Annette smiled, and stretched out on her friend’s long couch, lightly tucking her hair behind her hair. “Unwillingly, might I add,” she said, picking up an issue of “Cosmo” that lay on the small coffee table, and began flipping through it. Victoria sat down at her vanity, and began to comb her long hair, looking back at her best friend through the mirror. Annette carelessly tossed the magazine to the side. “I arrived fifteen minutes ago,” she said, matter-of-factly. “And I already hate it here.” “It gets worse,” Victoria sighed, rolling her eyes. “I went to the manicurist Wednesday, and they actually have alien decals to put on your nails!” Victoria rolled her eyes.

“I wasn’t referring to that, Victoria!” snapped Annette. Victoria looked hurt, but immediately hid it. “Sorry, Vic, I just don’t what is happening to me,” Annette murmured.

“There is something about you…” Victoria started thoughtfully. She turned around to look her best friend in the eye. “Something…. different,” She paused for a minute. “I see it in Evans too…but not the same as you. His is more…dangerous. He stares at me, and he’s searching through me-like he’s pumping me for information. Normally, I like intense guys, but he reeks of…of…”

“Evil,” Annette said, sitting up and leaning forward, clearly interested in this conversation.

“It goes deeper than that,” Victoria said, her bright blue eyes clouding up. “Much deeper. It’s as if…” she trailed off, then stared solemnly at her best friend. “You’ll think I’m crazy..."

“Vic,” Annette stated. “We’re aliens. We’re pretty much entitled to craziness.”

Victoria chuckled softly, then her mood changed. “Anna, I’m scared,” she muttered. “I’ve been scared out of my mind the last three months, it’s disturbing!”

Annette quickly changed her tune. “What is it?”

Victoria stared out into space for a second, then turned back around to face her vanity. “I have dreams.”

“What kind of dreams?”

“Bad dreams. Subliminal messages, whatever you want to call them. They’re from someone. A warning.”

“What happens?” Annette asked suddenly, shivering. The room suddenly got very cold.

“I have to choose,” she said suddenly. “To follow you or Evans. I don’t know what happens, and eventually, blood goes everywhere. I just cry. Everyone’s dead, and I don’t know what to do, or where I’ll go…” she trailed off. Annette could see tears forming in her best friend’s eyes. She stood to get up, but her best friend stopped her. “I’m fine,” she said quickly, grabbing a tissue and swatting her eyes. “Then I fall. There’s no other place to go other than down. Then I always wake up.” Annette remained silent for a second. Victoria caught it instantly. “You’ve had dreams too,” she said, almost accusingly. Annette remained silent. “Anna?” Victoria asked carefully.

“I’m on a boat,” she said, as if she was in a daze. “I’m wearing this long, Victorian styled dress. The water’s dark—choppy. I’m scared off It. They don’t care. They just want me to die.” Victoria sat in expectant silence. Annette wasn’t done. “They throw me in. I try to claw my way to the surface, but it’s no use. I’m sinking to the bottom. My dress is floating all around me, and it’s making it hard for me to kick. Suddenly, I see you, in a white dress, under water, just floating. I think you’re dead, and I try to swim over to you to see if you're okay, but then I see others. Mother, Daddy, Aunt Tess, Uncle Kyle. All of them. I get really scared, then I’m on the surface. I look back on the boat, and stare at the person who threw me in,” she paused clearly distressed. “Vic-It’s Evans,” she said softly.

Victoria rolled her eyes. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?” she yelped. She jumped up, and almost started to laugh. “I TOLD them!” she said passionately. “They didn’t believe me, but I told them there was something wrong with him!”

“Would they listen to me?” Annette said after a moment, looking up at her. Victoria’s eyes shown with hope, and then were quickly filled with discouragement.

“I think this is above even you,” she said, taking a comb and brushed her long hair again. It was a habit she had forever. Every time she was upset or scared or nervous, she always played with her hair. Victoria suddenly slammed her hairbrush down in frustration. “You know what angers me the most? Evans is still the “perfect child” in Liz and Max’s eyes!” Her eyes flared. “Do you want to KNOW what Liz called me?”

Annette rolled her eyes. “I really don’t Vic,” she said. “She’s a silly girl who grew up in a town where she is eventually going to die. She doesn’t understand what it’s like to live in NYC! She’s just sheltered.”

“Then why is her son crazy?” muttered Victoria, mostly to herself.

Annette sighed. “We don’t know if he’s crazy…” she said, realizing how ridiculous her words sounding. Victoria stood up again, and turned around sharply. Annette knew what was coming.

“First grade,” she border-line hissed. “We both started crying for no reason over that dumb TV show. Our parents didn’t know what was going on, but then an hour later on the news we found out that there had been a massacre on the set and all the cast were either killed or injured.” Annette shuddered at the memory. Victoria continued. “When we were asked about it, we both responded ‘We saw it when we were sleeping.’ Fifth grade! We started to cry hysterically, and told our parents about the planes…that they had to help the poor people on the planes. Do you remember that?”

Annette nodded. “The plane area blew up. It killed thousands of people.” Victoria opened her mouth to speak again, but Annette stopped her. “I know.” She said softly. “Tragedy is in our blood…”

Victoria nodded. “But Anna?” She asked softly. “If we have tragedy…what do Evans and V.D. have?”

Annette didn’t answer her. “I’d better get home,” she said softly. She got up, and slowly walked out the doors. Victoria stared behind her.

“You didn’t answer my question,” she said softly, to herself.

Michael sat in his newly furnished office. The movers had been incredibly efficient with their time, and their things had been delivered and unpacked before they had even arrived.

He sighed. Almost as if on cue, Maria walked in. “Annette not back yet?” she asked softly.

“What did we do, Maria?” he asked her, not looking her directly in the eye. “We promised we wouldn’t come back. We didn’t want to come back. This town—it holds too many memories. Most of them aren’t good.”

“Money changes people,” she said. “And so does distance. I mean, your not the same person that Max bossed around and you challenged,” she said gently. “We’ve all changed Michael. Isabel and Alex raised V.D. on the west coast, so he’s a typical surfer boy. Tess, Kyle, you, and I have raised our kids on the east coast and thanks to those healthy stock decisions, our daughter is quite possibly the most impressive lady in the world. Victoria is right there with her, and they have a bond that no one except them understand. Evans—“ Maria stopped short. “Evans…the jury is still out on Evans. He’s a little….”

“I know what you mean,” Michael said, shifting a little in his chair. “Of all people…Max and Liz….I still don’t understand why they didn’t leave.”

“Liz and Max…” Maria trailed off. “I just don’t understand. I mean, she was my best friend for my entire life. Then, those last few months we were here…I don’t know. It started when I defended Tess in one of her bashings, then she got incredibly mad when we ran off to get married. Ever since then…it’s only been ‘politeness,’ I can’t stand it!!!”

“Isabel’s been the same way,” Michael reminded her. It’s almost like….she’s trying to forget about us. She grabbed Alex, and just went to the West Coast. The only reason I know both of them are alive is the fact that they send us a Christmas card every year.”

Both Michael and Maria grew silent as they saw their daughter enter the study. “I saw Victoria,” she said raising her chin slightly. “Aunt Tess sends her love,” She paused for a minute, as if she was going to continue, then changed her mind. Annette turned to walk back out of the doors.

“Annette!” called her father, expectantly. He knew his daughter. There was something else going on. Something…suspicious. He narrowed his eyes, stood up, and walked over to her. Grabbing her arm, he led her to a chair, and sat her down in it.

“Who else did you see?” Maria asked, her eyes slightly narrowed and her arms crossed.

“I might have run into Evans and V.D.” Annette responded, smiling slightly. Her voice didn’t betray any emotion.

“At Victoria’s house,” Michael stated.

“Yes, I went to Victoria’s house,” Annette said, her tone or expression not changing.

“And what exactly were V.D. and Evans doing at Victoria’s house?” Maria asked.

Annette rolled her eyes slightly. “I don’t know, having a tea party?” she said, not even trying to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. “Victoria got rid of them.”

“Watch your tone, young lady,” Maria said, and then winced at the sound of it. “I guess it’s inevitable” she muttered under her breath. “You’re destined to become your mother.”

Michael studied Annette for a minute. “And you'rr sure there’s nothing you want to tell me?” he asked her.

Annette didn’t hesitate. “Of course not Daddy!” she said, smiling. She jumped up, kissed her father on the cheek, then exited the room.

“She’s hiding something you know,” Michael said upon the click of the now closed door.

“Uh huh, definitely,” Maria answered.

“What do you think it is?” he asked again, strolling over to his desk, and sitting down in his leather chair.

“Evans,” Maria said. Michael looked at her.

“Evans?” he repeated. She nodded.