Morning came as always by muffled sirens and and singing birds from her phone alarm. Eyes closed, Kyna kicked off her blankets, walked out into the hallway and into the bathroom.

Fifteen minutes later, she'd showered, brushed her teeth and was halfway there into looking like a decent human being. Minus the gunk still in her eyes.

She quickly dried herself off, wrapped her towel around her chest like a toga and squinted her way back to her room for her clothes.

Ten minutes later, she was fully awake and by the door still in place, like nothing happened the night before, could surmise that her brother was still in bed.

The wall clock above the kitchen doorway read 6:40. Kyna shook her head, grabbed a couple of eggs, bread, butter and jelly. And by ten to seven, she was wolfing down her scrambled eggs. With bites of butter and jelly on toast in between. Finished off with a small glass of orange juice.

The rest of breakfast rested safely under two purple food covers on the table.

"Ma," yelled Kyna, unlocking the many locks on the door. "I'm going!"

She rushed down the stairs, her heart lifting higher and higher, the further away she became from the hydrogen bomb she'd knew that'll soon explode.

Kyna can suffer nights like last night. But not the mornings. She whipped out her student metrocard as she power walked a short distance down the street to the D-line train station. Which pulled in just when she swiped it.

Cursing again at her rotten luck, for another day of running up stairs, Kyna flew up the steps, all three landings to the uptown side. Barely making it to end of the car right before it closed and pulled out.

Chest shearing, she flopped into the hard, bright plastic chairs. A welcome feeling from the ground zero probably happening right now.

Not like it was her problem anyways. Shaking her head, Kyna stared passed the young resident intern advertisement for NYU medical program imprinted on the walls of the train.

After last night, the last thing she needed this morning was another reminder of the impossible. Though she wasn't interested in attending the prestigious university. It wasn't far away enough. Besides, studying to become a doctor would just make her poorer than she was now.

She might not be sure what she wanted to study. But definitely it had to be something that will lead her to a great paying job. With the least amount of student debts. And practical.

Her stomach churned at the thought. Practical indeed. Kyna rubbed her left thumb over her right middle finger. Feeling the curves and indents from all the times she pressed the pen there. Bleeding blood and ink to lined, blank pages.

Though it's been two years she could still remember the way the pen and her hands flown across the page. Almost as two hearts as one. Lovers who couldn't get enough of each other. Who had so much to say, that it spilled over in a rush into something chaotic yet beautiful. Pure.

Until she learned the truth.

It's only your sophomore year. But have you thought about what you wanted to do in the future?

Although it was early to start talking about college in her opinion. Graduation was only two years away. But the entire sophomore class had to schedule meetings with their advisors for career guidance.

Kyna had kept it a secret, well maybe it wasn't that much of a secret. After all, English was her best and favorite class. And she didn't earn the nickname 'storyteller' for nothing. Though she had her dreams to thank for that.

So she told her her secret wish to be a writer. Unrestrained and giddy. Like a fool.

But you can do that as a hobby, she replied.

The train pulled into her stop. Kyna pushed the memory back and locked it away again. This time, so deep Davy Jones couldn't find it.

Leaving the train station, her pocket buzzed. Reaching for her phone, she swiped the screen and smiled at the large, bold text from Shandrea.

WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!

Kyna chuckled, pulled out her cell and swiped the screen. She picked up practically before the first ring finished. "Bitch. Where the hell are you?!"

"Why? They at it again?"

"You think? I blame you by the way."

Kyna rolled her eyes. She knew where the conversation was going. But obviously, Marisol and Tony were driving her crazy. So she let her friend vent.

"Still on that are you?" Kyna shook her head and stepped into a painting. Skipping down the steps Kyna half-listened to Shandrea's complaints.

"You were the one who hooked them up. Why couldn't you just leave them alone? They could've figured it out themselves how they felt about each other on their own. Preferably after graduation. But no, you had to be up in their business. And now I have to suffer this love shit they're on."

"They're making out in front of you again?" asked Kyna, stopping at the street corner. She pressed the button to cross and waited.

"Worse," groaned Shandrea.

"Worse," shock Kyna. "Really?"

"They're holding hands," whined Shandrea.

"So," replied Kyna, crossing the street. She spotted Shandrea, not too hard since she went blue with her hair today, standing a distance away from two other people.

"They're holding hands. And staring into each other eyes. Without speaking."

"Ugh."

Now that really was too much. Kyna shuddered at the horrors Shandrea had to go through and picked up her pace. In this case, Kyna realized she had to agree. Maybe getting those two together so soon wasn't the right thing to do. They just seemed perfect for each other. She had no idea they'd get sappy about it.

She reached them in no time, practically pushed down to the ground from how Shandrea rushed at her. Locking her arms around Kyna she cried out, "Save me."

Kyna patted and looked over Shandrea's very blue head at the couple, her friends Marisol and Tony. They were in another world. An entire universe where only the two of them exist. And the rest of us was nothing but the dirt under their fingernails.

Kyna wondered if her and Sean had been like that. God she hoped not. Especially, after he had the nerve to go all Kelso on her. And she wasn't even a Jackie. She was a fucking Donna.

Kyna cleared her throat. Nothing happened. It didn't even penetrate. She cleared her throat louder this time and yelled, "Guys!"

Their heads turned slightly towards them as if they didn't want to completely lose sight of each other. Kyna snorted and thought how stupid. They're standing right next to each other.

"Hi Kyna," smiled Marisol. She was wearing all white today. Seemed to be going for the whole wingless, angel on earth thing going. Lately the color white was all she had been wearing. Ever since Tony said some barf worthy line comparing Marisol to angels.

Kyna frowned.

"Sup," nodded Tony.

"Hey." Kyna turned Shandrea around, hooked their arms together and walked towards them. "What did we say about too much PDA's? And so early in the morning. See what you did?"

"My bad," said Tony. With a sheepish grin, he gave a brief apologetic look to Shadrea, before staring Marisol again like a love sick sap. "Can't help it."

Shandrea growled and Kyna knew she was ready to pounce. "Yeah, yeah. Enough for now. You're making us the third wheel."

"Maybe we can hook you up," chirped Marisol. "Then we can double, no triple date."

Kyna sniffed, "Don't need one."

"And don't need one. I have plenty of mens."

Kyna chuckled at the bemused look on Marisol's face. "Let's start walking. And if I'm in the mood, I'll tell you about the dream I had last night.

They fell into step and pranced towards the bust stop. Well Kyna pranced. Shandrea shuffled her feet, severely slowing her pace. While Tony sauntered in pride, his arm wrapped around and grasping Marisol's waist.

Still Kyna could tell they were all ears. They always were. And anything to distract the two little birds even a little bit was a good thing.

She delved into the story, leaving nothing to the imagination. The sway of the leaves and grass. Trees as thick and huge as skyscrapers. Flowers, swaying in the wind in a vibrant song and dance they only knew. And him. The sword wielding jackass.

"Oh," piped Shandrea. "It's starting to get good. Tell me more."

"You would," scoffed Kyna. "Trust me, you're not missing much. I just wish he never showed up."

"So what," needled Shandrea. "He wasn't cute."

Kyna remembered the way his dark hair fell across his eyes. His smoldering brown eyes highlighted by his light tan. Slim and muscular as his leather vest and breeches stretched over his body.

Kyna felt a blush creep up her neck.

"No," huffed Kyna, shaking her head adamantly as the metro bus pulled up. "He wasn't."

Marisol and Tony snuggled into the window seat. Kyna felt the same as Shandrea. That it was too early in the morning to see those two love runneth over. So they bypassed the empty seats behind the driver for the window seats across to their right.

Shandrea promptly went to sleep, converting her shoulder into her personal pillow. Druel and all.

Kyna glanced down at Shandrea's head, then across the aisle to Marisol and Tony and smiled. They didn't have to but they've been waking up earlier to hang out with each other at the library before school started.

Now juniors they had the option to either drop first period and come to school later. Or drop eighth period and leave school early. She only worked three nights a week from six to nine. And since her mom and little brother was dead seat in making the Guinness World Record for longest recurring argument, starting school at second period was the best choice. The only choice.

Choices makes the world go round. Like Drake who made his choice in friends and skipping school. Opposite of her, doing everything she can to graduate with top honors. She chosen to have a future, come hell or high water.

Kyna pictured herself lounging on her cushy sofa in her large office overlooking Central Park from a distance. A warm, ebony wooden desk ladened with papers and books sat in the middle of the room. And surrounded by a forest of thick knotted trees.

Trees?

"Wait," spluttered Kyna. She swiveled left then right. Her friends, the driver and the bus was gone. "What the..."

Is she dreaming while awake now? Kyna pinched her arm. "Ow."

By then her dream office space disappeared. [description/scene between this line and the following] Kyna left her seat and walked through the trees. She found a faint beaten path. She bent down for a closer look, the tree's bark grazing her hand. Its rough ridges further proof she wasn't dreaming. She wasn't in the Bronx anymore.

She followed the path for what felt like hours until she reached a clearing. Where a sight of familiar figure in brown leather halted her tracks. A feeling of dread built up in her chest and then plummeted to her feet.

Even from the distance she knew who it was. No one else she knew carried two swords. His short, agitated pacing in front of a stone archway didn't help to calm her racing nerves.

Kyna knew trouble when she was it. And after last night, chances were high he'll be spitting fire this time, with his swords, for being here.

Well pissed or not, she needed to get home. And something told her he knew how.

Kyna stepped out into the open and called out to Shandrea's dream man. "Um...hey."

The swordsman spun around so fast he stumbled. Kyna would have laughed if he hadn't rushed at her like a cheetah with its tail on fire.

"Wait, wait." Kyna staggered backwards and tripped over a tree root.

A shadow fell over her, breathing raggedly. She raised her arms, dirt and grass fell into her lap.l, anf looked up into the shadow's furious face. "I just want to get home. To my friends."

Silence.

Kyna peeked through her fingers and stared up at him. He stared at her like she was some weird, newly discovered underwater creature. Kyna couldn't help but stare back. His brown eyes, flashed with frustration, were warmer than she remembered. His straight nose, firm and full mouth, even his pointy ears outshone the hottest guy at their school.

A slight pain in her ankle reminded Kyna where she was. She gulped and asked in a timid voice, "Can you help me?"

Silence again.

Maybe he doesn't understand English, thought Kyna. But before she thought of somehow miming what she wanted, she heard a sound that froze her heart. the sound of metal scratching wood.

Swords unsheathed, he raised them over his head and swung down.