Emily headed to the bathroom to take a hot shower, hoping it would help calm her nerves.

She didn’t really understand why she was so nervous about meeting the exchange student.

It could be, she thought, because he might have spoken to me in my head.

“I mean, what the heck,” she muttered.

She just couldn’t shake the feeling that something major had happened last night when she’d locked eyes with that mysterious handsome stranger.

She headed back to her room to see if Xena and Aria had decided to join the living.

Sure enough, they were both sitting on the floor. Each had a bed-head and looked a little dazed.

You’re up bright and early… and dressed,” said Aria, sounding surprised. “Well, I woke up with just a few things on my mind and knew it would be impossible to go back to sleep.

Also, I need to go talk to my mom about us going over with her to greet the hot…I mean exchange student.

Thanks to you, Aria, I will probably introduce myself to him by calling him hottie.”

Well if you do, I will be sure to do you the honor of laughing my ass off. Aria said graciously.

Oh! thanks so much, Emily retorted. Okay, kids. Let’s play nice. We have plans to make, so let’s not waste time competing over who can be the snottiest sista, Xena said in her best motherly voice.

Okay, okay. Why don’t you all take turns getting a shower. I will go talk to my mom about when she plans to head over to the Conrads’.

“Sounds good,” Xena answered. “Ride on team,” Aria said.

Emily headed downstairs to find her mom already in the kitchen, cooking up a storm.

Elena Lawrence was not your average woman. She had a sketchy background growing up in a foster home, not knowing who her real parents were.

She often had these “feelings” about things that were going to happen, and the scary thing was she was usually right.

Emily and her mom never really talked about it, though Emily was beginning to show signs of a similar nature.

Only Emily didn’t know things, she could feel things – like others’ emotion

Emily didn’t want to know things, or feel things; she just wanted to be normal girl.

As Emily looked around the kitchen, she saw there was a pan of fried chicken on the stove and corn in a pot of boiling water.

Her mom was steadily mixing a bowl of mashed potatoes, adding milk and butter as she saw fit.

“Hey, mom. How does southern meal making going? Emily asked.

“I’m almost done, I just need to put some rolls in the oven.

Would you mind getting them and putting them on a pan?

“Yeah, I can do that.” Emily bent down to grab a pan.

“So, Xena, Aria and I were wondering if you needed help carrying all these over to the Conrads’, " she said, trying to sound casual.

Her mom looked at her questioningly and Emily figured she hadn’t even come close to casual.

Are you really wanting to help or is this just a perfect opportunity to meet the new exchange student?

It is a guy, right? Elena asked. “

Yes, he is a guy, and maybe we would like to see who he is.

But we do also really want to help you. I don’t think you can carry all these over on your own, Emily answered.

Well, I was going to ask you to help me anyway. And I thought you girls would be interested in meeting the new young man, especially since you and Dave split up.

Do not go there, Mom. This has nothing to do with him. It’s only natural to want to meet someone new, and especially since he’s not from our country, Emily stated firmly.

Okay,you don’t have to be defensive. I will be ready just as soon as those rolls are done warming.

I’m going to call the Conrads now to make sure they’re okay with us coming over in ten minutes

she felt ridiculous as she thought about how it sounded to have a “plan” to meet a guy, and not meet him like “hey, what’s up,” but meet him like, “hey, are you a weirdo or something?”

What was her world coming to?

What’s taking you guys so long?

“Girls, I’m ready if you all are, they heard Emily ’s mom yell. Well, here we go, Emily thought.

She felt at that moment that she was walking into the lion’s den. Just what had she gotten herself into?

“I think I am officially going to be sick,” Emily said with a slight moan. Take slow deep breaths.

If you pass out while we’re over there, I once again tell you I will laugh my ass off, Aria said. “

Man, you’re just a ball of warm fuzzies, aren’t you?” Emily said, glaring at Aria. “I’m just saying,” Aria laughed.

Turning in a circle with arms out and palms turned up, Emily said How do I look?

Is this shirt a little much?

No, I think it’s perfect. It makes a statement like, ‘hey, I’m not scared of your little mind gibberish’,” Xena encouraged.

But I am scared of his gibberish. If it is really his mind gibberish and not something else entirely, Emily said, sounding forlorn.

“Oh, come on. Pull yourself together, babe. He’s just a guy, okay?

Nothing more and nothing less, Aria stated with utter confidence.

The only thing was that Emily didn’t believe the mysterious guy was just a guy.

No, he was more, much more. She just didn’t know what yet.

As they began to descend the stairs, a thought touched her mind, one that was not her own.

“Good morning, my Luna,” Emily heard. She stumbled a few steps on the stairs. Aria reached out to steady her.

Are you okay? she whispered. I just heard the voice again, Emily said shakily.

What did it say? Xena asked. “Good morning, my loona,” Emily answered. “What the stink does that mean?” I can’t believe I thought it was a good idea to go over there, she thought.

Are you girls coming? her mom asked. Lead the way, Ms. Lawrence, Aria said. Each of the girls carried a dish of food.