Chapter one

My future had been chosen for me a long time ago. Ab initio, to be exact. Which I was fine with. I just wanted freedom. One day. One. To savor me being free before my life changed. Before it turned completely upside down. My name is Pearl. And I am an OverShadower. Yes, I know its not a word. Well, to you anyway. But to us, it is. My kind has lived for centaureum. OverShadowers controlled shadows. They did what we wanted. They took what ever shape we willed them too. But, we had rules. And I had just broken one of them. I had just got caught for running away. I ran away for only a couple days. I left a note, saying I would be back. And not to worry. If only they had listened. Why? Well, I think I deserve at least a little bit of freedom. I brushed some pale blonde hair out of my face and continued to read Mid Summers Night Dream at my desk in my room. My kinship were over protective. I mean, since, Im the only female of my kind right now, in my generation, I need more protecting. But, it gets old after a couple fourteen years. Also, girls were treated lowly. Like back then, when we had no rights. Well, all female OverShadowers live like that. But we get used to it. Its part of life. Why complain? You see, there are usually four women of my kind at once. Three of them have all the boys and one of them has all the puellae, or girls, as you Americans would say. And once you had children, you couldnt have anymore. Even the leader couldnt have more than one child. (unless they had the girls, they could have three girls.) It was a rule, a legem. Course, when Zeke was born, and then Josh was born, everyone was stunned. If you had boys, you were only allowed to have one, because the other three women would have the rest. Their parents were in a lot of trouble. But even if they had known their mother was pregnant, they couldnt make her have an abortion. We believed in prolife, even if it was breaking a law; they wouldnt kill a baby. And my mother only had me, which made it even worse. She was supposed to have two other girls, but she didnt. My mother had died having me. This made her faulty. Which meant I might be faulty too. But no one thought about that much. All they thought about was much I was needed, and that I couldnt die, get lost, or run away. I left a note, honestly I did. But as I said, they are way over protective. Yes, I left out where I was going and cum I would be back. But hey, cant they just trust me for once? In my note I had wrote:

Ill be back. Dont come after me. Pearl. I now sat at my desk wondering if Id ever be free again. I had my own room, it had pictures and posters along the black oak walls. My bed was practically a mattress on the floor, with a light purple bed spread and pillows. But none of that was cheering me up. And the book I was reading wasnt really helping with my mood. Back to my fate: Sure, I knew what I had to do. And I wasnt going to fight it when it came around. Couldnt if I tried. Another school year was coming around. The last one I would have. Arnold and Adskhan, already finished school last year. And this was my last one. I was determined to make the most of it. Even though girls werent treated as well as boys, I still learned the simple things: how to write, read and do some math and other things. But the only really important thing I learned, (to the Elders,) was what I had to do when I turned fifteen. I heard my name being called and I put the book down on my desk and hopped up and went out the door. Pearl! Venire Ego postulo ut sermo vobis! Adskhan, our dux or, Leader, called me. Adventus sum! I answered. I pulled open the door and headed for the steps. We useally talked to our fellow OverShadowers in Latin. Our native lanaguage. We only used English if needed, but we knew it, like we knew Latin.We only talk to other OverShadowers in Latin mostly when were in trouble, or were doing something importaint. Like a Fastening. I know you humans think that Latin is a dead lanague. But it isnt. The first OverShadowers were from Rome. (thats what the Elders have come up with though. Were not entierly sure where we acutally came from) So the languages just stuck with us, even as our kind spread out to various countries. My didnt spread out far. I came from America. Nothing cool. But hey, at least its somewhere. I skipped down the long wooden steps and into the living room where everyone was sitting. Our house, to the outside looked like we were a boarding school, with vines growing on the outside, where Madeline would have lived. To them, meaning humans, only boys went to this school. And only certain people ever got accepted. You had to have a very high number IQ to go to this school. But, no humans ever got accepted, because well, we dont want them finding out. And, they werent smart enough anyway. (No offence.) Our kind never went out into the outside world without permission. So I was probably going to get a really huge punishment. If you went outside, you could get exposed to all the childish ways of the humans. Like, the way they had wacky hormones, and started to like someone really yearly. And how it took them forever to grow up. The list is long, but I wont bore you with it now. We lived in Frazeysburg, Ohio. Out in no mans land, as Zeke likes to call it. There was nothing to see but, cows and lots of land. But we needed to be isolated. We didnt want someone finding us. But back to what I was saying: even if we went outside, I would still get in trouble. Even if it was just hills and cows. I gripped the railing as I descended the stairs. You wanted to see me? I asked, as I neared the end of the steps.

Adskhan patted the seat next to him on the couch and my stomach twisted. I went down the rest of the steps and made my way to the seat next to Adskhan. Adskhan had short shaggy brown hair, so curly, you could get your fingers tangled in it. And brown eyes dark as chocolate that would make you drool. I wasnt drooling then. I felt like throwing up. Arnold was leaning against a chair and Zeke and Josh were playing a video game. Arnold had long curly brown hair, down to his shoulders. With thoughtful brown eyes. He was almost as quiet as Josh, and thats almost impossible. Zeke and Josh were brothers. They stuck together like glue. You wouldnt see one of them without the other. If they were, it wasnt their choice. Zeke, Josh, turn it off. Arnold ordered quietly. The boys groaned but obeyed, and turned the game off. I took my seat next to Adskhan, and I twisted my hands in my lap and focused on them. Pearl, look at me. Adskhan ordered quietly. I looked up, and I almost drooled. The moment was here. Why did you run away? he asked. II thought I told you. I stammered. Well, sort of. I had said that I wanted some time alone. Which clearly should have summed it all up. You werent very clear about it. Zeke said, Josh seconded him. I glared at them. They had two more years of school, which made them twelve. But dont underestimate them. They act older than they are at times. And they could be smarter than some human adults. I hated it when kids acted older than they were. Zeke just looked at me, playing with the controller still in his hands. I looked back at Adskhan, as he started to talk again. I know you wanted some time, before you turn fifteen, but you should have asked first. Adskhan said. I know, but I looked back down at my lap. I knew you would say no. Zeke and Josh laughed, Arnold smirked. You got that right! Zeke said, Josh seconded him. I smiled.

Adskhan, wasnt swayed by the prorumpensoutbursthe just continued. I have decided what I want to do. I paled. Here it comes, the poenaepunishmentWho knows what Ill get. I know you want more time before you turn fifteen, so I have decided to let you go to public school for this school year. Or at least, the last part of a humans school year. I sucked in a breath. Wait, did he just say that? I looked up at him. Youre serious? Very. I saw a faint smile. My eyes widened. And I jumped up and hugged him. Oh thank you, thank you, thank you! I cried. Adskhan, risit, something you didnt hear often. And he gently pushed me off. But he pulled me back down beside him and he grew solemn again. And you have to swear that you wont get mixed up in the boyfriend craze. He lifted up my chin with his fingers and looked into my eyes. Your future is with either me or Arnold, and you cant go falling in love with a human boy. Do you understand? I nodded. Positive it wouldnt happen. I knew what I had to do. Ive known my whole life. From the moment I was born, I was told what I was going to do someday. I would help multiply the kin. I was certain at that moment that I wouldnt fall in love. Lucky I didnt swear, because I was so wrong.

Chapter two
I looked at all the outfits I had laid out on my bed, wondering which one was the best to wear for my first day of school. I had on my pink pjs with pink socks and long pants a short sleeve shirt. I had to leave, and I wasnt going to go to school wearing this. A knock came at the door and Zeke poked his head in. Breakfast is ready. You have twenty minutes to get dressed get ready and eat. But knowing youre a girl, itll take an hour. I tossed a glare at him and he went out the door, chuckling. I grabbed a pink t-shirt with jeans and ran a brush through my shoulder length pale blonde hair and hurried out the door to the steps. All females were supposed to have short hair, I just barely made the cut. (Ha! I made a joke. Yes, lame.) I hurried down the steps. Almost tripping on my way down. My flats almost came off on the way to the dining room. I slid into my chair just has Adskhan, started to ask where I was. There she is. Josh said. Zeke, you owe me a dollar. Zeke grumbled but dug into his pocket and retrieved a pupa (no, not an insect.) Josh took it with a triumphantis grin on his face. Pearl, Adskhan said. I looked up. The Elders called this morning. I tried my best not to sigh. Theyre coming down the night before your birthday, so that they can help you get ready. All the other females will help you mostly. You know, get ready and all that.

Yeah, because my mother died. I didnt ask about my father. I didnt want to. I knew he wasnt that nice of a man. He did things that werent right. He broke laws. I swallowed thinking about it. Your father isnt an Elder. Which is understandable. Adskhan said that was distaste in his mouth. At least someone understands. But hell be down as well. I looked down at my eggs. Suddenly not hungry. But all that is next month. Arnold said quickly and quietly giving Adskhan a look. I gave Arnold a silent thank you. He gave me a small smile. I couldnt help but wonder though, which would it be? Arnold or Adskhan? Which one would spend the rest of my life with? I could bear it with Arnold probably. He was quiet and kept to himself. Maybe he wouldnt rush things. But I knew he probably would, even though he was quiet. Because Zeke and Josh didnt have any girls to get Fastened to. And everyday, everyone, including me, hoped and prayed that I would give the girls. As I said before, there are only four girls of my kind at a time. Three give the boys and one gives the girls. But they still didnt know where they would get more boys. This was a dilemma. And everyone knew it. They sometimes, and by they I mean he Elders, hoped that I would give both. But that would make me a freak of nature. And if I did. I didnt know what theyd do to me. I didnt want to think about it. I forced myself to finish my breakfast and I got up to get my bag I was to take to school. I would be going to Granville High school. That was quite far away from Frazeysburg. But Adskhan insisted I go there for my schooling. Adskhan walked out the door with me and to the bus stop at the end of our gravel lane. It was half a mile long. Getting the mail was a dolor. We didnt talk to each other, and the silence was deafening. Finally, he said, I apologize about talking about all that. I shrugged. But its going to happen, Pearl. You cant stop it. I stopped and stared up at him. I know, and Im not going to.

His faint smile came on his lips. Im glad. We started walking again and I thought about what I had just said. Yes, I wouldnt fight it. Couldnt if I tried. The Elders would pick who they wanted me to be Fastened to, I had no choice in it. Fastened was the way we got married. We didnt do vows or anything. Our powers would likemerge. We would become one. But I wasnt sure if I could live with Adskhan, could I? Would he push me? Or would he wait? Would he let me get settled in first? Or would he force me right into doing what I had to do? I swallowed thinking about it. As Leader, he could do almost anything. I couldnt go to someone and ask for him to stop. One, because I was a girl and two, no one could tell Adskhan what to do. We got to the end of the lane and I saw the bus approaching. Have fun. And dont forget. He said. I nodded. I turned back again and he was gone. I saw his shape in the shadow of the bushes. The bus pulled up and the doors opened and a very strange smell met me. I ignored it and stepped onto the bus. Apparently, I was almost the first person on the bus. There was just a kid with his ear buds in and he didnt seem to notice me. Or anything for that matter. He was bobbing his head up and down, his blonde curls bobbing with his head, and tapping his hand on his knee and staring out the window. The bus was moving but I just walked down the aisle and I got a strange look from the guy with the ear buds. And it was even more alienus, because he was still bobbing head and tapping his knee. I guessed it wasnt natural for people to just walk down a bus when it was moving. (But I have no idea why.) I sat down and pulled my bag in front of me and sighed. What would school be like? Would it be horrible, like those movies I watched about all the mean girls? Would there be bullies that picked on nerds? As I thought about this, more kids entered the bus. They were different shapes and sizes, and I watched them from the corner of my eye, I wondered about each of them. Where were they from? What were they like? Where they nerds or jocks? Then as we neared the school, a red headed boy with bright green eyes stepped onto the bus. He had Bieber hair, but it stuck out on the sides. But I didnt stare at him inwardly. He was just another one I could look at in the side of my eye. But apparently, I caught his attention.

Woah, guess we have a new girl. He said as he passed me. Bully maybe? I wondered. He sat behind me and leaned over the seat towards me, putting his chin on the back of my seat. Whats your name, sweetheart? I bristled. Did this guy just call me sweetheart? Pearl. I said, plainly. Ooh, pretty name. he said. So, you new around here? No. Where do you live? I turned slightly to look at him. Why should I tell you? Ooh, defensive. Sorry, sweetheart. Just wondering. My names Max. Max. A simple name. But surprisingly pulchrum. Nice to meet you, Max. I said. He didnt say anything, he just leaned over the seat more, and looked me up and down. But I didnt bother me, like it should have. Youre really quiet, sweetheart. You shy? Dont be. I wont bite. I didnt know what this boy was doing. But I didnt like it. At least, I told myself I didnt No. I just dont talk much. Thats all. Wow, eight words in that sentence. That makes he counted mentally. Twenty one words from you andforty words for me. Not counting what I just said. I forced down a smile. And just shrugged, telling him I didnt care. You should open up more, that is, if you want to get more friends. I turned slightly again. Im just here to learn. I said. Twenty six. He said. He grinned and the bus came to a halt and he almost fell over the seat in front of him. I bit back a laugh and stood up, straightening my bag and walking towards the front of the bus. That kid with the ear buds was still staring at me. Maybe it was how nice I looked, or how well I walked on a moving bus, or maybe he was just interesting in me. Like Max was. Yeah, thats what I needed. Men being interested in me. Im already taken. I have to get Fastened to either Adskhan or Arnold. I have no choice. But they dont know that. I just wish they did so they could save their time.

I got out of the bus and saw the huge high school building. I sucked in a breath. Oh pleasehelp this to go alright. I need my freedom, just this once, help this to go well. I took another breath and headed for the door, Max caught up with me. My, you walk fast, sweetheart. Please dont call me, sweetheart. I said as I walked. Sorry, sweetheart. I had a feeling he wouldnt stop. I would just have to ignore it, thats all. You nervous? he asked, turning to walk backwards beside me. I shook my head. No. You really need to stop with the one word sentences. Its the way I talk. I said. I pushed down the anger that wanted to boil up and explode. No one had ever made me this mad before. I could usually control my temper, girls werent outspoken either, so I learned at an early age to be quiet and respectful, no matter how angry you got. Still, he turned back around. If you dont talk, no one will want to hang around you. I smirked. Then why are you hanging around me? Max blinked and a grin covered his face. Wow, your funny, sweetheart. I think Im going to like you. I looked ahead and my smirk vanished. Great. Max didnt stop following me, for the whole live long day. He pulchrum and pulchrum and pulchrum and talked. He was worse than Josh and Zeke put together. Made any friends yet? he asked me after our last class before lunch. I shook my head. If you start not talking then you seriously wont get any friends. I stopped and took a breath. Hell leave you alone soon, Pearl. Just hang in there. You look tired, sweetheart. Max said. I sighed. I am.

And why is that? Because you dont stop talking! I exploded. I closed my mouth, sorry I had said anything. Max, I-Im sorry He put up his hand and shook his head. No, Im sorry. I do talk a lot. Thats why I dont have any friends. He chuckled. Guess I blew it with you, huh? He put his hands in his pockets and looked at me, with those green puppy dog eyes. Before I could stop myself, I thought about how green his eyes were; and how pretty they were. I shook my head, clearing it. N-no. You didnt. Pearl! Say he did, so hell leave you alone. Those green eyes sparkled. Great, so, you want to eat lunch together? What did you bring? I gave him a small smile. Food. Oh, so youre just going to keep up the one word thing? I smirked and started walking again. As we ate our lunch, Max asked where I lived. I live in a mansion on McKee Lane in Frazeysburg. Isnt that a private school for boys? Max asked. I shrugged. They let in girls sometimes. But why arent you going there? They decided to let me go to public school and I can still live there. Theyre my family really. You dont have a mom or dad? I put my fork down. No. Im sorry. I shrugged. Things happen. Like what? What happened to just saying. Im sorry? My mother died having me and why am I telling him this? Andmy father really isnt that nice. I dont see him that often. Max nodded but said nothing.

So you live with? He asked after awhile. Youre getting on my emotional nerves. UmIll have to show you sometime. I didnt want to talk about this anymore. K. he said, and we finished our meal in silence. As we walked to the school bus after it had ended, Max and I didnt talk. I climbed into the bus and I sat next to a window and looked out. School had gone fine, nothing had happened. Just that talk, I hadnt talked to anyone about because everyone already knew. Everyone already knew about my father and mother. And how theyre not around. Max got off first, and we didnt even look at each other as he left. Then, it was just me and that ear bud kid. Which, he didnt say anything either. He just nodded his head up and down to the beat of what ever song he was listening to. Finally, it was my stop and I got out and I quickly headed down the lane. I was actually sad that no one came to greet me. I opened the door, and silence met me. Where is everyone? I went into the living room, but Josh and Zeke werent playing a video game. Hello? I called. I tossed my bag on the couch and started looking through the house. Guys? I called. Anyone home? Anyone going to ask me how my day went? When I got no answer, I decided to go to Adskhans, office, which I wasnt allowed to go into. No one was, except him of course. You had to go into his room first, which is awkward but I did it anyway. He had the nicest room in the house, and it was really clean. With a four-poster bed, and black oak walls. I wondered how he got his carpet so clean, I never heard a vacuum cleaner come from this direction ever. But I didnt stop to stare and wonder some more. I opened his door and I hurried through the room and into the door on the other side. I peeked inside and saw everyone watching a huge TV screen. I knew they would sense my presence, so I just waited until they sensed I was there. We had this thing where we could sense when another OverShadower was around. Fastened couples could always sense each other as well, but it was a lot stronger. Like, if I was two rooms down, my husband could sense where I was. It was kind of freaky. They were watching a news channel. It was something about the sun being brighter or something.

They were watching the weather channel? Boringthen something hit me. Theythey couldnt be back. Theythey just couldnt. They were gone. We killed all of them off awhile back. The Undimmed. How could they be back? We killed them. All of them. At leastwe thought we did. The Undimmed were our opposites. They were as bright, as we were dark. The OverShadowers killed them off because, well, they were trying to kill us off, so, we just won. Making pacem once again. But if they were back, what would this mean? Pearl, youre back. I jumped at Adskhan,s voice. Y-yes. I am. Come in. he invited. I closed the door behind me, and I entered the room. How was school, Pearl? Zeke asked me, Josh nodded. It was good I said distractedly. What are you guys watching? The news. Adskhan, said. And I noticed how very little he talked. Guess hanging around Max made me notice even more things. Which probably wasnt a good thing. I needed to stay focused on my future. Not how little my Leader talked. Whats on the news? I pressed. Wanting to be included, wanting to know if that other kind was coming back. Nothing that would interest you. Adskhan, said, telling me to stop asking. I pressed my lips into a line. So, how was school? Zeke asked. It was good. It was school. I took back that I wanted them to ask me how my day was. I wanted to know if the Undimmed were coming back. I wanted to know. I didnt want to be treated like I was a little girl. I didnt want to be treated like I was nothing, and that I dont get my say in anything. I had plenty of time to do that when I was Fastened. When I would get no say in anything. Thats good. Adskhan, stood up, he was a good five inches or more taller than I was. He walked to the door and opened it. I was irritated. Why wouldnt they tell me?

I made my way out the door and out of Adskhans room. The boys followed me out, I heard them murmuring behind me. Probably talking about what the news was about. I felt tears of frustration. I threw myself onto the leather couch and turned the so tiny TV on automatically. I heard some protests from Zeke and Josh, they wanted to play their video game. But I just wanted to mindlessly watch TV. Our living room was very airy. We had a couch, and a arm chair and a tiny TV. We didnt get a lot of channels, but it was enough. The floors were wooden, but we had carpet mostly covering it up. We had huge windows on one side of the room, and on the other side was the rest of the house. We also had a fireplace just behind the coffee table where the TV sat. And behind that was just a wall. I watched some random cop show. But I soon drifted off to sleep. The long day had caught up with me. In my sleep, I dreamed: I was walking in dark room, everyone was quiet, nobody was there, except me. Then, I faint light started to glow from the back of the room. I squinted to look at it. The light was fighting off the darkness, like the shadows were trying toconceal it I went closer and I saw someoneor somethingwith bright eyes, those bright golden eyes looked at me and everything went white. My eyes opened immediately. Pearl. Not sensing someone there, I let a yelp come out. Sorry! Sorry! Josh said. I turned and saw Josh leaning over the couch staring down at me. I was just wonderingcan we play video game now? he asked quietly. Yeah, youve been sleeping for an hour. Come on! Dont you have homework or something? Zeke asked, jumping onto the couch. Making me jump some more. I groaned and sat up. I stretched. Sure. Whatever. I said. I yawned and got up. The boys cheered and started to get ready to play video games for hours on end. I yawned and rubbing my stomach, still feeling tired. I had totally forgotten about my dream, and I wouldnt remember for awhile. I was going up to my room when Adskhan, stopped me. Seriously, Pearl. How was school today? Tell me about it.

I bit my lip. Oh, so you, have to know? I have to tell you about it? It was fine. Did you make any friends? Not if I dont talk in more than one sentences I wanted to say. No. Which was partly true, Max and I werent friends. Not anymore anyway. Are you having second thoughts? he asked me. No. I said again. Pearl! Enough! he scolded. What did I do now? I shot back. Youre not telling me anything. Why should I? I exclaimed. What if my day was horrible? What if my day was great? What do you care? I narrowed my eyes at him. He was taken back at my harshness. I never talked like that, Id learned at a young age that talking like that to Adskhan, was a bad idea. I excepted him to yell at me, but he just put his lips in a line and nodded at me. Glad you had a good day, Pearl. He said, and he brushed by me. I glanced over my shoulder at him, feeling somewhat guilty. Why do you care, Pearl? Hes been mean to you. And what if he becomes your consort? What will happen then? He has more authority over you when youre Fastened. Enjoy yelling at him now, you wont get a chance once youre Fastened. My stomach churned. And I headed quickly to my room. I closed the door behind me, slowly. I heard the click of the door as it closed and I leaned against it. Is this what my life has always been like? Me, having to watch what I say. Me, having to be a girl and not speak out. Me, having to wonder every. Single. Second, which boy I would be Fastened to? I looked up at the ceiling. My life had to be more. Maybemaybe school was good for me. Made me think about other things. Freedom, friends, joy. Love. No. Not love. I had to save all of that for my consort, like I was supposed to. If you kissed another man, human or nonhuman. It could get you whipped or even banished and stripped of your powers. Even if you werent Fastened. Ive heard about girls before me, who have tried run away, but failed. They had been ripped of their powers and banished. Or they had been forced into Fasten right then and there, so there consorts could keep them in line. The leaders and Elders get tired of punishing people. Sometimes even boys are forced into Fastens early. It all depends on what the situation is. (which didnt make sense, because the boys could do what they wanted, even if they were Fastened.)

I slid down the door and onto the floor. I brought my knees up to my chest. I remembered the story my father had told me before he left. About how my mother had been forced into a Fasten with him, because she tried to run away. She ran away for freedom. For joy. For love. She loved another man, aUndimmed. Which could get you banished and stripped of your powers. My mother had hoped for that. If they had caught her then she wouldnt have to get Fastened to anyone, and would have made it back to her true love. Instead, she had to get Fastened to my father. She was just fourteen, a good month away from being fifteen. And she had run away It was a dark night and my mother was trying to run as fast as she could, to get away, she saw the light of her true love ahead, she was almost there, and then A banging came at my door and I jumped. Pearl, dinner. It was Josh. K. I said. I stood up and smoothed my shirt. I hadnt done my homework yet. It was going to be a long night. I opened the door to find Josh smiling at me. He had reddish brownish hair and blue eyes opposed of Zeke who had black spiky hair and bright blue eyes. They were opposites except for the love for video games. Thanks for telling me, I completely forgot what time it was. I told him. Meaning it. Josh blushed, something he did often. No problem. Then he ran off before I could say anything else. Josh was seriously girl shy, and just normal shy. I wondered if he ever got a wife, would he do anything but blush and not say anything? I wonder about a lot of things, but I wondered mostly about Josh and Zeke. They were so different! It was insane. Zeke would do anything to tease the crap out of me, and Josh would do his best to please me. I shook my head, clearing my head. You can wonder later, its dinner time. I hurried down the steps and into the dining room. Adskhan wasnt in there yet. I sat down at my place. Zeke was staring at me. What? I snapped at him. What were you and Adskhan, yelling about? I felt Arnolds eyes on me.

Nothing. We werent yelling. I lied. Oh, so it was just you I heard. I could have sworn you and him were having a sweetheart spat. My face reddened. Where did you get that idea Ah, Pearl. Glad to see your going to join us for dinner. Adskhan, entered the room and took his place at the head of the table. I picked up my fork and pushed at my food. I was hungry, so I came down. I got her. Josh said quietly. Thats good Josh. Arnold said, telling him to stop talking. Josh nodded and started to eat. I wasnt really hungry. I would have rather thrown up than eaten. Hey, look. Zeke said after awhile, startling everyone. I looked up at him. Pearls lumine came in finally. All female OverShadowers had lumine. Lumine meant highlights. You got them close to your fourteenth birthday with your hormones. I had been really late, so people were starting to worry. Where? I asked. Right, there. Zeke pointed to my right side. I touched where he was pointing, and drew the string of hair out to my face so I could look at it. Hes right. They are. And look, theyre pink. Adskhan said. They were light pink. My favorite color. You could barely notice them, they were so pale. And pink was a rare color. They were usually a normal hair color, and really pale. Not pink. Hormones finally come in? Zeke teased. I glared at his teasing smile. They had to come in with your hormones. ButI hadnt recalled them coming in. Then I thought of Max. It wasnothingreallyJust Do you have brothers? Well, living with four men isnt the best. There annoying and they tease you constantly.

Did they? I was startled by Adskhans voice. I I bet she saw a cute boy at school today. Zeke said. Oooh. Josh said. I am in so much trouble. Pearl! You swore! Adskhan exploded. II didnt see a cute boy! I stammered, trying to mean it. Adskhan grimaced. So hormones just come inlike? I-I dont knowThe highlights say it all. I said, quietly. Adskhan, nodded, and gave Josh and Zeke looks. Zeke rolled his eyes and Josh said he was sorry to me. I told him it was alright. He smiled. StillI always thought they came in when you saw a cute boy. Arnold said. I looked at him. Are you a girl? I challenged. He shook his head. I went back to my food, I felt Adskhans eyes on me, but I ignored them. Id have to talk things out with him sometime later probably. Ill save all the talking for then. Adskhan pushed back his plate, a couple minutes later. Im done. He said, he got up. And looked back at me. Pearl, follow. All the other boys eyes were on me as I got up and followed Adskhan. I knew I was in trouble. So much trouble. First, I yelled at him. Second, my hormones came in, so hell ask some more questions. And all of these things are related to school. Which means. No. He cant take me out! Its my first day. Thats not fair! I followed him to my cella, room. He opened the door, for me and I slipped inside. He closed the door behind us.

I sat on the bed, and I didnt meet his eyes. I want you to explain why you yelled at me. It was a simple question. No harm intended. He said. How was I supposed to know that? I shrugged. He sat down beside me, making the bed heave under his weight. Answer me, Pearl. Its nothing. I said. And theres that, tone again. I dont like it. Im just saying what I feel. I whispered. Adskhan lifted his hand up and brought my face towards him. So I was forced to look at him. What happened that made you yell? Me realizing what a jerk you were, I said to myself. IIm just tired thats all. I said. Theres nothing else though hes always been good at reading in between the lines. I was justnervous, you know. I wanted to get my homework done I had to make him believe me. OverShadowers could hide there emotions really well. But it took consuetudinem to hide them from another OverShadower. Luckily, Id had some practice. Some. Those dark chocolate eyes looked into my jade ones. It was one of those moments where, you could have sworn the other person heard you heart beat and you couldnt breath. Adskhan dropped his hand, but we just kept looking at each other. I stared him down, determined to show him nothing was wrong. I saw him breath, and for a millisecond, I thought he was going to kiss me. Something he wasnt allowed to do. But he leaned back and stood up. I looked up at him. Alright, I believe you. Get your homework done. And he left. I let out a breath of air and opened up my bag and started to look through all the homework I had.

I got all of it done, and slipped into my pjs and fell asleep instantly.