Crystal Key

Chapter 12

***OK, I'm sorry I totally missed this chapter and posted chapter 13.  I didn't mean to confuse you people.  Also, another confusing thing, I changed Lee's name to Will because I realized how unattractive the name Lee is, and Will is supposed to be like ultra-attractive.  So, from now on, Lee is Will!!!  Thank you for keeping faith although I was stupid and missed chapter 12*****

Sunday April 15th 7:09 PM

            “I think she’s waking up,” I hear an unfamiliar female’s voice say. 

            “Good.  I don’t think I can stand one more snore.”

            My eyes fly open at the sound of Daniel’s voice.  I am in a light blue room, and I’m lying in a large bed.  My eyes fly to the people surrounding the bed.  I search for Daniel.  The boy sitting closest to me has the same hair as Daniel, but his eyes aren’t the same dark brown.  They’re a light green with yellow specks.  He looks like he’s a few years younger, as well.  I let out a sigh of relief.  The girl sitting next to him smiles and says, “There’s no need to be scared of us.” She’s the girl who I heard when I woke up.  “We saved you.”

            “I saved you,” the boy who looks like Daniel says. 

            “I thought we said that I was going to do the talking.  She must be very confused.” She looks at me, as if for approval, so I nod.  She smiles.  She’s very pretty.  She has very dark brown hair, tanned skin and eyes so dark they look black.  “I’m Veronica,” she says.  She points to the Daniel-look-alike, “That’s Will, and if you haven’t noticed, he’s sort of a jerk.” Will gives her a playful punch.

             Veronica points to a tiny boy with blond hair and freckles, who waves, blushes, and looks down at his feet, “That is Nick.  He’s painfully shy.”

             Veronica points to a girl who looks extremely like Nick, except that she has a bright smile on her face, and she’s not quite as skinny.  “She’s Nick’s twin, Annie.  You’re going to really like her.  She’s really nice.  I’ve never met anybody who doesn’t like her.”

            She points to two boys who are whispering, sending glances at me ever five seconds.  They look like they’re Richard’s age.  “The red head’s Brandon and the boy next to him, with the brown hair, is Henry.” Veronica laughs and whispers, “Brandon’s liked me since he was about eight.” I smile at her. 

            She gestures to the last boy.  He seems to be trying to listen in on what Brandon and Henry are saying, but they’re leaning away from him.  The boy’s glasses are sliding off his nose, and just when Brandon and Henry give in and start to include him, he sees me looking at him, jumps and his glasses fall off his face.  “That’s John.  He’s really annoying, because all he talks about is math and science, but we all feel bad for him.”

            “Where am I?” I ask.  “Are you…you aren’t on Daniel’s side, are you?”

            “Daniel?” she asks, looking confused.  I let out a sigh of relief.  She must be a random onlooker who took me in.  I just wonder why I was knocked out.  “We’re all orphans, so to speak.  Nick and Annie’s parents died when they were just babies.  They were given to Coach to look after.  He doesn’t really ‘look after’ so Will attempted to take care of them.  My Mom and Dad drowned―”

            “I’m so sorry,” I say, putting my hand on hers. 

            “I was nine when it happened.” She looks sad for a moment, but then she smiles again.  “Nobody really knows where John comes from, because he either babbles about factoring X or bursts into tears.  Nathanial just showed up one day and said he found John next to the road,” Veronica shrugs.  “Brandon lived on the street with his Mother.  His Father left a long time ago.  We had been keeping an eye out, and then one February his Mother died.  He was seven years-old.”