It was a couple days after moving in with the Andrews, that my screwed-up life began to catch up with me.

      Drowsy from the early hour, I was heading towards the living room when I heard the familiar buzz. I recognized it immediately. I shut my eyes briefly, groaning loudly before I made a dash for it. Through startled panic, I made the mistake of running straight towards the staircase. Before tumbling headfirst head over heels down the stairs, the Sphere pricked me beneath my barefoot. To add to my misfortune, the flight of stairs led to the kitchen, where Mr. Andrews had been quietly enjoying a cup of coffee.

      He nearly dropped the mug in shock, swift to race my way. "Clara!"

      I darted up before he could reach me, highly embarrassed.

      "I'm okay!" I said, voice a few octaves too high as I brushed off my fall.

      "Are you—"

      "Oh, yeah," I cut him off, attempting to casually take my seat at the table. "I'm fine."

      The fall had surprisingly not been that painful. My pride hurt more than anything. The sudden tingling in my foot bothered me more than the forming bruise on my hip, but that had nothing to do with the stairs.

      Though clearly perplexed by the idea that I hadn't being injured in the dramatic fall, fingers brushing his grey beard in question, Jim said no more on that matter. In no time he was questioning me about school and talking politics. A usual morning at the Andrews. He was going off about how some politician had had an affair with a celebrity and explaining how it would affect their votes. I did my best to act as though I was interested in his words, but my numb foot was driving me mad. It was like constantly being on the verge of sneezing. Occasionally my leg would kick forward unintentionally. Every time I did so, the table shook, and every time Jim frowned slightly, but otherwise did his best to ignore it.

      "Coffee? Really, Clara?" Andrews asked in a tone of disappointment, the moment he entered the kitchen.

       "Batman boxers? Really Andrews?" I copied his tone.

       "Batman is the greatest superhero to ever live."

       I didn't bother reminding him that he was speaking of a fictional character. "I beg to differ."

      He paused his breakfast preparation to shoot me a look of annoyance. "It is much too early to argue over this... But let me just say that you are wrong in so many ways."

      "Perhaps next time you can save us an argument, by wearing pants."

      "Pants?" he asked outraged. You'd swear I had asked him to wear a dress and pantyhose.

      "Yes. They're what one usually wears to avoid parading half naked in front of their friends."

      I teased him but really didn't mind his choice of clothing, or lack thereof. He might be my best friend, but I had to admit he was attractive, in his own unique way. Not as good looking as his brother, I mean Colton was ridiculously hot. He didn't have Colton's blue eyes or toned chest and abs, nor did he have Dylan's ruggish looks and intelligence, but he was great in his own way. He was definitely my favourite of the three boys.

      "Molino, this is my house," he said. "I'll parade half naked if I want too."

     "Of course. Do what you want, but you should know that they don't leave much to the imagination."

      Jim chocked on his coffee, laughing at his son's face. Mouth agape, Andrews flipped me off.

      "There's something freeing about walking around in your underwear... I won't let you take that away from me." Bagel in mouth, carton of milk and box of cereal in hands, he marched right back to his room.

       Somehow Andrews found out about my falling down the stairs and spent the entire day teasing me about it. I'd have continued making fun of his choice of underwear; but I was too busy trying to convince the teachers that I was okay, and that I had found a place to stay. News travelled fast in this small town.

       I had had way too many conversations with teachers I didn't like, so of course Mimpi chose that night to show up. Oh, and she brought terrific news.

       "No." I said as soon as her head popped up. So much for hoping the Sphere wouldn't follow me. Mimpi ignored me and looked around the room as though she had woken up in a dump with no recollection on how she got there. The turning of her head was creepy. The whole 3D illusion thing wasn't doing wonders for her side profile.

       "This not your room." She grimaced.

      "No, it's not," I said, taking a deep breath as it took all my will power to remain calm. "Don't scream. Don't bring unwanted attention to yourself," I told myself. My mother hated me because of Mimpi. She was the cause of every problem in my life. I wouldn't let her ruin what I had going with the Andrews.

      "You're angry," captain obvious noted.

       "How'd you come to that conclusion?" I asked sarcastically. "Perhaps it's the fact that my mother kicked me out because of you."

      "I sorry about that." Though she sounded sincere, her apology didn't make me feel better. It frustrated me more. I'd have preferred she laugh in my face, at least then I'd have another reason to hate her.

       "Where are you staying?" she asked. She spoke like she actually cared, like she wasn't going to be the death of me.

      "A friend's house, not that it's any of your business."

       "This place not worthy of your stay!" she said outraged. "It's a boy room, and much too small."

      "It's his brother's room, and it is more than fine. I'm lucky they let me stay."

       The Andrews home was small, but it was filled with love. They were the most welcoming, and caring people I knew; Mimpi had no right to judge them. She could learn a few things from them, such as not forcing death upon another.

      "His?" she asked through clenched teeth.

      "What?"

      "You're living with a boy?"

      "He's my best friend, it made the most sense." I mean I couldn't imagine living with Sarah or Tiffany.

      "Don't you have girl friends?" She chided.

      "I do, but I don't even know their last names. It'd be kind of awkward."

      What was Tiffany's last name? Wilson? No Bennett. Maybe Meyers? Ok, I had no clue.

      "Don't matter. You can't stay with a boy!"

      "You can't tell me what to do." I folded my arms against my chest. "It was Andrews' house or a park bench."

       She frowned at the name. Black eyes grew wide when they were struck with realization.

       "Not the boy that with you when you touch the Sphere!" she fumed. Her face was practically red. I frowned. Why could this possibly matter?

      "Yes, that boy. What's the big deal?"

      Her face bobbed up and down, as if she were pacing.

      "Eudora loved a boy. He interfered during the fight. She sacrificed herself to save him," she started, face somber. She had a flare for the dramatic. "Eudora died, which almost destroy the world. She was amazing warrior, but she act stupidly for love. Kundanskie's death was luck."

      "I still don't see the problem," I said. "For starters I won't be fighting, and even if I were, there's no way I'd let Andrews help me. And we're just friends. I don't love him the way it sounds like Eudora loved that boy."

      I would admit to deeply caring about Andrews, but I knew better than to choose his life over the fate of the world.

      "Lies," she hissed. "You're more than friends."

     "We're best friends. We've already established that."

      "He don't see you as friend." She argued. She met us once, for about five minutes, and now she's the expert on Andrews' feelings?

      "He does too. Now, drop it. You can't possibly know how we do or don't feel." And even if she did, she was the last person I'd seek out for advice. Clearly, she's not good with human emotions. She still hasn't caught on that I want nothing to do with her.

      "He loves you." She didn't drop it. Stubborn woman.

      "As a friend."

      "Stubborn girl!" she complained. "He love loves you. In love with you. Loves you more than friend!"

      She was visibly frustrated. And for once I was quite amused. I couldn't help but laugh, it was just so ludicrous. Andrews in love with me? I'd sooner see him fall in love with coach Brewer.

      "He'd never think of me that way."

      "I saw the way he look at you... It's love. It's dangerous," she warned.

      "There is no danger—"

      "Once you realize your feelings for each other—"

      "I don't love Andrews like that," I interrupted impatiently.

      "You do. And there will be nothing but trouble when you discover I'm right."

      "Good God, you're stubborn... I'm done arguing, but I assure you there won't be any trouble. I'm not Eudora, and I won't obey your orders. I. Am. Not. Fighting." I spoke the last words slowly, hoping she'd finally hear them. And not just hear them, listen to them. There was no changing my mind. She was wasting her breath.

      "You won't have a choice. They know where you live; I expect they attack next week."

      Attack? Next week? There's no way. Surely, they couldn't know my exact whereabouts.

      "I'm not fighting," I answered firmly, again making it clear that my decision was final. Urgency swelled in my chest. I was not built for fighting. I had been bested by the Andrews' garage door just two hours ago. I still had a lump on the back of my head. "I'll move to another country if I must. I heard Switzerland is nice."

      "Try to escape as much as you want, but you will eventually be found. Longer you hide, the more people will die."

      "I thought I was the only one!" Why would anyone else die? There would be no fight if their only rival bolted. They couldn't fight alone.

      "You are," she said. "There is only one Terpilih. You the only one who can save us, and you the one they wish to kill, but they will kill others to get to you."

      "Mimpi," I complained drawing out her fake name. She frowned at my chosen name. "I don't want people's lives in my hands."

      "Why you call me that? You think I a dream?"

      "A dream?" I narrowed my eyes. "A nightmare. Mimpi Buruk means nightmare."

     "It translates to bad dream. Mimpi part means dream."

      Well, damn. I watched her blankly, lips puckered in a pout. That was the last time I retrieved information from Andrews. Shaking my head, I shook off the distraction. There were more important matters at hand, like the supposed deaths that would be in my hands.

      "Let's get back to these lives in my hands," I said, ridiculous expression returned.

      "What you think fate of world meant?" She watched me condescendingly. "I know you don't want to, but you have no choice. If you wish to save them, you will be at park next Wednesday night."

      "You know where they're going to attack?" I demanded.

      She nodded, as if the answer to my question was obvious.

      "Then send your warriors or call the cops. Leave me out of it!" Why would she send me when we could send a whole army? Her community was not lacking in numbers.

      "My warriors aren't skilled enough," she said. Oh, but I was definitely a properly trained and skilled warrior. "Anyone else who try to fight them will die. The police be no help, they be killed in a matter of seconds."

      "I definitely want to go now," I answered cynically. Trained policemen with guns would be killed, but let's send a seventeen-year-old girl with no experience into a battlefield.

      "You don't listen!" she complained. "You won't die."

      "I will to!"

       "No, you won't!" She contended, practically growling. "You have Eudora's power."

       "I'll admit that my strength seems to have increased, but I don't feel the least bit powerful! I feel like shit, Mimpi. My six-year-old brothers would do a better job than I would." I snapped my lips shut, immediately regretting my words. She wouldn't go after them, would she? They were just kids.

      "You've not received all of her power, but it will come. You only need her full power when you face Kundanskie. You have enough for Wednesday."

      I didn't have the energy to fight with her anymore. I just wanted her gone. I took my sweater off the floor, and wrapped it around the Sphere, that had begun to glow.

      "What you doing?" Mimpi demanded.

       I kept walking. I wasn't a fan of stairs, but at the moment I was glad the Andrews had placed me in the only room on the third floor. I opened the bedroom window and threw the Sphere out of it before the injection could be released. I heard the loud thump of it hitting the ground, and quickly shut the window. A window that seemed to have been used quite a lot, the white paint had been scratched down to its brown roots. That's probably why they put Colton on the third floor. It made it a hell of a lot harder for him to sneak out. It clearly didn't stop him though.

      I was quite pleased with myself; the Sphere was locked outside, possibly even broken. Mimpi was gone. All was good. With a satisfied smile I spun to grab my pyjamas from Colton's drawer when something slammed into my stomach. How did it get inside so quickly? I dropped to my knees, gasping for air. For such a small thing, it knocked the wind right out of me. I was fairly certain it had purposely hit me that hard, angry that I had tried to destroy it. Great, the Sphere had a grudge now. To make things worst I fell in front of the door. A door which Andrews decided to suddenly burst through, hitting me right in the face, squishing my round shaped nose.

      "What's going on?" he demanded.

      "Privacy!" I shouted from the floor, afraid the entire Sphere was back, and he'd see it.

      "What's wrong?" He looked down at me, anger turned to concern. He knelt in front of me, resting his arms on his thighs.

      I was still wheezing for air, and I was pretty sure I'd have a lump on my forehead in the morning.

      "Nothing... I'm fine," I tried to push him away, struggling to get to my feet.

      "You're hurt."

       "Ya, I'm pretty sure you gave me a concussion."

       "Oh." Only then did he realise what the hard thing the door hit, had been. "But you were hurt before I came in."

       "Not used to the room," I pretended. "Ran into the bedpost, trying to get clothes."

       It happened last night, therefor it did not count as a lie. Andrews scowled, not sure what to believe. He browsed the room, keeping an extra suspicious eye on the closet, as though he thought someone might walk out of it. Maybe Colton used to hide girls in it.

      "Who were you talking to?" he finally asked.

      "No one."

      "I heard voices, Clara."

      "Oh," I feigned a look of concern. "Maybe you should get that checked."

      Finally regaining my breath, I sat on the bed, willing myself to forget that it used to belong to Colton. I could just imagine how many girls he had... nope. Don't even think about it. Andrews was still watching me intently. The look he gave me couldn't be mistaken for anything but "cut the bullshit".

      "I was talking to myself," I finally said. His face went from relief, then back to worry.

      "You... What?"

      "I was thinking out loud. Lots of people do it."

      "Ok..." He still wasn't convinced. Slowly he made way for the door, but as he did so he tilted his head to get a better look under the bed.

       "Andrews," I started, tone displaying only mild irritation. "I promise no one is here. This isn't my house; I wouldn't invite someone without asking."

       I think he believed me then, but with the sluggish nod, it was hard to tell.