Sunnyside Up with Red Ketchup Ashley Andrews

~ Sunnyside Up With Red Ketchup ~ Ashley Andrews Prologue * Red * Yellow * Blue * Green * Brown * Silver * Orange * Peach * White * Crimson * Navy * Gray * Purple * Amber * Fuchsia * Cream * Burgundy * Lilac * Turquoise * Lime * Pink * Scarlet * Beige * Mauve * Rainbow * More All Rights Reserved (c) 2012 Ashley Andrews

Prologue: Extraordinary Life

Ordinary. She bet half of the Earths population considered that they were ordinary. Believing that theyre just another measly speck on a planet, getting by alright, having an alright time, having an alright life. Having an ordinary life. While half of those ordinary people wished they werent ordinary, but were something more. She was one of the five percent who were gifted with a different life. Whats more fun than being shot at? Living your life on the line for a cause? Experiencing fear, seeing things you wish youd never seen, losing loved ones, meeting all kinds of new people. To those with ordinary lives it might sound like a lot of fun, like going on a roller coaster ride without the bars to hold on to. There are many who believe that they would want that kind of life. The excitement and nail biting fear. Isnt that the glory of being human? They can experience all the adrenaline laden emotions pain, terror, exhilaration, glory, and heartbreak, and believe that they need those things to evolve, to really live. To not be ordinary.

Yeah, right. Did she want that kind of life? No. Had she worked to get that kind of life? No. Just by the fact of her birth, she was made instantly unique. She was born, so much more than ordinary. Want to know why? Her parents were special agents for a secret task force assembled solely for finding criminals within the underground world. These were criminals that remained unknown to even the highest of ranks of crime fighters throughout the world. These were the terrorists, the top echelon of evil doers. They had met, fell in love, had her, and continued to work undercover, fighting these horrific criminals. Now do you know any kids who were brought up in that kind of environment? She thought not. For the first years of her life, she traveled with them, how many undercover secret agents do you know that have a child? But that didnt last long. Her parents had infiltrated the home base of one of the worst criminals on earth when she was eight years old. They had been searching for this man since before she was born, and when they had a chance to gain access to his secret hideout and find all the information that would put him away for life, they took it. Unfortunately before they had all the information that they needed, he discovered what they were up to. Her parents were murdered by their nemesis a year into their undercover mission. She didnt remember much about that time in her life. At the age of nine she was literally moved underground, away from the bad guys, and anything that could be termed ordinary life. From that time on she was brought up by seven special agents all men. It had been decided that having females on the force meant that the men and women who made up this elite terrorist crime-fighting agency could create problems, problems like her. So, it was just her and the boys. She was eighteen-years-old and she had lived underground in the secret headquarters for half her life. The boys didnt really know what to do with her, so they had taught her what they knew. She had been schooled to perfection on hand-to-hand combat, and weapons. Wellsort of. No matter how hard they tried, she just couldnt get over her phobias. She didnt like guns, and she didnt want to hurt anyone. She was very shy, kind of backwards. A lot of her training ended up being of the book sort. Good in theory, but not so good in practice. You cant shoot a gun if you want to throw up every time you touch one. She would never be the agent her parents had been. She wasnt cracked up to be an agent, but since she never planned on leaving her little underground homewell, it was kind of a mute point, wasnt it?

Chapter 1: Red

A picture of a boy with windswept black hair and harsh, gray eyes appeared on the screen. Agent Dexter tapped at the screen with his index finger and placed his hands on the table, curling them around the metal edge. The five who were seated at that table, stared at him. Zane Noble, the future president of Plasma, a major player in the electronic industry. The man leaned backwards and tapped the screen again. Hes Blaines target. The table was silent, analyzing the information. They waited for Dexter to explain further, and when he just sat there, brooding silently, one of them encouraged him to share more. Go on. He smiled slightly. Weve received information that the young man will be leaving to attend Sunnyside Summer Camp, just as he has for every year of his life. He hesitated for a couple of breaths before snarling, In order to continue to develop his singing talent. One of the men pulled a face. The future leader of Plasma is pursuing a singing career? Dexters lips turned up at the edges. Supposedly so. Our men inside the company state that he is rebelling. The singing career is what he intends to do with his life, as opposed to taking over a multibillion dollar company that makes products critical to not only our organization, but to keeping the entire world secure. A quiet murmur went around the table that began to get louder, so Dexter held up a hand to halt their private discussions. Theres no way to persuade him to skip camp this year. That has already fallen flat. It has also been decided by the higher ups that any move we make to dissuade Mr. Noble, could alert Blaine that he is being watched. Furthermore, it seems that Mr. Noble has already arranged his departure date. The five agents sitting around the table were silent for a moment, wondering where exactly the conference was leading them. One head snapped up and Joseph stared at Dexter. Were going undercover? Dexter slammed the table and grinned. Were going undercover.

With this announcement, discussion around the table focused on how that could be accomplished. These men were not teenagers. Their faces were etched with the tough, hard life that theyd led. Blending in at a teenage summer camp would not be easy. The conversation increased in tone and volume. Dexter allowed them to debate different scenarios, to try and come up with a solution to this problem. It wouldnt be easy. Their Task Force was made up of seven people and only seven people. Well, seven people, plus Red. Homeland Security knew nothing about their group. In fact, the only one who knew they existed was the President. Knowledge was passed from one American President to the next, funding came from rerouting the funds for all those obscure agencies that no one could keep track of. To say they were a secret agency was like labeling coal, black. Duh. The undeniable problem in front of this group was that none of them could even remotely pass for eighteen. Hed surveyed the campus and personnel and found a family run business that had been passed down through generations. And there hadnt been a new teacher or counselor, or medic, or gardener, for years. Unless the President decided to assign this team someone younger, there would be no way they could get on campus. They were going to be restricted to running surveillance from outside the gates. Running night ops and following Zane Noble every time he left campus. It wasnt a great solution. This exact same question was raised several times in varying levels of frustration over the next few minutes. Dexter looked around at all the questioning glances and ran a hand through his disheveled, curly brown hair. He finally threw his hands up in the air. I dont know what we are going to do. Thats the only part I havent figured out yet. Yes, we need some one on the inside while we patrol and manage the perimeter. But I havent worked out who and how. Since we dont have an operative for the inside, maybe we should figure something else out. Figure the odds if we apprehend and hold Zane until Blaine either turns his efforts somewhere else, or until we can use it to our advantage by laying a false trail. If Mr. Nobel doesnt want to come willingly, well take away his choice. Joseph shrugged. Hey, he has a point. With Zane in our hands, we wont have to worry about Blaine. Hell come to us! Paul pointed out. Michael turned to glare at him. Are you two crazy? Having Zane so open and easily available has to be one of the reasons Blaine would go for him. You know that the crime lord is too savvy and interested in protecting himself, that he only picks low hanging fruit. If the kid isnt where he has been every year since practically his birth, Blaine is going to pull back and disappear again. Its been years since we had such a good shot at him.

Six voices rose in a pitched battle to declare which side of the coin they were on. Dexter lifted his hands up, attempting to calm everyone. Instead, it riled them up more and they got to their feet, jabbing accusing fingers and arguing. The agent slung himself into the leather chair behind him and rubbed at his face with both hands. His agents were uncharacteristically emotional about the subject of Blaine, No Last Name. There were reasons for that. The man had killed several of their best agents When he moved his hands away from his face, a familiar figure appeared outside the glass door, her hands filled with a tray holding cups of tea and coffee for the group. Dexter sighed. And here was the real reason they all hated Blaine. Hed made this child an orphan. ***** Red tapped lightly on the door. She didnt know why she bothered because no one heard anyway, nor did they pay any attention to her. She was just part of them. She allowed the door to slide open automatically and entered the conference room, mugs of tea and coffee filling the air with a rich aroma. As she took a step forward, she stumbled over her own feet, just managing to regain her composure AND save the hot beverages from spilling. Nothing unusual, her uncles all told her she had two left feet, which meant she was woefully clumsy. It never bothered her. She just picked herself up and went on. Today this action interrupted the heated discussion. Suddenly all the attention in the room was on her. Dexter slowly rose to his feet, a bright, sudden flash of insight bringing a huge smile to his face. He glanced around the room and discovered that great minds really did think alike, as every other agent in the room had exactly the same expression. She narrowed her eyes at the seven, eerily similar looks. They wanted something. From her. No, she refused bluntly. In tandem they all took one step forward, causing her to take another step back. Whatever you want, she cant do it! They tried to explain, all of them, together. She wasnt really confused by the eruption of voices and comments. She was used to this, her seven uncles often tried to outshout, outmuscle, and out intimidate each other. She rolled her eyes. She got the drift of what they were trying to talk her into. It was ridiculous. She held up both hands and smiled at them humorlessly. I cant. Im not cut out to be an agent. She turned to leave the room, thinking that would be the end of it. But someone caught her wrist. She looked over her shoulder at Agent Dexter, whose expression resembled a dog begging for food. She lightly tugged her arm out of his hold and shook her head. I cant do this, Dexter. I havent been above ground since I

was nine, and that was an abject failure. I cant leave Headquarters, let alone go to a Summer Camp. Out there, in the real world, undercover. She shuddered and turned to leave. Dexters hand landed on her shoulder this time and she turned back around fully to face him. Although she was surrounded by agents that towered over her, her confidence didnt waver. They were her familyshed learned long ago not to be intimidated by them. Red, we need to do this. By helping us out, you could save the life of a very important young man. he used his other hand to point at the picture on the large screen behind him. She couldnt see it from where she was standing, but he was obviously pointing to a picture of the person who was being targeted. She swallowed. He was young? And being targeted by Blaine? There wasnt much she didnt know about Headquarters, or the men who worked here, the seven men that she referred to (at least in her own mind) as her uncles. She had lived underground in this bunker, since she was nine years old. Half her life. Everything that occurred in this secure facility was classified, meaning she wasnt supposed to know about as technically she was a civilian. She shrugged mentally. Shed never been a civilian. She had been born into this business, her parents had died for the cause, and she lived in an underground bunkerwell, because quite honestly she didnt have a choice. For so many reasons. So that meant that she accidentally heard classified information or one of the men would accidentally leave folders about their current cases lying around, in her quarters. Or she would just stumble upon someones password that had accidentally been left taped to her bathroom mirror, and look up anything she dangwell wanted to know. There were no secrets here. That was how she knew that the man who had killed her parents, Blaine, had appeared on the map again, and he wanted some young man. She sighed. It wasnt that the Task Force thought she was the best person for the job. Theyd have taken someone off the streets if they could get them. The agents were assigned to locate and neutralize the most lethal killers, terrorists, gangsters, drug dealers, and other international criminals. Leading that list, at least for this small group, was the person who murdered her parents. Especially since her parents had given up their lives to protect the Task Force. But seriously, she was not her parents. They had been two of the best secret agents every employed by the US. Their exploits were legendary. She, on the other hand, had two left feet. Oh, she had trained, and learned everything there was to know about selfdefense, handling a gun, hostage situations, and piano. Yes, piano. But she didnt train every day, not physically. Mostly that was due to everyone being so busy. No one had time these days to go over her handtohand skills. The

only training shed done lately came from a book. She was learning how to prepare mentally for the life of an agent. Her parents were fullytrained, incredibly adapt, international fighting machines, with decades of field experience before theyd been killed. Shed been reading books. Theyd happily given up their lives to protect the Force. She was having trouble gathering up enough courage to leave Headquarters and go above ground. But the thought of having someone her age targeted by the brutal Blaine, and then left to suffer at his hands, just didnt sit right. Her knowledge of Blaine was shrouded in traumatizing clouds of forgetfulness, and what shed read in the files. She had a feeling some of that file had been edited just for her. There were obvious holes. But she knew enough to know that she wouldnt want her worst enemy to fall into Blaines hands. He was an angry, inventive, and cruel bastard who tortured for fun. She sighed. A horrible feeling of overwhelming dread and inevitability rose in her stomach. Excitement was jumbled up in there somewhere too. Wasnt it about time that she left Headquarters? How much longer could she stay locked up, underground with seven old men? She looked around at all of the agents. Some of them were frowning, and she knew they worried about her; others eyes were pleading and bright with hope. She clenched her fists in terror, took a deep breath and acquiesced, All right. They room erupted. There were agents cheering and highfiving each other, giving each other exaggerated hugs. Dexter shook his fists victoriously and held back a shout of joy. He grasped one of her hands with both of his, swallowing her tiny hand completely. Hed known she could do this. Thank you, Red. I know what this is costing you. Thank you so much, he said. He released his hold on her so she could leave the room. She left quietly, biting her lip in worry. What had she done? ***** You ready? She nodded. The elevator taking them out of the ground and into the light above was actually a circular disk, big enough to hold a car. Red took a deep breath, shook out her nerves and closed her eyes lightly for a moment. Shed had a phobia of the outside world since the age of nine. The agents told her that every time they had attempted to take her up, she would kick and scream. Once, when she was about ten, they had sedated her and brought her out that way. The thought was that she might be more afraid of the elevator than actually being in the world. The last resort hadnt worked. She had tried to kill herself. At ten years old. That had been the last time shed been taken above ground.

She swallowed around the strange feeling in her throat and nodded at Dexter, who pressed the button. The lift went upwards at an intense speed. The metal trap door at the top began to open automatically and a rush of cold air blew across her face. Then the light hit her. She scrunched her eyes together as the lift finally reached the top and refused to open them. She was scared. Dexter took her hand, leading her out of some building. He didnt comment on her wanting to keep her eyes shut. The sound of automatic doors opening alerted her that She was about to go outside. Fresh oxygen hit her face. She slowly opened her eyes and peaked out at her surroundings. She was in the middle of a bustling city. There were so many people rushing around and ignoring her presence. No one paid attention to her. The cars zoomed by and bright natural light seemed to accent everything in stark detail. It was like plugging into the mainframe computer at Headquarters. The sunlight warmed her pale skin, but she shrugged off the sensation. Instead she focused on the tall, glistening buildings that surrounded her. She was speechless. Dexter clapped her hard on the back, almost sending Red to the concrete pavement. He grinned. There you go; the hardest part of this whole gig is over. Youre above ground. ***** Two weeks later Red listened to the soft crunch of hair between the scissors as it slowly separated the strands from her head. One of the things that shed read about a year or more ago, was an organization called Locks of Love. She knew that she wanted her long, never cut hair to go to that organization. So Dexter had taken her to a salon, theyd put her hair in a couple of braids, and cut it off, almost at the scalp. She had way more hair than the ten inch minimum that the organization required. This charity provided hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada if the kids lost their hair from any medical issue. She kept her eyes shut. Her hair was one thing she had always wanted to be rid of. Although she wouldnt be so daring as to cut it all off, she wanted it away from her shoulders and out of her face. Dexter had told her he would let her get a haircut before she embarked on the mission. Where shed gotten her hair color had always been a mystery as her dad had been blonde and her mother had red hair. Her hair was solid black. Okay, you can open your eyes. She opened them. Staring back at her in the mirror was a completely different person. The hair was still feminine, but it no longer brushed her shoulders. Instead it was stiff and went just below her ears. She had bangs that swept to one side and hair that barely brushed the base of her

neck. It looked wiry and stylish. It was definitely better than the long mane she had before. She brushed a hand through it, placing a hand over her face just to make sure that it was her reflection staring back. She was surprised that she had taken the mission so far already. The impact of her decision was sure to hit at any moment, but for the meantime, she was enjoying the change and excitement. She rose to her feet and smiled at the lady hairdresser, who snipped the scissors at her in reply, smiling regrettably. Its a shame you wanted it all cut off, dear. Your hair really was lovely. But Locks of Love will be ecstatic with this. Ill send it in tomorrow. She smiled and nodded in return, thanking her quietly. Dexter was standing by the window in the waiting room and when she entered, he turned. His reaction to the new style was amusing. He coughed on the tea hed been drinking from a paper cup. He wiped his sleeve along his mouth before giving her his opinion. Wow, he said, stepping forward to look closer. She snorted and pushed him on the shoulder, indicating that they should leave. As they walked along the pathway after exiting the barbers, she noticed that she seemed to receive a lot more stares from girls and guys than she had on the way to salon. Dexters eyes were planted on her the entire time too. Who knew that behind those long bangs of yours, you had a pair of beautiful blue eyes, he finally said. She let out a nervous laugh, blushing at the compliment. Itd been so long since shed looked at her appearance in the mirror, she didnt even remember that her eyes were blue. Shut up, she murmured. His silence indicated that his teasing was finished. Guess now that little task is complete we should move on. We probably should buy you some new clothes, but frankly I have no idea what to buy a teenage girl, unfortunately you dont know either. Youve got some money, you may have to take care of your wardrobe the as things come up. She shrugged. I wouldnt have a clue what to buy. Clothes arent important. You still want to go through with this? Dexter asked. She almost didnt hear him because she was too busy observing her surroundings. There was so much she wanted to see, but there wasnt enough time to study it all. And that meant that maybe this was the right time for her to emerge from her safety cocoon. In the past two weeks shed been given a crash course on what

Blaine was capable of. She thought back to the images shed been shown of Blaines murder victims, suicide letters from drug addicts unable to pay his fees, goodbye letters from loved ones written on the Underground train by one of the hundreds of people that had died in one of a number of Blaines terrorist attacks. She shuddered. Yes, Im sure. We didnt have time to go back over your training, or make sure that youre fit enough to escape any pursuit. Im certain that it wont be necessary anyway, your primary responsibility is to keep surveillance on the target. Dexter ducked inside a tiny metal van. It was full of computer equipment and barely had enough room for her. It had been two weeks since she had first exited Headquarters and already she was being shipped off to the camp. Swallowing, she adjusted her hair and rearranged her clothing. She took the miniature camera that Dexter handed her. It was in the shape of an NFL pin, something that a fan would wear. This one was of the Denver Broncos. Great. She hoped no one asked her any questions about the team. Her knowledge was limited to the fact that the team was from Denver. Coloradoprobably. It could be pinned onto any piece of clothing she wanted to wear. In this case, it was attached to a white t-shirt with an open black shirt and a pair of black threequarter length trousers. Speak to us through this, Dexter handed her a small mic in the form of a boat pin. She attached it to her shirt alongside the football pin. You can hear us through this. When it flashes red, and starts to vibrate, put it in your ear. He passed her a rubbery pin that was in the shape of a dog. She decided to clip that one on the inside of her pocket. He leaned back in his small computer chair and picked up a packet. Then he moved over and handed it to her. Your dorm assignment and the part of the camp youll be staying in, is specified in your acceptance letter. Te rest of the packet has rules and regulations, schedules, that sort of thing. She looked in the packet and pulled out a sheet of paper. Reading it, she frowned at the name of the dorm building. Royal Haven? she said out loud. Dexter shrugged and opened his hands, staring at her in sympathy. It was hard to tell why though. When she continued to look at him questioningly, he sighed in defeat and tried to explain. The camp is split into two sides. There is a wealthy section, and a not so wealthy section. The kids in the rich area seem to run the camp, no surprise there. Its not that the people who occupy the other side cant live in Royal Haven; its just that they tend not to last long without being shunned, bullied, and forced to leave. You are in for a tough time kiddo. We cant come up with

enough money to make it seem as if you belong with these snobs. She stared at Dexter, confused. Not because what he said was confusing, she understood that the kids in the dorm would hate her on sight. It didnt matter. She was just curious as to how he had managed to find out this information. His sources were amazing. SoIm in the rich side? Dexter nodded slowly, as though waiting for her complain, or explode in anger, or something. Which she didnt, maybe because she was too naive for her own good. Do I leave now? She raised a questioning eyebrow at Dexter. He nodded; his slightly surprised expression went unnoticed. She turned to open the door to the van. Wait, he moved forward and placed a shoulder on her arm. She stopped and looked back at him. Youll be sharing the dorm floor with three people. One of them is Zane Noble. I wont show you his picture, because then you wont accidentally let it slip that you know who he is. Best that you learn who he is from your own experience. You know what youve got to do, right? he asked. She nodded. But wait, you said that well be on the same floor, are they allowed to have coed floors? Yeah, that one surprised me too. The floors can be coed. Girls on one side, boys on the other, with liveon floor monitor that is supposed to make sure the rules are adhered to. You have a list of those rules in the packet. So you know what you are supposed to do? he repeated. She nodded again. Make friends with him, keep by his side at all times and when I see something suspicious, radio in! She tapped the boat on her shirt. Dexter gave her a soft smile before giving her thumbs up. She waved and jumped out of the van, holding the handle and nodding one more time at Dexter. Good luck! he called as she shut the door. ***** After she closed the door to the van, she turned around and closed her eyes, waiting until she heard the van pull away before opening them again. She bit back her gasp when she noticed a long, stretch limousine pull up and drop off one boy, who clambered out without batting an eyelash. She had read about these things, or seen them on the Internet, seeing them in real

life was mesmerizing. Hey, kid. Dont gape too hard, youll swallow a fly. An arm landed around her shoulder and she stared at it, before raising her eyes to the owner. A boy with long, brown hair tied into a ponytail, and glasses framing his thin face, grinned at her and tugged her with the arm that was currently over her shoulder. Come on, Ill show you around. She allowed him to drag her through the archway, looking around hurriedly for any chance of escape. There wasnt any. How was she supposed to interact with the boy? Shed never socialized before. All seven members of the Task Force were really part of her family and didnt count. Shed never talked to someone her own age. Names Rupert. Youre new here, judging by the blank expression and confusion in your eyes, the boy shook her limp hand with his other arm and then looked up to the sky as they walked along a gravel pathway. This place isnt for the fainthearted, he continued, looking back down at her. His eyes narrowed. Man, you sure do look feminine. She coughed awkwardly and moved away, pushing his arm off of her shoulder. She shook her head. Thats because Im a girl. She put her head down and kept walking. Oh, he said quietly behind her. Footsteps hurried after her and the arm returned over her shoulder. Rupert pushed his face close to hers. I did wonder why you looked so cute. Usually rich girls like to keep their hair long, so I mistook you for a guy. Sorry. Ill show you to your dorm to make up for mistaking you for a pretty boy. Youre definitely going to get lost in this place, he reached over and took the sheet out of her hand before she could stop him. His eyes widened as he read the name of the dorm at the top of page. He swallowed and stared at her, his eagerness from before completely evaporated. He looked around cautiously, and then leaned in towards her. You know how Sunnyside Summer Camp works right? She nodded and snatched the sheet back out of his hand. She started to walk off, but Rupert just followed, jumping to her side. Youve got to be joking! Showing up there uninvited is like committing suicide, he moved forward and hissed. Youll get killed. She frowned and shook her head. No, I wont. The boy looked at her anxiously, then sighed and threw his arm back over her shoulder. Were boys usually this touchy feely? She wondered.

Look, Ill show you to your dorm and explain a bit on the way there. What was this kid, a mediator? Was it really this easy to make friends in the real world? Her new friend looked around cautiously before leaning in to whisper, Royal Haven has three floors. The bottom floor is for those who are important enough to be in Haven, but not important enough to be on the second or third floors. Its like a ranking system and no one messes with it. Rupert shook her with his arm. Youre on the top floor. There are only three people who are allowed to live on the top floor and one of them really isnt supposed to be you. She sighed and looked at the boy. His overall appearance seemed to shock her every time she looked at him. There was an element of what had Dexter used to describe her? Cute. There was an element of cuteness about him. She removed his hand from her shoulder. This is a summer camp, right? Not some messed up school where stereotypical gangs gather together. Shed read in a book that one of the agents had brought down for her, that schools tended to have such groups. Rupert laughed, Thats just it. Thats exactly what this place is like. They may not be innercity gangs, but they are still a force to be reckoned with. She stopped walking and stared at him. It was getting more and more complicated. Gangs? If there were groups like he said there was, where was she supposed to fit in? Would Zane Noble be in one of those groups? Rupert tugged her arm, gesturing for her to continue walking. Its like an orange thats been split in half; there are the important kids and the notsoimportant kids. Within those two different segments are lots of other different segments, see? She nodded; quite impressed that he had used such a simple metaphor. She looked at her surroundings, in search of anyone who might have been Zane, but all that surrounded her were trees and other people walking in pairs or alone. It was like students walking to school. Suddenly, Rupert tugged her into an opening at the right. A pair of black, huge gates that were opened revealed an imposing building. She barely had time to catch her breath. Where the hell had that been hiding? Obviously somewhere among the trees. As Rupert led her up the huge, circular drive, the gravel crunched beneath her feet, she turned. Theyd just exited through a green archway. It seemed the forest they had been walking through was nothing more than a tunnel. Incredible, she muttered.

Rupert didnt hear her, or if he did, he didnt comment. He led her to the front of the huge, elegant door with a grim expression on his face. She stared at him, noticing by his expression that something about the place severely displeased him. Good luck, he muttered to her. She opened her mouth to thank him, but he turned and left before she had a chance. She frowned at his back, and then turned around to face the front door. She raised a hand to open the door knob only to have it open before she could grasp it. Hm. The newbies here. Lips. That was where her gaze was firmly planted. Not by her own free will. The boy in front of her was just so damn tall. Or she was so damn short. Her eyes drifted slowly up to his and her blue clashed with his cold gray. She couldnt find the correct words to describe him. Did he look like an angel? A God? She knew one thing. He was impossibly beautiful.

Chapter 2: Yellow

During her life underground, she hadnt even watched DVDs. She had a phobia of the outside world. She did specific research on the Internet, but she didnt even have online friends. Shed never met anyone except those in the Task Force. And Rupert, who shed only met a few seconds ago. Youre just going to stand there? She snapped out of her trance. The boys windswept black hair and huge, slightly slanted bright eyes still dazed her. She settled on looking away and staring at the door frame, thrusting out her arms pathetically with the letter grasped tightly in her hands. IIm your new dorm member. She pushed the letter

towards him. He crossed his arms and looked down at it as though she had passed him something filthy. Im not stupid. No other idiot would have the guts to knock on this door without having a decent reason. He stepped back with his arms still crossed and pushed the door open, allowing her to step inside. She lowered her arms, keeping her eyes on his beautiful face. Then when he let out a sigh of impatience, she hurriedly leaned backwards to reach for her suitcase. It fell on the ground, so she had to bend to pick it up before scurrying inside. She kept her eyes on him cautiously as she dragged her suitcase in, but drew her gaze away the moment she entered the dorm. All along the hallway, huge doors were open and attractive, richlooking boys and girls leaned against the walls with their arms crossed, a look of disgust across all of their faces. She swallowed and walked through the space in between all of them, keeping her eyes on the ground and only raising them occasionally to look at the people she passed by. She caught sight of the inside of a room and resisted the urge to stop as she passed it. She heard the boys footsteps following behind her and she raised her head to gape at the huge staircase that was stretched out in front of her. Her room was on the top floor and currently, she stood at the bottom. Would the second floor be the same way? She slowly began to climb the stairs, still feeling eyes planted firmly on her back. Had she done something wrong? Maybe they could feel her nervousness. She took a slow, deep breath and relaxed, making her way up the stairs more confidently. The journey through the second floor was the same. Why did the place have to be so damned big? She could feel the daggers being thrust into her back. When she finally reached the third floor, she noticed that the hallway was a lot smaller than the ones she had just come through. There were only three doors on either side of the hall, indicating that only six rooms were up here. Dexter had said that only three of them were used, and that the hall was divided, with girls on one side and boys on the other. She looked at the letter in her hand and took note of the room number. She headed over to the door which held the number and sighed in relief. At least here she could relax. She opened the door and her suitcase clattered to the hard, sparkling tiles beneath her. The entire room was covered in what seemed to be a white powder. And when she had opened the door, the powder had reacted to the gust of wind and now, she was covered in the same substance. Loud barks of laughter echoed from the staircase she had just ventured up and she turned, raising a hand to wipe the substance out of her eyes as she did so. The boy who had answered the door stood in front of the loud collection of laughing people, his arms folded and an evil smirk across his beautiful face.

You dont belong here, he said bluntly, taking a step towards her. She looked up at him with frightened eyes, but stuck her chin out determinedly. Shed learned how to deal with big, burly men for the past fifteen years; she shouldnt be scared of a boy the same age as her. I belong where I want to be. Her voice came out a little shakier than planned, but shed said it quite confidently. The gasps from behind the boy were louder than the laughter had been and she poked her head around the side of the figure in front of her to stare at them. She noticed everyone looking at her, a look of complete shock on all of their faces. It was like the reaction of a mother finding paint all over her designer dress. Swallowing, she realized shed probably made a mistake in talking back. In order to avoid any more dire incidents, she rushed into her room and slammed the door shut in the boys face. Gasps echoed outside again and she heard hurried, loud footsteps. The crowd had probably retreated down the stairs. A board outside her door creaked. He was obviously still there. Did you not want me to introduce myself? his calm, soothing voice rang through the door. She pressed her ear to the door, not knowing that on the other side, the boy was going exactly the same. She rested a hand on it. Were you the person who covered my room in flour? she asked him quietly. On the other side, the boy smiled and turned his head so his lips were near the door. He spoke in a whisper. I didnt have to. You see, shrimp, I could care less about who stays where. But Im afraid the other campers do. She didnt have to see him to know his lips were smirking. Cursing, she moved back from the door and kicked the wall beside it. Then she ran a hand through her short, cropped hair and pulled open the door. The boy stood in all his glory, his arms folded. But there was no smirk. His posture oozed superiority and a serious, cold expression had settled onto his face. He held a sheet of paper in his hand. He raised an eyebrow. Red Hart? She nodded and snatched the piece of paper out of his hand. He snorted and crossed his arms, looking away. His eyes moved back down to her, but his head stayed pointed in the other direction. You look pale, he said matter-of-factly. She frowned at him. So? she replied quietly. The boy didnt seem to notice her commenthe just pouted his lips and sniffed. You wont last a week, he said harshly, turning around. As he began to retreat, she started to close her door, looking down at her powdered clothes in annoyance. She stopped, then yanked open the

door again. Wait! she called out. The boy stopped and looked over his shoulder, his arms still folded and back still to her. Isnt it considered polite to share your own name once you know the other persons? She wasnt quite sure where shed read that. She awaited his response. For a moment, she thought the boy wouldnt answer. Then he rotated his shoulders to the left slightly, not quite looking her in the eyes. Instead, he studied the ground beneath her feet. Zane, a corner of his lips turned up as his eyes rose and he studied her expression. He turned sideways to face her fully. Zane Noble. ***** Well, shed found him. And shed also found a large bag of some mysterious substance under her bed, which had left one of the most disgusting smells that shed ever experienced. The first day of camp activities didnt start for a couple days, as they usually allowed time for everyone to settle in and reconnect with friends. The word camp didnt really fit Sunnyside. The occupants of the dorm she was staying in wouldnt be classed as campers either. They were all rich, as far as she knew, and nearly all of them were dazzling in some way. This place was more like some kind of twisted drama class, a camp created for young adults to show off their talents. She swallowed. Before long she would have to show off her talent. One that shed never shared with anyone. There were also the strange rules. Girls and boys could share dormsobviouslybut they each had their own side. The dorm was entirely symmetrical, so girls were opposite boys and vice versa. Even though she had been underground most of her life, she knew that this was strange. She shook her head, ignoring the questions that popped into her head. Instead, she focused on her room. She rocked back and forth on the gigantic Queen bed that her dorm room had and then flung herself back, smiling happily. The room had taken overnight to clean, but it had been completely worth it. Everything was two times the size of her furniture at Headquarters. What she missed was the technology. It was just weird because she had spent most of her life in a place that revolved around the latest hightech computers and equipment. In fact, she was a knowitall when it came to computers. Out of boredom, shed learned how to hack into files and compare one contraption to another. She was a total geek. She reached behind her and grabbed a pillow, hugging it tightly to

her chest. It had definitely been a good idea to take the mission. After a few minutes relaxing, she leapt out of bed. She wanted to go and see the world that she hadnt been in for over ten years. She wanted to see what was different. She bounded happily over to the door, checking her appearance before she left. She was dressed in baggy blue jeans and a plain black t-shirt. Perfect. She ruffled her cropped hair and opened the door. And bumped straight into a boy. His raised fist meant that he was obviously about to knock on her door. She took one step back, meeting blue eyes that were similar to her own. Wow, blue too, the boy said to her. She opened her mouth to reply, but stuttered. Here was another beautiful creature. His eyes were slightly slanted at the edges too, giving him a sly, cheeky look. His mouth was thin and as he grinned at her, dimples showed. He looked like a teenage cupid. The boys head tilted to one side and a strange expression crossed his face. Then he reached out a hand and ruffled her hair, bending down so he was equal in height with her. Youre a cutie, he commented, narrowing his eyes in speculation. She nodded, speechless, and then nodded again. Eexcuse me, she murmured, pushing past him so she could flee down the hallway. He didnt appear to be giving chase. She only stopped running when she exited the building, ignoring all of the evil glances shed received from people as she ran by. Pausing to catch her breath, she looked around when she was safely inside the tunnel of trees. So, her first outing hadnt gone too well. Maybe it would be better to just stay inside after all. She looked back at the dorm and shuddered. Perhaps it would be best to kill some time before returning. She ventured into the woods, not caring where it led her. After smiling and looking around at the trees that blew in the wind, she noticed that the tunnel finally ended just a few feet in front of her. She increased her pace and approached a hill, noticing the top of a wooden cabin. A huge wooden cabin. A wooden sign (was everything wooden?) held white lettering which said Royal Nature. Frowning, she assumed it was where the notsorich side of the camp stayed. She took one step forward, her smile slowly widening. Royal Nature seemed a whole lot more alluring to her. It was all nature and wildlife. Wasnt that how camps were supposed to be? Hey, kid! A shout alerted her to a group of teens at the base of the slope. There were only three of them and she recognized one to be the boy who had shown her around yesterday. What was his name? Richard?

Russell? Its Rupert! I showed you to Hell Haven. He winked at her. She laughed nervously at the nickname he had given her dorm. Taking a few steps toward him, she gave him a quick smile and lifted a hand in greeting. Hello. He grinned at her and stepped aside so she got a good view of his friends. They were twins and they both seemed to be clad in black clothing and had long hair. Except one was a boy with blue hair and the other, a girl with purple. Strange. Kid, this is Tim and Kellie. Tim and Kellie, this is Rupert trailed off. He scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously. I just realized I dont know your name. She snapped out of her daydreaming, moving forward and holding a hand out. Im Red. She nodded at the twins while they shook her hand. Blue nudged Purple in the ribs and whispered something into her ear. Purple nodded and they both returned to staring at her. She and Rupert stared quizzically back. Youre very pale, they said together. She opened her mouth to reply when Rupert stood in front of her to block her view of the two. Just ignore them. He waved a hand at her and then turned around to glare at his friends. She looked at him and then peeked over his shoulder to look at the twins. They mouthed, sorry. She was suddenly pulled forward. Rupert had grasped her wrist and started to talk animatedly to her about it being a great time for a picnic. She tried to act enthusiastic and followed them, one part of her worried that Rupert kept dragging her around. Another part was glad that shed made some friends sort of. ***** She collapsed onto her bed in exhaustion. Rupert had dragged her around the entire camp, insisting on giving her the full tour. Hed been coming to the camp since he was fivehe was definitely a veteran. Most of the camp was beautiful, with forests to go hiking in and amazing views from the hills. The one thing she was very uneasy about was the lake. She was waterphobic. She didnt know why. She guessed it was just one of those things. Maybe shed been born with the phobia and because she was

never around water, hadnt realized it. Apparently, there were certain water activities that were done in groups at camp. Those activities were considered exercise and a way to broaden your talent choices. Swimming. Like for the Olympics or something. Well, she was dreading those activities. In fact, she had half a mind to just desert the mission, solely for that reason. Luckily, when she returned to the dorm just as the sun was setting, it was half empty or the kids were busy. She hurried up the stairs and collapsed on her bed. It was obviously an exaggeration on Ruperts and Dexters part about the whole bullying thing. She had remained untouched so far. Shed only had some powder dumped in her room. That wasnt so bad. ***** Zane Nobles mind was running, leaping, jumping. It was packed full of plans, pranks and ways to get rid of the silly girl who had dared to move into the top floor of the dorm. Top floor, mind you! It was wellknown that only Zane and his friends could occupy that hallowed hall. And only special female friends could take the rooms opposite. Well there werent any special girl friends in those rooms right now. Red had moved in, uninvited. But she wasnt wanted. Was the girl stupid? Zane felt all the eyes on him as he stormed through the building, hurrying up the steps. He would find out about the girl. Maybe she was royalty? She didnt look it, but that was the only way she could have believed that she would be accepted. He knocked lightly on the door at first. He may have been accused of being hotheaded, but he had manners. When there was no answer, he hammered harder. Well, he had manners, but not patience. Her eyes flew open when a tap at the door echoed through the room. She sat up, looking at it as though it were a ghost. To be honest, shed have preferred a ghost to whoever was standing on the other side of the door. She didnt want company right now. She was exhausted. They knocked again, this time a little louder. She slowly got off of the bed, making sure to keep her eyes on the door the entire time. Whoever was out there started to hammer on the door, so she hurried forward. Zane was almost ready to resort to allout force when the door finally opened. The girls captivating blue eyes stared up at him, looking like a cat caught in the headlights. He expected the kid to get frightened, or even yell at him for just barging in. Blue eyes clashed with gray.

Hello, Red. Zane Noble stormed into the room before she could stop him. She poked her head outside the door and noticed that nearly everyone from the dorm had gathered outside her room. Including Cupid, the boy she had bumped into previously. He stood out considerably more than the others, not only because of his appearance, but because he was standing in the open doorway opposite from hers. Oh, goody, they were neighbors. She left the door open in order to allow her a quick escape. Shed just have to make it through the mob. She sighed. Okay, she also kept it open because she didnt want to be in the same room as Mr. Noble. Alone. Swallowing, she remembered she was supposed to be making friends with this angry person. She took a deep breath. Can I help you? she chirruped happily, smiling as brightly as she could manage. Her eyes even crinkled up in the hope that it would add to the friendliness factor. When she relaxed the smile, the wideeyed expression on the boys face surprised her. What had she done? He coughed and as fast as the expression had come, it disappeared. Before I decide to kick you out, I want to know who your family is. He leaned towards her with his arms folded. With a pout on her face, she stepped back, bumping into the wall behind her. She pressed herself flat. Well? What are they in? She moved her left foot slightly and caught the edge of the door with it, closing it slowly. She ignored the groans of protest from all the eavesdroppers outside. The bright smile that she had attempted to approach him with, fell into nothing but a slight turn of the lips. You could say theyre in the clouds, she said bluntly. She kept her eyes fixed on his. Confusion flashed through Zanes eyes for a second. So they run airports? She almost snorted at the response. Well, telling him that her parents were dead could blow her cover, right? She smiled nervously and continued to watch him warily as his upper body still leaned in her direction. Yeah you could say that. Zane straightened and lifted his eyes to ceiling, as if he were pretending that she was no longer there. He moved his eyes down to look at her, keeping his head still. Would I know the company they run? Crap. She opened her mouth and it was a while before anything came out. II guess. I wouldnt know. I havent seen them since I was ten. Well, that was more or less the truth, it wasnt really a lie. Her conscience was still clear. Zane turned away. He thought about her glowing smile and the

bright, can I help you?whichcertainly messed him up inside. He thought about what shed said about her parent. He made sure to keep his gaze away from the girl, just in case she happened to smile again and infuriate him further. Shed said they were in the airport business. That told him the girl was just another one of those kids with too much money and no idea what to spend it on. Those kinds of people were the first to go, she didnt belong here. But then shed said she hadnt seen her parents since she was ten. What did that mean? So the girl was actually poor? Perhaps she had a rich relative? Whatever the case, it didnt make sense to him. He could deal with bigheaded millionaires, poortorichinaweek kind of people and egotistical jerks who thought they deserved the top floor. But a seemingly innocent girl with missing parents and some mysterious, sad emotion behind shocking blue eyes? Well, he was stumped. Zane wasnt one to sympathize with others, but when he turned to look at the girls expression, the glowing smile was back on her face. He gritted his teeth. Did the kid have to be so happy? Just seeing all the positive emotion on her face was beginning to piss him off. It was silent for a moment. Red kept her smile on her face and then slowly peeled herself away from the wall, guessing that it was safe to relax a bit. Zane had turned his back to her again, so she couldnt see his expression. He turned around for the smallest of seconds, glaring at her before he stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. She stared at the door, perplexed. Hed just left? She just didnt understand him. ***** Zane stormed out of the room, ignoring the confused glances he got from the crowd waiting at the bottom of the staircase, their hopeful faces looking up at him. He stopped at the doorway of his room and turned to glare at them all. They retreated quickly. He opened the door, went through, and slammed it behind him, sitting on the first armchair he got to. The shrimp had to go. She just had to.

Chapter 3: Blue

The rest of the week flew by. It was kind of boring, really. There was no pranks, no attempts at kidnapping or murder, nothing. It seemed she had been accepted into Hell Haven. She grinned. The name Rupert had given her dorm stuck. She was one step closer to befriending Zane Noble. Well, about halfastep anyway. When she walked through the halls, people turned their heads away from her, as though they were frightened. Frightened of what, she had no idea. But that reaction was a whole lot better than having them stare at her like she was a piece of dirt. She opened the door to the outside and inhaled the fresh night air. It was so refreshingit was hard to believe she had been missing out on this for almost nine years. You all ready to go, Red? She looked to her right in surprise and saw Rupert sitting on the wall to the dorm, chewing on a lollypop. He threw it away and strolled to her side, backhanding her arm lightly to get her attention. First camp meeting, huh? Youll like it. Lots of partying. He winked. He talked for several minutes about how the first official evening of camp was always celebrated by having a party and setting fire to a Sunnyside Summer Camp mascot doll that was made out of hay. The purpose of the bonfire was to show camp spirit. Or something like that. Red listened with half an ear as he started on about something else. This time giving her some kind of warning, some strict instructions, and a question, but she was too busy daydreaming to pay attention to what he was talking about. She had slept so peacefully the night before and had a dream that had involved her parents wishing her luck. It had felt so real. As they slowly approached the location for the official camp bonfire, she slowed, a frown spreading over her face. Rupert stopped talking and looked at her. You alright? She moved her distracted eyes from the ground to him. Yeah. I was just wondering if you could stick with me. She looked up. This is my first time being in such a huge crowd, Im kind of nervous.

He looked at her in confusion, about to open his mouth to ask a question. But he stopped himself and smiled at her. Sure. She smiled back at him. Thanks. They started to walk again. As the noise from the gathering crowd got louder, her shoulders began to tense. She didnt know how to react in big, close crowds. For some reason, she always felt like they were dangerous. She sensed Rupert let go of her arm, saying something about getting the twins. Dread filled her mind, panic rising through her. She was alone, in a crowd. Why was that so bad? Suddenly, she felt very, very lonely. Rupert had said hed be back within minutes, but it didnt take long for paranoia to set in. She looked around at all the unknown faces, beginning to get dizzy from the laughter echoing in her ears, their shouting bounced around in her head. They were too close. She felt sick. She looked around hurriedly for something to drink. Celebrations always had refreshment tables, right? She spotted a table in the distance and rushed over to it, knocking over a tower of cups as she pulled one from the top, filling it to the brim with punch from the bowl. She downed it without breathing. She had to make contact with Dexter and tell him to get her out of the party. Out of the assignment. It was all too much for her to handle. Way too much. She froze. Shed left the pins back at the room after she had changed. She slapped a hand to her forehead with a lot more force than intended, sending her cup onto the ground. When she moved her hand back down from her nowaching forehead, she noticed that she was still dizzy, if not more. Why hadnt the drink helped? Suddenly the girls around her started screaming. The noise bombarded her senses and she dropped the cup and covered her ears. She closed her eyes on flashing white dots that seemed to overtake her vision. She felt like shed been hit in the head with a rock and when the flashing stopped, her eyes snapped open and she found herself hunched over, her hands cupping her ears. What the hell just happened? Looking up slowly, she noticed that Zane and Cupid had arrived at the party and by the looks of it, they had fans, lots of screaming fans who were using their cameras with flashing lights. What were they, celebrities? Girls surrounded them and they both smiled gracefully, nodding their hellos and smiling as the feminine mob declared their love en masse. Seriously, they were declaring their love. Zane looked like a completely different person when he was dealing with these girls. He was almostprincelike. Cupid treated them the same way. She halfexpected the girls to ask for autographs.

She snorted to herself, reached behind to get another cup, filling it with more punch. She drank this one down. The dizziness hadnt disappeared and she still felt nauseous. She was ill. Great. Camp had barely started and she was already sick. Whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. A pair of hands grasped her shoulders as she swayed and she dropped her cup of punch, spilling dribbles of it all down her teeshirt. This seemed quite hilarious to her and she burst into giggles. Someone shook her. When she lifted her eyes up, searching for the person holding her shoulders, the trees and dark field spun around her and she waited for it to steady before looking at the boy in front of her. Rupert. He was looking at her worriedly. Yo? Are you drunk? Drunk? What was that? Some sort of insult? Heh? she slurred, raising a hand to press it against her spinning head. Rupert shook her hard and she heard her teeth chatter together. She found this hysterical too and started to clash her teeth together. Gosh, werent you listening? The twins always spike the punch. Always. I warned you! Rupert let go of her and ran a hand through his hair. He looked at her worriedly, and then bent down to her level. Stay here. Dont. Move. And he was gone. She looked around at the people talking, noticing that it no longer sounded like chattering. It sounded more like singing pretty, sparkling singing. She decided to join in. For some strange, unexplainable reason, she didnt really care that it would be strange to start blurting out words that made no sense. She poured herself another drink, downing it to wet her throat so she was ready to sing. But it was burning like she had swallowed fire. She probably had a throat infection. She stumbled on her own feet before she set off for a place that wasnt so full of people. She noticed a large, black area in the distance and she headed toward it, journeying further and further away from the people and music and heading straight into a peaceful silence. She didnt hear the Head Camper start his speech. She didnt notice two pairs of eyes watching her wander away. She just walked, singing quietly to herself. She certainly didnt realize that the large, black area that she was headed for as a nice, quiet place to hangwas in fact the lake that haunted her. She was in trouble.

Zanes eyes were immediately drawn to the back of the irritating girls head. Red, her name was? He had planned how everything was supposed to happen that evening. Public humiliation was the best way to get rid of someone, and what better way to do it then trick an innocent girl into thinking that it was cool to streak. It was immature of him. He shouldnt have to sink so low. But, there was something about the shrimp that rattled him more than any other person who had dared defy the unstated rules of Sunnyside Summer Camp, governing the division of the classes. But the more he watched the girl, who had been really interested in the punch bowl, the more he began to notice. She didnt seem to be smiling much, or talking. Or moving, for that matter. In fact, she appeared to be swaying. Cursing, he remembered that the punch was always spiked. Did the kid know? He pushed two girls gently out of the way, ignoring their squeals as his hands came into contact with their shoulders. He began to make his way through the crowd, when he noticed that another figure had appeared in front of Red. It looked like it was a friend, as Red didnt seem spooked and the figure looked worried. As Red began to laugh hysterically, Zane turned away. He frowned. Had he just tried to plough through a crowd to see to a wimp who he had barely known for a week? A wimp that he was trying to get rid of? Letting out a quiet laugh of disbelief, he ran a hand through his alreadydisheveled, windswept hair and made his way back to his blonde friend. Zane, munchkin, you alright? Zane glared at the blonde. Yes, Casper. And dont call me that in public. The blonde boy winked and leaned closer. Only in private, right? Zane snapped his head round to glare at Casper. The boy cowered and faked a hurt expression. Hey, keep your scary face away from me, Casper quirked, defiantly jutting his chin out at Zane. Zane sighed and moved his head to scan the crowd. He wasnt looking for anyone in particular. He just wanted to see what the turnout was. There were a lot more people at camp than there had been last year. WELCOOOOME, CAMPERS! He winced when their leaderan attractive, man dressed in what appeared to be an adult Scouting uniformleapt onto the stage. The Head Camper, Leo, was

only twentyone. A little old for a camper, the leader had achieved his position at the camp by buying out his dad. As one of the ten richest twentysomethings, no one could figure out why Leo kept the summer camp. All the girls swooned and cheered as he began to enthusiastically introduce the start of the new term. Zane rolled his eyes. Leo was his friend, along with Casper and another boy. The true leaders of the camp were himself, Casper, and Seth, the latecomer. Leo might own the camp, figure out the rules, and schedule the activities, but the other three ran the camp. As Leo began to encourage the campers to yell at the top of their lungs, Zane scanned the crowd. Then he saw her. Red. She was stumbling into the distance, obviously not very clearheaded. Cursing, Zane looked at Leo on the stage and then at Red, who was staggering away. Towards the lake. He hated the girl, of course. But he didnt want her to drown. Did he? Before he had time to contemplate whether or not to go and save the girls life, someone shoved past him to hurry into the distance. Zane turned around quickly in surprise and noticed that Casper had left him alone. He turned back and stared at the blonde figure chasing after Red. Frowning, he started off at a gentle jog. Red giggled to herself and grabbed hold of a tree when she stumbled in the forest. Someone in the back of her head was screaming at her that this was a bad idea. That she was heading straight into danger. But for some reason, another side of her was ignoring it and just going with the flow. It certainly didnt help that the flow was getting disrupted with dizziness. In the morning, she was going hate herself for her stupidity. Part of the brain that still managed to function, knew that. The large, black, empty area was right in front of her. A few more steps and shed be there, all alone, in the silence. She stopped walking. It would be like back then, when she was little. The only thing she remembered was the darkness, the complete and utter silence. Did she want to go back? When she thought about the world and how busy it was, how much life was in it it seemed like it might be too much for her to take. Shed been away from the world for so long, that it was overwhelming. She liked it, but she needed a break. Just a little time where it would be really quiet and she could be alone. Well then, it was decided. Just for a little while, shed step into the darkness, and just watch

Chapter 4: Green

As she took a step forward, something grasped her arm. She turned around quicklybig mistakeand nearly fell backwards into the darkness. The thing pulled her away from the black space, making her bump hard into what seemed to be a person. Are you stupid? She looked up drowsily and found herself almost nosetonose with Zane Noble. She yelped and took a step backwards, taking her arm out of his grip and almost tumbling to the ground. The blonde boyCupidwas standing behind him, grinning like an idiot. Hey Zane, you cant be so rough with a lady? Here, let me show you how its done, he took one step forward and Zane swirled round, narrowing his eyes. Dont take another step, Casper. The ravenhaired angel took hold of her upper arm and started to drag her away from the darkness. She looked back at it, wishing that she had tumbled into it before the boy could find her. Her eyes widened and suddenly became distracted as a thought hit her. Zane? Zane Noble? Why had he come after her? And the blonde boy who was currently staring at her with a huge smile had joined him? Who are you doing? she slurred, not noticing her obvious mess up of the sentence. Zane continued to walk, ignoring her question. She must have looked very small next to him. He looked like a rich God, with his long legs covered in expensive black denim and his tall, thin chest covered in a white, silk open shirt. Turning around, she noticed Cupid wearing exactly the same. Noticing her staring, the boy obviously took this as an invitation to engage into conversation with her. Hi! The names Casper. I was going to introduce myself the other day, but Shut it, Casper. Zane said harshly without turning around. His eyes were focused on the tunnel of trees in front of him and the bustling party going on to the right. Theres no point in introducing yourself to someone whos probably never going to see you again.

She turned back to look at Caspers reaction, her eyes halfclosed with weariness. The boy appeared to be slightly crestfallen at Zanes comment. She frowned and pulled her arm hard out of Zanes grasp, stumbling backwards when she noticed that he really hadnt been holding all that tightly and her excessive force hadnt been necessary. Youre mean. She hiccupped and turned away, walking towards the tunnel of trees on her own. Zanes mouth fell open in shock and he let out a quiet scoff of disbelief, folding his arms and watching her walk away. He had saved her from drowning, and this was how she repaid him? He closed his mouth and narrowed his eyes, ignoring Caspers loud laughter from behind him. Yeah, Zane. Youre MEAN! he mimicked, too busy laughing to notice Zane glaring at him instead of Red. Their attention was suddenly drawn away from each other when they heard scuffling, a thump, and then a small, ouch. Caspers face dropped and he turned serious, running up the slope to the tunnel. Zane unfolded his arms and watched Casper retreating, and then he slowly began to follow behind. When he walked into the dark archway of trees, he saw Casper helping Red up. The girl had obviously fallen and was now holding her head. Zane folded his arms. Casper, what do you think youre doing? What she does is none of our business. Casper sent a surprising grin at Zane. Cut her a little slack. I mean, just look at her! Shes so innocent and adorable. He lifted a hand and pinched the girls cheek. Red frowned and pouted in annoyance and Casper let out a small laugh. See? Zanes eyes turned to slits and he kept his unwavering gaze on Red. The girl was still pouting and frowning in annoyance, but had also raised a hand to rub at the area Casper pinched. Zane snapped his head sideways, biting the inside of his cheek in irritation. He hated to admit to himself, but there was just something about the girl that made her adorable. All the other idiots who had the nerve to try and move into Royal Haven were always so full of themselves, they assumed that they were worthy. But this kidshe didnt care about being worthy of living on the third floor. She had gone straight to the top, and didnt realize where she was. Leave her, Casper. We should return to the party. Zane turned around and walked off in the opposite direction. Casper smiled after Zane, and then turned to Red, grasping both her shoulders in his hands. He bent down so he was level with her. Go back to the dorm, okay? he said slowly, grinning happily. The blackhaired girl stared back at him with wide, blue eyes, and

then nodded in reply, hiccupping. Casper lifted a hand and ruffled Reds hair, before turning around and running to catch up with his retreating friend. She knew something was wrong the moment she woke up to the sound of a bird twittering right by her forehead. Judging by the slight, occasional tug on her short hair, she gathered that the bird thought her hair was something to eat. She lifted an arm to rub at her eyes and then slowly, she sat up, leaning on her other arm. She ran her hand over her face, wincing when she touched a tender part on her forehead. Was this another one of the boys pranks? To knock her unconscious and force her to sleep outside? She opened her eyes, frowning when the bright light caused them to ache. Looking around her, she realized that she was in the midst of the tunnel of trees. She could see people strolling along through the gaps in the trees and she hurriedly got to her feet, holding a hand to her dizzy head. She looked around her feet and noticed a small puddle of sick right by where her head had been. Her eyes widened and she turned to look out of the gap in the trees. What had happened the night before? Had she been poisoned? She stumbled out of the trees and fell onto the path, ignoring the surprised expressions on peoples faces as she jogged back to the dorm. She hoped she was going the right wayshe felt as if she were turned around. Sighing in relief, she saw a familiar bend and slowed to a walk as she approached the door. It was already propped open, so she hopped inside and hurried up the long, steep staircase. Everyone seemed to ignore her presence as she walked by, which was a relief. It was a shame she didnt have eyes in the back of her head, because then she would have known that their heads turned right after she walked past. When she got to the top level, she found the door to her room already open. Slowing down, she looked around the hallway cautiously for any kind of trap or ambush and then placed her hand on the doorframe to her room, poking her head around the side. Zane Noble and Cupid Boy were standing in the center. She swallowed. As soon as she entered, their eyes focused on her and she sent them an uneasy smile. She shook herself. Act natural, she thought. What? she said to Zane, more rudely than she had planned. Her gaze went to the boy next to him and she smiled. Hello. A gasp echoed around the room and her smile dropped. She noticed that the blonde boy seemed to have an upset expression.

He hurried towards her and she resisted the urge to take a step back. He grasped her shoulders. You dont remember me? he asked her quietly, staring into her blue eyes. She stared back in confusion and shook her head. He kept his hold on her and turned his head to the side, a look of hurt spreading across his face. Then he pulled away and shuffled over to Zane, who hadnt removed his gaze from her since she had entered the room. Zane, munchkin, she doesnt remember me. The boy tugged at Zanes arm, sounding so crestfallen. She had to put a hand over her mouth to hide the smile that spread across her face at the name he had called Zane Noble. Munchkin? she mentally said to herself. Zane didnt look happy. He jutted his neck out threateningly at Cupid Boy, widening his eyes and sending her a cautious look. I told you not to call me that, he hissed. The boy grinned and turned his attention to her, frowning mockingly. So, where did you stay last night? Did you get lucky with a guy? He wiggled his eyebrows at her. She removed the hand from her mouth and began to cough and splutter in surprise. Nno. I woke up in the forest. She pulled at her t-shirt and showed them the dirt that was smeared across it. See? She looked up at the blonde and smiled sadly. I have no idea what happened. Cupid Boy let out a nervous laugh and sent a worried glance at Zane, who still refused to take his eyes off of her. He started to walk towards her slowly. Casper, leave. Cupid perked up. She would have jumped for joy at finally finding out Cupid Boys name, if Zane hadnt been approaching her with a murderous look in his eyes. Casper didnt seem to notice and saluted mockingly. Aye, aye, captain! And then he left, closing the door behind him. She stepped back as far as she could until her back hit the wall. Zane, however, continued towards her, his arms folded across his chest and eyes narrowed in hatred. She swallowed and kept her gaze steadily on his. Perhaps if she made conversation, hed stop? I hear our first activity is to showcase everyones talent! I cant wait. Whats your One of Zanes hands slammed hard onto the wall beside her head. He moved it so that he was leaning on just his forearm and then tipped his head close to hers.

Okay, so making conversation didnt work. She stared back, unfazed by his actions. Dont get her wrong, the slam had made her jump and all, but she didnt know what putting his face close to hers would achieve. Although she had to admit, his face looked a whole lot more angelic close up, even with a look of annoyance across his face. You will leave, Zane muttered to her. You will leave this dorm, by tomorrow. I cant put up with your annoying voice and perky attitude. Royal Haven isnt the place for people like you. She swallowed. Butshe couldnt leave. Her mission was to look after Zane and make sure that he was safe at all times. How was she supposed to do that when she was on the other side of the camp? Blaines men were sure to come looking for him some time soon. She shook her head and smiled up at him. I cant leave. And if Im annoying you, maybe you should leave. I dont see why I have to, she said it so innocently. Well, she was innocent. She didnt think that what she was saying was rude. Zane stared at her, his face devoid of any emotion. Then he moved backwards and let out a scoff, running a hand through his hair before bringing his cold, gray eyes back to her. Youre unbelievable, he shook his head, his eyes wide and his lips pouted, meaning he was biting his cheek. Every movement he made, mesmerized her. He looked alive with emotion. Yet, he only seemed to show it when he was alone with her. In the last week Red had noticed that when he was with other people, he seemed to wear a polite, cheerful mask. He always displayed princelike manners, and was unfailingly nice to people. She continued to smile, then frown, watching him carefully. She cleared her throat. Do you like my company, because I dont see any other reason why you would be here? Thats what she did. Speak her mind. Shed never been taught to hold her tongue, or that somethings were better left unsaid. Besides, she couldnt change with him in her room, she wanted to be alone. Who cared if she upset him? Zane looked at her, speechless. Then his face straightened back into its usual, placid expression and he straightened up. He walked quickly towards the door. He opened it, but before leaving, he scrunched up his nose. Take a shower. You stink, he said, and closed the door. She frowned after him and then lifted an arm, sniffing. Shrugging, she moved over to her bed, bent down to get the suitcase and then threw it on the bed. She shuffled through her clothes until she found a nice clean shirt.

When she lifted it, three pins fell out. Her eyes widened in realization and she clutched them in her hand, looking worriedly down at the dog pin, which was vibrating and flashing red. Hurriedly, she put it in her ear. She put the boat pin on the shirt she was currently wearing. HHello? she stuttered. She screwed her eyes shut as yelling filled her ear. RED? IS THAT YOU? JESUS. IVE BEEN TRYING TO CONTACT YOU SINCE LAST NIGHT. WHAT HAVE YOU Please, dont yell so loud, she begged, putting a hand to her head. A severe headache pounded in her skull. She heard a sigh down the mic. Its fine. At least youve answered. I wanted to ask why I couldnt get video footage yesterday. Everything is blank. She sighed and closed her eyes, resting her aching forehead against her bed. The bump from the day before was still tender. Im sorry. I forgot to put all the pins on yesterday. She heard a groan from the other end of the line. Red, you HAVE to remember to put them on I know, I know, she interrupted. Have you made any progress with Zane? She sat back and looked up, bunching her lips in thought. It was a habit shed never been able to break. Im not sure. He keeps popping up in my room without my permission and asking me to leave Royal Haven. Is that good enough? She got silence from the other end of the line. Red, you know what? Ill contact you later. And the line went dead. She pulled the funny shaped dog pin out of her ear and rubbed her sore lobe. She grabbed her clean clothes and headed off to the bathroom to take a muchneeded shower.

Chapter 5: Brown

Zane couldnt take it anymore. NothingNOTHINGhe did was getting rid of the girl. First, hed allowed the others to try a major prank that usually was enough to send everyone that they didnt want, away from Royal Haven. Covering her room with flour hadnt worked. It should have served as a signal that she had been targeted and that should leave the dorm, IMMEDIATELY. But Red? Shed just laughed it off and spent the rest of the day cleaning. Next, a poke into the family life. He would get them to talk about their family and find out if they are actually worth the trouble of keeping. If they had survived the flour step, that is. Red had survived, and the interrogation had done nothing but backfire and end up making Zane think intensely about his own situation. Finally, the closeup intimidation techniquehe was at his scariest when up close, glaring at the person he was trying to get rid of. If he invaded your personal space, it was bad news. But Redshe hadnt even blinked. Instead shed mocked him for it, whether intentional or not. And getting up close had only made Zane realize just how flawless the girl looked up close. He had no idea why he wanted to get rid of one measly girl so much. She wasnt affecting him. She wasnt rich, that much he could tell. As far as he could tell, her clothes were just cheap, mens clothes. She wasnt doing anything and yet Zane was suffering. He readjusted the closefitting, black tux that he had put on for his performance and looked at himself in the fulllength mirror. His hair was the same as alwaysswept back and messy, the rough tendrils just brushing the base of his neck. He changed the style frequently, fitting his hair to his mood. Frowning, he decided that the next day he would change it again. Maybe this time hed part it on the side, or maybe just go natural? Curly? Casper was sitting on his bed, dressed in a tux that was identical to the one Zane had on. He was reading a magazine and was for once, quiet. His eyes flickered over to the door every so often, impatiently. Zane knew he was waiting for Seth. Seth was the third person in their triangle of friends. The guy was always late.

Okay, so it was a little embarrassing that she couldnt do up a tie. Everyone could at the age of eighteen, right? Was she supposed to go to the show and wait until Rupert found her before finally managing to finish dressing? Sighing, she clipped the football pin onto the shoulder of her sleeve and the boat pin alongside it, putting the dog pin in her pocket. She tugged at the collar and sighed, undoing the top few buttons. She was never going to survive the evening with it done all the way up to the top.

When she looked back down at the two ends of her tie, lying limply in her hands, an idea came to mind. It was the perfect opportunity to initiate another contact with Zane! Perhaps he would smile happily, let her in, do up her tie, and realize that she was meant to be at his side forever? Right, she knew that was unlikely.

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts and he looked at his watch. Seventhirtythe show was due to start in just fifteen minutes and Seth should be there any minute. But Seth wouldnt have knocked. Casper noticed this too and tilted his head toward the door, frowning in confusion, the magazine still open in his hands. Who is it? Casper whispered loudly to Zane. Zanes confused frown was his reply. He stood away from the fulllength mirror and strolled over to the door, opening it a crack. It was Red. And she was holding up two separate ends to a tie on either side of her neck. She wiggled the ends. If you dont mind, I need a little assistance. Zane had practiced hiding his surprised expression andalthough inside he was yelling in frustration at how the girl constantly surprised himhe kept his face totally blank. He closed the door on Reds face and walked back over to the mirror. Casper had sat up, the magazine on the ground, forgotten. Who was it? Zanes nose scrunched up as he readjusted the bow tie that was around his neck. The kid. There was a moment of scrabbling and then Zane heard the door open again. He turned to glare at Casper, who welcomed the blackhaired girl inside the room. Casper, he hissed. The blondehaired boy grinned at him, giving him two thumbsup signs. Zanes arms fell to his side helplessly and he rolled his eyes. Red looked at Casper, holding the two separate ends to her tie uselessly. Help? she asked innocently. Awww, Casper grabbed Reds shoulders and turned her around quickly. Now she was facing Zane. How can you want to get rid of this, Zane? Just look at her. Casper pointed. Zane spared Red a glance. The girl looked back, her eyes bright

with innocence. For a moment, Zane froze and focused on nothing but Red. Everything else was shut off from around him and all reasonable thoughts were thrown to the back of his head. Reds black hair was messed up roughly, giving her the bedhead look, with the bangs lightly brushing against her thin eyebrows. Her cheekbones were thin and high, lips thin and rosy, and her nose was small and pert. Her eyes were the weirdest feature; thick, long lashes that surrounded wide, cerulean eyes that were so unique. She was cute. When you really looked at her, she was so natural compared to all the other girls he had known. Coughing, Zane shook his head lightly and went back to adjusting his bowtie. I get rid of anyone who irritates me, he looked over his right shoulder, his arms still messing with his tie. And by knocking on my door, youve managed that task better than anyone else. Red didnt retaliate. In fact, she just grinned and let out a quiet laugh. Well, I guess not being able to fasten a tie is my downfall. Im sorry, Ill leave. She bowed her head and turned to leave. She hadnt been surprised to have the door slammed in her face when she had plucked up the courage to venture over here. But it was a surprise to have Casper open it again and pull her straight back in. In all honesty, she was kind of a little scared of how friendly Casper was to her. It was disconcerting, especially considering she had no idea who he was. She would have to get Dexter to check him out. She knew who Zane was, only because Dexter had insured she understood that every piece of technology Headquarters had, was made by his family. He was going to be the president of that company as soon as he was old enough. That much power and responsibility scared her. But, a person was still a person in her eyes. Money, family it didnt matter to her. She guessed thats what happened when you were bought up by a bunch of men who were willing to throw their lives away just to capture one dangerous criminal. Casper grabbed her hand, a serious expression on his face. Hey, dont leave. Zane doesnt mean it. Here, let me do that, he forced Red to turn around and grabbed the two different ends of the tie, starting to loop it around. Zane watched his friend mess with the girls tie and frowned. Arent girls supposed to wear dresses at things like this? he commented, meaning to hurt and offend the girl. I dont feel comfortable in dresses. Why force yourself to wear something you cant be comfortable in? was her reply. Zane resisted the urge to curse, realizing his question had done nothing but make Red think he was curious. He looked between Red and Casper.

Then he snorted, turned back to the mirror and the corner of his lips upturned into a sardonic smile. Hey, Casper, it looks to me like youve got some sort of attraction to the kid. He held back a smug smile of success when all movement from the corner of his eye stopped. Then his mood dropped heavily when they didnt take the bait. Dont be silly, Zane. You know youre the only one for me, Caspers mocking, cheerful voice called out. Reds quiet, nervous laughter followed. Did that mean that Casper liked boys? Umm. Hed called Zane munchkin? She was too confused after having lived so long underground. She just didnt get this byplay. Mentally cursing, Zane swiped his hands down his tuxedo jacket in frustration, making out that he was only straightening it. Casper finished fastening the tie at the same time, taking a step back and examining Red. She was wearing a black shirt with a thin, white tie, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows and revealing her pale arms. You clean up pretty well. Casper folded his arms and examined his tiework. Red flicked the ends of her bangs out of her eyes and smiled shyly. Zanes arms folded into themselves once again. Something he seemed to do anytime he was upset. He narrowed his eyes at the girl. Do you get pleasure out of irritating me? he asked Red, taking a step forward. She looked up. Honestly not sure what to say. She wasnt doing it on purpose, was she? So again, she spoke the truth. Im just trying to make some friends, she replied quietly, her face entirely serious as she stared at Zane. It was quiet for a minute. Red jumped when Casper placed a hand on her head. She looked at him, her eyes wide. Casper smiled serenely. Well, for throwing the stupid camp class system out of the window and for making this place a whole lot more interesting, youve got yourself a friend. He ruffled her hair and then grinned. She looked at him, a smile spreading over her face. Caspers response was unexpected, but she realized she was one step closer to Zane, by making friends with HIS friend. Thank you, she said with so much feeling, Zane started to feel sick. He stepped forward, ready to say something, but before he could

the door to his room opened.

Now, she was standing in Zanes room with Casper, staring at the person who had just entered. Something inside her chest flipped and her mouth dropped open. You know how she said that Zane and Casper were both like angels? Well, it was like they each had a different temperature, depending on how their angelic features and personality was. Zane was cold, Casper was lukewarm, but this one He was warm, totally warm. He had glorious, chocolatebrown hair with light brown highlights. It was like a delicious, creamy hot chocolate that one of the agents had once bought her from a place called Starbucks. His appearance just oozed comfort and warmth. His skin wasnt tanned; it was just creamy, kind of the color of sand. His eyelashes were long and thick, his wavy hair followed the same style as hers and Caspers; however it looked so much more natural. His eyes were a dark, coco brown. He was wearing the same outfit as Casper and Zane, but he had taken off the suit jacket, rolled up the sleeves on the blindingly white shirt, left the bow tie undone and the top few buttons to his collar unfastened also. Wow! She thought. Just, Wow! Seth. Zane frowned and looked at the clock. You werent supposed to get here for another fortyfive minutes. Seth seemed to ignore him. He looked directly at her, his warm eyes connecting with her blue ones. A warm, peaceful smile filled his face. Whos this? he asked. She swallowed. His voice was sovelvety. Like a caramel bar. Casper leapt forward and stood between the two of them. Her names Red Hart nice name, right? I thought it was a joke at first, but it turns out thats actually her name! Man, Im so glad youre here, Seth. Its been so boring with just Zane Casper went quiet when Zane glared angrily at him, his arms tightening over his chest. Seth ignored Caspers incoherent ramblings, hearing only the important pieces of information. Red he whispered to himself. She had only just managed to catch him murmur her name under his breath and swallowed nervously. His careful scrutiny left her feeling cold and slightly shivery. Whenever someone stared at her so intentlyit was like they knew. They knew that she was undercover. She jumped when a hand appeared in front of her. Looking up, she noticed that it belonged to Seth. He was smiling and wiggled the finger on his outstretched hand. She figured she was supposed to take it, so she lifted her right hand to fit it into his. Gosh. Even the palms of his hands were warm. She didnt feel cold anymore.

Its a pleasure to meet you, Red, he shook her hand gently and kept his piercing gaze on her. She stared back, unable to pull her eyes away from his face. Her mouth had opened to reply, but the words caught in her throat. Why was she speechless? Her hand fell limply to her side when he released it. He turned to Zane. It turns out my private plane was fixed faster than estimated. Thats my reason for being early. Now, shall we head to the show? Zane was looking at her, his face completely expressionless. Damn, it made her uncomfortable. It was like he hadnt even acknowledged Seths words. Then he stuck his chin in the air and his eyes briefly landed on Seth, giving him a curt nod, before he left the room, not sparing her another glance. Maybe it was because womens hormones just seemed to ooze out of her body. Maybe it was because she was paranoid. Was that why it felt like Casper, Zane, and Seth kept looking at her? They couldnt know her secret, so why were they staring at her? Maybe they knew that there was something different about her. There had been one moment where Zane had looked at herACTUALLY looked at her. It made her feel a little victorious. At least he had acknowledged her existence. Judging by his personality, she knew that he would be difficult to get along with, so she had taken a big step, making friends with Casper, who seemed too nice to be real.

As she emerged from Zanes bedroom and headed down the stairs, in between Casper and Seth, she noticed that everyones heads turned in shock and awe. She didnt entirely get why. Was it because the boys looked so amazing in their tuxedos that even other boys thought they looked beautiful? Well, the expressions on the girls faces were ones of hatred. Those she understood. But they made her nervous. It made her swallow a lump that had risen in her throat. Maybe it was her imagination. Walking through the dorm, with Zane only one footstep away from her, sent a small shot of victory through her body. She was getting thereslowly. She was almost his friend and that would make it easier for her to stay by his side and ensure his safety. Astonished eyes followed our strange quartet and she continued walking amongst the tall, beautiful people, unaware that every single pair of eyes was focused entirely on her. She didnt hear the whisper that arose after theyd left, the rumors that were beginning to surface. Red Hartthe innocent, boyishgirl,

had been accepted, whether that acceptance had been intentionalor not.

Chapter 6: Silver

They entered through the back. She had insisted on using the front, just like all the other kids had been doing, but Casper had literally dragged her with them, refusing to let go until they went in the back door. They were backstage and had an amazing view of the performance area. The performances tonight would range from dancing to playing five instruments at once. Swallowing, she noticed the vast amount of people that had gathered at the base of the stage. There must have been at least a few hundred. And she had never had the confidence to even share her talent with the agents at the Headquarters. Going in front of all these kids would be difficult. The bustling crowd fell silent as Leo, the camp manager, stepped onto the stage. She barely held back a gasp. It was her first time seeing him, but he was almost as stunning as the trio sitting beside her. His startling red hair was an amazingly unique feature. It was spiked at the back and he had two long pieces of hair that had been straightened on either side of his head. His bangs were all pushed to the right, the tendrils brushing against his eyebrows. Kind of like hers did. He had a sparkling smile, also. Welcome, campers! Id just like to congratulate the many new members that either had the guts to put themselves forward in the competition, or for earning their right to be here! Congratulations. A loud applause went around the hall. I would also like to announce, that for this year, the show will include a little excitement for our members. He paused for dramatic effect. Each camper will receive votes based on their performance. The campers at the bottom shall have to carry out a punishment. A sadistic smirk spread across the mesmerizing face, but she was too busy controlling her stomach to notice. Acompetition? There was no clapping. Just silence. Leo placed his hands on his hips, sticking out his chest proudly. She swallowed as a tension throbbed in the air, almost choking her.

Competitive tension. The three judges are camp veterans who wont be participating in this competition. With surprise, she noticed that Rupert was seated amongst them. He didnt seem to care about the mixed reaction and glares sent his way. Leos grin widened and he clapped his hands together. Anyway. On with the show! There was no clapping as he exited the stage. She swallowed again and moved back from the curtain to sit down next to the three boys, who were sitting there calmly and talking amongst themselves. Only one of them seemed to notice her scared expression and he rose from his chair to tower over her. Hey, you look pretty pale. You alright? Casper bent down to her level and she lifted her gaze from the floor, looking up to his face. She was going to say that she was always pale, but didnt trust her voice, so nodded her head instead. He grinned, showing his dimples and placing a soft hand on her head. Good, then he moved away to sit with the other two boys, who were staring at her with deep intensity. She didnt notice. The show consisted of minute long performances, one right after the other. It was quick and simple. One off, one on. Mostly it was singing, dancing, or instrument playing. And all of the performances were amazing. The show was split into two sections. First, Royal Haven performed. Then, the next day, Royal Nature would perform. Royal Havens combatants were few in number, which was why they went first. Zane was the first to perform, she would follow him. He stepped out onto the stage, not an ounce of nervousness showing in his body language. She was envious. He was holding a mic, so she assumed that he would be singing. That was certainly a surprise. The moment the first words left his mouth, she was captivated. They say youll know, When you really find The One. But its hard to tell with the damage thats been done. But Id like to say that its your fault.

But I know better, Cause Im a fool to think youd wait around forever. She didnt know if they were his words, or whether they belonged to another singer, but it was the longest minute of her life, listening to him. He sung with such emotion that she was surprised the crowd wasnt crying. Well, if she squinted hard into the distance, she did notice a few of the girls sniffing. A hand slapped her on the back and she turned around, backing up when she noticed it was Leo, the camp manager. He leaned forward, way too close, and waggled his eyebrows. Youre goggling. Like what you see, cutie? She opened her mouth and began to stammer hopelessly, when he was swiftly dragged backwards by the collar. Leave her alone, Leo. You really dont want to flirt with someone were trying to get rid of. It was Zane. Off the stage. Leo reached out his arms, trying to grab her shoulders. Awww, Zane, come on! Look at her! Dont you just want to squeeze her until her pale cheeks turn red? No, was his blunt response. He tilted his head towards the stage. Youre up, he said coldly to her, ignoring Leo as if he werent there. Those two words sent a large amount of butterflies through her stomach and she tried to swallow down her nausea. She stepped out onto the stage. Bright lights blinded her and she waited, patiently, for her instrument to be pushed to the center. Zane couldnt help but remain glued to the edge of stage as he stared at the girl. This would be a great chancemaybe the only chance to get rid of her for good. If the judges disliked whatever talent Red possessed, she would have to do the punishment. It was obvious the kid was scared of whatever that would be. Maybe failure would be enough to scare her away. He watched as Red patiently waited on the stage, raising a hand in greeting to everyone. Then, a lot of commotion appeared on the other side of the stage and Zane craned his neck above the people that surrounded whatever it was that had been brought on. It was a piano. A grand piano. He swallowed his fears. This would be so easy. There was no way that some upstart, lower class girl could play at a level to entertain this crowd. A grand piano? Did she think she was a virtuoso? This was going to be great. Shed be humiliated, and leave.

As Red seated herself nervously on the stool, lifting up the cover with shaking hands, Zane noticed just how stark her nervousness showed. Smirking, he folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the edge of the stage. Piano players are NEVER supposed to get nervous; they were supposed to project a high confidence level. He turned away to go, not really caring to see the humiliation on her face when she began to get booed and then was harshly laughed of the stage. But, as he began to walk towards the exit, past Casper and Seth, music began to play. Angelic, beautiful music. He turned around and noticed Casper staring onto the stage in utter shock and awe, his hands frozen above the cooler of drinks. Even Seth had stopped what he was doing to gaze onto the stage, his eyes bright, full of some unreadable expression. Zane unfolded his arms and his eyes widened as he gazed at the pair, then to the stage. He turned around and headed back to where he had a good view of the girl onstage. His couldnt believe his eyes. What had happened to the nervous wreck? Red was playing with her eyes closed, a content, unbelievably happy smile on her face. Her fingers danced across the keys like a true professional. The music just reached in and tugged at his heartstrings. His vision was focused on the small, elfin girl sitting in front of the grand piano. She was breathtaking. Wait, that wasnt right, the music was breathtaking. It was over too soon and Zane snapped out of his daze, folding his arms back up over his chest and looking around nervously in case he had been caught. He hadnt realized that he had slumped against the stage, his mouth hanging open. A small patter of applause echoed around the hall, easing up the competitive tension a little bit. Red got up from the stool, grinning. She nervously scratched the back of her head. She bowed hurriedly and then rushed off of the stage. Zane stared after the kid, filled with an uneasy emotion. What was it? He walked slowly toward the back of the stage, pondering deeply. He looked up when he figured it out. Extreme dislike. That about summed it up. Sort of. She heaved a sigh of relief. Everyone seemed to have liked her performance, judging by the applause shed received at the end. It was by no means the first time shed played the piano. She had a keyboard at Headquarters and she used to play it constantly, for her own pleasure. Shed never let anyone else hear her. Before today. She was a little out of practice and hadnt been certain that the song shed written would be accepted by some of these kids. They were so much more sophisticated than she had ever been. The whole of Sunnyside Summer Camp had heard it. The reaction was definitely unexpected. Theyd seemed to like it.

When she walked into the darkness of backstage, a pair of arms suddenly entwined themselves around her neck. My, you just keep on surprising me, cutie. Why havent I seen you before? Did the angels send you down to me? Did She gasped when the tight armlock was released, breathing in as much oxygen as she could, staring hard at her rabid fanLeo. Seth was holding his collar, just like Zane had done before. Leave her be, Leo. He released Leo and moved his head slowly to her. It was as though every movement he took was done slow and lazily, like he never liked to overexert himself too much. It was strangely mesmerizing and she felt her breath catch. Probably the nervousness from being on stage catching up with her. Youre an amazing piano player. Where did you learn how to play so beautifully? The words that passed through his lips made her heart pound. This was the first compliment she had ever received from someone outside the agents. She couldnt help but feel sort of emotional about it. I She hesitated. Would she sound as if she were trying to impress them? She sighed. I taught myself. Seth looked surprised. You taught yourself? You must be very skilled. Another compliment. She was holding back a huge grin and settled on smiling, ready to thank him for being polite. Before she could reply, she was yanked firmly around by Casper, who was looking at her like a kid that had just seen Santa Claus. I cant believe it! On top of the fact you dont have a care in the world, you can play piano, Caspers excited expression switched to one of seriousness and he opened his mouth to say something again, but her wrist was grasped by a cold hand. She was dragged away from all of the excitement into a dark area and slammed against the wall, a pair of hands grasping her shoulders tightly. You need to leave. NOW. Zanes cold, harsh voice echoed in the darkness. She didnt reply and listened to the quiet murmuring in the distance. What was she supposed to do? He sounded furious with her. Inside, she felt something tug at her stomach. I cant, she said quietly. Ive got nowhere else to go. Shed accidentally let her true emotions show. For a minute she let them play over her face. It was true. She didnt really have anywhere else to go. She didnt think she could go back to living underground. Not now. So

what would she do when this assignment was over? She cursed herself mentally and locked those thoughts away. She felt the hands drop from her shoulders and she swallowed, smiling weakly up at Zane, even though in the dark he couldnt see her. She said nothing and escaped the darkness before he could drag her back into it. She was feeling terribly low, considering she had just performed a piece of music she had been working on since she was little. She felt as if nothing would cheer her up. She headed back to the side of the stage, watching as another boy from Royal Haven demonstrated his dancing skill on stage. Her eyes were on him, but her mind wasnt. Anything she did to try and make her friendship with Zane progress further was just making it worse. At the rate things were going, shed be his enemy before the first week of camp ended. Then what was she supposed to do? If she failed the mission, Blaine would probably kill Zane? Would she fail to protect him? While these questions ran through her head, taking over all the other thoughts, she failed to notice that a pair of warm, brown eyes were planted not on the dancer, but right on her.

Chapter 7: Orange

She left shortly after that, not in the mood to watch the other performers. It wasnt because she wasnt interested; she just couldnt get into it. She was in such a low mood that she didnt even act surprised when Leo told her that shed won the round. She just left with a gray raincloud over her head. Her mood had been fine until Zane had spoken to her so harshly. Was that it? Was she getting so worked up because hed told her that she definitely had to leave? That he didnt want her here. Maybe she should leave. She stopped walking, then screwed her eyes shut and slapped her cheeks with both hands. Was she stupid? Even if it did make him happy, she wouldnt be there to take advantage of it. A vibration just below her collar bone grabbed her attention and she reached down her shirt, plucking the dog pin free. She placed it in her ear. Dexter? she asked. She heard a sigh from the other

side of the earpiece. You played great, kid. Didnt realize you could do that. Things are going good. You are where you need to be. Zane Noble is a very difficult person to deal with. You cant let his attitude get to you. Usually, he isnt this aggressive - there must be something going on that we dont know about. Regardless of that, I need you to stay strong. Without you there, hed be in huge danger. She rubbed her forehead with the back of hand and she forced a weak smile onto her face. She realized hed been monitoring her. So hed heard her play, heard the conversations. Now he was giving her a pep talk. I know, Agent. You can count on me. Great. And he hung up. She yanked the earpiece from her ear and tucked it into her upper pocket, strolling up to the front door of the dorm and entering. It was completely empty. Which was lucky for her. She needed some space right now. She strolled up the stairs at her own pace and headed to the third floor. When she reached the brightly lit hallway, she noticed that only five doors were shut. The first door on the left was open. She walked slowly past it, only looking behind her once at the wide open door. There was a suit strewn across the bed and she heard the patter of water hitting very faintly in the background. It wasnt Casper or Zanes room, she knew that for sure. Who did this room belong to? She found herself stepping through the door, wondering if she should just walk in uninvited. She did at Headquarters, but that probably didnt apply at the Dorm. But her curiosity got the better of her. Who was moving into the room? Looking around, her mouth fell open. This room was even bigger than her room. If that was even possible. It was almost the size of the HQ. Definitely the biggest room shed ever seen. She wandered slowly over to the bed, picking up a picture that she noticed was lying face down on the small, brown table. It contained a boy and a very pretty woman with long, blonde hair that reached her waist. She was on a red, velvet stool and had the boy perched on her lap. He was smiling happily, his arms thrown around her neck, his cheek pressed to hers, and his face scrunched up as he grinned. They were both so full of life and happiness that she felt a smile spread across her own face in response. She was so absorbed in the picture that she didnt hear the door open beside her. Oh. I wasnt expecting anyone. She jumped and fumbled with the picture, placing it back onto the small table in a hurry. As quick as she could, she straightened up and looked innocently at the person whose room she had just invaded. It was him. Seth. Immediately, she regretted ever entering the

room. Not only was his hair disheveled and wet, he wasnt wearing a shirt. Her face heated up and she coughed, choking on her own saliva. She slapped her hands to her eyes and ran blindly towards the door, tripping on the corner of the bed as she did so. She yelped quietly and stumbled to her feet again, muttering a quick sorry before she slammed the door closed behind her. She fled to her own room and ripped open the door, shutting it loudly behind her. She leaned against it after she was safely inside her room, tilting her head back, closing her eyes and laying her palms flat against the wood surface. Youre an idiot, Red, she told herself, over and over. She raised her hand to cup her cheeks, urging the blush to disappear. She swallowed and opened her eyes again after she had calmed, trusting her feet to move towards her bed. She slumped down onto it, ready to fall asleep as soon as she hit the soft cushions. ***** A hike. Thats what the first physical activity was. Supposedly, this was a camp where you built up your talents and practiced with people who had similar skills. But, according to Leo, the head camper, you were also there to build up your character. To make new friends and use teamwork. What good was that going to do her? All of the other people seemed to be tall, wellbuilt and fit. She was small, puny, and weak. She swallowed and shoved another t-shirt inside her large backpack. Shed seen the route they were supposed to take. If you stood at a certain point at the camp, you could see the two enormous hills in the distance. The pathway that wrapped itself around the grassy mountain looked long, steep and tiring. Sighing, she swung the backpack around onto her back, amazed at how heavy it seemed after she had tried to pack sparingly. Her face scrunched up as she worked to readjust the straps in order to make it more comfortable. After she was satisfied, she took a step forward, towards the door. It turned out her backpack really was too heavy. After she had taken the step, she went off balance and fell backwards straight onto the floor, landing clumsily on the bag. She groaned out loud and shook the straps off, getting up to rub her sore back. She kicked the bag with her right foot and then slumped onto the bed, blowing her bangs out of her eyes. The hike hadnt even started yet and she was already exhausted. After she had unwillingly emptied half of the contents of her bag, she opened the door and started to head down the stairs. Everyone else was waiting in the huge courtyard, their expensive looking bags resting snugly on their backs. She sighed under her breath and rubbed at her aching shoulders. Even after half emptying the bag, it still felt like it weighed a ton.

Red! She heard someone call. She looked around for the source of the voice and saw Rupert hurrying towards her from outside the black gates. He took no notice of the glares he received as he ran forward to talk to her. She smiled at him. He grinned when he approached her. I just wanted to say good luck. Royal Nature is going to be hiking up a different hill than you guys. A look of displeasure spread across his face and he looked around nervously before leaning toward her. Apparently, were not worthy of hiking up the same mountain as you rich snobs. She grinned, and then realized he was being serious and frowned. She looked around at the surrounding boys. If you looked carefully, you could see the air of smugness around them. It made her shiver. She smiled weakly at Rupert. Well, its a shame I wont be hiking with you. He smiled back and opened his mouth to say something again, but a pair of arms appeared from behind her and threw themselves around her neck, choking her. Red! I missed you! Her hands flew to the arms at her throat, struggling hard to get them off. Ruperts face was a picture of utter shock and he took a step forward to help when the arms suddenly retreated. She coughed and rubbed at her neck, turning around to stare at her assaulter. Leo. Head Camper. Rupert said formally from beside her, nodding his head in greeting. Leo used his middle finger to salute in reply. Beside him, Seth released the hold on the campers collar, smiling a greeting to her. She smiled brightly back, pushing what had happened the day before to the back of her head. After all, he had pants on; hed only been shirtless, right? Hi. she said, a smile twitching around her lips and her eyes not leaving his. He raised a hand. Hello, he said in his velvety voice. Are you done playing? A familiar voice from behind her called out. She jumped and turned quickly, staring into the Zanes eyes. He was dressed in richlooking, black denim jeans and a longsleeved turtleneck top. If it had been anyone else, it would have looked ridiculous. He was way overdressed for a summer hike in the woods. But on him, it worked. Hello, Z she started. Dont. Even. Bother, Zane growled at her, interrupting

before she could finish her cheerful greeting. She smiled vibrantly up at him anyway, glad that he had at least acknowledged her presence. She didnt notice Rupert carefully analyzing the atmosphere between the two of them. Im off now, Red. Ill see you later, Rupert said, sounding a little more crestfallen than he had previously. She turned and nodded at him. Bye. He left hurriedly and she stared after him for a few moments. Was something wrong with him? She turned back to the three boys who were having a conversation amongst themselves and it clicked. Rupert was probably intimidated by this lot. These guys all had more money, dressed differently, maybe he felt out of place. Leo jumped up the few steps that led to the dorm and cleared his throat. Then he opened his arms wide and began to talk. Campers! The time has come to do our ritual hike up the Twin Mountains! Lets call on our team spirit and Leo stopped. No one was listening to him. Sighing, he ran a hand dramatically through his hair and stuck out his bottom lip. Lets go. He murmured, looking like a child whose toy had just been taken away. The dorm members began to trek through the Tunnel of Trees and a soft chatter broke the silence. The sun was beaming down hard. Before long she frowned as it began to feel as though her skin was slowly crisping. She had coated herself in sun screen, but it didnt seem to be protecting her very well. She swung her backpack off, and pulled out a small black fedora. Sure, it wasnt that great looking, but it happened to be the only hat that she could borrow from one of the agents. She placed it on her head and sighed, wiping away a small trickle of sweat that had already began to travel down the side of her face. They hadnt even reached the hill yet and she was already hot. She felt a low vibration under her t-shirt and stopped walking. She looked around cautiously at the other campers, but none of them seemed to be paying any attention to her. Zane had headed to the front with the others and she watched him walk further away. Oh well. She could catch up with him later. She pulled out the earpiece and placed it in her ear. Dexter? she whispered, starting to walk again, keeping a sharp eye on the surrounding campers. Will you be alright on this hike? I had no idea the camp did things like this, honestly Dexter, its alright. I can do this. Its not that hard, She swallowed, blowing her bangs out from underneath her hat. It really was hot. She heard a sigh down the other end of the mic.

Alright. Dont over exert yourselfBlaines men could arrive any moment and we might need you to hold them off. She didnt know how she was supposed to hold them off. It had been a while since shed practiced her combat training. But she wasnt going to say that aloud. I wont, she replied. The other end of the line beeped off, so she took the earpiece out, placed it in her pocket instead of back under her shirt and began to search the crowd for Zane. They were already three hours into the hike up the hill before she spotted Zanes head at the front of the crowd. She pushed her way to his side. He frowned at her when she approached him. Did I say you could walk with me? His harsh voice did nothing to faze her and she smiled up at him. You didnt say I couldnt, she replied back, looking up at him innocently. He stared at her for a few moments, then sniffed and continued walking, acting like she wasnt there. She looked around for the others. Casper and Leo were talking animatedly to each other and Seth was walking silently by himself. For a moment, she watched him. He looked so sad and lonelyshe almost wished she had gone to him instead. It looked like he really needed someone to talk to. Hes always like that, dont feel sorry for him. She looked back at Zane who was staring straight ahead, his face expressionless and a strange tenseness to his tone. It was the first time hed actually said something to her that wasnt a harsh comment and he didnt look happy about it. In fact, he didnt look very happy at all. She edged closer to him and ignored his disgusted expression at the invasion of his personal space. Why? she asked curiously, looking over her shoulder to stare at Seth in case he happened to hear. Zane rolled his eyes and pushed her away from him, wiping his hand on his t-shirt afterwards as though she had given him some sort of infection. Its none of your business, he folded his arms and increased his speed. Blowing her bangs up to move the air across her forehead, she hurried forward to keep up with him. She walked beside him for the next few minutes, unaware of the narrowed eyes that were fixed on the side of her head. Cant you take a hint that I dont want to be near you? he snapped in order to bring her attention to his displeasure. She stretched her arms up above her head, readjusting the hat and shaking off the dizziness she felt as they ventured further up the hill. Looking up at it just made her head spin. But youre not near me. Look, were an arms width

apart. She held up her arm to demonstrate, then took off the fedora and shook her head, her short hair flapping around her. No matter how much she tried, she just couldnt cool off. Looking at Zane, she envied how he didnt even look like he was sweating. He snorted at her actions and eyed her tired, hot appearance, narrowing his eyes in speculation. You look sick. he said bluntly, slowing his footsteps. She resisted the urge to sigh in relief at his decrease in speed and swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. She didnt only look sickshe was beginning to feel it too. She was struggling to just keep her eyes open. Surely that was a bad thing? I she started to reply, but her words dried up completely. She stopped walking. Zane kept walking, and then realized she wasnt beside him. He stopped and turned his head to look at her over his shoulder, unfolding his arms to step towards her. He said something, but it went in one ear and out the other. She vaguely felt herself being tugged off of the pathway and saw that Seth and Casper had gathered around them. Theyd moved to the side so the other students could stroll past. She swallowed the lump in her throat and wiped a sleeve along her forehead. Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong. How did she know that? Well, it wasnt everyday your eyes were unable to focus on one spot without everything else rotating around it. Red? A familiar voice echoed in her head. It was like she was standing in a huge room and the voice was bouncing off of the walls until it finally reached her ears. Her head tipped forward on its own accord and her tiny legs were shaking underneath her, no longer able to keep her on her feet. It wasnt long before they gave way, sending her crashing to the ground and into complete darkness.

Chapter 8: Peach

The hike was always Zanes least favorite activity at Summer Camp. They werent nineyearold kids who had been ditched by their parents in some dirty, run down camp while they headed to Canary Islands for a tan. The whole point of this place was that it was somewhere to go to improve on your talents. But, because such an institute was in the middle of nowhere and the name held the word camp in the title, it was automatically assumed that you were supposed to participate in such ridiculous activities. But, the fact that the little kid still hadnt left the camp irked him more than the hike. Hed been unable to respond to her comeback about having nowhere else to go, even if that was the case, couldnt the idiot just move to Royal Nature? Why Royal Haven? Why the top floor? It was these questions that kept going unanswered that riled him. But, as he walked along with Red, he found himself unable to bring up the topic of asking her to leave the dorm. It was like his conscience had finally snapped out of it. She was a person and every bit entitled to live on the top floor, just as he was. Hed smacked down that thought the moment it had risen. He was letting himself be beaten by a spunky kid who knew nothing about the world. But, when said spunky kid had turned a lethal shade of white (in contrast to her usual pale skin) he couldnt help but speak up. Whether it was in concern or worry that the idiot would faint and embarrass him, he was unsure, but he spoke up all the same. It felt like his heart had been grasped and squeezed when Red stopped to a halt, her arms falling limp to her side. He should have carried on walking, not taking any notice of her. What did it matter to him if Red collapsed from some unknown illness or whatever? After noticing that Seth and Casper had stopped walking, staring worriedly at Red who was paling by the second, he decided that if he didnt help the girl, hed lose the respect from his friends. So, for that poorly madeup excuse, he headed forward and pulled Red to the side of the road, calling her name as often as he could in order to make sure she kept consciousness. Red? He asked, gripping her shoulders and shaking them slightly. The head containing the messy black mop tipped forward, hiding the slowly closing eyes. Zane stepped backwards and ran a hand through his messy hair. What was he supposed to do? His left side was pushed slightly and he looked up alarmingly. Seth had shoved past him to hurry forward, catching Red neatly in his outstretched arms before she could hit the ground. Casper was close behind him. It took a lot of willpower to hold back a completely alarmed expression. His eyes, however, widened.

Seth easily pulled her up into a baby carry, looking ahead at the rest of the dorm. They had stopped short up ahead for what seemed to be a drink break. Zane watched as Seth visibly relaxed and then looked down at the girl in his arms. Wake up! Wake up! Caspers blonde hair shook as he patted Reds head worryingly. He swallowed and looked up at Seth. Why wont she wake up? Come on, we need to take her back! He pulled on Seths arm, but Seth remained where he was. He used the hand supporting Reds neck to move damp tendrils off of the small girls forehead. It looks like its just slight heatstroke. He said in a loud voice. Casper frowned at his volume and looked at him confusedly. Seth looked up from Red and his eyes clashed with Zanes. Shes got heatstroke, he repeated. Zane folded his arms and swallowed, looking into the distance at the group of people. Everyone was busy drinking, with the exception of two girls who were looking in their direction. Zane cleared his throat. I dont care. Seth stared at his stubborn friend and his lips twitched upwards for a second. Then he slung Red over his shoulder and started to walk back the way they had come. Zane followed. His stomach feeling more uncomfortable with each step. He had a strange feeling in his gut that he struggled to decipher. Hatred? No, that wasnt it. Worry? No He stared hard at Seth, who was carrying the little, vulnerable looking girl on his back. Swallowing a lump that had strangely formed, he watched her face as he walked, not knowing - not WANTING to know - exactly what he was feeling. ***** She remembered feeling ill. That was it. Echoes of hands being pressed onto her shoulders kept reawakening inside her head, but no matter how hard she searched, she didnt know why. She was lying in a bed that wasnt hers and a strange, strong smell was wafting up her nose. She opened her eyes slowly, wincing at the brightness of the room she was lying in. White walls and a white floor. Strange. She saw a figure leaning over her bed. Ah, youre awake. The figure scrambled forward and helped her up, halfpulling her out of the quilt she was lying under. A hand pressed to her forehead. She looked up at Casper, whose face showed intense concentration. Yup, looks like youre alright. He grinned at her and

ruffled her hair. She stared back blankly. He smiled calmly at her. You scared the hell out of me. Why didnt you say you werent feeling well? He scowled at her, his lips pouting out like a child. She shrugged and let out a nervous laugh. I guess I didnt know myself, She looked around the room she was in. There were lots of beds. Where am I? she asked. Casper looked at her, his expression frozen. Then he looked around the room, and back to her again, his bright blue eyes matching hers. Youve never seen an infirmary before? She shook her head. Although, very faintly in the back of her mind she remembered lying in a bed, in a room that was similar to this, she hadnt remembered what it was called. She winced. For some reason, thinking about the memory brought back a stab of pain in her chest. She let out a sigh of frustration. She was supposed to be keeping an eye on Zane and becoming his best friend, but instead she just fainted, making trouble? She pushed back the quilt and swung her legs out of bed. Casper held her arm, but she shrugged him off. Its alright. I feel a lot better now, she said dismissively. The blonde pouted at her, but she was too preoccupied with her thoughts to notice. Where was Zane? She didnt realize shed said this question out loud until Casper answered it. He and Seth went back to the dorm. They were actually quite glad you managed to get them out of the hike, he grinned at her. She sniffed in reply and hopped off of the bed. Nice to know Im useful for something. She started to walk off and Casper hurried forward to walk by her side. He stared at her face. Hey, he said, gaining her attention. She looked at him questioningly. He placed a hand on her shoulder, and then moved his face slightly closer. Why do you want to be Zanes friend so much? Oh. Oh dear. She let out a nervous laugh and scratched her ear. Wwell I think hes an inspiration? She hoped he wouldnt notice the fact the sentence clearly ended with a question mark. Casper frowned and nodded in approval, patting her on the back. Yep, I see what you mean. Hes been my idol since as long as I can remember.

Casper held open the door to the dorm, which they had reached a lot quicker than expected. She thanked him and entered. They continued to talk as they made the way up the stairs, but as soon as they were half way up, someone called her name. Miss Hart? She turned slowly and Casper did too, looking down at the two figures that were standing at the bottom of the stairs. She examined both girls, one of which had long, beautiful blonde hair and the other who had short, stylish brunette hair. They were both standing with their arms folded and a moody expression on their faces. She smiled at them, wondering how they knew her, and then looked back up at Casper, who was still staring at the girls, except with a displeased look. It was the first time shed seen him look so serious. Im going to speak to them. Ill see you around. She waved happily, and then hopped back down the stairs to stand in front of the two girls. Wow, you both look so beautiful close up, she complimented them, unable to stop herself. It was true. They were like the female versions of the boys. They ran their eyes from her head to her feet before finally moving. The blonde linked her arm with hers and led her away from the stairs, her friend following close behind. My names Tiffany. Thats Henrietta. She jabbed her thumb at the girl behind us. She smiled at them both in greeting. Id give you my name, but it looks like you already know it. She laughed nervously. Tiffany began to lead her out of the dorms and towards the gardens. The girl smiled brightly at her. Well, you see, everyone knows your name. Youre a legend around here. She perked up, surprised. Tiffany pulled her arm out of hers and she observed her surroundings quickly. They were behind the dorms. A legend? Wow, really? She said in disbelief. She had no idea that so many people had warmed to her! She opened her mouth to speak again, but her shoulders were shoved backwards, causing her to stumble to the ground. For a moment, everything was silent. Then a low buzzing echoed around her head, before she felt the pain. Scrunching up her eyes to block it out and get rid of the stars, she

rolled back over so she was facing up. What She was interrupted when a sharp object was pressed into her ankle. She attempted to sit up and grab it, but it pressed down harder. When she opened her eyes, she saw Tiffany leaning over her, the sun behind her head causing her beautiful face to be shadowed. Her arms were folded and her spiked heel was pressed hard into Reds foot. The legend is that a worthless, unknown, filthy tomboy made it onto the third floor and dared to socialize with Tiffany Burtons man. The clueless girl actually thought that she could be friends with Seth Cooper, the future husband of the prettiest woman in the world. THAT is the legend. She crunched down her heel, pressing harder. Red let out a quiet moan and struggled to reach her foot. A thousand ways to get out of such an incident rushed into her head. Lots of moves, blocks, and violent ways to break out of such a position presented themselves. She grunted. So, she DID know some of the training. But she wasnt used to feeling so much pain. She could barely move, and she certainly couldnt fight back. Please get off, Red choked out. It hurt so much. She yelped again when she felt her hair being pulled back. It irritated the bump that had risen at the back of her head from her tumble to the ground. Henrietta was bent down over her and raised one, manicured finger in front of her face. We came all the way back from the hike to congratulate you on pretending to faint like that. It was a plan I should have used earlier, Tiffany said cruelly, pressing her heel down harder. Red winced. Were going to let you go, Henrietta said from behind her, placing the nail she had raised along her jaw line. Slowly and painfully, the girl dragged the nail down her neck. It made Red lash out. She raised her arm to grab Henrietta. Tiffany ground her heel in harder. After weve let you go, I want you to pack your bags and get out of Sunnyside. Thats your punishment for attempting to steal Seth Cooper. Suddenly, Red was released and by the time she could breathe again, she found herself laying in the dorm gardens, completely alone. Damn. She slowly limped back into the dorm, totally miserable. What had she done? She was hated by everyone except Casper and Seth. Well, hopefully. She wasnt sure if they were really friends. She winced at every step up the stairs, resisting the urge to reach down and rub her ankle. She had an ugly purple bruise there and a cut

that wouldnt stop bleeding. Shed never liked heels. She rubbed the back of her sleeve along her jaw line, hoping the flow of blood from that cut had stopped and that it wasnt noticeable. The last thing she needed was to be seen by someone, and have them run up and ask questions. Not like that was going to happen. If what Tiffany said was right, she was hated by everyone. No one cared what happened to her. She was being hated for doing her job. The worst part about it was that she couldnt leave, because she still had to complete her mission with Zane. Perking up, she realized something. She fumbled in her upper shirt pocket for the dog pin she had placed into there after her conversation with Dexter and realized it was gone. She groaned. All she had was the boat micwhich didnt work unless it was within a foot of the dog earpieceand the camera. She hobbled back into her room quickly, grabbing a piece of paper from her drawer and scribbling lost the earpiece onto it. She placed her football pin in front of it, hoping that Dexter would see it at some point. She was just about to head to the bathroom when there was a knock at the door. She considered just ignoring it, when a voice rang out from the other side. I know youre in there, Red. I just saw you limping down the hall. Let us in! Panic filled her. It was Casper. And judging by the us, he wasnt alone. Swallowing, she made her way over to the door, opening it slightly. Seth and Casper stood there, staring warmly at her. Zane stood behind them, his arms folded and his gaze directed at a picture in the hallway. Usually, she would have welcomed them inside happily. But Casper kicked the door open, causing her to jump back. She looked at him in alarm and then noticed the piece of paper saying shed lost the earpiece. Hurriedly, she ran over to it and shoved it under her bed. When she straightened up, Seth and Casper were staring at her. Youre Seth started. hurt. Casper finished, moving forward quickly to move her face sideways, examining the cut. She held in her sigh. She didnt want this. It was nice to be worried about, but she didnt want to answer any questions. Its nothing - I fell, she lied uneasily. Well, shed never had to lie once in her entire life. She probably didnt do it very well. Way to go Red. This entire camping trip is a lie.

She moved out of Caspers grasp and wiped the small trickle of blood off her face that had seeped out of the cut. She started to walk into the bathroom, trying hard to hide her hobble. Youre limping. Zanes cold voice came from by the door. She froze. Suddenly, she was swept off her feet and set on the bed. Casper had a concerned expression on his face. He was frowning like he was on a mission. He bent down and pulled her trouser leg up, tugging her shoe off. She bent down to try and keep it on, but it was useless. Casper sucked in a breath when he saw the mark and touched it gently with his finger. Ow, she said quietly, bending down to push his hand away. Seth had joined Caspers side. Who did this? His calm, smooth voice asked her. She frowned and moved her leg away from Casper. I told you already. I fell Youre an awful liar. Zane had finally entered the room and had decided to contribute. He looked down at her foot and lifted one of his hands to point at her ankle. That hole in your foot is the perfect shape of a stiletto heel and that, he moved his hand to point at her face, Was done by a manicured nail. Wow. For a guy, he really knew a bit about girls like Tiffany. She swallowed a lump that had risen in her throat and brushed her bangs out of her eyes. She stared defiantly at Zane and raised a hand to point at her ankle. That is the perfect shape of an unexpected branch sticking out of a tree and this, She tapped the cut on her jaw line, Was done by a thorn branch when I fell. There was silence in the room. It was nice to see that Seth and Casper were concerned about her, but she was tired. Shed had an eventful day, collapsing and then being injured by two girls she didnt even know. Why did you come over here? she asked, not noticing that her tone was strained and laced with slight irritation. She didnt know that - Shed never felt annoyed before. Zane finally met her eyes with his. Casper was worried about you. He said calmly. He unfolded his arms and leaned forward, resting his hands on the bed. At times like this, youre supposed to say thank you for worrying about me, or Im alright, really, but thank you so much.

He frowned, looking more furious than he ever had. Looks like Caspers concern meant nothing to you, right? She broke eye contact and raised a hand to rub the bump on the back of her head. She just felt like going to sleep. The words Zane threw at her were going in one ear and out the other, just like they had before she collapsed. It was all, blah, blah, blah When she didnt reply, Casper and Seth moved toward the door. At some point, Zane left too. Sighing, she laid back on her bed, passing out completely.

Chapter 9: White

The second day of camp activities included a group gathering for pianists. It wasnt really a class, but just a place to talk about their passion for music and why they wanted to continue to pursue it. She didnt want to pursue the dream as a pianist. She was just at Sunnyside to complete a mission. A mission that looked like it was failing. When she woke the next morning, she remembered what Zane said. Typical. It was then she realized that she had been incredibly rude to everyonesince shed been so exhausted, she hadnt really paid attention to what shed said, or done. She hobbled her way to class, smiling at Rupert who she passed on the way there. He didnt greet her like he had in the past. He just glanced at her quickly before continuing on, like he didnt even know her. Great. So even the person she didnt need as a friend was ignoring her. Was she poisonous? When she arrived at the class, she looked at the other campers. They all looked average. Only two people caught her attention, one was a girl with bright red hair, and piercings covering her facesimply because she was so different from everybody else. The other was Tiffany. Tiffany was a pianist.

Just great. Besides feeling uneasy about approaching any of the guys, she just happened to get stuck in a group with Tiffany and Henrietta. They werent happy to see her. She knew that they werent happy she was still living across the hall from, Tiffanys man. She guessed shed never thought about how the other girls would feel if she started to be friends with Zane Noble. It was clear he was much loved. But it wasnt Zane the stalker girl was interested init was Seth. She sighed. Great. She felt her daggers digging into her chest as she sat opposite the crazy teenager. Swallowing, she looked up at the lecturer and attempted to be happy about her warm greeting. It was going to be a long class. ***** She went outside after the gathering and breathed in fresh air. It was nice to not have the suffocating aura of Tiffanys hatred around her. She headed back towards the dorm, frowning up at the sky. It was gray. Since shed been above ground, shed never seen the sky gray. She stopped when water splashed on her nose. Then it splashed onto the ground beside her. She stared at it, finally realizing. It was starting to rain. Feeling a little better, she held out her hands and let the rain cover her from head to toe. It was her first time experiencing rain in so long, that it was hard not to react so unusually. After shed enjoyed the summer shower, she went through the black gates and headed back to the dorm. It looked kind of unwelcoming and cold with gray rainclouds looming above it. The door creaked open and she peeked down the hallway. The lights were off, so the dull beam that came in through the windows gave it a creepy ambiance. She realized that she was sopping wet, trailing water through the hall. She slowly made her way up the stairs. Where was everyone? Activities were over and it was raining outside, so they should all have been in the dorms. Maybe everyone was in their rooms. She didnt hear the doors open behind her. Just before she went up the last flight of stairs to her floor, she heard a thump behind her. She looked over her shoulder to see what it was. And was pelted with bags of flour. She didnt even get to identify who the culprits wereby the time she could open her eyes and the white haze cleared enough for her to see, they had returned back into their rooms. She looked down at herself. This really was too much. Slowly she set off up the stairs again, hurrying as fast as her sore ankle would let her. When she made it to the third floor, she saw Zane leaning against her door with his arms folded. He noticed her walk up, moved his head to look in her direction, and then scanned her from headtotoe.

She walked slowly towards him, not taking her eyes away from his face. I can put up with this, she said quietly and determinedly. He raised his eyes to look at her, his head bent. She took another step. Ill endure anything. Im not leaving this floor. She hobbled forward a few more steps and stood in front of him. He stared back, his lips pressed together, as though in thought. She coughed nervously and bowed her head low. Here goes nothingIm sorry I was rude yesterday. Im sorry Im being so annoying. Im sorry Ive ruined your time at camp. Im sorry Im being so stubborn and wont leave. She swallowed and looked up at him. But thank you. Zane watched her apologize without changing the expression on his face. That didnt mean his eyes werent showing anything though. He stood up straight, lifting his weight off of her door. Why did you just thank me? He said, the hidden curiosity slipping through the tone of his voice. She smiled at him brightly, brushing her flour clogged hair out of her eyes. For allowing me to say sorry. ***** When the door had closed to her room, Zane remained where he was, staring at the same spot without realizing that shed left. What had she said? That hed allowed her to say sorry? No. He hadnt done that. She got it wrong. But why had he waited for her? He shook his head, looking around to see if anyone noticed his momentary lapse in personality. He had wanted her to beg and plead for his forgiveness. He had wanted to tell her that she may as well leave Sunnyside, especially Royal Haven, because it was obvious no one was going to leave her alone until she did. But seeing her, covered in flour, drenched from head to toe and still limpingit had been a pretty pitiful sight. At first hed felt vindicated. Or at least thats what he thought he felt. It was a little mixed up. Jumbled in his mind. Hed timed it perfectly. Hed seen the weather and knew that she was still at her class, and that shed left without an umbrella. All he had had to do was take advantage of the group idolization, mention to a few people what he wanted done, and theyd sucked the suggestion in like a vacuum. Since she wasnt responding to his efforts to get her to leave, he

figured that the only other way to get rid of the girl was to have her bullied. He wanted her to hurt. Shed made him lower his guard, show emotions he hadnt expressed for such a long time and mocked him at every opportunity. So she had to pay for it. He stormed back into his room, slamming the door hard. Red was vulnerable. She would cave under the bullying, eventually leaving the school, or at least Royal Haven. He couldnt take her fake innocence act, anymore. Rich kids were stubborn, snobby and full of themselves, so she should be too. Zane threw himself onto the bed, placing both hands underneath his head after raking a hand through his wild hair. Shed thanked him. That was what made it worse. THANKED him, as though thanking him for getting her bullied. And shed said it like shed known it was him. I can put up with this. Ill endure anything. Im not leaving this floor. Zane turned over and let out a frustrated sigh. Why? Why the third floor? Why Royal Haven? Why him? He liked his life the way it was, his feelings set and cold. He didnt like Red stirring everything up. So it was simple, he had to get rid of her. ***** Why Zane Noble? Why a summer camp? Why her? She considered pulling out of the mission. She wasnt getting anywhere. All she needed was to be close enough to one person, so that she could remain at his side, ready to prevent any attack by Blaine. And what would she do. Blaine was bound to turn up eventually and if he did, she didnt have a cell phone, earpiece or a gun to defend herself with. According to Dexter, having a gun on her at all times would wreak havoc. One, if it was accidentally discovered, her cover would be blown. Two, she was so naive that the possibility of point one happening was pretty big. Three, she had no idea if she was actually good enough with a REAL gun. Sure, shed used simulators and practiced with wooden pistols. But shed never shot a REAL gun. She sighed and slumped on her bed. It was only 7pm and it already felt past midnight. Shed showered and changed, noticing with relief that the bump on her head had gone. The swelling on her ankle had even gone down a little and that was good, considering it had only been a day. She was bored. Shed been above ground for probably a week and a half and she was already bored. She guessed you needed friends if you really wanted to have a good time. Rising to her feet, she decided she would go and

visit Casper. He wasnt her priority, but being friends with him had brought her considerably closer to Zane. There was a knock at the door. She froze for a second, a cold chill running down her spine. Would it be Zane? What was she supposed to say to him? She made her way to the door and opened it slightly. It was the girl with bright red hair and piercings. She smiled politely at her and held out something in her hand. Its a man called Agent Dexter. He keeps saying your name. Looking down into the girls hand, she realized it was her pin. The dog pin. She swallowed. I think youd better come in This wasnt good. This wasnt good at all. The girlwho she had learned was called Vikkiwas sitting on her bed, looking around the room. She acted just like she was a kid at Christmas, gazing at all the presents under the tree. Red supposed that would be her reaction too. Shed taken the dog pin and put it in her ear, picking up the boat pin too. The moment she settled it comfortably in her ear, she heard Dexters worn out voice, constantly calling her name. HHello? She said timidly and quietly. RED. RED IS THAT YOU? WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? IVE BEEN TRYING TO GET A HOLD OF YOU FOR HOURS AND THEN WHEN YOU PICK UP, YOU DONT SPEAK? WHERES THE CAMERA? WHAT HAP Dexter, I think my covers been blown. She looked cautiously over to the girl, who was staring back at her. Vikki sat there, her legs crossed and her arms behind her, chewing gum. Huh? What? he said, sounding calmer than he had before. She cleared her throat. I lost the pin and she found it. She could hear you calling my name. I cant make up any excuse thatll be good enough, she said with an apologetic tone. There was a chance theyd get pulled off the mission. There was silence on the other end of the line as a reply. Red, youll have to think of something, he said,

urgency lacing his every word. She looked back over to the girl. Vikki looked back. Youre an undercover agent right? She blew a bubble with her gum and grinned at her. Or an assassin. Either way, Im pretty sure your target is one of the guys that live on this floor. HHow did you know that? she said before she could stop herself. She slapped a hand to her mouth. She heard Dexter curse down the end of the line. Red he stopped, letting out a deep sigh. Ill leave this one to you. Ill come visit you tomorrow. The line went dead. Red took the pin out of her ear and placed it on the desk, sitting beside Vikki. The girl was still grinning at her. Hey, dont look so down. I havent told anyone. Vikki placed a hand on Reds shoulder. Red looked back at the grinning girl, reaching out to grasp her hand with both of hers. Please, you cant tell anyone. If this gets out, then Zane could be killed she cut herself off. Cupping her hands over her mouth, she widened her eyes. God, she just wouldnt stop. Surprisingly, the girl giggled. Im amazed you got this far with the amount of stuff youve spilled to me within a couple of minutes. Vikki mimicked closing a zipper over her mouth. I wont tell a soul. She leaned forward and looked around the room cautiously, as though there was the chance someone could be hiding. Ill let you in on a secret of mine, she whispered. Despite her panic, Red found herself leaning in. I dont have any friends. Vikki whispered into her ear, moving backwards and smiling at her. Red stared at the redhead. None? she asked. Vikki shook her head and gestured to herself. Do I look like the type of person a rich kid would want to hang around with? Red seriously examined Vikki and considered the questions. I dont see anything wrong with you. Vikki stared at Red silently for a minute, her eyes flickering through several emotions. Had she said something wrong? Red wondered what it could be.

Vikki shuffled around on Reds bed and started to bounce on it while sitting down. Wow, these beds arent as bouncy as the ones in Royal Nature. You sure are missing out. Red found herself watching the girl, actually smiling at her sudden change in subject. She snapped out of her trance, grabbing hold of her elbow. Vikki stopped bouncing to look at her with a question in her eyes. Lets be friends. Red looked surprised at her sudden outburst, and then her expression turned slightly emotional. Friends? Vikki replied in a quiet voice. Red nodded quickly. If were friends, we can keep each others secrets and help each other when we need to, right? Vikki just sat there, her brown eyes staring deep into Reds blue ones. You sure have pretty eyes. The redhead commented. Then she grinned and nodded. Alright, well be friends. If were friends, will you tell me why youre here, special agent? Her question made Reds stomach sink, but at the same time, she felt happy. So one person had discovered her secret? But shed gotten a friend out of the mixup, and someone she could turn to because of that fortunate accident hadnt she? Leaning forward, Red started from the very beginning.

Chapter 10: Crimson

Casper raised his fist to knock on the door. Then lowered it again, frowning in thought. He wanted to see her. God knows why, he just felt like he needed a mood lift and the only person who could do that was Red. What was it about the spunky girl that was so captivating? The childlike smile? The way she was different from everyone else? The fact that she had an innocent air about her that rivaled his own?

Sucking in a breath, he hammered his fist on the door with his eyes closed. Hed just say hi, and then leave her to do what she wanted. Zane had told him not to bother her after she had been rude to them the day before, but for once he wasnt going to listen. He hadnt been offended. Couldnt Zane see she was tired? The door opened a crack and a strange rush of adrenaline surged through Caspers body when he saw Reds innocent face peeking up at him. Hey, Red! Whatcha doing? I thought you might want some company so came over he stopped talking when he noticed she wasnt alone in the room. His stomach sunk. Why is Icky Vikki in your room? He said, his tone flat and emotionless. He didnt notice Reds surprised expression at his sudden rudeness. She looked behind her, then back to Casper. SShes a friend. Why did you just Casper pushed past Red and stalked over to the redheaded girl. She smirked up at him. Hello, angel. Why are you friends with Red? He pointed at Red to emphasize what he was saying. She leaned backwards on her arms and looked over to a confused Red. What? Cant I be? He folded his arms, his face set in an expression similar to what a child would do when refusing an order from a parent. No. You cant be. Casper Red moved towards him, bewilderment spread across her entire face. Vikki held up her hand and rose to her feet. Hold on Red, I got this. She pushed her face close to Caspers. He stubbornly stayed put. Last time I checked, it wasnt up to you who I was friends with, Vikki drawled. He jutted his chin out. Last time I checked, you didnt want friends. Vikki smirked and moved backwards. Red and I share something special. Casper looked at Red, who was watching the scene with wide eyes. He shifted his gaze back to the girl in front of him. He narrowed his eyes at

her. If you hurt her what? Youll hurt me? Like thatll ever happen. She folded her arms, mimicking his posture. He stared at her, an aura of hatred buzzing in the air between the two. Oh, youre waiting for me to leave? Sorry, Im afraid Im not going anywhere. Reds not finished with me and you happen to be on the girls side of the dorm, Vikki checked her watch, past curfew. Lets hope you dont get caught. Swallowing, Casper noticed this was right. Damn curfew. The dorm leaders would come around and check to make sure that the girls and boys were in their own rooms. The checkup done hourly and unless you had a specific reason, that would make sense to the adults, for being on the other side, you were chucked out. It was a lot like being at a boarding school. Alright, Ill leave first. Casper put his nose in the air and started to walk away, his arms still folded. Vikki watched his every move as he did. Casper turned to glare at her before he left, then sent a quick glance towards Red. She was still confused. One side of his mouth rose up. He had an idea. He wandered over to Red and wrapped one arm around her neck and pulled her into a hug. He placed a hand on the back of her head and stroked her hair down. Ill see you later, Red. he said, loud enough for Vikki to hear. Then before his face turned red with embarrassment, he left. When he shut her door behind him and emerged into the hallway, he rested against the wall. His breathing was fast and deep. His heart felt like it was jumping out of his throat and his neck was hot. Damn, he must be getting ill. He stumbled dramatically back towards his room, staring over his shoulder at Reds door before opening his door and falling in, staggering towards his bed, he collapsed onto it. Hed hugged Red. Hed hugged her. He leaned over and switched his lamp off, suddenly wanting to go to sleep. But he couldnt. Damn it. Hed hugged Red ***** She didnt know how long she stared at the door after Casper had left. Vikki was the one who snapped her out of her stupor. She blinked before looking at the new friend standing in front of her.

Jeez, I had no idea you were friends with Cupid. Vikki had her hands on her shoulders and she looked towards the door, narrowing her eyes at it as though she thought it possible to glare at Casper through it. Red gulped. II didnt expect him to she trailed off and shook her head. Why did you and he argue? Ive never seen him act like that to anyone. Vikki moved her gaze back to Red and dropped her arms, giving her a grim smile. Red noticed that close up, Vikki was actually very pretty, despite the piercings on her nose, eyebrow and ears. If anything, they added to her appearance. Well, seeing as though I know everything about you and your secret bodyguard mission, Ill tell you. She sat down on the bed and Red followed suit. Vikki grinned at her, her miserable expression gone. Were old childhood friends. ***** She dont know why, but the next morning, she felt a lot better than she should have. Perhaps it was because the night before, she had finally made a friend who knew everything about her. Vikki had stayed with her late into the night and part of the morning and they just talked. Shed been the first real friend Red had ever had. She walked to the piano meeting with a happy skip in her step, glad that she at least had a reason to be going. Vikki had come up with an idea to get closer to Zane. She turned a corner, seeing the building that the meeting was held in, in the distance. She resisted the urge to skip for real toward the doors, knowing it would be strange if she did. Before she reached the building, Red was pulled sideways and yanked out of her happy mood. A blindfold was put over her eyes and her hands were pulled behind her back, and tied with some kind of strong material. She started to scream, but a hand covered her mouth. She bit the flesh, hard. Then lashed out and kicked the person behind her, wincing when the impact caused a rush of pain to her sore ankle. What was happening? Was she being kidnapped? With her injuries, she couldnt defend herself. She couldnt stop her attackers from tying her up and leading her away. Eventually she could tell that theyd gone from the outside, to the inside. But she had no idea where she was. When the blindfold was suddenly removed, she realized that she was in a small dark room. Her attackers had sat her on a chair, with her arms tied behind her. Despite the fact that she had been taken against her will, she was feeling pretty calm.

Alright, Red? An unfamiliar female voice said from the darkness. Red cleared her throat. Im feeling alright. What do you want? she replied. She heard footsteps. Are you confident of your body? What a strange question. Now that she thought about it, she wasnt really sure. Her body wasnt exactly something she worried about. I dont know. Why? She felt her pants being tugged away from her. She yelped and started to kick whoever was doing this to her. Go away! she shouted angrily. But she couldnt stop them and the trousers were swept away from her body. She was halfnaked in a dark room. She sucked in a breath when she felt someone pull at her shirt. No. They wouldnt She heard a rip and before she knew it, her shirt was gone. Suddenly, she felt very, very cold and vulnerable. She was sitting on a chair in nothing but her underwear and a pair of shoes. Lets see how you get out of this one, shall we? the voice said. She felt the bindings on her arms being cut loose. The moment she was free, she stood up and looked around the room. The lights turned on. She was in a closet, it looked like. And it was empty. She was naked. In a closet. What was she supposed to do now? She sighed. She knew what her captors wanted her to do. Run naked outside, and then make her way back to the dorm. Filled with embarrassment and selfloathing, they thought she would leave. She slowly edged her way to the door, opening it a crack. She didnt know where she was. There was nothing she could use to clothe herself in the room outside the closet. This look liked an older, abandoned house. There were windows to the outside. But they didnt help her figure out where she was. Well, there wasnt anything in the closet that could help her. Her attackers had made sure it was completely empty. She carefully left the room, heading for the small hallway on the right. There were a couple of open doors, she glanced in one and found a bathroom. There was a cupboard under the sink. She glanced around the room, not spotting anything that could help. Surely, there had to be something she could cover herself with? She couldnt care less what it was. She bent down and opened the sink cupboard. And spotted just what she needed. ***** Zane smiled smugly to himself. This was his best idea yet. Hed only had to resort to such tactics once before, in order to get some stubborn girl to leave, when she thought she was better than everyone else.

Hed requested his minions cover Red in flour the other day to remind her of the day shed arrived in camp. It was a very clear warning. Thenjust like beforeshed ignored the message and hadnt left. So this time hed taken it a step further. Public humiliation. No rich kid could withstand being humiliated in front of everyone. Folding his arms, he leaned back in his chair and smiled genuinely, for the first time in what seemed ages. Checking his watch, he hopped up suddenly and opened his door. Shed be arriving any minute. ***** Wow, she was embarrassed. Was it her, or did everyone seem to be skipping their meetings today? She pressed the black garbage bag closer to her chest and hurried past a group of boys, who wolfwhistled jokingly. So, the bullying was going to continue. And by the looks of it, it seemed to be getting worse. She sighed; it wasnt like she had a choice. She couldnt leave, so that meant she had to take it. She started to dread what happened next. As she finally made her way into Royal Haven, after getting lost three times, she hurried as fast as her hurt ankle would carry her. She scurried up the stairs past a group of girls, who pointed and laughed loudly at what she was wearing. She felt like a complete idiot. Her cheeks warmed up. She rushed up the stairs and let out a sigh of relief as she left the third staircase, and stepped onto her floor. Only to bump straight into Zane. He looked at her, dressed in nothing but a garbage bag. Deep down inside, the teenage boy side of him felt disappointed. Hed expected her to be wearing nothing but her underwear. But of course the infuriating girl had used her brains and grabbed something to cover herself with. He hadnt expected that. Well, judging by the red cheeks on her unusually pale skin, and the embarrassed frown on her forehead, shed obviously been humiliated. Who wouldnt? There she was, the girl causing him all this trouble, dressed in nothing but a cheap plastic bag. He should have felt satisfied, happy that his goal was in sight. But he didnt. Not even a little. The worst thing was she didnt say anything, just scurried past him like he didnt even exist. He grabbed her wrist.

She turned around, looking at him with a disgruntled gaze. What? she said grumpily. He scanned her up and down. Arent you curious as to why I didnt ask why you were dressed like that? he asked her, keeping his eyes firmly on hers. She gently tugged her wrist free from his grip. You dont need to know, so you didnt ask, she said simply before heading into her room. He noticed that her limp was worse. He stood there, staring at her door for at least two minutes. Thats all she said. She hadnt yelled, or accused him of doing it. Just simply said that he didnt need to know. He folded his arms. This was getting ridiculous. ***** And heres your cell phone, use this instead of the earpiece. Its more foolproof. Live footage isnt required any longer; we know the campus, know the players. So you can leave the pins in your room. Dexter handed her a small, compact phone. She flipped it over. It looked pretty simple to use. She was dressed now, obviously. Dexter had arrived shortly after she got back to her room, phone in hand and a whole lot of questions for her. He sat next to her and she prepared herself for the interrogation. Have you made friends with him yet? She shook her head. Have you at least progressed? She frowned in thought. Well, he did seem to be taking more notice of her than he had before. She nodded. How did you patch up the situation yesterday? I and the girl are now very close friends, she stated in a serious tone, like answering to a military commander. She nodded firmly as she said it. Dexter sighed, looking at her with sad eyes. Im sorry Ive had to put you through this. She grinned at him. Im an agent; its my duty. He smiled back and laughed slightly. Then he stopped, narrowing his eyes. He grasped her chin and moved her face sideways. Where did you

get that? Feeling confident that she could tell Dexter without the worry of the girls being in trouble, she shrugged. Some girls did it to me. He looked alarmed. What? Some girls did No, I heard what you said. Why? He asked, moving forward. She stared at him suspiciously. They said I was stealing some girls man, or something. Now that you mention it, what did she mean by that? She was talking about Seth. Dexter looked at her in disbelief, like she was stupid. Well, technically she was being stupid. He scoffed in disbelief. Unbelievable. Has anything else like this been happening? She nodded. Just this morning I was kidnapped, taken to an abandoned house, put in a closet, tied up, and then all my clothes were stripped off. I had to come back here in a garbage bag. She pointed to it in the corner of her room. Dexter looked horrified. He grasped her shoulders. Have you reported this? She shook her head. Itll just bring attention to me. Besides, Im not sure who did it. Although she had a pretty good idea who had orchestrated the entire thing. He stared at her intently for a moment and then released his hold, running a hand through his short hair. She studied his face, tipping her head to the side. He looked upset. Red, Im sorry. Theres nothing I can do to help with this. Youre right, we dont want to draw attention t you. This is why I have to ask you not to use any of your selfdefense skills against these girls, unless they try something really bad. He gave her a look which she was obviously supposed to understand. She didnt. Besides, she wasnt sure she had any skills. It didnt seem like it. Its fine. Its not affecting me at all, she said, halflying. Having spent her entire life underground, she didnt know what it felt like to be bullied. It was quite an enlightening, yet painful experience. He sighed again and rose to his feet.

I better leave before Im spotted and raise any unwanted attention. He looked at her once then pulled her into a hug. She accepted his comfort. Of all the agents that lived with her underground, Dexter was her only fatherly figure. The others were like crazy uncles. He pulled away, squeezing her shoulders tightly with his hands, before releasing them and heading out the door. He opened it and made his way down the hall. She watched him leave. As she turned to go back inside, she noticed another figure staring after him. And that would be? Zane asked. She turned her head slowly to stare at Zane. He leaned against Seths door in his usual, insolent position. She narrowed her eyes. Something was different about him. She laughed nervously. Hey Zane, what are you doing out here? He stared at her blankly. Im waiting for Seth. Obviously. He shifted away from the door and stepped towards her and her door. She stayed where she was, watching him come forward. Oh, going anywhere nice she stopped talking when Zane put a hand on her doorframe, leaning in toward her face. She froze. He moved his head in the direction Dexter had just gone. Who was he? Her eyes widened. Damn. Think Red, think. A close friend. Hes like a dad to me. Ha, whats better than the truth? Zane examined her face. He could tell when she was lying and he knew that she wasnt. Sniffing, he moved back. Again, she noticed something extremely different. She narrowed her eyes, subconsciously leaning towards him so she could see him clearer. He sent her a weird look. What are you doing? She bunched her lips to the side in thought, thinking hard about what it was that seemed different. You look different somehow. Zane stared at her. Then he snorted silently. Are you really that blind? he replied harshly. He lifted his hands up and brushed down his bangs. His bangs

Oh! Youve got a new hairstyle! she exclaimed, bounding closer to him. He edged backward like she was about to bite him. Wow, it sure does look cool. She walked around him, examining it. His usually messy hair had been tamed. It was all brushed forward, with one part of his bangs left to hang over one eye, hiding it completely. On the other side his hair was tucked behind his ear. It looked really stylish and suited him a lot more than his old haircut. He stood there uncomfortably. I dont remember asking for your opinion, he said bluntly. She beamed up at him. Well, I gave you it already so I cant take it back. For some reason, he glared at her when she said this. They were both interrupted when the door to Seths room opened. Seth walked out, noticing the two in surprise. Ah, Red, hello. Long time no see. His voice always sent a shiver down her spine. She smiled sweetly at him. Its nice to see you again. She replied smoothly, nodding. He nodded back, his smile widening. Zane watched the exchange in irritation. Lets go, he ordered his friend. She raised a hand and waved to Seth, who waved back. Zane didnt bother to turn around as he headed down the stairs. Sighing, she watched them leave before heading back into her own room. She was supposed to be keeping an eye on Zane, but how was she supposed to do that if he went on outings and didnt invite her? Closing the door behind her, she looked around the room. It felt so empty without anyone there and for some reason, knowing that Zane wasnt in the room across the hall left her feeling very, very cold. She reached down and picked up the cell phone that Dexter had left. She could at least text Dexter and let him know that, The package had left the building. Cool. Spy talk.

Chapter 11: Navy

She must have purposely not noticed his hair to annoy him. That stupid innocent expression she always had on her face and that fake personality, which he was determined to rip away from her, just kept springing up and surprising him Are you okay? You look a little sick, or upset. Seth stared at his friend in concern. Zane looked at him dismissively. Im fine. Seth watched him cautiously for a few more moments. They were both heading towards a local cafe just outside the camp which they went to occasionally, to eat their favorite meals. Although you were usually not allowed to leave the campsite, the two of them regularly snuck out to the cafe. Ever since that girl, Red, moved into the room opposite Caspers, youve been unusually quiet and distant, Seth said to his friend, staring ahead of him and pretending not to notice Zane look at him. Does she bother you that much? Shes fake, annoying, unimportant, and not clever at all. Everything about her bothers me, Zane replied, pushing open the door to the cafe. It was a classic 60s diner that had never been remodeled. He liked the atmosphere of the place more than the food. I dont think that innocence is false. Cant you tell when you look into her eyes? Its like shes just woken up after eighteen years of being asleep. Seth slid into one of the booths and placed his chin in his palm, resting his elbow on the table and looking out the window. Zane watched his friend. You seem to have taken a liking to her, he said coldly, leaning back into the booths seat, folding his arms. Seth smiled, his eyes still focused on the passing cars outside. Shes like this untouched, pure, and innocent girl. One who doesnt try to outbitch all the girls around her, you know? I do like her, he said simply. For some reason, these words got to Zane. His friendwho never attempted to make other friendshad said something sounSeth like. About a girl Zane was trying to get rid of.

He wondered if he told Seth that the person behind Reds very unfriendly bullying was him, would his friend be angry? Deep in his heart he had the feeling that his best friend of sixteen years might be really upset. And that was bad. ***** She waited outside her door until Seth and Zane came home. She was afraid if she waited inside, shed curl up on her bed and just fall asleep. It was her duty as Zanes bodyguard to make sure that he got home alright. It did take them an awfully long time to get back. So long, in fact, the she fell asleep huddled against the wall outside her door. It was the voices and loud footsteps that woke her up. When she lifted her head off the arms she had resting on her bent knees, she saw Seth and Zane looming over her. She clambered to her feet. Youre back! Thats a relief. She felt her shoulders drop, the tension falling out of them. Zanes one gray eye stared at her. There was silence. Were you waiting all this time for us to come back? Seth spoke up suddenly. She looked at him and nodded quickly. I wanted to make sure you were back safe. She smiled happily at them both. And it looks like you are. Ill be going now. She turned around and opened her door, ready to leave. Wait, Zanes voice was quiet, but she heard it. Hed used the tone a mother would use on her child. She turned around slowly, looking up at him questioningly. Damn, every time she saw that new haircut of his, she felt herself wanting to look at him forever. Seth, I need to talk to Red, he told his friend, not taking his eyes off of her. She gulped and her eyes widened. Oh dear. Usually, being alone with Zane resulted in him getting angry. She really couldnt take that tonight. Seth reluctantly turned and strolled back to his room, looking behind him once before entering. He almost looked concerned. She looked up at Zane, one hand resting on the doorknob. She stepped outside and closed the door behind her. What is it? she asked, giving him a toothy smile. Throwing a smile at him might prevent him from getting mad. It had usually

worked when she was a little kid and Dexter got angry with her. It seemed to work for the slightest of seconds. His eyes glazed out for a moment, then went back to the cold harshness they usually showed. Im the one behind the silly little pranks that keep being pulled on you. Because I want you to be so hurt and humiliated, youll leave and never come back. Her stomach dropped. Him? He was the one responsible for the flour and the clothes thieves? But he had told her when she first arrived at the dorm that she had nothing to do with him, and that the others did what they felt like. He must have lied? Why would he hate her so much? This just didnt make sense to her. She opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. Then she cleared her throat, forcing a smile on her face. It didnt really change anything. She had a job to do. Her feelings were hurt, thats all. Shed get over it. So? I already told you I can deal with it. Now if you dont mind, Im tired. I waited up half the evening for someone who clearly didnt need to be worried about. See you in the morning. She grinned at him, struggling hard to keep it on her face as she shut the door. When she closed herself in her room, she rested her forehead against the cool wood. Somewhere inside she had known it was him. It was that small part of her that wasnt naive. The truth had been staring her right in the face. His dislike. His power. But hearing the confession come from his mouth had hurt. Hurt a lot more than she thought it would. Because they werent real friends. She was his bodyguard and he was just a mission. So she shouldnt have felt like shed had a knife thrust through her heart. This shouldnt hurt so much. Did he know that his admission had caused her so much pain? Was that part of his plan? To hurt her more than any physical pain or humiliation ever could? ***** Zane woke up the next morning, glad that it was a Free Day. On Free Days campers were free to roam outside the grounds, as long as they were back before curfew. He needed to get away. He hadnt slept all night. It had only been in her eyes for a moment, but hed seen it. Red had truly looked broken. It was a picture that appeared in front of his eyes whenever he closed them and he hadnt fallen asleep until the sun was rising outside. He hated the naive girl and wanted to get rid of her so badly, yet he always felt a sinking feeling in his gut after striking her down. He never used to be this cruel. For one thing, it never took much to move people along.

Especially the girls. They usually collapsed and ran away first thing after discovering that their rooms had been coated in flour because they werent wanted. They were so sure theyd be good enough to reach the top, only to be flattened by such a small prank. Red was impossible. He would even go so far as to say she wasnt human. No one could withstand this much abuse without cracking. No one would bother to stay in a place where they so obviously werent wanted. And yet, she did. And the more he did to her, the more he felt bad about it. He, Zane Noble, began to feel guilty over such a pointless thing. He rubbed his forehead, then his gray eyes widened and his hand froze. He sat up. The only way to get rid of the guilty feeling eating at his gut would be to see her smiling again, right? He could do that. Hed see her smile, and then leave her alone. That way he wouldnt feel guilty, and he wouldnt have to watch her expression if the others kept on with the pranks. It wouldnt be his fault then. He wouldnt tell them to do anything and it wouldnt be his fault if they kept bullying the girl. He leaped out of bed, feeling better already. He brushed his new hairstyle with a comb. He liked it. It covered half his face, as though hiding him from the world. It made him feel so much more mysterious. He opened his door, a smirk on his face as he walked across the hall and down to Reds room. He raised a fist to knock, but very clearly heard voices from inside. He noticed the door was open a bit. He shouldnt have listened. It was below him. But he couldnt resist. Slowly, he moved to the side so he was standing flat against the wall. Hed committed to eavesdropping. He could plainly hear the voices inside. So how long were you down there for? He heard a girls voice that didnt belong to Red. He frowned. He didnt remember Red having a friend. About eight or nine years, I just came up for the first time a couple of weeks ago that. The whole experience has been strange. Nothing they said made any sense. Down where? Came up from where? But being brought up by a bunch of guys must have been hard. Do you ever miss your parents? There was silence for a moment. They died when I was so little. I dont really have pictures of them and the Uncles who raised me dont really talk about them. So I dont really remember much about them

The rest faded out. Not because Red stopped talking. Because Zane stopped listening. Reds parents were dead. She was an orphan. You could say theyre in the clouds. God. He was an idiot. He walked back to his room in a trance. After he closed the door behind him, he slowly bent down to sit on the edge of his bed, spreading his knees apart to rest his elbows on them. He placed his head into his hands. She was an orphan. She was an orphan. I havent seen them since I was ten. He was stupid. So, so, so, so, stupid. Youd think that her being an orphan wouldnt change anything. If she didnt remember her parents, then she obviously wasnt very affected by their deaths. But it did. It changed a lot. Because now, the guilt had piled onto him tenfold. Ive got nowhere else to go. He stood up quickly and shrieked in frustration, kicking the wall beside his bedhard. Why did she have to be an orphan? Why did she have nowhere else to go? Why? He rested his forehead against the wall he had just kicked. Why did she have to be exactly the same as him? ***** She carefully removed the t-shirt from her suitcase, as though it were fragile and could break at the slightest touch, then brought it over to Vikki. This was my dads. The rest of his clothes were taken away, but as a child, this had been my favorite. So I grabbed hold of it and didnt let go. She smiled sadly and looked down at the shirt. It was a simple black t-shirt that sagged around the neck fashionably. The word LIVE was spread across it diagonally, in rainbow letters. She still loved it. She picked at the small pocket that was in the bottom left of the t-shirt and unfolded a creased picture. She straightened it out in her hand and passed it over to Vikki. Its the only picture I have. I was about ten, I guess. She

shook her head, unwilling to think about that time in her life. All the other pictures had to be destroyed. Vikki looked down at it and smiled sadly. Her eyes were shining. You look so much like your dad, she whispered. Red laughed, she was relieved to think about something else. She leaned forward to look at the picture, too. It was a close shot of all their faces. It had been taken a week before her parents deaths. Her dad was grinning at the camera, a hand on her head. She was laughing happily and her mom was softly kissing her cheek. It was such a happy picture. Vikki sniffed. I cant believe this is all you have left. Red looked up at her friend. She shrugged, trying to hide the same sadness inside. It was truethis was all she had left of a time she really didnt remember. Everything else had to be taken away, in order to hide the fact that her parents had ever given birth to a child. On her sixteenth birthday Dexter had explained that if Blain ever found her, she would be killed. It was obviously risky for her to be an agent like them, but this was the first time she had actually worked close to the person whod killed her parents and they had died eight years ago. He was sure to have forgotten all about her. She took off the t-shirt shed been wearing and replaced it with her dads. Red Its alright. I like to wear this when Im feeling down. It makes me feel like my dad has wrapped me in his arms. She grinned at Vikki. Vikki smiled back sympathetically, her bright red bangs flopping down in front of her face. She stood to her feet and wiped her nose, sniffing. Alright, enough soppy stuff. Were going to take a trip into town. I have a plan that will help you get to be friends with Zaney boy. She put her hands on Reds shoulders and led her out of the room. Red held the picture of her parents in her hand and squeezed it, smiling. She could almost feel her dad comforting her, telling her to pull through, for the Force. That she was a big girl now, she could do it. She left the dorm, feeling a whole lot better.

Chapter 12: Gray

This will DEFINITELY help you get Zanes attention. Hell want you to be his friend in no time. Vikki grinned. Thrusting all of the clothing into Reds arms. She looked down at it. It looked an awful lot like the type of clothes Vikki wore. She had no objection to that, but she wondered if it would really help her get closer to Zane? Would a wardrobe change help that much? Sure it will, Vikki replied when she voiced her concerns. Now you just need a little spontaneous color on that mop of yours. Next, Vikki led her to a hair salon. Luckily, Red had been to one to get her recent haircut, so nothing was unusual to her. She watched carefully as Vikki explained something to the hairdresser and then watched the hairdresser carefully as she made her way round to her side. The hairdresser took only a small handful of the hair on the left side of her face, putting a strange substance on it before covering in foil. She watched in fascination, slightly confused. Hey, close your eyes, youre not supposed to see until the end, Vikki ordered, putting her hands over Reds eyes. Red smiled and screwed her eyes shut, so Vikki would take her hands off her face. Alright, alright, she muttered. She waited, hearing only the slight rustle of the foil, feeling a slight tug at her hair and seeing nothing but darkness. Then she heard Vikki order her to open her eyes. She did. Her mouth fell open and she raised her hand to grasp the nowbright blue streak in her dark, black hair. It looked incredible. Wow. She gawked. Vikki grinned at her, meeting her eyes in the mirror. You would think I would have had the beautician put in a bright red streak, you knowto match the name. But that was too obvious. She grinned again and then ripped the plastic covering off of Red, dragging her by the arm out of the shop. Alright, next stop.

It was about five-thirty when Vikki finished dragging Red from place to place. Shed been waxed, plucked, styled, given clothes, bought accessories, and at one point even taught about how to make friends with a boy. It had sounded suspicious to her. How often could you flutter your eyelashes and not look like an idiot? Then she had to smile in a certain way, leaning towards them. It was too confusing. But, if Vikki said itd work, it most probably would. She carried all the bags, her arms aching with the weight as they crossed back onto the camps property. Vikki grinned at her. What does daddy think? Does he approve? Her friend looked down at the t-shirt Red was wearing. She let out a quiet laugh and smiled at her crazy friend. Im sure he does. She felt her pocket start to vibrate. Her cell phone was ringing. Muttering under her breath, she struggled to move all the bags to one arm to reach it. Vikki leaned forward quickly and took them from her, freeing her hands. Ill go drop these off in your room. Come back when youve finished. She tilted her head in the direction of Reds pocket. She smiled and nodded, picking the red phone out of her pocket and answering it. Dexter? Since he was the only one who knew her phone number, it was a pretty safe bet he was the one on the other end. Ah, Red. Just seeing if you kept the phone on you, glad to see youve got it. Any progress to report on your relationship with Zane? At the mention of his name, she got a queasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Shed been so busy that she hadnt had time to think about what hed said yesterday. How was she supposed to make friends with someone who hated her that much? She cleared her throat and forced a look of determination onto her face. He told me he wanted me to feel so hurt and humiliated, that Id want to leave and never come back. It was a lot harder than she thought to repeat his words. But her feelings werent important. The mission was. She needed to tell the mission leader what was going on. She thought shed said it confidently, and with no emotion. But her voice shook towards the end. Dexter was quiet on the other end of the line. Red, hes a very difficult person to get along with. Itll take time. As long as you keep an eye on him in the meantime, thats all that matters.

She nodded, and then realized he couldnt see her. Okay. He hung up. She hung up too and stood still for a moment, just letting her mind wander. Then she slowly walked over to a bench that sat on the outskirts of the camps forest. She slumped down on it, tugging at the t-shirt she was wearing. Dad, what am I supposed to do? What if I cant protect him? she whispered to the shirt, reaching into her pocket and pulling out the picture. She lovingly straightened it out. She should have put the photo in a frame by now, to make sure it was never torn or damaged. But shed found the picture in the shirt when shed walked into the room at Headquarters on the day the other agents had cleaned out her parents stuff. The picture had been in the shirt then, and that was where she planned on keeping it. It made her happy to see that her dad had kept a picture of the family in his pocket and in a way, she wanted to honor that memory. She sat on the bench for a few more minutes, listening to the distant noises and watching as a few other people entered the gate, coming back from their outings. She was so deep in thought she didnt hear the footsteps coming up behind her. Two pairs of hands grabbed her shoulders. Before she could let out a scream, a scrap of material was placed over her mouth and a blindfold was put over her eyes. Her hands were held by someone and she was pulled from the bench, and dragged along the ground. Shut it, Hart, a familiar female voice called out. She couldnt quite figure out who it was and struggled as the hands gripped her tightly. She kicked out and tried to stop walking, but they kept on leading her away. The picture was torn from her hands and she was shoved to the ground. Panic rose inside her. They could hurt her all they wanted, but the picture was all she had left of her parents. A quiet ripping sound sent a wave of pure dread and horror over her. It seemed so loud in the silence of the forest. No. It wasnt being She was pulled back by the fragile t-shirt and pushed against a tree. In the same moment, the collar ripped. She didnt feel the pain of four manicured nails swiping the skin on her back, she only heard shirt rip. If she yelled, would she be heard? It was so dark; she figured she was deep in the forest. Dont you think this is going too far? A quiet girls voice said. She looked around, despite the fact she couldnt actually see anything with her eyes covered. Shut up. She deserves this. Every time I see her with Seth,

this is the pain I feel. I just want her to know how much it hurts me. She was shoved against a tree. She was being scratched all over, but she couldnt feel it. As the shirt was slowly torn and her hands were rendered useless behind her, she felt herself breaking. It was being destroyed. She was being destroyed. She sobbed, finally broken. ***** Zane didnt usually have visitors, especially on a Free Day. Casper went to visit his relatives who were local and Seth just left without telling anyone where he was going. So he was very surprised when he heard a knock at his door. It was a panicked, urgent knock. He swallowed down the nervousness he felt all of a sudden. Was it Red? He approached the door quickly, opening it with his Imsuperior expression on his face. It almost fell off the moment he saw Icky Vikki, Caspers old friend. She was out of breath and looking very worried. Im sorry, theres no one else I could go to. Reds missing. Shes been gone for two hours. She wouldnt leave without saying anything. She wouldn Stop, Zane said suddenly. He stared at her. Did he just hear what he thought hed heard? Repeat, he ordered. Vikki leaned against his doorframe with her hands, still trying to catch her breath. Reds gone. Shes been missing for two hours and I cant find her anywhere. She wont answer her phone. Zane pushed her out of the way, running out of his door. She was missing? What if she had left? Hey, wait up! Vikki urged her legs to run to catch up with the boy in front of her. Zane exited the dorm, looking around and running a hand through his hair, his bangs getting caught in the movement. It was dark, the streetlights bathing the trails and paths in dull light, so there were moving shadows he continued to mistake for her. She wouldnt have left without saying something. She You dont have to run so fast. Vikki puffed as she stumbled out of the doors to the dorm. He turned to her, alarm on his face. He stepped forward and gripped her shoulders. Where did you see her last? He asked her, his cold gray

eyes flitting with emotion. She was bent over and holding her stomach, struggling to breathe. Iweby the bench at the front gate. And he was gone again, jogging towards the bench, taking time to stop occasionally and look around. What if someone had decided to take the bullying up another step? Hed told them not to hurt her. They wouldnt do something like that to please him would they? He reached the bench and stopped jogging, not even noticing that he was breathing heavily. He swung his head from side to side, his eyes examining every little thing. Any sign of movement, any rough ground that would show signs of a struggle. He saw it. A shoe. It was Reds shoe. He bent down and slowly picked it up, looking around him. She was around somewhere, she He froze, straightening. Had he heard right? A sniff and a muffled sob. His heart leapt out of his chest and his throat clogged up with the wild emotions that ran through him all at once. Fear, guilt, worry. He was too occupied to notice there was no hatred. He looked deep into the forest and the shadows that made it look all the more ominous, and then started to walk quickly. His movement slowly increased to a jog. Then a run. He stopped and heard the sniff again. It was right behind him. Slowly, he turned around. Hiding in the dark shadow of a long, spidery tree, was Red. She was on her stomach, shreds of a black shirt hanging on her, bloody scraps all over her back. Her legs were spread out behind her and she was frantically searching the forest floor, picking up what looked to be tiny pieces of paper. Every so often, she would stop and wipe her eyes with the back of her dirty arm. He couldnt figure out what he was feeling. It was too much at once. He felt dizzy. She was so caught up, so upset, so hurt that she hadnt even noticed him standing there. He took a few steps forward and crouched, resting a hand on her shoulder. Her trembling hand dropped all of the pieces and her watery, red, swollen eyes snapped to his.

Sympathy, pity, guilt and concern overpowered his senses, flowing out of the box of emotions he had sworn to keep locked up and hidden. Her expression was a look of complete pain and loss. He didnt know how long they looked at each other. But she broke the eye contact first, sweeping his hand away from her arm, she turned back to pick up the bits of paper, clearly trying to control her tears. She sent him an incredibly forced smile as she picked up another piece. Hey Zane, what brings you out here Dont? he snapped at her. When her head dropped down, he raised a hand to lift her face so she met his gaze. She should have been surprised, but instead the hurt swamped her. He let out a humorless laugh. How can you still force a smile at a time like this? Look at yourself! He swallowed and released his hold on her face. Cursing, he ran a hand back through his hair and his eyes darted around before finally settling back on Red. She had stopped moving, her short, black, hair cropping her face. He saw a dash of blue. Im sorry, her quiet, weak voice said into the silence. She sniffed again and wiped a hand across her eyes, before returning to picking up the pieces of paper. Zane watched her in silence. Even in her current state, she was still apologizing. He watched her pick up another piece of paper. Whats so important that you have to stay out here, looking like that? He couldnt say what was running through his mind. He wanted to, but no matter how much he tried, his old self always showed through. Red stopped moving for a second. This was the only picture of my parents that I own. Zane looked down at the pieces in her hand. If how shed looked hadnt done it, this certainly did. He quickly searched the ground for other pieces, and then grabbed the wrist of her hand that was holding onto the scraps with his left hand. He took the miniscule pieces of paper from her with his right. He shoved all the pieces theyd gathered into his pocket, then leaned forward and placed his arm underneath Reds bent legs and wrapped an arm around her back. He hauled her up into a bridal carry. Red didnt refuse. She gripped the front of his t-shirt and scrunched her face up, as though trying to block out whatever she was thinking and the emotions behind those thoughts.

He would have complained about the trouble she was causing him. He would have left her where she was, finally happy that he had made the annoying, smiling girl totally miserable. He told himself he really would have left her there, if she hadnt been just like him.

Chapter 13: Purple

She wasnt in her room. She knew that, because she could smell him. Zane. She opened her eyes slowly, feeling hands on her arm. A warm liquid was being rubbed into them, easing the stinging throb. The figure attending to her arm was blurry, so she couldnt see him clearly, but she would have noticed the mop of blonde hair anywhere. Casper. She said his name, not really intending to ask him anything specifically. She was confused. Red? Red! Casper stopped what he was doing to her arm and sat up higher on his knees. Guys! Shes awake! She licked her lips and swallowed, and then attempted to slowly sit up. A pair of hot hands wrapped themselves under her arms, helping her. She looked up to see who it was, her eyes wide. Seth smiled warmly at her, pulling his hands away before resting one hand on her head. He didnt have to say anything. She blinked, tearing her eyes away from him. Strangely, seeing him had made her feel better. Red? Oh, thank God youre okay, when we saw Zane carrying you here all torn up like that, we were so worried. Casper rested his forehead on her shoulder and then lifted his head up to grin. Youve only got a few scratches on your arms. We would have also done your back, but you werent awake and itd be really weird if we he trailed off, staring at her uncomfortably. She smiled at him innocently. If you what?

Hes trying to say that treating your back would mean we had to take off your torn t-shirt. It probably isnt the best ideahaving a room full of guys, strip you down. Her chest constricted unwillingly. It was his voice. She peeked over the top of the sofa and saw him sitting on the floor, his knees pulled up with his elbows resting on them. He was staring directly at her. She quickly sunk back behind the safety of the sofa, her cheeks feeling strangely hot. Why did she feel obliged to thank him for something? Hey, Red, do you want to talk about what happened? Casper rested his arms on the sofa cushions, looking up at her expectantly. Her face dropped. Huh? Something happened? She looked at Seth, then back to Casper. The blonde frowned at her, opening his mouth to say something, but stopping when a shadow loomed over her. Zane gazed down at her, his hands shoved into the pocket of his casual suit. The forest? He raised an eyebrow in question, his face blank. She stared at him like he was crazy, then let out a nervous laugh and glanced at Casper. Forest? What are you talking about? She straightened up and scrambled out of the blanket that had been put over her, feeling hot. She went to lean backwards against the sofa, but then jumped forward again, hissing under her breath. She tried to look over her shoulder. Ouch. A hand roughly squished her cheeks and pulled her head around. Her eyes locked with Zanes as he closely examined her face. You dont remember anything at all? He said slowly, like she was a child. She shook her head, her blue eyes wide. He released her and straightened up, folding his arms over his chest. The shocking gray orbs never left her face. Casper shifted his gaze to Zane, frowning in confusion. You think shes concussed? A hot hand cupped her cheek gently and her head was moved to her right. She swallowed when Seth moved his face close to her own, staring deep into her eyes. She couldnt move as his eyes shifted from side to side, studying her pupils. Its like she blocked it out, he spoke so quietly, it was a wonder anyone in the room heard him. He brushed his thumb along her face, totally oblivious to the fact that he was making her heart beat uncomfortably. He was too focused on trying to look deep into her eyes. Right, well, maybe thats a good thing, Zane spat, the

tone of his voice completely different to the one hed been using moments before. She felt her bicep being tugged and Seths hand fell from her face. Zane was pulling her off of the sofa. She winced when a strange surge of pain ran up her back as she stood. It took a lot of effort to stand straight on her legs. Im taking you back. Zane pulled hard on her arm, sending another twinge of pain down her body, causing her to stumble over her own feet. Why did she hurt so bad? Zane, be careful with her, Seth demanded. She nearly bumped into Zanes back when he stopped suddenly. He looked slowly over his left shoulder. A strange tension filled the room as Zane and Seth stared at each other, both completely emotionless. She felt as if she were choking on the pressure. Caspers expression meant he felt the same. Zane was the first to break eye contact. Its not like shes disabled, he snapped at his friend, opening the door to his room and pulling her into the hall, and slamming it behind him. She looked behind her at the closed door, as though she could see Seth on the other side. Were Zane and Seth fighting? Zane half threw, half pushed her toward her door, looking a lot madder than he had before. She was confused. So confused. Shed been in Zanes room, her back was stinging, her arm was covered in scratches and she felt happy, yet torn in the pit of her stomach. What was going on? Are you pretending to act ignorant so you dont have to thank me? He crossed his arms and looked at her angrily. She looked back. Why would I need to thank you? she asked hesitantly, knowing that her answer would probably upset him. He scoffed in disbelief. I dont believe it. The one time I actually hel He stopped himself, and then shook his head. I dont even care anymore. He swung around and stormed back into his room. She frowned at him, wincing when he slammed the door, and then she let out a big sigh. She knew something had happened, but when she thought back,

everything was blank. She opened her door. Knowing her, she probably tripped and hit her head on a rock. That would explain the memory loss and scratches. She took one step into her room and stopped. Shed stepped into water. She lifted her head up slowly to find the source. Her room was completely flooded, destroyed, and torn apart. ***** Leo sighed dramatically, taking another step to his left as though his sigh would distract her from him slowly edging closer to her. Seth pulled him back the other way. One of these days she was going to remember why everyone kept pulling Leo away from her. Not that she wanted the creepy guy anywhere near her. Come to think of it, maybe that was the answer. He was creepy and everyone knew it. All three rooms are flooded. Damn. Thats either coincidence, or someone hates you, baby. Leo stretched his left arm across to ruffle her hair. Casper grabbed his hand and shoved it back down to his side. Her eyes were still wide with shock. All of her personal belongings were floating on top of the water that had pooled in the room. Luckily, you had to venture down a step into her room, or else the water would have flooded the entire hallway when the door had been opened. She may have been naive, but she knew it was no coincidence that her wardrobe had been opened and her clothes had been spread across the floor. Leo let out another sigh. Ill look into this. In the meantime, youll have to share with someone youre close to. Share? Arent there any rooms available at Royal Nature? Seth asked him coolly. Leo frowned. Funny thing, that. We had a group of boys come in last night, all last minute reservations and all requesting a single room. Theres none left. None at all? Casper said in shock. Leo shook his head. Red swallowed hard. There was no chance that she could share with any of the boys on the top floor. So she was limited to seeing if Vikki would

take her. She pressed a hand against her heart and sighed. Shed liked this room. I can share with Vikki. Shes gone. Everyone turned to look at the owner of the voice, which had come from at the top of the stairs. It was Tiffany. She was leaning against the banister, a satisfied smirk on her pretty face. Her cold eyes met Reds. Gone? Red replied in a quiet voice. The blonde pushed herself off of the banister and headed towards her, confidence in every step, her stiletto heels clicking against the sparkling wooden flooring. She made sure to stay above the water level. It seems Vikki had a family crisis to attend to. Tiffanys slim arms folded across her thin chest as she reached Red. She leaned forward and whispered loudly; I dont think shell be coming back. The bottom of Reds stomach sunk. Vikki was gone? Without saying goodbye? Tiffany smirked and straightened up, taking another step towards Red. She stepped back to keep the bully at a distance. Isnt that strange? Your friend disappearing suddenly? God, Id be feeling pretty terrible if she ditched me like that, especially when I needed her. Tiffany tilted forward on her heels to peek farther into Reds room. She tutted when she saw the water, then her eyes widened in mock surprise. Oh, my. Isnt it a coincidence that Vikki disappeared right after this happened? Tiffany tapped her chin. I heard her dads a rich plumber. Funny. As the daughter of a plumber, Im sure she knows how to tweak a few pipes Reds fist tightened at Tiffanys implication. Vikki wouldnt do that and shed just like to take a swing at the dumb blonde. Where Vikki wouldnt purposely damage all of the rooms to get Red off of the top level, Tiffany would. Suddenly, a fake, forced grin spread across Tiffanys face and she clapped her hands excitably. Hey, were friends, Ill let you stay in my room, her smile sent all the wrong signals. Leo clapped his hands together. Great! Looks like you have a roo She can stay with me. Everyone froze and slowly turned their heads to the voice in surprise. Seth stepped to her side and took hold of her hand, entwining her fingers with his. Red and I, as boyfriend and girlfriend, will share a room.

Chapter 14: Amber

The look on Tiffanys face had been terrifying. For her, at least. She was sure no one else noticed the murder in the other girls eyes. The blonde had been furious. Before she knew it, the word had spread. Red Hart, the manly, unimportant girl had become Seth Coopers girlfriend. One of the rules that Red had overlooked had to do with being over 18. According to the Sunnyside Rule Book, that made you an adult. As adults, you were allowed to share a room with a lover. She was definitely, definitely not Seth Coopers lover. She sat uncomfortably on his bed, dropping her shopping bags to the floor. They were the only clothes she had, well, including what she was wearing. Leo had found them in Vikkis room with Reds name on the bags, so he had given them to her. At least she had underwear and clothes that werent drenched and un-wearable. Im sorry. She lifted her head to look at Seth, who was closing the door to his room behind him. She straightened up and sent him a smile. Its fine, really. I should be thanking you. She stood up to hold out her hand. A hand shake was how you thanked someone properly, right? Seth looked at her hand and a small smile spread across his lips. He walked forward and pulled her into him, hugging her. This is the proper way to say thank you to a close friend, he murmured, resting his warm hand on the back of her head to push her closer to him. Her eyes were still wide with surprise, the breath completely knocked out of her. Her arms trembled as she slowly raised them, about to place them onto Seths back. They were moving by themselves, as though her body was reacting but her brain was still trying to figure things out. The door to the room swung open and slammed against the wall. She

pulled away quickly, jumping at the loud sound. Seth lazily turned to look at his visitor, not in the least bit frazzled. When she noticed it was Zane, she grinned and stepped forward to greet him. Zane! His glare stopped her. He really did not look happy. His eyes were wide, his brow was creased, his hand was still resting on the door and it looked like he was struggling to breathe. His cold, angry eyes were settled intensely on her. You his words caught in his throat. His hand slid off of the door, like it had given up following the signals from his brain. Youre together. He made it sound like an accusation. She stepped forward to explain, but Seth stepped sideways and wrapped an arm around her waist. She squeaked and moved her hand down to grab his, trying to pry it away. He entwined her fingers with his. She caved. His soft, warm hands always bought her comfort. Yes, we are. Zane seemed to regain his composure suddenly, crossing his arms across his chest. He looked between the two of them with narrowed eyes. Since when? He asked, acting like it was a chore to know. She opened her mouth to explain again, but Seth squeezed her hand. Since the day she played piano. She watched Zanes Adams apple on his neck bob as he swallowed. His posture was stiff and tense. WellI came to say congratulations, his words sounded forced. It looked like he was extremely uncomfortable, his feet constantly moving and his face unable to settle on a certain expression. He turned around quickly and stalked out, his legs moving like a puppet. She waited for him to leave, then broke away from Seth. What Its best if we make sure everyone believes it. If anyone discovered this arrangement is false, Leo will move you into that girls room for sure. Seth sat on his bed and patted it, indicating that she should sit. She stayed standing. He sighed and rose to his feet, grasping her shoulders. Her blue eyes bored into his brown ones. Im not as dense as the others. You looked horrified at the idea of sharing a room with her, so I stepped in. Im sure she has been very unkind to you. Seth looked at the floor and removed his hands from her shoulders.

She felt cold without his warm palms pressed into them. He looked back at her, an apologetic expression on his face. Its my fault you were suffering. This is the least I could do. He smiled at her, raising a hand to ruffle her hair. She was still amazed that someone so nice could have chosen to help her when clearly she was the one causing the trouble in the first place. No. IIm sorry. She nodded her head at him. This is my fault entirely. If Id just moved to the other dorm, where I belonged His hand clamped over her mouth, preventing her from saying more. Then it was gone and he moved his face so close to hers, she could feel his breath brushing over her skin. There is no right or wrong dorm. Just silly rules that others have made, he whispered. She gulped, extremely bothered by his close proximity and at the same time not. Things just got a whole lot more complicated. ***** Seth waited for the girl to come out of the bathroom impatiently, tapping his foot on the floor. Hed completely acted on impulse, which was extremely unlike him. But Red was differentso different, in fact, that it made him suspicious. He knew she wasnt a threat. That was obvious. Hed been cautious at first and had examined her carefully from the time hed met her in Zanes room. Her personality was definitely not false. Even though hed tried to check her out on the Internet, and found nothing. She didnt have a Facebook page, or anything. But discovering that had only made him more curious. As he had told her, he wasnt as dense as the others. Red Hart wasnt famous, wasnt a snob and wasnt rich. So what was she doing at Sunnyside, paying almost $8,000 a week for the top floor of a dorm where she was being bullied? It didnt make sense, and he wanted to find out. With her in his room, he could keep his eye on her. But it was such a stupid stunt in order to do that. Hed been thinking of a way to get closer to her and then her room just so happened to be flooded. While that was luck on his part, it was bad luck for her. She had just had an experience so bad, shed blocked it out and forgotten it. Then her room was flooded. Then she found out her friend had upped and left without a word to her. Adding a fake boyfriend was bound to add to that pile of crap. He knew that she was grateful. She would be grateful even if she was beaten to a pulp and then given a $20 as a reward for not yelling.

Wincing, he realized that it was a bad time to use such a stupid example. The door to the bathroom opened and he looked up. She was wearing one of his long t-shirts and a pair of her own shorts from her shopping bag. Shed taken his shirt with a bright smile and a sincere, thank you. It fit her perfectly. He rose from the bed and gestured to it. Youll be sleeping here, he smiled at her. A look of mild horror crossed her face. NNo! I couldnt. Really, I dont want to take your bed she stuttered. Seth smiled at her modesty. It was rare to find innocent modesty nowadays. He raised his eyebrows at her and the unrecognizable urge to tease spread through his body. He tilted his head at her questionably. If you insist on me sleeping in it, fine, Ill sleep beside you. He shouldnt have said it, but the look on her face made his heart stop. Her pale cheeks flushed pink and she squeaked, clapping a hand to her mouth. The thrill he got out of this was similar to a kid getting a new pet. And everyone knew that once you got a new pet, it was impossible to leave it alone. He let out a gentle laugh. Dont worry. Ill be fine on the floor. He settled himself down onto the mattress that hed put on the carpet. He sat, knees bent, elbows resting on them. He linked his hands together. Now youve got no choice but to use it, he said to Red, smiling warmly at her. She moved the hand away from her mouth, still partially in shock at the comment hed made. He watched her swallow and walk slowly towards the luxurious queen-sized bed, resting a hand on it. Thank you. Really. Youre just so nice to me, she said softly. He couldnt see her face, but judging by the tone in her voice, she was really emotional. He hadnt expected her to feel so thankful. Had she never had affection before? He knew that feeling. It was probably a shock. To have no affection at all and then suddenly, theres one person in the world who is actually happy to see you.

It was just like when Red had entered his life. His body moved on its own, slowly raising to its feet and plodding quietly over to Red, who was sniffing loudly. He approached behind her and wrapped his arms around her neck and then pulled her back into him. She jumped. He was pushing it. Pushing the fact they were in a fake relationship. But he was unable to control himself. Goodnight, he murmured, forcing his arms to let her go. He laid back down onto the mattress, wishing there were restraints there to keep him in place. Bodily contact was something he avoided with all people, when necessary. So why was it when Red was around, all he wanted to do was pull her close and hold her forever? ***** Hed saved her. Hed saved her from spending the night in some forest, picking up pieces of a photo, then he goes to the trouble of sticking it together, ready to give it to her when she wakes up and what does she do? She moves into his best friends room. As his girlfriend. He glugged down another half a pint of water and took another spoonful of heart burn medicine. Hed been suffering from chest pains since hed gone out earlier and now theyd just increased tenfold. Hed been unable to sleep, so went to the front of the dorm steps and sat there, looking out into the night. A clock tower in the distance rung twelve times. Sighing, he gulped down the last of his water. Seth and Red. Red and Seth. Hed never even seen it happen. Were he and Casper so clueless, that love was happening beneath their very eyes and they didnt even notice? Although, now that he thought about it, they had been unusually intimate in his room, when Seth had stared at her like that he shook his head, slamming his fist into his chest to get rid of the constricting pain. Ungrateful girl. Clueless, idiotic, innocent girl. Huh? Zane? He winced and then looked over his shoulder, watching as Red slowly ventured down the steps towards him. She sat next to him, making him edge away. He really did not like the fact that she was wearing one of Seths shirts, which hed seen his friend wear on numerous occasions. Hed never look at it the same way again. Especially not since it reached her midthigh when she sat next to him. He tore his eyes away, cursing under his breath. Okay, hed been looking

at her legs. What was wrong with him? Clearly he was delirious. You cant sleep? She said quietly, her hands fiddling with each other in her lap. The sleeves of the shirt were too long for her. Does it matter that she cant? He replied coldly. Red looked down at her feet. I guess not. That was an unexpected reaction. He flicked his eyes to his left, trying to see her expression without making an exaggerated movement that would suggest he was curious about her mood. Why arent you asleep with your boyfriend? He couldnt help but say it in such a sardonic tone. Red didnt notice. As usual. She lifted her head and smiled at him weakly. My back hurts, she murmured. Oh. Her back hurt. Casper, Seth and him had argued about who would see to the wounds on her back, but none of them had the guts to do it. He remembered cursing the nurse violently for being unable to help them tonight. Shed been sequestered with a girl who might be contagious with some virus. This left the three boys to deal with the untouchable woman in front of him. Undressing a girl while she was unconscious was definitely something a rich kid never did. Help her. Zane stiffened. A voice inside his head? Help her. Its probably your fault shes injured. You tried to get her bullied. She was bullied. Now you feel guilty. Help her and youll feel better. He nodded. He had wanted her to be bullied. And she was. Now shes not going anywhere. Shes Seth Coopers girlfriend - who would dare mess with her? He gritted his teeth in frustration. Help her out, just this once. Imagine how grateful shed be. She may even choose you over Seth. He stood up as fast as he could, smacking his head with his hand, as though that would knock the little angel inside his mindout. He really hadnt thought that. He really hadnt. Then he remembered he wasnt alone. Red was looking up at him blankly.

He stared back. Letting out a groan of defeat, he leaned forward and tugged her arm, dragging her back towards the dorm. Zane Shut up, he barked, dragging her up the stairs noisily. She was quiet until they reached the top floor, where he opened the door to his room and jerked her inside. Sit. He pointed at the bed. She looked at him, and then to the place he pointed, her eyes wide. He moved towards her and placed two hands on her shoulders, forcing her to sit on the edge. Stay, he ordered again, like she was a dog. He went to the coffee table and picked up the first aid kit that Casper had used earlier. Red opened her mouth to say something. Dont. He moved over to the bed and sat behind her. Suddenly, he regretted his decision. Hed see her back. Her bare back. Why was that so nerve wracking? Swallowing an invisible lump in his throat, he lifted a trembling hand to move her long t-shirt slowly up, revealing pale skin inch-by-inch. He pulled it back down, looking away with a strained expression on his face. He was Zane Noble. Zane Noble, whose dream was to become a singer, which would move people to tears. Zane Noble, whose mysterious personality was his most attractive feature. He would not get so fussy over a tomboys bare skin. Zane, you dont have to Just shut up, will you? he said, defeat in his voice. He lifted up the shirt, revealing the rim of her black shorts and the scratches on her back. And the strap of a black bra. Heat rushed to his neck and his face and he tugged uncomfortably at the collar of his shirt, swallowing again. As quickly as he could he ignored the smoothness of her skin, and then cleansed the cuts with a watery liquid containing something that helped with pain. Then he applied the antiseptic cream. When he was done he hurriedly pulled her shirt back down, letting out the breath hed been holding. It really was hot in here. Red turned around on the bed, a restrained smile finally spreading across her face. Hed helped her. Hed helped herHed helped her. Hed fixed

up the cuts on her back, without her having to ask. Zane Noble liked her. He cared for her. She was ecstatic. The first part of her mission was almost complete. She turned around on the bed, the smile she had been trying to hold spreading across her face. It felt like a weight had been lifted off of her chest. Zane Noble had helped her. Every time she said it to herself, she felt like jumping for joy. Zane didnt look mad either. Well, he didnt look happy. Actually, he looked really uncomfortable. He stood up and stormed over to the door, opening it. He lifted a hand rigidly and pointed out to the hall. You can leave, he said bluntly, his voice deeper than usual. She pouted and got up off of the bed, dragging her feet slowly across the floor. It would have been nice to stay a little longer. Before she left, she lifted her head up to say thanks. But she found him staring down at her with such an intense expression, the words caught in her throat. She didnt know what it was about the way he looked at her that made her go quiet, but suddenly, the smile melted from her face and she found herself staring back. His gray eyes connected with hers and it was one of those rare moments where Zane actually looked at her. But yet this was so much more. Her breath had been blown away, her words dissolved in the strange connection that stunned her. His gleaming, silver eyes, long eyelashes, smooth skin, and silky hair they looked even more incredible during this strange little moment. She swallowed past the lump in her throat. Thank you, she whispered. He nodded and tilted his head toward the door, indicating that she should leave. There was a fizzling tension between the two of them before she finally turned and walked out. When he closed the door behind her, she stood against the door, her hand pressed to her chest. Her heart had sped up when Seth had hugged her, but this this was different. This was so much more. She placed a hand to her forehead and dramatically stumbled back into Seths room. She really must be getting sick.

Chapter 15: Fuchsia

It was awkwardness all around the next morning. The day before had been the first Free Day of a Free Weekend, which were apparently a time when you were allowed to do what you liked. Since she didnt know what she liked, and didnt feel like doing much of anything, that meant she planned on being a slug. Except that the other thing on the agenda was staying by Zanes side. Unfortunately she had a whole lot more on her platter. She was dealing with half of the female population of the camp, being bombarded constantly with their questions about her new relationship. When she opened the door of the dorm that morning, wanting to go on a stroll to clear her head, she was greeted with flashing lights, microphones, shouting and a whole lot of questions. She had no idea what was going on. Someone yanked her back into the building. She looked up to see who her savior was, a grin spreading across her face after she identified him. Zane! Whats happening out there? You really must be stupid, his bangs flopped forward over his face when he shook his head. He flipped his head, sending it back over one eye. Theyre reporters. Huh. Reporters? she repeated in a questioning tone. He looked down at her, releasing the hold on the back of her dads badly sewn up t-shirt. You know what reporters are right? he said slowly. Why did he always speak to her like a child? Of course she knew what they were! She searched her mind for the answer. Where had she heard the term used before? Then it hit her. They were the people that reported the news, or asked famous people questions and then put them in newspapers. She smiled at her cleverness. Then she frowned and looked up at Zane, pointing towards the door. Why are they here? He folded his arms and leaned forward. To interview you. She snorted. Yeah, of course. Because she was famous. She continued to stare at Zane, waiting for him to say it was a joke. He didnt. She pointed at herself. Me? Zane ignored her questioning tone and turned, starting to walk back to his room, sighing loudly.

Thanks to you, I cant leave the dorm today. He told her. She hurried after him. Why do they want to interview me? Im not famous, she protested, starting to run up the stairs beside Zane as he took two steps at a time. She really hated having short legs. He glanced at her from head to toe, and then stopped walking. She stopped too, looking down the stairs they had walked up, and then looking up at the stairs they still had to venture up. Um, Zane Youre wearing the same clothes, he turned around fully to face her, his nose wrinkling up in disgust. She looked down at herself and laughed nervously. Uh, yeah You have clothes. Are you so attached to that t-shirt that youd wear it for two days in a row? She shook her head. This t-shirt is important to me, but thats not the reason Im wearing it for a second day She felt her cheeks warming up and she scratched the back of her head. Its just the only clothes I have Zane started to walk again. She hurried after him. Hey, did you hear what I said? No. Im not going to talk or listen to you until you change. She frowned at his back. What was wrong with wearing a t-shirt twice in two days? Hadnt he ever done that before? She looked down at what she was wearing and tugged at it. There was mud and dirt smudges across it and her white shorts were dusted with brown specks. Okay, so she did look pretty filthy. She rushed ahead of Zane, tearing up the second staircase as fast as she could. She made it to the third floor quickly, running into Seths room. She ignored his alarmed expression. He opened his mouth to say something, but she just grabbed her shopping bag and ran into the bathroom, changing at an alarming rate. On went a black, tight vest top with a red corset type design on the front. Along with it, a black, netted skirt that stuck out. It reached just past mid-thigh, which seemed a little short. But she wouldnt know and Vikki had picked it out. She slipped on a pair of plain, black Mary Jane shoes and sighed. She brushed her hair for the first time in what seemed forever and winced at the tangles. Then she tore back out of the bathroom and out of the door,

leaving a very shocked Seth sitting in his chair. The book he was reading fell out of his hands as she sprinted past. By the time she reached the top of the staircase, so had Zane. She stopped and grinned at him. There, I changed. Will you speak to me now? He stiffened; the superior expression he usually held on his face froze for a few moments, and then showed shock. His eyes slowly scanned her from head to toe. His arms slowly unfolded themselves and his eyes widened. She saw his Adams apple bob as he swallowed. She tugged down on the skirt. Damn. She should have worn the shorts. Zane never cursed. He was too important and well-brought up to speak such foul words. He never liked using words that were religious when he was expressing feelings, like God. But holy hell, if hed known that Red was wearing her clothes from the day before, because her bags held clothes like that, he would never have forced her to change. It was clear Icky Vikki had obviously picked them out for her because that was the only other person hed seen wearing such outrageous styles. Who knew that Red had a figure like that or that it was possible for her to look remotely feminine or that she would look so good. Her pale skin definitely stood out more when she wore dark clothing. But in this case, it was a good thing. Maybe that way no one would look at her body. Fat chance! Zane was filled with the unfamiliar urge to cover her up so that no one else could look at her. She did not belong in gothic type clothing. The blue streak in her hair had been enough. He stepped forward slowly, taking in Reds happy expression. He could see that she felt uncomfortable in the skirt. Her dainty hands were constantly pulling it down. He probably wasnt helping, what with not being able to tear his eyes away. He was like a groom on his wedding night, when the bride entered in her negligee. He shook out the image of Red in negligee. That was something he didnt want to think about. He didnt notice Seth open his door, obviously to exit, but then step back and watch as he grabbed Red by the wrist and pulled her all the way towards his own door, taking her inside. He shut the door behind him. Dont go anywhere, he ordered her. He stepped over to a set of drawers and opening one, shuffled through the contents, finding a pile of black, long sports shorts that he had never worn. He bought them over to Red

and thrust them into her arms. Ill give you these if you go back into your room and take that off, he didnt have to point at the skirt, just look at it like it was the Devil. Her blue eyes stared at the skirt, then the shorts, and then back to Zane. Whats wrong with the skirt? she asked him, innocently, her eyes shining. He inwardly sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, like he always did, and stared at a blank spot on the wall. I dont think it suits you. He chewed the side of his cheek, struggling to keep his eyes on the wall. He couldnt look at her. He was such a liar. The skirt more than suited her. But he had to look at her when out of the corner of his eye; he saw her face light up. She looked down at the shorts, her eyes wide and a blinding smile on her face. Youll really give me all of these? She looked up suddenly, looking ecstatically happy. He just stared at her, unable to tear his eyes away from hers. What was it about her face and that happy expression that made him feel so pleased, yet so annoyed? Did she have to be so naive? Ive given them to you already havent I? he swallowed, his assertive tone not as assertive as he wanted it to be. He turned his back on her. You can go now. He knew she was staring at him for a while before she turned around to leave. When the door shut, he let out the breath hed been holding. He swiped his sleeve across his forehead, wiping away sweat that wasnt there. It should have been. She was driving him insane. She hugged the pile of shorts tightly to her chest, biting her bottom lip to hide a smile. Hed given her his shorts. Zane Noble had given her his shorts. Why was it that every little gesture Zane made, had her acting so ridiculously happy? She bumped into somebody and looked up quickly. Shed been so far away; she hadnt even noticed there was someone in front of her. Red? Red! Arms were thrown around her neck. Her eyes were wide with surprise and it was only when the person withdrew that she noticed it was Casper. What was it with all the hugging? Not that she was complaining. Shed never received so much comfort in her entire life. Agents didnt hug. Even Uncle Agents. Casper. How have you been? She smiled up at him. His cheeky grin always made her feel spectacular. Fine. Have you seen the reporters outside? Theres so many! Leo said hed come throw them off site in a bit. Caspers grin dropped to a smile. Looks like they want to interview you.

She pulled a face and shook her head. I dont want to be interviewed. The blonde boy ruffled her hair and sent her another mischievous grin. It comes with the territory, as Seths girlfriend he trailed off, his expression suddenly turning sad. He patted her on the shoulder, straightening up, and his face blank. It reminded her of Zanes sudden mood changes. Ill see you around. He walked into his room, shutting the door slowly behind him. She stared after him. Everyone was acting so strangely. She entered Seths room and closed the door behind her. Seth was sitting on the edge of his bed, looking extremely troubled. He hadnt even noticed her enter, his gaze focused on the floor. She placed the shorts on a nearby shelf, turned, and took a step forward. From where she was standing, his face looked beautiful in the sunlight that came in from the window. His complexion was flawless and the highlights in his hair shone. His eyes were shining with emotion, the long, thick lashes making them seem huge. When she took another step, he looked up. He realized it was her and straightened up, the troubled expression disappearing and a calm one settling back onto his face. He smiled at her. Welcome back. She didnt smile back. She wandered over to him, standing a few feet away. She tilted her head questioningly. You okay? she asked, a light frown settling on her face. Seth looked back at her, slightly surprised. Why wouldnt I be? he replied, standing. She held his arm to stop him from walking towards the bathroom. You didnt look okay a second ago. She folded her arms accusingly. He let out a light laugh and ruffled her hair. Im fine. Get changed while Im in the bathroom. He nodded at the shorts. She jumped, remembering them suddenly. By the time shed made her way over and grabbed a pair, hed already closed the door behind him. ***** Damn it. Seth rested his head against the mirror. Hed thought hed grown out of it. Stupid emotions like lust, arrogance and hatred - he didnt need them. He told himself hed never get interested in a girl, ever. They were trouble. They destroyed even the strongest of men.

But hed gone and done it. He lifted his head and stared at mirror that had misted up while he had been showering. He wiped it with his hand and then stared at his reflection. Hed been able to suppress it, deep inside him. But then shed run out of the bathroom, wearing those clothes. Its not that he was the kind of person to fall for someone who had a nice body. It was just that seeing Red dressed like that seemed to brighten her personality, eyes, hair, smile everything. He scrunched his eyes shut and rested his forehead against the mirror again, banging it gently as though trying to knock his feelings away. But they werent going anywhere. With his eyes closed, her smile brightened the darkness. When he woke in the morning, the highlight of his day was seeing her eyes alight with happiness. When he saw other girls, he liked comparing them to her and how she was so much better. When she looked at him, smiled at him, laughed at him, his heart thumped against his ribcage. He ground his teeth together. The one thing he thought would never happen to him, had. Seth Cooper had fallen for Red Hart.

Chapter 16: Cream

The reporters had been shooed away by a very aggressive Leo, holding two very large water guns. It was funny how fast journalists would flee after having their equipment threatened. It was 10:30 at night, way past curfew, and Zane, Seth, and Casper still hadnt returned. No one had bothered to check if they were in the dorm or not. She was the only one that knew they were missing. She was worried sick and could do nothing but lay on Seths bed, waiting for them to come back. She jumped when a loud vibrating snapped her out of her stupor and looked around hurriedly for her cell phone. She found it in the pocket of her dirty pair of white shorts.

Dexter? she said when she answered. Red, wheres Zane? he sounded worried. Very worried. He went out. I didnt know they were planning anything. I came back from the cafeteria and theyd already left. Hes coming. Blaines coming for him. She dropped the phone. Blaine was coming for Zane. And she wasnt there to protect him. ***** Zane, Casper and Seth left the park, tiredness etched over all their faces. We used to do this all the time, but now it just feels like someones missing. Casper frowned deeply at Zane. He ignored it. Casper shook his friends arm. Zaaaane. Why couldnt we bring Red on our late night walk? She would have loved it! Zane continued to ignore him. Casper released Zane and turned to Seth, shaking his arm. Seeeth. Shes your girlfriend. Why didnt you bring her? Seth looked back at Casper, his lips twitching into a small smile. Its not appropriate to bring a lady out this late at night. Seth smiled warmly and looked down at the ground. Especially not Red. Casper released Seth, pouting like a child. Shes hardly a lady, though. Zane snorted at this. Casper had been so unobservant the time hed bumped into Red in the hall, he hadnt even noticed her clothing. If he had, he wouldnt have easily said that she wasnt a lady. Caspers phone rang. He stopped walking and rummaged through his pockets for his phone, Zane and Seth watching him. After he had hung up on whomever it was who had been talking to him, he looked at Zane. Zane knew what was coming next. Business matters. I need to meet someone at the gate. Its alright, go. Casper nodded, turning to hurry in the other direction.

Fine. See you later guys. He waved at them and headed back the way they had just come. Casper was the heir to a business, just as Zane was, but the blonde happily scampered off to do the presidents beck and call. He was only at Sunnyside to have a little fun. And to dance a little. Casper loved to dance. Zane refused to do that. Seth shared the same view as Zane, refusing to even pick up calls from his mother, father, and friends from back home. Zane was going to sing and play guitar as his career, using the large sum of money he had saved to pursue that dream. Zane pushed down the irritation that rose in him. He wasnt ever going to take over the family business. He didnt want to be the president of a company at such a young age, or at any age for that matter. He wanted to sing. Just like Seth did. They turned a corner, relieved that the small, secluded road they were heading down was only a short distance from the camp. Zane felt like he should talk to his friend, but there was nothing to say. It wasnt an uncomfortable silence between them, but it wasnt really comfortable either. Both of them looked up when a black van turned onto the road at an immense speed. They didnt really pay attention. It was common for people to speed on the dirt roads in this rather rural area. But then it stopped in front of them. They both stopped walking, sharing confused glances with each other. The door opened and five men stepped out, covered completely in black. They ran towards Zane and Seth at an incredible speed. Everything happened so fast. What are you doi Zane started. He didnt finish his sentence. A syringe had been plunged into the vein in his neck and sent him collapsing face first into the ground, unconscious. A look of fear spread across Seths face. Zane! he shouted, taking a step towards his friend. Two of the men grabbed Seths arm to hold him back. He lashed out. ZANE! He yelled as loud as lungs would let him. Only to be silenced when he was punched hard in the gut, then the jaw. The men let him drop to his knees, but held onto his arms. His eyes were scrunched up tightly to try and block out the pain. When he heard a heavy boot thud to the ground out of the van, he opened them a crack. A hand curled around the door and a figure emerged from the opening.

Looks like weve got him, boys. Seth looked up slowly, blood dripping from his lip. This man looked different from the rest. From what Seth could see in the darkness, he had a bandana covering the lower half of his face. Long red hair fell to his shoulders; his dark eyes were in full view. He was dressed in combat trousers and a bullet-proof vest, the pants were tucked into a pair of steel toed boots. He looked ominous. And more than a little mean. Seth struggled to get out of the mens grip, but they held onto him tightly. Keep that one awake. I want him to know it was me that took his friend. The guy bent down towards Zane raising a finger to touch the unconscious boys face. The finger never reached his friend. The mans arm was kicked with so much force it knocked it away and sent him spinning to the ground. The masked man yelled in pain and snapped his head up to look at the figure that had appeared at Zanes side. A young girl with solid black hair ran in front of Zane and stuck her arms out wide, making a barrier. She lifted her head up slowly. Dont touch him, her voice was shaking. The really bad guy quickly stood, gesturing at his men. Get this little bitch, he cursed, stepping back to give them room. The three men that were free ran towards her. Seth stared in shock. The girl twisted, jumped, leaped, punched, kicked, slammed, pushed, and dodged. It was like a dance, but so much better. The men were getting pummeled. She was hit just once, across the face. One of the men had landed a lucky punch. Seth looked to his left and right. The two guys who were holding him had loosened their grip while they were paying attention to the fight. So he yanked his right arm out of its hold and punched the person on his left. He kicked the other guy in the stomach. He ran to help the girl. Dont! she yelled, ducking under a punch that was thrown at her before sending the man to the ground. Her voice was so familiar. She jumped back into the light, her back to Seth. Her hand reached into her pocket and pulled something out.

He sucked in a breath, his eyes wide. It was a gun. Everyone froze, including the guy whose arm was hanging limply at his side. Dont move, her voice was trembling fiercely, as was her hand. She was obviously scared, yet so in control. The guythe one who seemed to be the leaderrose from the ground to his feet, an extremely displeased expression on his face. How dare you point a gun at? My backup will be here soon. Dont even think about running, Blaine. The girls threat didnt sound as scary as it should have. The guy with the heavily bruised arm looked at the girl in surprise. You know my name. My, my, this little girl appears to know more than is healthy. He rose to his feet. The girl tightened the grip on her gun. Dont move! she yelled and sniffed. Seth stared at her back. Was she crying? He didnt think she should be crying while she was holding someone at gun point. The guy he now knew as Blaine, took a step towards her. The girls hand started to tremble even more. Blaine grunted. Youre nothing but a kid. You couldnt shoot a gun. He let out a humorless laugh. You have some skills, girly, but you dont have confidence. Youre trembling like a lost puppy. Seth turned to look at the girl. He noticed movement down by her foot and stared in horror at the man who was slowly getting to his feet; ready to knock the girl over. MOVE! Seth yelled, pulling her backwards. He sent a foot into the guys stomach and the black-clad assailant went crashing back to the ground. Blaine lunged forward to grab the girl, but Seth threw a hard punch at his face. Then he stepped forward and, bending down, he took one of Zanes arms around his shoulder. The girl took the other, still holding the gun. Zane half slid onto the ground when the girl was kicked forward. She landed on her hands and knees. Blaine had recovered from Seths punch and obviously intent on hurting the girl. Seth started to move forward to help her up, but she turned quickly around on the ground and fired the gun.

She did it. Blaines yell echoed down the country lane. He was grasping his arm, blood seeping through the gaps in his fingers. The girlwhose face was still hidden by darknesshadnt moved. The gun was sitting limply in her hand. Seth leaned forward and grabbed it, thrusting it into his pocket. RUN, he yelled at her, snapping her out of her trance. She stumbled to her feet and wrapped Zanes arm around her shoulder again, running with Seth down the road toward camp. Seth was feeling so much at once, he almost forgot to breathe. How had everything gone from normal to deadly in a few moments? Who were those guys? Who was the girl? As they staggered into the main road, his eyes moved to the girl. He stopped walking, dropping Zanes arm from around his shoulder. He didnt realize that hed abandoned his friend. She drooped under Zanes, not noticing that Seth had let him go. She was carrying Zane on her own. She turned around. Seth was standing there, staring at her with wide eyes, his hands limp by his side. She was standing underneath a lamppost and the light was shining down on her. Seth stepped forward, wiping the back of his sleeve slowly along his bleeding lip. He approached her quickly and placed one finger underneath her chin, lifting her face up so he could see it clearly. She had a cut above her eyebrow, her nose had a small trickle of blood coming from it and her lip was bleeding almost as much as his, but beneath that it was obvious who it was. He sucked in a breath. It was Red.

Chapter 17: Burgundy

She didnt remember ever being so frightened in her entire life, if she hadnt gotten to them in time She was surprised at her own boldness. She never thought shed have the confidence to step in front of a person, ordering someone not to hurt them. And when shed engaged in combat, the training shed taken had come back so fast, her head felt like exploding. Block a punch, duck then kick, dodge and push. Shed been so caught up in protecting Zane, she hadnt even thought about what action to take next. Shed just moved. Nor had she thought about the fact that Seth was behind her and was watching every move she made. Shed just grabbed Zane after hed told her to run, and hobbled away. She hadnt been concerned that he would see her. And now that he had identified her? He stared down at her, his finger under her chin. She looked back, her eyes wide with horror. There was no getting out of this sticky situation. You youre He lifted his finger away from her chin, his eyes wide and gleaming with emotion, and his mouth slightly open in shock. Red. She gripped Zanes hand; the one slung over her shoulder, and broke eye contact with Seth. We need to get him back, she whispered, starting to walk again. It was a while before she felt the weight lift as Zanes other arm was wrapped around Seths neck. They ran in silence through the camp gates, and the closer she got to the dorm, the more she dreaded the phone call from Dexter. They laid Zane down in his bed and slowly moved back, both breathing heavily. She hoped by now that Blaine would have been arrested and Dexter was at Headquarters, filing the reports. Looking down at Zanes sleeping face, she felt her stomach turn. She was unbelievably happy that he hadnt been hurt. She wouldnt have been able to live with herself if he had been. Seth had left Zanes side and sat slowly down on the sofa occupying his room. After shed rested a hand on Zanes forehead to check his temperature, she looked over to Seth. She straightened up. Hed have questions. Thinking of Vikki, she started to believe that this undercover mission was slowly becoming a mission for more than just her. It seems that there were several civilians getting involved as well.

She trudged over and sat down in front of him, Zanes handy first aid kit in her hand. Seth met her eyes when she put a hand under his face, wiping at his bleeding lip with a wipe. Slowly she wiped around his entire face. He gazed at her so intently, she felt like she was the only thing that he could see. When shed finished taking care of him, she stood up to go put the kit away. Seth grabbed her wrist. Then he pulled her onto the sofa beside him and switched places with her. He placed his gentle fingers underneath her chin and turned it as he started to wipe at her eyebrow and nose, making her wince when the antiseptic liquid brushed over the wounds. Who are you? he whispered, tilting his head to the left so he could see her eyebrow better. She had expected the question. Im undercover, she whispered in return. Seth froze in his actions and looked at her. Then, surprisingly, a smile spread across his face. He moved the wipe to his lap, looking down at it and starting to fiddle with it. The smile was still on his face. Then he let out a quiet laugh and lifted his head back up, shocking her with the rare amusement in his eyes. If youd told me that this morning, I wouldnt have believed it. He went back to wiping her face, his smile dazzling. Seth tucked the strand of blue hair behind her ear. Youre trying to capture the man you shot. She grimaced. He sent her an apologetic smile. Sorry. She shook her head. Its alright. It was my first time holding a gun on someone. An agent gave it to me before I chased after you. He brought it to me today, saying I might need it because Blaine had come for Zane She stopped talking. Shed said too much. Seth stopped wiping her face and his surprised eyes moved to hers. They want Zane? he whispered. She nodded and broke eye contact. He moved away slowly, back onto his knees. Is that why youre friends with all of us? Is your name reallyRed Hart? His question made him sound pained. She couldnt help but lift sad eyes to study him.

He looked miserable. She shook her head. Protesting, No! She looked over her shoulder to make sure she hadnt disturbed Zane and lowered her voice. No. Well, yes, I had to make friends with Zane so I could stay close enough to protect him, but I really do believe were real friends. Seths expression didnt change. She leaned forward. Really. Red Hart is my name. Im not faking. There was silence between them for a moment, but Seths lips twitched upwards into a smile. I know. I knew there was something different about you the first time I saw you in Zanes room. His smile widened more at the look of surprise on her face. You were so innocent and naive, I suspected you had a fake personality. One that you would use to try and win people over. He smirked. By the second day, I knew you were for real. But that didnt explain why you were staying in this dorm when you werent famous, you werent rich, and yet you werent staying in Royal Nature. Her eyes were wide. She had no idea that Seth had paid that much attention to her. No idea that he would suspect her. Seth put the wipes back into the first aid box. I guess now I know the reason youre here. He ruffled her hair and gave her a toothy smile. You were incredible. She felt her cheeks grow hot and laughed nervously, breaking eye contact again. She could never stare at him for long before feeling slightly flustered. Someone knocked at the door. She quickly got to her feet to answer it. It was Dexter and one of the agents from Headquarters who was a fully-trained medic. Dexter entered the room, giving her a distraught glance that sent her expectations plummeting. The agent sighed and nodded. He got away, leaving only blood behind. Dexter looked at her sternly. I guess that was you. She nodded, sending him a forced smile. He shook his head. He was so close. He even had the balls to leave a message before driving off, Dexter handed her a piece of paper. It, read: This will not be my last attempt. I know youre looking for me, but Im also looking for you. Dont think that Ill be easy to catch. Zane Noble will be mine, and when Im finished with him, Ill get

your agent. She swallowed. Well, that was just what she needed to end the night, a threat from the man who murdered her parents. She was just thankful she didnt get a great look at his face, thanks to the handkerchief mask and the darkness. If she had, his face would haunt her dreams. She turned to give the note back to Dexter, but his eyes were on Seth. She wandered over to her friend. He knows. There was no way to keep it from him since Blaine attacked with him there. She stood by Seth, staring at Dexter. Hes helped out a lot since Ive been here. He even let me stay in his room when mine was flooded. Strangely, that darkened Dexters expression. He walked towards Seth slowly, examining him inch-by-inch. Seth nodded. Hello, sir, he said politely. Dexter looked at her. Youre sharing a room with this boy? She nodded. Seth looked at her in a strange way, as though trying to tell her something. She had no idea what to say or not. Dexter folded his arms. Is that allowed here? She quickly nodded again. Yes, if youre lovers. Seth said we could pretend to be lovers so I can stay with him instead of the girl that was bullying me. Dexters eyes narrowed. He looked at Seth in a way that sent a shiver down the boys spine. He leaned forward. You asked an innocent girl to pretend to be your lover so she could stay with you? Do you know this girl has lived underground her entire life? Shes clueless to this world and yet you still want to Dexter. She grabbed his arm and frowned. He looked at her apologetically and moved back. Seth was still frozen to the spot, his eyes wide with fear. Why did you come here? she asked the agent, looking over her shoulder to watch as the medic attended to Zane, injecting him with something. Dexter ran a hand through his short hair. I need you to stay here. Its dangerous, so for the time being Ill station a few men outside. No

point being careful now as Blaine obviously knows we are after him. As the medic returned to Dexters side, he checked Seths basic first aid to make sure that Red hadnt suffered anything worthy of their attention. When they were satisfied, they patted her on the back, nodded at her, and moved for the door. Oh. Halfway through the door, he stopped and poked his head back in. If you happen to come into contact with Blaine again, make sure he doesnt see your face. Im confident he wont recognize you, but the slight chance of him realizing youre a Hart is still there. I dont want to lose you, especially after losing your parents. He smiled sadly and closed the door. She was left with Seth, who was staring at her with surprise again. Dexter had said enough to really open the floodgate for questions. You lived underground? he asked quietly. She nodded, her face tilted toward the floor, her eyes avoiding his. He took a step toward her, resting a hand on her shoulder to turn her around. Your parents are dead? he asked her again. She lifted her head to smile at him and nodded. Yes. They were killed, by that man who attacked you tonight. Sympathy crossed over his face, and horror. Im sorry. That was all shed heard after her parents were killed. Shed been ten, and hearing the words didnt make the hurt go away. She shook her head. Its fine. She sighed and moved away so his hand fell off of her shoulder. She walked over to Zanes bedside and sat on a footstool beside it. She rested her arms on his bed and stared at his face. Im going to stay here and look after him for a while. Its my mission after all, She forced a grin on her face. Seth nodded back, smiling. He opened the door and looked over his shoulder before he left. She let out a sigh and rested her head on her crossed arms that were resting on Zanes bed. Why couldnt her life be ordinary? ***** Zane woke up, feeling like he had slept better than he had in a long, long time. Not once had he got up in the night with chest ache, or suffered from general insomnia. He sat up slowly in bed, aching all over. He muttered under his breath. It felt like hed worked out without warming up first, then gone straight to bed when he was finished.

He winced at the bright light that poured in from the window and looked tiredly around his room. Then he felt something by his left side. Looking down, he recoiled and almost fell off the bed in surprise. Red was asleep, resting her head on the side of his bed. Her face was turned towards him, as though she had fallen asleep watching him. Why, and what was she doing in his room? He looked around. Eyes not seeing his room, as he mentally searched his memories. He kept his distance from Red while he tried hard to remember. He pressed a hand to his head, closing his eyes and thinking. Then they snapped open. Hed almost been kidnapped. The black van had pulled up; those people had jumped out He touched a slightly tender part of his neck where the syringe had plunged in. He grimaced. He knew this should have scared him. But this wasnt the first time someone had tried to kidnap him. He had a lot of money, a lot of power. In fact, there had been numerous kidnapping attempts. He was usually a bit spooked afterwards, but he always got over it. He was somewhat famous for the number of escaped attempts. It was a shame he didnt remembered how hed managed to get out of this one. He looked back down at Red, who still slept heavily. The bags under her eyes and stress on her forehead suggested she was troubled. He couldnt stop himself from moving forward to examine her closer. As he did, he noticed the cut on her eyebrow. And the bruise on her forehead. And the little spot of blood on her nose. AND the small cut on her lip. Shed been injured. In fact, it looked like someone had beaten the holy hell out of her. He moved her bangs away from her face, scanning her for any signs. He found none. What had happened the night before? He slumped back against the headrest, wincing when he pulled his knees up. They hurt a little from where they had come into contact with the ground. He stared at the mop of black hair on top of Reds head. Wake her up. Then youll know for sure. He tapped his lip with his index finger. Should he wake her just to satisfy his own curiosity? He shrugged, then leaned forward and shook her arm.

Hey, he said loudly. Red grumbled and turned her head away. He shook her again. HEY! Wake up! She sat up quickly, almost colliding with Zanes head. There was a short moment of confusion, before she looked at Zane. Her face lightened up and she threw herself onto the bed, throwing her arms around Zanes neck and resting her legs against his side. His eyes widened and he went rigid. Red didnt notice and tightened the grip around his neck. Zane! I cant believe youre alright. I was so worrie She stopped. She went rigid too. It looked like she had just realized her mistake. She moved slowly back, her arms untangling themselves from behind his neck to rest on his shoulders. His gray eyes met hers when her face came into view. Inches away from his. There was silence. Zane still stared at her in shock. No one had ever dared to invade his personal space before without getting permission. In fact, he didnt remember his personal space ever being invaded, even with his consent. And here he was, sitting on his bed with Red just inches away from him. In his mind, he was absolutely shocked. His mind said, push her awaybut his gut urged him to pull her back. And that wasnt good. Surely the mind beat the stomach? Right. It was just his body reacting to the fact there was a girl in his room, alone, on his bed. That was the only possible reason for this conflict that he could understand. Red slowly untangled herself, moved away from him, and sat on the edge. She was smiling, and then started to laugh. She looked at him. Sorry. I guess Im just relieved youre still breathing. She struggled to hide the grin that was spreading across her face. He still looked shocked. He cleared his throat and focused his eyes on the wall. I would let this little incident slip if you told me how I came to be in this condition. Although he wasnt looking at Red, he noticed her stiffen out of the corner of his eye. She looked down at the floor, fiddling with a piece of thread hanging from her shorts. His shorts. The ones he had given her.

Uh, well, you seethose people tried to kidnap you, but the police showed up and arrested them all! She let out a fake laugh and scratched the back of her head. Thats it. Zane examined her. His eyes moved to the cut on her eyebrow and the bruise on her forehead. He lifted the heavy, plush quilt off of his legs and crawled to Reds side. She watched him cautiously, with eyes wide. He raised a hand and brushed her bangs to the side. Holding them gently in place, he touched her bruise with his right hand. She winced. How do you explain this? He brushed the cut on her eyebrow. This? He moved to the split on her lip. Did he dare touch it? His body had already compelled him to move towards the tomboyish girl and touch the cuts, which was completely unnecessary. His body was out of control. His hand cupped her cheek and he moved his head slowly towards hers, ignoring her wide, petrified expression. He brushed his thumb along her bottom lip, where the split was. Her lips were so soft. And this, he whispered, his nose inches from hers. He raised his eyes from her lips to her eyes. He might as well have stunned her with a Taser. She was totally immobile. And he was insane. But being this close to the girl was making him dizzy, the kind of feeling you get after two glasses of wine. He was intoxicated. Wow, look at you. What are you? A hormonal, fourteen-year-old boy? It was the devils time to turn up. The angel popped up beside him. What? Hormonal? Cant you see that he likes the girl? Were inside his head. You and I both know shes on his mind nearly all the time. Zane moved back, his hand freezing on Reds cheek. He felt cold all over. Shes on his mind? Right. Thats only because she wont leave him alone, so he hasnt got time to think about anything else. The Devil. No, thats because hes got feelings for her. Look. How can you not like such an innocent, pure girl? Angel. Zane stared into Reds eyes. Her blue, enticing eyes. They were as pure as spring water, the color of the sky. Such an innocent color.

See? Totally pure. Angel. And thats reason enough to have her on his mind? Right. Hes Zane Noble - do you think hed fall for someone like this, someone so unimportant, so unladylike, and so impossible? Get real. Definitely Devil. Zane removed his hand, slowly moving back into a sitting position. Damn it, he was listening to himself. The angel inside him banged against his forehead. Hey, youre listening to him? Hes bad, dummy! Look! Devil horns mean bad! Do it, go and kiss her Whoa. Kiss her? He stared at Red, who still hadnt moved. He hadnt been about to kiss her. Hed just touched the cut on her lip and asked where it had come from. Really. Sometimes, the angel inside could be so ridiculous. He pushed both Angel and Devil to the back of his head. He could swear he heard the devil say I told you so, before being shut away. He clambered out of bed to stand in front of Red, his hands were unusually sweaty. He crossed his arms. Well? Can you explain where you got the injuries? His voice was slightly shaky, but that was obviously the side effect of having nearly been kidnapped. Perhaps he was still suffering from shock. Red seemed to be suffering more than him, though. At the sound of his voice, she lifted her head to stare at him, seemingly still in a trance. Zane leaned forward slightly and waved a hand in front of her face. Hello? I need an answer. She shook her head, trying to snap herself out of the stupor. He watched her swallow. I fell, she croaked. He rolled his eyes. You expect me to believe that you fell? How many times can a normal girl fall? Red rose to her feet and swiped her hands down her wrinkled clothing, throwing Zane a grin. Im not a normal girl. He stared at her, and then snorted, resisting the urge to retaliate with yeah, I noticed. But even if he didnt seem like the friendliest person, he still realized that would have been mean. Red looked around awkwardly. Well, Im glad youre okay. She looked down at the watch on her wrist. Her eyes widened. Oh. Weve missed our meetings.

Zane looked down at the watch that was still on his wrist from yesterday. A sharp white crack ran through the center. He muttered under his breath, slowly undoing the band. Its alright to miss one day his words didnt reach Red. Shed already run out the door, obviously in a rush to get to a class that would end in minutes. He stared after her and scoffed in disbelief. The strange girl stayed in his room all night without his permission, invading his personal space without asking, and then just runs off? He chewed on the inside of his cheek. Shed been attached to his side since the beginning of camp, thoroughly unwanted, an irritant. But when he wanted to speak to her, she made some excuse and dashed out to a class shed never get to in time, leaving him alone with several unanswered questions. The only one he could think of right now? Was piano more important to her than spending time with him?

Chapter 18: Lilac

She couldnt miss the meeting. She needed to ask the leader whether Vikki was coming back. Sure, Tiffany had said she wasnt. But she wanted to hear it from someone else besides the bimbo. She collided with a figure at the top of the stairs and fell back onto the floor. She looked up, rubbing her forehead. Casper sank to his knees. Red! Are you okay? You shouldnt run so fast you could hurt he trailed off and lifted her bangs away from her forehead. You look terrible! Did something happen? He looked around the hallway, as though he would spot the thing that had injured her. There wasnt anything there to find. His eyes widened when he noticed that Zanes door was open a crack. No! Zane didnt beat you up did he?

Horror spread across her face. NNo! Zane wouldnt do that! I just fell. I fell. She pushed down the feeling of guilt for lying to Casper. When she noticed him get off his knees, a determined, bold expression on his face, she grabbed his arm, scrambling to her feet to block his way. He stared at her for a moment, scanning her face for the truth. He looked away. Geez, Red, you must be really clumsy. He blew out, blowing his bangs into the air. She watched as they settled back into place. Casper crinkled his brow as he brought his blue orbs back to hers. Hey, why arent you in the meeting? And how come you just came out of She ran off, noticing that colliding with Casper had taken two minutes. She sprinted down the stairs as fast as she could. Casper stared after Red, his hand outstretched. He had called for her to wait, but she had run off. Had she ignored him? Was she hiding something? He dropped his arm and his eyes narrowed after her in speculation. He slumped against the banister, pressing a hand to his chest. His heart was thumping so hard, and he felt out of breath. Had his journey up the stairs over-exerted him that much? He frowned and bunched up his lips, ruffling the back of his head in frustration. Why had Red rushed off so fast? She looked guilty. Why would she be guilty? Geez, Red, you must be real clumsy, he had grumbled to her, a slight sarcastic tone to his voice. Then it hit him, right in the face. He had frowned, opening his mouth to ask her why she had been in Zanes room and not in the meeting that morning. But she ran off before he could finish his sentence. Caspers mouth fell open and he slapped two hands to it, his eyes wide with horror. His heart sped up even more. There was only one explanation for this. The only explanation that could explain why Red was in Zanes room, and why shed missed her meeting. Red was cheating on Sethwith Zane. ***** Shed gotten there too late. The leader had already gone home and there was only a few people left behind in the room, gathering up their bags and talking animatedly to each other. She didnt notice them staring hard at her face as they went by. She looked around frantically, searching for the Leader.

She gave up and slumped against the wall as the last person left. This had been the last opportunity she had had to ask Leader what happened to Vikki. It was Sports activity week starting from Tuesday. I think Ill hunt down the people who did that to your face, so I can congratulate them. Her eyes widened and she lifted her head quickly. It was Tiffany, with Henrietta close behind her. The irritating girl smirked and crossed her arms, walking towards her with attitude in her heels. Tiffany flicked her hair over her shoulder and rested a hand on Reds arm. My Seth wont want a girl with a face that looks like that. She moved her head all around, closely examining Reds face. She moved a finger up pressed the bump on Reds forehead. The contact made her wince. Tiffany met Reds eyes again, an overconfident smile on her face. What a shame. You must have really pissed someone off. Red dropped her eyes to the ground and stepped around her, heading out the door. She didnt want to talk to Tiffany. Not after what had happened the day before, when she had almost allowed Zane to be captured. She was already losing all self-confidence as an agent. Tiffanys hand reached out and landed on Reds shoulder. Before Red realized what she was doing, her hands snapped up and latched on to the other girls hand, pulling it hard over her shoulder and bringing Tiffany with it. The blonde landed on the ground and Red stomped her foot on her nose. She blinked, focused on Henrietta, who was kneeling by Tiffanys side on the ground. The blonde bully was yelping like a dog. Tiffany held her bleeding nose, her eyes scrunched up in pain. Henriettas shaking hands pushed Tiffanys blonde hair away from her face. Tiff! Oh my God, Tiff! Are you alright? Red stared at her hands in horror, like they werent her own. Then she ran out of the room as fast as she could, the image of Tiffany on the ground with blood spurting out of her nose went with her. Red had injured Tiffany. She hadnt even meant to do it! Her body had reacted on its own accord. And running away had seemed her only option. She sprinted back to the dorm, feeling frail and shaky. Her breathing was erratic. She surged up the stairs as fast as her legs would carry her.

No. Not her legs, her body was no longer on the same team as her mind. When she spotted Seth coming down the staircase, she thought to run straight past him. She talk to anyone. Shed just injured an innocent girl, without meaning to. Well. Maybe not so innocent, but still, the point was that Red hadnt meant to do it. What if shed broken Tiffanys nose? What if shed seriously injured the girls back when she threw her to the ground? Without a doubt, she was going to be hated. It wouldnt matter if they believed she was Seth Coopers girlfriend or not. As she ran past him, he wrapped a hand around her arm. It took a great deal of effort to stop her body from reacting. She felt an almost overwhelming need to throw the hand and owner off of her, sending him crashing to the ground. Seth stared at her wide, gleaming eyes and her trembling arm. He wasnt smiling. He was looking at her like she was a ghost. Judging by how pale she was, she knew that it would be an easy mistake to make. He slowly released her arm and stepped forward. She stepped back. Dont come any closer. She held out her hands in front of her, creating a barrier that wouldnt allow him to pass. Red. Come back upstairs. He lifted an arm to rest it on her shoulder. She flinched violently away from him. She knew what had happened. She knew what was wrong with her. When she had saved Zane, all her training had rushed to the front. All of the information shed read in books, all of the exercises and mock fights that shed been participating in since she was little. Shed been trained to be paranoid around people. All of that training, all that research, everything had surfaced at once, and shed lost control. She didnt notice her heavy breathing, or that she was on the verge of a panic attack. She sunk to the ground, not caring that she was still on the steps of the dorm. People began to come out of their rooms, poking their heads around the corners of their doors and whispering to each other. She pressed her hands to her ears, scrunching her eyes closed. Flashes and images poured into her head, like a broken film skipping parts and playing only little bits that made no sense. This was the same thing that had happened at the party. She vaguely recognized that she was being lifted from the ground by two people and moved into a room. Some part of her mind recognized that it wasnt Seths. She was shaking all over. Then suddenly, it stopped. Everything stopped. Her eyes opened and She was breathing normally again, feeling fine. She rubbed her eyes and sat up

quickly, almost butting heads with someone leaning over her. Red? She turned to look at the owner of the voice. It was Casper. He stood beside Seth looking very, very scared. She scratched her cheek and looked around. She was in a room she hadnt been in before - probably Caspers. She swallowed and looked at the two of them, then let out a nervous laugh. That was weird. They sagged in relief, smiles spreading across their faces. However their eyes were still filled with concern. What happened? Seth asked, sitting at the end of the sofa closest to Red. She grimaced, dropping her head. I Im not sure. I left earlier to see if Leader was still at the meeting, but shed left already. Then Tiffany came up to me and She frowned, not liking what she had to say next. And she kind of threatened me again. She pushed on the bump on my forehead, put her hand on my shoulder. She raised her head to look at the two of them. II flipped her over my shoulder and then stomped on her nose. They stared at her with eyes wide. Then I came back here, met Seth in the hall, and all of a sudden it was like I was seeing things and feeling things I dont remember. There were light flashes and images appearing in front of my eyes. It was really strange. She frowned, rubbing the back of her neck. It was silent in the room for a moment and then Casper went rigid. She and Seth looked at him questioningly. He was staring at Seths face. You too? Your lip Casper looked back at her, then back to Seth. Did you two get into a fight? She shook her head, leaning forward in protest. Nno! Its just coincidence. She hoped lied well. Shed never really done much of that before. Seth looked back at her, his eyes filled with a strange emotion. He stood up. Think you can stand? he asked her. She nodded and swung her legs off of the sofa, slowly getting to her feet. She wasnt the faintest bit uneasy, like she had been before. Seth took one step closer towards her. Im going to try something. You mustnt feel sorry if anything happens. She looked at him strangely, and then nodded.

He reached out and pressed a hand to her arm. Her vision went blank, temporarily, and when it returned, she found she was holding Seths arm tightly behind his back. He shuffled uncomfortably on his feet, his face scrunched up in pain. She released him and stepped back, cupping her mouth in horror. Casper stared at her with eyes wide. Wow. Seth straightened and rotated the arm shed forced behind his back. He worked on easing the muscles shed just pulled. He sent her a reassuring smile. Looks like youve got some type of phobia, your fight or flight response is geared to fight and you lash out when you are touched without warning. Casper frowned and looked from Seth to her. You dont want your own boyfriend to touch you? An uncomfortable silence filled the room as she looked down at the carpet, as did Seth, avoiding Caspers gaze. Its not that she didnt want any body contact with anyone. She didnt mind having someone randomly hug her, or lay a hand on her shoulder. But right now it seemed that her body did. A knock at the door broke the uncomfortable tension. Casper shuffled over to answer it, frowning. He obviously wasnt happy about not knowing what was going on. Her mind wandered as he went to answer the door. Tiffany had probably seen the nurse by now and had her injuries seen to. Everything had happened so fast, but after looking at her watch, she realized it had only been about fifteen minutes since she had hurt the mean girl. When she heard the door open, she turned to see who it was. Zane was standing there, his arms folded across his stomach. He was wearing a black t-shirt that looked like it was made out of an expensive fabric, and the neck collar sagged down like a scarf. It fit tight to Zanes body, which was lean and skinny. He looked down at Casper with a straight face. He peeked around the edge of the door, one eyebrow raised in speculation. What is this? A private meeting?

She grinned at the new guest and ran towards the door, pulling the door open fully. Zane! Werent you going to go tell your uncle what happened? she asked him, tilting her head to the side. He bit the side of his cheek and stared at the doorframe. I decided it would be best to keep this little incident to myself. No harm in preventing the press from getting the story. He strode into the room without invitation from Casper. If she had looked at Casper, she would have noticed the suspicious look he was giving her and Zane. The blonde followed Zane, crossing his arms and watching his every move. Seth looked at his friend blankly. Red just collapsed in the hall. We dont know what happened, but now shes developed a fear of physical contact, Seth explained calmly to Zane, his velvety voice seeming to calm down the room. Zanes eyes were wide and he stared at her. What? Her grin slipped away and she smiled weakly at him. I dont know how it happened. Casper walked over to her and stood in front of Zane. The cheeky blonde boy was glaring at him. Ill show you. Casper suddenly swung around and grabbed her shoulders with both of his hands. It was like she simply shut her eyes for a nap and then woken up few minutes later. When she opened her eyes, she found she had latched on to Caspers arms and was pulling them both backwards, a foot pressed hard into his back. She released him quickly and stepped away. Every time this happened, it made her feel so bad. How was she supposed to stop it? Casper rolled over on the ground, a surprised smile spreading over his face. Wow. That gets funnier every time it happens. She frowned and pouted at him. Its not funny. Seth smiled too and tilted his head to the side. Its very impressive, though. It must have taken years of training for you to react that quickly. She sniffed and rubbed her forehead. She was getting a headache. What training? She looked down at Casper, who was sitting on the ground with his

knees pulled up to his chin and his arms wrapped around his legs. Zane was looking at her questioningly, too. Crap. Shes trained in martial arts and self-defense since she was little, Seth said it so smoothly and so quickly, it shocked her. Hed actually told them the truthin some senseand had said it calmly, without making it sound like a lie. She would have messed it up. Casper scrambled to his feet and sent a cheeky grin to Zane. It seemed like a cheeky grin to her, but in fact behind that smile was an evil motive. He leaned forward suddenly and grabbed Zanes folded arm. Zane glared at him. What are you Casper placed his hand on her shoulder. She sucked in a breath and waited for her involuntary reaction. And waited. Nothing happened. She didnt black out and Zane wasnt being pressed to the ground in a painful position. The only reaction that had happened was her heartbeat had strangely increased. She hit her chest with her hand to stop it from thumping so loud and looked at everyone in confusion. I didnt do anything. She didnt know why, but everyone else seemed to have clammed up, like they were having a silent conversation that she wasnt part of. They knew something. So, do you think that was because I knew Casper was pushing it? No one answered. She had a phobia of unwanted physical contact, even when touched by her closest friends. So why, when Zane had rested a hand on her, didnt she react? ***** Seth rolled over on the mattress on the floor and stared up at the sleeping girl on the bed. Her black hair framed her face, her lips pouted slightly in her sleep, and she had a light crease in her brow. She was probably having a bad dream. He pushed back the blanket and sat up on his knees, bringing his face close to her sleeping one. Slowly, with a trembling hand, he lifted his arm and brushed back the tendrils of her hair, revealing her pale cheekbone and cut eyebrow. She looked so innocent, even when she slept. Lightly, he touched her forehead, hoping to ease away the stress that was etched into it. It slowly faded and she moved a little, hugging the corner of the quilt closer to her

chin. He ran a finger over her cut eyebrow. She was an agent. An undercover agent. How was it, that such an naive, childlike girl could be an agent? Agents were supposed to tough, deceitful, to kill and harm. Shed fended off full-grown men with ease, coming out relatively unscathed. Shed hesitated to shoot the person she was supposed to kill. But shed done so well. After learned so much about her, the entire truth, he felt like exploding. Hed only felt such overwhelming emotions once before. When his mother had died after his father deserted her. He brushed back more of her hair and leaned forward slowly, placing a small kiss on her cut eyebrow. He struggled hard to hide his feelings. So hard. Because he knew the reason she wouldnt hurt Zane. He knew the reason she brightened up when the other boy was around. He knew the reason she was so determined to make this mission a success. But Seth wasnt ready to accept that. And with everything he had, he would try as hard as he could to make her his for real.

Chapter 19: Turquoise

The first day of Sports weekwas a run. It was actually a pretty good day for it. The sun was behind the clouds and it was pleasant out. She was feeling pumped and motivated. It was a cross-country run around the entire camp. Not too difficult. Thats what youre supposed to tell yourself before you start. She was dressed in a tight tank top and large shorts. She tied her short, cropped hair into two separate bunches on either side of her head. They stuck out like paintbrushes and for some reason this seemed to attract a lot more attention than if shed left it down.

She didnt notice the interest following her every step. She made her way down to the starting line with Seth, who was a lot quieter, and more detached than usual. She noticed his eyes flicker in her direction occasionally, but took no notice. She had learned to leave him alone when he didnt feel like speaking. As they neared the starting line, she heard the whispers. The people were watching her and Sethpulling at each others sleeves and pointing at them as they walked by. She felt Seth lean in, being careful not to make contact with her, and then whisper in her ear. This is expected. Just go with it. She nodded and took one step away from him. She hated that she had to keep some physical distance from her friend, but it was for his safety. She approached the starting line, taking her place next to Casper. Seth was at her other side. Casper turned his head to grin at her and she smiled at him too before looking back to the front. She didnt notice him do a double take, just as the whistle blew. He stumbled and hurried to catch up to her side. She didnt know. How could she? Sometimes, innocence was definitely a negative trait. ***** Zane jogged up next to Casper, noticing that the blonde boy appeared to be constantly distracted. He kept running off course into the weeds and gravel, mumbling to himself. After the fourth time, he jogged past Casper to see if he could figure out what was that so distracting. He stumbled and nearly fell. Quickly regaining control of himself, he cleared his throat and shook his head. My God, she probably didnt realize, he thought He was used to Red looking a little tomboyish. But today shed worn the same type of boy shorts but paired them with a top that wasnt boyish at all. And Red had well, boobs. Shed done something with her hairbut what all the boys were stumbling over wasnt her abbreviated pigtails, it was that top. She was wearing a precariously low cut top that looked one size too small. He glanced at one of the other girls jogging by. Well, at least she wasnt just wearing a sports bra, things could be worse. He guessed. But he didnt like that there were so many boys looking atRed Did he dare glance at her again? Did she look that good, that, well exposed?

He fiddled with his earphones and used this as an excuse to glance over again. He cursed under his breath and slowed his jogging down back to an even pace so he was beside Casper again. He noticed that even Seth was having a hard time focusing on the jogging, and he was probably just as innocent as Red. As the members of Royal Haven turned the first corner splitting off into a different direction than Royal NatureZane managed to switch places with Casper, so he could job next to Red. He tugged her arm and pulled her aside, allowing the other joggers to go past them at a faster pace. Red looked up at him, a bit surprised at his actions. She looked down at the hand that held her arm, like it was some confusing maths puzzle. Clearly she was still spooked about the fact she didnt retaliate when Zane touched her. He didnt show it, but he was just as spooked. He shrugged off the light hoodie he was wearing. He hadnt worn it because it was cold, but rather because it matched the shirt, thrusting the sweatshirt out to her. She looked at it like it was going to bite her and then lifted her cerulean eyes up to his. What do I need this for? she asked, her chest heaving up and down as she tried to catch her breath. Zane tried very hard to keep his eyes on her face, mentally slapping his warm cheeks. Youre not suitably dressed for a cross country run, he said, keeping his eyes on the joggers going past them. She looked down at chest, then back up to Zane. Youre not supposed to wear black strap tops to a cross country run? She looked at a girl running by, who was wearing a similar top. No, he said to himself. Youre not supposed to wear a top that low, with your hair up like that.No one can think when you do that. I cant think. He glared at her and pushed the hoodie at her again. Please? Why not take advantage of the fact that Im actually trying to, he breathed in, help you. Her face lit up and reached for the sweatshirt, taking it from him, and yeahpulling it around her shoulders, zipping it up the front. . She grinned up at him. Thanks, Zane! And with that, she jogged off. He watched after her with his arms folded, snorting in derision. She was clueless on her affect on him, and all the other guys. ***** She was ecstatic. Completely, totally ecstatic. Not only had Zane given her his hoodie at the run, but hed actually knocked on Seths dooronce

Seth had leftand asked to see what she planned to wear for the day. She thought it might have something to do with going to the cafeteria this morning in a pair of red, REALLY short shorts. Since the ones Zane had given her were in the wash. She also wore a strange top that didnt have any sleeves, only tied up behind her neck. Vikki had called it a halter. She really would have to thank Vikki, if her friend ever came back. The girl had been right; the clothes had worked. Every time Red wore the clothes her friend had picked out for her, Zane had approached her. And it wasnt to bite her head off! He really was interested in what she was wearing. It had been so long since Zane had asked her to leave Royal Haven. She was beginning to think he had accepted her. She glanced over at him. He was standing in Seths room, looking through the tops and shorts that she had left, a look of disgust and horror across his face. She watched him with a grin on her face. He dropped the last pair of shorts back into the bag and folded his arms across his chest, looking at her, frowning. Do you have any idea He sighed when he saw her smiling face. Shaking his head, he turned his back on her. You dont, you have no idea She pulled her legs onto Seths bed and pressed the bottoms of her feet together, putting her arms forward so she could grasp her ankles with her hands. She started to rock backwards and forward, still happily smiling at Zane. Hey, Zane, are we friends yet? He snorted and turned around. Coming to a complete standstill when he saw what she was doing. Amazing, she was sooo flexible. His eyes widened, he could fill sweat trickle down his forehead. She stopped rocking and tilted her head to look at him in confusion. He had turned a little white. Zane? She released her feet and started to crawl on the bed, toward him. She wanted a closer look at him. Without warning, he turned sprinted out the door, slamming it hard behind him. So hard, in fact, the walls shook. She stared after him, her brow creased in confusion. What did she do this time? Zane slammed the door shut behind him, collapsing against it as soon as it was closed. He tilted his head back and scrunched his eyes shut, resting a hand over his warm face. He slammed his fist against his chest, trying to stop his heart from beating so fast. What was wrong with him?

No. It wasnt what was wrong with him. It was what was wrong with Red. Surely, the girl was too innocent for her own good. Or his. She didnt have the slightest idea about what she looked like in those clothes. There was no girl alive who could be so dense. She had no self-awareness. Shed been sitting in that position, the red shorts ridding up her pale thighs and her top dangerously low. She was a tomboy. A tomboy. She shouldnt be wearing those kinds of clothes. God, shed only made it worse by crawling forward, closer to him. The top had gaped open and it wasnt the shorts that bothered him that time. He felt like poking her back with a stick and telling her to stay away. She really wasnt good for his health. He rubbed at his forehead and made his way slowly back to his room. Hed take her shopping. It wasnt because he wanted to keep her company. Or because spending the day with her would make her extremely happy. Or for his sanity. He needed to do it for his friend. RightSeth wouldnt be happy with his girlfriend walking around in such provocative clothing. Zanes heart had sped up because he was afraid of her, not for any other reason. He didnt want to be flipped over her shoulder in one of her spontaneous karate moves or something. He needed to keep his distance. But how was he supposed to do that if he was taking her shopping? Hed stay an arms length away at all times. That was the best way to make sure his heart didnt beat so hard, in fear. ***** Today was the second day of Sports activity. When she heard what the activity was, she had to try so hard to keep her feet firmly planted on the ground. She wanted to run away. They were going swimming. She couldnt go near the water. She just couldnt. The thought of even being near it sent chills down her spine. She raised a hand and looked at it. It was trembling slightly. All campers who cannot swim can make their way over to the shallow area at the end of the lake! The camp counselor was busy dividing everyone into groups. She stood with Casper, Seth, and Zane. They didnt move. Evidently these three could swim. She sighed. Of course they could swim. They hadnt lived underground since they were children. With all that money, they probably owned their own swimming pools and could afford to pay for the best instructors. She started to slowly walk away, towards the shallow end, feeling

their eyes on her back. Hey, Red! I didnt know you couldnt swim! Casper hurried to stand by her side. He looked at her sympathetically. She laughed nervously. Ill be fine. Its just a little water. She told herself that. But, Caspers words had ensured that everyone knew she couldnt swim. There were many snickers and whispering jokes about her failing. Casper went back to stand with Zane and Seth. She stared at the ground, not wanting to move. Everyone else began to jump in the water. The girls were wearing bikinis and other cute swimsuits. She wore the longest pair of shorts that she had, and of Seths t-shirts. She hadnt thought about needing a swimsuit. Since shed never been in the water, it had never crossed her mind. She watched everyone as they started to swim lengths. She stood at the edge of the lake, away from everyone else and just stared at the water. This was the deepest part of the lake. There was no gradual descent, but a steep drop-off, which was why this area was used for diving and swimming laps. The water here was deep. She leaned out over the edge to look at the water, she felt sick in the pit of her stomach. Quickly moving back, she shuddered. She didnt like the water. She frowned at glassy surface, almost mesmerized by the suns glare on its surface. Why didnt she like the water? Casper and Seth watched her from a distance. They were still on shore. Zane had left. He had somehow managed to get out of swimming. She wondered if she could too. She straightened up, looking around for Leos bright red hair. So, Seths little girlfriend cant swim? It was Tiffany. She turned around quickly. She had heard from Seth that she hadnt broken the girls noseluckilybut that area of her face was covered in a big purple bruise. Red looked at the girl. Even with the bruise, she still looked pretty. What had Tiffany said, that Red cant swimgreat. Goose bumps rose on her arms. She wouldnt put it past the other girl to push Red in the water, simply because she couldnt swim. She was being silly. Tiffany wouldnt do that, would she? I bet you really can swim. Everyone at this camp can swim. Are you making it up so you can be different from everyone else? So that you get all the attention? Tiffany approached her, being careful not to get too close. The blonde raised a hand to point in the direction of the shallow end. There was no one there. She smiled slyly at Red. You see? Youd be the only one sitting there. Tiffany took another step closer. I have to say, its a

great plan. You say you cant swim, and your little Haven friends join you on the beach, to help teach poor, little you. What better way to get closer to them? Tiffany took another step closer. Red didnt like the look in the other girls eyes. She didnt like the tone in her voice. She didnt like what she was saying. Tiffany thought Red was faking. She took a step back, wanting to just get away from the nasty girl. It was the biggest mistake of her life. The edge of the small cliff was behind her. She stretched out her arms, hoping to grab anything she could to prevent her falling. It was too late. She let out a scream before her back hit the water with immense force. She gasped and went under. The shock of the cool water startled her. She went under, not even trying to fight to the top. She couldnt breathe. Her chest constricted in a fear too strong to just be about water. Shed heard that saying, about your life flashing before your eyes when you died. But what burst in Reds brain wasnt anything she remembered. Yet it was as if these events had happened only yesterday. She wanted to scream, needed to scream. Familiar images flashed before her eyes, a white light blinding her. She feared for her life. She needed to run. What did they want to do to her next? Who was they? There was no one here. She turned to the light, seeing a figure swimming towards her. The bright light behind the figure illuminated it, so it just seemed like a spidery, shadowed form. She felt a body press against her. It was warm. It swept away most of the fear, but the chilly dread, and some of the memories remained. Freezing Red through to the bone, she clutched at the warm body pulling her to the surface. She was being saved. ***** Zane watched everyone splash and enjoy the lake. He would be in there too. If he wasnt afraid of water. He used to be a top swimmer. It used to be his passion. Until the day he had been thrown, unwillingly, into the water. Hed hit his head and nearly drowned. Since then, anything that involved swimming terrified him. Only two people knew the real reason behind his not wanting to swim and they were in the lake now, swimming lengths and racing with the others. He sat down on the bank and scanned the tops of everyones heads. He moved his gaze to the shallow end. Red wasnt there. He got to his feet quickly, looking around the lake for the familiar mop of black. It wasnt there. He noticed movement in the distance and looked up. Squinting to look all the way at the back of lake, he spotted the familiar black hair and

dainty figure. But she wasnt in the water. She was standing in front of a blonde girl, perilously close to the edge of the lake. The deep end. He knew she couldnt swim. She had admitted as much to Casper a bit ago. He started to slowly walk around the outside of the lake, trying to get a better view of the person talking to her. He watched in horror as Red took a step back. Dread coursed through his veins. Terror etched itself into his bones. With a loud scream and a splash, she hit the water. She didnt try to swim. There was no flailing about. She just sunk, like a rock thrown in a river. He didnt think about his own fear, or remember that water had become the enemy. Not caring about anything but Red, he tore off his jacket and sprinted around to the side of the lake where Red had fallen in. Diving perfectly into the water, he clamped down on the fear spreading through him. He was scared of water, but could swim. Judging by Reds actions earlier, she wasnt particularly fond of the water either. But she couldnt swim. His cheeks puffed out as he swam as far down as he could. He released small bubble of air, so he was able to swim further and further down. Reds arms and legs were spread outwards and she was slowly sinking, her eyes half-open, a blank stare on her face. It looked like shed fainted. He lunged forward and grabbed her arm, pulling her into his body. He entwined an arm around her waist and shot upwards, kicking the water with his feet so he could make it to the surface. She had to live. She wouldnt die just from falling in the water. Would she? He didnt know what hed do if she died. The chances of it happening had seemed so small. And he realized all of a sudden that he would miss her. Maybe more than just miss her. How would his life be if she hadnt come to Sunnyside? What would he be doing now? The same thing hed done every year, coast. Not really thinking about anything. Sound rushed in where all had been silent. The fresh air hit his face as he emerged from the water, using one arm to tug Red out and the other to pull himself out. He rolled over onto his stomach when he got to the grass, coughing out water that had gotten into his lungs. He didnt notice everyone surrounding Red and him. He crawled his way to her side. She was lying with her eyes shut, looking peaceful and more pale than ever. Her nose was bleeding. How had that happened? There didnt seem to

be anything she could have hit her head on. He turned her over and thumped her back. Nothing. He rolled her back over and flicked her bangs out of her eyes, cupping her face in the palm of his hand. Hey, he moved his hands down to shake her shoulders. She wasnt breathing. She gurgled, like there was something stuck in her throat. He swallowed around a huge lump that appeared in his throat and sucked in a breath. He sat her up and hit her back, hard. She coughed and her eyes snapped open, water spurting from her mouth. The blood running down her nose continued and she bent down on all fours, no longer coughing up water. But blood.

Chapter 20: Lime

The nurse shook her head at Zane, Casper and Seth. Im happy to tell you theres nothing seriously wrong with her. We think that the shock of falling in the caused her body to react violently. It also appears that she has been suffering from Disassociated Amnesia. From what shes been able to tell us, she has blocked out painful memories for over a decade, and having much of that come back when she fell in the water, may have caused the nose bleed. The nurse gave them all a sympathetic smile. The mental trauma could have caused her physical injury. She is sleeping now. Just be careful with her when she wakes up. They all looked down at Red. Her hair had dried haphazardly around her head, but then, that was similar to her usual style. She had deep bags under her eyes, her skin had paled even more and she was frowning. Nothing they had tried would get her to relax, or to wake up. Poor Red. Casper stroked the bangs back on Reds forehead.

Seth sat on her other side, his hand grasping hers. Zane stood at the end of her bed, his arms crossed. No matter how hard he tried, he couldnt cover up his anger. She seems to be so simple, so naive and just, wellsimple. But shes not really; shes got more secrets than anyone Ive ever met. Shes very complicated, he said through gritted teeth. Casper didnt notice the tone in voice. Seth did. The brown-haired boy turned his head slightly to look at his friend. Isnt that the same for all of us? Zane snapped his eyes away from Red to glare at Seth. Were not naive. Seth couldnt argue with that. He moved his eyes back down to Red and lifted a hand to press it against her cheek. They were starting to regain their color. Zane lifted his eyes from the girl on the bed to look out of a window at the dark sky outside. It was getting late. Come on boys, its about time you left now. Give the girl some peace. The nurse came in about an hour later, ushering them out the door with her wrinkled hands. They left reluctantly and walked back to the dorm in silence, not willing to tell each other that the only things on their mind at that current moment, was Red. ***** I CANT BELIEVE IT. I LEAVE FOR ONE WEEK AND EVERYTHING TURNS UPSIDE DOWN. IM REALLY GOING TO KILL THAT Tiffanys gone. They said she was responsible for my accident. She looked down at the infirmary bed, grasping it tightly, a sad expression on her face. It wasnt really her fault though, she didnt push me. Right. Thats not what everyone else is saying. Vikki folded her arms over her chest and snorted loudly. Red had awoken to find Vikki by her bed, scratching away one of the stickers that were on the back of a medicine bottle. She had been overjoyed to see her friend. Vikki had explained that she had to go home immediately because of a family crisis and didnt have time to tell anyone that she would be back

within the week. Tiffany had lied. When Vikki got back, she had heard about the accident and rushed to find Red in the infirmary. Cant your agent buddies go and assassinate her or something? Vikki slumped down in the seat beside the bed, looking hopeful. Red laughed. I dont think thats allowed. Besides, she didnt push me. Its not her fault. Yeah, I get it. Vikki sighed and leaned back, pursing her lips angrily. She let out a growl. Damn, I hate that witch. Her eyes widened suddenly and she sat up straight, looking at Red hopefully. With all this going on I forgot to ask, made any progress with Zane? Anything happen with him while I was gone? Her insides did a somersault. Oh dear. How was she supposed to tell her friend that she had ended up sharing a room with Seth, as his girlfriend, that all three rooms on the top ground had been flooded, and that she had beaten up five men in front of Seth, in order to defend Zane when he was nearly kidnapped? And that Zane didnt know she was an agent, but Seth did. She took a deep breath, and started to talk. Once she was finished, there was silence in the infirmary for a moment. Vikki just stared at Red, her brown eyes wide. Her mouth had fallen open. No way, she muttered to herself. I missed so much. She grinned at her. Yep. The nurse came over, breaking the silence that fell over the two of us again. She pressed a weird, rubbery thing to her head, checked the red line that had appeared on the white rectangle and then smiled warmly at her. Looks like youre all clear to go. Just take it easy. Ive informed Leo you cant participate in anymore of the Sports Activities. She nodded and pushed back the blanket, easing her legs off of the bed. She stood next to Vikki. Her friend went to hug her, but Red held her arms up. Not a good idea, she advised her. Vikki tilted her head and dropped her arms. Why? Red explained about her weird protective instincts. Vikki looked at her like Christmas had come early. I bet Cupid really enjoyed being flipped like that. And to flip your own boyfriend, Red? Thats pretty harsh.

She pouted and frowned at Vikki. I didnt mean to. And hes not my real boyfriend. Vikki tapped her chin and gazed at the sky as they left the infirmary. I wonder why Vain Zane never gets flipped. Thats pretty unfair to Super Cooper Red started laughing at Vikkis nicknames for the guys. They were so apt. Red! She stopped laughing when she realized Vain Zane, Super Cooper and Cupid were walking straight towards the two girls. Casper slowed and the grin slowly fell off his face as he saw Vikki standing beside her. His expression did a complete 360 turn and now he was frowning in disgust. They all approached each other. Icky Vikki, you shouldnt be standing so close to Red. You might make her sick again, Casper quipped, scrunching his face up in determination. Vikki crossed her arms boldly and stuck her head forward. What? You think coming to see her will make her feel better? Id personally feel worse if the first person I saw when I woke up, was you. She watched the two of them banter, smiling. She knew she should have found it distressing, but it was so clear that they werent really serious about the insults. How are you feeling? She flinched and looked to her left. Seth had leaned in close to whisper in her ear. She rubbed at it and smiled at him. A little better, thanks. She found herself looking at Zane instead. He was leaning by a tree nearby, his arms folded over his chest. When he felt her staring at him, he moved his gaze over to her. She suddenly felt overwhelmed with emotion and had to swallow around a sudden lump that formed in her throat. She felt her hands begin to tremble. She was getting nervous. She was getting nervous because of Zane. She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it almost immediately and looked away. She didnt notice Zanes arms unfold, or him look at her in disbelief. Vikki, I want to go, she whispered to friend.

Vikki stopped the latest insult aimed toward Casper midsentence and looked at Red. She examined her friends face, obviously noticing that she was starting to feel uncomfortable. Red waved goodbye to everyone, careful to avoid eye contact with Zane. She didnt want that strange nervousness to overwhelm her again. Whats the deal? She lifted her head to look at Vikki. Vikkis look was a little all knowing. Judging by the gossip, Vain Zane saved your life. Vain Zane is well, vain. Why would he save the life of a girl he wants to get rid of? She tilted her head to the right, and said in a loud whisper, Why would he jump into the water to save you, when hes been afraid of it since he was a little boy? Red stopped walking, staring at her in horror. Hes scared of water? Vikki shrugged and started walking again. I guess not anymore. I only knew about his fear because Cupid told me when we were little, and much better friends. She smirked at Red. Hey, you dont think he likes you, do you? Red hurried to catch up with Vikki. Zane was afraid of water? Hed saved her? And she had just ignored him in front of the infirmary. Man, shed really blown it this time. Well, he hasnt said he doesnt, she said uneasily. She felt Vikki staring at the side of her head and heard her scoff loudly. Hey, I didnt mean as a friend. She exaggerated her wink. Red stared back, blankly. What else would he like me as? For a moment, Vikki stared at her as though she waited for her to turn around and say that Red knew what she meant. Shaking her head, Vikki rested a hand on the back of her neck and turned the corner to head towards the dorm. You really are too dense. They ventured up the stairs into the dorm. Luckily, it was empty because everyone else had just made their way over to the gym, where they were going to be doing weightlifting and gymnastics. She opened the door to Seths room and made her way inside, Vikki following behind her. Vikki spotted the mattress poking out of a wardrobe. Wow, you really arent dating. She threw herself onto his bed and looked around the room, waiting for Red to rustle through her bag of clothes. Hey,

did wearing those clothes work? Red looked over her shoulder, a grin spreading over her face. Of course. Shed forgotten to tell Vikki all about that. Yeah! They worked great. Whenever I wore these, Zane always approached me. Vikki frowned. Approached you? Red nodded and pulled out a top, fiddling with it as she frowned, thinking hard. One time he gave me his hoodie to wear. We were jogging, I wore that tight, little strappy top. Then another time he made me come back here, looked through my clothes and then said I was clueless. She let out a laugh. Like you just did. Vikki stared at Red, a small smile slowly spreading over her face. What about Super Cooper? How did he react? She frowned, thinking. Her lips tilted upwards. When I wore the strap top, he kind of went back and forth. You know, coming near and then quickly walking away. I didnt understand it. He was like that in the cafeteria too, now I think about it. She had gone back to rustling through the bag and pulled out a pair of Zanes shorts, smiling at them. Shed chosen her outfit for the day. Just as she was about to head into the bathroom, Vikki called to her to wait. She was staring at the shorts. We didnt buy those. She stretched out an arm and pointed at them. A happy grin spread over Reds face. Theyre Zanes. He gave them to me and said Id be more comfortable wearing them, instead of my short-shorts. She looked at Vikki in confusion when an evil grin spread over her friends face. Looks to me like someones trying to get your attention. She shifted her weight back to her other leg. My attention? Vikki lay back on the bed, putting her hands behind her head. Zane doesnt want you to wear clothes that make you look cute. Seth does, but wont come near you when you do because he wont be able to hold back his feelings. Vikki popped back into a sitting position. This is like a twisted love story She tilted her head at Red and grinned, her few piercings shining in the sun pouring in through the window. A twisted love story with one hell of a love triangle. ***** Zane couldnt concentrate on the weight lifting. Hed managed to

sneak out the back, and right now he was just resting his back against the wall. It was drizzling slightly. For a camp called Sunnyside, it seemed to rain an awful lot. This only dampened his mood. He gritted his teeth, trying to push it out of his mind. But no matter how hard he tried, she always made her way back in. Shed ignored him today. Hed saved her life and how did she repay him? She ignored him completely, not even acknowledging his presence. That hadnt happened before. That hadnt happened, even when hed been cruel to her. He frowned and bit the inside of his cheek, tightening his arms so hard across his chest, he almost couldnt breathe. She was infuriating. She was impossible. He wasnt going to stand for it anymore. He pushed himself off of the wall and stormed through the drizzle towards the dorm. He would teach her a lesson. ***** Shed said goodbye to Vikki and now Red was in Seths room, alone, with nothing else to do. She needed to do something. She had to do something. Because if she didnt, the images that had played out in her mind over the past week would pop right back into her head. Part of her knew those images were memories. Long buried memories. They scared her. She didnt want to claim those memories as they scared her even more than falling in the water had. She lay back on the bed, exhausted from the fight to keep them locked away. She couldnt hold them back anymore. She closed her eyes, and remembered. ***** She was small, scared even then. The first person she saw was a woman. Mommy. But the woman was fighting. Black shadowsso many of them. One would fall when the mommy kicked, or hit, and another would take their place. The mommy woman was being beaten. The child within cried, so upset. She was small, confused. A feeling of loneliness and grief swept through her as she stood in a crowd, looking around and feeling lost. Someone had promised her that she could see her mommy and daddy again. She just had to wait here. She was small, hurt. So afraid. She couldnt breath. Someone was dunking her head in a bucket of water. Over and over again. They hurt her, and then theyd laugh. In the water, choke. Out of the water, hurt. Theyd lied. Mommy and daddy never came. Her adult mind knew she was being tortured. The child whimpered in fear of what was coming.

She was small, crying. Sobbing as she watched a man and the mommy woman. They were kneeling on the ground in front of her, covered in dirt, bruises, and cuts. A bad man, the one who laughed when her head was dunked in the water, pointed a metal rod at their heads. She was crying. Crying so hard her eyes and her head hurt. Warm tears streamed down her face. Mommy. The two people meant so much to her. She was small, and so very afraid. The sound of a huge explosion made her jolt and suddenly, the tears stopped. Just two trickled down her puffy cheeks. She could feel them. The two people were lying on the ground, their heads surrounded by big, spreading pools of red. She sobbed. Screamed. Let the black, still darkness take away the pain. ***** She heard a voice calling her in the distance. Saying her name over and over again. Slowly, the visions began to fade and she found herself curled into a ball on Seths bed. Her eyes were wide with shock and she raised a hand to touch her face. Shed been crying. She sat up and dabbed at her cheeks with her fingers. She was sad. She was angry. She felt so so depressed. Like she wanted nothing more than to curl into a ball, like she just had been, and cry until she had no tears left. Her head began to tilt sideways and she struggled to stay sitting up. It was so tempting to lie down again. Just as she gave in, thinking to wrap herself in her memories and misery, a shoulder got in the way. Her head rested on it, guided by a warm hand which stayed there, brushing her hair out of her eyes. A few more tears fell. Just let it out. She knew who it was. She didnt have to look at him. She didnt have to smell him. She didnt need to recognize his voice. The comfort, the increase in her heartbeat, the amazing feeling she got when he was around was enough for her to know who held her. She raised her other hand to grasp his shirt tightly and curled her head into his neck. Then, she cried. ***** How could he yell at her? How could he be aloof and cold in a situation like this? The thing that horrified him the most was that if he hadnt gone to see her at that exact moment, she would have cried alone. He had a vague idea about why she was crying. It was the memories. The doctor said that she had some type of amnesia and the trauma of the near-drowning might bring those memories closer to the surface.

When he came in the room she hadnt even seen him. She had looked straight through him, her eyes glazed, and seeing things that werent there. What ever those memories were, they must have been horrifying. With every deep sob she took, his chest tightened and his frown deepened. He continued to stroke down her hair, letting her cry for as long as she needed. Unable to think of anything, except that he was glad she wasnt alone. Zane Noble was comforting a girl. And while this one girl seemed to be the most undignified, annoying, clueless, stupid girl hed ever met, he felt himself seeking her company. He found himself looking for her. Hoping she would stay around. And while he pushed these thoughts to the back of his head during the day, at times like this, they were strong. At times like this, or when she was sick, or when she was down, hed miss her smile. Hed miss her annoying, perky attitude. Hed accepted her, without even realizing it. More, he liked her. It had taken something as heart-wrenching as her loud sobs for him to finally realize. Red Hart was one of them.

Chapter 21: Pink

Seth and Casper slowly made their way up the stairs. After noticing that Zane had gotten out of the weight-lifting activity and then mysteriously disappeared, they had gone out to search for him. The last place they had thought to check was in Seths room. It was only when Seth went into his room to change his clothes, opening the door slowly because Red might be resting, that he noticed. He immediately pulled back and stood in the hallway, looking through the crack in the door. Casper looked at him oddly and then leaned forward to peek through the gap. He slapped a hand to his mouth to cover the gasp. He looked at Seth, and then back to the two figures in the room. Although Seth looked unconcerned by the scene in front of him, his stomach was churning. He felt his chest tighten and his heart ached. His reaction was similar to how a child might feel, if he were told Christmas had been cancelled. He had no idea why Red was crying, but the important point was that Zane was giving her comfort. And Red was allowing it. He knew very well that she wouldnt allow anyone else to do it.

Seeing the scene in front of him, he felt as if his good deed in letting Red stay in his roommight not have been the best thing to do. Hed started to realize he had real feelings for her, but would Red Harts affection be harder to capture than he thought? He turned back to watch the two in his room. Zane. What? Thank you. Dont thank me. I only helped you becauseyoure like me. Youre nothing like me, though. I dont have parents either, Red. I live with my uncle. My father was assassinated and my mother killed herself shortly afterwards. My GodZanethats awful Hey! Dont you dare start crying again. Its alright. I wasnt that close to them anyway. Still I said stop crying! If you dont, my efforts will have been wasted. Zane, you know youre just like a magician. You saved my life and now youve made me feel better. Stop being ridiculous and just sit still. Ow. Why do I need this? Because girls arent supposed to have red and puffy faces. Its making me gag just looking at the horrible sight. Now stop moving. I cant help it. The soap got in my eye. Then stop moving and it wont. But I started moving when the soap got in my eye Be quiet. Hey, Zane? What is it now? Are we friends?

His sigh was exaggerated. How many times do I have to tell you? It makes me happy when you say it. Fine. Yes, were friends. Mission accomplished, she thought happily. ***** She told him everything that night. Well, nearly everything. She obviously left out the bit about her being an agent, because then it would defeat the whole purpose of her being around to protect him. It seemed only fair. Finding out that he also had no parents made her so close to him, it was as if they were in the same boat. She told him about her parents. She told him about the flashbacks. She told him about Tiffany. She told him that shed gotten the cuts and bruises on her face from a fight. She just failed to mention which fight. Then she told him that she and Seth werent really girlfriend and boyfriend. He smirked when she said that, acting as if hed already know. She also told him that Vikki had said if she wore the clothes theyd purchased on their shopping tripthat Zane would be a lot more interested in her, and shed be able to get closer to him. He hadnt like that very much, mumbled something about getting back at the girl. She told him he had a nickname. He liked that even less. Apart from that, he listened to her every word. Of course, he had a bored expression on his face the whole way through. But that didnt matter. They were sitting outside on the steps. It was late at night, so the moonlight illuminated the emotions in his eyes. His lips always moved when she told him a particularly emotional part. His arms tightened when she told him how she was hurt. He was her friend. That made her ecstatic. ***** As soon as shed gone up to Seths room late that night, she went to bed and slept through to the next morning. When she woke, she called Dexter. Itd been a long time since theyd talked to each other. She decided it might be a good idea to update the agent. She told him everything about the lake

accident, and that she had completed step one of the mission. Dexter seemed more concerned about the lake accident, than happy that shed finished the mission. He asked her about her flashbacks and then told her not to tell him about them. He thoroughly confused her. He finished the call on a very serious tone, which wasnt what shed expected. She shrugged it off. She was going shopping with Zane later for some more clothing. Hed managed to get out of the Sports Activity for that day. It was boating and he really didnt want to go near the water. He said he had nothing better to do and that he was sick of seeing her in such disgusting clothes. She grinned. He could be a grump about the whole thing if he wanted to. She wasnt complaining. Later that day she bounded along by his side. She was happy to follow him from shop to shop. They picked out plain t-shirts, shorts, jeans, cropped pants, strappy tops and even the occasional girly top. It was an experience shed never thought shed get and she was enjoying it so much. She was sad when the day ended. It was getting dark as they left. The nights were arriving earlier. She carried most of the bags, after Zane refused to be seen carrying things for a girl. She didnt care. She had imposed enough, just by allowing him to take her shopping. Hed even spent money on her. He didnt know that she got a present for him while he was busy. Shed bought him a small pocket-sized stuffed toy. It was a gray rabbit that had a mop of black hair between its dangling ears. It was kind of a combination Zane and Red rabbit, it reminded her of both of them. She figured it would be fitting. They made their way back to the camp, moving quickly. She hurried upstairs into Seths room to change. Zane stayed in the main part of the room while she hurried into the bathroom. When she came out, he turned around and a surprised little smile twitched around his lips, He studied her from head to toe. Thats more like you. His smile widened and he brought his gaze up to hers. She had frozen. Her heart seemed to thump harder. Heat flooded her face. She couldnt tear her eyes away from him. He was smiling. Zane Noble was smiling. Shed never seen his lips twitch upwards before, unless it had

been for something sarcastic. The smile faded away when he discovered her staring at him. What? he barked rudely. She shook her head and cleared her throat, throwing him an uneasy grin. Nothing, Im just so glad you went shopping with me today, I had the best time. Her grin grew, youre the nicest person I know. He looked away, folding his arms over his chest. The aloof expression was on his face again. Yes, well, no one else would be able to put up with your irritating personality. His comment didnt hurt her. They never did. She continued to smile at him. Accepting the mission to protect Zane Noble had been one of the best things that had ever happened to her. ***** Zanes head was in the clouds - which was unusual for him - and he winced when he bumped into a figure with bright red hair. He looked down, snorting. Its Icky Vikki. She smirked up at him. Nice one, Vain Zane. Dont you think that nicknames wearing off a little now? Its been ten years. He folded his arms. Itll never wear off. She looked past him, and then sent a questioning glance up at him. Is Red not with you? He narrowed his eyes. What, you think because were friends, she has to stick by my side and never leave? She stared at him like he was stupid. He shook his head slowly, and then raised his nose into the air. No. She raised one eyebrow and mimicked his posture. Well, if she isnt by your side, dont you wonder whose side she is by? He looked down his nose at her. It doesnt matter to me. He pushed past her to make his way down the hallway. Vikkis sadistic smirk spread over her face as she watched his departing back. I bet shes with Seth, she called out. He froze, his ribs feeling like they were being squeezed. He

couldnt breath. He looked over his shoulder. Why would it matter if shes with Seth? Vikki took a step forward, tapping her chin mockingly as she pretended to think. A corner of her lips upturned. Oh, I dont know. I might not matter to Red, but for Seth? He just might get the girl hes been going for. Zane turned around so fast he felt a crick in his neck. Then he realized he had lost his cool and refolded his arms, pretending to look unbothered by her comment. Because he was. Really bothered. Seth wouldnt go for a girl like Red, he assured himself, before continuing down the hall. Vikki hurried to his side and looked up at his unwavering expression. Oh, Im not too sure about that. Tell me, ever noticed any unusual behavior from him when it comes to Red? Does he talk about her? Does he worry about her? Zane swallowed down the emotion that was rising in his throat, hoping he could wish it away. He looked around distractedly, unaware that his steps had slowed. Vikki began to grin in victory. I dont think that innocence is fake. Cant you tell when you look into her eyes? Its like shes just woken up after eighteen years of being asleep. Shes pure. Zane, be careful with her. Weve been together since the day she played piano. Its not appropriate to bring a lady out this late at night.Especially not Red. Zane clenched his fists and his breathing came out in heavy, angry pants. Now that he thought about it, it was clear that Seth had probably asked Red to stay in his room to keep her to be close to him all the time. Had he been planning to capture her heart when hed let her stay in his room? He wouldnt let him get away with it. As his best friend, Seth was supposed to tell him things like that. He was supposed to tell him when he had feelings for a girl. He was using a cheap method to get the girl that he liked and with Red being so naive, it was obvious that she hadnt noticed. What did Seth think he was doing? Why had he been trying to get Red for himself? Zane entered his own room and instantly his eyes snapped to Seth. Casper and Seth had been told to wait in his room for him until he

came back from his chat with Leo, so they could all go out for dinner. But the moment Zane entered that room with a furious expression on his face, it was clear to even Casper that he wasnt happy and that dinner had probably been cancelled. The blonde on the bed opened a yogurt pot, looking between Seth and Zane. Seth was expressionless as Zane stormed towards him. Would you say were friends, Seth? Zane said in a cold, harsh tone. Casper looked between his friends, his eyes wide. The yogurt that was half way to his mouth dropped off of the spoon and fell into the pot. Seth stood up, so he could look meet Zane on an equal basis. Yes. Zane snorted and looked away, then snapped his eyes straight back to the man in front of him. There was a short moment where the two just stared at each other. Then Zane said simply; You love Red. Casper gasped and his spoon fell onto the bed on its way to the floor. Seth didnt look surprised at Zanes statement. No emotion passed over his face. He just stared back at his friend. There was a long period of silence before anything was said. Yes. Seth answered just as simply as Zane had accused. Zanes eyes widened and his jaw throbbed where he gritted his teeth. Inviting her into your room under false pretenses was selfish and crude. Did you think for a minute, that if it was discovered that Red wasnt your real girlfriend, youd come out looking even the least bit innocent? Zane was right in Seths face now, hissing through his teeth and his chilly, ruthless gray eyes flicking in rage. Casper gulped and scooted back on the bed, just in case the two boys exploded in anger. Seths eyes were alight now, like Zanes accusation had ignited his emotions. I was there for her when she needed someone to lean on. The brown haired boy opened his mouth to say something else, and then hesitated, as though knowing it would be taking it a step too far. But after a flash of defiance, he spoke. Thats more than I can say for how youve acted towards her. You tried to fend her off using cheap pranks and humiliation and then when you realized it was no use, you decided to become her friend. Seths voice was getting louder and louder. Casper had never seen his friend look so filled with emotion before. Zane even looked a little shocked. While you were being a total jerk, I was helping a friend. What

have you done, Zane, but push Red away? ***** At the end of the Sports Activity week - three days later - it was known throughout the camp that Red Hart had been fully accepted and even Mr. Zane Noble was prepared to confirm that. Since that announcement, Red Hart had received a lot more male attention than she had previously. This had been known to irritate Mr. Noble, Mr. Cooper and Mr. King and therefore every male was advised to keep a safe distance away from the spunky, black-haired girl who spent lots of time with one or more of the Noble Cooper King trio. Shed heard about the strange rule that all males were to keep away from her. She figured it had been another silly rumor made up about her. She found it weird that everywhere she went she had people greeting her, asking how she was and asking her questions. It was strange. When it had first been announced that she was Seth Coopers girlfriend, she hadnt received this sort of reaction. It was only after they had found out that Vain Zane had accepted her, that they began to treat her like a human being. She wasnt complaining. Rupert had started to speak to her again, too. He apologized, saying that he thought shed wanted him to leave her alone after she had made friends with everyone else. She had greeted him with open arms and had even spared a day to go with the twins and him for a picnic. However, there was one thing on her mind that bothered her. She could move now. She had told Vikki that, she might move in with her at Royal Nature. Vikkis roommate had already left camp, so her friend had an empty bed. She didnt want to be a burden to Seth anymore and in order for her friendship with Zane to progress, she was sure she had to move out. She was supposed to keep close to Zane, but she was hardly able to do that when all the rooms in Royal Haven were taken, her old room, destroyed. She was having a hard tome telling everyone her plans. She had figured out that she would still be able to keep an eye on Zane, even if she lived in the other dorm. It wasnt like Blaine would be stupid enough to enter the camp just to capture Zane. She raised a hand to knock at Zanes door. It had been a week and a half since he had told her he was her friend. Since then, nothing had really changed between them. They spent time together, acting just the way they always had. But deep down, she was glad that he had accepted her so there was no need for her to fret when he was harsh.

She entered Zanes room after knocking politely. She grimaced when she noticed that everyone was gathered in the space. It was the perfect time to make her announcement. But Casper was the only one looking at her. Zane and Seth were staring each other down. Zane looked furious, which was unnerving, but not abnormal. The strange thing was that Seths eyes were alive with emotion. Anger, frustration, hatred. It sent a chill down her spine. What was going on?

Neither of the two boys noticed, that shed come in the door. They were too busy being mad, and saying cruel things to each other. Things that had been buried for a very long time were now being forced out into the open. Reds slight cough brought their attention to her. She sent them both a weak smile and looked down at her feet. They waited. When she looked up again, she had a sad look etched on her face. It was as though what she was about to say was going to take a lot out of her. Finally, she breathed and let it out. Im moving to Royal Nature with Vikki.

Chapter 22: Scarlet

The three boys were stunned. Silence hung heavy in the room and they all wore varying expressions of disbelief. Red. Moving. That would mean they wouldnt be able to see her every day. That would mean that many activities would be separate. That would mean she wouldnt

be around anymore. Zane stepped back from Seth, unsure what to say, what expression to wear, or how to act. Everything he did now would affect friendships, and his own feelings. He didnt want the wrong action to ruin everything. Unfortunately he couldnt control his fear and anger for long. He let out a loud, sharp, humorless laugh and glared at Red. Great. Thats just great. He ran a hand through his hair and then swallowed before looking at the naive girl again. The whole reason you came here was so that you could make friends with the most important people on campus, and now you want to just throw all that away? Was that your motive all along? Youre not really as innocent as you make yourself out to be, right? Are you just one big walking lie? He let out another loud laugh. I cant believe I fell for it. Youre moving to get away from us, when we accepted you. Does that boost your confidence? Zane was filled with such an indescribable emotion. Too much was going on in his head at once - betrayal of his best friend and now a strange anger at Reds need to leave. He didnt see this as a good thing, her moving out of Seths room. He couldnt stop the words spewing out his mouth, Youre ridiculous. He stared at Red like she was something unpleasant hed stepped in, not even noticing the entire room shocked into a horrifying silence. Everything weve done has just been a huge big waste of time. Im glad it meant nothing to you, he stormed forward and swung open the door, nearly hitting her in the side of the head. He leaned right into Reds face, his hand still on the door. Because it meant nothing to me. And with that, he slammed the door in her face, leaving Seth and Casper behind with a frozen, dejected girl. Itd meant nothing. Itd been a waste of his time. Everything. Not even Caspers reassuring words were enough for her this time. She couldnt believe it. She hadnt expected a reaction like that at all. She had thought Zane would be happy to get some space, but she didnt know hed have a sudden outburst like that. She sunk to the floor and grabbed her knees. It meant nothing to me, hed said. Why did those words hurt her so much? He was a mission. He was a person she was supposed to be protecting. He was a friend shed just allowed to run out of the door. She was supposed to chase him. They were friends. But she couldnt do it. Her legs refused to carry her. She didnt even cry. She was sick of crying, fainting, and collapsing. She was relying on too many people to help her. She was an undercover agentshe could beat up a group of seven men if she felt like it. She could shoot a gun, legally. She was after an infamous villain from the underground, criminal world.

So why had five little words destroyed her world? It meant nothing to me. She felt hands lifting her up. She didnt react. Her body didnt respond. She should have been happy that she no longer had a phobia of physical contact, but under the circumstances, she found she couldnt even force herself to act normal. She couldnt even direct a fake smile at Seth, who had wrapped his arms around her neck and pulled her close. Casper left quietly, not looking her way once. Did he feel the same? Did he think she was wasting his time? She allowed Seth to pull her close, her eyes still wide and expression frozen as it had been when Zane began to yell at her. It meant nothing to me. Hed said such harsh words to her at the beginning, but she truly felt like they knew each other now. To find out that all this time, she was nothing to himhurt. She felt Seth press his lips to the top of her head and his hand raise up to cradle her head to his shoulder. You were never a waste of time. Even if Zane says you mean nothing to him He leaned forward, so his mouth was by her ear, You mean everything to me. * **** So that was it. Zane stepped back, pulled the door shut, and slowly, as if he were in a trance, headed back down the staircases he had just sprinted up at incredible speed. After hed said those things to Red and stormed out, he ran as far as he could away from the dorm, away from Red. It hadnt taken long before his anger had cooled, and hed been horrified at the things hed said. He was wrong. He ran all the way back to apologize. He was willing to do it. Zane Noble was prepared to apologize to a girl he had hurt. But now it seemed like it was too late. He made it back to his room, only to see that Red was finally allowing Seth to touch her. To hold her. It was the last straw. He was livid, and apologizing was the last thing on his mind. Was it a case of, Hey, Zane is out of the picture lets finally confess our love for each other? It definitely seemed like that. Hed left the room mere moments before and yet they were already at each other. It disgusted him.

He slammed his fist so hard against his chest, he was sure the action would leave a bruise. The constant strain, the constant throbbing, the constant pain in it was frustrating. He just wanted to rip out his heart and give it to anyone who happened to pass by. He slumped down on the steps outside of the dorm, his head in his hands. It hurt so much. He would go and see the medic in the morning. There was definitely something wrong with him. His own eyes were watering. They were watering, stinging and throbbing, just like his chest. This wasnt a familiar feeling. He rubbed his sleeve along his gray eyes, muttering angrily under his breath. He looked up to the moon that had risen in the sky, hoping the cool night air would ease the strain he felt over his entire body. It didnt. Nothing he did would change the way he felt. He hurt. He hurt so much. He heard footsteps and watched as a familiar figure made its way down the dorm stairs, then set off in the direction of the tunnel of trees. As she was about to turn the corner, leaving the black gates, Zane felt his fury and pain jumble up inside, creating a firestorm of emotions he couldnt control. He leapt to his feet and sprinted after the figure, turning her around with force. Red looked up at him, a deep frown on her face and a wobbly bottom lip. It had obviously taken a lot to walk past him and ignore him completely. He glared with so much hatred he hoped it would outweigh the pain. Red shrugged his hand off. Leave me alone, she muttered, turning away again. He pulled her around to face him. You know what you are? Youre a thorn branch, he hissed in a slightly wobbly voice. Whoever approaches you gets hurt. But for certain people, you turn into a pretty rose. He tightened the grip on her shoulder I bet Seth loves roses. She glared at him. It was rare to actually see anger on her face. There were glistening trails of tears down her cheeks that the moonlight illuminated. She swept his hand off of her. Why come close to me if Im so thorny and dangerous? She sniffed and wiped her sleeve along her nose. Her voice was unsteady, but determined. Zane stared at her. How can I stay away? When a thorn branch is stuck to your trousers, even if you shake it off, all you have to do is walk in the same direction, and it gets stuck again, he stepped forward. It was you who followed me. Dont get it wrong. Red sniffed and let out a laugh. A thorn branch is willing to try to be a rose for some people. What is it supposed to do when all it gets in return is hatred? her voice rose suddenly and she slammed her arms

down to her side, letting out a cry. What does it matter to you anyway? Youve said what you wanted to say! I mean nothing to you. She let out a quiet sob. Just like you mean nothing to me. Zane felt the pain come back tenfold. So he meant nothing to her. Although he had accused her of this in the first place, he hadnt expected it to hear the words come from her mouth. Now they had, it felt like hed had another ton of bricks pushed onto his chest. She raised her hand and pressed it to her forehead, crying again. He let out a snort of disbelief and ran a hand through his hair, then gritted his teeth. He lost his cool. You drive me crazy! Why did you come into my life, mess around with it, and then rip it all apart. His voice shook, he felt his control snap completely, he was unable to handle his emotions and so just let them run free. I didnt ask for you to be here! I didnt want my life to be shattered into a million pieces, and then put back together wrong. What right do you have to come into my life, mess around with me and then fall in love with my best friend? Seth is just a friend Red screamed, and then she lowered her voice. He was the first person to hold out a welcoming hand I arrived at the camp. He was the first person to compliment me, and not sneer or try and get rid of me. He was the first person who allowed me to lean on him when I was being bullied. Zane let out a soft laugh and ran another hand through his hair, his bangs flopping down in front of his face again. Seth loves you. Red sniffed, but didnt reply. She looked up, her eyes looking sad, lost and filled with pain. I dont know what love feels like. Zane crossed his arms. Right. Thats just another part of your innocent facade. Why dont you take the mask off already? Theres no one in this world that can be as clueless as you and still be alive WHY DONT YOU TRUST ME? Red yelled suddenly, interrupting him. She wiped away a tear with her knuckle. You are so mean! Do you know what it feels like to have the only person you think you might care about; say theyve never trusted you? That they dont believe what you tell them. You said that you never meant anything you ever said or did for me? She cried hysterically now, not bothering to wipe her tears away. She let them fall. Zane watched her with wide eyes. But it was too late for her to stop. I tried so hard to be your friend. You were the only one that mattered. Since I met you, Ive fought to make sure you saw me! I had to live with the fact you wouldnt let me in. That you didnt want me here, or want anything to do with me! To have the only thing that was important to me suddenly say that I meant nothing to themyoull never know what that fe

She couldnt finish. She hadnt stopped breathing. She hadnt noticed something. She hadnt seen anyone. She hadnt suddenly realized that she was wrong. She couldnt finishbecause another mouth was pressed against hers. Zane was kissing her. What started out as a little frantic and desperate, quickly became sweet, passionate, and life-changing.

Chapter 23: Beige

Zanes eyes widened and it was only after a few seconds that he realized what he was doing. His hand was on the back of her head, holding her to him. For a short second, they stood, rigid. Then they melted into the kiss. Oh, Godhe was kissing Red. He could feel her damp cheeks against his cheekbone and a single tear fell from her eye, onto his cheek instead of her own. He had no idea what compelled him to kiss her. She had been yelling at him, and he had just been compelled to draw her into his arms, and silence her misery with a kiss. And the action had lifted the three tons of weight hed had on his chest. He pulled back shocked his discovery. He looked down at Red for a moment. Her face was still tilted toward him. She looked dazed, confused, and he wanted to kiss her again. He let his arms fall away from her, stepped back, and walked away from her. His legs were like jelly and his face was completely frozen in a look of horror. He made his way slowly up the staircase of Royal Haven, not taking any notice of the odd looks he received from people that wandered by. Hey, Zane, you look like youve seen a ghost. He didnt acknowledge the brownhaired boy who watched as Sunnysides idol slowly crept up the staircase and entered his own room,

slumping onto the edge of his bed. His hand rose to his lips. What had he done? ***** Itd been a week since shed moved out of Royal Haven. Since Zane Noble had kissed her. She was still in a trance. When she thought about it, a strange zing of electricity ran from her head to her toes. She had been so angry with him that night and yet with that one simple action, the irritation dissipated, changing everything. It had been her first kiss. Shed read about a kissing, read romance novels. Her favorite had been a story about a young girl who had fallen head over heels in love with a boy, but yet everything conspired to keep them apart. It was like one of those triangles, where another boy loved the girl, yet she just wanted to be friends. Kind of like now. Seth loved her, she loved Zane, and she was a little confused about what Zane felt. And no matter what shed done in the last week, she hadnt seen Zane. He was always somewhere other than where she looked for him. At the end of her favorite story, the girl got the boy she wanted, and the other boy found he was satisfied that the girl was happy. She wanted that happy ending for herself. She wanted Seth to be happy that the girl he loved was smiling. She wasnt smiling now. Zanes treatment of her had brought her to tears. But the kiss described in the book was nothing compared to the real thing. Were you supposed to have such an aftershock? All week shed feltdazedwide eyed and wellshocked. She wanted to try it again. That night, when Zane kissed her, she must have stood for more than a few minutes in the summer night, stunned into silence and immobility. Her mind had taken so long to register everything, that when it caught up with her two days later, it landed on her like a brick wall. Zane Noble had kissed her. She tried to keep herself busy throughout the entire week, trying hard to make sure that her mind was always somewhere else. If it wasnt, it drifted back to that kiss. Why couldnt she get it off her mind? Vikki didnt know anything. Nobody knew. Shed seen Seth occasionally throughout the week, but saw nothing of Casper and Zane. Wait, scratch that. Shed seen Zane once, from a distance, he looked as tired as she

felt. It looked like hed been working hard. She hurried to Royal Haven. She planned to visit Seth to see how he was. He had gotten sick just after that evening, with a cold. She felt compelled to look after him. But as she made her way up the final set of stairs, she bumped into someone. She took a step back, missed the step and landed on her but. She looked up to see who shed run into. It was Casper. ***** Casper looked down at Red, who was staring up at him with wide, blue eyes that he had learned, weeks ago, didnt really match his. They surpassed his. Her eyes held so much life, and were so much more beautiful than his could ever be. But seeing her made his heart clench horribly. Why? He didnt know. His cheery, lovable attitude had disappeared. Not since hed seen her with Seth that day had he felt like he knew what he was doing. Why had she gone to Seth for comfort? Why had she felt so upset with Zanes comment? What was he in all of this? An acquaintance? A buddy? A pal? He reached out a hand and helped Red to her feet. She grinned at him happily, Hey, Casper! Long time no see. I missed you She had no time to react when he didnt let go of her wrist, but dragged her along the hallway and into his room. He had to do it now. He was fed up of being confused about his feelings and just felt like saying what he thought they wereoutright, to get it off his chest. He pushed Red over to his bed, telling her to, Sit, a look of misery etched on his face. She looked up at him in confusion. Casper What am I to you, Red? He knelt down on the ground and rested his hands on her knees as he brought his head level with hers. She stared back at him and then smiled. My friend. My first friend. His heart missed a few beats. What did he expect her to say? That he was her crush? Of course not. That was Seth. Do you love Seth? He asked her bluntly. He wasnt going to beat around the bush any longer. The smile fell from her face and she dropped her head onto her chest, so Casper got a view of her hair. I dont know. I dont know what love feels like. She jumped when a hand lifted her chin up.

Lips came into contact with hers. Casper knew it was a stupid thing to do. For all he knew, he could be stealing the girls first kiss. But he had to get his feelings out of his system, had to know if he was just confused or really had those feelings for Red. He pulled back, taking in her shocked expression. He let out a gentle laugh feeling like the world had been lifted from his shoulders. He could lock them away for a while, until she understood. Until she knew what love was. He stood and ruffled her hair, laughing quietly to himself about her wide eyed look. Sorry. I just had to confirm something, he slung an arm around her shoulder. Now lets go and get a smoothie. ***** Shed been kissed. Twice. As She leaned against the bar counter with Casper, drinking her smoothie and watching the public bustle past her, she let her mind wander. But after Casper had kissed her, she hadnt felt nervous around him. In fact, it was like it never even happened. He just seemed a lot more loose and friendly than he had before. She sucked on her straw and watched a boy pass by. She felt Casper staring at the side of her head and tore her gaze away from the boy to look at him. He smiled at her. Do you really not know what love feels like? She shook her head and took the straw out of her mouth, twirling around the smoothie with the end of it. She smiled to herself. Maybe it was time she told Casper a little something about herself. Ive lived underground in a secure facility my whole life. This is the first time Ive been around kids my own age. Heck, its the first time Ive been out in the sun for almost a decade. I only came above ground for the first time about two months ago. She looked at him. His mouth was hanging open. No way. Youre kidding. She shook her head, laughing nervously. I had a phobia of the world and some pretty bad people where after me. When my parents died, I was taken down to live there, just until the bad people where caught. She sighed. Only they never were. That was okay for a long time. But I wanted to get out. She raised her head and looked at the sky, smiling. She had wanted to be free and now, she wished that she had come above ground earlier. The world was beautiful. I think hiding was what I needed to do for a while, but

Ive come to realize how much Ive missed out on. Casper hadnt said anything for a while, so she glanced at him. He was pouting like a sad puppy and suddenly flung his arms around her neck. Reeeeed. Red. Red. Red. I cant believe youve been locked away all this time. No wonder youre so innocent. He released her, allowing her to breathe. He and gave her a determined expression. Right. I have a ton of questions. But you can answer them on the run. Right now I think I should show you a little more of what youve been missing out on. For the rest of the day, Casper dragged her from arcade to arcade, from tourist spot to tourist spot. She was so amazed at everything, at what shed missed. She was overjoyed. The sun began to slowly set, and she realized she hadnt even scratched the surface. She slumped down on a bench beside Casper, who had almost collapsed with exhaustion. He grinned at her and looked sleepily up at the sky. I told you, youve been missing out on a lot. Her eyes were still wide with amazement, but she felt herself slowly relaxing. Shed had a good day. But she had also forgotten to visit Seth. She shook her head. No. She needed this. She needed time away from Sunnyside. Swallowing, she looked up at Casper. She nudged him in the ribs. Have Seth and Zane spoken to each other yet? Casper grimaced and looked down at her, his cat-like eyes and dimples drooping. Nope. They wont even go near each other. She felt guilty. It was her fault they had ended up fighting in the first place. If she hadnt ever accepted the mission, they would probably still be talking and living their normal lives. Casper ruffled her hair. Hey, cheer up. You know what they say; you drift away, only so you can get closer. She smiled at Casper reassuringly. He was right. They sat in silence for a moment, watching the bustling city life. However, before she had felt comfortable and at ease watching the scene in front of her, now she began to feel uneasy. Cars were speeding by fast. People were chattering loudly as they sped by her and Casper on the bench. Lots of sounds were jumbled together, confusing her. Then, in the distance, she heard something. Mommy! A little girl screamed. It was just a little girl, one who had lost her mom in the crowd. But itd triggered the flashbacks. MOMMY! She yelled, reaching out a hand for the

woman who was forced to kneel in front of her. An ugly looking man with red hair sneered at her and tugged the womans head back, pulling on her hair. You want your mommy, do you, kid? He laughed loudly and pulled a gun from his jeans, clicking the back of it and pressing it hard to her mothers head. Do you know that your mommy came here to kill me? Yes. I underestimated her. To bad I found out what she was up to, now, Im going to kill her. He looked to his left, at the man who was being forced to kneel beside her mother. He was held by his neck, by a man wearing a black hood. A gun was also pressed to this mans head, by another. And him, the ginger man sneered. The man who was being held looked at her with sad, fearful eyes. Honey, look away. Mommy and daddy will be fine. Well watch over you. But you have to look away. You have to push this to the back of your head. Dont remember it. Dont remember us. We lov He never finished his sentence. She looked away, and when she heard a horribly loud explosion, she looked back. And both the man and her mother were lying on the ground, a crimson puddle surrounding their heads. She screamed. Red! Red, come on, snap out of it! Caspers hands were pressed to her shoulders and her eyes snapped open. Shed cupped her ears with her hands and was staring hard at the concrete ground. She looked up alarmingly, noticing that shed attracted a lot of attention. Shed blocked it. Shed blocked it all. Shed watched her parents die. A rumble of thunder echoed overhead. She heard a few women in the street scream. And the sounds sent her into another memory. They said theyd be watching, didnt they? the evil, malevolent voice growled. Her head was pushed down into a bucket of water. Well, I wonder if theyll enjoy watching their ten-year-old daughter be tortured. After her parents were killed, shed watched a female agent fight to keep her alive. The agent had died getting Red away. The Task Force had been assigned to look after her. But someone had contacted her, saying that they would take her to see her mom and dadshe met them in front of the mall. So shed run away from her protectors. And shed been kidnapped, and taken back to the darkness.

The darkness, where her screams echoed around the walls, the pain was excruciating. Her head was dunked into the bucket again. When she came back to reality this time, shed just been staring straight into nothing. It was like she hadnt even reacted, just sat there. Quietly. While her world collapsed around her. How had she gotten away the second time? She wondered. Casper was shaking her shoulders, his expression changing the moment she came back, like he could tell. Whats wrong? Why did your eyes go funny? You were mumbling. You looked really scared. Come on let me take you to a hospital. She grabbed his hand, stood up, and shook her head, stopping him. No. She shook her head again and tried to still her trembling hangs. She looked at him. I just need some time alone, to think. I justremembered something her voice trailed off. Casper swallowed and stared at her, his messy blonde hair drooping in front of his face. He looked at her cautiously, before nodding. Alright. If you dont feel well, come straight back, you hear me? She nodded and let him go. Then she slumped back down on the bench. Shed watched her parents die at the age of nine, then blocked out their deaths and been kidnapped and tortured a few months later, right after shed turned ten. Suddenly all those forgotten memories were falling into place. ***** Boss. Blaine looked up from his chair in the black van and let out a sigh. He frowned at his accomplice. What is it? The guy was staring out of the tinted window, squinting into the distance. He raised a hand and pointed at the bench he was focused on. This kid looks just like those people who infiltrated our base all those years ago. He waved his hand at Blaine. Come check it out. Blaine lifted his hands off of the computer keyboard and shifted over, to peer out the window. His eyes widened. Sure enough, the kid was a spitting image of the two agents he had killed. He would never forget those two? They were the only agents who had ever found his base, infiltrating his little group. He had been paranoid all these years about the kid who had managed to escape and seemingly disappear off of the face of the earth. He patted his accomplice on the shoulder.

Drive closer. The guy started the engine. Blaine kept his eye on the girl. She didnt even look up when they stopped in front of her. Instead she stared at the ground, as if in a trance. Her eyes were wide and frightened as she studied the concrete pavement. It seemed like years since hed seen those eyes. Those, deep, bright, frightened eyes. Hed missed them. Without paying any attention to the black van in front of her, Red got to her feet and started to walk away, her gait stilted and uneven. Blaine snapped his fingers and turned to the driver. Tim, follow her.

Chapter 24: Mauve

It was late when she got back to camp. Close to curfew, but she didnt care about the consequences. She hadnt noticed the time. Shed just sat on that bench for hours after Casper left, her mind working to uncover more memories, more blocked bits and pieces of her past. And then shed sat there, trying to decide just how to react what shed remembered. After thinking about it for so hard and so long, she noticed that even though she remembered everything, it didnt upset her nearly as much as it should have. Shed poked and prodded her psychewondering why she wasnt more emotional. She should have been devastated. Then she realized that somewhere, deep down, she had known all along. She had carried this sadness with her for an entire life time. It may have been locked away, but the feelings and fears, and wellhatred for the monster that had killed her parentshad been buried inside her.

This was why she had stayed underground for so long, why she didnt like the water, why sometime she just couldnt bear thinking about her parents. That sadness would overtake her, and she would struggle to cover it with a smile. In many ways she felt relieved. It was like this huge tension had been lifted from her body. With every step she took, it was like walking on a cloud. Her parents had said they would watch her. And they were watching her protect the life of a man who shined brightly, like an angel. A man who eased her sadness with is very presence, when she needed it gone. A man who mesmerized her with every move he took. She opened the small gate at the side entrance to Sunnyside, about to enter. All of a sudden her shirt collar was pulled back, and she was hit in the head. She couldnt scream. A big, burly hand cupped her mouth, keeping her from making a sound. Its been a long time. A figure stood in the shadows of the trees that ran around Sunnyside. Then slowly, he emerged into the lamp light. Her eyes widened and she let out a muffled yell. Blaine. Hed recognized her. She felt the man standing behind her put material around her mouth, taking away her ability to scream for help. He tied up her hands too. She struggled to move, and he bent to tie her legs. She remembered this man, Blaines accomplice. He had immobilized her. The man had fast rope skills. But he was careless. Blaine stormed up to her and backhanded her in the face. She flinched. He wore a sharp, metal ring that cut her flesh. She felt a small trickle of blood run down her cheek. They drug her into the trees surrounding the camp. No one would hear her screams, even if she got the chance. She remembered this place in the woods. She was crouched on the forest floor, picking up small pieces of paper. She was upset, her back and face cut and bruised.

She saw a figure standing there. Felt a hand lightly resting on her shoulder. Her trembling hand dropped all of the pieces of her photograph and she looked up, through watery, red, swollen eyes to find Zane. He was frowning. His expression of sympathy, pity, guilt, and overwhelming concern overpowered his typical mask of tedium. The lined of sadness were etched on every inch of his face. It fascinated her. They stared at each other for a long moment of time. She broke the eye contact first, sweeping his hand away from her arm, returning to her task of trying to retrieve all the little bits of paper. She didnt want him to see her tears. She would deal with everything herself. She didnt need help. She didnt need Zane to see her like this. She sent him an incredibly forced smile as she picked up another piece. Hey Zane, what brings you out her Are you stupid? hed snapped at her. She had dropped her head. Of course, hed be angry that she was being so pathetic over one little picture. Angry that she was so weak. She felt her head get tugged back upwards to look at him. She should have been surprised, but instead the hurt overwhelmed her. He had looked so angry. He let out a humorless laugh. How can you still force a smile at times like this? Look at yourself! He released his hold on her face. Then, cursing, ran a hand back through his hair and his eyes darted around before finally settling back on her. She had stopped moving as he examined her face for a moment. He was so disappointed in her. Im sorry, Shed whispered in a quiet, weak voice. And sadly went back to picking up the pieces of paper. Zane had watched her in silence for only a moment. Whats so important that you have to stay out here, looking like that? He said in such a furious tone. He was obviously trying to hold back as much anger as he could. Shed replied, This is the only picture I have of my parents. Zane had looked down at the pieces in her hand. Then grabbed the wrist containing the scraps with his left hand and took them with his right. Hed shoved those tiny pieces of her life into his pocket, then leaned forward and placed his arm underneath her bent legs and wrapped an arm around her back, sweeping her into his arms. Hed saved her that night. Hed saved her from the darkness.

If she had to die tonight, this wouldnt be a bad place to go. ***** She yelped as another powerful slap went across her face. This is part of pretty little Sunnyside, correct? Blaine thrust up his sleeve, showing her a deep purple bruise and a patch of his arm that had been bandaged. You gave me these wounds when you were saving that little friend of yours. Undercover are you? They sure are taking them young! A sadistic smirk spread across his face and he nodded at Tim, his accomplice. Ive changed my mind. I want more time to make her pay. Take her to the van. She waited until they dragged her out of the forest before she made her move. She pulled her hands free of Tims sloppy knots, kicked her legs free, and then shot to her feet. She didnt hesitate, but immediately jumped into the air, shoving her foot into Tims stomach. He fell backwards. Blaine let out a deep growl, almost bearlike. Little bitch, he lunged forward to grab her. She ducked, using her shoulder, ramming it into his stomach. She was breathing heavily. She was scared, but the adrenaline blocked that out. Her parents were watching her. Shed show them that she was a big girl now. Shed let them watch their daughter catch their killer. She yelped and fell to the ground when she was punched hard across the face. Her nose started to stream blood, but she leaped back onto her feet and carried on fighting. She grabbed the heavy rope from the ground and swung it around, wrapping it around Tim and then pulling him towards her. Using his forward momentum, she kicked him in the stomach, sending him towards Blaine. They both slammed onto the hard dirt. You killed my parents in front of me, she whispered, wiping away one single tear that fell from her eye. Her brow creased in determination. Theyre watching me, you know. Blaine let out an aggravated yell and pushed Tim off of him, getting to his feet quickly and pounding towards her. His red hair bobbed up and down, his cold eyes stared at her in anger. He lunged forward, leading with his fist. She dodged the blow, slapping his hand away, and then elbowed him in the face. He yelped and pressed the back of his hand to his cheek, raising his cold eyes to hers. I wont be beaten by a small, measly girl, he growled angrily. Blaine may have been a notorious criminal, but he had the same

build as Zane. Thin, wiry and tall. There was no muscle, but he was fast, and mean. She dodged a punch from Tim, who had managed to unravel himself. Tim was the one she had to watch out for. He had muscles that werent a laughing matter. She watched the two men silently, considering her options. She had few choices. She could try to run away, further into the camp. Or if she were really luckyshe could somehow fight until she knocked them both unconscious and then call Dexter. Her last option was to scoot further into the tunnel of trees, to maybe find a weapon of some sort, or attract the attention of someone at camp. For a moment she wondered what her parents would have done in a situation like this. What would she do, if she had a harder personality, a ruthless one? She was going to go for the last option. She started to inch her way back into the tree cover, closer to camp. Royal Haven was only a few feet away, but she wouldnt lead this man to Zane. She couldnt run there. She turned and started to sprint into the tunnel. GET HER. WE HAVE TO GET HER, Blaine yelled. She knew why he had to get her. She knew the location of his hideout. She remembered it clearly, like it had only been yesterday that shed been an unwelcome guest. When shed been kidnapped at ten, they hadnt shielded her from seeing where they took her. Now that shed remembered where they had gone, she could tell Dexter. If she lived through the night. She yelped as a heavy weight shoved her to the ground, her hands colliding with the soft dirt beneath her. She was turned around and then Tim raised his fist to punch her. Her training kicked in and Red rolled them over, so the man was underneath her. She was frantic for a second, not knowing what to do next. Then she grabbed a stick from beside her and thrust it hard into his eye, ignoring the queasy feeling that action caused at the sound of his bloodcurdling yell and soft squelch of his eyeball. She searched the ground around her again, this time grabbing a large rock in her hand and slamming it down hard on his head. He went limp beneath her. Unconscious. Tim was down, temporarily. It was then she heard the soft click of a gun. She turned around slowly, sliding off the immobile man. She didnt stand up. On the ground she would be harder to see in the surrounding dark. On the ground she might find

something else to use for a weapon. Standingshe was nothing more than a target. There was no mistaking the soft glint of metal in the moonlight and the malicious gaze that Blaine turned her way.Im going to take you, torture you, and then kill you in the exact same way I did your parents all those years ago. She crawled backwards as slowly as she could, barely daring to breathe. He barked at her to stop moving. She had put Tims body a little in front of her, hopefully enough to block her hands from Blaine. Inch by slow inch she moved her hand to her pocket and touched her cell. She pressed the repeat call dial button for the only person shed ever called on her phone. Then she hit carefully laid the phone in the grass, with the speakerphone engaged. She waited a few seconds, judging the timing for the call. Then pushing down the fear, she looked at Blaine. II just want to ask one question, she stammered. She tried to find the strength to do this. Her strength was that her parents were watching. She couldnt be scared. Wwhy Zane? Why did you come all the way to Sunnyside to find Zane? Blaine smirked. He was a bargaining chip. I can use him to gain access to some of the companys technology, a whole lot of money. Its well known that his uncle would do anything for Zane. Give up anything to get him back. I needed him for the money. Why do you want me then? Im worth nothing, Blaine. In the darkness of this tunnel of trees, Im just an ordinary girl. What will you gain for taking me? He let out a quiet, evil laugh that send cold shivers down her spine, all the way to her toes. You know the location of my hideout. Dont you girlie? But, more than anything He grinned maliciously. Its just so much fun to torture you! He leaned forward to grab her and she looked at his outstretched hand as though it was a viper. But he never reached her. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH. Blaine looked sideways at the approaching figure. Before he could lift his gun and shoot, the many swung his arm around and hit Blaine in the face with something he held in his hand. Red didnt look. Instead she used this distraction to roll over and grab the gun that had fallen out of Blaines hand. She got quickly to her feet, holding tight to the gun. She was holding a gun again. Shed never liked guns. She steadied her trembling hands, rolled her lips into her mouth so their shaking would stop and

settled a determined frown on her face. She could kill him. As much as that tempted her, she knew she wouldnt do it. Blaine sat up and turned to look at his assailant. Red stepped out of his reach, and turned to look too. She couldnt see faces, but she knew that she was no longer alone in the dark, facing a mad man. She smiled. There were three people armed with weapons, and one without. The unarmed man stood a little closer. The one who had assaulted Blaine stepped forward into a slight beam of light. She sucked in a breath. It was Casper. Are you stupid, boy? Blaine ran a hand down the cut on his face that he gotten from the shovel Casper hit him with. The blonde boy stood straight, gesturing for the others behind him to step forward. It was Seth, Vikkiand Zane. Zane stormed forward and looked shocked. Staring between her, Blaine, and the gun in her hand, with eyes wide, there was a look of distress on his face. Zane, you cant be here, she whispered unintentionally, lifting the gun that had slowly pointed to the ground. She increased her grip, keeping it sturdily pointed at Blaine. The angel looked at her, fear in his eyes. Not fear of her. Not fear of Blaine. Quick movement out of the corner of her eye alerted her. Blaine had reached into his pocket and pulled out another gun. And it was pointing straight at Zane. Smirking, he looked at her and then to Zane. What are you going to do now, Agent Hart? he hissed, an evil rumble of laughter coming out of his lips. He cocked back the pistol with a click, his smile widening. I underestimated you. You finally trapped me. But would you let your mission die, in order to catch me? Blaine tightened his finger on the trigger. Her heart thumped hard against her chest. DONT. She yelled, stepping forward. She let the gun sag in her hands, and then the heavy weapon fell to the ground with a thud. She stretched out her arms and her vision blurred with unshed tears. Dont kill him. Please dont kill him. Zane didnt even seem fazed by the gun pointed at him. He had told her before he had a lot of experience with people trying to kidnap him. He looked like hed shatter into a thousand little pieces. Like he had already been shot. It was as though a bullet would cause him no harm, compared to the feelings he experienced at that moment. You youre an agent. You Im a mission? He looked

at Blaine and the gun in his hand. She didnt like that he wasnt scared by it. He needed to be scared. Scared like she was. More tears blurred her vision and she went to take a step towards Zane. Blaine sent her a warning look. You were. You were, but I protected you because youre a friend. He shook his head at her in denial. She wiped her sleeve along her bloody nose. You have to believe me. You have to. Blaine watched the drama unfold in front of him. Then a smirk spread over his face. Has little Agent Red grown attached to her mission? He grinned malevolently. I may just have to kill him to see the look on your face. She wouldnt let that happen. A plan formed in her mind. It was a risky one, but clever. She was aching, hurting, emotionally torn, but she knew it was time for her to do it. There would be no other opportunity. Dexter was taking too long to get here. And the policehad no doubt been called as well, werent going make it either. If Zane died, she wouldnt be able to live with herself. She took in a deep breath, trying to stop her tears. She may be naive, she may be perceived as clueless, but she was clever. She had inherited the minds of her parents, who were the best agents in the world. She collapsed on to the ground. There was silence for a moment, as she had expected. Blaine frowned. He couldnt take his gun away from Zane, but he couldnt step forward to force her up either. Get up, he barked. She pretended to struggle as she pushed her weight up with her arms. She collapsed back down onto the ground. She let out a huge, fake sob. I cant DONT MOVE. One of the others had obviously made the attempt, stepping forward. Blaine wasnt happy about it. She peeked up at him through the gaps in her bangs. The gun in his hand was slowly loosening. Then he gripped it and swung it around to point at her. Bingo. In one, swift movement, she picked up the gun that was lying underneath her, gripped it tightly and pointed it at him, pulling the trigger as quickly as her

finger would move. Around the darkness, echoing across the lake, throughout Royal Haven and Royal Nature, waking everyone uptwo gunshots were heard.

Chapter 25: Rainbow

It was over. She watched as Blaine was carried away in handcuffs, both of his kneecaps immobile. Shed shot one of his legs. Dexter had shot the other. She had a blanket wrapped around her and was sitting in the back of one of the agents vans, her cuts already tended to and the blood wiped away from her face. The dirt had been swept away from her black t-shirt and black shorts. She watched as people hurried aroundtalking on phones, gesturing and excited. One of the first things shed done when Dexter arrived was inform the agent of the location of Blaines hideout. Currently there were agents on the way to his secret location. Ready to infiltrate, gather all information that they could find, and eliminate anyone who happened to be in the way. Her first mission had been a success. Well, it had been in everyone elses eyes. In hers, it was one big failure. Shed captured the man whod killed her parents with her own hands and she knew that her parents were impressed and so very proud of her. But it wasnt Blaines actions that haunted her. It wasnt the memory of her parents death. It was the look on Zanes face she would never forget. Illuminated by just a sliver of moonlight, she was able to see the hurt. The pain. And all because he believed that shed been playing him. Technically they werent friends anymore, but it still hurt her so much. Had the kiss meant nothing to him? Was that how it worked? Were they supposed to kiss you and that was it? He hadnt said anything to her since then, so she must mean nothing to him. But he meant so much to her. How could he not know that? She pushed the blanket off and walked through the crowds of people, working her way back through the gates of Sunnyside. Everyone had

parked outside of the camp, attracting a lot of attention from the campers who had hurried out of their dorms to see what was going on. The road outside of Sunnyside had been blocked off and outside the ropes were reporters. Constant pictures were taken, questions were shouted, and cameras were rolling. It was after midnight. As she entered camp, she was harassed by everyone. They knew now. How could they not? Youre an agent, Red! I never knew! Do you have a gun? Can I look at it? Red! So you were undercover? Thats so cool! She ignored them and pushed her way through the crowd. Half of Royal Haven had remained in their dorm, not really interested in what had happened. Well, she had people she needed to see before she left. She slowly pushed open the large door, looking around the dorm, her eyes filled with sadness. She had really, really grown attached to it. This place was beautiful. She loved the magnificent cream walls, the shiny, clean floors. When she left, she would even miss the scornful looks she had gotten on her first day. She stepped slowly through the halls, almost as though in a trance. She didnt feel her legs moving beneath her. It was time to say it. She had to say goodbye. She didnt belong in a place for the rich and famous. She didnt belong in a place filled with so much beauty and so much happiness. But most of all, she didnt belong with any of the angels. Zane Noble was out of her reach, like a star. A star shining so brightly and so fiercely that she couldnt touch him. He was too far away. Just like everyone else. As she approached the door to his room, she felt herself freeze up. It would be the last time she did it. How many times had she stood outside his door, a wide smile on her face, filled with an indescribable happiness when she saw Zanes face? Seeing his mask that showed emotion, even when he thought it didnt. Since shed been at Sunnyside, shed been the one peel that mask away. However unwillingly. Shed made him show emotions he didnt want to feel. That was on her head. She bowed her head low, scrunching her eyes shut, as though hoping to shut out the emotions. She hurt. She hurt so much.

In her minds eye she could see Caspers grinning face, imagined Seths warm smile, warm gaze, and warm comfort. She remembered how Vikkis loud, hilarious comments forced her to grin. Even Rupert, whom she didnt know all that well, was in her thoughts. His bright eyes had been the first to welcome her. Shed made so many friends, had so much fun. She really didnt want to leave them. The door opened and her eyes snapped open. She found herself staring at a pair of black, polished leather shoes. She knew who they belonged to. She looked up and her eyes clashed with gray. Just like they had the first time they met. But this time, although Zanes face was expressionless, his eyes were wide with anger and betrayal. What are you doing here? She opened her mouth, but no words came out. He glared angrily and he folded his arms over his white shirt. He was wearing white trousers also. All he needed now was wings. I came to apologize? He snorted and stared at a spot above her head. Youve spent most of your time here apologizing. You think its going to make a difference now? He settled his gaze on her, finally. She had her head sunk low in shame. She wasnt able to look at him. I didnt come here to apologize. She forced a look as unwavering as she could on her face and stared hard at Zane. She wouldnt look at his expression. Shed just gaze firmly into his eyes. I came here to say that, not as an agent, but as a friend, She swallowed. I protected you. I protected you as a friend. She turned her back on him and finally allowed her strong resolve to break. A tear fell from her eye. Reaching into her pocket, she grasped an object to give her confidence, and then released it. Shed never be able to give it to him. You were never just a mission, she whispered. She left him with that message and started to run. She tripped on the ground, her knees colliding with the carpet. She didnt care. She pushed herself up and continued to run, not looking back at his face. She had wanted to see him one last time. See him looking as bright as he could be. If she turned, she feared that her brilliant star would have dimmed to no more than a weak candle. ***** Zane didnt watch her run. He didnt watch her retreating back.

He kept his eyes on the ground, his hands trembling slightly. His feet itched. They wanted to run. They wanted him to run after her, tell her he didnt care that he had been a mission. But that was his heart talking, not his mind. And he followed his mind. His mind told him she had lied to him, used him. That he was just a mission and nothing changed that. His eyes drifted to the object resting on the ground. He took a few steps out of his room, crouching down to pick it up. It was a rabbit with a mop of black hair in between its floppy ears. He used his long fingers to open the small card that was attached to its ear. Zane, One day, Ill have to tell you something thatll hurt you, so Im giving you this in the hope that seeing it will wash away your anger. You told me I was a thorn branch and that I only opened for certain people. That pretty rose has only ever opened up for you. But its okay. Ill be stuck on your back forever. Watching over you, and no matter how much Ill want to, Ill never fully reveal myself to you. Because a roses thorny branch will only tear the wings of an angel. Friends forever? Red.

He read it once. He read it twice. He read it again. A drop of water fell on the card, spreading the words beneath it. Zane looked down at it, confused. He blinked when another drop landed on it. The water had to stop, or Reds words would disappear. He looked up at the ceiling. It wasnt leaking. He looked back down at the card, carefully brushing his thumb along the words that were slowly blurring. Then, his eyes wide, he slowly dropped the card and raised both of his hands. He pressed them to his cheeks. They were wet. When he lifted his head, the tears flooded his eyes, his vision hazy. He pressed his wrists into his eyes. He rested his elbows on his thighs, putting more pressure on his wrists to stop the water. It didnt stop. They kept falling, escaping slowly through the gaps his palms wouldnt cover. Just like his emotions were slowly seeping through. He had

suppressed all emotion since his parents died. Red hadnt lied to him. She had been planning to tell him. Hed constantly pushed her away after seeing her with Seth. Hed reacted so violently after she had told him she was moving to Royal Nature. Hed said she meant nothing to him. He was stupid. He was truly stupid. He stood quickly, swiping his sleeve across his face. He was Zane Noble. He wouldnt cry. He bent over and picked up the stuffed toy, shoving it into his pocket. He forced his mask back onto his face. He wouldnt go after her. He couldnt. Shes leaving, you know. Zane looked over his shoulder at Seths voice. He turned around fully after realizing that Seth wasnt alone. Casper, Vikki, and Seth were staring at him. Zane folded his arms over his chest, as he always did, and swallowed. He opened his mouth to say he didnt care, but the words stuck in his throat. She was leaving? Red has lived her entire life underground. Seth took a step forward with Casper and Vikki. She took this, her first mission, to protect a man who was going to be kidnapped by the person who killed her parents. They took another step. She fought her fear of the world to help this man. And in the process she defeated five grown men on her own in order to save his life. One more step. But eventually, the mission became unimportant. She was discovered by two of her friends because of her carelessness. She wanted nothing more than to get the approval of the man she was supposed to be protecting. She wanted to be protected by him. Seth got right in Zanes face, Casper and Vikki flanking him from both sides. But that man was too proud. He wouldnt allow any of his emotions to show through and caused the girl unbearable pain. She had to get comfort from his friends, when she wanted to be comforted by him. Seths dark brown eyes flickered with intense feeling. That girl, who was so naive and innocent, didnt know that she loved him. And that man, who was so proud and arrogant, didnt know that he loved her. His friends, who had fallen in love with the pure, unique girl along the way, had to watch as the woman they wanted chased after someone who did nothing but cause her harm. Now, theyve had enough. Seth lifted his knee up sharply into Zanes stomach and Casper stretched his arms backward and punched Zane hard in the face, sending him to the ground.

Casper bent down to Zane, who was sitting up and staring at his friends, a trickle of blood coming from his nose. Casper looked the most serious he had in such a long time, his eyes shining with unshed tears. His words broke. Dont be such an ass. Just go. Zane slowly rose to his feet, his movements jagged, his expression still frozen into a look of shock, horror and pain. It took him a long time to get to his feet, his eyes unable to stop staring anywhere but ahead. When he finally stood straight, he slowly brushed off his clothes, wiping his hand under his bleeding nose. Then he turned and ran. ***** She slumped down onto the ground. She was in the same patch of forest where she had lost the only picture of her parents, and then had been beaten by the man she feared most in this world. But for some reason, this seemed to be the most peaceful place for her to be. She tugged at her dads t-shirt, which she had found in the laundry room, waiting to be washed. Mom, Dad, she cried to them in her mind. I want to be your strong little girl. I want to be able to walk away with a smile on my face. But I cant. I hurt so much. She let a tear drop from her face and she wiped at it furiously. I cant stop crying. The angel that I envy and admire so much has caused me so much pain, but I keep going back. I have to. What do I do? She sniffed and wiped her sleeve across her eyes, letting out a loud cry and covering her face with her arms, wishing that her dad was in front of her, wearing the t-shirt instead. I want to stay. I want to see everyone; I want to see the world with him by my side. But Ive hurt him, too, Dad. Its my fault hes in so much pain and I want to get rid of it. I want to stay at Sunnyside and experience the world with the friends Ive made. But I dont belong. She pulled her knees up to her chin and leaned back against a tree, resting her forehead on her denimclad knees. Mom, Dad, what do I do? Get up. Her eyes snapped open and she found herself staring into her lap. Had she imagined the reply? Was she imagining things? I said get up. She raised her head slowly, her eyes glazing over. The suns broken light poured in from the trees behind the figure standing in front of her, illuminating him. Was it an angel? She got to her feet slowly, pressing herself against the tree, as far back from the figure as possible. Droplets continued to fall down her face. The figure stepped forward, into the light. Zane.

Have you been crying like this whenever my back is turned? he said angrily, his face awash in emotion. He took in a deep, shaky breath like he was struggling to breathe, then shook his head. No. Youve been stuck on my back, wear I couldnt see you. He stepped forward. She lifted her sleeve ashamedly to wipe her tears away, but another hand stopped the action. She looked up at Zane with wide eyes. He pulled on her wrist and she stumbled forward. He released it and as she fell into him, his hands cupped both damp cheeks, his soft lips capturing her own. Her blue eyes were bright, her body was limp. She could only focus on the silky, smooth lips that were pleasuring hers. The pain oozed out of her chest, leaving her with only a quick heartbeat and a warm face. Zane slowly moved back, their lips scant inches from each other. Dont cry anymore, he said in barely more than a whisper, his voice laced with frustration. He looked down at her lips and she stared hard into his eyes. Dont cry over me anymore. He brought his lips back down to hers, his thumbs brushing the sides of her face. Her heart exploded and slowly, her eyes fluttered shut. In the darkness of the trees, were she had only bad memories, a new, happy memory was being created. Hed come for her. She was being protected by him. The explosion in her chest, the overwhelming happiness, the feeling of wanting to shout for joy. Was that love? Mom, Dad, she thought, pressing herself closer to Zane. I was stuck to the angels back for so long; I couldnt see what was in front. I knew he was hurting, but I didnt know that he was hurting even more than I was. All this time I thought my thorns would tear the angels wings. I didnt know that he could see, could feel and could admire more than the rose. ***** 1 week later She grinned at Dexter after he pulled away from her tight hug, his eyes still shining. Youre a lucky girl, you know that, Red. Not everyone is as nice as that lot, he nodded over at Casper, Zane, Seth, Vikki and Rupert. She smiled brightly back at him. I know. Thank you, for looking out for me for so long. Remember, call whenever you need help.

He nodded, and then looked over her shoulder. He narrowed his eyes and looked back at her. You be careful with that Mr. Noble. He seems iffy to me, always looking at you when you dont know. If he tries to do anything to you that you dont agree to, you just call, I know a few people Agent, I believe its time for Red to be escorted to her room. A hand flew between her and Dexter, as though chopping them apart. Zane looked at Dexter with a strange look in his eye. Dexter nodded, looking flustered. Yes, well, alright. Keep your phone on, Red. He nodded and hurriedly left. She stared after him, a grin on her face. Then she looked up at Zane and smiled. He looked back, his superior mask stuck firmly on his face. My room? I get my old room back? She bounced up and down, eagerly. He nodded and led her back over to Casper, Seth, Vikki, and Rupert. Together the group walked back to Royal Haven, admiring the construction workers hammering and nailing the extension that was being built on the dorm. Now that the division of classes rule no longer applied, they needed more room. Vikki now lived on the third floor and Rupert on the second. After they all entered the dorm and made their way up to their rooms, she ran into her own. She screamed in happiness and began jumping up and down on the bed as she had done within the first week at Sunnyside. Zane looked at her alarmingly. If you fall, Im not paying for your hospital bill. Ive already spent enough money for your membership here. She ignored him and kept jumping, her black hair bobbing up and down as the bed creaked. A blonde head poked around the door, unnoticed by her. Pssst. Zane turned to look at Casper. His eyes were narrowed in suspicion. Zane made his way over. Zane, if you try anything with Red when she doesnt expect it, I swear, Ill beat you until youre Casper trailed off, noticing the thunderous expression on Zanes face. Not to mention his pink cheeks. The blonde laughed nervously, dimples appearing on his cheeks. Right, Ill be going now. And he scurried off down the hallway. She collapsed onto her bed, her arms spread out. Shed exhausted herself. It was probably the relief of having everything off of her chest, no more

mission to worry about, no more fear, and no more pain. It felt amazing. Her eyes closed on their own accord and she didnt hear the footsteps approaching the bed. But those eyes snapped open when her bangs were brushed back and a tender kiss was pressed to her forehead. Zane leaned over her, a smirk on his face. His arms bracketed her head on either side. He snorted at her frozen expression. Youre just like a child. She grinned up at him, still slightly frazzled by the burning sensation from the kiss to her forehead. But she was happy, so, so happy. Red Hart, the girl who had been brought up underground, who had lost her parents at such an early age, and then was tortured by the criminal who killed themhad suddenly been thrust into a world of brightness and color. And she had just been kissed by an angel.

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