I was swaying through time watching the ground beneath my feet shift. Finally my body landed out on the green grass surrounded my flowers. It was brutal out as the humidity of the summer day made my skin boil. The scar on my face was throbbing but there was something different about it.

The scar on my face was ripping open to reveal something that was hidden inside me all along. I looked at the necklace on my neck towards the image inside. It was a blood red full moon that appeared within. It was time to go to the forest I thought as the sun beat down on my red hair.

I began to walk down a familiar path towards somewhere. The leaves crunching under my feet as I made my way deeper. There were footsteps behind me that I knew would follow me out here. I was about to turn to see the person who made those footsteps. I wanted to know who it was that had betrayed me all along.

"Wake up ", a melodic voice called from above me. The ground swallowed me whole just as my eyes saw the outline of the figure. Suddenly I was on the beach with a nice bikini. It was comfortable until something was thrown against my head. I looked and saw a nagging starfish over my head. It wouldn't get away from me but kept hitting my head lightly. It was rather annoying so I swatted my hand outwards.

As soon as I touched the starfish sparks of electricity ran up my arm. It made my pulse race in anticipation in such an annoyingly pleasurable way. I rubbed my eyes open to face the person that had interrupted my dreams. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the blurry figure above me.

"Wake up. You drool like a dog", the voice stated in its deep tone. I nearly flew out of my trance to stare into the sea blue eyes of Nixon. He was whacking my face with one of the starfish that Valerie had all around the room. I was squashed up against the carpeted floor with drool covering my face. I shifted my body only to feel my neck hurt from being stiff for so long.

"Shut up", Ian said from behind me. "I think its cute that she drools in the morning", he said sweetly. Nixon grumbled about something before stomping out of the room looking like a sour puss. I wondered if Valerie was around but her bed was empty. I wanted to ask her about the woods privately but I didn't want the boys to know.

"Get out of my room", Valerie stated as she appeared in just a bath robe. She had a towel that she had piled up so that it was coiled around her head. She had sea themed slippers on that she used to try to kick Ian's leg. Ian held up his legs deflecting her kicks from doing any damage. "Suit yourself then", Valerie said. His cue to go came when Valerie started removing the sling that held the robe together.

"I'm leaving but I'll be back from college soon enough", Ian stated as he jogged out of the room like fire was lit under his behind. Valerie didn't acknowledge him but started getting ready for school. I wasn't ready for school with all the crazy stuff going on right now. Speaking of crazy stuff, I ran my fingers along the necklace. As I rubbed the chain around my neck carefully I wondered if the moon looked the same. I stared at the image it was still in the waxing gibbous phase. I needed to read up on moon phases when I got the chance but now I had to go to school.

"Wow what is that? I've never seen anything quite like it before", she said in awe over my necklace. It was awkward because her breasts were pressing up against my body. I wasn't used to having someone naked around me so freely I stayed still as a statue

"Its from my mother. It was in my musical jewelry box. Now that we are alone", I said as I moved so there was a safe distance between us. "I wanted to ask you a question about the woods", I said seriously. I wanted to have answers as soon as possible.

"Not here. At your house", She said in a curt tone. A strange look came over her eyes making her look wild but then passed. "Let's get ready for school", she said as a diversion. She was right about it being time to get ready for school. The clock on her wall showed that it was 6 in the morning. We had about forty five minutes to get ready for school but that was fine.

"Fine, but soon I want answers", I stated in a darker tone. I started to grab my luggage to pick out an outfit but Valerie's hand shot out towards mine. She held onto my wrist with her superior strength dragging me to the closet. I stood silently as she thumbed through her closet loudly. She kept muttering under her breath as she looked at different outfits. She stopped searching as she pulled out a cute black t-shirt with the picture of a feather surrounded by a circle. It was accompanied by a pair off shorts with frayed endings that looked uncomfortably short but also really cute.

"Here, the new underwear you wanted. My mom picked it up for you. I hope you don't mind. Oh and put this on", she said. I laughed because I thought she was joking around with me but one look at her face told me she was serious. "I'm not budging until you put it on", she said as she moved closer to me with the clothes in her hand.

"Fine. But I'm going to look awful", I said. I took the clothes out of her hand distastefully so that I could get dressed. I was glad to have new underwear but I felt bad for making her mom get it for me. I turned around wanting privacy because of how uncomfortable I felt about my scars. I pulled my shirt off leaving my scars exposed when I heard Valerie gasp from in front of me.

"Did it hurt?", she asked as her hands reached out to touch the stab wound on my stomach. I recoiled from her touch apprehensively staring at her with haunted eyes. "I'm sorry. Nixon told me about it but I didn't think it was real. Only an animal could do this", she said with anger in her movements.

"It's fine", I said softly. I pulled the shirt over my shoulders so that she didn't have to look at the scar anymore. "Sometimes though I feel like something is inside of it trying to claw its way out. Its a throbbing sensation right here", I said pointing at my stomach. "And right here", I said pointing towards the scar on my face. Valerie's face paled for a split second only to be replaced with a cheery smile.

"We will talk at your house later. Somewhere safe", Valerie said in a quiet tone. "Put your shorts on girl before I put them on for you", she said absently. I pulled on the shorts stiffly thinking about how awful I must have looked. I totally forgot about facing Ember again but at least my problems were simple at school. Ember was uncomplicated compared to the demons that I was surrounded by at home.

"I'm ready", I said as I put on the final piece of clothing which were my socks. Valerie looked gorgeous in her baby blue tank top with a black shawl pulled over it and her black denim shorts. I probably looked horrifying with my crazy red hair that curled all the way down my back and this ill-fitting clothes.

"Not yet", Valerie said as she reappeared with hair supplies in her hands and a sly smile on her face. She moved me over to a chair in the next room as I tried to protest the entire way. Unfortunately Valerie always got her way so now I was sitting with my head bent over as she worked quickly on the mess of hair. She kept wetting my hair then brushing through the crazy knots in my hair with determination.

"Valerie, you don't have to do this" I told her. Honestly it didn't matter if my hair looked like a mop or if it was brushed it wasn't going to change the ugliness of my scar or the spray of freckles on my cheeks. I was destined to be someone that wasn't very attractive to look at but it didn't bother me.

"No, I am going to do this", she said as she started dragging something hot that felt like fire through my hair. "Enjoy this moment Rowen. You are beautiful. Forget about what Ember or anyone else says. You are gorgeous", she said as she dragged the heated hair supply through my hair. I had forgotten about Ember because I had bigger problems than just a bully. As I sat here with Valerie brushing my hair a killer was out there plotting his next move. I could sense it within me that darkness that I was destined to face. For now I would listen to Valerie's kind words but I knew better than to think it would last forever.