“Another day on this stupid yellow limo, gosh I hate this thing!” A little kid yelled in the front of the bus.


“I know! I can’t wait till I can drive myself to school.”



I sat in the back of the bus staring out to the scenery of this small town, Caldwell. The morning fog sunk heavily on the grass and sat like a blanket over the trees. Deer froze as the bus loudly backed up out of the kid’s drive way even though the buss’s heater was running the chill of the cool autumn day still sent shivers down my spine.


My boyfriends sweatshirt kept me warm and comfortable, today we were gonna hang out after the prep rally for the homecoming game. He was acting so weird lately maybe it was because he was nervous about the scouts coming to the game.


I’ll just make sure that he’s calm before the game




I kept dowsing in and out on the way to school, before I knew it Don the bus driver was yelling at us to get off his bus.


"Rose make sure that boyfriend of your is really to kick some Shenandoah Butt tonight you got me."


"Yes Don, I got you I'll tell him you said so."

The cafeteria was loud and preppy from all the cheerleaders’ decorations.


"Hey Rose over here!" I heard some of my Choir geeks call me. We went over what we were going to sing during the pep rally and during the half time show. I really wasn’t paying any attention I was just too tired to really care.


"Yo Rose!" Oh great.


"What do you want Chance?" Chance was one of Linebackers or something for the team I never really did care for the game to me it's just tag with a ball.


"Nothing Hun just wanted to let you know David's out in the parking lot looking for you."

"Thanks I think." I told my geeks I'd see them later, and that we'll be able to meet during 5th period cause that's when we have to go and rehearse the show. Surprisingly there was no prank on me this time I wasn't jumped, or had freezing cold water dumped on my head, David really was out there but he was arguing with someone.


"You’re really expecting me to lie to her! What's wrong with her knowing the truth?"


"I'm going to tell her tomorrow, you know how she is. She can't lie worth a shit." It was Kyli but what where they talking about? I moved in closer so I could see them better.


"Where exactly are you going to go Kyli? You don't have any clue on how to..." He stared at her for a moment she looked up at him with a look in her eyes I've never seen before at least not from her.


"Oh, I see... your one of them now."


"My Father will be coming in a week to pick me up, I'm not coming back, lucky for you."


"So till you leave I'm supposed to act like you’re not-"


"Don't she's coming around the corner." I figured they were talking about me so I walked around the corner and put a smile on my face.


"There you are David I thought I was gonna get prank again but I guess Chance is in a good mood today." I gave him a quick kiss.


"I guess everyone is in a giving mood today." I saw him shoot a glance at Kyli


"I'm freezing my ass off! Let's get inside."


"Sure thing, lead the way Ms. Potty-mouth."


"Still gonna call me that? Really! Ugh just because you don't like the curse like everyone else on this fucking planet doesn't mean you have to call us lame names." She Tease as she put her arm around my shoulders.


"I'm glad to be a potty free mouth."


We walked into the cafeteria as if nothing had happened; the only trace of their argument was the feeling of almost hatred between them. But that only left me with one question I'll never ask



What the hell were they talking about?

I was in a big black empty space; there wasn't a sound but my ragged breathing. I was running in every direction. Going in any direction, I just wanted to get out of this endless blackness. For months, I've been dreaming about this blackness and this is all I could do until I woke up. This dream was different. I wasn't running just to get out, I was running to find something, and this something was important. I just had to find it.



All of a sudden, a bolt of lightning changed the whole scene. I wasn't in the blackness anymore I was in a ravishing garden. I was so sure I was dreaming but everything looked so real. I had to touch everything so I knew it was there. Two beautiful waterfalls had a rainbow going around them like a halo. The tall trees made the garden into a magical Eden, bending over everything as if they were protecting it. The sun shined through the trees between the leaves. A crystal clear stream shining a beautiful light blue as it gently rolled out of the garden.



A ruffle of a bush made me turn my head and that's when I saw her. She was beautiful, she had on a white dress that seemed to float around her, her long wavy black hair hugged her around her waist, and she had a heart ~ shaped face and blue doe eyes. Her arms were at her side and they were swinging like a little girl's would. She continued to walk towards me and she gave me a dazzling smile. The feeling of having to search for something vanished and I was perfectly at ease. When she reached me, she put a hand on my face and with her musical voice she said to me,



'You're going to be special, just like your mother. 'The mysterious woman said,

The dream shattered with a familiar voice.





"Roseabella wake up! You're going to be late for school!" my mother called sunlight leaked through my curtains clearing my head from the strange dream that once again didn't make any sense. I stretched and groaned another deep sleep without getting any.





"Roseabella if you’re not up by the time I count to three you’re going to be in big trouble!! Mom yelled, before she could break a glass with her high pitch voice I yelled,





"Coming mom, I'll be down in a minute!" I got up and walked to my dresser of the farthest part of my room to grab some clothes and my bag of toiletries.



I went down stairs after my shower I found my mom in her lavender and purple work suit with an apron over her. She had her brown hair in a bun I looked at her for a moment curious on why she was in such an unusual outfit.





"Hey sleepyhead, I'm making a batch of your favorite pancakes; banana nut.



"Thanks mom." I yawned she studied me for minute.



"Honey, are you feeling ok?"



I thought about it and my gut was telling me not tell her about the dream which was completely strange cause I've always be able to tell her everything, instead of giving her the whole story I said,





"I didn't sleep a lot last night, that's all."It wasn’t technically a lie.





"Why?" She started to use the full power of the milk chocolate eyes trying to get the story out of me, but I still had the gut feeling. I just said,





"I just didn't sleep well; I was very restless last night." Once again partly true





"Well we can see what your dad thinks about you staying home today to catch up on your sleep ok honey? Can you go get him I have to get these pancakes frying?"





"Sure, Sure" I said with another yawn.





I started up the stairs when something occurred to me why was mom dressed the way she was. It's not like she had a dressy job she worked in a flower shop called Flores.





"Hey mom, why are you so dressed up for work?





"Oh I forgot to tell you I have a meeting in New York with a bride who likes my flower arrangements. So I'm going to be gone till tomorrow, ok?" she said





"Sure."





I went up the stairs and walked down to the farthest room on the left side.





My parents thought it was cool to have medieval stuff; that means like very king and queen stuff. They had bed made of black iron, its sculpted metal roses a deep gold, and with the coverlet being a dull gold, it matched the room perfectly. In the west corner, they had a long black leather couch the wall behind the couch was a colossal window. Next to their bed, they had a dark wooden crib laid my baby sister.





She was still asleep but I didn't see how with my dad snoring up the room and all. I walked to the other side to my dad's side of the bed. He was such a bed hog. He was laying down on his stomach, his arms and legs sprawled out, his big head under one of the dozen pillows on the bed.





"Dad" I whispered… no answer "Dad" I said a little louder… still no answer, a little annoyed I leaned n closer to his ear that was showing and yelled





"DAD, FIRE!!" He jumped up messing up the bed.





"What … what happened?" he asked searching the room for the fire him being a firefighter he was completely programmed to wake up with the word fire. So instead of telling him there was no fire I just gave him a smug smile.





"You little lady are in big trouble." He said after he checked on my little sis Annie.





"Well you're the one who said if you're not getting up to yell fire so that's what I did." he was speechless





"Whatever, can you take your sister down stairs to your mom?"





"Sure, sure" I mumbled knowing I had no choice





If you didn't know that Annie and me where sisters you wouldn't think we where. Unlike me, she had bronze colored hair with curls and milk chocolate eyes. I was sometimes jealous because she looked more like mom then I did. But who knows right.





The moment I shut the door the snoring began. I nodded my head with a disapproving smile. I knew what was going to happen once I told mom that dads not getting up. He's the one who's going to be in trouble. With Annie in my arms I walked down the stairs and put Annie in her play pin.





"Mom, dad isn’t getting up." I sneakily walked back a few steps to protect my ears.





"John if you're down here eating your breakfast when I count to five then you're just gonna get your breakfast from the station!!!"





"Mom you're going to actually make him eat at the station when it's Mary's week to cook?" Mary was the worst cook in the world, she could burn water.





"Yes I will." she said in a very serious tone.





Heehee moms mad at dad. So I counted to two and dad was running or more like sprinting down the stairs tripping on a few and slipped into the chair at head of the table.





"Welcome to earth John." Mom said with a smug smile on her face







"Hi Charlotte, it’s always nice to see you in the morning." Dad said with a roll of his green eyes his bronze hair was standing in every impossible direction.





"Whatever, you’re up that's all that counts, I was afraid that you were going to slip into a coma."





"Ha ha, very funny." Dad wasn't very intelligent till after he ate. Annie starts to cry cried



"I'm going to go get Annie out of her playpen."





"Thanks Rose" Mom said over her shoulder. I walked the five steps needed to get in to the living room. Anne was standing in her playpen looking at me with her needy eyes.





"Hi Annie" I cooed then anything I couldn't help it she was just a two year old after all.



"Rowdy!" She yelled "Pway wid me!" She was so cute when she tried to talk. I picked her up and swung her around.



"YAHHHH" She clapped and giggled when we stopped spinning. I set her down and she tried to walk, but she spun around and fell on her butt. I laughed.



"Rody bookie!"



"Which color today, Sis?" I asked as I knelt down to the bookshelf "umm- the purple one?



"No poopoh."



"Red?"



"No wed." I looked at her set of rainbow books and her book yesterday was yellow so I asked "Green" it was the next book.



"Yay!" She said clapping her hands. I handed her the book and she started to look at all the pictures. I scooped her up and put her on my shoulders. I walked to the kitchen to get her something to eat. I put her in the high chair and mom was fixing her a plate of pancakes.



"John, hon., Rose wants to stay home. She didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night, and she says there's no test today," she said while I was stuffing my face with my favorite pancakes.



"Well… hmm… I have to work today though and so do you. She'll be all alone today," He said.



"John you can't use that excuse anymore. She's seventeen."\



"What about Annie?" He questioned



"She's going to daycare and if you're done making up stupid reasons that don't allow her to stay home then I'm going to clean up. Rose you can go back to sleep after you're done eating."



"Thanks Mom" I said after I finished chewing.



"No problem sweetie" she said. I finished my breakfast and I helped my mom wash all the dishes before she had to go to her meeting.



"Honey don't forget you have my cell and pager number and if there's a fire that your dad will bring an army size fire truck to help you"



"Ha Ha" My dad said from the living room he was watching his recording of his favorite series "True Blood". Personally, he's weird because this show has sex, vampires, shape-shifters, and booze. It's something you would think a dad would prohibit.





"Well… I guess I have everything. Oh honey I know your staying home to catch up on some sleep but can you take your sister to the Day care center use my truck"



The moment she said truck I was thrilled; the truck was a hummer! How cool will I look driving a hummer…AWESOME!



"Ok mom no prob." I said, "Now go or you're going to be late."



"Ok, Ok" She kissed me on my forehead and threw over her shoulder and I love you to my dad. After mom left, I went to the living room to make Anne's bag. With True blood on dad was just at the part where Bill was running out I the middle of the day to go save Sokkie, when dad said



"Hon what are you hiding from us?" Crap! I was so hopping that dad's sixth sense wouldn't catch me lying to them; he always knew when I was lying to him. Crap, crap, crap! The only thing I could think of was



"Hiding something? Dad I think you imagining things." I said with a tone that I thought that sounded casual.



"Don't try that with me, I know that your hiding something, what is it hon. If you tell me the truth then you’re not going to be in trouble." He was using he's magical eye power. He's eyes had this weird color change if you stared at them for a long time. It was as if he had a green pond that had waves and the waves all stopped.





"Dad… I'm not hiding anything." I was just getting annoyed even though he was right on, I wish that he would just leave it be.



"Ok, if you say so." He said with him fighting a smile. He probably thought that I would come back and cry on my hands and knees begging him to forgive me for lying (Which is sadly, what usually happed). Well that's not what is going to happen this time.



"Whatever" I said under my breath to low for him to have a prayer in hearing, on my way up the stairs to get Anne some of her comfort toys. Dad got ready for work without another word about what am I hiding.



"Hon your sister has to be at the day care center at one ok?"



"Ok! Now if you're done telling me what I already know, you better get to work before you're late." I said as I shuffled him out the door. God can he go already, I stayed home to get some sleep and all he's been doing is keeping me away from having another dream.



"Fine I'll get out of your hair." He kissed me on my forehead and Anne on the cheek and went to his car. I was now almost alone. I glanced at the clock and it was ten-thirty, I could put Anne down for her nap, and take a little nap my self. I went to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle, popped it in the microwave for thirty seconds; she didn't like cold milk.



"Oh Annie?”



"Wat" She was in the living room sitting with her favorite stuffed toy shish the fish, she can't say fish so she says shish.



"Guess what time it is?" I was walking toward her with my arms behind my back, hiding the fact that I had a bottle. I was half way there when she got up and started to run (or wobble) away. I jogged up to her right before she could get to the bathroom. She was big enough to lock the door.



After I got to the rocking chair and she stopped screaming I started to hum the lullaby. I don't know where I got this lullaby from it's just always been in my head. Annie stopped screaming and made a little pink "O".



"Alright sis let’s get you in your crib." I whispered. I walked her to my parent's room and tucked her in. I walked down stairs and grabbed a blanket, put the television on some chick flick that I've seen ten thousand times before, and tried to take a nap.



I woke up screaming, though I didn't remember what the dream was about.



Annie was crying and I was groggy. I glanced at the clock and it was twelve-thirty-five. "Crap!" I had twenty-five minutes to get Annie to day care. "Crap, crap, crap!" I yelled as I ran up the stairs grabbed all of Annie's things and scooped Anne up to put her in a ruffled ivory cream dress. With her in my arms, I half ran down the stairs, go her to the garage in to her car seat, and started the twenty-minute drive to the day care center.



Terrible twos are horrid! They are just learning on how to push your buttons now.



"Arr we dare yet?" She whined



"Almost…. ok Ann." GOD, she's so annoying in the car. We finally drove up to the Day care center and they were very happy Anne came they where finger painting today. I was completely exhausted when I finally got to the car



I just wanted to get home and past out on the couch. By the time I got home it was fifteen minutes till two. Damn it how hard is it to get some sleep in this small town. "Wait… I'm alone…." I waited for a good minute. It took me a whole minute to comprehend that I can get some serious sleep. Before I could even think about going to sleep my stomach roared and my cell phones version of "what a girl wants was playing". That meant that Kyli was calling. She was my Best friend since third grade. I dragged my feet to the kitchen, where my cell phone was on its charger.



"Hello."



"Rosie are you ok hon? You weren't at school today. Is Anne sick? Is everyone ok?" she babbled on, jeeze she's worst then my mom was when I have to go home after I get food poisoning from her sweet sixteen party; which sadly did happen.



"Kyli stop, breathe. I'm fin-"



"Hon I'm three minutes from your house. I have your make-up work and ill stay over and teach you everything that you missed." In the background I could heard my almost-boyfriend David; the school jock, ask, 'Is she sick I can go to the store pick her up some soup in less than ten minutes!' Her response was 'Yes now go little puppy go be a good little golden retriever.' I hated when she was sarcastic with him because then he has to use whatever brain cells he has left to try to understand it. There was a knock on the door

I got up from the couch to answer the door but I should have known she would use the key on top of the doorframe.



"Your best friend is here without your puppy, where are ya hon!" she yelled



"Livingroom." God it's going to take me forever to get her away! I want to sleep! She walked in to the living room with a pile of books in her hands. She was wearing her favorite "Twilight" shirt. It had Edward Cullen on the front with a Red rose and Jacob Black on the back with a dozen roses.



"Hi, Kyli." I said going to the couch.



"Hon, how ya feeling? You look exhausted. Where's you mom? They should have stayed home to take care of you." She said all of this as she was pulling her long sandy blonde hair into a pony.



"Kyli I just-" that's when David came in he closed the door with a little more force than necessary. All of a sudden, I had a major migraine.



"Hey, David, can ya turn off the lights, major migraine in the works here."



"Sure, Hon, no problem," he said now in a whispered.



"Now I got you some cream of mushroom soup, I know that's your favorite."



"Hey, thanks. Now what about the make-up work you where talking about Kyli?"



"Well your never have been very good on getting your make-up work caught up so I thought that you would like to pass this year, to also help you not have to go on a date with a nerd to convince him to do all your work." She knew me way to well.



"Ok so now what impossible amount of homework did Mr. Gustavo give us today?"



"A lot. He gave us two and half pages." she then showed me what they did during the day in math class. We had every class together so no need to worry about her giving me the wrong answers. David just sat there putting in stuff that she forgot. They stayed for two hours teaching math and other stuff I didn't.



"Guys I need to get some sleep ok I’ll call you ok?"



"Are you sure that you don't want us to stay till your mom and dad comes back."



"No… damn! I need to go pick up Annie!" I tried to get up off the couch but she pushed me back down.



"You stay here I'll go pick up Annie ok? I'll go you can stay here until I get back ok David, make sure that she stays laying down relaxing. What car did you drop her off in? You also cussed you must be sick. “She asked after ordering everyone around.



"I dropped her off in the hummer." I reached in to my pocket and got the keys, and threw them at her. Ignoring her pun. I don't cuss as much as normal people do.



"They let you drive the hummer?" David asked



"Ya." I said



"Ok now you get some sleep ok hon. I want my best friend in the best shape" She said she gave me a quick hug and gave David a weird look walked out to go to the garage.



There was a long quite minute. David and I have never been alone in a dark, room before, I wonder how he feels right now I know, I feel uncomfortable.



"So." he said



"How are you doing" I said

We both laughed at each other



"Look I know that you're sick so you better go to sleep hon. I'll go hunt you up some Tylenol. Do you want anything else besides that? I mean it do you want any candy, chips, soda?" He was so sweet but I was dying for some chocolate; I am proud to say that I am a chocoholic.



"I actually want some chocolate."



"Done. I'll go after I get you some Tylenol."

He went to the kitchen looking through the cabinets till he found what he wanted. He brought back a class of water and two Tylenol



"Thanks" I said I threw the pills I'm my mouth and took two gulps of water and after I put the glass on the coffee table and I lifted my head and he kissed me.

"David what was that for" I asked



"I don't know''

I stared at him just to see what he was hiding from me. I couldn't tell if he was or not so I stop trying.



"I’ll stay here till you fall asleep. Then I’ll go to the store to get you your chocolate." I was already half way a sleep so I said ok. I didn't hear him leave, I was too deeply under.



The dream was different. Instead of being in the blackness I was already in the garden and the lovely lady was laying down staring up into the clouds. She looked almost the same; her dress was the same as before even with her laying down it still seemed to float around. When I got closer she didn't look peaceful, she looked worried. I walked up to her to lie next to her, but she stood up and came to me. She took my hand and pulled me to the river and said. "Roseabella do you know who I am?" she said. I never noticed that she had hazel eyes.



"No. I've never seen you outside my dreams." I said, and she took a deep breath



"My name is Nevela, I'm one goddess of twelve, but I must tell you. You are not who you think you are. You're going to go through many challenges, obstacles and danger. You must trust in yourself, and in me. You’re going to be special you’re going to be like your mother, but you must be wise .Some people may call you friend, but trust me they will kill you. Do you understand me?" She took my face in her hands
"You must not let your power fall into the wrong hands, Ok? Promise me you won't.''









"Thank you." she sighed "Also take this this will help you in the near battle." she reached behind her and handed me a gold rod. It was in scripted with some weird writing I've never seen before. "What do I do with it?"





"You must find that out yourself young one. You are going to have the weight of two worlds on your shoulders. I name you my eyes and ears you are also my heart you are the daughter of my heart can do anything you set your mind to, follow your heart. My daughter follow your heart." She kissed my forehead and gave me a motherly hug and said "You're going to save us all. I know it."



I woke up with a gasp, very groggy I almost fell off the couch. I took a glance at the clock it was eight 'o'clock at night "Oh crap!"





"Rose it’s ok, shh you're going to wake up Annie. That girl is hard to put down. You also cussed again. That's twice I'm worried about your potty mouth" Kyli gave me a smug smile and why was she still here? What about her curfew "I know what you’re thinking and I'm spending the night to take care of you because your mom is out of town and your dad is spending the night at the station."



"Thanks Kyli I needed that nap, hey where's David?"





"Oh when I came back he said that if he's late for his curfew again he's going to be grounded for two months."



"Oh, hey where's that chocolate bar?" I wanted my chocolate.



"It's it the fridge and you'll get it after you eat your soup."



"Your worse than my mom is."



"I know." she said with a smirk smile. I growled at her I got up and she asked

"Where are you going?"



"I'm going to get my PJ's on."



"Fine when you come back your soup will be done.



"Thanks KK." She laughed I haven't called her that since grade school, but hey it's good to go back in the past. She called up ''Hurry up… RB!



I had to chuckle at that she was being so nice. I finally got to my room and go on my favorite sweats, and my favorite tang top it was pooh Bear; it was blue and it spelled out Pooh with different colored flowers, and pooh bear was standing on the second 'O'. I'm a sucker for pooh bear. Sue me. I walked down stairs and as told my soup was on the coffee table steamy hot with a glass of orange juice. Jeeze. Wow she has a serious problem.



"Come sit down sis." Ok now what is with Kyli she's being too nice what's up?



"Kyli what's up with you?"

She didn't answer




"Kyli what's up is there something wrong with you?"



"Sort of I thought taking care of you might soften you up a little bit."





"You taking care of me has me soft as a marshmallow what's up sis."

She took a deep breath and said.



"Rose I'm… I'm…leaving." she whispered the last word.

I gave her a confused look; my mom and her mom are best friends her mom would tell my mom if they're moving.



"You mean like moving to a new house?"



"No, it's just me. I'm leaving to go to a… special place ok I can't tell you any more than that ok." she was crying now but I was too shocked to do anything about it.



"What do you mean special?"



"I can't tell you, but know this, you and only you are going to be my best friend, you getting sick was the best excuse I could think of for not coming home today, I'm leaving in about three hours, so can we go back in time for these ,last hours we have of our friendship ok, I love ya sister I always will ok so no tears from you ok I just want you to be my friend." Her voice was breaking in weird places.

She stopped talking and I wiped something from my cheek. It was a traitor tear.



"I don't know what to say Kyli… I'm pissed because you're leaving me…. I'm terribly sad because you're leaving me… I…I…I don't know what to do."



"Just let us be friends for our last hours as friends please I'm begging you please." She gave me her silent plea and I said "So what is the latest gossip at school?" She smiled and so did I, what felt like the last real smile I would smile after she left.

We talked about things that didn't matter, we cooked our famous Oreo cake, and we talked for what felt like minutes. All I could think about was all the stupid stunts we pulled in this house. The laughter, joy, jokes and tears that poured out of our eyes when we broke up with our boyfriends. I almost forgot what she said till she sighed and got up to get her bags.



"Rosie Please" She had her arms out for me to go into, I jumped up and ran into her arms. She said something that sounded like a thank you she let go of me.



"Hold on one minute please. I have something for you. Please." I gave her a plea.



"Ok but hurry up will you I have to go soon." So with a quick grin a bolted up the stairs and went to my jewelry box and got out her birthday present. With her not going to be here when her birthday came, I wanted to give it to her now. It was a pair of matching gold lockets, and yes they were real. They were gold with a poem inside. It was our poem.

Life can be so complicated

That we forget to see

That it only takes a moment

To be the best that we can be!

Clay Harrison

I found the picture that I took for her and ran down the stairs.





"Here Happy early Birthday Kyli!" I handed her the locket she started to cry and gave me a big hug.



"Thank you so much Rose its gold like we always wanted for our idea." She blubbered



"Yes Kyli. I saved up this whole year to get your present. I have one to but I have no picture to put in it." I gave her a quick shrug and she reached into her pocket and gave me a perfect size picture for my locket.



"How did you know?'' I asked as she was wiping away her tears



"Your puppy isn't very good at keeping secrets." We laughed till the moment of truth came.



"Well I guess this is good bye. Will you try to write?" I knew that's all I could ask for. She took a deep breath before she said anything.



"Yes I will. Before they come I need to tell you something. I'm going to give you a clue ok hon. Listen very carefully ok. You know that weird mark that I always doodle on my note books, the one that looks Chinese?"



"Yeah what about it"



"Just think of that as the reason I'm leaving, and look for it at our tree." she ran out the door. That made NO sense! I felt like my heart was ripped out, I fell down on my knees. I have never been one to pray but this was one of those times that I needed to pray.



"Dear lord, Please, Please, Please. Take care of Kyli, Make sure that she's ok, and make sure that I see her again. Please, protect her with all your might, help her through her challenges." I stopped and thought about my dream thinking about Nevela she said she was a goddess so instead of saying thank you Jesus I said



"Thank you, Nevela."