The table was silent when he had finished revealing the names. I was right. I was right. I was right, her mind kept repeating itself. “How does that even make sense? They would have told you, right?” Keelia asked. Alvis shrugged his shoulders. “Are you going to tell the others?”

                “I’m… not sure yet. I just need more time to process it, that’s all. And especially with all that’s going on right now, what with us being in trouble running to America, I thought that I shouldn’t burden them with anything else. Besides, it’s not important. If they still wanted me, or thought that I was still alive, they would have told me and found me,” Alvis said this more to himself than to her. Keelia’s heart ached for her friend.

                “Well, Alvis, now that you know who they are, you can ask them. Can’t you?” Keelia asked.

                “I don’t think that they want me, Keelia,” his voice was choked and soft. After a few moments, Keelia let the others back inside. They pummeled her with questions, but all she would say was, “He’ll tell you when he’s ready.”

                Keelia, Jililian, Delisa, and Rachel slept on the couches and floor while Brinely, Alvis, and Everie slept in Samuel’s room that night. Keelia obviously knew that she and her friends wouldn’t be able to stay at the college forever, but she did not want to go back to Nivara yet. Keelia awoke to a cloudy day and a slight drizzle and she mumbled, “Brinely, take away the rain,” as she sat up. It took her a moment to remember all that had happened, but soon all the memories of the past day came flooding into her mind. She had slept with the fancy dress on, which wasn’t the comfiest thing in the world. When Delisa woke up, she sat down at the table and combed her brown and magenta hair.

                “Keelia, I know you don’t want to tell me, but I really think that I should know what Alvis said to you. and before you go all defensive on Alvis’s behalf, I’m his sister,” Delisa begged. The rain drummed heavily on the roof when Keelia didn’t say anything. “Keelia?” Delisa asked again. Keelia turned around sighing and sat down next to her friend.

                “He found out who his real parents were, and he’s taking it pretty hard,” Keelia said slowly. Delisa nodded, her eyes wide.

                “Who are they?” Keelia wasn’t surprised at the question.

                “You won’t believe us if I tell you…”  Keelia warned her.

                “I will, I know you wouldn’t lie or joke about this,” Delisa promised.

                “Laurelin and Jian Alie…” Keelia blurted. Delisa didn’t say anything for a moment.

                “I… guess that kind of makes sense,” Delisa affirmed. Keelia was confused.

                “How does that make any sense? Jian is always so mean!” Keelia said.

                “That was true, until you looked into his Color’s. Then he always looked at Alvis sadly and with a kind of longing, don’t you see?” Delisa said. Keelia couldn’t believe she hadn’t seen it before! It made way more sense now, at least, a bit.

                “But I still don’t get how they wouldn’t have told him sooner,” Keelia spoke.

                “Maybe they were and still are afraid that he’ll be angry with them. Or maybe they didn’t know till you came here. I don’t know!” Delisa growled in frustration. Samuel walked out of the bedroom. Keelia jumped up and strangled him with a hug.

                “Huh. Keelia, what have they done with you? You’re all emotional all of the sudden!” Samuel turned to Delisa, “Seriously, how did you open her up?” They all laughed, which woke the others up and Samuel made them breakfast.

                “Oh! I missed your cooking!” Keelia sighed with delight as she took a bite of a cinnamon muffin.

                “I was thinking that today, we should go visit Mom, Dad and Mabel!” Samuel said happily, and Keelia gladly agreed.

                “We should probably wait to go back for a few days. Just until things calm down, then we can sneak back,” Rachel said, and the others relented. They missed their families, but Rachel was right. Things needed to cool off back in Crecklington.

                Keelia was terrified to see her family. She didn’t know why, exactly, but she was. Samuel’s car pulled up at the end of a long hill. It was the best snowing hill when they were little. Her friends hadn’t buckled, and Keelia didn’t blame them. They hadn’t ever been inside a car before. Plus, it was crowded and there weren’t enough seats for everybody. They began the short hike up the hill. Samuel offered to go first, but Keelia decided to be brave and rang the doorbell. Keelia heard the sound of footsteps and the door opened. It was Mabel. Her red wavy hair was longer, and she was multiple inches taller too. Mabel looked at Keelia for a moment. “Hi Mabel,” Keelia breathed, and Mabel pounced. Keelia was almost knocked over by the impact of her little sister’s tackle hug.

                “Keelia! I-you! How did you get here? WHY are you here?! I’ve missed you so much, please don’t leave again!” Mabel cried into Keelia’s shoulder.

                “Aw, man, I guess I don’t get a hug too?” Samuel joked and Mabel hugged him after squeezing Keelia one more time. Mabel led them in, admiring the dresses the entire time.

                “Where’s Mom and Dad?” Keelia asked. Mabel pointed outside to where Keelia could glimpse her mother and father walking over a field toward the back door. Keelia ran out the back door. “Mom! Dad!” Keelia shouted. But before she reached them, she heard something in the tree above her. Keelia heard a voice laughing. A loud voice, and a creepy one.

                “Keelia Adene Cobell. So nice to finally see you again!” Keelia whipped around and shrieked when she came face to face with ten crypja, along with Fern.