By the end of the class period I was so ready to high tail it out of there and head home. Birthday or not this was the worst day of my life. And I had a feeling that it would only get worse from here on out. Ms. Patros wrote our homework assignment on the board; something about describing the areas of conflict and how they align with the stories motifs. Shouldn't take me long.

The bell rang just as I finished writing the assignment down and I leterally leaped from my desk and dashed out the door, ingoring the sinckers that followed behind me. I know I should have exited more elgantly but I just had to get out of that room and away from Derek. Something about him just freaked me out.

As soon as I reached the front doors and felt the suns vibrant rays shinning down on my face I relaxed and beathed out calmly at last. I tilted my face upwards and sucked in a deep breath filling my lungs to the brim and breathed out then started my walk home.

I took the long way home passing by the beach. Not sure why but I just had to be close to it today even after all the weirdness. As I reached the shorelone i gazed at the ocean's clear crystal water glistening under the afternoon sun. The waves crashed on the white sandy shoreline spraying soft salt water around the beach. It was so beautiful, so peaceful, so tranquil and serene.

A mighty force calm and magastic. It was aweinspiring. I stayed there gazing at its wonder until the shaop pain in my abdomon forced me to leave the scene and head home.

When I reached my house I was so lost in thought that I didn't notice the small package that was on the front steps of the poarch. "Fudge!" I cursed as I almost tripped over the box. When I turned my gaze down and glared at the obtrusive object beneath my feet.

The box was silverly in color and was about six inches wide and four inches tall. The strangest thing of all though was that it had no return or home address written anywhere on it.

"How strange, where did this come from?" I wondered reaching down to pick up the small package. I turned it aound in my hand and saw that the only thing it had on it marking the box was a capalized cursive C, on the bottom. "C, C for Cora, Corissa. It's for me." I whispered.

I took the box in my hands and intered the house still turing the box over in my hands. I carelessly dumped my bag at the front door step by the coat rack. I walked up the stairs to my room and locked the door behind me. I rummaged around for sizzors and opened the box reveling a small crystal necklace. It was beautiful. It had a circular full moon shape and a golden chain that clasped in the back.

"Oh my." I beathed.

I carfully took the necklace out of the box and gazed at it in wonder. The stone glissened and sent sparkles all throught the room lighting the dark place up. I unclasped the chain and placed it around my neck locking the clasp and flatening it down over my shirt.

A wrinkel in the box caught my eye and pulled it out of the box. I uncurled the paper and read "Cora-wear this always. It will help. Happy Birthday.--E"

"What the hell? Who is this?" I whispered. Who sent me this gift, and what did they mean? I had to figure out who it was.

I gazed at my reflection in the mirror and fingered the sparkely moon shaped necklace around my neck. It felt familiar somehow, like I have seen it before, somewhere, a long time ago. I gazed in wonder at my reflection in the mirror, and stayed that way for a long time.

I didn't realize how much time had passed by until I heard the front door slam shut and my mother's voice echoed throughout the whole house "Corissa! How many times have I told you to, to not leave your backpack in the way!"

Typical, no hello, how are you, how was your day. Just right down to the yelling and screaming. "Sorry mom, I'll come get it now." I yelled down the stairs and clompted down the stairs. When I reached the foyer she was standind in the off to the side glaring down at my backpack that by the way was not in the way at all, as if it was the most discusting thing she had ever seen.

I reached down and threw it over my shoulder and the necklace fell out of my shirt. I turned and began to huff back to my room, when my mother's shrill voice stopped me. "Where did you get that!?" Her eyes glaring at the crystal necklace around my neck. I unconscisouly lifted my hand to grip the chain. "What?" I asked.

"That, that thing." She shreaked pointing to the necklace.

"My necklace? What about it Mom?" I questioned.

"Where did you get it?" She seethed.

"It was on the front door step when I got home. It's a birthday present." I answered nonchanlantly shrugging.

"What did you say?" I could hear the thick veniom in her voice.

"I said it was left on the poarch in a package with my name on it, its a birthday present." I ennunciated not understanding what the problem was. I turned around to leave and head back to my room.

"Don't you speak to me in that tone of voice young lady." She yelled grabbing my wrist and pulling me painfully back and rearing back to smack my face with her other hand. I cringed as I anticpiated the smack.

It was then that the door slamed open reveling my father and two brothers in tow. "Pen, what are you doing?" My father screamed pulling her hand back before it contacted my face.

"David, look at her, look what she's wearing!" She sobbed falling into his arms.

My father looked at me then and his mouth drobbed and his eyes bobbed out of his face. "Cora, hunny what is that?"

"What's wrong with all off you. What about her-" Will's voice cut off when he too saw the necklace and his face when slack.

"What is with all of you? Its a bloody necklace that someone gave me for my birthday. What the hell is all of you guys' problem?" I shreeked.

They all looked at each other and appeared to be conversations with their eyes. I was so confused what was the big deal about the necklace. They all looked so freaked out about it, like they knew something that I didn't about it, something bad, but that couldn't be. All I felt with I wore the necklace was peace. What was wrong with that?

"You don't understand, Cora, this is bad. Really bad. Like drastic bad." Matt told me completly serious. This was bad, Matt was never serious, never. My mother removed her head from my father's sholder long enough to look at me with a sorrowful look, tears stinging her eyes staining my father's shirt.

"Guys, whats wrong? Please tell me." I whispered tears staining my face. I was terrified of what they might say. They were all, save my mother whos head was back in my father's neck, looking at me as if they had just learned of my coming death.

"Cora, we should all go to the drawing room. We need to have a family meeting and discuss some things." My father said.

"What things?" I asked.

"Well first that you are not normal Cora." My mother told me pulling out her head again and taking my form in.

"What?"

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Well that's that chapter, hope you liked it. I offically have computer access in my doomroom so I can update sooner and faster.

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