Peony

Chapter One

"Peony time to wake up!" Peony's father, nudged her shoulder.

"Five more minutes." She groaned.

"Fine I guess I'll go get your mother then...She can wake you up." Peony didn't care, it's not like her mom would jump on her or anything. Just as she started drifting back to sleep she heard two voices.

"One...Two...Three!" They said together.

Freezing water was splashed in her face, she jolted out of her bed, jumping up and down to get to get warm again. She noticed her parents laughing at her.

"Mom! Dad! That's not funny!" She yelled, still jumping.

Her mother chuckled, "I wish I had this much fun when I was your age."

"Mom I think you need a hug," Peony smiled mischievously. The water clung to her shirt.

She started backing away, "Oh, I think I'm good, honey, it could fry my wiring...But I'm sure your dad wants one, it was his idea to dump water on you," She suggested.

Peony considered, "I think your right, Mom."

"I'll hold him back."

"What? Cinder, it was your idea!" Dad protested. But Mom held her husband's arms behind his back. Peony wrapped her arms around her father's lean figure. He went rigid, as the water soaked through his shirt. "Stars that's cold, Peony!"

She let go and kissed her father on the cheek, "Love you, Dad."

"Yeah, yeah. I love you too."

But the words were drowned out as Peony began slipping back to consciousness. Her aunt Iko was shaking her shoulders. "Peony time to wake up. You don't want to be late for school."

She whined, "But I don't want to go!"

"I know, I know. But you have to get an education, so get up." Iko rolled her over and pulled on her arms, dragging her out of bed and onto the floor.

"Stars, I get it! I'm awake!" Iko sighed and left the room, leaving Peony alone to get dressed.

Peony rolled up off of the tan carpet. Out of her small closet she grabbed lightly colored jean shorts, a black v-necked shirt, and a lime green hoodie. Peony looked in her mirror. For some strange reason she had a deep hatred for it; almost as if it would tell the galaxy her secrets--not that she had many to begin with.

She examined her reflection. Peony was fifteen years old, her birthday coming up in a few weeks. She pulled up her long, mousey, black hair in a messy ponytail. Her skin was lightly tanned and her brown eyes were lined with thick, black lashes. She pulled her hoodie over her shirt, leaving the hood up, to hide herself.

She fished a pair of socks out of her dresser and pulled them on, then headed into the small living room of their apartment. Sunlight streamed through the open windows into their white walls.

"Here you go." Iko handed Peony a plate with waffles on it. Peony sat down at the dark wooded dining room table and started eating. She loved the sweet taste of syrup and the fluffy texture of the waffles in her mouth.

"Peony time to go!"

She quickly swallowed the last bite and grabbed her backpack. She rushed out the door behind Iko. They entered the elevator at the end of the hallway, pushing the button for the basement.

The dream from last night entered Peony's mind.

"Iko, who were my parents?"

She watched as Iko's eyes looked to the floor sadly. "I told you, Cinder and Kai died of the plague when you were only a baby. They trusted me to take after you."