By the time we get home, mother is in the kitchen. I'm shocked to see that she is still here and not somewhere else. The possibilities are endless of where she could be, but being here is not one of the places I'd think of first. In fact, it beats last place of which she's with father living a happy marriage to this day.

Ryder runs off to the backyard, and I make my way to my room. I shut the door and face plant into my pillows. I feel as though I'm one of those girls from a cliché scene where the girl gets her heart broken on tv. If only this were actually tv. I frown at my thought.

Out of all the people I could've liked, it had to be him. He was the first person I learned I could get close to, and he made me think that I can get close to people without getting hurt like in the past. He accepted me for who I really am, but he didn't like me like I like him. I can't hate him for it, that'd be wrong, but I can hate her.

I can hate Alex for stealing him away from me. She deluded me this whole time into thinking I could trust her, but I really can't. While she's doing that, she plays with other people only to steal Vylad from me. She must've known I liked him. It hurts to know that she could've even hurt Ryder.

By now I'm standing in front of the very same mirror I had been standing in front of earlier today. If only it was eariler today where I didn't know about any of this. I was happy, but now I'm heartbroken, and my appearance shows it.

I touch my cheeks to notice that that are wet. Had I really been crying? Tears can show weakness, and I refuse to be weak. If only I could listen to myself as I watch more tears stream down my face.

"Stop crying," I tell my reflection. "Stop it right now," the tears continue to fall, and I grabbed harsh onto my hair. "Stop it! Stop crying Y/N! Quit being weak!"

A pitiful screams slips from my lips as I go on a slight rampage. "This is all her fault! I hate her! I hate her for making me so weak!" I yell as I push everything off of the dresser under the mirror and watch it fall to the floor.

"Stop being weak!" I yell, but I begin to stumble around until I fall onto my knees. I hold my head into my hands, and my hair shields myself from the outside. I begin to choke on my words. "Y-You're weak. . ."

My door opens harshly, and Ryder runs into the room in panic. He sees me and screams out my name, but it feels like I'm alone.

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

The next day comes quicker than I would would have liked it to, and it seems to be dragging on as well. Although the school day has ended, and I am getting situated with my locker, I can't wait for the day itself to actually be over.

That's when an arm slips around my waist.

"What are you doing right now?"

I roll my eyes at the sound of Laurance's creepy, breathy, whisper. I wonder if I should start to listen to Ryder's advise of not being with the Zvahls now or. His thought on Laurance may of have changed, and I shouldn't not like him because of what his sister did. That would be wrong.

"I'm currently listening to you sounding like a kidnapper," I shut my locker and turn around leaning on it. I look at Laurance with a lifted eyebrow and slight smirk. "Why? What do you have in mind?"

"A simple hang out. We could walk around somewhere if you'd like."

"I'd like that."

He takes my back and slings it over his shoulder. I begin to argue that I can carry my own backpack, but he refuses trying to tell me that he's a big boy. When I still argue that I can carry my backpack, he tells me that he's strong and flexes his arms.

I cringe at this.

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

There's one thing that I like about Laurance besides his personality and ablity to make me smile even if I'm sad, and that is how he knows the perfect places to hang out.

Slipping off my flats, I place them near the bottom of the tree to stay dry. I watch where I step when I start to walk towards Laurance who is currently wading in the water of a little pond her brought me to.

It's a gorgeous place tucked away from the main parts of town, and I can tell that not many people know about her. About the poud stands a few thicker branches, and it look likes people could jump off of them into the lake below. There's wild flowers scattered around, and there's some around the pond.

It feels as though this place has a story, or a meaning. It hasn't been destroyed by others, and it's peaceful and enjoyable to be at. The air is clean and smells like true nature. Hopefully I'll remember how to get back here when we leave. I'd love to bring Ryder here, or I'd even love to come back with Laurance here. If the two ever stop budding heads on everything, the three of us could come here. We could even possibly bring Vylad here. Stop Y/N, I think. Stop thinking about him. You need to get over him. You can't be with him now that he's with her.

I walk in to around mid calf and laugh at the sight of Laurance's pants folded over his knees and oddly folded again mid thigh so the end of the pants end just above his knees.

"Very attractive," I tell him, sending him a thumbs up. He walks over grabbing onto my hands pulling me further into the water until it touches the bottom of my knees. Laurance brings me into a hug, that I return, and he rocks us side to side. When he finishes being silly, we continue to wade. "What's up with this place? Why'd you bring me here of all places?" I ask him with a smile.

"I like to bring some people here. It really depends who you are and who close we are. I like to think that we're closer now, and I trust you. I haven't brought many people here. I haven't brought Garroth because he simply wouldn't appreciate the beauty and calmness this place gives. I've brought Alex and Vylad here, but not Cadenza. I'm not as close to Cadenza as I am to Alex."

My nose wrinkles at the sound of Alex's name. He doesn't notice my discomfort though, and he walks out of the water pulling back down his pants legs leaving behind places with little water spashes and awkward wrinkles.

It's now that I notice that he's aready taken off his jacket for the school uniform, and it's lying in a small pile on the ground next to the tree with his tie, shoes, and socks.

I make my way back to Laurance, and he starts to put his socks and shoes back on. I follow his lead and soon enough he motioning to the tree.

"Wanna climb it?" Suddenly my eyes widen at his question. I haven't climbed a tree in forever. The last time I climbed a tree was when I was nine. "I'll help you. Besides, it's not like I'd let you fall."

I let him help me climb the tree and soon we're sitting on a sturdy tree branch together looking out over the little secret hideout. His arm is around my waist to ease my fear of falling, but I can hear him take a deep sigh.

"Y/N, I really like you. Like, really really like you. And now. . . I've learned that I have a crush on you," Laurance rushes out. My breath hitches at his words, and I don't say anything while he talks. "But the thing is, I don't want you to help us with the missions. It's too dangerous. When I saw you at the last mission, I nearly went to beat the shit out of Charlie for going behind mine and Ryder's back after he promised that he wouldn't let you do any missions or even join."

"And what happens if I want to join you guys on the missions? My brother is doing them. Is he not? Why can't I?"

"Because I forbid it," he quickly demands. "And you will not do them under both Ryder and my eyes. Do you hear me? It's too dangerous, and we don't want you to get hurt."

I begin to climb down rushed ignoring his pleads for me to stop. Looking around, I make sure I have everything with me and leace before glancing at Laurance one last time.

"I like somebody else, so I'd hate to burst your bubble. And for both your's and Ryder's information, you can't stop me from doing those missions."

I run off.

I run all the way to where Charlie is. I can remember where he is after the few times I've been here. Somebody tries to stop me from walking further inside the building, but they stop once they realize who I am.

I knock on his door, and an annoyed voice tells me to come in. Once I do and shut the door behind me, his tone changes into a happier sound.

"What can I do you for you Y/N?"

"I want to join. I want to do the missions."

He smiles at me. I know I've told him what he's been wanting to hear, but nobody can tell me what to do. I've lived with people telling me what too do for too long. I want to do what I want for once.

"That's amazing," he exclaims. "I'll make sure to tell the others when I assign them their next mission."

"Oh no," I interject, smirking. "Let it be a surprise for them."

He nods his head and tells me he'll send me the information the day of separately than the others.

I smile bidding him a good afternoon and night and make my leave.

I feel victorious walking down the streets to my house. It all feels brand new. The air seems fresher, and the sky is bluer. Maybe it's just me, but it's all so different, and I love it.

That's all until it all changes, and it all goes black.