Chapter one

For my lovely heart

One thing I hate most about most about middle school is not the teachers, not the classes, but the students. As I stood there waiting for the big crowd for thirteen and fourteen year-olds to scamper onto their classes, I watched nervously as the big hand on the clock moved closer to the six. It was only first period—I still had a good five minutes to get to class—but I felt like I was going to be late. And I defiantly didn't need a D-hall on my perfect record. I pushed my way through the cluster of kids, earning me some curses and insults; I didn't care.

Finally, I saw the orange paper that was labeled, "Ms. Garza's Math Class" and hurried inside the door. Some students were already there, talking and gossiping about who's dating who, someone is fighting someone after school; a boy got suspendedSuspended Suspended Suspended Suspended, etc. I've never really paid much attention; gossip was a waste of time and breath—most of its not true anyway, why take the time to make something up about a person, just to make a conversation?

Shaking my head, I grabbed the papers on the front table and took my seat on the second row towards the middle. I pulled out my pencils, copied down the agenda, then looked around the room once more. Everyone was now almost here, some still missing, but only to go staggering in the door the next second.

My eyes were still heavy with sleep; I reached up and rubbed them, giving a low silent sigh as I did so. Eleven o'clock was not a very good hour to fall asleep, especially if you were to wake up at seven in the morning. Suddenly, something started to bubble inside me, this usually happens when I forgot something. My stomach started to turn at the thought of leaving something at home. It did a flip when the tardy bell rang.

"Good morning longhorns please stand…" Mrs. Percin's voice echoed through the halls and classrooms. We did our usual pledge before sitting and listened to how we beat the Vale's stingrays again in Football.

When it was over, Ms. Garza made her way to the front of the room. "Class get your homework out!" she demanded. My stomach finally sank when I remembered what I had forgotten.

My homework.

Giving a sigh, I shuffled through my folder, searching for the unfinished math assignment. About five papers later, the filled out and neatly done math homework seem to have slapped me in the face. It was finished, with all the work shown and everything! Did I do it last night? I asked myself. I defiantly didn't remember doing any equations when I got home.

I must have looked as surprise as I felt because Jay, a short brown-headed boy, tapped me on the shoulder. Turning to face him, I met his worried some expression. "Are you alright?" He asked, his voice holding concern.

"Yes Jay, I'm fine," I replied.

He smiled then began to babble, "Oh cause you know, if you need anything I could always…well I…"

"No it's really okay," I gave him an innocent smile. He nodded but didn't look away. Giving an irritated sigh, I looked back at my homework. I knew Jay liked me, and he doesn't try very hard to hide it. Sometimes it was very annoying, seeing him stare at me with dreamy eyes.

Shaking my head, I pulled out the homework sheet to examine the back, wondering if it was done as well. It was. Then I noticed something at the bottom of the page, neatly written in cursive was:

I notice that you have forgotten to do your work, so I took care of it for you,

My lovely heart.

My jaw dropped to my desk as I read these words over and over. It wasn't my father's handwriting, or my Mother's. Who else would sign off 'For you my lovely heart'? It was written in pencil so I could erase it easily, then quickly passed it forward as Ms. Garza came to my row. For the rest of the period, I sat there reviewing over what I just read.

* * *

The bell rang, sending groups of students into the hallways. It was now third period, and I was heading for gym. I hurried onto my best friend of six, (almost seven) years. Bianka was a stubborn wolf-loving girl who was like my twin sister. Her figure was short and wide. Her dark brown hair was poufy and curly and her brown eyes were framed with black glasses.

Swiftly walking over to her, I did my usual 'open Bianka's always jammed locker' routine. "Hi Alyne, how was your day," she greeted as she pushed all her belongings into the tiny space.

"You mean morning, since it is in fact only ten o'clock," I teased, giving her a smirk and standing up and away from her locker. Bianka rolled her eyes but stayed silent as I continued. "Something weird happened in math."

Bianka closed her locker and stood up to face me. "What do you mean?" confusion coated her words as she spoke. "Has something happen to you too?"

Now it was my turn to look confused. "Well…if you mean finding your homework neatly done even though I never touched it then yes," no sarcasm was found in my words, I was dead serious.

And by the way her eyebrows knitted together as if she were trying to solve a hard equation, she knew it too. We were silent till we reached the girls locker room. "Alyne? Was your homework signed off with 'for my special pup'?"

I raised an eye brow "No it was 'for my lovely heart.' Hey how did you know it was signed off?"

She shook her head "cause this morning I left my binder at home, then in second period I was called to the office. The lady there told me that a man dropped my binder off for me. Then inside was a message."

"What was the message—" I was cut off by the bell.

"I'll tell you later," she promised.

We changed fast and ran into the gym. There we sat in are spot till the coach took role. Then we were let free to go outside. Once we were down at the football field, Bianka started to repeat the message she had received. "It said—saw you forgot this at home, so I brought it here for you. Hope you don't mind me breaking into your house and getting it. Anyways, for you my special pup." Her eyes narrowed "Something like that. So what did yours say?"

I took a deep breath before telling her what I had read. "For you my lovely heart." I finished. "It scared me at first and I couldn't get it out of my head for the rest of the period. Then you just freaked me out more!" I playfully punched her arm, earning me a hit back. We laughed till I remembered something.

"Hey Bianka, where is jasmine?"

Bianka stopped and looked around, "I don't know," she paused for a second. "Oh remember she said she will be here at lunch. She's at the doctors."

I did remember; Jasmine Palmer was one of my best friends. We had been best friends in fifth grade till this girl named Alisha stole her away. During sixth and seventh grade we stayed away from each other. When Alisha moved away, Jasmine and I became friends again. Two weeks ago jasmine had to have surgery on her right foot. Now she is always at the doctors

"Well hopefully she hasn't had any weird notes like us huh?" Bianka said.

Nodding, I began to pick up my pace, Bianka right beside me. We jogged together until we hit three laps. Then we went up to the tennis courts. I grabbed a basketball and we made our way to a corner. I passed the ball to her and she passed it back. We did this for a while in silence, lost in thought.

"Hey Alyne?" Bianka asked.

"Yes?" I responded.

"Do you think something weird…or bad is going to happen tonight?" her voice held anxiety, her eyes held worry.

I stopped passing the basketball and took a minute to think. Deep inside I did feel a slight nervousness of tonight. Like I was going to meet the person who did my homework, and I wouldn't like it.

"Honestly Bianka, I don't know. But I feel as if I'm going to meet this mystery stranger who did my homework." I stared straight in her eyes. She closed her eyes and gave her a slow sigh.

"No more of this!" she exclaimed "No more scary talk, nothing will happen tonight, lets just forget about this crap!" I would have laughed at how scared her voice was, but in all truth I was too.

Instead I gave her a reassuring smile then passed her the ball. She bounced it back but it was too high and it fell over the fence.

"Oh fudge!" I cursed. "Bianka!" I whined

"Sorry," was her reply.

Rolling my eyes, I sprinted over to exit of the tennis court then jogged over to where the ball laid. About five feet away from me. I took a step toward it, but when I did it began rolling toward the fence that separated the school from the roads. "Hey!" I yelled, chasing after it. It hit the metal fence with a loud ring. Then something that I saw made me stop strait in my tracks. Right where the ball laid in the grass, behind the fence was a very tall man covered in all black. He wore a black hat that shaded his face from the blaring sun. He wore gloves too.

The man screamed danger and wanted I wanted to forget the ball and run back to all the students and Bianka. But then the man looked up and locked eyes with me.

Crimson.

Bright red orbs met my plain brown ones. A little shriek of horror escaped my lips when my feet began to move in their own towards the stranger. "No....!" I tried to scream but it came out as a whisper.

Soon I was standing straight in front of him; only a chain metal fence separating us. Even then his head was about half a foot above the 5'10 fence. I felt a shiver run through me when I saw how pale his skin looked. "E-excuse me s-sir…I-I didn't mean to disturb you; I was just getting m-my ball." I stuttered, looking down. Bending forward to retrieve the ball, I grasped the leather filled with air with shaky hands. Then when I turned to take my leave, my feet seemed to have been nailed to the ground.

"It's alright love, I needed to gives this to you anyway." His voice was smooth, dark, and mysterious. It made me want to fait but I was also somewhat angry.

"Love? Don't call me that!" I yelled/whispered. "And are you the guy who did my homework!" I seethe, glaring.

His eyes suddenly turned coal black, making him look twice as scary; then when he spoke, my blood rain dry. "Don't speak to me like that!" he growled. "You may not be of age now, but you will be. And till that time comes you'll be showing me some respect."

Angry bubbled inside me; how dare this man tell me what to do! He has no right!

"Bite me." I snapped at him, placing my hands on my hips.

"Oh I will heart, and when you'll be screaming my name in pleasure," he vowed smugly.

Narrowing my eyes, I bit my tongue from saying something fowl to him. Instead I uttered, "Look sir I don't know who you think you are—."

"Alyne! Did you get the ball? Hurry up we're going inside!" Bianka shouted from the tennis courts.

"Yeah hold on!" I called back to her. "Anyway, leave me…" I trailed off as I saw I was only talking to a metal chained fence.

The man was gone! Vanished into thin air! What was he? A Vampire? Shaking my head, I grabbed the basketball that fell from my when Bianka had called me. Then jogged back to everyone. Suddenly, something touched my fingers. Paper? I looked down to see a red sticky note under my hand.

I grasped the blood red paper in my hands, bringing it up to read. Some words were plastered on it in cursive:

Ditch Midnight

Or else!

My eyes widen at the two words 'or else'. Snatching the paper up, I crumbled it then let it fall to the earthy ground.

Running up to Bianka, I pulled a poker face, pretending nothing was wrong. Bianka's gaze was filled with worry as she greeted me. "So what took you so long?" she asked, grabbing the ball from me.

I faked smiled, "Oh there was a bug on the fence—a really cool bug!" I added quickly.

Bianka raised an eyebrow, "well then who were you talking to?"

Paling slightly I answered, "Um…I don't know…some dude…"

Bianka giggled, "Well whoever that dude is must be pretty hot under all those black cloths."

Jealously suddenly hit me in the pit of my stomach and before I knew it I snapped at Bianka. "Hey, watch who you call hot he's mine!" My eyes widen at what I said. I slapped my hand to my mouth, not believing it.

Raising her hands in surrender, Bianka defended herself. "Whoa there cookie, you can have him! And besides I was talking about heat hot. I mean who wears that kind of clothing in this weather?"

I nodded, "I know right, and I was just kidding…he's not mine…I mean I don't even know him or anything so…I shouldn't be acting like this…" I mumbled the last part to myself, deep in thought.

Bianka shrugged as we continue our way to the locker rooms, leaving the forgotten red sticky note behind.