ONE

His mind was awake but his body wouldn't move. He could feel some kind of pressure on top of him. Was this sleep paralysis?

He tried in vain to move something. Anything. Still nothing. Yet. The pressure that rested on his chest squirmed.

Something soft pressed against his lips and he could faintly make out a voice. This wasn't sleep paralysis at all. Someone was there.

"I've found you." The voice that called out to him was familiar. As if it had always been a part of his life. But whose voice was it? he needed to know.

Zane's eyes slowly opened as the blaring of his alarm clock gave his body the nudge it needed to move. He sat up rubbing the sleep from his eyes, looking around the empty room.

"Again?" He says to himself.

His door flies open with a thud and in stepped his best friend slinging her backpack at him. He dodges, with it barely missing his head

"You aren't up yet? We are going to be late you know?"

Zane tosses it back incidentally catching her off guard and knocking her back against the wall.

After being attacked in response and getting dressed, Zane finds himself walking alongside his friend in silence. She managed to keep a steady distance ahead of him.

"I said I was sorry Lena. How long you plan to pout? It's your own fault for barging into my room in the first place. " Zane finally spoke still nursing his shoulder. "You should try pulling your punches every now and then. Sometimes I think you aren't human."

"Maybe you should start taking your training more seriously. Maybe work out a little more."

"Shouldn't you have dodged your bag since you train every day?" Zane retorted.

Lena whipped around with an irritated look on her face. They locked eyes briefly before Zane lost his nerve and looked away, running a hand through his dreads.

She really was quite cute when she was mad with her creamy complexion and long Auburn hair. Even the few freckles that took center stage across the bridge of her nose had a certain appeal to them.

"Yo!" A friendly voice called from across the street breaking the silence. The voice crossed the pavement and stood next to the pair. "Having another lover's quarrel are we?"

"Not likely." Lena finally shifted her gaze and continued walking.

"What I miss?"

Zane shrugged feigning ignorance walking off behind Lena.

Now at school, Zane took his usual seat in the back next to the window with Lena quietly taking her spot in front of him. His other classmates, per the usual, broke off into their own cliques to entertain themselves until the teacher entered.

After everyone found their seats the teacher began to introduce someone. "Class today we will be having a new edition joining us."

The reaction from the crowd was favorable. She had a beautiful tone to her that looked as if she had been dipped in brandy and her remarkable natural hair shone vibrant dark chocolate. She was obviously beautiful and everyone had the same thought.

"Introduce yourself miss James."

She stepped forward clearing her throat. "My name is Mikalia James. I look forward to working with you all. I am in your care."

"Ok. Miss James, you can have a seat right over..." the teacher began to point to a desk close by the door when Mikalia cut him off.

"I'd like to sit there if it's ok." Mikalia pointed to the empty chair directly beside Zane.

"Mikalia you don't really want to sit next to that guy trust me?" Mitch, the self-proclaimed resident class clown, stood and yelled across the room. "Come and sit with us."

"Of course I want to sit next to him..." she responded with a smile. "He's going to be my husband after all."

The room fell into a frozen state. Zane was taken back. It was something he didn't expect. Most girls didn't express interest in him. Not that he was unattractive, just a certain girl around him had a certain reputation of jealous rage.

As all eyes turned to Lena, Lena quietly turns towards Mikalia. "Husband?"

"That's right. Would you like an invitation to the wedding?"

"There will be no wedding." Lena shifted her position in her seat in a sort of power move

Zane stood up in between the two girls. "Now Lena lets not get riled up."

"You done? Or should I wait a bit longer?" The teacher's sarcastic tone briefly stole away at the tension.

The air that took over the room was heavy. Zane could feel the eyes on him the entire time even though he tried his best to ignore it.

Finally, the bell rang signaling an end to the day. The whole ordeal was draining.

"Zane! Wait for me." Mikalia ran up from behind hooking her arm around Zane's. "Almost slipped away. I won't let you go so easily this time.

"Alright, just who the hell are you?" Lena barked pulling Zane from Mikalia's embrace.

"Oh. Lena, right? I'm Mikalia." She waved politely. "Is there any chance I can get you to stand aside so I can continue my conversation. We've got a lot to catch up on."

Lena sighed perplexed. "How do you intend to marry a man you just met? He may not even want to marry you."

"No worries. He already promised me when we were much younger. Right, Zane?"

They both looked at Zane. He shrugged casually. "I've got about 5 years of memory so anything before then is a blank for me."

Lena turned back to face Mikalia who ducked underneath her and took Zane's arm again. "Shall we walk home. I hear that's what lovers do after a hard day of studying?"

"Just a second You!" Lena reaches out and grabs Mikalia by the arm.

Mikalia's reaction was quick as she slipped from Lena's grasp, grabbing her arm instead and flipping her. Even though she was caught off guard, Lena adjusts in the air and landed safely. She looked up with fire in her eyes.

"Fine challenge accepted."

Lena ran forward and immediately went on the offensive. Her strikes were quick and precise but were unable to land. Mikalia would always manage to be just as outside of her attack. It was no easy feat to outmaneuver Lena when she was being the aggressor in a fight, but Mikalia made it look easy.

Lena adjusted her strategy and opted for a feint to catch her off balance, and then a blow of overwhelming power to end it quickly. She accelerated to close the distance before faking a liver shot from the left. Mikalia went to side step and was exactly were Lena wanted her. Lena Adjusted and put the full force of her weight into a right hook that would definitely land to the face.

A loud clap sang out through the air, creating with it a shock wave that could be felt a short distance away. To both Lena and Zane's surprise, Mikalia looked to have stopped the punch in the palm of her hand with little effort. There hasn't been anyone that has been able to take a direct punch from Lena head on and still stand, let alone catch it.

"Wow wow. That punch was incredible. How'd you get so strong?"

Lena gritted her teeth hopped back. "You're one to talk. You caught it like it was nothing. Her eyes narrowed. "I'm going to be serious from here on."

Mikalia closed her eyes and smiled. "Sounds fun." Even though she had an innocent smile her aura had changed. She had switched to offensive tactics.

Zane finally stepped between the two girls. "Haven't you two caused enough of a scene?"

This was the first time Lena noticed the crowd surrounding them. She decided on a cease-fire. "Fine. Let's go home."

The walk home somehow managed to top the earlier tension. The three walked quietly. As they rounded another corner, Lena stopped cold.

"Why are you following us!?" Lena yelled stopping Mikalia and Zane in their tracks.

Mikalia looked dumbfounded and responded as if it was obvious. "I was interested in where my soon to be husband lived."

Lena smirked. "I'll have you know he and I live under the same roof." She points to the yellow house at the entrance to the neighborhood.

Mikalia eyes widen in disbelief. "So I have somehow fallen further behind than I thought. Alright, its nothing that I can't overcome. I'll be moving in too." She stated firmly with triumph in her eyes.

"Like hell you will." Lena made her way to the gate of her house. "There's no way I'd let that happen."

"No need to get so worked up Lena, she was obviously joking." Zane sighed, then asked Mikalia. "At any rate do you live close by? I'd hate to have you walk too far on your own."

Mikalia smiled innocently. "Yeah. I'm just down the street actually."

"Well then guess this is where we part."

"Yup."

"All in all, it was nice meeting you Mikalia."

She frowned and fake pouted. "You really don't remember me, do you?"

Zane shook his head. "Sorry I really can't recall any memories from before Lena's parents took me in."

"No, it fine. After everything that happened that night, this little roadblock is expected."

"Everything that happened? What does that mean?"

"We should talk later when we have the time." She smiled again.

Before Zane could dive deeper into his question Lena called out to him. "Hurry we have to get to the temple and clean it before traffic gets too heavy."

"Looks like I have to go but we should talk later." Zane waved as he turned on his heels and headed inside with Lena.

Mikalia started walking down the street in deep thought. "How do I get him to remember me?" she asked herself before fading away with the wind.