I look at the calender and gasp.

It's my birthday next week! I'm turning sixteen next Saturday! I can't believe I never remembered! "Avril, I just realised something." I say as I bound into the lounge.

"What?" Avril turns to look at me, pushing her poker-straight hair back.

"It's my birthday next Saturday." I tell her.

Avril grins and nods slowly, "We're having a big do, right?"

"As long as my mom is my mom." I sigh, "I hope I get a car. Then I won't have to bug Dad about taking me to school late every morning!"

"That would be cool." Avril agrees and then we set off to the CinePlex...

That Night....

This time, I'm determined to make it. I'm at the tower again, the mist extending clawed hands to snatch me back, to stop me from proceeding further. I ignore them and carry on, fighting my way to the gates. The temperature drops, just like last time, and the light-headedness sets itself into motion. Trembling with the attempt not to collapse, I begin pushing the gates open. If I'm honest with myself, the gate is the only thing holding me up right now.

I wak forward and stop in the courtyard. As I stand there, the wind whipping my hair back, a feeling of success runs through me, chasing the dizziness away. I look up the monstrous structure in front of me and spot a light coming from one of the windows. I look more closely and make out a figure standing in the window, looking down at me. I can see dark ruffled hair, a coiled body and blazing blue eyes like a morning sky. I recognise them faintly, but I don't why they are so familiar.

Then I pass out.

When my eyes open, I expect to be in the back yard. To my utter astonishment, I find myself tucked up in bed, the duvet around me, my blue Converse by the side of the bed. I sit up and push my hair back. Confusion and bewilderment burst through my veins and I shudder. Who did I see in the window? Why did he look so familiar and why did I feel like I knew him? I push the questions out of my mind and walk into the shower. I let the water drain all of the thoughts and forbidding feelings out of me.

It's an hour later when I get out, drying my hair with a towel and sitting on my bed. Mom walks in, wearing a formal suit, "I have a recruit meeting to go to. I'll be back in two hours. Daddy's home, okay?"

She kisses my forehead and leaves. I sigh and run a hand through my hair. Why does this business about the tower seem so real? Why does it always remain in my mind, being stubborn, never wanting to leave? I groan and throw my hairbrush at the wall. I throw myself back on to the bed and curl up in a foetal position. Tears leak out of my eyes and I wipe them away, sniffing.

What is happening to me? What's wrong with me? Why am I going through this? Are the dreams some sort of premonition? Am I going to die? Are the dreams warning me about a bloody death awaiting me?!

I will the tears to stop, telling myself I am being utterly absurd and eventually they do. I need something to get my mind off the tower issue... I know the perfect thing. I take my phone out and dial a number, then press the cell to my ear.

"Hello?" The hyper, enthusiastic voice answers.

"Hey, Avril?" I say, my voice hoarse, "Will you come round?"

The Next Day...

"Okay, Donna. Have a good time at school." Dad waves and with a squeal of tires, he's gone. I turn and nearly bump into someone. I look up into two intense blue eues that send electricity shooting through me.

"Er, sorry. I'm sorry, Rhys." I back up a step and try to smile apogetically.

"It's okay." says Rhys, "I saw in you in the OK magazine." He turns and stalks away. That's it? No 'you looked good'? No 'I'm happy for your parents' success'? Not even a compliment about the fact that I could even get into OK magazine? I sigh, pushing my hair back, and walk over to Avril, who is waiting for me beside the benches.

"Hey." I grin. She grins back and holds up a copy of OK magazine. On the cover is a picture of me, Mom and Dad. 'The Model Genes', the caption read. I roll my eyes, sighing, "Why do you have that? Please put it away before anyone sees it!"

Avril frowns, "You should be proud! Do you know how many people read this magazine? You're practically famous!"

I stuff my hands into my hoodie, "No one cares about me, Avril. They're got their own lives to worry about."

"You shouldn't talk so negative!" Avril slaps my arm gently, "Of course people care. Both your mom and your dad are beautiful models; you're the only offspring. They are obviously curious about whether you are going to be a model."

"So much fuss about my career choice?" I snort, "That is just so insane and wrong! Why would they bother trailing after me just to find out what job I'm going to have?"

Avril sighs, "It is futile trying to explain to you. You are the source of everybody's gossip, the popular girl of the school. Everyone loves you, it's a well known fact."

"Er, no, they don't. Crystal Weathers? She hates me." I point out, looking over at the snobby girl surrounded by her friends. She has chocolate brown hair, pale blue eyes, a nose that's a bit wide and thin lips. She could pass as a model if the recruiter didn't have really high standards. "That's because she's jealous of your popularity and your fame and the fact that you got in OK magazine doesn't help." Avril says, rolling her pretty eyes in Crystal's direction.

I giggle, "So, what, I've just made more people hate me by agreeing to appear in the magazine?"

Avril gasps, then giggles, "I didn't mean it like that, you idiot! I meant that people like Crystal just need an excuse to hurt sweet, beautiful girls like you."

"You think I'm sweet?" I splutter and then hug her tightly, "I don't deserve you. You're the best friend ever."

"This is why I love you so much." Avril pecks my cheek. I smile at her,. blushing. Avril laughs, "You are so innocent! I can't wait to corrupt you!"

She skips off and I burst into stitches of laughter. Corrupt me?! I walk into my first lesson and stop in my tracks. In my seat is Rhys. He raises an eyebrow, daring me to ask him to move. I narrow my eyes, push my hair back and flounce to the opposite side of the room. What do I see in him? Obnoxious twit. All through the lesson, I pay intense attention to the tasks and finally manage to round up a decent piece of work. Even the teacher congratulates me on my sudden improvement. I smile my thanks and leave.

Avril meets me in the hallway and we walk to second lesson together, which by an uncanny coincidence is Biology. Rhys is already in his seat when we arrive. How does he move so fast? I take my seat and a grinning Avril takes hers behind me. Rhys looks at me, his head tilted as if he's trying to figure something out. Frustrated, I snap, "What?"

"Moody." Rhys declares, as if he's taking notes on my character. I make a disgusted sound and look to the front, determined to ignore him. I pay attention to what the teacher is trying to tell us, but I'm not really bothered about how many chromosomes there are in a woman's body. After most of the lesson has passed without any events taking place, a sharp poking begins in my shoulder. I look to the side. It's Rhys' finger. "What do you want, Rhys?" I hiss, looking back at the front.

"I want you to stay away from the tower."

Frozen, I turn my head to look at him. He has a certain malice about him. His eyes darken and his mouth is set in a deep, straight line. "How do you know about that?" I ask in a whisper, my voice trembling.

"Let's just say that you're not the only one with secrets." Rhys replies. There's a shrill ringing and then he's gone. I gasp, still frozen. Avril's in front of me, prodding me in my forearm.

"Hey, come on. Lunch time. I hear they're serving some kind of pasta salad."

I look up at her, still shaken by what just passed between Rhys and I, "I'm not hungry."

"What? Why not?"

"I think I'm going to spend lunch with Rhys." I decide. I want some answers to some questions and I am going to get them.

"Okaayyy. I'll hang with Rose or something." She thinks there's something between us. How could she be more wrong? I get up and then follow in the general direction that Rhys went in. I sneak after him. He leaves through the back of the school, where all the Dumpsters are kept. They join up to the student parking lot.

"Hey." I call when he arrives at his car; a sleek black model that I don't recognise. Probably foreign. Rhys turns to look at me, his face not revealing any emotions, a cold slate. He doesn't look shocked that I've followed him all the way here or something. I walk over to him, only stopping when I have to tilt my head up to look in his eyes, "I want some answers."

Rhys' eyes harden and darken, "I'm busy." How did I ever like him? He's so cold and... mean. "Rhys, I intend to get my answers. Right now. I asked you something. How do you know about the towers, Rhys?"

Rhys looks down at me coldly, "I've already answered that."

"Not properly." I counter, "I want a straight answer."

"I can't give you one." Rhys says and he grips my forearm in a painful hold, "Just go back to your perfect life, to your modelling parents, to your magazines and forget about everything. The tower, me, the silhouettes. Forget you ever knew anything about them. Pretend I don't exist, Donna."

"I can't do that." I reply stonily, "I want my answers, Rhys. I'm not going until I get them. What does the tower have to do with you? How do you know things about me Avril doesn't know about me?"

Rhys' eyes blaze, he steps forward. Intimidated by the look in his eyes, I step back, my back hitting the metal of the car. "I know more than you think. Don't go to the tower and stay away from me. Or else..." Leaving the malevolent warning to hang in the air, Rhys climbs into the car and drives off.

I know this isn't so good, but it's my first romance and I'm doing my best to make it more interesting. Please bear with me