There once lived a girl named Ava. A bright, young girl who lived an ordinary life, until she picked up one too many dirty chocolate-bar wrappers— Sorry. I didn't know how to start this story. I suppose that was a pretty strange way to do so, nevertheless, it's what I wrote, and I didn't feel like restarting. It's unlikely that anyone will stumble upon this, anyway.

      If you do read this, I wouldn't know whether to feel proud, or apologize. I couldn't imagine why anyone would want to read about my life, but I was told that some may find my misery amusing. I believed that person to be full of it, but as you'll soon read, I've been wrong on many occasions.

      It all started at school. Just another public school's attempt to appear environmentally friendly soon to present my demise. To be fair my problems were also partially a result of my birth mother giving birth to me, Nathaniel's fault for finding me, my parents fault for being gullible, and Savannah's fault for stealing a damn rock— but I don't want to give away too many spoilers. Still, had Ridgeview High not forced me to pick up other people's trash, my life wouldn't be so chaotic. I likely wouldn't have been found.

     At first, I had been relieved to go trash picking; saved from another Algebra pop quiz, but boredom hit rapidly. Most of our classmates had ditched, sneaking out of the woods to go to the local park. I didn't dare, knowing all too well that my mother would somehow find out.

The easily distracted type, it didn't take long before I fell many feet behind my friends, lazily dragging my trash bag. Voices ahead becoming a haze, a faraway whistling prickled my ears. My brows rose, surprised that my group of friends wasn't the only to stay behind. Whistling growing louder, I tried to place the tune. It was eerily familiar, but I couldn't pinpoint its origin.

      "Ava?" Amy called, interrupting my thoughts.

       By her amused façade and laughter, I knew that my name must have been called multiples times before I responded. I shot her my usual sheepish smile, silently apologizing for my scattered attention.

      Flicking a strand of her choppy blue hair, standing beside Amy, Stella laughed as well. "She's doing it, again."

     I hadn't listened to a word they spoke for the past ten minutes, but they took no offense, accustomed to my lacking awareness. I couldn't even blame it on the mind reading this time, other than the mysterious whistler we were far from any living beings. The whistling shouldn't have bothered me as much as it did, but my curiosity got the best of me.

     "We're used to your spacing out," Amy noted, hazel eyes sparkling with humor. "But perhaps it would be in your best interest to pay attention to the swamp you've nearly walked into."

     Sneaking a glance at my damp shoes, sure enough, I was standing in a deep pile of mud, steps away from the murky water. My mother wouldn't be pleased with the ruining of my new white shoes, but I would be happy to retrieve the pair of purple high-tops she so hated. I didn't particularly care that the skater shoes as she claimed, didn't match the white blouse and plaid skirt uniform required by Ridgeview High.

      Catching up with Amy and Stella, as much as I tried to focus on the conversation, I remained distracted by the familiar tune. The whistling was getting louder, whoever had chosen to stay getting closer.

      "Anyone know that song?" I finally asked, searching the trees to my left with inquisitive eyes.

      "What song?" Amy asked.

      "That is what I just asked."

      This time, hazel eyes held less humor, seemingly holding back the urge to roll.

       "The whistling" I clarified.

      "No one's whistling," Stella answered, regarding me with both concern and amusement.

      I was sure they were messing with me. I searched her pale face for any trace of a lie. Nothing. Even Amy's expression was serious. Neither could hear the whistling, and their minds held no hints of untruthfulness... Right. That might be valuable information. I didn't quite consider myself a mind reader, as I didn't know exactly what a person was thinking. What I felt was more their emotions, and with that I could usually guess what they were thinking. I didn't understand the ability, and since the crazed looks 5-year-old Ava received, I never mentioned it to anyone. Not even my parents.

      Even with the mind reading, I had never heard voices or whistling in my mind. This was a new development, a new concerning development. The sound was so loud that I couldn't blame it on their poor hearing. This was very much a me problem.

      The whistling grew so loud that if it was in fact real, I knew the person had to be nearby. I heaved a breath of relief when I felt that familiar tingle in my mind, announcing another person's presence. The girls had to be messing with me, somehow tricking my mind.

      It was only few seconds after the tingle, that my dark eyes finally fell on the boy. He definitely didn't attend Ridgeview High. Rather than a blazer and tie, he wore a plain light-grey shirt. Shirt drenched in sweat and cheeks flushed, he was not on a trash picking troll as we were. Blond locks falling just above his broad shoulders, few strands of hair stuck to his sweaty forehead. He was blessed with good genetics, face so strikingly structured, that it took many moments before I noticed the long blade in his hands. I stopped in my tracks; eyes wide in alarm. While I must have looked like a deer caught in headlights, Amy and Stella kept walking, oblivious of the weapon holding boy's presence. His mind held no trace of a threat, he was very relaxed, but something was off. You don't just wander onto school property with a four-foot long, gooey sword for fun.

       As I often tended to forget when I was paying one person's mind specific attention, you can only stare at someone for so long before being noticed. Grey eyes met mine, and I nearly dropped everything in hand. Still whistling nonchalantly, he watched me curiously, smirking at my sluggish hold of the black bag. Though I was perplexed by the good I felt in his mind that contradicted the evident threat in his hands, I forced a friendly smile. His whistling halted, serious gaze replacing his initial ease. I nearly recoiled from the rapid change in his belief that I was a threat-less passer to an enemy. Both frozen, he watched me with a mixture of disbelief and aggression.

Breath caught in my chest; panic really rose when I heard something further to my left. Probably not wise, but I forced my eyes away from the boy. A girl, not much older than the boy and I, was stood in what I could only describe as combat clothing. Chestnut hair in two long braids, she was covered with a black chest plate, black skirt, and leather boots with spikes. If the word scary was a person, she would be it. She held a sword similar to the blond, but hers had a curve and she held onto it tightly, with much more menace. She, I considered a threat without a second of hesitation. Despite her frightening outfit, and stance, she was not what concerned me the most. My panic and confusion peaked when she brought her blade down on what I could only described as a greying corpse. Though a lot taller, it was shaped as a human, if humans didn't have faces, were droopy, had grey colored skin and long, sharp, claw-like nails.

       The creature stood no chance against her blade. Cut in half, it disintegrated into the ground, as if it had never existed. Staring blankly at the spot the creature had stood, I switched my gaze from the girl back to the boy, dark eyes threatening to pop. I wanted to grab my friends and flee, but I feared we would stand no chance, plus my feet seemed anchored to the ground.

      "You can see us," the blond noted urgently.

      Mercifully, something had captivated katana girl's attention and she was walking in the other direction. She had probably found something else to slice in half; my presence going unnoticed.

      Staring stupidly at the blond, in my flustered state I could only muster a loud, croaked; "Duh!"

      Shock turned to suspicion, and I suddenly wasn't so sure if he were the better choice over katana girl. Fierce grey eyes fixed me in place.

      "This land has been assigned to the Burkhard and Shahid clan," he said, deep voice sending shivers down my spine. "Name your clan."

      Confusion growing impossibly deeper, incoherent noises escaped me. Coming to the rightful conclusion that I had no utter idea what was going on, his features softened.

      "Ava?" Amy called, obvious concern in her voice. "What are you doing?"

     Gesturing towards the boy, I shot her a ridiculous look. I was making a poor attempt of having a conversation with someone that may or may not have been a threat. What did it look like I was doing?

     "They can't see me," he warned. "For your sake, I would act as though everything is normal."

     I brushed off his warning. "What do you mean they can't see you?"

     He didn't answer, instead looking knowingly at the two girls standing behind me. Amy's light brows were furrowed in concern and Stella's slit brows were high into her hairline.

     "You can't see him," I concluded out loud, still staring into what they thought to be empty space.

      "Ava, there's no one there."

     I knew it would be most logical to believe them, but as much as I rubbed my eyes, the boy remained. Throwing a dramatic hand to my forehead, I almost hoped I was feverish. I shut my eyes and massaged my temples. My eyes couldn't play tricks on me if they were closed, unfortunately it didn't stop me from hearing imaginary voices.

      "You must be careful," he warned.

      I was certain he said more, but he had pushed my sanity to its limit. I didn't listen to another word he uttered.

      "I'm not okay!" I declared loudly. "I need a doctor..."

      Catching a faraway glance of katana girl, I lost my words. She had just slaughtered another creature. Grey goo dripped from her dominant arm. I turned towards my friends in panic.

      "I am so hallucinating!" I croaked.

      Amy and Stella didn't take my announcement lightly. As concerned of my state as I, they ushered me back to school.

      Ridgeview's nurse couldn't find a reason for my hallucinations, but I was quite insistent that something was wrong. I reckoned that seeing imaginary teenagers and monsters was not considered normal. Though I received no medical explanation, I was glad to be sent home; glad to place great distance between myself and potentially imaginary enemies.