Who: Kelsey, Zach, Adrienne, Lucinda, Nico, and Loki.
When: Saturday: April 7th, 2007
Where: Zach's house in Del Norte County, California.
What: Kelsey didn’t always approve of Adrienne. In fact, he once hated her. Family drama ensues.

Kelsey made his way down the darkened hall to find Zach, his robe tied around his flannel nightclothes. His mind poured over the information he had discovered just hours before from the mouth of his daughter. Alicia hadn’t said it directly to him, but Kelsey heard her say it nonetheless. His daughter had been talking to Zach about Adrienne, the girlfriend of his son, who had flown across the country to spend some time with Zach at their residence. During their talk, the word werewolf had come up — and it had come up in reference to Adrienne. Many, many times. Alicia had not sounded surprised either. In fact, she had already known about it when Kelsey overhead the two of them talking about her.

Zach had lied to Kelsey about this new girl. Of course she wasn’t a normal human, coming from the same school that Zach had been sent off to, but his son had lied to him about exactly what she was. An animal shapeshifter, Zach had said. Lucinda had said it, too, as did Alicia. Adrienne was not an animal shapeshifter with the ability to become a wolf, though. She was a monster — a werewolf of all things — and Zach had allowed her to come into their home without as much as warning to his own father! If Zach thought that this was something the elder Kitano was going to brush off and forgive, he was deeply mistaken.

( “I’m wrong?” Kelsey inquired. His voice was so low, so quiet it silenced Zach completely. “I’m wrong about wanting to protect my family? About wanting to protect my son from making the biggest mistake of his life? For getting involved with a werewolf!” )

Who: Zach, Constance, and Adam
When: Early afternoon of January 8th, 2008.
Where: Constance and Adam's cottage.
What: Constance is getting weary and old, and she wants to talk to Zach about something very important: Adam needs a new alchemist.

The walk to his grandmother’s house was filled with dread. He couldn’t get the encounter with Dante off of his mind ever since it happened, but he didn’t believe the other guy. Dante was clearly crazy, a little too much off his rocker, and Zach didn’t know whether or not to tell his grandmother. Last he talked to her, she had resigned from her position on the Head Council. Did she even have any sway anymore? Well, he knew she was friends with Theora and Dylan, but he didn’t know how far that friendship extended. He knew Theora, to a degree, but he didn’t know Dylan at all.

His grandmother said the position took too much of a toll on her and she couldn’t deal properly with the responsibilities any longer. It wasn’t that she didn’t have the capabilities. Constance was one of the toughest people he had ever known. It was age, weariness, and tire with life. She wanted a break from it all at last, a retirement of sorts. There was only so much a person could take, and Zach watched as his grandmother just couldn’t take it anymore.

( “Zach,” his uncle said happily, enveloping him in a hug that Zach easily returned. )

Who: Dante and Zach
When: Friday - December 28, 2007 - Late Afternoon
Where: Near the alchemy labs
What: Dante delivers a threat

Dante had spent far too long in limbo. Doing nothing - saying nothing. It was unlike him, but it was necessary for survival. The facade had to last longer than usual, but the price he paid was losing more of whatever sanity he had left. The last full moon had pushed him to a point he had never been to before - he was riddled with anxiety even after a few days of rest. He needed to do something, and that something involved a particular alchemist.

He had watched him before, but he was never as dedicated as he was this day.

Zach.

The boy was the bane of his existence. He was the only person blocking the path to his destiny, but killing him would have garnered too much attention. Killing him would have pitted Adrienne against him. Adrienne was the goal - she had always been the goal. Fate had brought him to this place, and in turn brought him to her. It was a sign that they belonged together. If only she could see the same thing.

Dante waited for Zach outside the alchemy labs. He would wait all night if he had to, but sooner or later the boy would leave, and when he did he would run straight into Dante.

Who: Zach and Adrienne
When: Sunday, December 9, 2007. Nighttime.
Where: Zach’s room.
What: Adrienne’s birthday surprise.
WARNINGS: Mature sexual content between lovebirds.

Zach noted to himself that it had been raining nonstop today as he glanced outside of his bedroom window. The rain put a damper on any possible outside ideas for Adrienne’s birthday, but it had been raining for a few days now and he had expected as much. Scraping his original plans, Zach came up with something on the fly. While it was semi-childish, it was the best he could do on short notice. He hoped Adrienne would like it as he hurried out of his room and back downstairs.

Adrienne hadn’t asked him anything all day after he said happy birthday, but he noticed as her mood began to drop towards the evening. He hadn’t given her any gifts yet and nothing short of those two celebratory words coupled with a kiss, so Adrienne was probably wondering why the hell her boyfriend sought it fit not to give her anything. That wasn’t the case, though. Zach had set up her surprise ahead of time in his room, and he was just waiting until nighttime to unveil it to her.

The couple had left her cottage not too long ago, and they were lucky enough to have heavy duty raincoats to shield them from the rain on the way to Zach’s home. The dry warmth of Zach’s cottage was welcoming after their travel, and he just had to add the finishing touches while she waited downstairs. Now, he stood on the last step with a big grin on his face and beckoned her with his hand. “C’mon,” Zach said, “I have something to show you.”

Up the stairwell they went until they reached the top, and Zach ushered her to his bedroom door. “Close your eyes.” Zach was smiling, fighting off the anticipation as he waited for Adrienne to cover her face with her hands or just close her eyes, and he slowly opened the door to lead her inside by the arm.

“Look,” he murmured, biting on his lower lip as he turned to gauge her reaction.

He had set up a tent in his room using sheets, but it was a tent that looked more like a palace of sheets. There were little flags and an opening made of a square cloth, one they could pull aside in order to enter. From outside of the tent, the whole structure seemed to glow. Zach had set up lights on the inside, where her cake and presents awaited her.

Who: Zach and Radu
When: Midday - Saturday, September 22, 2007
Where: The Butcher
What: A not-so-nice encounter. Snippet.

( “How may I help--” he stopped once he turned around and saw that he knew the customer. It was Zach. “You,” he finished, his voice flat. )

Who: Zach and Adrienne
When: Tuesday, April 3, 2007. 11:38 PM.
Where: Adrienne’s room at her parents’ house in Chicago.
What: Two weeks after they have left the school, Zach flew in on April 1st to visit Adrienne for a week. They have a fight tonight over something unexpected.

As the house grew quiet, Zach crept out of his designated room and down the hall to Adrienne’s room. Her parents were a little old-fashioned, like his parents would have been, and preferred the two of them sleeping in different rooms while Zach was visiting. He understood why, although he and Adrienne hadn’t taken their relationship in that direction yet. It was still new for both of them, and they were only in the beginning stages. Zach wanted to stay with her tonight, though. It was the night after the full moon, and she was still aching from her transformation. Last night had been her first full moon away from the school, and Zach wanted to be there for her.

Slipping into her room, he carefully closed the door behind himself and snuck over to her bed. Zach pulled up the sheets and blanket, sliding underneath them and snuggling behind Adrienne. His left arm settled over her side, and he bent his head down to kiss her on the shoulder despite the cloth that covered her skin. “Adrienne,” he murmured, not wanting to wake her but wanting her to know he was there. “Are you still awake?” Zach whispered near her ear. “I can rub your baaack,” he offered, a little smile creeping onto his face.

He wore a simple white t-shirt to bed with boxers, and his bare arm rested above the blanket over her middle. He raised his hand higher, clasping his fingers over hers. They lied closer to her head. Moonlight poured in through the window, its curtain pulled back and the window open to let in the cool night air. Light from the stars illuminated the sky outside brilliantly, and it lent a soft glow to her room. Zach leaned into her hair, breathing in its scent. The strands felt soft against his cheek, and Adrienne’s brunette locks smelled fresh of her shampoo. It felt nice to lie with her like this, and what her parents didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them.

When: Tuesday, January 30, 2007 (late-- after midnight at some point)
Where: Common Area
Who: Yolanda & Zach.
What: Late night wandering.

Fidgety. Very fidgety. That was the best way to describe Yolanda right now. She was mostly unpacked. The "homey touches" could wait. The first thing she did was make sure her bass and amp were okay. Waiting until everyone was awake to check was not an option, but she did try to keep quiet. Hopefully it was early enough not to wake anyone up. It was a few hours ago, after all.

That of course was part of the problem. She'd been cooped up in her room for hours, and sitting still was not helping. Sorting clothes and figuring out where to put up posters was also not helping. Talking with people on the computer helped, but she still needed to move around. Sitting still just gave her too much time to think about what she had done. Second-guessing was part of any big change, but honestly, she could do without that right now. Maybe later.

She'd left a lot behind, again. No matter how many times she told herself it was for the better, it came back to that. Do vampires ever settle down, or was this yet another change she'd have to adapt to? Maybe this was just adulthood. One of a list of reasons adults always told kids to enjoy being a kid. You grow up, you have bills to pay, and wander around like a vagrant until you find your place, if you find your place. Bonus! Somehow, she always expected for her family to have her back. Now it wasn't an option.

Always forward, never back. That was something her father taught her. Take stock of your current situation, and figure out how to make it better. It was a lesson that became much more relevant these past few years. She wished she could tell him that. So, she was here, she was a vampire, and even if it didn't go as planned, she had left the nest. Both of them, actually. It could be a lot worse. All things considered, there was a lot to be grateful for. If she could believe it wholeheartedly, rather than telling herself that she did, she'd be set.

Now, where the hell was she? After a cursory glance, she was able to determine that she was back in the common area. Not new or very exciting, and currently very empty. She wondered if it was always this dead, or if it was because of the finals that girl had mentioned. As she stood there, she wondered if she should give up and go back to her room. She probably wouldn't be able to sleep for quite a few hours. Nerves and nature would conspire against it.

Ugh. She wasn't sure how she was going to manage the change in her sleep schedule.

Who: Zach and Adrienne
When: Thursday, March 15, 2007. 6:00 PM.
Where: Sunroom in the West Wing at the school.
What: Awww, their first ‘official’ date.

Exploring the other day had yielded a perfect spot for Zach’s first official date with Adrienne. His choice location was a sunroom near the top of a tower located in the West Wing. Regardless of the current weather and the glass barrier of windows that formed most of the walls and all of the ceiling, the room felt heated and warm. Perfect for an evening date. Zach sent his card to Adrienne after classes were over, so she would have received it by now. Gathering together everything he needed in hopes for making a single journey, Zach arrived at the spot thirty minutes early and began to set up.

First, he laid out the blankets in the middle of the circular room. In case either one of them wanted anything softer to lean upon or sit on, two cushions had been brought with him as well. The room was empty of any furniture, which led Zach to believe it hadn’t been used in a while. He set down the basket of food he had prepared. Nothing cooked, since he wasn’t much of a cooker, so it was full of lunch items instead of dinner ones.

Final touches included setting up various candles, which he had collected from students in his dormitory the day before because he didn’t have any candles himself, on the outer rim of the circular floor. Once they surrounded the room in a single-rowed pattern along the windowed walls, Zach glanced around the room to check out the layout. Scratching the back of his head, he hoped it looked good. That wasn’t too . . . romantic or cheesy, was it?

Instead of worrying further on that, though, Zach got to business with setting up the food, cups, plates, and everything else. Once it was nearly ten minutes until 6:00 pm, he went around lighting the candles. Dusk had fallen by now, leaving a darkened sky beyond the windows. No howling winds, so the air was peaceful. Due to the unknown source of heat, the room was also warm and comfortable. It was a perfect setting.

Zach plopped down onto the blankets with a sigh. He wanted this to go well — or, more accurately, to go off without a hitch. Zach and Adrienne only just became a real couple on Tuesday. Official boyfriend and girlfriend. Honestly, the idea was a little scary despite the exhilaration threatening to engulf him. Crossing his legs, he began to twiddle his thumbs together. Okay, so he was a little nervous.

Make that absolutely petrified.

Who: Zach and Adrienne
When: Tuesday, March 6, 2007. Evening.
Where: The Upstairs Garden at the school.
What: Ten days after the fight, Zach finally asks to speak with Adrienne.

There was something peaceful about the upstairs garden in the school. A tamed jungle of plants and colors and scents that spoke of the natural world outside, even though the garden was indoors and secluded from the rest of the world. Zach’s eyes had gazed over the vibrant green scenery speckled with splashes of reds, yellows, blues, violets, pinks, and more. Sunlight from an evening sky pierced the glass ceiling, illuminating everything with a hue of gold. Something calming entered him as he stood there at the entrance, and Zach understood now more clearly than ever the things his father had taught him about philosophy and spirituality that he tended to forget in the midst of life.

He took off his shoes and socks, leaving them near the opening of the room and cuffing his jeans before he ventured further. Zach wanted to experience the garden naturally, but he also was taking a preventive measure to keep himself from being able to run off if he got upset or angry. Without his shoes, he couldn’t just get up and leave if his meeting with Adrienne didn’t go as smooth or calmly as he hoped it would. Recognizing his faults was key number one. Running away from problems was a fault.

Zach wasn’t going to run away from things anymore in an attempt to deal with them. At least he was trying, and this was the first time he’d ever really done that. Always running, Zach? Alicia teased him, but his sister’s eyes always looked sad when she said it. He was taught to run. Run, run, run away from people. They’d only hurt, only scar, only hate him. He’d had his own taste of it. If I have to lock you up in this house to protect you, I will do it! Untouchable his whole life with an invisible glass wall between him and the world.

He was open now, though, wasn’t he? The glass wall was gone with the people here, people like him. Laying his hand over a particularly large leaf, Zach felt so exposed out of his habitat, out of his home. This place was changing him, and like the sunlight pouring through the roof, he felt it pouring into him. Everything affected him, everything moved him, everyone got to him. It was simply . . . overwhelming.

He wandered around the garden, finally settling onto the ground by a small basin set up like a makeshift pond. Stones built the rim of the basin, only a few feet in diameter. Zach slipped his feet into the water — and waited. The events of Friday night were still fresh in his mind, and he remembered how he had planned to ask Adrienne on Saturday . . .

How it had fallen through with what she told him. Everything had fallen through because of that. Zach couldn’t really talk about it to anyone, not in detail, because the whole situation was too personal. So, no one knew exactly what was going on and everyone probably thought both of them were overreacting. Grounded where he sat, he couldn’t run away from the situation anymore.

Adrienne would be here soon.

Who: Zach and Nico
When: Sunday, February 25, 2007. Noon.
Where: Outside on the school grounds.
What: Zach talks with his best friend.

Zach sat down outside in front of a tree, the breeze catching in his hair as he waited for Nico to show at their designated spot. Despite his chat with Loki, he found himself not caring much for the idea they had discussed about a prank. His energy seemed to have died out after thinking about Loki’s words. The anger and general displeasure seeping outwards at others shut off and began to trickle inwards at himself. That was what it was all about, anyway. That was where it belonged, then.

It was true he felt betrayed by Adrienne and what she had done during their emerging relationship. To him, she had discarded everything they were working towards for a mere thrill with someone much more desirable than Zach. High self-esteem wasn’t ever a part of Zach’s life. Undoubtedly to other women, Rafe was attractive, fierce, mysterious, and strong — a much better catch than Zach, at any rate.

He wondered who would think it hypocritical of him, given what had happened between him and Katrina. Zach told himself, over and over again, that happened before he ever met Adrienne. Who would be on his side, though? No one would care of his point of view, not if they knew. Nico would always be his friend; he could count on that. Katrina hadn’t been chased away either, even though Zach had lost the contents of his stomach in front of her in the club Saturday night. He shouldn’t have drunk so much, but he was trying to be tough. It was important for him to be tough, wasn’t it? He was weak, small, and he cared too much. Everything his father silently told him wasn’t good enough: be stronger, be tougher. Be me.

Adrienne wasn’t the main problem, though. The situation with her opened his eyes, made him realize something else. He didn’t have any friends here, did he? Zach spent so much of his time around Adrienne, making it all about her. He felt like his small amount of friendships here hadn’t been lasting ones, the ones he tried to make. Maybe it was his own fault. He hadn’t tried hard enough — like Loki said. Damn it, why did the annoying one have to be right?

Eventually, he thought about everything until it made him angry. Zach wanted to do a prank, something mean, just because he realized he didn’t have any friends here anymore. He didn’t care about anyone but Nico and Katrina. He wanted to spite people. It’s what Zach was good at back home. He could do it again here, too.

The idea lost his interest, though. Anger turned to sadness, and he just leaned again the tree. He didn’t want to do anything. Most people would be vile and turn on the one they cared about, but Zach couldn’t hate Adrienne. He wanted to save himself the pain and just walk away from her. Be cruel, make her friends hate him, and all of the ties would be cut. After his drunken chat with Adrienne’s close friend, Zach just hated himself. He couldn’t follow through with this plan. He was weak again. Go figure.

He had reported Rafe, hoping they would kick him out of the school. No student was capable of doing that to another student through some stupid prank. Maybe it would work. Maybe it wouldn’t. Zach would just have to wait and see. He expected to be disappointed, but that wasn’t anything new. Sighing, he tilted his head against the tree and stared at the sky. The air smelled like rain. He hoped it would rain soon.

A smile crossed his face; maybe he could convince Nico to help bring it sooner.

Who: Adrienne (Narrative)
When: Saturday: February 24, 2007
Where: Adrienne's room then outside in the forest
What: Adrienne's reaction after her fight with Zach

Why had she opened her mouth to tell him about what happened with Rafe? Things were perfectly fine before she said anything, but then again what sort of relationship was built on secrets and lies? She told him about it because she didn’t think it was a big deal and because she trusted him. She had no reason to think that he was going to get upset as he had over the information she had shared.

She stared at her computer screen blankly even after Zach had signed off from instant messenger. Tears were welling in her eyes and try as she might to hold them back they eventually ran down her cheeks. It was slow at first, the initial shock of the entire situation just barely sinking in. But after a few moments of re-reading his words and thinking back to Wednesday night, Adrienne finally broke down. She flung herself on her bed, face buried into her pillow as she cried almost relentlessly. Why why why had she done something so stupid?

Zach asked her why and all she could say was that she was curious. It was the truth though; she was curious to see how sharp Rafe’s teeth truly were. Plus, there was that thrill of danger associated with it, even though she knew she was in no real danger at all. It didn’t mean anything at all so then why did Zach react the way he had?

She couldn’t think as her head began to pound with pain, it only happened when she cried as much as she had been. Adrienne lifted her head, eyes meeting with the puppy dogs that Zach had given her only yesterday. Why Adrienne… why did you do it? The tears kept flowing from her eyes as her mind kept repeating the same answer.

Curiosity.

Curiosity.

CURIOSITY!

But it didn’t change the fact that Zach was upset, and it didn’t change the terrified feeling that captured Adrienne’s heart. Her head was wracked in pain and she clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. The smell of her blood so apparent as her nails pierced her skin, the same blood that she had let Rafe drink. It was her life force, something so personal… why had she…? An angry growl left her throat suddenly. She could admit that her decision wasn’t exactly the wisest, but she also could admit that she didn’t like what Zach was implying about her in their messaging. How could he ask if she liked it, if she went around and let other vampires drink from her? What sort of person did he think she was anyway?

Anger replaced sadness as she sat up in her bed and pulled her shoes from beneath it. She tugged them on roughly and without a second’s hesitation she grabbed her keys and headed out the door. She needed air. Space. Distance away from her computer and anything that reminded her of what she had done. Mostly, she needed to get away from everything that reminded her of Zach. Her feet took off running, through the common room and down the halls until she reached the doors that led to her freedom. She didn’t stop as her legs pumped wildly beneath her, carrying her further away from everything that was hurting her.

Running away like before.

She let the forest consume her and let the trees comfort her by shielding her from those at the school. Her heart was about to burst from her chest but she kept running until her legs gave out from underneath her. She fell to the ground, a girl in shambles as she heard herself repeating over and over again:

You’ve just ruined everything.

Who: Zach [Narrative]
When: Saturday, February 24, 2007
Where: Zach's dorm room.
What: Zach's reaction after his fight with Adrienne.

A broken lamp laid on the floor, shards of glass glistening ominously upon the carpet like little prickling daggers imploring for blood.

Zach felt betrayed.

For a few moments, he had been frighteningly calm. He rose from his chair and pushed it under the desk, turned off the monitor of his computer, and walked a few steps towards no direction in particular. Thoughts swarmed behind his eyes, making it impossible for him to concentrate. Blinking, he stared forward at the dark red comforter on his mattress, the red pillows at the headboard, the bright red sweater thrown over the bedside table on the other side of his bed.

Suddenly, he had kicked at his bed as his teeth gritted for the hit. His arm had swung out to the side, knocking over the lamp. It clattered to the floor, the lampshade careening off and the bulb popping loudly with a head-first impact onto the floor. His foot collided with the object, sending it rolling across the room. The sneaker prevented the porcelain body from breaking. Had he been wearing any of his boots at the time, it would’ve smashed the object like a fragile vase.

Every being of his body craved destruction because of the anger coursing through his veins. Was this what wrath felt like? Zach wanted to find Rafe and drive a stake through his heart. Something. Anything. He couldn’t understand why Adrienne would let him bite her. His heart swelled, threatening to burst in his chest. That was deeply personal. Letting someone bite you? It was like letting someone kiss you. Letting someone slid a hand under your shirt. It was an intrusion to your body, and she let him do it . . .

Oh, what happened with Katrina was different. It was different. It happened before he met Adrienne. Zach hadn’t believed in vampires. He hadn’t known they existed. He had thought Katrina was fucking with him, messing with his mind. Who walked around saying they were a vampire? Vampires hadn’t existed to him those days. Asking Katrina to bite him had been trying to call her bluff, not asking her to bite him. He didn’t know Katrina would actually bite him, and he sure as hell didn’t expect her to drink his blood. Terrified. Afraid. I am going to die. That’s what he thought. That’s how he felt.

Adrienne knew better. She was a werewolf! She came to this school long before him. She knew about vampires, knew damn well they were real. She asked Rafe to bite her, knowing his teeth would pierce her skin, knowing he would taste her blood — knowing he would drink it up like it was honey. Oh, Adrienne knew . . . and yet she wanted to satisfy her curiosity. What curiosity? Here, bite me, it’ll be fun. Zach gritted his teeth and growled behind them. Anger, anger, anger. All he felt. All he could feel towards the situation at hand.

He read his own personal connotations into the act. It was so personal, so intimate. Adrienne didn’t view it that way? She just thought it’d be neat to let someone bite on her? Zach couldn’t figure it out. His head throbbed with a headache, signaling he’d had enough of thinking about it. His stomach churned in response as he remembered that night with Katrina, how sick it had made him feel to be drained of blood. Sickness arose in him now just thinking about it. No more. No more thinking about it, but his thoughts wouldn’t listen to his pleas. Filling his head, they worsened the headache pounding inside of his skull.

The room had suffered the brunt force of his anger. If he stayed in here any longer, he’d break more things. Zach needed to go out for a walk. He needed to calm down. After taking a few deep breaths, he gripped the sides of his head with his hands. Shower. He should shower and get dressed for tonight. The party at the dual club called ‘Heaven and Hell’ was tonight. Katrina. He was going with Katrina to Hell.

Maybe that was just what he needed.

Who: Zach and Adrienne
When: Saturday, February 24, 2007
Where: Over AIM at the school.
What: Adrienne and Zach have a fight. Zach stops talking to Adrienne.

( “ . . . So you go around letting vampires bite you and drink from you?” )

Who: Adrienne and Zach
When: Friday: February 16, 2007
Where: Adrienne's dormitory (showers then her room)
What: Shower night!
Warning: It's a shower... they get wet... and slightly naked >_>

After all was said and done that night, the only person Adrienne wanted to see more than anyone else was Zach. The bachelorette party was great and Adrienne was sure that the bachelor party was the same. After all, what guy didn't enjoy hot women dancing and taking off their clothes in front of them? Adrienne secretly hoped that Zach didn't enjoy it even though she told him to have a good time. Hell, she even gave Starbuck some cash for all the guys to enjoy themselves. She wondered if Zach ended up putting any dollar bills into some girl's g-string.

She shook the thought from her head and pulled her knees to her chest. Adrienne was already dressed in her outfit for the night, but at the moment it was underneath a pair of black sweat pants and a zipped up pink hoodie. She was settled in the leather armchair that was closest to the fireplace that was beginning to die. Its embers glowed brightly in dimly lit room and Adrienne found herself feeling quite sleepy. Hopefully Zach hadn't forgotten about their plans for that night.

She stifled a yawn and smiled at the thought of Zach. Zechariah Kitano she said to herself which only caused the smile on her face to grow. She thought of their dance on the veranda the night before and the way he kissed her underneath the light of the stars. It was romantic without meaning to be, which was why it was so memorable. He hadn't meant for it to be anything other than the two of them being alone and away from the crowd, and yet it turned out to be so much more. He was ingraining himself into her memory; his scent, the way he felt under her touch, the way he looked, the things he said and the way he said them. Everything that made him the person he was, even the things she didn't know about yet, were all important to her.

She sighed deeply with her eyes closed when she caught the sound of someone hurrying down the hall. She jumped to her feet and as she did Zach appeared in the doorway. Adrienne smiled at him shyly before she moved to hug him tightly. She stayed there for a second, nuzzled in his neck before she pulled back to give him a kiss.

"C'mon, let's go," she said as she took his hand and led him to her dormitory. Thank goodness it was a Friday night and hardly anyone was around to catch them.

Who: Zach (to Adrienne)
When: Friday, February 16, 2007. During lunch.
What: Zach's gift to Adrienne.

Delivery to Adrienne through a student from her dormitory


( Hand-written Note Included: )

Who: Zach and Adrienne
Where: The School's Auditorium
When: Thursday, February 15, 2007. Nighttime!
What: The Valentine's Day Dance itself! Someone spiked the punch, and Zach drank it.

Adrienne and Zach danced plenty with each other and with friends, and the evening wore on without a hitch. Zach grew thirsty at one point when Adrienne went to dance with one of her friends and promised to be back quickly. He smiled and watched her go, wandering over to the punch bowl for some refreshment and picking at a few of the more interesting looking snacks on the table strewn with holiday foods of red, white, and pink. Four or five cups later, he felt a little funny. Probably nothing. Maybe he just needed a little fresh air soon.

With the music suddenly halting, Zach looked to see what was going on. Ah, announcements for the king and queen and princes and princesses. Something like that, anyway. Shocked at hearing Adrienne’s name called, Zach glanced to see where she was as Adrienne hadn’t gotten back to him yet from her dance with her friend. Eventually, he spotted her halfway or more across the room. His stare followed her to the stage as she walked onto it with someone else who was called. Tristan something. Sounded like a dumb name out of a medieval movie. And what was it with this childish jealously? It’s not like they were actually royalty getting forced into an arranged marriage or anything.

Zach still crossed his arms, feeling petulant about it all. As a wave of light-headedness washed over him and calmed him, he scooped up more punch and looked around the floor at the faces there. Sighing out loud, he really felt like getting some fresh air after the ridiculous display on stage by that Tristan guy. At this point, the guy could just stand there doing absolutely nothing and Zach would find it ridiculous. He threw away his cup, picking up one of the chocolate covered strawberries and taking a bite out of it.

An excited grin sprouted across his face as he heard Eva’s name called. Well, that was good vote despite the fact that he hadn’t seen a picture of her or even met her when he voted for her. Pretty, leggy, and blonde. Typical queen material, although she did seem like a very cool person with a sharp mind whenever he talked to her and read her online journal entries. Zach gave her props for that. He whistled, clapping loudly and hollering along with the crowd.

Clearly, someone must have spiked the punch for him to be acting this way.

Who: Zach and Katrina
Where: The School
When: Sunday, January 28, 2007. Night.
What: Zach arrives at the new school and bites off more than he can chew.

Zach wondered if it could possibly be anymore quiet than it was right now.

Given that it was a school, he expected noise and rampant teenagers such as himself to be disturbing the peace, regardless of how late it may have been. Okay, maybe not all out warfare, but he still expected some kind of sign that others had been sneaking in after being out past curfew, probably doing things that were likely illegal under the jurisdiction of this area. He almost hoped for the sight of some students in the shadows of the common room below, stumbling around as drunken giggles echoed upwards. The utter silence was oppressing, and it nibbled unbearably at the back of his mind.

Anything aside from the barren silence would have been enough to tell himself again that this place was normal, not a boarding school from hell.

Sitting midway up the steps, he glanced through the rungs on the banister. As it was, there was no such sign or deliverance to ease his mind. Zach chewed on the inside of his lip, his gaze relapsing back to the notepad in his hands atop his legs. He continued to sketch with what little light he had: the lines on the paper were coming together to form a human figure. Pencil lead scratched along the paper, leaving thick, wispy trails of dark gray graphite hair.

He didn’t consider himself an artist, though he liked to draw. It was more of hobby for him. He did it whenever the urge struck, never planning anything that ever came out. His sister had tried to talk him into going off to an art institute somewhere and becoming a professional. He had listened to her suggestions, but inwardly the idea made him cringe. People telling him how he should draw and grading him on their narrow idea of what they believed was art was not something he wanted to endure if he could help it. Taking classes for something he already knew how to do seemed like a complete waste of time. When it came to schooling, he wanted to learn practical things — things that would get him a real job in the real world.

Pencil stilling, he gazed at the figure forming on the cream-color paper. He wondered: would this school, this institute, or whatever it was . . .

. . . would it be able to do that for him?

Sighing deeply, he ran his hand through his hair and wondered how he had gotten into this mess. He should’ve asked more questions before getting on the plane. He should’ve thought more about what this place offered instead of thinking so long on people like you people like you people like you. Now that he was here, it felt too late to leave.

He wondered, quite bitterly, if there really was anyone “just like him” here.

His cynical mind told him the answer immediately: no.