The Hourglass

Chapter 1

     Ecko's P.O.V.

   I flopped onto my cot tears pouring from my eyes. The bruises were turning purple and my nose was starting to bleed. Not that anybody cared though, except for maybe Darren. But he was at the hockey game today. I promised him  I would be there but I would just embarass him looking like this. Darren is my best friend, scratch that, my ONLY friend and he means the world to me. We grew up as orphans together, my parents abandoned me and his were killed in a car accident. But he doesn't like to talk about it. Why would he? I always helped him with his homework and he in exchange he would always stand up to Hunter and his gang of morons.

         I took a shower and made sure to wash my hair quickly because the orphanage was short on money and the hot water didnt last long. I dressed in the usual a worn out T-shirt, some jeans, and a pair of converse. I could stay in the girls dorm forever if it meant keeping away from Hunter and his friends but I didn't want the other girls seeing me like this. I smeared some foundation on over my bruises and washed the dried blood off my nose. I would walk to the cafe and buy some coffee to ease my nerves. While I was walking there I stayed as far away from the woods as possible making sure I wouldn't meet up with Hunter again. I didn't want him to beat me like last time. When I arrived the cafe was surprisingly crowded, and there were alot of girls on one side of the cafe. Some stuckup celebrity was probably signing autographs.

               I walked up to the counter "One caramel frappe please," I payed for my drink and sat down on the side of the cafe opposite the smitten fangirls. "Girls, girls caulm down i ave to eet someting chu know," the mysterious celebrity said, his accent was extremely thick and he sounded like he was romanian or hungarian maybe. He made his way through the crowd and over to the counter. My jaw almost dropped when I saw him. He was so, so gorgeous. His pale skin was umblemished and glowing, his dark brown hair was short and had that cute messed upstyle and his dark eyes were hypnotizing, I could stare at them forever. I shook my head. Snap out of it Ecko he could never like you anyways. Then he sat down next to me. I looked at my feet nervously.

       "Do I know you?" he inquired. I looked up at him, no way, if I met someone this beautiful I would definitely remember it. "Uh, no. I don't think so." I replied. He chuckled "I didn't think so, if I met someone as beautiful as chu I vould have remembered it." I blushed furiously he was making fun of me I knew it. "If you're here to make fun of me, I-" he interupted me before I could finish, "Make fun of  you!?" he gasped. Then lifted up my chin so I was facing him "I could never make fun of you," he  said. I was breathless I only just met this guy and I was already falling for him. I shook my head. "I-i got to go home," I lied. He grabbed my hand "I'll walk you home," he said.

--

Darren's P.O.V.

     I took off my helmet and gear, I sweating madly and I wanted to get out of the ice rink and back to the orphanage quickly. "Yo Darren! Great game you should hang out with us tonight," my friend Ian shouted from the other side of the locker room. "Sorry, can't. I'm hanging out with Ecko tonight." I replied. Ian walked over and sat next to me. "Remind me again why you guys aren't dating?" he asked. I looked down at my feet. "I like her alot but she doesn't feel the same way about me," I said sadly. "I got to go," I stuffed all my gear in my duffel bag and walked out of the rink. I was really worried about Ecko she never missed my tournaments and I could feel something was wrong. I jogged the whole way. When I got to the entrance Ecko was there talking to some boy.

             They hugged and I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. "Hey Ecko!" I said happily. She smiled and hugged me. Her friend frowned. "Who's this?" I asked. She grinned and said "This is Todd he's visiting from Romania," Todd smiled smugly and kissed the top of her head. I restrained myself from slapping that smug look right off his face. "So," he commented. "This is ze famous Darren" I looked at Ecko awkwardly. "I was telling him about the orphanage and how your my best friend," she admitted. "Well," Todd said, "I should be on my vay," Ecko frowned. "Goodbye," she mumbled. He whispered something to her and then walked away. She looked a little shocked. "What did he say?" I demanded. "Um, nothing," she muttered.

     I looked at her and noticed she had a scratch on her face. I looked at her arms and they were bruised and one of her fingers was swollen. "DID HE BEAT YOU!?" I shouted. She looked at me shocked then her eyes started to water. "No, Hunter did," she stuttered. Tears started streaming down her and I pulled her close. "It's ok," I whispered. "It's all ok," she sniffed and looked up at me "Why is he doing this to me," she sobbed. Her eyes were a beautiful chocolate brown that pulled me in. "I'LL I'LL KILL HIM!" I shouted. "No!" she pleaded "I don't want him to hurt you," she looked down embarassed and said. "I don't know wat I'd do without you." she looked back at up at me and I smiled our lips were inches away from each other if I just leaned in a little. She pulled away and wiped her face. "It's almost curfew," she pointed out. "I should get going,"