Path Of Shadows

Chapter 1

I hear my alarm clock screaming. I hit the snooze and drift back off to sleep, waking up every few minutes to check the time, 6:45am, I have a few minutes of sleep left at least. It's a fight every morning for me to leave this bed but when you have as many thoughts scrambling around in your head such as I, it's not easy to fall asleep nights. Many nights I find myself thinking about the past and how things went just so horribly wrong making sleep hard to come. I don't know why I let myself go back there.. back to that place..

"Gemma!? Get your ass up! We're gonna be late, coffee is on."
My thoughts scatter as I hear Jàime call me from the kitchen.

I honestly don't know where I would be right now if not for Jàime and her mom, Danique. I always have been closed off and I don't let many people in but regardless they are the only constant in my life. They've helped me through some pretty rough spots and have always been there.

"I'm up, woman!" I shout in an annoyed sarcastic manner.

"Don't give me your lip, babygirl. If it weren't for me forcing you up I don't think you'd ever leave that bed." Jàime chuckles.

Jàime is my best friend but she honestly is more like the annoying big sister who tries to push you to do your best and thinks she knows what's best even though she is only a year older than I am. She is full of wisdom and wit but also can be immature and childish at times. She has such a bubbly personality and always is hyper. She's has a beautiful light brown skin tone, caramel and dark chocolate brown tight curled hair, hazel eyes. Even though she drives me crazy at times, she is truly beautiful on the inside and out. I'd have to say that her and I have a lot in common except for our height, I'm 5'7 and she's 5'3. The aspect we're most alike in is our attitudes and well, our curviness. It's funny how much we get along because we look like total opposites.

I force myself up and lazily drag myself into my bathroom. I give myself a once over in the mirror, my hair is all over the place. I look almost as if I stuck a fork in a light socket. I have faint light brown dark circles and black smudges under my light green eyes from lack of sleep and yesterday's makeup. Even though I have fair skin I managed to get a base tan down by going to a tanning salon. I think that is one of the things I hate about NY. I'm always getting a cute light tan in the summer and then winter comes and I could give Snow White a run for her money. This year I decided I'd try to get at least a little color before summer even gets here so I have plenty of time to get some more color. I pull myself into the shower and turn the water on. Cold.

"Damn it, Jà! You could have saved me some hot water!" I yell out in a shivered tone.

"Early bird gets the worm, Gem!" She laughs.

I rush to wash up and hop out. Go to the kitchen and grab some coffee, towel still on head and one wrapped around me.

Jàime looks at me like 'For real, girl'.

"Couldn't have gotten dressed first?" She jokes.

"What? I had to warm up with coffee, I now have hypothermia thanks to you." I say sarcastically.

"Mmhmm, you say that every morning when I beat you to the punch. You're just mad because you don't have.. my energy." Jàime snaps her fingers in the air as she speaks.

She looks at me and underneath that sass there's a seriousness.

"What?" I say.

"Have you been sleeping ok? You having the nightmares again? And don't think I don't notice how tired you've been or look before you answer that." She says.

"I'm ok. I just have a lot on my mind is all." I reply with lack of emotion.

"That doesn't convince me. I know it's the anniversary this Friday, since." Jàime starts to say, but I cut her off.