How It All Began: Chapter 26

 Aaron walked towards Ria's house, determined to see her and make things right. He walked up the sidewalk in Light City. He still wasn't used to how...bright it was, but at the moment it didn't bother him. He clenched his fists and avoided people's eyes though he could feel the stares. A little girl gaped at him openly like he was some kind of rare species.
"What're you lookin' at kid?" he snapped irritably. The little girl flinched and stumbled away screaming for her mommy. He ran his hands through his white hair making it even messier than usual. As he walked he thought about Ryan's warning how it would be best to stay away from her. Aaron froze in his track his beautiful gray eyes suddenly wild and fractured, What if Ryan's right, what if I hurt Ria... he thought suddenly terror struck. His body trembled as he imagined how he might mess up Ria's life. Then a sharp voice jarred him back to reality. "You gonna go to her or not?" the voice demanded in irritation. Aaron blinked.
 Lounging on a nearby wall was a thin, lithe figure wearing a long, black cloak that covered their face, hair and eyes. Aaron blinked, fairly sure she hadn't been there a minute ago. The figure was clearly female though it was no one he had ever seen. She wore tight-fitting black jeans, dusty brown boots, and a white t-shirt. Glittering around her neck was a key pendant.

How It All Began: Chapter 25

 Jinx walked up the slippery steps to the Millet's house and cautiously rang the doorbell. Then he realized he had no clue what he was going to say. I'm just gonna leave... He quickly turned around. He got halfway down the steps in his pursuit, when
 "Jinx?"
 He stopped in his tracks and slowly turned around, eyes wide. He saw Adrienne who looked really confused standing at the doorway. "I, um,-"
 "What are you doing here? I mean, not that I don't WANT you here, I just, um..." she trailed off.
 He blushed deeply,"I just," he took a deep breath,"I wanted to say I'm sorry."
 "Then why are you down there in the rain..." she said, ruining his good intentions.
 His blush deepened more,"I don't know..."
 There was silence between them both until Adrienne finally spoke up,"Well, I'm glad you came." He could feel the heat from his face and decided to only nod. "You wanna come inside?" she asked.
 He nodded nervously and she turned on her heel and lead him inside. He felt the sweat go down his back when he saw Mr. Millet AND Ms. Abbott. "If this is a bad time..." he started.
 "No! Its not... I think Mom and Dad want to be alone anyways... Mom's been baking all day 'cause Dad's so bad at keeping the fridge full... She scolded him for 'starving' me for like, half an hour."
 He watched her parents chase each other with the sink sprayer with confusion and amusement. They looked so happy... But how could they not be scared to death that The Council could come knocking down their doors at any moment? And why does Adrienne look so happy for them when she knows that resisting The Council is not only fatal, it's pointless.
 Adrienne grinned,"Sorry about them... Their acting a bit crazy after spending so many years away from each other...." She took him upstairs to her room and closed the door behind them so they wouldn't hear her parents' laughter and shouting. Then she turned to him with an agitated look on her face,"So, are you still mad at us?"
 He sighed an looked down,"No, I'm just..."
 "Your just what?" she crossed her arms.
 He bit his lip,"I just... I don't want you... to die."

How It All Began: Chapter 24

 Aaron stared at Ryan confused,"How is that a two-man job?"
 "Because I say it is."
 "Isn't just one box?"
 "Yup."
 "Then-"
 "Oh, and one other thing: Don't fly. It's supposed to rain."
 "Alright..."
 He smiled,"That's it." he shoved his hands in his pockets and flew off.
 "Weird, huh?" Mitchell said.
 "Yeah..." Aaron trailed off. What would be so important that I would need Mitchell to be with me, AND I can't fly? Why wouldn't he want to send the box himself? "I guess we better go now."
 "Probably."

How It All Began: Chapter 23

 "Addy! psssssst! Are you awake? PSSSST Addy!" Ria whispered across the room to Adrienne who was fast asleep in her bed.
 "Hmm?"
 "Are you awake?"
 "I am now."
 "Oh, OK good! I have to tell you something, but first promise that you won't tell Mom and Dad!"
 Adrienne sat up. This must be serious if  Ria doesn't want Mom and Dad to know. WHAT HAS SHE DONE THAT EVEN SHE WOULDN'T WANT THEM TO KNOW?! She thought wildly. "I promise I won't tell."
 "Good. Well, you know Aaron?"
 "You mean that brown haired guy that always hangs around Ryan?"
 "NO! Aaron is the cute, tall, white haired boy."
 She gave her a confused look, and then said,"OH! The quiet one that always looks like he wants to be anywhere else but where he is? Yeah."
 Ria rolled her eyes,"I guess. Does he really look that unhappy? OH NO! I never noticed it before! What if he IS unhappy!!!!"
 "Ria. Don't give yourself a migraine. Calm down! You don't have to stick your nose in other people's business just to make sure that they're 'happy'."
 "OK OK, just listen!"
 *silence*
 "I THINK I'M IN LOVE WITH AARON LEHNE! No, you know what? I KNOW I'm in love! It is a ringing clear fact! OK?! THERE! I SAID IT!! Today I went out with him, and I had SO much fun! And we ALMOST KISSED!!!!!! Ijustdon'tknowhattodoandI'mfreakingoutandIjustAAAAAHHHHH!!!!"
 "Woah there!" Adrienne exclaimed to a gasping Ria. Taking her by the shoulders and sitting her down.
 "Ria...explain...everything."

How It All Began: Chapter 22

 "That sounds great, guys!" Adrienne exclaimed. She was at Lola's house in her garage helping the Alley Cats get ready for their gig.
 "I don't know..." Lola mumbled, her brow furrowed in agitation.
 The rest of the Alley Cats groaned in frustration. Eddy, the bass guitarist growled,"We've already practiced the same song fifteen times."
 Lola sighed and turned to her band members,"Look, I know guys, and I know we're all tired, but this has to be PUUUURFECT!"
 "It IS, Lola!" shouted Kiki, the keyboardist.
 "OK OK! Just one more time from the top, OK?"
 A bunch of moans escaped everyone, except for Lola and Adrienne. Adrienne could listen to the Alley Cats all day, and Lola wouldn't stop until everything was perfect.

..............................................

 Lucy knocked on the door nervously. Should I even be here? Maybe I should go... Well, no one has opened the door yet, so maybe I could get away without anyone seeing me.... She started to walk off when-

 "Lucy? What are you doing here?"

 She turned around quickly,"Hi, Blake! Um... I, uh, baked these for you!"

 He looked left and right confused,"Thanks? I think..... Aside from the wonderful smell emanating from your basket, you shouldn't have come here. I thought we both agreed that it was a bad idea."

 "Well, we did! But, I couldn't wait to see you, and...."

 He sighed shaking his head,"You stupid woman." Then he hugged her.

 She smiled as she melted into his arms,"So was it so bad after all that I came?"

 "Yes," he mumbled, his voice muffled by her hair,"but I forgive you."

 She laughed,"Good, because I brought cookies."

 "And how could I not forgive you then?" then they walked into the house.

How It All Began: Chapter 21

 Taylor Hill sat on her bed with her fluffy Samoyed dog, Ella. She smelled breakfast from downstairs, but didn't want to go down there quite yet. She had light music playing and Ella was enjoying it. I don't want to get up, Ella. she thought. Never ever, ever, ever. She always postponed her breakfast with her parents because she didn't want to talk to them. If she DID by chance go down there, they would start bombarding her with questions she didn't want to answer. Such as, "Darling, when are you going to start taking responsibility and take up the chores of the household?" or "Honey, please start thinking about your future! How are we supposed to raise you in this house when you don't want to follow our rules?" etc., etc.,... But she didn't WANT to be like her parents. She didn't want to have to stay in this stupid castle for the rest of her life. She didn't want to have to learn etiquette and take over the castle and the whole estate. She didn't want to have to do any of these things! But she couldn't bear to upset her wonderful parents. They meant the world to her, so she would release her anger on innocent students. She knew it wasn't right, but what else could she do? She certainly couldn't tell her parents. It was like they lived in their own happy little world, and she couldn't put any part of that world in sadness. She sighed and finally got out of bed and went downstairs to her parents.

 They were smiling at each other from across the table when she came down.

 "Good morning, Darling!" her mother cooed,"You're late to breakfast again."

 Her father looked up and asked,"Is there anything bothering you? Anything at all?"

 Taylor smiled,"Of course not!" she lied,"Have you both had a good morning?"

 "An excellent one." her mother replied.

 Well that's good. Just don't mind me raining on your parade. Taylor thought sadly. Later on, she walked up the steps to Shizo and bumped hard into someone. She dropped all of her books and fell down too!