Before the movie was over, we'd finished all of the popcorn and branched out to pretzels. When the fourth movie started, Mark decided homework could wait, but we needed better snacks. With juice and peanut butter toast, we settled in on the couch to watch.

When Mom got home an hour later, we were still sitting there. "Well, you two look productive," she was smiling as she came and sat between us on the couch. "Is this what you did all day, Jolie?"

I grinned, "Not all day, I did some homework first, then I started the Hunger Games marathon, but I also ate! I'm feeling much better, and I didn't get sick once today."

Feeling my forehead she said, "You don't feel warm either. That's great, maybe you're over it."

I nodded, "I think I am, I'm planning on going to school tomorrow."

"That's good honey. I was thinking though, I can still stay home with you. What if you start feeling bad again?"

I shook my head, "Mom, that's crazy. I'm fine, and you already took the days off. Don't waste them sitting around watching me. I'm planning a very boring weekend."

She pressed her lips together, "I don't know. Are you planning to be home Mark?"

He nodded, "I'll be here. Go and have fun. If she starts feeling sick again, I'll call you."

She patted his leg and smiled at him, "I feel better knowing you'll be here." Taking a deep breath, she clapped her hands together, "I guess I'm going on a weekend trip! I'm going to pack."

She almost danced out of the room, she was so excited. I was glad she was going. It was the first trip she'd ever taken without me, and she definitely deserved a weekend of fun. Tom sounded like a nice guy, and she liked him a lot.

Before going to bed, I stopped by Mom's room. "What are you doing?" She had half her closet on her bed. "This is just for the weekend, right? You didn't decide to run away?"

She laughed, but looked totally frazzled, "I can't decide what to pack. Help me?"

"Sure," I cleared a spot to sit on the bed. "Everything looks cute on you. Why are you stressing about this?"

"I don't know. I guess I'm a little overwhelmed." She was looking at the clothes like she wasn't sure where they all came from.

I started digging through the pile, picking out things that seemed appropriate, and hanging the rest back up. After twenty minutes, she was almost finished packing.

She wanted one more shirt, but before I could look through the last pile of clothes, my phone rang in my pocket. I tried not to look too happy that it was Ash, I could feel Mom watching me.

"Hi, Ash!"

"You sound good!"

"Yeah, I'm finally over it, I'm going to school tomorrow!"

"That's great! What are you doing now?"

I looked at Mom and she was making an excited face, like she was thrilled I had a guy calling me. I could feel my cheeks heat up under her stare.

"I'm helping Mom pick out some clothes. She's packing for a trip she's taking this weekend."

"I don't want to keep you while you're spending time with her. Why don't you call me back later if you want to?"

"OK, I'll call you before I go to bed."

"Take your time."

When I hung up, I could still feel Mom staring. I rolled my eyes, "What?"

"Nothing! I think it's nice you have a boyfriend now. You're always so focused, I'm glad you're having fun. We haven't got to talk much about it, how's it going?"

"Great, he's really sweet and thoughtful."

"He's very good looking too, I've never seen such a well-muscled high school boy."

"Gross, Mom! Don't talk about his muscles!"

"Well, I have eyes, honey. Is there anything we need to talk about?"   

"Mom!" I hoped she wasn't about to give me another sex talk. The one we had a few years ago covered everything, and that was really not something I wanted to go through twice.

"I'm just asking, no need to get huffy. I'm sure he's a nice kid, but I want you to keep your guard up, OK? You haven't known each other very long. Safe situations only, right?"

"Of course, I know the drill. He really is great, though."

"I'm sure he is. Just know your worth, you're pretty great too." She poked my nose and said, "Boop," like she used to when I was little, making me laugh. "Which one of these shirts do you like better?"

She was holding up three, and I pointed at one hoping we were moving on, but of course we weren't. "So how serious is it with you two?"

"I like him a lot, but you don't have to worry. I'm in no hurry."

She nodded approvingly, "That's good.

We finished, and I helped her hang everything else back in her closet. Before I left her room, she gave me another hug.

"I'm leaving super early in the morning, so I won't see you. Call me if you need anything. If you start to feel sick again, I want to know. Promise me."

"I promise I'll call you at the first sign of sickness. I'll be fine. Please have fun, and don't spend your time worrying about me."

"I can't help it, I'm your mom; worrying about you is my most important job."

She gave me one last hug, and a kiss on the forehead before I went down the hall to my room.

After getting settled in bed I looked at the time, it was late. I decided to call anyway, I tapped his name on my phone, and he picked up on the first ring.

"Hello, Jolie. Did you finish helping your mom?"

"Yeah, sorry it took so long. We were hanging out."

"That's alright, I'm glad you got to spend some time together. She's going somewhere for the weekend?"

"Yeah, leaving tomorrow morning and coming back Sunday night. Her boyfriend is taking her to his family's cabin."

"That's nice. You'll still be home though, right? I've really missed seeing you."

It gave me that tingly feeling to know he was looking forward to seeing me. "I'll be here, and I'll be in school tomorrow."

"I'm so glad, school hasn't been the same without you."

He sounded happy, but I started thinking about Mandy, and the pen incident. I was trying not to care, but it was really bugging me. "It can't be that bad, I heard you've been getting lots of extra attention."

He was quiet for a second, "I'm not sure what you mean."

"From what I heard, Mandy's been going out of her way to keep you entertained."

He chuckled, "You mean that thing with the pen today? I didn't find it entertaining, as much as sad."

I tried not to sound angry, but that didn't happen, "Yeah, right."

He was quiet again. "Are you upset? I have no control over the things other people do, but I swear I haven't encouraged it."

Mark said he wasn't showing them any interest, I shouldn't have said anything. "You're right, and I know that. I shouldn't let them bother me. But skanks or not, Mandy and Samantha are beautiful. It's a little upsetting to hear that they're hitting on your boyfriend, the minute you're not there."

"You're bothered by nothing. I think their attitudes and the way they treat people makes them decidedly unattractive. You are by far, the most beautiful girl I know."

That was really sweet, and the butterflies in my stomach were awake, but it couldn't be true. "Thanks, but you don't have to say stuff like that just because we're going out."

"Of course not. I told you, you're the only one I've ever been attracted to."

What was he talking about? "You never told me that."

"Yes, I did. When you told me that I'm your first boyfriend. I told you that you were my first everything, even my first kiss."

I vaguely remembered that, but it was fuzzy. When did we have that conversation? We were outside, we'd just been making out. Holy crap!

At the sound of my gasp, Ash said, "What is it?"

That wasn't real, I was dreaming. Wasn't I? We were in that pretty field on a blanket making out and he stopped us, saying it wasn't the right time. That didn't really happen. How could he know about it?

"Jolie, are you alright?"

"We never had that conversation, did we?"

"Of course, we did. We were....no," his voice was so quiet on that last word, I wasn't sure it was meant for me to hear.

"We were what, Ash? You can't know about that. I was dreaming, and I didn't tell anyone."

He took a deep breath, "I can explain."

"Explain what? How could you possibly know about my dream?"

"There's something I haven't told you. I was going to, just not yet."

"That you're a mind reader? What haven't you told me?"

"No, I'm not a mind reader. Please Jolie, let me explain."

He sounded upset, I was trying not to be irritated, but it was too weird. Taking a calming breath, I decided to give him a chance, "OK, I'm listening."

"Not over the phone. I think to believe me, you're going to need to see for yourself."

"So you're going to show me something at school tomorrow, that explains how you know about my dream?"

"Not at school, and I really don't want to wait until tomorrow. Please, can I come over and talk to you now?"

Geez, Mom would croak. It was way too late to have someone over; but he sounded anxious, and he'd never done anything to make me question him before.

"OK, but Mom's already asleep. I'll meet you on the front porch."

He made a sound of relief, "Thank you, Jolie. I'll be there in ten minutes."

"I'll be waiting."

Mark came out of the bathroom and caught me heading down the stairs. "What are you doing?" he whispered.

"I'm going to meet Ash on the porch," I whispered back. We were right outside Mom's door.

"Are you alright? You look upset."

I shook my head, "I'm fine. There's something weird going on with Ash. I don't know what his deal is, but he's coming over to explain."

"In the middle of the night?"

He had his eyebrows pulled down in concern, and I didn't want him to worry about anything, "It's OK, I'm sure it's nothing. Go back to bed, it's late."

"Alright, but if you need me, you know where I am."

"Thanks," I gave him a little smile, and went down the steps.

I slipped my chucks on at the front door. Too late I realized I wasn't dressed to hang out with Ash, but I wasn't going back upstairs to risk waking Mom. The cotton shorts and long sleeve tee I was planning on sleeping in would have to be good enough.

Shutting the door quietly behind me, I walked over to sit on the steps and wait. I thought about everything Ash said. What could he possibly have to show me?

I heard movement in the yard next to the house. Why was he coming from over there? I thought he would be coming from the street. Walking that way, I saw him in the shadows.

"Ash?" But when he stepped into the light, it wasn't him. "Umm, hi?"

A cloud of something shimmery was thrown at me. I waved it away from my face, and opened my mouth to speak, but I couldn't. Nothing came out. My lungs were on fire. My throat burned, and tears ran from my eyes. I turned to go back to the house. I needed help, fast.

My chest was heaving with effort, trying to get some air. It was too late, my legs wouldn't cooperate. I fell, nothing was working; I couldn't even put my arms out to catch myself.

The side of my head bounced off the wooden porch, and that was it. The sparkles of light stopped, and everything went dark.