Chapter One

Melina crouched down, and held her camera up for a perfect shot of an angelic statue shrouded in the thick fog bank that had claimed the early morning of city as it's own. It's rare to see a morning as foggy as this, she thought as she turned away from the statue and took a haphazard shot of the spherical gravestone in front of her. When she finished her roll of film she exited the cemetery and stood for a moment on the city street.

It was roughly six forty-five in the morning and the few businessmen who were on the street swerved to avoid the black clad girl and her large manual camera, one even sniffed at her as he passed, inadvertently alerting her to the smear of mud on her black skinny jeans. Melina rolled her eyes, and sat on the ledge that circled the perimeter of the cemetery. She placed the camera in the case that was stored in her messenger bag, and pulled the rubber band from her hair, releasing her curly black hair from it's restrictions and allowing it to fall down her back. She also attempted to remove the smear of mud from her pants. After a few tries she gave up, stood, and walked confidently down the street, her converse slapping the ground. Over the irregular noise of her feet, cars, and businessmen, Melina heard the whining voice of her cell phone in the form of Britney Spear's Gimme More. She pulled the phone from her pocket and flipped it open, not even sparing a glance at the Caller ID.

"Hey Kase, I didn't know you could wake up so early." She said with a wide grin on her face. "What's up?"

"Meli!" Kasey screeched. "Where are you?"

"Oh, I'm down by the cemetery." She replied easily. "I had to get the last shots for my portfolio, the final project's due Monday."

"Okay, fine fine, meet me at Free Bean in a half hour, I need to talk to you."

"Fine Kase, but I'm by the wreckage." She heard the breath Kasey inhaled at the mention of their name for the spot where the Twin Towers had been. "I need two pictures from there and then I'm done."

"Okay, and don't forget to pay your respects." His voice cracked a bit as he said it.

Melina nodded, forgetting that he couldn't see her through the phone when she remembered she said yes, bid him goodbye and hung up the phone. By that time she had reached the area, and was by the side entrance of Century 21. She took a deep breath, to prepare her self for the expected shock of seeing the former site of the place she had spent to majority of her childhood exploring.

Melina retrieved the camera from her bag along with a new roll of film and walked to the fence, which was still decorated with American flags and wilted flowers. She took a close up of a white rose that had shriveled so that it was barely recognizable, and a wide shot of the rose, surrounded by a multitude of other flowers with the remains of the wreckage from the collapse of the towers. After a few more photo's she began to tear up, and turned away from the fence ducked into nearest subway station, and hopped onto the first train home.

0o0o0o0

When Melina shuffled into Free Bean Kasey leaped from the purple plush couch nearest the door and bounded towards her.

"Melina dahling! You looked parched!" He cooed. "Let me get you a coffee."

Melina stared at him as though she was unused to the boy's flamboyant charm and perpetual cloud of Chanel #9. Although his ensemble of clear hooker heels, short shorts, and black tank top, all from the night before was quite unwarranted considering the early hour. She blinked at him for a few minutes, which allowed him to lead her to the plush couch and sit her down before questioning him.

"Why the hell are you still wearing that?"

"Um, well." He looked down nervously at his feet. "I got lucky." He squealed.

"Good for you." Melina said dryly. "Now why do I care about your love life when I don't have one?"

"Meli! You know that I can't date without you approving my man!" He squealed yet again, in anger. "His name is James Gabor."

"Fine, continue since the goddess knows you won't stop now." She replied, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

Her complete annoyance with him just seemed to fuel his excitement. "He's amazingly gorgeous, he's bisexual and he has a huge-"

"Stop!" Melina exclaimed. "I don't need to hear that."

Kasey whipped a picture of a well-muscled black guy with pretty golden eyes out of his tank top and shoved it in her face. "See!" He squealed, which seemed to Melina to be the only thing noise he could make. "He's so hot."

Melina groaned, frustrated with his post-sex optimism. "Once again, why in the hell do I give a damn?"

"Because I love him!" He whined. "I've never been in love and I need you to sign off on him in the boyfriend area."

"How long have you known him?" She said then sighed loudly.

"Two months, three weeks, and four days." He said quickly, so quickly it sounded like he said it all in one word.

"Okay, and how many boyfriends has he had?"

"Four."

"How many girlfriends?"

"Two, all long term relationships, same goes for the guy's he's just been gay longer."

Melina cocked her head, as if pondering the boys chances, and nodded decisively. "Okay, I approve." She rolled her eyes. "Although, I still don't know why I must approve every perspective boyfriend."

Kasey ignored the snide comment and squealed so loudly that other patrons could have sworn he created a new decibel, one that was on the same level as a bat's squeak sans the sonar. "Thanks Melin!" He said, squeezing her around the shoulders in half hug, before grabbing his cell phone and exiting the establishment in a flurry of excitement. Melina watched him talk on the phone through the window for a moment, and allowed a satisfied smirk to grace her features. Another bit of work well done, she thought as she relaxed against the couch and swung her legs up so she could occupy the whole seat without a problem. She pulled yet another item form her trusty messenger bag, a battered book, ordered a coffee and a scone from the waiter when he made his rounds and settled down for the three hours before her class.

0o0o0o0o0

Roughly an hour later, her other roommate Kundan, Kasey's twin sister, flew in and collapsed on Melina's legs. She much like her twin had an ever present smell, but her's was of paint in lieu of Chanel #9. The other differences between the two were the hair length, and taste in men. Not to mention Kundan's utter disbelief in true love, and hatred for Disney, both things her brother practically worshipped.

"Hey Meli." Kundan said, pushing herself back so her jean clad butt met the soft couch instead of Melina's legs.

"Hey Kun." Melina replied, adjusting her position so her legs were tucked under her instead of Kundan, she felt the soft rubber of her converse mold to her body. "What's up?"

"Other than Kase fondling the new man in our apartment? Nothing." She replied sarcastically.

"Seriously?" Melina exclaimed. "How'd he get him there so fast?"

"Apparently he was in the area, and when Kase phoned him he appeared. Then they started watching Pocahontas, at Kase's request of course." Kunda ordered a coffee from the waiter, who had chosen that moment to approach. "Anyway you know that Disney movies make him horny as all hell. So next thing I know, I'm getting introduced to a shirtless James Gabor, his new Melina approved boy toy." Kundan rolled her eyes and took a sip of the coffee that had just arrived and shuddered at the taste. "Damn new people never put in the cream and sugar." She muttered angrily. She removed the cup's top and added liberal amounts of sugar and creamer. "Anyway, he's gorgeous, and he has amazing abs." She huffed. "Why does my brother find all the hot guys?"

"Hey." Melina said, amused by the girls disappointment. "This one's bi, you might get a chance!"

Kundan snorted and settled further into the couch. "As if I want my brothers sloppy seconds!"

Melina laughed and stood, stretching languidly. She slapped the money for her coffee on the table alerting a waiter who whisked it away the instant it touched the tabletop. "Well, since the infamous James Gabor is visiting, I must be off." She said dramatically. "Wish me luck!" She strode out the door, but she still heard Kundan's parting statement.

"Good luck! I just hope they're not naked."

A/N: I've been working on this story for quite some time, even though I'm lazy and refuse to edit till it's done. So please R&R, I would like to know what you like and what you don't, critiques (stylistic, and grammar) are welcome too. I also do not mind flames, because i'm a firm beleiver in the fact that flames are good...they're just tough love. So click that little button and get to typin'. Please? There are cookies in it for you!
-Morgan (exqusiteenigma)