Daughter of The Mist

Chapter 1

"Would you quit looking at me like that?" Leila half-muttered, half-laughed. She was very focused on one of her favorite video games, Mario Kart and was losing...badly. She kept getting lost on the course, throwing her controller across the room in frustration.

Leila's best friend, Will, was sitting next to her, eating and laughing at her terrible gameplay, occasionally choking on some popcorn.

"I can't help it," Will laughed, "You suck at this game and your faces are priceless."

Will doubled over, laughing hysterically after Leila finished in 12th place. When Will sat up, still grinning and a bit teary-eyed, Leila glared at him, the way she'd always glared at him when he teased her. Not a serious glare, but a playful, friendly glare.

Will remembered the first time she looked at him like that, in kindergarten. She was new to the school and Ms. R had told him to show Leila around and they instantly became friends. One day, at recess, Will stole some of Leila's animal crackers and instead of crying and throwing a fit, Leila just glared at him with those fiercely overwhelming blue eyes. Then she punched him, giving him a black eye, and marched off, her long, dark braid bouncing on her back as she walked.

To him, Leila was like this peculiar, yet fascinating creature; different from any other person. Leila was small but had a powerful and stubborn presence. She had hair black as pitch, startling blue eyes, and perfectly porcelain white skin. She was beautiful. However, she didn't dress like she was the most beautiful girl in the sixth grade. She wore baggy, torn up and faded jeans, Converse sneakers, and always had a hoodie on.

"Ya wanna play another round?" Leila asked him.

"Nah I have to go home, but I'll see you tomorrow!" Will replied.

Leila went outside with Will and waved 'goodbye' as he walked away from her house and down the street. Will's curly blonde hair bounced with every step he took.

Once Will had gone out of her sight, Leila went back inside and turned off her video game console. Her stepmother, Cindy, was in the kitchen, making jumbalaya for dinner while her father was in his office, as usual.

"Hey sweetie, did you have fun with Will?" Cindy asked.

"Yeah, we just played Mario Kart the whole time. He won everytime, I lost everytime." Leila laughed.

Her stepmother had always been a better parent than her actual father. Her father made a lot of money, Leila grew up in a great house, in New York, and whenever she wanted something, she would usually get it. But her father was never there to have fun with his daughter or help with friendship problems or play silly games. He was always in his office, working. Cindy, however, gave Leila so much attention. She played with her, picked her up when she was down, packed her lunches, kissed her goodnight every night, and made Leila feel truly loved.

"Here you go," Cindy said as she set a bowl of jumbalaya on the table in front of Leila, "When you're done eating, I want you to go upstairs and brush your teeth. I'll be up there soon to tuck you into bed."

Leila ate her food and ran up the stairs. She quickly brushed her teeth, brushed out her long hair, and got into bed. She fell asleep within an hour, waking up for a moment when Cindy kissed her forehead and whispered, "Goodnight." She drifted back to sleep and the dreams began.