What Lies Beneath

Chapter 1

"Leighton. Leighton, come quick." My mom said.

 "Yes, Mommy." I ran to her bed. I couldn't have been more than twelve.

 "Promise me, my dear, to never take this off." She said clipping a silver pendant around my neck. "Never let anyone know what you really are." She told me.

 "Yes, Mommy." I repeated.

 "Go Leighton. Hurry!" She said. A guy came and took my by the arm.

 "Mommy! Mom-" I sat straight up in bed sweating drastically. Kiran lied next to me motionless. The dream flooded back to me and tears sprang into my eyes. I always hated that part of the nightmare, the last time I saw my mom. I touched the silver necklace that lay close to my chest.

 Knowing that I wouldn't be able to sleep again, I went to my writing desk.

 Dear Mom, I wrote.

 I had the dream again. You know the one. Where we saw each other for the last time. It always ends right before...

 Tomorrow I start school.. again. Hopefully Kiran will like it here and we'll be able to stay for more than a couple of weeks.

 I miss talking to you, mom. I miss hearing your voice that used to be so familiar to me and is now so faded. I wish you were here everyday. It's been so hard without you.

 I love you with all of my heart.

 Your's truly,

 Leighton.

I went to the living room where I sat for an hour, thinking.

 "What are you doing?" Kiran said making me jump.

 "I couldn't sleep." I said once I caught my breath. "I'm going to get a shower." I said getting up slowly and planting a kiss on his cheek as I passed.

 It was light when I got out. I was deciding between my red blouse and my purple t-shirt.

 "The red one." Kiran said, startling me again. "You know how I love it on you." He grinned and I knew better than to argue with him. "What's wrong with you today? Why are you so jumpy?" So he had noticed.

 "Just a bad dream. That's all. It's nothing." Not that he was concerned in the first place.

 "Why are you up so early anyway?" He asked.

 "School." I replied simply and he snickered.

 "School." He echoed and shook his head. "Waste of time."

 "For some, yes. But I happen to be one of the few who like it." I told him and began to brush my auburn curls.

 "I don't see how. A bunch of people who think they're smarter than you telling you what to do." He scoffed. Story of my life, I thought.

 "Yes, but it's normal, Kiran."

 "Normal? Why would anyone want that?" I heard a slight hint of his Australian accent that came out when he was starting to get annoyed. I backed off a bit.

 "Those who can't have it presume. I'll see you later, okay?" I said grabbing my the keys. I kissed his cheek and turned to leave, but he grabbed my hand and spun me around. The next think I knew his cold, hard lips were on mine. "I have to go." I told him.

We lived a slightly small town in Washington where attention would be easier to avoid. I parked my white porche in the back parking lot where it would remain unharmed.

 "Sweet ride." A kid said when I got out. I mumbled something of a thanks and headed for the attendance building. "Hi. I'm Leighton Underseen." I told the lady with a name tag that read Carmen.