“Cameron why don’t you come sit down for breakfast.”A sharp female voice coming from the kitchen shouted.

            “Yes Angel. Come on Kairi, come eat.” I followed Cameron out into the kitchen. I saw Kataro and this girl named Angel digging into the eggs, bacon, and sausage that was on their plates. I sat down at the seat next to Kataro. I looked over at Angel. She had short bubblegum pink, spiky hair. He eyes looked chocolate brown with flecks of gold. She looked over at me and smiled. There must have been a trend with those guys because Angel was wearing a white spaghetti strap top and black sweatpants.

            “Hey!” Angel smiled at me.

            “Hi.” I answered shyly.

            “My name is Angel.” Angel told me between mouthfuls of eggs and hash browns that were thickly dipped in cheese. I studied Angel a little closer and saw a black cord around her neck. On the black cord was a silver paw.  In the center was a glossy black jewel.

            Angel must have caught me looking at her necklace because instinctively covered it with her right hand. “My name is Kairi.” I said to try to ease the tension I felt was building. I picked up a fork and shoveled some eggs in my mouth.

            “Mmmhh…” Angel managed to say as she swallowed the eggs in her mouth, “Kataro told us.” An awkward feeling passed over me, but I brushed it off. 

            “Yeah, we were there when he found your sorry self laying in that alleyway. You know that.” The other boy at the table, Cameron, spoke up. I smiled. 

            “What were you guys doing out so late?” I giggled because Kataro and Cameron gave each other goofy looks.

            “Heroes don’t have curfews, Miss.” Cameron gave me a flirty grin. Angel frowned and stood up.

            “Cameron, we’re late. Remember? You promised your girlfriend you’d help her find someone.” Angel gave me a weak smile and waved to Kataro.

            “Oh…oh, right! Sorry!” Cameron followed Angel, who had disappeared from my eyesight. Kataro stood up and followed Cameron.

            “Meeting Ai tonight are we? It won’t help. That kind of princess is difficult to deal with,” Kataro snapped at Cameron but it was Angel’s voice that spoke next.

            “Ai will help us. I am sure of it. Our next meeting is the May 14 at eight. No new comers aloud,” Angel apparently considered me a newcomer in their “gang”. But the question was why am I a threat?

            “No problem Ang. I’ll send my new friend out shopping,” Kataro whispered. Angel didn’t say anything for a few minutes.

            “Your letting her stay with you?” Angel asked him. 

            “Yes. I want to help her. That is what we do you know.” I was glad I had very good hearing due to being a Hemophage.

            “I know but…okay. I’ll drop it.” Angel sighed. I heard shuffling and then the sound of a door slamming shut. Kataro appeared in front of me a few minutes after I heard the door slam shut. He looked at me, his blue eyes glittering, sparkling, and shining…at me. He sat down in the chair Angel had been sitting in the whole time never breaking eye contact with me. 

            “So Cinderella, what’s your story?” Kataro asked me as I scooped more eggs in my mouth.

            “Um…” Where to start? I could tell a human what I was. “I was going to be married last night.  But, ten minutes before I am supposed to walk up the aisle I spot my soon to be husband with his arms around my maid of honor.” I lied to him. I couldn’t believe the words came out of my mouth. I never really lied to anyone on purpose. I looked into his eyes. He seemed to know nothing of my lie. He looked sad…sad for me.      

            “I’m so sorry. Cheating is tough to deal with. You must have been devastated.”

            “No I wasn’t. I barely knew him. My marriage was arranged,” I told him truthfully. His eyes seemed to light up a little after I said that.

            “Well that is different then. Well Kairi, you can do whatever for the day. There is a bike downstairs if you want to ride around. I’m off to the gym.” With that being said, Kataro stood up and walked out of the room. The door slammed shut two minutes later. I sighed and walked back into the bathroom. Sitting right where I left it was the black backpack. The black backpack, my brother gave me, was as light as I remember. I put my hand on the zipper and opened it.  I noticed a note folded neatly on top of whatever was in the backpack. I reached in and took the note out of the bag and opened it. The first thing I saw was my brother’s neat curly handwriting. The second thing I saw was two hundred dollars in cash. I read the note from my brother then I re-read it. The note read:

Dear Kairi,

 If you are reading this then Michael and I could not stop you from leaving your wedding. If you are wondering how we know you would leave I’ll tell you. Jessica got a vision of you running out of the chapel and into the parking lot, without clothes or money. Kairi that was an idiotic move, you could have really hurt yourself. In this bag, I packed your favorite hoodie, the pair of green pants you always used to wear to be a character in that Human Sci-fi show you loved, two other pairs of jeans, your black, pink, and purple camisoles, your white sneakers, your cell phone(to call me when you are safe somewhere) and your favorite colored glass pendant. Even if I didn’t seem like it when you left, I do care what happens to you. Besides I said you couldn’t come back. I never said you couldn’t call. Michael packed you three of your favorite chocolate bars, dark just like you like it, and Jessica packed, at the last minute, the black rose with silver thorns from Alex and your favorite book. I don’t know which book that is. Mom and dad wanted nothing to do with this note or backpack because they didn’t know. Jessica wants you to stay safe and she loves you. Michael says to call soon. I say, stay alive and I’ll miss you sis. Who else will calm my temper? Call us soon. The number is in your phone under Jess, Mike, and Jams. You can’t call the home number. Noah and Lily will be so mad at you. We love you Kairi. Jessica wants to arrange a meet soon. Talk to you whenever.

                                                                                   Love,                                                                     

                                                                                          James A.

                                                                                           Jessica M.

                                                                                         Michael E.                                                                        

       

Tears formed in my eyes as I searched the bag for my phone. I finally found it and took it out of the backpack. It was a blue flip phone. I turned it on and scrolled through the phone book until I found the contact named Jess, Mike, and Jams. I pressed the green call button and waited. The phone went to voice mail. “Hello you have reached Jessica, Michael, and James Robinson leave a message after the beep or else,” James’s recorded voice said. I heard the beep.

“Hey guys it’s your sister Kairi. Call me back I have so much to talk to you about. Bye guys,” I sighed and hung up the phone. I rooted through the backpack some more until I found the spine of the hardcover book I was looking for. The book was well worn. The binding covers were brown with no pictures. I looked at the gold words on the binding and smiled. “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll was my absolute favorite story. It’s a story about a girl named Alice who follows a white rabbit down a rabbit hole and finds herself trapped within a strange land called Wonderland. It is my absolute favorite. I was going to carry it to the altar with me for the something old but my mother refused my request. I smiled at the book and carried it out with me to the couch along with the chocolate bars that were taped to the back. Jessica knows me all to well. I laid on the couch and opened the book and a chocolate bar. I broke some off a bar and put it in my mouth. It tasted milky and chocolaty at the same time but with the slightest hint of bitterness. I read Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland until Alice fell down the hole. Then I fell into a long peaceful sleep.  

            I was home. My sister Jessica was chasing me around the yard while James read “Treasure Island” to Michael. I wanted to stop chasing Jessica but I couldn’t move. I was forced to keep running around and around. My mom steps out of the house and looks at me with a disappointed face. My dad walks behind her and turns into a dragon with green scales and jagged teeth. His winged were about 30 feet long. He started charging after me. I ran fast. But it wasn’t good enough. Then I stopped running. My dad opened his large mouth and was about to eat me when I touched my glass heart pendant. My finger tips and the glass turned a deep turquoise blue. I held out my hand and my dad froze in his place. 

         I woke up startled and confused. My neck felt heavy. I looked down and around my neck was the mysterious glass heart pendant from my dream. “No…way,” I felt my eyes grow wide with disbelief. I was afraid. I didn’t know what the necklace did but I had a feeling I was going to find out. Then I fell back asleep.

            I woke up to Kataro lightly shaking me awake for dinner. I rubbed my eyes and walked out into the kitchen. My eyes opened wide. He had prepared a candle light dinner for us. “I thought we could get to know each other better by candle light,” he smiled and pulled out my chair for me. I mumbled a sleepy thank you and sat down. He sat down in his own chair and began to cut the food that was on his plate. I looked down at my own and saw it was fish. I picked up the fork that was in front of me and I cut a piece off and put it in my mouth. It tasted light and buttery. I loved it.

         “Thank you it is really good,” I told him. He nodded a guy like nod. “So tell me about yourself.”

           “What to begin with?” He asked himself. “My name is Kataro Jeremy Ishiyama. My favorite color is brown and my favorite food is macaroni and cheese. I love karate. Japanese anime is a must see for me. I like to play soccer. I write songs with my guitar and I love to walk barefoot in the grass. Your turn Kairi.” I smiled.

          “My name is Kairi Rosella Robinson. My favorite color is the color of my skin in the light…” I trailed off and gasped. Candle light. He could see my skins unnatural shimmer.

         “Peach sparkle, I absolutely love the color of your skin,” he seemed oblivious.

         “My favorite food is Macaroni with egg whites. I love to sing and dance. I don’t like sports unless yoga is a sport. I love being barefoot anytime and I absolutely adore the smell of the earth after it has just rained. May I hear a song of yours later?” He nodded while his eyes sparkled.

         An hour later I was fast asleep on the couch when I had my first dream in a long time of my dream boy.