"April! Come down for dinner!" My mother called from the kitchen. Setting down my electric guitar, I half ran down the windy, hardwood staircase.

"I'm here! Food!" I panted. Mom only chuckled warmly, as she always did.

"You never change, do you? Anyway, today we have the gourmet meal of Kraft Dinner!" She shook the pot of noodles as if she were a master chef, and took a bow. I gave her a sarcastic golf clap, a wide grin spread across my face.

"Well done, let's dig into this fine meal, Miss chef." We shared a laugh, and dished out our separate plates.

"Guess what I figured out how to play?" I said between mouthfuls.

"You should be as good as Jimi Hendrix by now, you hardly let go of that poor instrument." She joked.

"Er- not quite. But I figured out House of the Rising Sun, it's slightly fluent."

"Slightly, eh?" I smiled, shrugging my shoulders. True, I hardly went 5 minutes without my fingers craving to graze the guitar strings. I couldn't help it! From just about as far back as I can remember, I've wanted to be a musician. More specifically, a guitarist. Not one of those okay guitarists, no, I strive to be the greatest guitarist of all time! Exceeding all the others, Jimi Hendrix, Slash, Joe Satriani, even when you added their skills together it wouldn't even come to half the skill I have!

That is, once I learned to play. It's only been a week since my birthday, the 27th of May, and I've been playing the guitar any chance I got. Sure my fingers also decided to cramp up and hurt, but those were the only times I ever stopped playing.

"I was thinking once I figure out the guitar, I could maybe... Join a band?" My eyes drifted to my now empty plate of food. Wow, where did that go? Mom studied me with curiosity, stroking her chin as she did when she pondered a thought.

"Depends how good you are." I stared her in the eyes, not believing what I just heard.

"S-so I could play on stage and everything?!" She nodded.

"Isn't that the point?"

"Oh, thank you thank you thank you!" I hopped right out of my seat and engulfed her in a tight hug.

"I only said if you can actually play you could join a band." I rolled my eyes, waving it away.

"Just wait, I won't just play the guitar, I'll rock it!" I mimed a solo on an air guitar, fingers flying off the neck. Mom laughed and mimed a drum solo to join me. I felt elated, soon the world will know the name 'April Viali'!

It's been a few weeks since then, and I've only improved at my instrument. With all the constant practice I can play chords and melodies with ease. I played a couple songs for Mom, and she said I should start looking for a band to join! Or, she said I was 'getting better' and was 'a good entertainment'. I took it as that way though, close enough really. It's not hard to interpret that anyway, and besides I needed to start looking if I ever wanted to be in a band in the first place.

I scanned newspapers, online blogs, and the school board for any trace of musical talent. Nothing showed up however, and it was starting to really bug me. Why didn't anyone want to blast music?! I sighed, turning away, once again, from the news board. Smack dab right inside the main entrance of my high school was a simple board covered in any, and every bit of news that went on inside these walls.

"No luck, huh?" My friend, Aiden, spoke from behind me. I sighed, nodding in defeat.

"Something will come up eventually, I know it." He patted my back.

"That's likely." I scoffed.

"April..."

"I'm only speaking the truth. I guess I might have to fly solo on this one." Aiden rolled his eyes.

"Right, and I'm the Queen of England." I smiled at this, Aiden was in fact British, as far as he knew, anyway. At times like this, his accent really stood out, and it felt like a didn't know him for a fraction of a second.

"You know, I heard that in the main square there's a bulletin board with all sorts of advertisements and stuff."

"Already looked."

"What about-" Aiden stammered, scanning his brain for a remedy.

"Just forget it, okay? I'll go check later, but don't expect me to find anything worth noting." I shook my head. I only complied because Aiden looked so downhearted, it was worth a try anyway.

My eyes darted between several different pamphlets and advertisements. Nothing music related whatsoever.

"Tch." I scoffed, starting to turn away.

"Giving up so quickly?" A vaguely familiar voice spoke in wonderment. A girl whom I knew only by the name Cassidy- or as her popular nickname stated- Crazy Cassidy, drifted beside me. Cassidy was... Well... Let's just call her the 'weird' girl. And by weird, I really mean weird. She's been known to suddenly burst into a fit of laughter at quiet periods in class, or say some of the oddest things.

"You know, only someone who plays with water would give up. Playing with fire shows you the courage to take the next step."

Like that.

"Uh..." My mind ran a complete blank on any sort of response. Cassidy curled a wad of her black hair on her finger. I only now noticed how her eyes were an entrancing crystal, sticking out from the rest of her face, which was daunt and hollow looking. There were rumors that she was an anorexic, but one look at her- and at how much she eats- quickly diminishes that theory. She was fairly pretty, if she tried to blend in Cassidy might not get picked on anymore. She locked eyes with me, and I felt a sense of... What? The shorter girl looked up to me, and spoke coolly:

"There's no need to pity me, April. It's more fun to be different than follow the rut."

"The rut?"

"The normal. The usual people. Blending in like coffee beans together, unable to tell which is which." She stared at me for a second, then added: "I hate coffee. It's bitter."

"I don't find it that great either." I pitched in, as to at least make it seem she didn't freak me out.

"Then we agree on something. How about another? My favourite colour is lilac."

"Sky blue."

"Interesting. Look between the lines, April. Find your missing piece." Cassidy smiled, chuckled to herself as if she heard a funny comment, and walked away.

I stood there for a moment. What just happened? Find my missing piece? The only thing I'm missing is my ticket to a band. I wonder if Cassidy always spoke in riddles, her poor parents. Unless, they were alike. I shivered, and turned my attention on the billiard once more. It must have been 5 more minutes I stared at it. Was there some sort of message that was going to appear dripping in blood? Then, a green paper fluttered in the wind, barely visible by the other wide advertisements. I plucked the tiny paper, and in scrawny handwriting a note was scribbled on messily.

Seeking musicians, anything welcome, for more info contact Barry Wiles at...

The paper listed a number and an e-mail address. Barry Wiles? The name rang a bell, but I ignored the door, I found something! Well, not exactly a band but musicians, and that's close enough. Once I get home I'll punch in the numbers. A grin spread to my face, and I felt an overwhelming excitement flutter inside my stomach. It felt warm, as if I were in front of a fireplace. I practically ran home, eager to tell my mom the good news.

2: Bandmates

I stepped on a cobblestone walkway, and up a small set of stairs, up to the door. I rang the doorbell, and shifted around anxiously. It felt like forever until the door opened, revealing a blonde haired boy, who seemed to be slightly overweight but still gave me a huge smile that lit up his hazel eyes.

"Hey! You must be April, right?" I nodded, twiddling my thumbs.

"Sweet, I'm Barry, and I play the drums. Come in, don't be shy." I lifted up my guitar case further on my shoulder, and walked inside. The house smelled faintly of chocolate chip cookies, which made my mouth water hungrily. Slipping off my shoes, I turned to face a living room that consisted of worn couches and chairs, a fairly sized TV with video game consoles scattered about, and the kitchen was visible in the corner of my eye. It looked like the kind of place someone with a low income or who just owned far too many hand me downs lived.

"Sorry about the mess, but this is clearly my house. I was thinking of doing practices in here, or in the garage. Want some cookies?" I gave him a questioning look, but chuckled softly. Barry rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I bake. The results are well worth it. Don't forget to say hi to Dusty over there on the couch." He have me an encouraging push to the living room, as Barry himself disappeared into the kitchen to grab sweets. I hadn't even noticed another human being inside the house aside from Barry and I. I sauntered over to the chair that looked the comfiest, and set my guitar down beside me. Gazing onto the couch, a boy was, in fact, on the couch. I wanted to introduce myself, though I felt it may be impolite considering he was sleeping.

Barry swooped in from the kitchen, holding a plate of cookies, stacked up high. When he saw the boy on the couch, he let out a sigh.

"Dusty." He prodded the boys cheek. "Dusty." Barry repeated. The boy groaned, slapping Barry's hand away.

"DUSTY!" He bellowed, causing the boy to jolt out of his slumber in a panic.

"Holy sh-" He looked at Barry with wide eyes. "The hell was that for?!"

"Now, now, don't be cranky when we have visitors, Dusty." Barry made a mock pouty lip at him.

"Don't call me that, man." He looked over to me, and gave a coy smile. "Names Dustin."

"April." I beamed. Dustin noticed the guitar case and pointed it out.

"Is she the new member?"

"Possibly." Barry clapped his hands together. "Which reminds me, we need to see how experienced with that guitar you are. Would you mind playing a bit for us?" I felt elated, and stood in a form that you'd expect from a soldier.

"Yessir!"

I unzipped my guitar case, and pulled out the dark, shiny instrument. It felt cool around my fingers, and it helped my muscles relax. Then again, I hadn't realized they were tense. I took put my pick, and strummed each string accordingly. All in tune. Now I just needed to play. What song? Any song, but not a bad song, or a song that's too hard. An easy song might make me seem like I'm not committed to doing this, but there were also so many songs to choose from. I took a deep breath. And my soul played for me.

First, a sweet melody to grab their attention. I gradually shifted into chords, and changed the song into a rock feel. The chords came like wildfire, the notes were the wood I burnt. The crisp sound filled the entire room with sound, and something stared me beyond belief. I was completely making this up as I went along. No script, no pre-set anything, just me. The song went on with its various melodies and medleys, switching from heavy metal to a light pace. I figured I should end it soon, as I had most likely been playing for several minutes, and simply strummed my last chord slowly. Silence. I looked up, my face shaken with nervousness. Barry's face was split into a smile, and Dustin was nodding, impressed.

"How long have you been playing?" Dustin asked.

"A couple months now at the max." I replied breathlessly.

"That was amazing!" Barry applauded. "I vote you're in. Once we figure out how we sound together all we need is a singer." I felt a blush creep on my cheeks.

"Are you sure?" Dustin pondered. "She is a newbie, after all. We can't be too easily accepting."

"Dude, she's the only one who ever asked us about the band. Plus, she improvised that entire thing!"

Dustin raised an eyebrow.

"How can you tell?"

"When you improvise, it's easier to see that you actually feel the music. You'll get it one day." Barry waved a hand. "But so far, it looks like you're in the band, April!" I could tell my entire face lit up like a huge stream of fireworks as I almost screamed.

"That makes no sense..." Dustin muttered.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" I said repeatedly, jumping for joy.

"It's not for certain, remember." Dustin eyed me with a look of modest curiosity.

"You can't boss her around, April's probably older than you anyway." Barry teased.

"What?! No way, I'm 16!"

"Just turned 17 a couple months ago." I stuck out my tongue.

"Guess I'm the oldest here at 27." Barry scratched his head, while Dustin muttered 'what the hell' in the background. I let a pause stay in place, but couldn't help breaking the silence.

"So are you two living together or..." I rolled my wrist, inquiring.

"Nah, Dustin was just crashing here for the night." Barry shook his head.

"Maybe tonight, too." Dustin buried his face in a pillow. "We go back a little. I helped him scrape out of a fight on the winning side-"

"Saved my god damn life."

"-And we got into a talking, turns out we both have a love for music. Eventually we decided it was time to put together a band. We've been inseparable ever since that first day."

"I owe him so much." Dustin sighed, recalling the memory.

After a half hour of more talking, mostly about nonsense and getting to know each other, my phone went off with the deep voice of Morgan Freeman.

"Hello." His voice boomed. This sent the three of us into a fit of laughter. Wiping my eyes, I heckled my messages, only to see it was from my mom. 'I'll be driving around soon, do u want a ride?' It said. I figured I should end it off, an responded with 'Sure, I'll be out front.'. I closed my phone, Barry and Dustin still giggling like schoolgirls over my ring tone. I enjoyed Dustin's laugh, it was the kind of laugh one could never get tired of.

"Don't mean to end this off on a short notice, but my ride will be here soon. It was great meeting you two."

"Like wise." Barry held out his fist to bump, and dragged Dustin's with the other hand. I bumped them both, smirking, and grabbed my stuff.

"Bye." I waved.

Mom pulled onto the side of the road, accidentally hitting the curb a little too hard. I opened the door, beaming, an couldn't keep myself from sounding giddy.

"I got in!" I squealed.

"Really?! Fantastic!" And it sounded genuine when she spoke so energetically. She started to drive, an I told her about my new friends.

"Barry is 27? Wonder what the guy is doing here in this end of town, it's a bit of a waste, really. But he sounds kind." I shook my head up and down.

"He makes really good chocolate chip cookies, they even rival yours, mom."

"What?! This means war, call in the troops, there's a cookie emergency!" We laughed, as mom came to a set of lights. She turned on her signal, and waited for an opportunity to turn. When she did, however, a truck spiraled towards us at blinding speed. Once I saw where it was headed, a scream placed itself in my throat.

"MOM LOOK OUT!" The truck turned on its wheels, and hit the drivers side of the car with a thundering thud. I felt the force of the impact launch the car sideways, hit something, perhaps a wall, and my vision blearily faded to black. I could hear sirens in the distance, but they too, we're soon nothing but a hum in the back of my mind.

3: Chasing After You

I opened my chestnut eyes to a blank ceiling, and the feeling of a thousand weights on my chest. Coughing, I rolled over to the side. I was confused on where I was, but once I saw the weird equipment, IV fluids, terrible clothing, and the tiny TV packed in the corner, my last memories came rushing back to me. Sadness overwhelmed me, and all I wanted to do was cry. Dry sobs heaved from my chest, hurting me worse than before.

I didn't realize until then, that my hospital room wasn't vacant. Rather, my visitor was a little too close for comfort, lying right beside me in my hospital bed, sleeping. A boy, in his teens, with jet black hair running down his back, sprawled on the sheets at the moment. I noticed a singular hot pink streak flowed through his bangs. Despite his abnormally long hair, the Caucasian boy looked completely at peace. The only problem was, I was not at peace. In the slightest. In fact as soon as I laid eyes on the boy I let out a high pitched shriek. This jolted the guy out of any sort of sleep, as I turned to start hitting him as well with my pillow.

"Get! Out!" I squealed.

"Ack! Hey- cut it out, girlie!" He protested. "Do you have any idea who I-" The rest of his sentence got cut off by a pillow being jammed into his mouth, so, I didn't really care who he was in the first place. There was some shuffling it side of my room, and a couple of nurses burst into the room, trying to calm me down.

"Miss, it's all right! Calm down, you're safe." They paid no attention to the scowling boy hiding himself in my bed sheets.

"D-don't you see-" I started, but cut myself off.

"See what?" A curvy nurse asked me.

"N-nothing. Must have been my imagination, sorry." I rubbed my temples. The nurse nodded understandingly.

"It's quite all right, we've had worse before." With a quick smile she swiftly turned out the door.

"Hey, wait!" I called, and she popped her head in the doorway again.

"Yes?"

"I- I was just wondering if you knew where my mother was, she was in the crash with me." From what little I could remember, I knew it had been a car crash at the least, and Mom had to be somewhere in this hospital. The nurse shook her head sadly.

"I'm sorry Miss, I don't know. We'll sen the doctor along now that you're awake, he should be able to answer your questions." She told me reassuringly, and glided away once more. I slumped back in my seat with a heavy sigh.

"So, are you a mommy's girl or something?" The boy peeled from the thin sheets covering all but his eyes, which were a dazzling icy blue.

"Shut up, and just who do you think you are, anyway? Sleeping with me in a HOSPITAL?!"

He looked taken aback at my words.

"Hospital, huh?" He looked around as if he only realized this was a hospital now instead of, oh I don't know, a cyborg theme park. "That's a first."

"You never answered my question, who are you!" It was more of a demand than a question, and the boy took it as that.

"Cool your jets, sweet cheeks." He sat up and looked at me face to face now. Though it was difficult to keep my eyes on his face when he was shirtless. His pale skin glowed in the bright lighting, almost blinding me.

"Gah!" I covered my eyes with my hands. "Put some clothes on, you stripper!" I got a smirk from that, as he just stuck his tongue out.

"I can wear what I feel like. It's a free country."

"How did you end up here?" I changed the subject abruptly. The smirk turned to a scowl, and the boy flicked his hair so that it covered half of his face.

"Don't know, don't care. All I remember is looking for a host, and bam- pillow to the face. Not the best wake up call."

"Well, sorry for flipping out when you could have been a potential murderer or something. You're not, are you?" I asked, just in case.

"Yes and no." He leaned onto the bed frame, making himself comfortable.

"What does that mea-" I stopped myself when I heard the doorknob turn.

A tall man, dressed in a doctors coat and seeming weary walked in the room. He rubbed the stubble goatee on his chin and made eye contact with me before sitting down.

"You must be Miss April Viali." A snicker from the boy at the mention of my name.

"I am Doctor Rarnes," he continued, and offered to shake hands. I took his sturdy hand with my slightly wobbly one. He nodded. "Good. I'm just going to check for any more damage, okay?" Doctor Rarnes held up a small flashlight, and shined it in my left eye upon a nod from me, then my right. Once he had studied them each for a couple seconds, he made a mark on a clipboard.

"All right. Now can you tell me what you last remember from the crash?"

I shifted in my seat to face him more.

"Mom offered to give me a ride home from my band initiation, and when she turned the corner, I saw a car come towards us going way too fast, and then it went black." I explained. "I think I got in the band." I added, half smiling. Doctor Rarnes smiled, and nodded.

"The car that hit you and your mother was being driven by a drunk driver. He was going 60 km over the speed limit, and had no way of stopping before he hit the drivers side of your mothers car. The man who did this survived with scratches and bruises, but he will be facing trial soon to pay for what he has done. I thought you should know that." I lowered my head in acknowledgement, ignoring the rage that lied in the pit of my stomach.

"What about my Mom?" I inquired. "Where is she? Is she okay?" The Doctors face went dark and gloomy. He gazed at me with a pained expression.

"I'm sorry April. Your mother is dead."

The words seeped through me like a spear through my chest. Bleeding, thick, hot blood pouring across my chest. Immobilizing me. I didn't know what to say, or what to do. My mother, my giver of life, the one who always brought light into my world. I saw a memory of me, no more than five years old, scraping my knee and crying to her. She would scoop me gingerly in her arms, and tell me that she had a magic power to make the hurt go away. Then Mom would blow a raspberry on my belly, causing little me to shriek in a series if giggles. Once she tickled and laughed with me, Mom would always tell me something.

"See! Laughter is the best medicine for my sunny little April! Never forget to laugh, and when you laugh the pain goes away!" I had long forgotten the pain of my knee once her face, so full of life, had held mine in its gaze. But now she was gone. No light at the end of the tunnel. I couldn't help it, or stop it from coming. I cried. Loud sobbing, obnoxious bawling, you name it. The tears fell from my cheeks to the snowy sheets, dampening them. Doctor Rarnes laid a comforting hand on my shoulder, but I continued to cry. When I would be able to stop, I didn't know. I could see the boy looking at me with an indescribable look, perhaps pity, but it was hard to tell through my moist eyes. I tried to calm myself down enough to tell the Doctor I would be all right, and should have a moment alone, but it came through muffled sobs.

"It's okay if -sniff- you go, I-I'll be okay. I just need a -sniff- moment to -gulp- recover." I felt like such a weakling, but the Doctor nodded.

"I can bring a counselor here to help, and you do have a few visitors whom I think would gladly help." When I gave him a confused look, Doctor Rarnes rubbed my back and said "Be back in a minute." He half jogged out the room, and I used the opportunity to wipe my eyes and blow my nose. Thank god there was a Kleenex box nearby. I could feel my eyes stinging red, but held back any more tears that were to come. The boy swore under his breath, still staring directly at me.

Soon came a knock by the door. Doctor Rarnes entered again, but was accompanied by three people behind him. Aiden, I expected. But the worrisome face of Barry and stone like features of Dustin I did not. Barry took one look at the bandages on my head and body and looked like he was about to burst into tears. Dustin's eyes widened, and he gave a curt nod. I almost saw his eyes water, but it must have been my imagination. One look from Aiden, and he knew everything. He looked pained himself, and I almost wondered why, but he knew my mom just as well as I did. Without question, Aiden pulled me into a light hug, in which made my eyes stream all over again. I wrapped my arms around him, muffling my screams into his shoulder.

Shaking, I felt his grip tighten on me, and moisture on my shirt. We cried together, much to the confused looks of Barry and Dustin, who were told the news then by Doctor Rarnes. I closed my eyes and wanted it to end. The hollow pain in my chest filled my entire body like a black hole, sucking out any remaining happiness. I couldn't help thinking if all the time my mother and I spent together. Every day of my life that I had with her I now cherished, a day earlier I may have taken it for granted. I opened my eyes again, and saw Barry, who was crying on Dustin's shoulder, who didn't seem to mind.

Almost unnoticeable in the doorway, Cassidy gazed at me, emotionless. She didn't seem saddened, or anything of the sort. She just stood there. Not that I had the strength in me to ask why, or the willpower.

Once I had calmed down a bit, Doctor Rarnes blew his nose and directed the conversation to where I would stay for the time being. Aiden stood up at once.

"I'll take her. She's been my friend since we were babies, my parents know her well."

"What about your four other siblings? I would just make it too crowded, Aiden." I pointed out glumly. Aiden gritted his teeth.

"I don't care."

"We c-could have April." Barry stuttered through a sniff.

"I'm not sure about that, you only just met Miss Viali just once a week ago." Doctor Raynes said uncertainly. "Not that I think any lower of you, I just don't think it be wise to do that."

"Then I have no where?" I felt scared, if I had no place to go would I be forced to live on the streets?

"Of course not! That will never happen, you have my word. " Doctor Raynes said with a fire in his eyes. "No child should be homeless. We will figure something out, I'll ask the officials about you residing at Mr...?" He paused.

"Wiles, Barry Wiles." Barry answered. The Doctor nodded.

"I'll get answers as soon as I can. For now, Miss April will spend the night here, we still need to make sure she will be all right physically." Everyone nodded in understanding.

One by one, it was time for them to leave. Cassidy vanished as easily as she had appeared, without a trace. Dustin and Barry left together, with Dustin muttering about how he would have to drive in horrible weather. It was pouring rain outside, ironically matching my mood. Aiden refused to leave my side, but his mother came to pick him up much later. When asked if she would have me at her house, she was almost as quick about it as Aiden.

"It's no matter how many children I have, April is always welcome." She said with her head held high. Aiden grasped my hand, and whispered goodbye before leaving. He looked back, and I waved to him half-heartily. Doctor Rarnes gave me a pill to help me sleep, and left as well. Then it was just me and mystery boy.

"He must really care about you. That friend of yours." He lied beside me, which I had objected against, but he refused to budge.

"I've known him forever." I replied,

"And I've known him for a couple hours of bawling. Close enough. Human nature is easy enough to detect once you have the eye for it." He scoffed. I turned to face him, our hair sprawled on the pillow.

"My names April. What's your name?"

"Yeesh, all you do is change the subject once I get a certain word in that you don't like."

There was a long pause, in which I used something that he'd taught me. I stared at him, long and hard.

"I'm Chase," He said. "Stop staring."

"I win." I turned to the other side of the bed, closing my exhausted eyes. Chase sighed from his side, but snuggled himself into a sleeping position as well.

It still seemed I was the only one who could see the guy, I made a mental note to ask him about that later. Sleep was hard to come by, but once it came it was blissful. I had a dreamless, peaceful sleep.

4: At Least I Still Have My Humour

At least, it was a good sleep until I was woken from a chilly breeze that made me shudder. I opened my eyes. Chase had stolen the blanket and was snoring quietly. I let out a mix of a sigh and a noise of disgust. Seeing as it would be difficult for me to just lay here with that guy, I decided to to outside for a breath of fresh air. Hopefully it would do me good. I flipped my legs over the bed, and put pressure on them to stand. What I didn't expect was to fall to the ground with a clatter.

"What are you doing?" Chase rubbed one of his eyes, looking at me with an air of distaste.

"Going out, what does it look like?" I leaned on the bed, pulling myself to stand. Taking a step, I didn't go very far until I fell again. "Ugh!" I cried out in frustration. Maybe my best bet would be to crawl...

"Here." I looked up to see a hand, extended by Chase himself.

"Thanks." I said uncertainly, taking the offer and collapsing on his shoulder. He grunted under my weight, but held strong.

"Just don't look so weak."

"I'll try to become the supreme overlord of Hawii someday." I rolled my eyes sarcastically. Chase smirked, and assisted me to a bench outside, setting me down gently. He crashed beside me, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples.

"How the hell do you get up so early?" He moaned.

"Didn't have much choice, blanket hog."

"I require beauty sleep too, princess!"

"Then sleep somewhere else and don't be such a creep."
Chase chuckled darkly.

"It's not that easy. Don't you get it?" When I remained silent he continued on.

"You're my host, I can't just leave. It would literally inflict pain on me. Like-" He flicked me on the arm.

"Ouch."

"Well multiply that pain by seventy-six thousand, that's what happens." Chase leaned back in his seat, looking out into the horizon.

"That's the second time you've called me your 'host'. What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"Well, mummy, a part of my soul is latched onto yours right now, eating it away slowly. Once all your spirit energy is gone I move on to the next host." He spoke casually, as if mentioning the weather.

"So I'll die from you?!" I exclaimed.

"Yes and no." He cracked his neck, and seemed satisfied with the result.

"Care to elaborate?" I spoke threateningly.

"You'll be a shell. Physically you're fine but the spirit of April Viali will be no more. Poof. Gone. Alakazam." He smirked. "What kind of a name is Viali, anyway?"

"I won't give in that easily! And it's the name I was born with, thank you very much. Your last name can't be any better."

"I don't have a last name, so I automatically win." An evil snicker came from his lips, enraging me fuller.

"You wouldn't even get it!" I yelled. "Your life must have been peachy perfect then, so just- get out of my face!" I staggered towards the doorway, falling again, and cursing loudly.

Arms enveloped around me, carrying me back to the bench.

"Take me inside, Chase." No reply until I was firmly seated.

"You'll miss the best part. Look." He pointed to the sky, which was in the middle of a sunrise. Dull colours blended together, casting a red demeanor across the sky. It was almost hypnotic, gazing at the sun, but I snapped myself out of it.

"It's beautiful." I said, pouting slightly.

"Sure is. We should get you inside." Without any further notice, Chase scooped me in his arms and took long strides towards the glass doors.

"I- I can walk, you know!"

"Faster this way."

Then he started running.

"Slow down you bloody maniac!" I yelled, grasping Chase's neck tightly.

"We're here." He said. I had to peel myself off of him I was holding on so tightly.

"Never. Again." I breathed, clinging to the bed. My heart was beating at a thousand miles a minute from that, and there was no way I was doing that ever again.

"Don't be such a worrywart, that was fun!" I saw Chase smile for the first time. Not one of those half smile smirk things he did, but an actual, true to heart smile. It made his eyes light up with the 'fun' of the ride. He must've noticed me staring, because his expression changed. "What?"

"Nothing. And if that's your idea of fun you can count me out on any future so called fun."

"What? That was tame, haven't you ever tried bungee jumping, or cliff diving?"

I shuddered, feeling green at the thought.

"No. Just no."

"Then what could you possibly do for fun?" He looked bewildered, as if throwing your life on the line was the only way to enjoy yourself.

"I do a little something called reading. And music. You should try it sometime, maybe it could increase your IQ so we all stop becoming stupid every time you open your mouth." I said the insult bitterly, but felt increasingly proud of coming up with something like that on the spot.

"I do NOT lower peoples IQ, bookworm. You need to let go once in a while too, you know." He huffed a sigh and faced the wall.

"You never finished telling me about the entire 'you are my host' thing earlier." I approached the subject with a hint- okay maybe a little bigger than a hint- of curiosity.

"What more do you want to know? You half die and I move on, that's the gist of it." Chase sounded irritated.

"So, what, are you done sort of demon then?"

"Technically, yes."

"Weird."

"Not as weird as your name."

"Know what? I'm not going to talk to you anymore, it makes me look like a psycho anyway." It was my turn to face a wall this time.

If luck would have it, soon after I stopped conversing with Chase, Doctor Rarnes knocked lightly on my door to check on me.

"Everything all right?" He asked pleasantly.

"Better. I can't walk very well."

"You tried walking? Not with those broken ribs you're not. I should've told you the extent of your injuries earlier, sorry." He apologized.

"Don't worry about it. It was an interesting adventure, anyway." We both chuckled, and a flash of my mother and I laughing over a silly joke surfaced. Swallowing down the lump in my throat, I tried to change the subject.

"Did we figure out anything for where I'll be staying?"

"Things seem a little off key right now, but it seems you have the choice of either residing with Aiden or Barry at this point."

"I'd like to stay with Barry and Dustin." I found myself saying. Rather, I expected to immediately blurt in for Aiden but... He definitely had enough siblings to occupy the house. Besides, I wouldn't have to travel for my band practices. The Doctor nodded.

"I have no problems sending you there, from what I've seen you should be in good hands." He smiled kindly, and that's when I saw the wrinkles that outlined his eyes. I never thought of him being old, seeing as he looked fairly young. Perhaps I was wrong. Then, I thought of something else.

"Do you know what happened to my guitar?"

"Yes, actually. It's in one if our back rooms for safe keeping. One of the few things that made it out of the wreckage in one piece. At least Lady Luck shines dimly on you, I suppose." I felt myself grin at his words.

"Really?! C-could I have it? I'd love to play." I said ecstatically.

"I'll ask around once we're finished, and could give it to you once I obtain it. You should play a song for me, at least." He joked playfully.

"Now, down to business. Have you felt any dizziness, or nausea..." Doctor Rarnes went through his procedure of making sure I was still functioning properly, and wrote a few things down on his clipboard. Once he was done, and was about to exit the room, he added one last thing to say.

"Be back in a jiff." I supposed that meant he sought to get me my guitar, which was sweet of him. I was fine with waiting, but also not fine. Deciding I should get a nap in whilst I can, I rested my head on the slightly flat pillow, and shut my eyes.

5: Troubles

I sat upright in the creaky bed, chowing down on dinner. Even though the dinner was just some mushy peas, mashed potatoes, and what looked like a slightly overcooked pork, it was all right. The nurses here were really nice, and even gave me a side of gravy. A knock came from the door, and Dr. Rarnes stuck his head in the door frame.

"Can I come in?" He asked politely.

"Of course." I set down the platter of food on the mini table beside me, giving him my full attention. Dr. Rarnes carried with him a familiar looking case that seemed a bit... Dusty. That was something I wasn't used to seeing on it.

"Got you a little present." He couldn't stop smiling, and it made his eyes crinkle at the sides as if he was older. I almost sprung out of my seat, anxious like a toddler.

"No way." I breathed. Dr. Rarnes handed me the case, and I set to unzip it upon contact. My sleek and smooth guitar slid out of its case, looking slender than ever. I grazed my fingers across the neck, and felt a small warmth in my stomach. The familiarity felt almost sickening, but I still smiled. I strummed each of the strings, one by one. It was ridiculously out of tune. I set to tune it instantly, slightly forgetting Dr. Rarnes' presence.

"I'll leave you to it then. Oh, and we also found this in the wreckage." I looked up from my guitar, to see a cracked photograph.

It was my mother and I, just last year when we had the photo taken on her birthday. She was in the prettiest dress that could be found in her closet, the same dress that needed a wash because of all the dust it collected. It was just a simple yellow and orange plaid, and it complimented her quite nicely. Even I wore my navy blue dress (with sparkles) to make her feel not as awkward. I took the picture in my hands gingerly.

"Thanks."

"You might need a new frame for it though."

"I'll get to that."

It went silent for a good, long, painful time.

"It hurts me to talk about this so early, but..." Dr. Rarnes gulped. "The bill for your treatment has to be paid off, but seeing as you have no parent or guardian right now... We found records of your father."

I felt myself go pale.

"No. There has to be someone- anyone else that I can live with!"

"I'm terribly sorry. I don't know what happened between you and him, but he's the only family that is able and willing to take you in." Dr. Rarnes looked almost as pale as I did, but had no idea what that man put me through.

"Would you like to talk about it?" Dr. Rarnes offered.

"No, not right now."

"Okay. Sorry to leave you on a sorrowing note, but I must attend to another patient."

I nodded, and he walked out the door. My mind went on a track of its own, playing the record in my head. The music showed my father and I, happy as could be, but then the music took a darker turn, and the image was smudged with an ink-like substance. I blinked. I shouldn't think of things like that now. After all, I had my guitar to keep me occupied.

At least, somewhat. After a while I got bored, and the constant stare of Chase was starting to bother me.
"Why do you keep looking at me?!" I finally snapped.

"Nothing else worth looking at." Ooh, nice comeback. I had to give him at least that. "But I've been meaning to ask you something." I set my guitar down gingerly.

"Shoot."

"Can you explain what all happened before we got stuck together?" I wasn't sure if he was serious or not, the playful smirk never once left his face.

"Well, I tried out for a band, which Dustin and Barry are in, and I'm fairly sure I got in. After that my mom came to pick me up, we came to an intersection and-"

"Crash." Chase finished."So, what, you sing?" I snorted, the laughter hurt my stomach.

"If you wanted your ears to bleed. I play lead guitar. Do you sing? We need a singer."

"Eh, I do and don't. Depends if I want to. And no, I'm not joining your cumbersome group. You guys have enough trouble handling that emo dude."

"Dustin's not emo." I huffed, feeling heat bubble in my stomach.

"Really? He looks like the kind of guy who lies on the couch all day, not caring about anyone else, being all 'woe is me' or something."

"That doesn't mean-"

"Stop defending him, you hardly even know the guy. Unless maybe, you like him? Bad choices right there."

"I don't-"

"Ah, denial, one of the many stages of love." Chase said sarcastically.

"If you would shut up for one second," I paused, Chase seeming almost tranquil. "Just because you hardly know a guy doesn't mean he has to be labeled, and the same goes for liking someone. You really know nothing about human nature." I shook my head, disappointed.

"Yeah, whatever. Point is, girlie, I will never join your band, got that?"

"Fine." It was a lost cause to begin with. We would find a singer eventually, I guess. I looked over at the picture of my mother and I that now rested on the nightstand. In an odd way, it made me smile. The memory of it was sweet like cotton candy. I strummed all of the strings one by one, playing around with it until I made my own soothing lullaby. I didn't know what I would do without music, it was one of the few things keeping me sane.

"April?" A voice came from the door several hours later.

"Come in." I said lazily. The door pushed open quietly and slowly, revealing none other than Cassidy, who wore a peculiar grin.

"I heard you got in the band."

"I might've." I said slowly, watching her breeze over to my bed and sit on the edge. "It's something that's more in the air at the moment. I have more... pressing matters to deal with." My gaze fell.

"And so you do, my dear. What that man did to you has no excuse, and you would do well to, ah, diminish the burning fire, if you would. It will only tear at you more the longer you leave it be." Her smile hadn't once changed the entire time and it was starting to freak me out.

"Why are you even here?" I switched the subject.

"Suspense. Or perhaps just a filler, I'd think. By the way, you should come back to school, everyone's fretting over whether you're dead or not. If you would do me the favour of putting those rumors to a rest I would be grateful. Perhaps I should go, my company isn't taken lightly. So long, April."

"Uh, bye." I watched her walk towards the doorway with a circumspect look.

"Say hello to your friend for me." She disappeared into the bustling corridor, out of sight. What a weird girl, I thought. She really needs to speak more, how you say, commonly. Chase guffawed to himself, shaking his head.

"Guess you're not the only person I can talk to, thank God."

"I dunno, that seems a little fishy to me."

"Fine," He rolled his eyes. "Just don't curl your whiskers at me when you figure out I'm right." I sighed, resting my head in my hand. What more could I do? School seemed like a foreign country now, mysterious and utterly offbeat. Understandably, I did miss my classes and other friends, but my life had just been pulled out by it's roots and planted upside down. I could always wait until things got more laid down and smoothed out before trying anything...

"You're not thinking of staying home the rest of your life, are you?" Chase interrupted my thoughts, observing me.

"Obviously not the rest of my life!" I blurted. "Only until things calm down." His brow furrowed and he opened his mouth several times as to say something, but thought better of it. He did spill the beans, so to say, after a moment.

"Go back," He said firmly. "Starting tomorrow, you need to go back to school." I motioned to my bandages.

"I'm kind of hospitalized at the moment, that might be a little hard. If you're desperate I could ask when I'll be released, but I doubt it. Besides, I can't even walk."

"Good enough for me." Chase said curtly, but leaned into more of a relaxed position. What was his deal? It's not like I could just quit school entirely, Mom would kill me from the realms of the Underworld if she knew. I smiled at the thought, but at the same time felt a twinge of sorrow. I didn't know what would become of me in the future, I figured all I could do was wait until I could move freely again. Ugh, patience really was a virtue. I gazed out of the window lazily, watching the trees sway in the breeze. Soon, I reminded myself, soon.

6: Back to It

"How nice it is to see you again," Cassidy spoke from behind my locker door, her crystal eyes boring through the locker slits. I jumped halfway out of my skin. "Oh! Hi, Cassidy. It's nice to be back, I guess."

"How is the entire, ah, home situation going for you?" she drawled.

"Fine. Why do you ask?" I froze, getting wary of Cassidy's presence, she was putting me more and more on edge.

"No reason," she giggled. "I was just concerned. I believe this is goodbye, then."

"Right," I agreed, waving as she walked down the hallway, clutching her books tightly. That girl was as peculiar as they come, I thought. Well, I shouldn't bother with things like that right now... I need to catch up with all my schoolwork anyway, right Mom? I gave the photo of my Mom and I in our out-of-character dresses a final glance before shutting my locker door and locking it.

"You can be such a sap, you know." Chase drifted beside me, hovering midair. I said nothing, keeping my eyes focused on the road ahead. "Oh? Playing the entire I'm-not-going-to-talk-to-you-in-public cliché? How... What's the word? Headstrong? Rude?" He was really trying to annoy me today. "Mmm, I see how it is. You should know, not telling anyone about our entire soul thing isn't going to make it any easier, if that's what you think." He paused, as if he thought I may respond. "At least tell Eye-Dan or whatever his name was. I'd suggest letting your band know, too. Now isn't the time for secrets."

I gulped, thinking maybe I should tell Aiden. He was my closest friend, after all. Wait - why was I letting the ramblings of a demon get to me?

"Just keep quiet," I seethed through gritted teeth.

Chase's face split into a wide grin. "So it does bother you," he giggled, his hair hanging as he dangled upside down. "This is going to be a fun day."

"More like a long day," I sighed. "Why don't you just disappear or something and make my life easier?"

"That would be stupid," Chase shrugged. Right, I thought sarcastically. I couldn't wait until this day was over so I could curl into my pillow and drown the sound of his everything out. I stepped into the main entrance, where I saw some people I knew talking, and headed over there. A girl with black curls bobbing threw her head back in laughter, the curls flying. The boy that made her laugh, a Native boy with spiky hair grinned crookedly. When he saw me, he waved, motioning for me to join them. I smiled to myself, walking over to them.

"April! It's been awhile. What happened?" The boy asked. I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Accident. I'm okay now, though, so don't worry." The boy's face took on a look of surprise and sudden worry. "But didn't your-"

"Girl, have you seen those bags under your eyes?" The girl with the black curls interrupted. The boy shot me an apologetic look as the girl continued. "When was the last time you had some sleep, hmm? You needn't worry, I have the perfect thing for it!"

"Uhh, thanks, but I'm fine. I'll get some sleep later, okay? Have I missed much, Nathan?" The girl shrugged, but dismissed it. The Native boy, Nathan, shrugged.

"Not really. There was a big uproar of how you suddenly disappeared. Most of us heard what happened though. Are you sure you're okay?"
I smiled. "Yes, I am. All that's left for me is recovery." And to get this creep off my back. I kept a wary eye on Chase, who was listening in to our conversation with a smirk.

"Alright, I'll leave it be then. If you need anything just ask, 'kay? There's enough people here to make sure things don't go haywire." I grinned. "Don't worry, I'm staying with some friends for a while until something else is figured out. They're fairly nice, so don't get your panties in a knot about it."

Nathan laughed. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Hey," Aiden greeted us, taking a swig out of his water bottle.

"What kept ya?" The girl with the black curls asked. "We've been waiting forever."

Aiden rolled his eyes. "For five minutes? Wow, what a tragedy. Hey, April. Nathan. Zoe."

"Hey," we chided. "Oh." I snapped my fingers. "What are you doing later?" Aiden glanced at the ceiling. "Nothing, really. Want to come over for a bit?" I smiled. "Sure."

"Ooh," Zoe giggled. "I ship it."

"Shut up." I grinned. "What about you? I ship it." My eyes flicked from her to Nathan. She flushed, but kept her mouth shut.

"Your family's okay with me over?"

"You know them," Aiden sighed. "Everyone is family. They'll probably welcome you like a hero."

"I consider myself to be pretty heroic."

"Nah, I've seen better." The corners of his mouth twitched. I shot him a look.

Aiden's house, a three story, slightly worn down place with chipping white paint stood before us. I'd seen it many times before, on various occasions. Though this time could be...different. Aiden opened the ivory metal gate, closing it after we entered. I heard the barking of Roger from the backyard, and quickly leaned over the gate separating the yards. A cheerful Husky wagged his tail and slobbered on my hand as I reached in to pet him.

"Hey Roger," Aiden joined me, getting a few licks himself. "Ready to go in?"

"Yeah," I said, wiping Roger's slobber on Aiden's shirt. "Let's go."

"Eugh! That's gross, man."

We walked in Aiden's home, taking our shoes off and leaving them in the designated shoe area, where one large pile of several sized pairs of shoes lay.

"Ma! I'm home!" he called. "I brought April with me!"

"April?" A woman's voice called. Mary. "Oh, my dear!" The echo of footsteps bustled around the house, until a worn woman with hair halfway out of her ponytail smiled up at me. Her ebony hair would have trailed far down her back if it wasn't tied into a shorter ponytail, and her blue eyes radiated like headlights in the dark. For her age, she was rather beautiful, and a hard woman at that, with her large curves and ability to manage six children at a time.

"April! What a surprise and blessing it is to see you again!" She pulled me into a tight hug. "Don't forget what I said about you staying here, okay? You're always welcome. Always."

"Thanks, Ms. Rivett."

"Come, dear. You know better."

"Mary."

"Much better. Now don't linger in the doorway, it's a bit stifling – pardon the musty smell…" She ushered us into the kitchen area, where Aiden and I sat at the island.

"Hungry?" she asked, already peeling potatoes.

"Not now, thanks though." Aiden smiled. "Told you she'd welcome you like a hero."

"It's nothing extraordinary, Aiden. Just an accident." He hesitated. "Right. Hey, do you want to see how my sisters are doing?"

"Sure," I said, thankful for the excuse to stop talking about the accident. We trotted up the stairs, where a very pink room was visible. Four beds were arranged in the room, displayed so that the rest of the floor was devoted to toys and girls. Three were sitting on the floor giggling and all drawing a large picture of something I couldn't decipher.

"No, that has to go here…" One muttered. They all stopped when we entered, though.

"Hi April," The same girl smiled at me. Her sisters all grinned as well.

"Hey girls. Jeanette, Holly, aaaaaaaand…" I wiggled my finger at the girl who had spoken first. "Kiri." She stuck her tongue out. "Obviously you couldn't forget me!"

"Of course! But where's Sasha?"

"Dunno. Probably in the bathroom, I think. Wanna help us draw?"

"I'd love to, but I'm with Aiden today. Make sure to show me when you're done, though."

"Ew, Aiden. Then we'll have to leave this as a big surprise! No peeking!" I held my hands up in defence. "You got it."

"I heard that bit about me," Aiden said.

"That's the point!" Kiri smirked. All the girls giggled as we left.

"I don't know why I tolerate her," Aiden breathed. "She really knows how to bite at my butt."

"Aw, she's just teasing. She's your sister, after all. Speaking of siblings, how is your brother?"

"Rocking the college life, I suppose. We Skype every now and then, so you could probably see him eventually. He's grown his hair out." I stopped. "What? Adam wouldn't."

"Adam would. And hot damn the girls love it. It's not a mullet, thank God, but I think it's more of a shaggy length. Past his shoulders, maybe? His latest girlfriend is…Sidney, I think. They get along pretty well."

"Really?" And you're not jealous?" I flopped onto his bed. Almost falling off the ledge. He sat beside me. "Not even. They get along well right now, but later is another story."

"Ah, have faith, young warrior."

"What are you, my grandpa?" he chuckled.

"Don't judge a book by its content!"

"You mean cover," he corrected. "It's perfectly okay to judge a book based on its content if said content is horrible, right?"

"Wrong!" I poked him in the cheek. "Judging is generally a bad thing!" I made a buzzer sound. "You're being voted off the island." Aiden raised an eyebrow. "I think your logic is more than a little messed up."

"Maybe so. Hey, what about Corey?" I asked.

"Corey? What about him?" Aiden flopped on his back beside me.

"That's what I asked, you dunderhead."

"Ah, he's fine. Tweens are a rough spot for him right now, but I do my best to beat him into shape."

"With the power of education?"

"Precisely so." I snickered, rolling around on his bed. He looked at me, obviously reaching his limit. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"I don't know!" I exclaimed, rolling around so much that I fell off. He laughed at me, peering over the side of the bed.

"Alright, what kind of meds did they give you?"

"The hospital? Nah, I just got off those last week."

"Lingering effects, then." We laughed again, our laughter soon being interrupted by a yell from downstairs.

"You don't get it, mom!" A girl's voice sounded, her angry stomps pounding up the stairs.

"Sasha," her mother said in a warning tone. "Come back down here, now." Even April knew better than to disobey that tone of voice. Sasha's reluctant footsteps proved that she was a smart girl.

"Ah, geez. Sasha's getting chewed out again."

"Again?"

"She thinks she's all high and mighty because she's in grade seven. Finally the oldest group of kids in the school, you know? I can't wait until she hits high school. She'll shut up real quick once the seniors get a hold of her. Mind, I hope she learns before then."

"Ah, the traditional rite of passage."

"Exactly. So, what do you wanna do? We could go check out the attic or disappear into the basement."

"Which is less creepy?"

"Definitely the basement. There aren't any cobwebs in there." 

"Attic it is," I smirked.

"Sometimes I hate you. This is one of those times."

Aiden flashed his flashlight around in the attic. He said that he wanted to scope out the place, you know, to ward off any poltergeists that could be in there. As if shining a bright light in their eyes would do the trick.

"Ugh, move over!" I said, pushing him up the ladder and into the attic.

"Come on, April!" he exclaimed. "You know how I am about spooky places." The attic was more of a storage place for the Rivett's than anything. Boxes were piled all around and the dust bunnies grew in colonies here.

"Aiden, you've lived here for fifteen years. I think it's okay." I heard a sinister snicker from above. Glancing up, I saw Chase floating around. Oh no.

"Still," Aiden complained. "I've seen enough horror movies to know where this could –"A long, creaking noise sounded. I glared at Chase, who was stepping on one of the floorboards, stifling a laugh.

"April," Aiden had started to shake. I felt bad for the guy.

"Hey, don't sweat it. We're fine, okay?"

"But I most definitely didn't imagine that sound, right?" I bit my lip. "No, I heard it too, but that doesn't mean –" Chase pushed over a tower of boxes, the smile of a troublemaking child spread on his face. That little turd.

"A-April…maybe we should, you know, leave."

"No!" I yelled. "Sorry," I said, after I realized that Aiden had jumped out of his skin. "There's just something I need to tell you." He shifted his eyes around. "Can we go out first?" I gave him a look. He reluctantly motioned for me to go on. I cleared my throat.

"Okay, so don't freak out or anything, but there's a demon in the room with us." His eyes widened and he gave me the look of 'You've got to be freaking kidding me'. Either that, or it was the 'what' kind of look. They both look the same.

"After the accident, I wasn't alone when I woke up." I briefly paused to look at him. His face hadn't changed. "There was this guy beside me, sleeping. Naturally, I almost beat him to death with a pillow. Some nurses came in, calmed me down, and then I realized that I'm the only one who can see him. The demon – Chase is his name – said something about slowly destroying my soul or something, calling me his host, and generally being a nuisance. He likes causing havoc, and I hate him. He's making the recovery process a lot worse emotionally, but kind of better physically." I stopped, gazing at Aiden again. He put his hands together and pressed his thumbs against his top lip, as he always did when deeply thinking about something.

"What do you mean physically?" he asked a little defensively. I blushed. "Nothing like that!" I exclaimed. "What I mean is that my wounds and any other damage healed faster than it should have, the doctor even said so."

"Okay," he said. I held my breath, waiting for a response. "Can I see him?"

"Chase?"

"Yeah,"

"I don't know, I'll ask." The thought hadn't occurred to me if he could actually be seen by another person besides me. I stared at him, long and hard.

"You have to ask first, stupid," he said, not meeting my gaze. I felt a nerve in my head twitch. "Chase. Can you come out so that Aiden can see?" Chase drifted in front of me, his stare boring into my eyes. After a long pause, he drifted back up.

"No," he said.

"Oh, come on!" I yelled. "After all that you want to make me look like an idiot?!"

"Newsflash, idiot. Aiden can hear everything you're saying to me. Good luck explaining that one." I gritted my teeth, slowly looking at Aiden. He looked partially confused, mostly wary of my sanity.

"I swear I'm sane," I said.

"I know you're sane, April. And I don't think you'd lie about something like this. But a demon? Are you sure?" I nodded. "He said so himself. And if he was a generally good person, he'd show up for once!" I rose my voice again so that Chase would especially hear. Not that he couldn't, in the first place.

"Well, I believe you." Aiden confirmed. My eyes lit up.

"Really?" I said. "After all my probably-insane ranting?"

"You're my best friend. Really, really. I'd like to see the guy, but if he's going to be a jerk about it then I'm indifferent to his decision." I saw Chase twitch out of the corner of my eye.

"Oh my God I was so worried you'd shun me and never speak to me again I don't know what I would have done if you –" He waved my horrible excuses.

"April, I've known you my entire life. I'm pretty sure I know when you're lying. This is not one of those times." I grinned in relief, happy that Aiden understood.

"Well, that's no fun," Chase said in a bored tone. Aiden gasped, so I supposed he could see him now. "And here I thought I could watch your little relationship break apart. Oh, well. I can't always get what I want, then." Aiden stared at Chase with narrowed eyes.

"April," he started curtly.

"Yeah?" I asked, unsure of what he was up to.

"Why is he shirtless?" I looked back at Chase, who indeed hadn't bothered to put on a shirt. My face went beet red as I hastily tried to explain.

"I swear to God it's not like that he's just an abomination to any set of eyes, he was like this when I woke up actually but that's not the point…"

"He WHAT?!" Aiden fumed. Chase grinned sadistically. "Oh no, little old me isn't wearing a shirt. And here I thought this was a free country." Aiden glared at him. "I don't like this guy, April."

"You think I do?" I sighed, realizing that the worst of my problems were yet to come. "Look, we can't go blabbering to anyone else about this, okay? Chase is a secret between us."

"Of course," Aiden said without hesitation. "I'll just be watching him so that he doesn't do anything sketchy." Chase's smile widened, and he must have disappeared for Aiden, because he instantly fired up at him.

"That's not fair!" he cried. Chase glanced at me, and smiled. It surprised me, actually. It wasn't one of his playful I'm-going-to-screw-you-over smiles, but a genuine grin from ear to ear. Maybe this demon had more to him than I thought. Chase saw I was staring and struck a sexy pose. Then again, maybe not.

"April, please tell me what he's doing." Aiden gazed at me with pleading eyes for assistance.

"You don't want to know," I laughed. "But he definitely sucks at it." Chase grimaced and stuck his tongue out at me. Though I knew that the future wasn't going to be easy, I had to admit that it was promising.