• I really hated alarms, they always repeat the same annoying beeping over and over again, until you eventually get so frustrated that you are forced to wake up and turn the god damn thing off. And the most annoying thing about alarm clocks is that they ruin a perfectly good dream every morning.
    Dream.
    That word hit a bell in side my head. It was a very clear memory that wanted to be remembered.
    What was it?
    I can’t remember.
    Strange.
    When I tore the covers off me, I couldn’t summon the will or strength to even get up. It was as if I had run twenty miles flat out.
    Again, the word “ran” hit another bell. I faintly remember running. But was it a dream? Or had I forgotten?
    When I eventually lifted my drowsy body from my nice, warm and silky bed, my legs screamed in protest to move.
    I looked at them. There were faint bruises all over my calves and thighs. The tendons locked into steel like hold. But then I could see them; I wasn’t even in my pyjamas. I was still in the same jean mini-shorts and tank top as yesterday; I had only taken off only one shoe. What happened yesterday? How did I even end up back home?
    I shuffled my right leg as it tore a wave of agony through my thighs. But when I moved my left leg. It was a different agony. An excruciating, unbearable agony. Had I broken something?
    I shrieked, a little too loud, and I knew my mother would come rushing through my door.
    But she didn’t. I stared at the door, waiting.
    But then it hit me, that wasn’t my door. My door was a nice white, this door was oak. A bright, varnished oak.
    And this wasn’t my bed; it wasn’t the silky fluffy and warm bed I thought I was in.
    This bed was single sized, rough, used sheet over a stiff spring mattress. The quilt wasn’t thick but not too thin either. It had been roughly thrown over me to keep me warm.
    Where was I? Whose room is this?
    The door swung wide open, and something came barging in.
    “I heard you scream! Are you okay?”
    Was it possible that this was still a dream? My legs told me another story though.
    It was Chris.
    Why the hell was he here in this room with me?
    The only words I could summon to my lips were his name.

    ∴

    According to Chris, we were being chased along the rooftops by the paparazzi and a helicopter popped out of nowhere. Next thing he knows, I go into a massive panic boost and start running like hell was on my heel. And because I was in panic mode, I didn’t give a damn about pain or anything else except getting away from them. I had apparently jumped from a too tall a drop and injured my leg. But I still ran.
    When Chris caught up with me, I was hiding in an ally way unconscious. So he carried me all the way to my house. But the paparazzi were waiting by my gate, so he hid me in his house.
    Now, we were in his living room eating, well not really breakfast for it was two in the afternoon. But it was my first meal since yesterday.
    The room was a nice wood, giving a sort of Canadian feeling to it. That cabin like feeling. A warm and strong feeling.
    The floor was tiled with beautiful patterns, and a zebra like skin rug under the chocolate brown, soft, fabric sofa. Their TV was enormous, and so clear, must be high-def.
    The sofa was placed in the centre of the room and every thing else – shelves, cabinets, TV, consoles- revolved around this one. Big, thick and wide sofa.
    But, it fit so well with the room, as if, the room itself was built around this sofa.
    Am I lounged in agony on the sofa, with the windows closed and covered with bamboo blinds? Still with people trying to get a glimpse, or a shot of me.
    Damn I hate being a celebrity.
    Chris came back in from the kitchen with a full fry-up breakfast – baked bean, fried eggs, bacon, and the lot.
    We ate whilst watching the news.
    But something strange was up
    I wasn’t on it.
    After that whole paparazzi episode, I was not on it at all. Not on either channel.
    Nothing.
    Frantically I scanned through all the news channels. Even the really annoying celebrity shows.
    And still nothing, not one picture, not one clip.
    Nothing.
    How could that be?
    That wall of cameras and not one picture.
    Impossible. Just physically impossible.
    “Do you have a laptop?”
    Chris already knew what wanted and brought a MAC in.
    It was fast. Fast enough for me to search all over the Internet –goggle, yahoo, all search engines- and yet, not one piece of evidence that I was even there.

    “Impossible” maybe I didn’t exactly whisper this but I was too preoccupied to bother.
    “ Apparently there was a shortage in the building causing a small EMP blast, but small enough to short circuit all cameras and memory chips, but not the helicopter. Fortunately”
    Whilst he said this, he had a smug little grin on his face.
    He edged his way smoothly into the single chair next to the sofa.
    “So. How we going to do this”
    I looked at him with an extremely confused expression
    “Do what exactly?”
    Well we can either try the back or the front. What do you think”?
    “What!?”
    “To get out of this place, back door or front door. Or we wait until they leave. Obviously”
    Oh, maybe I got it wrong. I was kind of messed up in my head. Getting very obvious things confused sometimes.
    “Um well I’d want to wait it out”
    “Ok then. I’ll call up some company then”
    Company, how on earth did he think he could get anybody in or around this house surrounded by cameras and media?
    The news then came on and there was the house I was in.
    They were talking about me being held inside by some friend from school. Making the whole situation completely wrong. Making it sound as if we were… well… together – not that I would mind that but now it’s sort of difficult.
    Chris came in again, silent as ever on the wooden floor.
    “They’ll be here soon. They are actually kind of really excited to meet you really.”
    “ Wait wait wait! How on earth are you going to get anyone past those cameras?”
    “Well, like us, they free run. So they’ll get through the roof”
    More free runners. That’s a nice change.
    “Oh yeah your mother called. She just wanted to make sure you were fine. Which you are, all most.”
    There was a thumping near the staircase and six people came stumbling through. The first guy was wearing a white vest, and tracksuit trousers. He fell on the floor in an uncontrollable roll and smacked his head into the table leg.
    I rose quickly thinking he’d hurt him self. But then he got up quickly. Also, every one else was laughing as if it were a joke.
    “Hey Jake, try not to get blood stains, again, on my floor”
    “Jesus Chris, it was Karen who pushed me.”
    Karen came down the banister sliding so elegantly and then with a perfect, Ballet like landing.
    “Well if you weren’t so cocky, maybe you wouldn’t slip up all the time”
    That last sentence had a hint of acid so strong, even I felt it.
    ∴
    Jake – the one that fell down the stairs- was originally from Ohio, but he had a strong Californian accent. I think the term is “surfer” kind of guy. His mom found a job in Europe and now he lives in Valbonne.
    He bright blond hair that spiked up on top. His broad, muscular torso and fully built arms meant that he was the handy man out of this group.
    Karen. A chocolate brunette with beautiful highlights was dainty, supple and very beautiful. She was from Switzerland. She moved to England for a few years and then came to live with her aunt in Sophia.
    They both sat at other ends of the room. Was there a fight going on between them?
    Jazzmin was a little younger than most of us. Maybe fifteen pushing on sixteen. Her hair was so red that it was almost black. She had pale skin and dark, thick eyelashes that fluttered over her bright, silver eyes. She was so beautiful but there was so much, mystery around her. She smiled a lot but she was so, cautious.
    Then there was Nadia too; she sat next to Jazmin, near me.
    But then there were the two twins. Julia and Antoine. They were both identical yet completely different as well. Their eyes were very weird, one eye green, the other, a bright Caribbean blue, but on one twin, it was mirrored on the other.
    Antoine had long hair that was chin length with a fringe that was flicked sideways to his right.
    Julia had long hair that stretched along her back, which curled lightly around shoulder height. And two wavy strips that dangled so gingerly beside her perfect face.
    Two twins, both different, yet, very much identical.
    They were both the same age as me. But they looked sixteen.
    “How’s your leg?” Nadia asked, she more, somewhat more bouncy and cheerful today.
    “Oh it’s just a little muscle bruising, nothing a days rest can’t fix.”
    “To be honest, that last jump was stellar!” Jake seemed very excited by yesterdays episode.
    “Oh, thanks. I don’t remember most of it to be honest”
    “Still. It was pretty damn cool to watch on the news though. I mean, you were like. Whoa!” he tried to demonstrate by re-enacting the moment. His facial expression was really funny though.
    “But Jake. She still got hurt, no matter how awesome it was.” Nadia came out.
    “But it was…”Antoine said
    “Amusing to watch” then Julia.
    I looked at them with a confused kind of look.
    “Do they…”
    “Yeah they always do that. It’s kind of creepy sometimes but you get used to it” Jazzmin said smiling a cheerful smile.
    So were Antoine, Julia, and Jake. Everyone was smiling and looking at me.
    Now I noticed this, I felt like a little lamb in the middle of a mountain lion pride. All glaring their teeth at me, ready to pounce.
    “Um why are you all smiling at me?”
    Chris was behind me with his hands either side of me. It felt nice and warm…
    “Well maybe it’s because you’re a celebrity and they being, well, not a celebrity. It’s no surprise.” He got down close to my ear and whispered, “and Jakes kind of got a crush on you.”
    “Do not!”
    “We’ve all seen the posters and news articles in your room Jake.”
    Karen said with a sarcastic yet sympathetic touch
    “I do not!”
    We all laughed with Jake floundering in the middle. He started going red, his ears turning scarlet. I was almost afraid his ears would burst.
    We all calmed down after, some of us still sniggering every now and then.
    “So what was it like, going through that panic spur?” Karen asked.
    “Well, I can’t remember anything to be honest. So yeah, I think you just go on auto freak out pilot mode and forget everything except to run.”
    “I know every one’s…”
    “Thinking it but what’s up…”
    “With the whole Eye thing?”
    Julia and Antoine sounded as if they had already rehearsed it.
    “I could ask you the same question”
    They both said instantaneously “Touché”
    “But seriously” Nadia responded.
    “I was just born with it, as well as my hair colour, all you see is all natural, nothing added.”
    “Well aren’t we an odd bunch then. We got the idiot surfer, mysterious girl. A cheery-O, psychic twins with odd eye thing, a celebrity scientist with a weird eye and hair disorder and crafty little princess.”
    “What, princess?” I asked
    “Well my family WAS entitled to the throne but then came the Russian revolution and we had to run away.” Karen said
    “Wait your family used to be Russian?”
    “Yeah, my great grandmother was the Tsars daughter. But then they had to run in order to survive.”
    “ Well your great, great grandfather was kind of a p***k.”
    Antoine said with out the help of his sister this time.
    Jakes stomach then growled at the short interval.
    “I hear that” said Julia.
    “What do you guys want?” Chris asked
    “Well I personally wouldn’t mind pizza but then we got the um. Y’know. Them” I pointed out the window, still crowded with people and cameras.
    “Well the pizza place is just up the road, I’ll go and bring ‘em back” volunteered Jazzmin.
    “order up then, here’s the menu” Chris chucked me the pizza menu. ‘mister Pizza’, interesting.
    The names of pizza were foreign to me. luckily they had the toppings written in both French and English.
    I was looking for a Pepperoni pizza, here they call it an ‘Espagnole’.
    Karen and Jake ordered a large cheese, the twins ordered a ‘Calzone’, nadia ordered a plain, and Chris and I Shared.
    Jazzmin went upstairs –probably using the same way to get in- and then there was a quiet interval.
    I looked at Jake, looked at Karen. They were both looking at each other, as if they were about to draw pistols out of their holsters and fire. Jakes eyes flickered to my lap. Karen did the same.
    “now guys, we can deal this like civilised…”
    Chris was cut off when Jake and Karen leaped toward me.
    I flung my arms infront of me and held my breath.
    Chris chuckled whilst he rolled pass me and jumped back up.
    “HA! Nice try suck…” he pulled up an empty hand, whilst Karen pulled up her hand with the remote in it. Held gingerly between her slender fingers.
    She came to the back of the sofa and swung her legs over and sat next to me.
    She kept changing channels. As if she was scanning, waisting time or just liked to push the button.
    She eventually gave up and left it on the news.
    The news reporter was English, blond, short haired woman.
    She babbled on about a suspicious attacks on citizens. It started to bore me.
    Wait, the news. It was live yet, throughout the whole showing, I wasn’t on it. And earlier on, Jake said he saw me on the news.
    “jake. When you said something about me on the news. What channel was it on?”
    there was an eerie silence that rolled over the thresh hold.
    Jake hesitated. His eyes switching from me to other people.
    “um did I say that? I don’t think I did. Did I? I’m pretty sure I didn’t see you on the news. Not that I havn’t seen you on the news it’s just, not about that. Um” I could see he was stuck.
    Then came jazzmin who dropped down from the banister of the stair case with six pizza boxes. Some smaller than the others.
    She dished them out. She got herself a ‘Neptune’ – anchovies-
    And we all tucked into our pizzas, with chris next to me.
    Me and my new friends. All together.