Lian Eleni Newallo

CHAPTER 1 I usually think of myself as a plain Jane. Even in my highest heels I fare pathetically lo on the gro th chart. Instea! of short an! skinny" I prefer to think of myself as svelte an! petite. #or $ook orm" rea! stu!ious. I al ays use! to ear my !ark $ro n hair in a pony tail" an! %eans an! a t&shirt to school. 'o ( I step out in style. )y hair has $een layere! an! tinte! a lovely re! colour. )y clothes are al ays a la mode. )y $est features are my $rains an! my eyes. )y $eautiful" coffee coloure! eyes that slant slightly up ar!s at the e!ges. I never thought that I as the type of girl that oul! get involve! ith a %ock. I $asically ha! no life* I et" slept an! $reathe! a!vance! physics an! calculus. Then" I met Jeremy. Jeremy +tan!ish is the first guy I,ve ever kisse!" my first real $oyfrien! an! the first guy that I !i! it ith. He promise! to love me al ays. Jeremy is everything I,ve al ays !reame! of. -asically" )r. Right" Prince Charming" Ro$ert Pattinson an! Taylor .autner all rolle! into one. Jeremy is gorgeous. That in itself is an un!erstatement. He,s a$solutely !ivine. He has thick" $lack" avy hair an! the armest pair of !eep" gray eyes that I have ever encountere!. He,s all tanne! an! muscular" an! he,s on the soccer team. To me" nothing is se/ier than atching a group of hot guys run aroun! shirtless in the s eltering sun after a little $all. Jeremy is the captain of the C... #alcons at our school" Crystal .ake High. Jeremy an! I met at my frien!,s $irth!ay lime. It as me" 'ecey" )arielle" Jeremy" Jean Pierre 0JP1 an! Conra!. It as 2cto$er the 3th an! 'ecey,s $irth!ay. I remem$er clearly $ecause I as going on a $lin! !ate. 'ecey ha! $een trying for forever to set me up ith 4some nice guy5. 'ecey an! JP ere a couple an! )arielle an! Conra! as also a couple. As they paire! off it as a $it a k ar! at first $et een us" $ut Jeremy is such a s eet" sensitive guy that he ha! imme!iately put me at ease. It all ent solo from there. 6e starte! hanging out regularly an! then going on !ates. 6e ere practically insepara$le. An! of course" once or! got out that he an! I ere an item" the $ack $iting an! the cat calls $egan. It got me to thinking7 hat if I never met him( 6here oul! I $e no ( I,! pro$a$ly $e unpopular again an! not have many frien!s" !elegate! to lunch ith the geeks an! the freaks instea! of $eing a social $utterfly ho shops at e/clusive" little kno n $outi8ues instea! of Target an! JC Penny. +o" it,s $een seventeen months7 an! hat an ama9ing seventeen months it has $een. Then" my on!erful" a$solutely consi!erate" totally thoughtful parents !roppe! their $om$shell. 4.ili" honey7. 6e,re moving to Charleston:5 In the mi!!le of )arch. ;et out of here7 +eriously7 2 weeks later

+o" I,m in my room" <packing, ith Jeremy <helping, me. It,s our last night together. )y parents have gone out to spen! their last night out ith their frien!s. Jer an! I are going to a party ith 'ecey" )arielle" JP an! Conra!. I !on,t really ant to go. I %ust ant to spen! every secon! I have left ith him. -ut $ecause he means so much to me" I go along ith it. The movers have taken almost everything" e/cept the $e!" micro ave an! some linen. )y room has a fe o!!s an! en!s left. Tears slo ly trickle !o n my face as I rap some frame! pictures in ne spaper. There,s the first picture of me hen e ha! %ust move! to Crystal .ake. I as =. The ne/t one is of my 1>th $irth!ay? slum$er party. The ne/t is of 'ece" )arielle an! I hen e ere 1@. The ne/t !o9en or so are of Jer an! I" or all A of us for the past 3 or so years. I feel like I,m rapping my life a ay" everything !ear an! familiar to me $eing !iso ne! an! shippe! off to an ol! !usty attic that is sel!om use! or visite!. #or me" I can,t even $egin to think a$out closure. I haven,t even left yet. Charleston is BC3> miles a ay. #or me" it,s like the en! of the orl!. The cost of an economy flight either ay is a$out t o gran!. It,s waaay too e/pensive for us to visit each other regularly. I feel like my heart is $reaking. Jeremy !oesn,t ant to talk a$out us. I take this as an omen of something orse yet to come. I go into the sho er. Jeremy follo s. I ant to talk a$out us. 2ur plan for the future. 4Jer" I ant to&5 I $egin. He cuts me off an! hispers into my ear" 4+hhh7 love" let,s !o this for the last time" an! get it over ith $efore they come for us.5 he pinches my $utt viciously" though in his case I suppose it as suppose! to $e a teasing little thing7 $ut I,ve %ust got so many things on my min! that I totally $lo up I turn aroun! in in!ignation. )y annoyance $arely hel! in check. 4E/cuse me:(((( ;et hat over ith( Is this all %ust a game to you( Is this all everything means to you:((5 I e/claim angrily. 42h come on .i" rela/" you,re over&reacting. Dou,re ay too tense* let me help you to loosen up a $it.5 4Jeremy $ehave:5 I s at at him playfully" laughing lightly. He gra$s at me an! I s erve sharply a ay saying* 4Jer" $e serious" I ant to talk a$out us.5 46ell I !on,t cu9 there,s nothing more to $e sai!. Dou,re going to Charleston an! I,m staying here. Everything ill $e %ust fine an! !an!y:5 he replie!. 4Jer" !on,t say that" you kno it,s not like that. I love you an! I,ll miss you terri$ly" $ut !on,t you see( I have no choice $ut to comply ish my parents, !ecisions. Dou kno that if I coul! I,! stay here ith you75 I traile! off softly" on!ering if my or!s ha! ma!e any significantly positive impact on Jeremy. 4+o hy !on,t you(5 he aske!. 4Huh((( Eo hat(5 46hy !on,t you stay here ith me( I oul! treat you right" you kno that $a$e7 give it a shot" stay ith me like you,ve promise! you oul! if you coul!. I,m practically han!ing you this opportunity on a silver platter:5 4Are you out of your min!::((( Jeremy( Have you even consi!ere! here I,! stay( 6here I&4

4Dou coul! stay ith me75 4+tay ith you(( That,s rich Jer. Dou,re a real come!ian" you kno that( 6ho,s gonna pay for me to go to college( Dou( Eon,t fuck yourself up Jer" you,re $etter than that7 face it" I can,t remain here. Dou can $arely take care of yourself" ho are you gonna manage ith me" huh( ;imme 1 reason hy an! I,ll stay. I s ear.5 4+o you !on,t think that I coul! take care of us( Eon,t you have faith in me( In hat e have( Eo really not trust me .i(5 Eon,t& please Jer& Eon,t make it soun! like that.5 I hispere! softly. 4Argh::: 2h" get real alrea!y .i" e,re never gonna see each other after this" so hat,s the point in trying to preten! other ise( .et,s %ust make the $est of it until it,s over" ok(, He shoute!" his voice rising ith each or!. )y heart felt heavy" an! I orke! furiously to keep my emotions in check an! off my face. I,m earing a large" fluffy" pink an! purple $ath to el rappe! sarong ise aroun! me. It,s my o n little cocoon to escape from the storm of my aching heart. Ho much longer can I keep it at $ay( This is hat I ha! $een secretly !rea!ing all this time. It as over. These three months of una!ulterate! $liss ha! finally come to an en!. He ha! $een shouting at me all this time that I ha! $een lost in my thoughts. An! I only hear! the very en! of it. 'evertheless my hearts, $loo! ran col! as soon as he finishe! hurling those hurtful or!s at me. 4&never imagine! you oul! $e so naFve as to think that I oul! ant to see you after you left.5 46hat( 6hat are you talking a$out( Dou !on,t ant to see me anymore( 6as this %ust a fling for you( A roll in the hay( +omething to pass the time( I hate you Jer" I hate you an! I ant you to leave:::::::5 I screame! at him" my voice escalating ith each so$ that racke! my $o!y as I crie! freely. I crie! for everything. Everything e ere" everything e ha! $ecome an! everything I ha! %ust lost. The reali9ation of hat ha! %ust happene! sunk in an! shook me to my very core. I ha! never $efore e/perience! such a heart&ren!ing !espair in my entire life. I felt him put his arms aroun! me" an! I collapse! into them hile he ma!e soothing noises to calm me. Those $ig" strong" muscular arms that I ha! $een love! $y7. I shook my hea! violently an! pushe! him a ay. Tears streake! my face an! my hole $o!y shu!!ere! ith each $reath that I !re . <I ant you to get out of here an! I never ant to see you again75 I sai!. )y voice trem$le! an! cracke!" $ut I as firm in my re8uest. 4I,m sorry for hat I sai! %ust no " love" I !i!n,t mean it. I really !o. Eon,t let,s en! like these7 please" !on,t leave like this.5 He sai! hoarsely. )y heart ache! as I looke! into his eyes an! sa the tears running !o n his face. He steppe! closer to ar!s me. I s aye! ever so slightly. He took hol! of me an! hugge! me tightly to him. I inhale! !eeply" !rinking in the very essence of him. He looke! !eep into my eyes an! I no!!e! slo ly. He tugge! me to ar!s him gently an! $egan to caress me an! hisper in my ear. I felt the familiar stirring of !esire"

an! arche! slightly to ar!s him. )y to el ha! fallen !o n some here in the process" an! I revelle! in the fact that he ha! taken his shirt off. 2f their o n free ill" my han!s $egan to trace the muscles of his si/&pack an! he groane! softly in my ear. Just then" the !oor$ell rang. Talk a$out a ake up call7 I felt !eeply ashame! of myself for having almost given in to temptation. It as the gang at the !oor an! e eren,t even rea!y. I felt torn apart. I ante! to stay ith him against my $etter conscience" an! savour every last moment* an! yet I ante! to get a ay from it all. ;et a ay from the claustropho$ic atmosphere that perva!e! every s8uare inch of my room. #rom all the hurtful or!s an! the raise! voices" the constant feeling that I as approaching the inevita$le split $et een us. The one that oul! never $e repaire!. I untangle! myself from his comforting armth an! ent into the $athroom. I locke! the !oor an! turne! on the sho er. The lock rattle! lou!ly in the stillness of the room. The only things that ma!e noise ere the running ater of the sho er" the !oor kno$ rattling an! my $reaking heart. I sho ere! 8uickly an! ith purpose. In 1C minutes I ha! finishe! an! I came out to see him stan!ing near the in!o " looking out. He turne! slo ly an! ent into the $athroom. I $reathe! slo ly" me!itating hile I move! in a hirl" thro ing a couple !resses onto the $e!* pulling shoes out of their $o/es an! hunting for the perfect accessories. I finally picke! out a $eautiful silk" emeral! green !ress that Jeremy ha! given me for Christmas. I love! that !ress" not only $ecause it enhance! my looks" $ut $ecause there ere so many memories associate! ith it. This as the !ress that I ore the night e ma!e love for the first time. The first time that I tol! him that I really" really" really love! him. The first time I ever felt truly complete. Tears elle! in my eyes as I !esperately struggle! to keep my composure. I as rummaging in my lingerie !ra er" hen Jeremy steppe! out of the sho er. I,m not gonna lie" that $oy is hot: I pulle! on !elicate violet lace an! satin un!ies" turning a ay to shiel! my $o!y from his searing ga9e. I 8uickly complete! !ressing an! ent !o nstairs shoeless an! make up&less to tell 'ece" )ari" Conra! an! JP to ait a couple minutes again $efore e left to go to !inner an! a party. After the usual hugs an! kisses all <roun!" I !ashe! $ack upstairs to fin! Jeremy sitting on the $e!" completely !resse!" 0an! looking !evastating1 looking at a pile of photos that I ha! taken !o n from my message $oar!. I stoo! there silently taking in the scene" mentally filing it a ay for the long" lonely nights ahea!. I gra$$e! my heels an! stockings an! hea!e! into the $athroom. I 8uickly put them on an! I $egan on my face* +oft mauves an! !eep greys for the eyes. After" of course" the re8uisite moisturi9er. +light eyeliner an!" the ne est a!!ition to my make up $agG a $eautiful lip gloss in pastel pink. I sprit9e! my favorite stra $erry $o!y mist an! steppe! out ith my hea! hel! high. Jeremy apparently ha! alrea!y gone !o n" so I follo e! also. I ha! %ust ma!e it to the top of the stair ell hen his voice %umpe! out of the sha!o s" startling me momentarily. 46hoa" you look really7 $eautiful5

I spun aroun! hurrie!ly" caught my heel on the rug an! flaile! my arms il!ly for support. )y Prince Charming caught me an! I sank $ack gratefully into his arms. 4Jeremy: Dou frightene! me:5 I s8ueale!" out of $reath" my heart $eating at the anton thought of my $reasts presse! against him" s elling un!er the !elicate caress of his han!s" his mouth7. 4&mean to startle you" .i5 I caught the very en! of his or!s an! trie! to $anish the overtly se/ual thoughts that fille! my hea!. 4Deah7 that,s ok7 !oesn,t matter7 I,m fine7 are you(5 I trie! to pull myself from his grasp so that I coul! possi$ly try to pull myself together an! stop the flo of incoherent $a$$ling. I faile! misera$ly. I !on,t kno hy I even trie!. Pro$a$ly to salve my conscience later on7 46hat,s rong ith you" every time you see me you get all nervous an! %umpy an! try to run a ay. 6hat,s going on(5 he murmure! softly in my ear. 4'othing7 nothing,s rong7. an!7 an! nothing,s right: 2h" I !on,t kno Jer" hat,s happening to us(5 my voice $reaking on the last fe or!s. He enfol!e! me in his arms an! aske! if I preferre! to stay an! talk an! then go out" or if to go out an! then talk. )e" $eing the yello &$ellie! co ar! that I am" totally took the loser,s ay out" an! opte! for the latter. I think he sense! it" $ut he sai! nothing an! only hel! me for a moment longer* pulling a ay only hen e hear! footsteps. 4#inally:5 JP sai!. 46e,re totally late. An! $t " e actually !i! make reservations at Alfonso,s you kno " so if you ant to eat" e,! $etter get a move on.5 I as !eeply touche! $y this e/pensive gesture of frien!ship. Alfonso,s is my favorite restaurant ever. Hnfortunately" it has a price tag to rival the goo! cooking. 6e all laughe! an! )ari commente!. 46ell 'ecey" at least you kno the ay to your man,s heart: Care to give us some tips:(5 )arielle is a $itch. Although e,re her closest frien!s" she has a ten!ency to critici9e you" hate on you" or say something !efinitely guarantee! to make you ant to sock her one. I coul! see the heels turning in 'ecey,s hea! an! although she laughe! along ith the rest of us" I coul! tell that she !efinitely ante! to give )ari a $lack eye. 'ecey is a hell of a voluptuous girl. +he has curves in all the right places. Her comple/ion is like caramel" an! she has lovely ha9el eyes that change colour ith her moo!s. ;reen hen she,s happy an! grayish hen she,s pisse! off" hich is pretty often. )ari on the other han! is one of the original $otticellien angels. +kin like cream an! hair like a sun$eam. Eyes like $lue cornflo ers an! a heart of stone. I !on,t mean it in a $a! ay" $ut I,m $eing real here. An! the guys( 6ell" they,re %ust the guys. JP" accor!ing to 'ecey" is her !ark" Haitian chocolate7 nee! I say more( Conra! is the original ol! school type of guy. Iery serious" thoughtful an! sensitive* $ut he is a %oy to have as a frien!" al ays rea!y to listen" never a $a! thing to say a$out anyone" an! like a fountain of laughter rea!y to spill over like $u$$ly on ne year,s eve. I honestly !on,t kno ho he got involve! ith )ari7 oh ait" I !o: +he %ust sunk her t o inch talons into him an! a$solutely refuses to let him go: 0.o.1 +o e arrive at the Oh, So Exclusive Alonso,s 2n The -oulevar!" an! e are literally treate! like royalty. I guess money really can $uy anything7

The plush interior of AlfonsoJs !oes not accentuate its tiny si9e* rather" it serves only to enhance an! heighten that feeling of ol! money an! the e/clusivity that goes along ith it. Alfonso,s is !ecorate! in !eep re!s" rich greens an! $urnishe! gol!s that !efinitely give off a certain un!erstate! opulence. The ta$les are groupe! closely together ith small" scente! can!les that len! a lovely" romantic air to the setting. I,ve only ever $een in here once $efore" an! that as for my gran!parents, K=th anniversary. Even then" I remem$er feeling over helme! $y the lavishness then" as I !i! no . 6e ere escorte! to our ta$les $y a aiter. He han!e! us each a menu to peruse hile our !rinks ere $eing serve!G Jer an! I or!ere! the seafoo! platter hile the others or!ere! the appeti9ers an! the !esserts" this $eing an ol! ha$it of ours" to take turns in choosing various courses so that e oul! have unlimite! variety at each meal. 0All !ue to my $rilliance" o$viously:1 An! as follo s ith goo! frien!s" e $egan chatting an! laughing" an! generally having a goo! time. #or a hile" I lost myself in the conversation" pointe!ly avoi!ing any contact ith my escort for the night. It as !eci!e!ly inevita$le that it oul! not escape notice for long. 4Hey" you guys" hat,s going on(5 Aske! Conra!" looking slightly perple/e! as he glance! a k ar!ly aroun! the ta$le. 4Dou t o have $een acting really eir! since e left" is there something rong(5 4De&4I $egin 4'o5 says Jeremy at the same time The others look at each other momentarily" slightly $e il!ere! as they struggle! to comprehen! their confusion. 4+o" hich is it( Des or no(, asks )ari shre !ly. 4'o, I start 4Des5 replies Jeremy. Again" e speak in unison. I look over to him" uncertain as to hat e shoul! say. 46oul! you um" e/cuse us for a minute please(5 I say" glancing hesitantly at Jeremy for confirmation. 6e get up an! e hea! to ar!s the gar!en" lit !imly ith tiny fairy lights. 4+o" um7 hat are e going to tell them5 I 8uestion softly 4I really !on,t kno .i" hat !o you ant to tell them( Tell them e,re over $ecause you,re moving an! make this evening more a k ar! than it alrea!y is" or lie to them an! tell them everything,s fine( Dour call5 4)y call(:(:(:5 I say in !is$elief. <6e,re in this thing together $uster" hether you like it or not. +o e have to make this !ecision TOGETHER. .et me say that again. TOGETHER. 'o ay you,re gonna punk out no an! $lame it on me:5 I finish huffily. 42k" ok" cool !o n $a$e. +heesh: Dou !on,t have to go all Iictorian an! in!ignant on me. I,m %ust putting out i!eas here.5 He replies sulkily. +u!!enly" I,m fe! up of all the tension an! uncertainty" an! I ask him haltingly5 Jer" !o you really ant us to $e over(5 4Honest to go! .i" I !on,t kno I can,t see ho e can stay together hen you,re gone" an! I can,t stan! the $ickering an! a k ar!ness. -ut most of all" I can,t stan! the thought of losing you.5 I e/hale slo ly" trying to process it all rationally an! calmly.

)ay$e he as %ust trying to put on a $rave face earlier" I !on,t kno 7 may$e I misconstrue! his meanings an! ma!e a storm in a teacup. -ut one thing I as certain a$out" as that I asn,t a$out to $egin a heart to heart in Alfonso,s ith everyone aroun! to itness the inevita$le melt!o n. 'o" not at all7 #inally after a fe minutes of !eli$eration $et een Jeremy an! me" e agree! to present a unite! front" ell" at least for no " any ay7 4+o" um guys" e,re fine an! everything" so let,s have some fun:5 I say $rightly" in a noticea$ly higher pitche! octave than I usually employe!. T o pairs of female eye$ro s shot into the air" an! then" simultaneously" t o male eyes i!ene! in concern" an! one male attempte! to pull off a nonchalance that !i!n,t 8uite make it. 4Ahem5 I %umpe! as the aiter appeare!" almost silently. 4Erinks(5 he en8uire! ith a slight leer" an! a long" uncomforta$le ga9e on my cleavage that $or!ere! on crossing the $oun!aries of civility an! politeness. I $o e! my hea! in consternation" una$le to meet his pointe!" insolent stare. Jeremy narro e! his eyes" hen he sa that the aiter,s eyes ere focuse! on my $reasts. He $egan to $reathe heavily* his fists clenche! aroun! the arms of his chair& his hole $o!y straining from the confines of the seat" rea!y to spring at the aiter if further provoke!. All of this ha! taken place ithin the space of less than ten secon!s. Conra!" assessing the situation" an! JeremyJs $o!y language stoo! up 8uietly an! sai! 8uietly ith his calm" authoritative voice 4sir" oul! you please refrain from any further provocative actions to ar!s the patrons" or else e shall confer ith the manager.5 The aiter,s hea! shot up" an! his eyes i!ene! incre!ulously" an! then narro e! in !islike as he looke! over at Jeremy. Then" he turne! a$ruptly 0still" ithout taking our or!er1 an! left the !ining room. An uncomforta$le silence perva!e! our ta$le. I as lost in thought" feeling relief that things ha! not gotten out of han!. I sat up slightly an! spoke in a lo un!ertone 4;uys" I !on,t ant to soun! ungrateful of anything" $ut if everyone is in agreement" I oul! like to leave. I think that aiter is going to make trou$le for us.5 +ure enough" ithin secon!s of my little speech" there came the aiter" follo e! $y a short" $ustling" mi!!le&age! man ho $ore the name plate of Head Manager. 4;oo! grief: 6hat no (5 I thought. 4Des( Is there a pro$lem(5 he $o e! courteously as he trie! to remove the sco l from his face. The aiter $utte! in& 4they !on,t like my 8uality of service" +ir. Though" I can assure you that it has $een faultless since their arrival.5 He smirke! slightly. )ister #allo " as he as calle!" moppe! his $ro an/iously as he took in the tension perva!ing the air" an! the !aggers that Jeremy an! the aiter ere shooting at each other. 4umm7 no pro$lem" e,re actually leaving right no .5 +ai! JP. 4right no : -ut& $ut your or!er: It has alrea!y gone to the kitchens: Dou can,t cancel it no :5 he $lu$$ere!" o$viously flustere! $y this group of cool" calm an! collecte! people ho ere atching him ith !erision hile his face $ecame significantly puce in colour. 4yes e are" actually"5 I sai!" my voice not $etraying ho much turmoil I actually felt at the !iscomfort of the situation. I turne! on my heel sharply" an! alke! out.

.ooking a$out me as I aite! for the others" I $egan thinking a$out my o n pre!icament. .ooking up at the night sky" $lurre! $y the fluorescent lights of the street" I su$consciously starte! to !rift !o n the alk" musing on my relationship ith Jeremy ith a clear hea!" unencum$ere! $y lust or longing or any other emotion that might influence me to $ehave !rastically. +u!!enly I thought hat the hell" I !on,t ant to spen! my night like this" I ant to $reathe a little& live a little. I set off ith a purpose" illfully !itching my frien!s an! my one true love in lieu of free!om" an! e/citement& namely" the thrill of e/hilaration pumping in my veins. A hea!y com$ination on an empty stomach. As I alke! !o n the lighte! streets of my hometo n" not really noticing anything that as not in my !irect line of sight" I sa him. Talk a$out tall" !ark an! han!some7. Tall" $roa! shoul!ere!" !resse! completely in $lack" his face as in the sha!o s& $ut of hat I coul! see" he as gorgeous" an! hea!ing into a clu$ ith a ta !ry looking $im$o clinging to his arm. I envie! her" although she looke! like a tart. 2n a su!!en spurt of cra9iness" ma!ness" a flare of something unkno n" I follo e! them into the clu$" feeling more an! more out of place than ever $efore. This as a high en! clu$" I notice!. All multi&coloure! stro$e lights in the mi!!le" an! !iscreet moo! lighting aroun! the perimeter" here I coul! %ust a$out !iscern couples making out. Heavily. 2h: I e/hale! sharply. This as that kin! of place. )r. Tall" Eark an! Han!some turne! aroun!" hearing my pathetic" naFve little self" no !ou$t. He raise! his eye$ro slightly" his mouth 8uirking slightly as he took in my e/pression" moving lo er !o n my $o!y" un!ressing me ith his eyes no !ou$t. His 4frien!5 turne! aroun! e/asperate!ly" no !ou$t on!ering hat the keep $ack as. Her eyes rake! me in even less time than his" an! her mouth curle! into a nasty sneer as she took in my appearance. I coul! un!erstan! it" $ecause in front of her shiny" se8uine! micromini" I looke! positively virginal in my !iaphanous go n" even though it as lo cut an! $ackless. 4ahem5 the $ouncer cleare! his throat lou!ly" leering at me !isgustingly. Hgh" creep7 I thought. 4party for three(5 he en8uire! silkily. 4'o:5 the oman inter%ecte! ith a slight yelp. 4no a!mittance ithout a mem$er5 he sai!" his voice turning har! in the $link of an eye.