Crimson Skies -PREVIEW

Chapter 1. K A T E

I fluttered my eyes to look at the colorless ceiling in my bedroom. My stomach reacted defensively and took a topsy- turvy lurch.

Time to face my undesirable day filled with so-called death wishes and uncontrollable aspirations for the typically unwanted. Ha ha. Just kidding...

I wanted to shove my face into my pillow and cry for the day to go well.

"Today will be absolutely the best, most exciting fun day of my life..." I mumbled to myself sarcastically. It was going to be a long day... why not make it harder?

I woke from my sleepy trance and felt the bed around me. The blankets were warm and silky, making me wish that I could stay there forever. I heard my father's feet shuffling around down stairs.

The tall, dark haired man down stairs is my father, my legal guardian. But that man is not my dad. I carry a portion of his genetic makeup, yes. But he is NOT my dad. Not after what he did...

I sighed and threw my gray cashmere sweater over my head and pulled on my jeans and boots. I barely ever bothered with my hair, but I brushed it and flung it over my shoulder. I reminded myself that my looks are decent thanks to my mom's award winning features. Only some of which I had inherited. Her high cheek bones, and symmetrical face. Her thin long nose, and chocolate hair. I unfortunately had my father's long legs, and smooth skin. Which of course most would be thankful for, but I was not. I wanted nothing from that man. My eye's are completely my own though. Fierce blue with one dark gray rim around the outside, and two dark rings by the pupil. My witch eyes.

One glance at the mirror, then I made my way downstairs. I dropped a pop tart in the toaster, and swiped an apple from the fruit basket.

"Did you sleep well?" My father asked from his chair. I didn't respond. "Kate?" I pushed every thought, every memory about him, from my head and pretended not to hear him. "Kathrine you can't keep this up forever. You're going to have to forgive me eventually." I turned around and shoot one of my best glares at him. My strange eye's make him uncomfortable, and it was written all over his face.

"Kate it was almost eight years ago." He stood up. "Kathrine, please." I glared harder. His anger and fear were like an open book. I glowered straight into his eyes.

"Leave me alone." I hissed. My father sat back down. The anger was gone, and only his fear was left. I got the same look from everyone. 'Practically glowing, like a fierce bite of cold piercing you.' So I've overheard by, of course, the annoying, gossiping population of girls at my school. Who don't even bother to whisper when I'm nearby.

I grabbed my pop tart and headed out the door. Snowflakes fell softly from the gray skies as I made my way around the block. I sulked off towards the land of lip-gloss wearing devil-spawn... Kenzington High. I avoided the judging looks and murmured insults of the students. One by one I sat through boring classes. Trying to ignore the harsh comments that were shot at me. Finally, I got to the art building, my safe haven. I could express myself there, and hid from everything out there. I only had one friend in this class, or any class for that matter, a sweet, quiet boy named Truman. I smiled softly at him when I sat down. My seat was directly behind his.

"How was your weekend?"

"Fine."

"That's good..." Truman replied, pushing back his fluffy brown hair. I looked up at my friend and smiled, taking in his brown skin and dorky glasses. I suppose he was attractive, in a kind of nerdy way. I had known Truman for years, I understood that girls have a habit of trying to catch his attention. Truman turned away slowly. Suddenly, I felt a burning sensation on my shoulder.