“Nova,” she called from across the street hurrying up the side of the road to catch up and talk to me. She seemed as though she had something she wanted to talk about.
“Yes Rei,” I answered as she caught up and started to walk next to me “something you wanted to talk to me about?” I asked curiously.
“No,” she said shaking her head “I just wanted to walk to school with someone” to anyone who wouldn’t know us we probably looked like ‘lovers’ or at least in a sort of way a couple, But that was not the case we have been friends ever since we where children. I mean we are still children we are in grade 8. Rei’s 13 years old and I’m 14 but I mean small children like since we where in pre-school “Are you nervous going to a new school and all, especially since you are transferring in the middle of the year?” I wondered as I asked Rei.
“No umm… not really… okay maybe...sort of,” she muttered with her voice getting higher with each word spoken.
“I figured as though, you have always been the shy type.” “Shut up stupid! I’m transferring to a new school a new start. Don’t say I’m shy or socially awkward or anything. Nova I want to make a good first impression. This day may be a chance to reform my character.” the way she said this she sounded determined but yet still intimidated. We walked together till we got to school talking about world events, weather, celebrities noting really important. The pink blossoms on the sakura trees where just starting to bloom it was spring or was getting close to anyway and spring break was in a week.
We finally got to school after that long walk up that hill. We walked into the school’s court yard and a lot of people from my grade stared at me and Rei for a reason I couldn’t say. Staring at the ground I jogged across the asphalt ground holding Reis hand, kind of pulling her along with me. We ran to my friend Gian whom normally hung out near the back of the court yard near the school building. “What’s with the staring,” I asked him
“First of all you look like a mess but that much is normal,”
“Shut up” I quickly cut him off. “plus what do you mean I look like a mess. We are both wearing the schools uniform,” which was just a long navy blue pans for the guys, the girls had a skirt (same colour) and just a button up collard white shirt, with an optional blue jacket for the guys and the girls had a short sleeve top blur or white was optional. “I mean your hair is messed up Nova. Though it didn’t look to good to start with. Even when you do brush your hair in the morning you bangs come down to right above your eyes and your hair at the back of you head goes just passed the bottom of your neck, “ Gian dragged on feeling the need to add “its longer than some girls hair,” under his breath “and second you just walked in to the school grounds with a new girl wich brings me go my third and final point, You with a girl I mean for anyone else to walk in with a girl it would almost be normal but for you. Plus top it all off she’s hot, why you I want at some of that” I looked over at Rei who’s expression had just went from being shy to completely pissed from Gian’s comment.
“Can I kick him,” Rei asked me as if she needed my permission.
“ Nope he’s my ‘friend’ that’s my job,” I said as I pushed Gian against the wall and kneed him in the kidney as he let out a painful screech “wow you scream like a girl short stuff,” Now he really wasn’t that short compared to me. I only had about one inch on him but I was the second shortest kid in my grade.
His dark black short hair almost look like a bowl cut but was just a little bit longer at the back of his head that probably where the comment of my longer brown hair came from. To be honest his hair looked horrible. After that the bell rang, I lead to the office then stuck around to find out which class she was in a help her out if she needed any finding her class. Turned out she was in my class so we walke

Turned out she was in my class so we walked to class together. Then we got to class and the only free seat in the class was next to me at the front of the class room. She was naturally curious why no one sat net to me so she asked.
“Is there any reason that you don’t sit next to anyone,” although I don’t think she really wanted to hear the answer
“At the begging of the school year the teacher let us pick out own seats. I just sat down at the front and no one sat next to me. I did not have anyone I wanted to sit next to whether so I just sat here content with life,”
“so because you’re a huge nerd,” Rei snapped back. People call me a nerd all the time and it normally hurts. I normally move on anyway. But the way she said it was sarcastic and it was no secret I was a total nerd. I always had a manga, videogame or something related to the two in my hands. With out going on any longer I laughed and mover on. Class was about too start anyway. Class started as it would any day with the teacher giving Rei a warm welcome to the class. People still gave me and her sour looks (mostly me) probably out of jealousy thinking we where a couple. During math class paying as attention as I could I sort of dozed off into deep though I was day dreaming but I was lucid. All I could think about was what Gian was talking about earlier.
It wasn’t anything major just the fact he thought me and Rei where dating. I remembered him calling her ‘hot’, that being the reason I kicked him in the kidney. I guess I never really thought of it, us being child hood friends from a really early age. I looked over at her trying not to stare which only made me look like I was staring even more.
“Yes,” she said quickly turning her head in my direction “Nothing,” I said as quiet as I could for we where still in class. And you know what Gian was not wrong. I mean I never really would have looked at her ‘that way’ we where almost like brother and sister but she was beautiful. Her long red hair looked amazing as straight as it was, it went down her back and ended above her skirt. The blue short sleeve shirt complemented her blue eyes and red hair. And the short navy blue skirt would look good on almost any girl with a half ‘sexy’ looking body which she definitely had. Its funny because at that moment she changed from a good friend to a huge crush of mine. Class’s finally ended and it was lunch. Rei tried to start a conversation but I mostly gave one word answers in between blushing and poking my rice with my chopsticks. That day want on much slower than most and yet at the same time a lot faster than most. The only reason it was slow was because I would start to blush every time Rei and I made eye contact, but faster than most days because Rei caught me day draping many times trough the day so I was basically zoned out throughout the whole day. Just before the end of the day the school P.A came on for just a second, “Rei Nakamura if you could please come down to the office Rei Nakamura” she looked at me puzzled as if I knew why they where calling her down to the office. I just shrugged my shoulders not knowing why and she quickly got up and left the class room. It was three minutes before the end of the day when this happened so she was dismissed right then and there. This meant I would have to catch up to her if I wanted to walk home with her. The bell rang and I bolted out the door and ran down the hall to try and catch up to Rei, and to my embarrassment Rei was waiting for me right outside the doors of the school .
“You have somewhere to be?” she asked
“No,” I tried to pass this off as a usual answer. As if I did not just come out of the school running at top speed. “Actually I wanted to talk to you, plus walking home alone is boring and wall lonely. Do you mind if I ask you a question?” she wondered “Sure what do you want to ask?”
“Actually it’s more of a statement. Your reputation

“Actually it’s more of a statement. Your reputation at this school…… well it sucks doesn’t it,” That snide comment hurt but was true. Now when I say it hurt it really didn’t that much but the only reason it would, would be because it’s true.
“Well yes I guess” I quickly responded “Now let me make a comment” I continued “you are even more shy then when we are together when your in around.
“Not really,” she responded
“Yes”
“I just don’t like being around a lot of people because when I am….. I’m how do I put this” “Shy,” I said cutting her off
“No choked up,” she said this choked up already “Or shy”
“Maybe,” she admitted. After that we started waling home to home together. We didn’t talk much until I finally decided to say something to try and spark up a conversation. Just a simple question (or so I thought) “How’s your family doing,” she looked at the ground as a tear dropped from her eye. Her mood didn’t change all that much she seemed to already be in a melancholy state. She started crying but didn’t respond to my question. “Something wrong?” a stupid question for me to ask but I said it anyway “Is it something I said”
“No,” she said wiping away her tears “i-i-it’s just my family they, they had an accident recently.”
“What are they all right,” I said trying to keep calm
“A car accident two and a half months ago, No one made it out alive not my mom, dad or even my sister. They all died right in front if me.”
“Rei!” I motioned toward her trying to comfort t her. I put my hand on her shoulder calling her name. I have never been the most comforting person but at this moment I would do anything I could o try to calm her down. I stood there in shock as she continued.
“That’s why I transferred into your school with no notice what so ever. My legal guardian is my uncle and he lives in a small apartment just down the street from here,” she again wiped the tears from her face. I ended up walking her home even though my house was the other way. The whole way home I had my hand on her. “Is your uncle at least a good guardian?” I said to her. I felt wrong saying anything but it felt better than saying nothing.
“I couldn’t say that. He’s has no kids of his own and he is as depressed as I have been. He lost his brother in a car crash and he lives in a small apartment. He has not gotten out of the house since the accident making me go get groceries and he is constantly drinking if he is not drunk at the moment so he is less than a qualified guardian,” she continued to cry. I didn’t have anything more to say well not anything smart anyway but I kept on asking questions.
“Your sister was a year older than me right?”
She was crying too much to say anything but she nodded her head yes. Minuets passed where nothing said. Suddenly Rei started talking again, “She was beautiful”
“Who?” I asked feeling like an idiot. “My sister,” She started “she had beautiful long grey hair and green eyes” wiping the tears off her face off her face once again. She looked up off the ground and her eyes met mine. “thank you for walking me home” we had already arrived at Rei’s apartment building.
“No problem , sorry for throwing salt in an open wound, but thank you for letting me know what happened to your family,” Rei’s head dropped once again as she turned away from me and started walking towards the door of the building.
“see you tomorrow she managed to get out in-between her gasps for breath in trying to stop crying. She only got two steps closer to the building when it seemed as though time stopped. I couldn’t let her go like this crying to walk into an apartment to a drunken man probably passed out on the floor.
It was right around that point where I figured that he was gone for it was only four- o-clock pm. Then without much thought after that I motioned towards to grab her wrist though I did not . I couldn’t tell why I didn’t thou

It was right around that point where I figured that he was gone for it was only four- o-clock pm. Then without much thought after that I motioned towards to grab her wrist though I did not . I couldn’t tell why I didn’t though. This motion to grab her wrist got her attention though. She stopped crying, turned around and looked me right in the eye then she uttered my name,
“Nova” I then continued my motion and grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand from beside her waist to in front of my chest which was about neck height for her. She was a small bit shorter than me.
“Follow me,” I then said at which point she followed me (not that she had much choice. I was pulling her along by her wrist)
“Where are you taking me?” she asked blushing. Her whole face was red but I didn’t know if she was blushing out of embarrassment or just concern for herself. “Just follow me,” I said dragging her along by her wrist. The night was young and I had nothing to do when I got home plus I was not going to let a crying girl go home to a drunken uncle in a small apartment.
She did not say anything till we got to where I wanted to go. It was just a small coffee shop down the street from her house, about a ten to twelve minute walk from her house but the opposite way from my house making it about a half an hour walk from my house, so I didn’t come that often but I enjoy what they sell. “A coffee shop, but I don’t have any money on me,” Rei exclaimed
“That’s fine, my treat. I was planning that much anyway,” I responded “But Nova”
“Least I could do after hearing about your family and the accident,” Whether I had a crush on her or not it was the truth. Honestly it was all I could think to do “Lets go in” this time I didn’t have to drag her by her wrist “Sure,” she said following behind me, Rei grabbed a table for two next to a window and I went up to wait in line and order after I asked her what she wanted. After getting our drinks I went back to the table placed down both of out cups and tried to start a conversation without bringing her to tears this time.
“It’s weird.”
“What is?” she asked “How we haven’t seen each other for like four, maybe five years and it feels like we have been in the same class for forever. It feels so weird and yet at the same time so natural” “Well we have been using out phones and texting back and forth,” Rei said proving me wrong.
“But its different talking face to face. For instance you did not tell me about your family over text and I wouldn’t imagine you would want to I mean how do you just type that into you phone and send it to someone.” Reis face went red again and her eyes watered as if she was about to cry again.
“I wouldn’t text that to you and I didn’t,” she replied “ At times you felt like the only friend I had because you didn’t know about the accident. For the past two months I have existed just to exist. I had nothing to offer the world and no friends or family”
“Don’t say that,” I quickly cut Rei off “I’m sure you had lots of friends and you have your uncle don’t you?”
“I already told you my uncle is no more than a roof over my head and my friends where to afraid to talk to me because they where afraid to make someone cry,” She paused for a moment the sarcastically added “You very clearly don’t care about making a girl cry.”
“Hey, Hey, Hey……… I don’t want to make you cry you just do and I personally don’t understand why I should be afraid to make someone cry,” I figured this would be a good opportunity to change the subject of conversation “So dose this town hold up to what it used to be, you moved out when you where seven years old and your back now?”
“Not much has changed which is a good thing. I have a lot of fond childhood memories here. Mainly with you,” Rei answered. We talked over our cups of tea before the only person that could mess up the moment walked trough the door. Gian bought a doughnut a

Gian bought a doughnut and then completely uninvited pulled up a chair at Rei and my table.
“Hello Nova,” he said sitting down his attention quickly switched from mine to Rei. “I’m not quiet sure I caught your name before.”
“It’s Rei Nakamura,” Rei responded.
“Well Nakamura-san what are you doing hanging around this loser,” Gian seemed as though he could not go for more than thirty seconds before insulting me.
“That’s funny, that’s the same question I ask myself all the time when I’m around you,” I said
“Shut up Nova,” he said grabbing the tissue in the middle of the table, rolling her into a ball then continuing to throw the wad of pepper at my face. “Well your not hard to look at,” he said refocusing his attention back at Rei.
“You trying to flirt with me?” Rei said to Gian with a tone that sounded very sarcastic.
“If you want me to be,” Gian said with a big stupid grin on his face.
“He’s really immature,” Rei said to me. “Yup, body of a thirteen year old, mind of a four year old. A apparently very sexually active four year old. But that make’s him lovable in the way you hang out with him because you feel sorry he’s such a idiot. Although I don’t think he will be getting a girlfriend anytime soon, or ever for that matter .”
“What was that?”Gian screamed causing a seen and grabbing the attention of more than a few other’s attention in the coffee shop.
“Hey I called you lovable. No need to rage at me,” I said calmly as I patted him on the shoulder as I got up to go to the washroom. “Be right back,” I said to Rei as I walked to off. When I came back from the washroom Gian was gone and Rei was sitting at the table by herself. “umm what happened?” I asked curiously
“What, about Gian being gone?” she questioned. I nodded my head “As soon as you got up and left he asked me ‘if you could have one thing in the world what would it be’ I didn’t answer for a bit but he kept poking me in the shoulder for some reason. After some time of this I got fed up enough to say ‘I wish for you to go away’ to which he responded ‘your wish is my command’ then he got up and marched out of the coffee shop like a complete idiot.”
“I was in the washroom for a minute and this is what happened. Gian truly is an idiot.”
“Yeah but a lovable idiot,” Rei said
“Your not honestly falling for him are you?”
“No way I li-“she instantly started blushing as if she didn’t know what she was saying when she was.
“You like…….whom?” I asked
“No one!” She was a horrible liar. Her whole face went a bright cherry red and as embarrassed as she was she was trying as hard as she could not to smile and she was not successful with that ether. So on that note we threw out the disposable cups and where out the door. “Are you heading home now?” Rei asked.
“No, I was just going to head up to the part up the hill just a little way away from the school and I was hoping you would come with me,” I stated
“So I assume you don’t mind if I come,” she sarcastically said.
“Nope don’t mind at all.” So back up the hill we walked to go to the park. As soon as we got there Rei remembered where this park was.
“This park, o my god I completely forgot about this place and yet its where we spent most of out time together as little kids,” Rei and I both went and sat down on the swing set. It was getting later and no one was at the park.“It’s beautiful isn’t it Nova?”
“I know breath taking,” I replied. The swings faced over the hillside and faced the town. The sun was setting and the cold pre-spring air chilled me. “I have something to ask,” I said to Rei “What,” Rei answered.
“Do you believe in ghosts, I mean how some people say they can hear the voice of dead people and some people claim to be able to see ghosts?” It felt wrong to bring this up and raise the question after her family’s death but I felt the need to know.
“I wish I could say I do. I do but I don’t. Eve

“I wish I could say I do. I do but I don’t. Every night I pray and pray to see my family living happy and healthy again but it dose not happen. I know they can just come back to life but to see their ghost in a dream or just to hear their voice. Just so they know that I still mourn and that I do care,” She wiped a tear from her face trying to hold back any more.
“Stop being such a cry-baby, “I said to try and lighten the mood.
“I’ll try my best if that’s what you want.”
“Don’t do it because I want to Rei but because it makes you a stronger person,” I said as we swung back and forth on the swing set.
“Okay I’ll try me best,” Rei said still holding back her tears. We stayed on the swing set a little longer until I said,
“Rei its getting dark out the starts are starting to show and I’m not sure about you but I’m getting cold plus I should probably be getting home soon.” We both got off the swings set and looked at each other. We stood face to face looking into each other eyes.
“You have always been like a brother to me, but not anymore. I feel as though you are the only person I have left. You are my best friend and I-I want us to be more than just friends.” Rei’s body trembled and her eye’s glimmered under the moons light. It was a short pause before what she was about to saybut it seemed to last forever. “I guess what I’m trying to say is I-I lik.. no I love you Nova,” she blushed nervously as she waited for my response.
I was taken by surprise when she said that. I stood in shock with no idea how to react. I mean what do you do, you start crushing on you best friend, she comes up to you tells you about a extremely tragic past that she has the following that she tells you that you’re the only person in the world she had and then tells you she loves you. All of that in eight grade.
“R-Rei I,” was the only thing I could get out. I took another second to gather my thoughts.
“No…… no you don’t feel the same way,” she cried meaningful tears. “I’m sorry I, I” she continued on. I stood there in stopped time as she wiped the tears from her face. ‘Should I?’ I wondered to myself. I grabbed her arm from in front of her face put it at her side and then kissed her. I put my arms around her and I kissed her. Her soft lips where one of many things that made me wish the moment would last forever. I held Rei close to me to comfort her. The kiss turned into a hug as I whispered into her ear,
“I love you to.” The hug though not lasting more than ten seconds felt as though it did last forever. As I let go of her I wiped the tears form her face.
“Thank you Nova. For being there for me and for l-loving me,” she continued to cry so I once again wiped her tears off her face.
“Why are you still crying?” I asked
“Because now I know that someone, you are there for me. Because I know someone loves me and I don’t feel lonely any longer,” I could tell she was saying this directly from her heart. “thank you,” she once again said hugging me.
“Shall I walk you home?” I asked my new girlfriend if you would call us a couple.
“Sure thank you,” she said smiling holding my hand. I walked Rei home, I told her if she needed anything to either call me or come over to my house, I also gave her my address. After walking Rei home I went home and due to how late it was I grabbed a sandwich and went straight to bed I woke up in shock to the sound of gunfire. I cowered under my blanket for about two minutes until I heard the voice of someone screaming for help. It was a woman voice, no it was a girl. I had to do something I thought as I jumped out of bed but suddenly the gunfire stopped. I threw on a T-shirt, it being the closest thing to my bed grabbed my cell phone shoved it in my pocket and ran outside to see what was happening. I looked around in panic. First thing I noticed was a pistol lying on the ground. I grabbed it and pocketed it in case I needed it for self defence.

I continued to look around but saw no other sign of anyone being around. I found many full ammo clips for the pistol which I also pocketed. The pistol was what I could tell a desert eagle although the only knowledge of guns I have are from some pc games I have played. But of what I did know about the gun was it was not the most silent of weapons so I would avoid pulling the trigger in an attempt to let the whole neighbourhood stay sleeping.
Before I knew it I heard the voice of the girl again. I listened to the direction the cries for help where coming from then I dashed in that direction. I pulled my phone out to check the time as I ran. It was 1:27 AM I put my phone away and continued to follow the screaming with the fully loaded desert eagle in my hand. The yell for help got closer and closer as I ran until I turned the street corner and fount the source.
All I saw or rater all I was able to see was a large cloud of smoke. As I looked a little closer I saw a older girl that seemed to be floating about 4 to five feet off the ground. I didn’t get a good look at her before I grabbed the pistol and started waving it around at her not shooting.
“You have a gun, use it,” the girl screamed at me “ WHA – WHAT.... what do you mean by that” I answered
“Shoot the damn thing,” the girl choked on her words “Just look for its eyes you fucking Idiot.”
“And by ‘it’ you mean” I looked around confused and panicked
“The,” she began to say until she started choking once again. The girl struggled as if she was constrained by something and she was trying to break free. I then felt a strong cold wind from behind me. I turned around to be looking at a bright red no two bright red glowing floating objects in front of me. I raised the pistol and fired at the glowing objects assuming they where the eyes that the girl was talking about. I shot two rounds and the eyes dissolved into the dry crisp air along with the smoke which appeared to be dissolving as well. I quickly remembered the girl behind me as I heard her coughing behind me. The smoke had cleared so I had a good chance to get a look at her. She looked to be around my age maybe a year older. She was wearing blue jeans and a grey zip up hoodie. She had long grey almost silver hair and she was also had bright green eyes. I ran over to her to see if she was doing okay. She was on her knees coughing.
“Are you okay?” I asked as I knelt down next to her
“Yeah I’m fine it’s no big deal,” she said “No big deal, you just got lifted up in the air by a cloud of smoke!”
“You mean you have no idea what that was?” The girl asked
“Why the hell would I,” I said.
“But you can see me?” the girl asked
“Like hell I can what the heck kind of question is that?” I asked
“A rhetorical question,” the girl responded as I looked at her intently with a puzzled look on my face as she did the same back at me. I looked at her confused for a while before I asked,
“Who exactly are you?”
“Nakamura”
“First or last name?” I asked “Last name, my first name is Yuri” “Need some help up?” I asked giving her a hand
“Thanks,” she said grabbing my hand as I helped her up
“What the hell is going on?” I asked looking around paranoid as could be.
“Given you don’t know what that was I would say you have recently died,” She said calmly
“Dead, how?” I asked still looking paranoid. I looked down at my hands, I looked and felt as alive as could be. “This must be a dream, yeah that’s right it’s a night-mare” my vision started to blur. I felt as though I was being lifted up in the air before I blacked out

to be continued.....????

THX 4 THE FOLLOW!