"But hold that for a minute." I said to him. "I just have to call someone." I excused myself and went outside the fast food chain to answer the call.

When I got out, the mall was packed with people. I had to excuse myself about ten times until I finally had a place where it wasn't too loud to answer a phone call.

I took out my phone and immediately dialed Ed's number to call him back.

While it was dialing, I was also thinking of possible reasons why Ed had called me. I probably looked weird with my thinking face, but I just really didn't focus on it.

I tried thinking for a reason, but only two possibilities came to my mind. It could've been an emergency, but it also could've been not. Maybe he had an emergency and needed me, or just wanted to check how I was doing. Yeah, it probably is an emergency.

Finally, he answered.

"Sidney." He said as soon he answered my call. There was a bit of alarm in his voice. That moment, I started to get nervous.

I heaved a deep breath before answering back. "Ed. Why did you call me?" I asked, though even I myself had hinted a tone of worry on my voice.

"You have to come home. Your mother's badly sick." He urgently said. I didn't need further explaination about my mother's condition and dropped the phone call.

I asked Kevin to drive me home, which he gladly said yes, and bid him good bye.

When I reached our doorstep, I hurriedly ran upstairs, my heart beating. If it's worst that I expect, I'll take her to the hospital. I said to myself.

I Still had projects to do, but I couldn't leave my mother. Bad or not, my mother is still sick. I had to take care of her.

When I pushed the door open, she was lying on her bed with a towel on her forehead. Ed was sitting on a chair beside her bed.

When he saw me, he stood up. "I came to hang out with you. I didn't know you were still with Kevin. When I got here she was lying on the floor." He explained.

I studied him and saw how exhausted he was. His face was sweaty and he looked really worried about my mother. With his blue eyes darting into mine, my body started to get weak. He really does care for my mother.

He may be strong and big and my mom is a little bit petite, but it would still be exhausting to take care of a sick person. No matter how strong a person is.

I couldn't help but feel thankful for Ed. My heart started to get warm inside me. My mom treated him like his own son, and I was glad that he treated her like her own mother as well.

"Thank you, Ed." I said. "I can take care of her now."

He nodded. "Okay." He said. "Just... Call me if you need help." He told me and walked out of the door.

As soon as the door closed. I sat down on the chair that Ed was sitting a while ago. I looked at mom.

Her lips were grayish, her skin was pale, her eyes were closed, and her face looked lifeless. Just this morning, she was smiling and walking around the house. It was such a surprise to come home and see her sick.

"Mmm." My mom muttered, though she was still asleep.

I touched her hand. "It's okay, mom." I assured her. "I'm here for you."

"Your father." She muttered again. I froze.

My father. Why would she mention my father? I asked myself. I know that she still believes that he loves her and I know for a fact that she loves him so much, but I still didn't understand why she would mention him. Especially now that's she's sick.

I gripped mom's hand tighter. "What about him, mom?" I asked her with my hands shaking. I didn't get any reply.

I didn't want to wake her up in her condition, so I decided to not ask her and just take care of her for the rest of the day.

About an hour later, her temperature got a little higher, so I called a nurse.

She said that she was just too exhausted and just needed some rest so she advised bed rest for my mom for three days. What I didn't get was why my mother was exhausted. Her work in her office isn't that exhausting and besides cooking, cleaning and the laundry, there's nothing else that's really gonna make her exhausted.

I wanted to ask her, but told myself to just wait until she's all better. I told myself to just take care of her for the mean time even though I was dying to ask her what had she been doing. Patience is a virtue, my mom once said to me.

...

"Good morning, class." Mr Johnson greeted with his hands on his pockets. He was wearing his usual face. The poker face face. "Today, I am going to assign you projects." He announced.

Murmurs started spreading around the room. I wasn't surprised. Mr. Johnson always gives us the hardest projects. Some students couldn't even pass it on the deadline. Some just make it passable just to pass something rather than nothing.

A low grade is better than getting a zero. Our class motto.

"Today is Monday, so the deadline will be on Wednesday." He said. His eyes looking at each of us, which makes us nervous every single time.

"Your project this week is going to be simple. So simple some of you might even do it in five minutes." He gleamed. It was actually pretty alien to see Mr. Johnson smile.

Everyone was surprised that our project was going to be simple. Mr. Johnson and simple doesn't really go with each other. Ever.

"Your project is going to be...... A poem." He announced.

I stared at him. A poem? Is he serious? The teacher who always gives us hard projects, assigns us to make a poem?

Everyone was looking at him, frozen. They were surprised just like me, I guessed.

"Uh-uh." He waved his finger as if saying not so fast. And that's when I said to myself uh-oh.

"This isn't an individual project. This is is going to be a partner project. And I would pick your partners."

Some screamed a "Yes!". Some clapped. Some groaned. I was one of those who groaned. I didn't care if it was a partner project, but gods of Olympus please make my partner a decent one.

I can always make a poem, even without my partner's help, but I just hoped that my partner wouldn't mind it. I didn't want to have a partner that I barely knew, then would be annoying while making the poem.

"So, these are your partners." Mr. Johnson said. He then started reading off some names in our class. All I could do was sit there and wait for my name to be finally called.

Ed nudged his elbow on me. "I hope you're my partner, Sid." He said.

I looked at him. "Why?" I asked him. Inside, I way yelling at Mr. Johnson to please let Ed and I be partners.

He gave me crook smile. Any kind of his smile that makes butterflies appear inside my stomach.

"Because you're good at making poems. So I don't have to do anything." He laughed.

I punched his arm. "Whatever, you dork." I shot at him. But I laughed as well.

Mr. Johnson read a bunch of names until he finally called mine. "Sidney Elizabeth Stewart." He called. He smiled at me, though I didn't know what it was for.

"You are going to be partnered with.... Micheal Parker." He said.

I groaned. I got partnered with Mike. The person who teased me when I got embarassed at class. Just the best luck ever.

I looked around to find him. I saw him at a corner, grinning at me like crazy. He had a cruel smile on his face, like he just won a race against me. Darn it. I cursed inside my head. He knew that I didn't want to get partnered with him.

"If he does anything stupid," Ed said to me. "Tell me and I'll teach him a lesson." He said.

I didn't know if I was supposed to be thankful because he obviously cared for me, or to get nervouse because he sounded scary the way he threatened to teach Mike a lesson.

"Okay." I only said.

I glanced at Mike once again. His goofy grin was gone. Instead, he was looking down like he was sad, which was unusual. I wanted to ask him what was wrong, but decided against it. It probably was just an act. He's an expert in acting.

"Dylan Edward Matthews." Mr. Johnson called. I looked at Ed. "You are going to be partnered with Mikayla Dela Rosa."

Ed looked relieved. He sighed and sat comfortably on his chair.

He didn't get me as his partner, but he did get Mikayla. She was a great poet. The best poet in class. No wonder Ed would be relieved. She was even better than I was.

"You're lucky with your partner." I whispered to him while Mr. Johnson read off the rest of names.

He beamed at me. "I know, right?" He said. Then he looked at me with disappointment. "But it's like you got the worst luck." He pointed his finger towards the direction where Mike was sitting.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Well, I can't do anything about it." I sighed. I honestly didn't know how to make a poem with Mike. It would probably just end up a disaster. "Maybe it won't be as horrible as we think." I told him, though I myself wasn't sure.

He shrugged. "I guess." He only said.

When Mr. Johnson finally finished reading all of the names, he asked us to talk with our partners for the rest of the class period. I wasn't psyched about it. Who would be if they were in my position?

"Hey, Sidney." He greeted as soon as he sat beside me. His goofy smile came back, all plastered on his face.

I just gave him a sarcastic smile and didn't greet him back. "So, about the poem," I started. "How about I make the poem, while you do nothing?" I suggested. I really hoped that he would agree.

He shook his head. "Let us not talk about that yet." He said. "I want us to talk about something else."

I raised my eyebrow. Talking about something with Mike other than our project was just plain scary. "What?" I asked anyway.

He gave me a sneaky grin. I started to get nervous. Then, he said, "Why don't we meet up tonight? Eat, then you know, maybe we can start the project?" He suggested. "But mostly eat. I know you love food."

I studied him to see if he was joking. Then I thought, Where was the Mike that teased me? Where was the Mike that makes the head of the teachers burst with Anger? Did he just leave for Texas and had been replaced with a much better clone or something?

But then my mind started thinking that maybe he was just playing with me. That maybe he had some horrible idea to prank me inside his head.

But Holy Hades, he was talking about food.

"Where?" I asked him. I still had second thoughts, but hey, maybe he just wanted to eat.

He made a thinking face. He suddenly smiled at me. "I know a place." He said. He took out a peice of paper and started writing an address. He gave it to me.

Before I could read it, the bell rang, so he bid me goodbye and walked away. Ed suddenly appeared beside me.

"How did it go?" He asked. He looked at me straight in the eyes, waiting for my answer.

I just shrugged. "Fine. Better than I expected, actually." I admitted. I really expected him to tease me to death. Glad I was still alive. "He asked me to eat with him tonight."

He raised an eyebrow. "Really?" He asked, his face telling me he wasn't happy about it. "Where?"

I read the paper that he gavel "Oh." I said with gleaming eyes. "We're eating at a place called Pizzanie." I said.

I didn't know the place, but the name it self just gave me the urge to go.

Ed scratched the back of his head. "I've never heard of that place. Where is it?" He asked.

I showed him the paper. "There's an address. I think I know where this street is." I said.

"Are you sure you're going? I can come if you want." He suggested. I wanted him to come, but I came to think that maybe Mike wouldn't like it if Ed's coming.

I shook my head. "No thanks, Ed." I said. "I can handle myself."

...

I was sitting on the bus, heading to the place where Mike said we would eat and make our poem. I was seated on the corner next to a guy that smelled like cigarettes and ginger combined. I had to cover my nose the whole ride.

I really didn't want and need to impress Mike or anyone, so I decided to just wear a maroon sweater and pants because it was chilly.

All I brought with me was my notebook, a pen, and my phone. And of course, money. And my body. And my dignity.

The bus finally stopped. I had to wait a few seconds until Mr. Gingerette leaves and I decided to leave as well. My nose ached from his smell. That guy needed some serious hygiene rehab.

I walked along the streets, trying to find a pizza parlor named Pizzania. I couldn't find any. But I still kept looking.

The moonlight was beautiful and lovely, the wind was making my skin tingle, and the vintage houses around makes me want to take a picture.

People were walking along the sidewalks and cars were moving along the streets, without much traffic so the noise was bearable.

I wanted to walk around for hours, but Mike was probably waiting for me on the parlor. So, I focused on finding the place.

I took out the piece of paper he gave to me to check if I was on the right street. I was.

I approached a walking citizen to ask where the pizza parlor was. "Excuse me, do you know where this is?" I asked an old lady that was walking alone wearing a floral dress and a sunny hat and showed her the paper with the address. It was night, so I didn't get what the sunny hat was for.

"Oh. Dear." She started. "There's no such place here." She told me with her old raspy voice.

"Are you sure?" I asked again.

She nodded. "I'm quite sure."

I said a thank you and walked away. I couldn't believe that there was no such place. Why would Mike tell me to come here? Did he plan this?

I decided to text Hailey to ask for Mike's number.

Do you have Mike's number?

I waited. Thankfully, she replied immediately.

Yes. Here. **********

I replied her a Thank You and texted Mike immediately.

There's no such place as Pizzania.

It took almost a minute before he finally replied. His reply was only one word but it made my blood boil up to the boiling point.

Oops.

"That jerk!" I screamed. Some citizens looked at me like I was a crazy person, but I didn't care. Mike tricked me. He tricked me to coming to this place I've never been and ditch me. Now I'm alone and have no idea where to go to.

I decided to walk around and find the bus station to go home. I walked and walked for almost an hour, but I had no luck.

I didn't know what else to do, so I decided to ask for Ed's help. I called him.

"Hello?" I greeted as soon as he answered.

"Hey Sidney." He greeted back. "Need any help?" He asked.

I sighed. "Can you pick me up? Mike tricked me into coming here. I don't know how to go home." I explained to him.

I crossed my fingers and wished that he would say yes. I really needed his help.

"Sorry." He apologized. "I'm with Aubrey right now. I can't." He said.

I stood there, frozen, like my world was shattered. Of course. He was with Aubrey. Again.

"Oh. Okay." I said with a shaky voice. I hoped that he wouldn't notice, but I guess he probably did. I immediately ended the call before he could say something else.

I took a deep breath. "Okay. I guess I have to find a way to get home by my self, then." I said to myself and walked.

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

Hey guys! :)

I have exams tomorrow, so the next update would probably be next week.

Oh, if I had some grammatical errors, please let me know. :)

Prom was great! Check my DP to see my dress. ;)

Until the next update!

Z.