Grace did not feel like arguing with her uncle, so she rummaged through her bag until she pulled out her sketch book and her pencil pouch. Then she went to the living room and sank down on the couch and started to think. She tapped her pencil on the top of her sketch pad. "Grrr." She growled. Then an idea came to her, and she started sketching. Tiger came along a minute later jump up next to her and curled in a ball and purred. Grace took breaks in between just to pet Tiger. Moments later her uncle Tom came in with a newspaper in his hands. "And what are you up to." He said walking past her and bobbing her on the head with the rolled-up needs paper then patted Tiger on the head.

Grace did not look up from her drawing, but she found it intriguing that her uncle just suddenly forgot about what had happened not even an hour ago. "Drawing." Grace said fixing her messed up hair.

"Of what?" He ask.

"Hm, nothing too special, a dragon that's all." Grace said reaching for her pencil pouch. "Man, I left my colored pencils in my locker. Shoot"'

"In my study bottom left drawer of my desk, there should be some." He said sitting down and reading his paper.

"But I thought I couldn't go in there?"

"I said you could unless I gave you permission, which I had and if I'm in there and let you in." He did not take his eyes off the paper.

"Oh, yeah." Grace got up putting her drawing on the couch and started walking toward Tom's study.

"Don't touch anything!" He shouted after her.

"Won't!" She shouted back. When she got there, she cautiously opened the door to the study. The study was small with only a desk and a spinning chair. Books surround the rest of the room. Each on a self all organized. She notice some books had names of people on them. One had her great- great-great grandfather, Owen Pickle. Promising not to touch anything she walked around the desk and bent toward the drawers. The right bottom drawer had a lock on it. Curious she went to open it. Locked. Of course. So she opened the left bottom drawer, inside was markers, highlighters, crayons, and colored pencils. Grabbing the color pencils she walked out.

As she did, she notice one book had the name, Lauren Michaels. Her mother's name. Grace froze. Why would.... No it was her imagination. It couldn't be. Would it? No! So she quickly walked out closing the door behind her. Trying to forget what she saw she made her way back to the living room. When she got back Tiger was lying on her sketch pad. "Hey!'' She shouted. "Off!" But Tiger didn't budge.

After dinner Grace took her shower. After she had dried off her body got her PJ's on, she wrapped her hair in the towel and began to walked towards her room. Walking down the hall she passed the forbidden room and paused when she heard noises. "... No I do not believe she saw them." She heard her uncle say. "No, I don't think she's ready..." She heard him again.

'Who's he talking to?' Grace wondered.

"... No I do not believe Lauren had told her yet...No it will have to wait...Why...Because I believe if we tell her to soon and after what happened with her parents... no, I don't think she'll take all too well."

'We? Who's we?'

She heard him sigh a very deep sigh. "I know we're going have to tell...No it will not be soon... I don't know when... Fine, fine, we'll talk more in the morning, good night." She heard his footsteps walking towards the door. She quickly sneaked around the corner and into an empty room. When she heard the door open, then closed, then footsteps walking away, she went up to the door and tried to open it. Locked. Go figures. 'What are you hiding Tom?' She thought as she made her way towards her room.

~~~~

Grace got up the next morning, got dressed and got ready for school. Tom drove Grace to school that day. "Alright here we are," Tom told her. "Have a good day... and please, stay away from that Mason boy, he's trouble."

"But I don't understand." Grace said looking at her uncle confused. Tom sighed and shook his head.

"Please trust me when I say this, Gracie, I am only trying to protect you." When Tom didn't go any further, Grace stubbornly got out of the car and headed into school. Grace didn't get too far into the building when she bumped into her friend Cami.

"Hey!" she shouted a laugh.

"Hey!'" Grace laugh back.

"Where ya heading?" Cami ask.

"Math with Mr. Muse." Grace told her.

"Oh yeah, I forgot! We're both in that class together, I remembered seeing you, here let me see your schedule." Grace reached into her bag and pulled it put. She had been too lazy to throw it away. "Hey, it looks like we have First.... Third....fifth...And lunch." Hearing this, Grace felt relieved. Not does Cami have most of the same classes as her, but Grace doesn't have to feel lonely at the school. She was glad to have a friend. As they made their way to class, Grace caught a glimpse of Mason. He was over what appeared to his locker, rummaging through it not paying attention as Grace and Cami walked by.

"Hey, quick question." Grace said as they walked. "Do you know anything about Mason Reynolds?" Cami slowed in her stride at the mention of Mason.

"Yeah, I do." Cami said. "He's no good, if that's what you want to know."

"Want to do you mean?" Grace pressed. Cami hesitated but continue nonetheless.

"Well his father owns a huge company that owns every store in the state. But any-who, much like his father, he isn't the nicest guy to be around. Causes trouble in school and in town and thinks he some tough guy or something like that. If I, were you, I wouldn't even make eye contact with the dude."

"Huh." Grace thought as they went inside their classroom. Is that why Tom doesn't want me hanging around him? She wondered for a moment until the school bell rang and math started.

~~~~

At lunch Cami ask, "hey what's that? I never seen that before." She pointed to Grace's forearm where a birthmark the shape of a north star was placed. "Oh that, it is just a birthmark. No big deal it runs in the family. My mother used to tell me it represents good and kindness and that one day I would be able to show people the light." Grace told her.

"Wow! That's so cool!" Cami exclaimed.

"Mm, I guess." Grace said and continued on with her day.

After school Grace began to walk home when she heard a "hey, Anders," from behind her. She turned to see Mason there walking up next to her. Grace ignored him as best as possible. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" He smirked strolled right next to her.

"I'm not supposed to talk to you." Grace told him.

"Why because your uncle told you too?" Grace gave him a wide look and was startled that he knew that was reason why.

"How did you-"

"Oh, don't worry about that, Anders. I know a lot more than you think. And your uncle hasn't been.... oooh, what's the word...truthful, eh?" He smiled again.

"Whatever it is I bet he has a good reason." She said.

"Right, right, of course he does." Mason rolled his eyes laughed. "Are you really going to believe that, Anders? Really? You should ask your uncle the secrets that are being kept from you, hm?" Grace couldn't take it, but she kept walking. "And I bet he could tell you what this really stands for?" He pointed to her birthmark. Grace froze. She finally face him. "You're not the only one with a birthmark that runs in the family." He said as he pulled up his sleeve to a birthmark that was in the shape of a crescent moon. Grace had no words but just stood there shocked. "Well it's been nice talking to you, maybe we could do this again soon, mm?" He said as he walked past her and down the sidewalk. Grace shook her head and watch as Mason turned the corner down towards his house. Questions were stirring in Grace's mind.