Shivering along, as my body absorbed the coldness in the air, I walked down the dark and foggy trail that boasted arches of intertwined dead tree branches hugging one another for support.

I didn't know where I was going or why, but I knew I had to keep moving.

As I kept walking, I could feel my bare toes mash between the dead leaves that covered the path.

Arriving near the end, I could see the dark silhouette of a figure standing, waiting for me. My breath began to quicken and I could hear the throbbing vibration of my heart beating through my chest. A single word came out of the unknown figure.

One beautiful symphony—"Gracie."

I snapped my head back from my desk, gasping for a breath. All eyes were on me.

"So good of you to join us, Gracie. Did you have a nice nap?" asked Mrs. Mary, her arms folded as she stood in front of the class.

My head was still a bit hazy, trying to comprehend where I was. "Sorry," clearing my throat as it begged for some water.

The giggles soon faded, and Mrs. Mary continued her lessons. I looked over towards my best friend, Ana, who was grinning at me with all of her pearly whites. She was really enjoying this.

Ana and I had been best friends since we were little. She was my "ride or die" chick.

I initially did not want to take this class for my junior year, but Ana wanted to learn how to cook. Add that to the fact that senior boys were in the class and she didn't want to pass that up.

"Now everyone, I would like you to open your books to page 304. We are going to make deviled eggs; it is all about the persistence of how long you leave the eggs in the boiling water. Tomorrow, we will make homemade pasta noodles, how exciting!" Mrs. Mary said with a grin that curved high towards her eyes.

Her expression reminded me of my first grade teacher who told us we were going to make a snowman for our parents.

Mrs. Mary's thin straight hair was parted down the middle, making her face much longer than it should be. She also dressed in a style that was outdated since the 60s. But, she was kind and enjoyed doing what she does best, showing delinquents how to cook.

Ana nudged me and passed a note.

Me, Blair & Prue are going to Starbuck's tomorrow after school, want to come??

P.S. Mr. Sexy Senior Boy SAM can't keep his eyes off you.

How long has it been? Like 10th grade since you two have spoken.

It's fate!

I sighed and looked across the room to see if Sam really was staring at me. Sure enough, his baby blues were gazing right at me as if he'd been doing so for a while.

His blonde hair hung down a little past his ears, longer than last year's hairstyle. He looked good; it suited him.

As we locked eyes, he immediately focused his gaze onto the cookbook in front of him.

He was your typical popular jock, being the star quarterback. He had a charm that could appeal a blind girl.

I had a huge crush on him all of last year. Things were good and we were starting to get to know each other—until the incident happened.

Let's just say he's on my shit list... for like, ever.

I turned the paper over and grabbed my pencil.

Why don't you just text me werdo?

Yeah I'll go with you guys.

And NO! I don't think its fate.

Its punishment!

I passed the letter back to an eager Ana as I heard the crinkling sound of paper being opened.

"Just forgive him already," she whispered in a loud kind of way.

Before she could continue, Mrs. Mary looked towards us.

"Is there anything you would like to share with the class?" she announced, focusing on Ana.

"No, Mrs. Mary," Ana said. She tried to hide the note under her arm, but it was too late.

The clacking and pounding of the teacher's heels sounded serious. As she reached us, she stared down upon Ana with her hand out in front of her.

"The note Ana!" Mrs. Mary said.

My brows shot up and my palms began sweating.

All the possibilities of what our teacher would do, if the note were in her hands, came flashing in front of me.

One, read it aloud for the entire class to hear—including Sam! Two, put the letter in a glass silver picture frame and hang it on her wall next to her kitty poster that says 'Have a perrrfect day!' and leave it there forever! Or three, give it to Sam personally and walk away cackling a horrifying witch's laugh like in The Wizard of Oz.

Okay, I might be exaggerating a little on the last two, but still, it could happen.

"Ana, the letter. Now, please," Mrs. Mary continued.

Ana looked my way as if I knew what she should do. My brows furrowed as I anticipated what was going to happen. This was exactly why we should have just texted.

She reached from under her arm and slowly pulled out the folded piece of paper.

Before Mrs. Mary could reach for it, Ana shoved it in her mouth and started chewing on it.

The whole class gasped. Some cheered and laughed.

My hands went up to my mouth trying to hide the smile on my face. Ana looked at me and winked.

Ride or die.

∞

As the last bell rang, Ana and I walked out of detention. Not only did we have to write an essay about our actions, but we also had to wear this horrible neon green vest and pick up trash around the campus.

Thank God, we were only there for last period.

"I can't believe you ate the note!" I said, shaking my head.

"I was hungry," she smirked. "You know you could have lied about being part of the note."

"Hell no!" I wrapped my arm around her neck. "I wasn't going to let you have all the fun."

Ana stared at her phone. "My mom said she's out front."

"Okay. Be sure to tell me how your great aunt is doing," I teased.

"Oh, what a joy!" she said sarcastically.

Ana and her mom were going to her aunt's house today after school. They had invited me one time before—once was enough for me. The house smelled of stale cigarettes and ancient perfume and she had three Chihuahuas that were all ankle bitters. I was glad I didn't have a great aunt.

Walking to my car, I suddenly had the strange urge to look around me. The hair on the back of my neck was standing up as this uneasy feeling came over me, as if something bad was about to happen. I waited as the tension built up inside.

"Hey! How did that note taste for Ana!"

Peter's voice made my entire body jolt back as he shouted from the car driving by. I could see Sam's head peeking out from the other side.

My immediate reaction was to yell back. "You scared the shit out of me!"

"Savage!" he shouted, laughing as they sped off. I placed my hand on my chest as I tried to regain my composure. He really startled me.

Peter was the school's own personal fool who always managed to find his way into detention. Today, surprisingly, wasn't one of those days.

As I continued my way toward the car door, I stopped for a brief moment. I realized that same uneasy feeling was still there. Goosebumps raised the tiny hairs along my arms. I looked around once more before getting in my car and speeding off.

I could smell the aroma of sweet tomatoes and garlic. "Hey Mom, you making your lasagna tonight?"

"Yes, Sweetie!" she shouted across the living room, peaking her head out from the kitchen. "I'm glad you're home. Can you put the plates on the dining room table? The forks and knives too please," she added.

Placing my books and bag on the floor, I walked over to the kitchen.

Having dinner with my mom and Dan was always nice; it made me feel included. Not saying I was never included in anything, but to adjust from it being just mom and me, to having to share my time with her, was not an easy adjustment.

Dan was a really nice and patient type of guy and he made my mom happy. I guess that's all that mattered.

I don't really know much about my biological dad. He left when I was still a baby. I was beginning to think he didn't exist, as if he was a ghost, because I couldn't find anything that belonged to him. I got lucky one day and found a picture in the cracks of the wood floor underneath my mom's bed. Ana and I were little kids then and had been playing hide-and-seek.

It was a picture of him—just him in the woods near a cabin. He looked happy and peaceful in that photo.

There was no date or name or any info on the back of the picture, but I knew it was my dad.

I never asked or showed my mom the picture because I knew it would bring back wounded memories of the day he left us.

I tried desperately to find that cabin behind him. I hoped maybe there would be more info there or maybe, him. I gave up after a few tries. I concluded that since he left without saying why, I wouldn't put any more effort into it than he did.

I set the china plates with the silver forks and knives on the pearl colored tablecloth as my mom cut up the cheesy lasagna and placed a slice on each of the plates.

"Sweetheart, can you get the salad bowl?" she pointed.

I could hear the front door as loud thumps vibrated through the wooden floors.

Setting his tools aside, Dan kissed my mom's cheek and sat down at the table. "Just in time for dinner!" he said, grinning from ear to ear.

Dan was a plumber, and he loved his job. I don't know why but people have their certain itch and his turned out to be fixing other people's pipes, and hey, he was pretty good at it.

He had scruffy brown hair and a wild beard to match. He kind of looked like wolverine but not in a sexy type of way, and definitely not a six-pack, more like a keg.

"So, Gracie, how was school?" Dan asked.

"It was alright... pretty boring," I lied, as a flashback of the note pushed through my thoughts.

"Your day, boring? I hardly doubt that," he smirked.

"It's school. What do you expect? To be filled with joy when a teacher gives me an assignment?" I sassed as I bit into the lasagna. Its bittersweet flavors penetrated my taste buds and reminding me how much I actually enjoyed my mom's cooking.

He shook his head. "Man, oh man! What I would do to go back to high school."

I raised my eyebrows. "You? Go back to high school, old man? You do know that math has equivalated to a much higher standard." I took a drink off my iced tea. "Oh, and there's no such thing as dinosaur writing. I mean... cursive writing." I bit my lip trying not to laugh.

"Who you calling old!" he said, grabbing a scoop of his food with his spoon and aiming it my way.

"You wouldn't dare." I said, hesitating to make a move.

"No! No, not again," my mom intervened. "Put the spoon down, Dan. I'm not about to clean this dining room again after the last time you two got crazy."

Not breaking eye contact, I scooped a spoonful, aiming his way.

"I'm still cleaning up after the last time." She sighed. "What is it with you two, wanting to start a food fight with pasta?" She pointed her fork at me and then toward Dan. "I'm serious! I won't cook pasta in this house again if you both don't stop it right now."

"He started it!" I pointed at Dan.

"No, she did!" Dan said, finally setting the spoon down.

"No more from either of you two. Now, eat your food. I put a lot of hard work into feeding you heathens." She smirked as she focused on her food, barely holding back her own laughter.

Dan and I smiled at each other. We made a silent agreement to a truce—for now.

After we finished dinner, I headed upstairs to my room to finish up a pile of homework. I looked at my phone and noticed a text from Ana.

AnaBanana: You are so lucky you don't have a great aunt like mine! One of those little mutts peed on my shoe!

Me: Lol I think they just marked you as their territory. Those ankle bitters own you now.

I laughed to myself and pressed send.

Hours had passed, and I was working on U.S. History homework, studying the Revolutionary War. My eyes got heavier as I tried to keep concentrating on my book.

A dark silhouette figure swayed my direction. As he got closer, his dark shadow was overcast on me like the nights sky. Chills ran down my spine as the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Even though I was frightened, I wanted him. I needed to see him. As my dazed eyesight tried to focus, his bright green luminous eyes became clear. He was gazing at me intensely. Gulping air, I could see the fog created by my breath and I could feel my body start to shake. It became colder as he got closer to me. Reaching his hand out, he spoke one word—one soft, cold, beautiful word—"Gracie."

Catching my breath as I awoke, beads of sweat rolled down my forehead. I realized I had passed out on top of my books at my desk. I looked at the time, 4:31 am. Taking a deep breath, I wiped my face and changed into my PJs. I dragged my tired body into bed but my restless mind kept replaying that deep dark voice in my head.