The Other Side

Night One

Please enjoy the very first chapter of this story. And if you could take a minute and check out my Facebook page? I'll be using this page to update people on stories, update schedules, new story info., etc. Thanks and please enjoy!

Night One

I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to keep away the cold.

It was about eleven twenty at night and I was full of energy from sleeping all day.

I walked past all the local shops that were closed at night, all the little book stores, dress shops, everything. I walked past the open bars where lights were on and loud music was playing and drunks were standing outside the door. I was on my way to the one place that would let me in legally and be open at this late hour.

I smiled in relief when I saw the sign that read Charlie's Coffee Shop. It was my favorite place to come at night because barely anyone was there during these late hours and the lights were always dimmed low.

When I walked in, Charlie was sitting at the counter, counting today's profits. He nodded at me, smiling.

Charlie and I had an understanding. I would come in here every night and buy some coffee if he remembered to always keep the lights dimmed. Stupid, I know, but it's for the benefit of my own skin. I mean, wouldn't you want to be able to go to your favorite place without having to wear 15 SPF sunscreen? Yeah? Well, me too.

But here's the difference. None of you out there actually have to do it. I am a different story. Have you noticed yet that I am walking around in the dark? Wondered why I'm doing that?

I have Erythropoietic Protoporphyria. EPP. Whatever you want to call it. It doesn't change the fact that I'm allergic to the sun.

It sucks to be allergic to something that's light years away and you have no way of solving it. People often mistake me for something stupid like Dracula or something. I'm nothing special like that. I'm just me, Claire Marie Sanders, the girl allergic to the sun.

I nodded towards Charlie and he went to work on making my regular order. No one was in here, but I was still sitting in my normal seat in the corner. This is how it was every night. Peaceful.

Music was playing quietly in the background as Charlie brought me my chocolate chip frappe and I settled back to drink it. He sat down in the chair across from me.

"Learn anything new at school?" He joked.

I rolled my eyes.

"You know as well as anyone Charlie that I don't go to school."

He chuckled.

"Yeah, well, you're a lucky kid. When I was your age, I hated goin' to school. All that drama and whatnot, it was too much to handle." He mumbled.

I smiled at Charlie as he fell quiet to think about his high school years. Charlie was always like that, always thinking about the positives. I was quite the opposite.

"Anyway, I gotta go finish payin' bills. If ya need somethin', holler." He mumbled, removing himself from the booth.

I nodded and he walked away, leaving me to think and drink my frappe.

You're probably wondering why I'm at a coffee shop at midnight and not at home. When I first found out I had Erythropoietic Protoporphyria, I hated my life. I would hide out in my room during the day, wallowing in my own self-pity, and at night I would roam the house, free from the sunlight's harmful rays.

It wasn't until I turned fifteen that I figured out the advantages of having Erythropoietic Protoporphyria. Being diagnosed at age ten, I had already suffered my fair share of nasty burns and even took a few hospital visits. One night, after roaming the halls of my very familiar house, I decided to do something else for a change.

It was the first time I had been outside since I was ten and I felt free. After that, I told my mom how I would live by night instead of by day in my room. She was wary at first, making me take karate, taekwondo, and a self-defense class. Once she was satisfied that I could protect myself, she handed me a bottle of pepper spray and set me free.

Now, three years later, I still feel the same way. Every time I open that front door and feel the cool breeze hit my face or the chilled rain hit my skin, it's exhilarating.

I took a sip of my frappe and pulled the book that was in my backpack onto the table, starting to read it. It was Romeo and Juliet. My mother is making me read it for school, as a part of my lessons.

In the background, I heard the bell ring as someone walked through the front door and I took another drink of my frappe. I was at the part in the book where Juliet was on her balcony talking about how Romeo was a Montague while she was a Capulet.

"...What's Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot, nor arm, nor face, nor any other part belonging to man. O, be some other name! What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet..."

I looked up as someone sat in the chair across from me, my eyebrow raised. A boy about my age sat in front of me, drinking straight black coffee. I examined him as he looked at his coffee cup. He was tall, with dark brown hair gelled up into a large mohawk. His muscles peeked into view from underneath the sleeves of his red shirt and his blue eyes were brighter than any gem I've ever seen. Eventually, he looked up at me as if startled to see that I was sitting here.

"Well, hello there. What be your name miss?" He asked in a British accent.

I rolled my eyes.

"Not interested." I mumbled and went back to my book.

He sat there for a moment and then sighed.

"It's quite sad." He said, suddenly in a normal, Manhattan accent this time.

I glanced up at him from my book, trying not to pay too much attention to this jerk. I could tell immediately that he wasn't a Night-timer. He was an outsider, a day-timer. It was as obvious as the tan on his body.

"I just felt the need to come over here and accompany you on this fine evening, seeing as how you looked so alone." He said.

I rolled my eyes again.

"Don't worry about me. I'm used to being alone buddy." I mumbled.

"Oh, really? And why is that?" He asked.

I looked back up at him, completely forgetting about my book now. He was staring at me and I noticed how blue his eyes were. I shut my book, removing myself from my booth.

"Doesn't matter." I mumbled.

He frowned.

"Well then."

I started to walk away and I heard him stand.

"I still didn't get your name." He called.

I stopped, turned around, and stared at him. Charlie stood behind the counter, watching the scene unfold in front of him.

"Claire. Claire Sanders." I mumbled.

He smiled and I saw a single dimple flash and then disappear.

"Well Claire, I'm Ace. Ace Carson."

I nodded and smiled.

"Ace. Got it. Well Ace, I gotta run. It was nice meeting ya." I said sarcastically.

He smiled and I walked towards the door.

"Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say good night till it be morrow." I mumbled under my breath.

I opened the door and as I stepped outside I heard Ace whisper,

"Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace in thy breast. Would I were sleep and peace, so sweet to rest. Hence will I to my ghostly father's cell, his help to crave, and my dear hap to tell."

And the door closed behind me.