Hello Everyone! Okay, so I'm suffering from a TERRIBLE case of writer's block, yet I need to get something on "paper" so I'm starting this story. If I finish it, it will be twelve chapters for the twelve zodiac signs. I don't technically believe that horoscopes or so and so affect your lives or will come true, so this is strictly just for fun. (Just like the horoscopes are--haha) If you read it, let me know what you think. Thanks. :)

~HomeschoolGirl

The newspaper beneath Aubrey Ark's thin hands crumpled as she jabbed it with her pointer finger. Indicating to the little passage beneath the heading of HOROSCOPE, she grinned. From beside her, Ryan Jones sighed wistfully.

"It says that someone really likes me and this week we'll have a connection!" She gushed, unable to stop herself. Aubrey flipped her long, thick, blond hair behind her shoulder with an important air. "That means David will probably ask me out." 

"We're thirteen," Ryan said flatly, yanking the paper from her. "After all, this is all just a bunch of riff-raff. None of it comes true, so don't put so much hope into what some crazed, old lady does for fun on Sunday afternoons." 

"It's totally the truth," Aubrey said, giving Ryan a death-glare. She had long since invested every ounce of her being in the Monday horoscopes. She practically lived by them--going as far as to stay inside the house for a week when it said bad things awaited her outdoors. She had missed school countless times before of "Madame Qill's" predictions. Ryan wanted to talk to this woman in person but knew the name used in her byline was most likely an alysis.

"I cannot believe it!" Aubrey said, still ecstatic. "I cannot wait until school tomorrow! I cannot-"

"Stop using 'cannot'!" Ryan interjected, standing up from her stop on Aubrey's living room floor. "This is completely ridiculous. Nothing is going to happen with David Adams. He's an eighth grader, he's dating Keeran, and he's never spoken a word to you in his life!" 

Aubrey's eyes automatically swelled with tears. She dabbed at them, sniffing and turning away from her so-called best friend. Ryan had never felt meaner in her life as she watched her friend cry over what hurtful thing had been said.

"I'm sorry," Ryan apologized softly. "I didn't mean for it to come out like that. I just don't want to see you get hurt. Whomever writes this column just says the first thing that pops into their mind. They don't think that people will actually, you know, believe it." 

"Are you calling me stupid?" Aubrey exclaimed, rising to her full height of five-feet-two-inches. "I don't want to talk to you right now. You can go." 

"But...I was suppossed to stay for dinner!" Ryan protested in disbelief. "You can't just kick me out. Your mom will be home from work anytime and, and, my mom thinks I'm staying here until eight."

"I don't care!" Aubrey yelled, turning on her heel and throwing open the front door. "Go throw yourself off of a cliff." 

Ryan rolled her eyes. "Fine, Aubrey. I will. See ya..." With that, she walked from the door.

Aubrey shut it and locked it, gathering up the torn, crumpled-up newspaper. With tears in her eyes, she smoothed it out. Ryan was just trying to make her feel bad. Of course what ever Madame Quill said was aboslutely the truth. She wouldn't lie.

Aubrey couldn't help but feel childlike as she trudged up the stairs, putting an outfit together to wear for school tomorrow. David would surely be impressed the new clothes she had just bought from Hollister.

He would have to be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ryan walked the whole three miles home, on edge. It really wasn't safe to be without someone when traveling by foot. Several times, she wished she had her skateboard or bike to speed up the long way.

She came up to the two-story, modern-brick apartment she called home.The windows were still dark, which meant neither her mother nor father was back from work. She hadn't expected her bratty sister Lily to be home. She was probably with her boyfriend or friends.

Luckily, there was a spare key hidden under the welcome mat in front of their door. The complex was unsually quiet as she walked up to the front entrance. Ryan then remembered they were fumigating tonight--she was originally going to stay with Aubrey. With a groan, she plopped down on the front porch steps.

"Sweetie?" Someone suddenly called.

Ryan looked up, smiling as she saw a young woman who she recognized as their next door neighbor. She lived in apartment 2B. They lived in 3B. Waving shyly, Ryan stood and approached the car she was in.

"Aren't you Ryan Jones?" She asked, shaking her hand. "Hey, I'm Megan Quinn. Nice to meet you. They're fumigating tonight, you know."

"I forgot," Ryan admitted sheepishly.

"Would you like a ride?" Megan offered pleasently. "I'm on my way to my parent's house for the evening. I don't mind making a stop along the way." 

Ryan stood for a moment, judging the woman she hardly knew and the car she was driving. She seemed safe enough. Young. And it wasn't like she hadn't seen her before--she wasn't lying about living in the apartment or anything.

"Sure," Ryan agreed with a sigh, opening the passenger door and climbing in. Megan grinned and turned toward the road, pressing down on the gas pedal. The car lurched forward, and Ryan was surprised at how loud the engine was.

"Can you take me to my grandma's house?" Ryan asked uncomfortably. "It's about ten minutes from here. If that's too long--I understand."

"No problem!" Megan exclaimed cheerfully. Ryan gave her the address and she made a quick turn. "So, how old are you, Ryan?"

"Thirteen," she answered quickly, looking out the window. "How about you?" 

Megan laughed. "Twenty-two. I'm still in college. Actually, I write for the paper." 

"Really?" Ryan asked. "I've never seen your name before." 

"Well....I do 'undercover' stuff," she hinted slyly, smiling. "I suppose I can tell you, though. Have you ever heard of the horoscopes?"

"Sure," Ryan said, her mind snapping back to the fight she had Aubrey had shared. "What about them?" 

"I'm Madame Quill."