Dark One- The Khiara Banning Series Book 1

One

(Song, Call if you need me, by Gelantis)

In the early morning light I can just make out my dog's face. His tongue is lolling to the side of his mouth and his right paw is over his eyes. Pug doesn't like to be awoken by light and my curtains are usually drawn so he's a little annoyed this morning because I must have forgotten to close the blinds. I smile at him and reach out to stroke his head. He's the most ugly yet surprisingly adorable dog in the world, and people always laugh when I tell them my pug is named Pug.

I try to remember the dream I'd been having before the light woke me up, but all I can remember is that it had something to do with being trapped in a hall full of mirrors.

I get up to take my shower but decide that since I had a shower last night, my hair's fine. It's just school anyway, it's not like it's a beauty contest because if it were, I would probably not win. My long, plain brown hair could pass for pretty I suppose, if I did the right stuff to it. It has natural highlights in it during the summer, but towards the winter it tends to kind of even out in colour.

I yawn and think to myself, Whatever, I had a rough night anyway. I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched all night. I awoke to the sound of light tapping at my window and it was probably the branches of the willow tree outside my bedroom, but I'm not above being paranoid.

My hands reach up to my head and lazily tie an elastic band around my hair in a low ponytail. I walk to my wardrobe, open the second drawer and stare at its contents for so long that I'm sure I look like I believe it holds the meaning of life. I'm so damn tired I really ought to just stay home to catch up on my sleep, but that would upset Cara, my best friend- and to be honest I'm not the type of kid to miss school. Cara's the complete opposite of me from head to toe, and you'd think that would stop us from being friends but honestly I think it's the reason we like each other so much.

My hair just doesn't know whether to be straight or curly- it doesn't even seem to want to be wavy, and she's got chin length red curls that shine like the sun is forever in her presence. I've managed to get by with meagre B cup breasts while Cara's got double D's. Her whole body curves pleasantly in all the right places and mine just barely has an hourglass shape. Though I'm slender, I don't have that much definition. Sometimes I joke that I'm built like a wooden board, all straight lines and no curves, but Cara gets mad when I put myself down like that.

The only thing I have going for me are my eyes; they're a darkish shade of green with black flecks spattered all about with a vibrant orange around the irises. Some days they appear browner, and other days they appear a lighter green, but the orange never disappears. Cara's eyes are always a lovely sky blue, never changing except through emotion.

When I'm done dressing myself in my somewhat unflattering school uniform, I walk to the kitchen with Pug by my side and pop some toast in the toaster for myself, and put down a fresh bowl of water for him. He can't eat in the morning because that would mean two meals a day and Pug's a little on the chubby side of things. The vet said that he's got to be on a strict diet. I guess I over feed him a little, but it's out of love I swear.

As I butter my toast my phone rings, making me drop the knife on my big toe and I get butter all over the place. I sigh and answer, knowing full well that it's Cara by the ring-tone.

"Hey, yeah, I'm just getting ready. You made me drop butter all over the floor and my foot. Don't ask."

"But Babe, I thought we agreed that you wouldn't be so clumsy! I'm gonna be there in like, five minutes so you'd better make breakfast to go." She says over the sound of cars. She's driving and talking on the phone again. Cara knows if she gets caught she'll get a major fine, but she keeps doing it anyway and I keep trying to get her not to.

"Okay, well get off the phone. I'm trying to eat and you're trying to drive. See you in five. The door's unlocked, as always." I say.

Cara walks right in five minutes later. By then I've eaten my toast, much to her dismay because it seems that she hasn't eaten. We sit down and laugh for a bit while I prepare her something quick to eat and soon we're out the door.