KAHLAN AND DAMON The bus ride home was terrible. I already had a frustrating day. The mixed smells of perfumes, cologne, and sweat was making me nauseated, and having Carly scowling at me the entire time was not helping. She looked so angry. I finally looked away, focusing my attention on the fast moving houses outside the window. It seemed that I had a 'friend' that lasted all of ten seconds. I wasn't in the mood for all the drama that high school came with. I had bigger problems on my plate. I really just wanted to go home. But I couldn't. My day was not finished quite yet. I got off the bus, looking down the street and seeing my home. I wanted to go inside and lay under the covers of my bed, but that was going to wait. I had one thing to take care of before I locked myself away from the world. I had a meeting with my therapist, compliments to Judge Atkin. I had a few blocks to walk before I would reach my destination, so I figured I'd take time to decide how I was going to approach

KAHLAN AND DAMON Ryan Wingo, I thought, as if Doctor Meir could read my mind. Was it me or was the temperature in the room on the rise? Ryan Wingo, I thought again. I swear I could hear his voice, and felt his presence in the room. Ryan was my Urban Legend. I was afraid that if I said his name too many times he would appear and possibly kill me. I couldn't say it. I didn't want to say it. I didn't want this story to become real, or relive the past. I just wanted to move on and forget him. And that would never happen if everyone kept bringing him up. As I continued to think, I processed the idea that maybe Damon Meir could help with that. Help me forget. But, if I ask for help, am I admitting that there is something wrong with me? Because there wasn't. But what would happen if I were to forget? Would I be forgetting all of the good along with the bad? Would I be forgetting every memory of Ohio and my family? Truth was, I couldn't change the past. The past is what made me who I am tod

ASHLEY Seven O'clock, and the sun was going down. Ashley was exhausted. She knew it was going to be hard going to school and working a part time job, but not this hard. As she locked up the main doors of the dance studio, and headed out to the parking lot, she saw two familiar faces across the busy street. Justin and Sandino walked side by side, probably heading down to the skate park. Though, Justin wasn't really a skater himself, he always went with Sandino. He was the moral support. She held out the keys to her beat up green Pontiac. Her passenger side door wouldn't open from the inside, and the right back window wouldn't roll down. Don't forget the terrible paint job she had; the green paint had started peeling a few months back, and she never thought about getting it fixed. She didn't see any point. Sure, it wasn't a bad first car, but she was ready to ride in something that had more style. Her plan was to save and maybe rent a car. After all, all she needed was her parents permi

THE BOYS The boys all crowded through Sandino's front door, as they did every night during the school week. The Lovett home was just that, a home. The boys appreciated the fact that Leslie, Sandino's mom, had paid, and took the time to make the basement a safe hangout spot. With that, came better heat installation, the fluffy gray carpeted floors, the huge television and a Foosball table. She liked to know where her kid was at all times and this was her way of keeping him at arms length. She made sure to have plenty of snacks, and record TV shows that only young growing men would like. The Lovett's had lived in the yellow house on Terrace Lane since Sandino was born. It was the only home he knew. It was the most stable home and family that most of the guys had ever had experience with. Justin led the way into the basement as if it were his house, and he took a seat. Chad was the last one to enter; he went and grabbed a six pack of grape sodas out of the fridge, along with a bag of Dor

KAHLAN I stood at the bust stop. Again the sun was bright, the weather already so warm, I could tell it was going to be another hot day. To embrace the weather I wore a jean skirt and a yellow frilly shirt. I stared at my cell phone. The time said 7:04. The bus was supposed to have a 6:55 pick up, but it was late today. There was the sound of a car horn that caught my attention. I looked up to see a dark blue convertible across the street, and in it sat Chad, Brandon, Jason and Sandino. "I knew that was you," Brandon yelled out from the front seat, attracting attention. I smiled, giving a little wave. "Want a ride?" I stood there for a moment. It was just a ride to school, what was the worst that could happen? I was sure to look both ways before running out into the street and over to the car. "You know I do." Jason opened the back door and slid out, letting me in between him and Sandino. I got a whiff of the strong deodorant he wore, which smelled like fresh baby powder. I breathed