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PREFACE

Being the person I am, I never imagined anything like this.  I mean, people do come across problems in their life, and I have had many problems.  But none like this.  Moons, eclipses, stars; they’ve never crossed my mind.
Until now.
Being a magnet for dangerous things, I’m used to falling down constantly, thrill seeking, and going to the hospital every month for stitches. But this was a permanent injury that no Band-Aid smothered in Neosporin or stitches could fix.
I would be scarred for life.

CHAPTER ONE

My long brown hair whipped around my face as I drove down the highway.  My dad’s car – a ruby red Honda convertible – zoomed down the road.  I would drive to the airport, where my dad (who was in the passenger seat) would say his last goodbye’s to me.  Then I would hop on the plane, so I could meet and stay with my grandparents.  Hopefully, I could make some new friends there, and be comfortable.
But, I knew that I wouldn’t.  At my old high school, in Lansing, Michigan, there were about 800 students there.  Here, there were about 450.  I would be very lonely, and probably make no friends at all.  I really had no hope.
My mother had left me and my dad when I was six years old.  Apparently, she fell in love with another man, and decided to leave.  My father is an arrogant man, with lots of money, and ever since my mother left, he’s been very distant from me, so I learned to fend for myself.  Then he decided I would be happier with my grandparents, so he decided to dump me in a little town in North Carolina called Avery Creek.
My father hired a building crew to build him a new mansion just outside of Lansing, Michigan.  Things there have been quite lonely, and I was afraid that it would be lonely in Avery Creek too.  The only friend I had at our mansion was a certain maid I created a liking to.
I turned on the exit to the airport and shortly arrived at the belt route. We turned into the Drop-Off and soon I was waving goodbye to my father.  I sighed.  I hadn’t seen my grandparents since I was five, so I was a little nervous.
I boarded the plane in silence, only to say constant ‘excuse me’s’ and ‘sorry’s’ when I would bump into another passenger with my huge suitcase.
When I left the plane with my suitcases bumping against my legs every now and then, I saw my grandparents waving me over with warm smiles on their faces.  I sighed again.
“Allison!  Over here,” my Grandma Bennett called.
I breathed out a timid ‘hello’ and quickly walked over to them.
Grandpa embraced me in his strong arms, which was surprising, since he was so old.  He smelled of peppermint.  I nervously returned the hug.
He smiled at me.
“Nervous?” he asked.
“A little,” I admitted.
He laughed.
“The last time I saw you, you were this tall,” he chuckled, holding his hand three feet above the ground.
I smiled weakly.
Grandma laughed as well.
“Don’t worry, honey, you’ll get used to us sooner or later.”
“Well, lets get this show on the road,” said Grandpa, clapping his hands.
“Okay,” I said, feeling a small bubble of hope.
“Oh, and don’t forget, you’re starting high school tomorrow,” Grandma reminded me.
My bubble burst.
Suddenly, I felt a sharp pinch on my waist.  I jumped.  I heard a low chuckle behind me.  I whirled around on my heel, and saw a boy about a year older than me doubled up in silent laughter.  I flushed.
His black hair was cropped short and gelled.  He had a handsome tan face with huge muscles on his arms.  He was wearing a black shirt that was skin tight, showing a six pack.  When he opened his eyes to look at me, his blue eyes sparkled as if to show he had heard a good joke.  I had a feeling that the joke was me.
“Allison,” my Grandpa said, “this is James Phellan.  He lives across the street from us.”
I was embarrassed. I blushed.
“Pleased to meet the famous Allison Marie Lewis in person,” James said, bowing, and looking up at me to show brilliant white teeth flashing underneath his grin.
“Um, you to,” I stammered.
He smiled again.
“We decided to bring him along, since he was dying to meet you.  And we thought he would make you more comfortable here in Avery Creek,” Grandma said cheerfully.
“Yeah, thanks,” I said.  I couldn’t take my eyes off his face.
“Shall I take your bags, Miss Lewis?” James said, mockingly.
“Here,” I said, clumsily shoving my suitcases in his arms.
We marched off to the car waiting for us in the parking lot.  My hand was shaking as I opened the door, and he helped me get in.
We drove in silence.  James was staring out the window at the passing scenery, and I was staring at him.  Grandma and Grandpa exchanged excited looks.  I knew what they were thinking.

We pulled into my Grandparents driveway after what seemed like seconds.  James was out of the car instantly, opening the trunk and taking out my bags, stacking them on one another in his muscular arms.  My Grandma picked up a fake rock from her garden with a key underneath it, unlocked the door, and opened it.
I walked in, examining my surroundings.  When I walked in, straight ahead was the kitchen with a little doorway leading to the family room.  The carpet was green. The wall on the left hand side had a drawing of a rainbow, leading to a beautiful castle in the clouds. My Grandma was an artist and loves anything colorful. I, on the other hand hated drawing.  It just seemed that every time I drew a horse, it would look more like a cow.
In the castle there was a little girl looking out the window. She looked very familiar.
“You know, that is you looking out the little window.” Grandma said happily, “I loved how you looked looking out our kitchen window the last time we saw you that I couldn’t help drawing you on sketch paper and then copying that paper onto our wall.”  She chuckled and walked away.
I suddenly felt the sensation of somebody standing behind me.  I turned around, ripping my eyes off of that beautiful wall.
It was James.
He was standing with his giant arms crossed against his chest, feet apart, and staring at the painting, mildly interested.
“Allison?” he asked, noticing that I was looking at him.
“Yeah, James?” I replied.
“Your bags are in your room.  Do you want to see it?”
“Um, sure.”
He beckoned me to follow him, and he walked to the stairs.  I had to jog, since his legs were so long.  We climbed the spiral staircase to the top staircase.  There was a long old hallway that had ‘collapse’ written all over it.  It seemed that it would certainly fall in on James.
James confidently walked down the hallway.  I, on the other hand, cautiously tip-toed down the hallway.  We got to the end of the hall, and James stood waiting for me in front of a small blue door.  He opened it with a great fluid motion. He then turned around and ducked to get in the room.  I stifled a giggle.  He then stepped aside and allowed me to get a clear view of my room.
I gasped.  It was beautiful.  I guessed that Grandma and Grandpa redid it for me.  The room was my favorite colors.  Bright orange and pink.  The sun was shining in through the soft pink curtains, which made the room glow. There was a comfortable queen sized bed with a canopy draped over it.  A cushioned egg chair that was decorated with pink and orange pillows was sitting in a corner, waiting to be sat upon.  A white dresser was sitting in the corner and my closet was decorated with drawings of Hawaiian flowers.
It seemed like my eyes were popping out of my head, because James was laughing at my expression.
“I can tell that you like it,” he chuckled.
I nodded.
He laughed again, and took my hand and sat on my bed.  It sagged.  I sat down next to him.
“Did you know that you used to be scared of me when you were five?” he said.
“I was?” I said.
“Yup.  When ever I would come over to see if you could play, you would hide behind your Grandpa’s legs, and peek through to see if I was gone,” He laughed. “I was very offended.”
I smiled sheepishly.
“I’m not that scared anymore,” I replied, punching him lightly on his arm.  It hurt.
He was quiet for a while.  He suddenly jumped up from my bed and stood by the door.
“I just realized how late it is!  I need to go,” he said.
I glanced at the digital clock beside my bed.  It was four o’ clock.
“It’s only four!” I cried.
“Yes, well, my parents are expecting me to be home soon,” he said uncomfortably, “but I’ll see you tomorrow.  Don’t worry.”
“Okay,” I said.
I then noticed something different about him.  His face seemed twisted in pain.  He seemed rabid.  It scared me.  It didn’t seem like him.
He bolted out of the door, and I was left alone, pondering why he would act like that so suddenly.