Chapter One
Andromedea
“Andromedea! I am not buying you a cello, and that is final!"
“But why?" I asked again, angry at Mother.
“I told you, we can't afford it, and you have your chores to do! You wouldn't have any time to practice!" She yelled back.
“Urg!" I screamed, finally at my breaking point. I stormed out the door, heading towards the stables. The horses needed to be fed. After they had been properly taken care of, I saddled up Starshot, my favorite mare. Her pure, silky white coat shone in the sun as I rode her down the forest trail. I was on my way to the cave behind the waterfall, the only place where I could go to think anymore. Mother had found the rest. I lead Starshot through the cascading falls, the other side opening up into a large room. I sat on a boulder, trying to sort out my thoughts. I thought about my dad, as I often did. I had never known him, as he abandoned Mother and I when I was little. Mother would never talk about him. I've never known why he left, and maybe never will. I also thought about my mother, and her problem. She had a bit of a drinking addiction, and I could never talk to her for more than five minutes without her yelling at me for some absurd reason.
That was five months ago, though. Mother disappeared while I was in that cave. I was brought to the New New York Orphanage, in New New York. I had been here for all five months, and had made more enemies than friends. I was more of a solitary person. The orphanage is a horrid place. I have to share a room with three other girls, all annoying and noisy. But it's where I learned. Learned I could do stuff others couldn't. First, I could see what others were thinking, just by looking at them. Mealtimes were especially hard. I got headaches from all the noise. When we could use the pool, I could breathe underwater. Of course, I couldn't stay under too long or people would start noticing. When I came out of the water, I was completely dry, like I had never been in the water at all. I was a freak, and everyone knew it.
