, she hadn’t looked at since it had arrived in the mail).
“Looks like I have...English One, Level One, Mr. Nsieguheis. How do you pronounce that...?”
“Mr brother took that class last year. The ‘n’ is silent.”
“Okay, so...See-gu-hys?”
Evie smiled. “I have Biology with Ms. Pousgijic. This school has the strangest names for teachers.”
The bus came to a halt outside of a colonial-style house, where a boy was waiting. He was probably sixteen, lean, but with broad shoulders. His hair was dirty blonde, and neatly trimmed, yet still looking slightly messy. He was dressed like a prep, in khaki cargo shorts and a blue and white polo, but the expression he was wearing stated that he was not to be underestimated. He walked casually to the bus, slinging his backpack over one shoulder, an iPod dangling from his ears.