Chapter One

His green eyes seemed to pierce me. They seemed to reach right into my soul and damage it. His tan skin was brighter than usual, making my eyes water. He sparkled as he walked across the yard.

“Go away!” I yelled, backing away from him.

He smiled at the comment, now moving faster and faster toward me. His brown hair covered his painful eyes for just a moment and I felt relief.

“Viola, my dear,” He says softly as he comes within a few feet of me. He stares at me hard.

“I told you to go away.” I say the words fiercely, trying to sound brave but knowing my voice comes out shakily.

His eyes brighten, causing me to close mine. “Why?”

I had no idea why I was scared. I usually liked mysterious guys. Those were the type of men I usually went for. But this boy was more than mysterious. He was dangerous.

I woke from the dream with a start.

I sighed, looking around at the familiar surroundings of my bedroom. Light shone in from the open window, making all of my belongings brighter. The sun was beginning to rise. My clock flashed the numbers of 6:30 in the morning, the green lights blinding my eyes. I blinked, looking back down at the covers in confusion.

I had been having that dream over and over. It was the same thing repeated. It would start with the same thing. I would notice him walking across the yard and panic. He’d try to sweet talk me. And I’d wake up. There was nothing unusual about a dream like that. But it was because of how often I had it.

It was every Friday night. And I’d wake up precisely at 6:30 am.It was beginning to scare me.

“Viola?” I heard my father’s voice come from the hallway.

“Yes, dad?” I yelled back, sitting up quickly and blinking.

There was a short pause. “Breakfast is on the table, darling.”

“Just a minute!” I said as I got off the bed and began to change into suitable clothing.

Five minutes later I was sitting at the old table and picking at my eggs. I moved my food around and pecked a few bites but in truth I was not very hungry. I was confused.

“Viola, my dear?”

I looked up. “Yes, dad?”

He looked worried. “Are you all right? You seem a little…” He trailed off.

I smiled as best as I could and looked away. “I’m fine, dad. Just tired.”

He bought the excuse and went to clean the dishes. I sighed, looking around the small apartment. We had moved to New York when I was four years old. I had not wanted to move. We used to live in Italy. I loved it there. We owned a winery that my dad and mom ran. I used to love to run through the fields and look up at the wide and blue sky. But now we were stuck with this.

He bought the excuse and went to clean the dishes. I sighed, looking around the small apartment. We had moved to New York when I was four years old. I had not wanted to move. We used to live in Italy. I loved it there. We owned a winery that my dad and mom ran. I used to love to run through the fields and look up at the wide and blue sky. But now we were stuck with this.

“I’ll go get ready,” I muttered as I got up from my chair and set my food-filled plate in the sink.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to sign your field trip form?” Dad asked as he placed my dish into the dish washer.

“No, dad,” I shook my dead. “I don’t want to go.”

Dad sighed and turned around. He looked closely at me, his blue eyes searching for something. He looked at me for a moment. “Vi, why not?”

I started to reply but he cut me off. “I know you are not into swimming but you really should do something with your friends. You turn down their invitations all the time.”

“Dad, I just don’t want to go.”

He closed the dishwasher, finished with loading the soap. “Are you sure?”

I looked at him, surprised by the sadness in his voice. There was a tone of defeat. I looked closely at him. “Dad, what’s wrong?”

“I just don’t want you to grow up like I did, honey. I did the same thing. I blocked out all of my friends. And they never came back. I want you to have friends. I want you to have fun and not block everybody out just because of-”

I cut him off. “Dad, sign it.”

He looked at me, surprised then took the papers from me. I grabbed a pen from where it sat by the phone and gave it to him. He signed his name across the parent permission area then handed it back.

“Thanks, Vi.”

I smiled. “Crimson Waters can’t be that bad, can it?”