This is the first chapter of the story. We've worked on it for weeks!! We being me and my editor. I want to thank my editor for his support. Without him I'd be soo soo lost!!! As usual, votes, rates and comments are welcome!!! And I would like to apologise to the readers about the place. I am really sorry if you find something wrong with the place around which I have created this story. I have added bits of my imagination and I hope you like it...
Marie
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Prologue
In the empty silence of the highway, the only things that could be heard were frantic breathing and hurrying footsteps. She had to do this. She had to save it. She'd never let then harm her child, her precious child.
She ran faster, wanting to put distance between her and her pursuers, wanting to make sure that they never knew where her baby was.
Finally, she got to her destination. It was a small orphanage but it would give her child all the protection it'd require to grow up and become the beautiful person she'd dream about, ever since she found out she was pregnant. She had led a happy life, but then something went horribly wrong.
Stopping to listen if anyone was still following her, she smiled at the little thing in her arms. It was fast asleep. She didn't know if she'd make it to see her baby again but at least she made sure she'd taken it away from all the dangers. She kissed the angel face for the last time. She put a gift in an envelop along with a note for the owner of the place. That gift would help her baby when it needed help. That gift would give her baby comfort when she would no longer be around.
With that, she rung the door bell a couple of times and left her baby at the doorstep.
She was crouched among the bushes, her tears streaming down her face, waiting to make sure that her baby was safely inside.
She ran away into the night, backtracking to where her trail would lead her away from the orphanage. No longer hoping to survive, she just wanted to direct them as far away as she could from her child.
Somewhere in the night the silence was ripped apart by the dying screams of a young mother and at the same time, safe in a crib by the warmth of the fireplace, a newborn Mayira started crying.
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The cab driver hit the brakes and the car horn at the same time. These New York roads definitely weren't for me. Was the 3 months I spent in Astoria, Oregon, enough to make me forget the traffic and rush in NY? Some jerk in front braked suddenly jolting me out of my thoughts. "What the...!" I thought out loud as I stared at the dusty Lexus in front of us.
I am Mayira White. I now go to University of Astoria and that place had just gotten interesting...not that I had any part in it. I understand if you think my choice of college isn't very good but I had to move to Astoria because mom wanted to go to Canada. She was leading a group of researchers and technicians to their branch in Abbotsford, British Colombia. She would be there for at least a year and mom didn't want to leave me alone in NY, so instead of tagging along with my mom (which was the only other option I had) I decided to move in with granny and join college there. My friends thought living in New York, where I used to live, was fun but I couldn't disagree any more. With dad gone and mom usually busy with her meetings, I really didn't have anyone there.
Dad passed away 3 years ago and ever since mom was the only person in my life apart from Lizzy, my best friend. I promised Lizzy I'd visit at least once a month and this was me keeping my promise.
Yes, New York was fun if you were the kind of girl who loved shopping and partying. I definitely am not any of those. I didn't mind accompanying Lizzy to parties but I never actually felt like participating. Mom was always ahead in those departments, so I guessed I got those characteristics from dad. He was the silent type, who always preferred reading rather than going to movies and taking naps rather than dancing. I never can stop myself from smiling when I think about dad. Yes, mom was always the fun one and the successful one but dad was the one with insight. The one who always solved my problems...whether it was regarding Mathematics or the issues I had regarding my friends. Mom definitely pampered me and took me shopping but dad was always the one that understood the fact that I hated shopping and came up with excuses for me. It was not like I had any serious problems but the thing I hated was when she made me buy summer dresses and stuff. Why wouldn't she leave me alone with my jeans?
But I was glad that at least granny was like him. She understood me just like dad had.
The stream of thoughts came back to the main subject, the newest addition to my life. Well, my dreams actually. Ayden Castellan and Annabell Castellan had joined Astoria not too long ago. They were siblings, Annabell was a year ahead of me and of course Ayden was the same year as me. Ayden was the cause of my daydreaming, doing things I never imagined I would. These two were near to the most beautiful people I'd ever seen. Both had jet black hair and their facial features were perfect. There was not a single flaw I could point out from their high cheek bones to their perfectly angular noses and faultlessly shaped chins. Even their skin was without a single blemish.
I figured Annabell was the quiet one, who always kept to herself. She had no friends and it didn't seem like she wanted to try to make any. Ayden was quiet too but in the past 2 weeks, I'd found him stealing glances towards me more than once. I never saw them during lunch and it was always during classes that I saw him stare at me. He wouldn't even look away when I caught him staring.
I remember well my first encounter with him. It was during our Chemistry tutoring class. I had problems with Chemistry and I knew this day would come. I studied Environmental Science by my own choice and I knew the only problem I'd have would be Chemistry. I'd joined a study group to get a little help. I'd heard that a fellow student was to tutor us but I had no idea who it'd be. I had just settled with my books when he entered with all the glory I could imagine. His eyes caught mine suddenly. They looked like dark clouds... extremely unique and beautiful and I had a feeling he could look right into my soul. He held my gaze for some 3 seconds and I was already getting nervous. And then he moved to sit on a chair directly in front of me, with an amused expression in his face, like he saw something for the first time...
"Hello everyone!" his voice... it was so beautiful! It was deep and yet smooth... I could see that this tutoring class wasn't going to be any easier.
"As we all know," he continued. "We are here to discuss our Chemistry difficulties. I am Ayden Castellan and I am going to tutor you for this whole year. I hope you find my ways of teaching to your liking and I hope it helps you with your problems."
We all introduced ourselves to him and the classes began.
The whole hour and a half, I tried my best not to meet his gaze and concentrate on what he was explaining. Even after that, every time our eyes met, whether it was at class or at the tutoring room, I felt like he was searching my mind and I would turn away blushing like crazy. What was wrong with me? I repeated to myself
I don't blush
. Well, I was used to people staring at me, mostly because they were looking at my face and my body, but he always seemed to be looking deep into my soul and not at my superficial features. And every time I turned away, I could almost feel his eyes boring a hole in my back. What is with this guy? I wanted to confront him, but every time I thought about it my courage left me.
There was almost nothing I missed about NY. I loved the quietness of Astoria and I definitely didn't miss the sun. I think I have some kind of conflict with the sun. Maybe it was because I'd get highly allergic if I stayed out too long. It caused itchy and flaming rashes on my skin. No matter how much medications I took, they never ceased. I didn't even want to think about it. That is why my car had tinted windows and why I chose gloomy Astoria to anywhere else in the world. With 250 days of clouds, I'd never have to feel like that...
The only thing I missed about NY was the way I could ignore everything around. I had this cocoon for myself where I was always comfortable. I never blushed because I never met anyone who'd gaze right into me. Lizzy would usually pick on me, telling me how Joshua, the "cool' guy of school looked at me and every time I'd tell her to buzz off. So what if he looked at me? I knew I was no disaster. I had waist-long straight hair and Lizzy always told me how my hair had a rich-brown colour, how even if my skin was almost anemic, it made me look good and of course how everyone I knew envied the colour of my eyes. Thanks to dad, I had green eyes and everyone said the green of my eyes were different from others. I really didn't care. I wasn't the type of girl who'd use her looks just to get a horde of guys behind me. I just wasn't into that sort of thing. Maybe that's why I could ignore everything in NY.
But I wasn't going to tell Lizzy about Ayden. I didn't need any reason for her to pick on me.
I stood at her door waiting for her to answer it. I couldn't stand it, wearing a hood and dark glasses during summer. Every passing eye was staring at me.... Then suddenly the familiar cheerful voice greeted me.
"Oh god May, I'm so sorry for making you wait. I know I was supposed to see you at the airport but mom had her fancy guests and she wouldn't let me go. I tried calling you but I couldn't get through. What's wrong with your phone?"
I smiled at the doe-eyed brunette and reached for my phone.
"Darn my battery's gone." I replied, silently cursing myself for not charging my phone. "Can I come in now? I can't stand any of this anymore. I'm boiling."
