We've been here for a while. I'm not sure if it's been a few days or a week. Everything has blended together.

I sit outside, dewy grass tickling my legs. Teresa's garden is breathtaking. Vivid colors surround me, sweet odors invading my nose. A strong breeze flutters over me and I embrace the cooler weather. It reminds me of home, of playing out in the cold with Ash and my dad.

No tears are left to shed for nostalgia. So, I simply enjoy the nature around me. I feel as though it took an unfortunate situation to make me appreciate things more. I definitely appreciate my friends and their loyalty more. Also, the simplicity of nature, the convenience of electricity, and tasty food.

Flowerbeds encircle the yard, the flowers waving their greeting. A large tree stands in the middle, offering me shade from the glaring sun. Although it drops the temperature, I enjoy leaning against its trunk, rough bark against my back. Leaves and branches form an intricate canopy, slightly swaying with the breeze.

"It's beautiful out here, isn't it?"

I glance up at a grinning Teresa. Worn garden mits cover her hands and she grips a faded red pair of pliers. "Too bad I don't have much water to spare for them."

"Hey, you still tend to the plants! You've done a fabulous job so far!" I praise, slightly shivering from the cool.

She shrugs, the grin never leaving her face. "Thanks, Autumn."

I smile. "Yeah. I love it out here!"

She turns to leave, then spins back around to face me. "Do you want to help me tend the garden?"

I nod, barely giving her offer a second thought before accepting. Hurriedly, I hop to my feet and follow an eager Teresa to the flower beds.

Teresa points to the weeds shooting through the dirt. "If you want, you can yank up the weeds. I don't have anything fancy for that, nor another pair of gloves. I understand if you don't want to get your hands dirty, but-"

"I don't mind," I smile, cutting her off.

Her smile shines brighter than the sun, a strand of hair blowing into her face. The sun shines against her back, making her golden hair seem like an ethereal glow. "Thanks a bunch! Once you're done, you can move onto the next. It might take a while, but I'll happily chat with you!"

I nod, enjoying her company. Oddly, Teresa and I have gotten along well the last few days. At least, I think it's been days. When I was younger, I never imagined I'd befriend her. I never thought I'd come to her when I was running from the government. Yet, here I am.

However, I don't regret this experience. Oddly, if my Chip hadn't fallen out, I wouldn't have gained a lot of things. I wouldn't have Cody, Eva or Jared. I wouldn't be in this wonderful garden and I wouldn't know the matured Teresa. Plus, I feel like I've grown with this experience.

Man, my outlook on things have changed, and it's all thanks to Cody and my friends.

"So," Teresa begins, snipping away at a small plant, "you and Cody."

I blush, wrapping my fingers around a weed and giving it a tug. It easily comes loose, dirt flying in the air. "We're not officially anything."

She nods, tossing a dead branch to the ground. "You're just two teens that have fallen in love in the worst of times."

"I wouldn't call it love."

"What would you call it, Autumn?"

I jump, dirt-covered hand flying over my heart. "Darn it, Jared! You scared the heck out of me!"

He chuckles, lowering himself onto the grass. He crosses one leg over the other, making himself comfortable. "You see, I was thinking the same thing about Eva and I. You know, the whole love thing."

My eyes widen, my weed-pulling job momentarily forgotten. "Do you love her, Jared?"

His icy eyes avoid mine, speaking volumes.

"You do, don't you?"

He shrugs. "Now isn't the time for romance, Autumn. We're barely even a thing. I mean, we kissed, admitted we liked each other later on, and now, I don't know."

I smile, finding this adorable. "Just tell her, Jar. From the way she looks at you, I think she loves you back."

"What if she doesn't?" He whispers, glancing up at with with glassy eyes. His fingers wrap around blades of grass, gripping onto them like a baby would a security blanket. "I don't know if I could handle that type of rejection."

"Well, would you rather have her know, or not have her know and not be able to take that step in your relationship?" Teresa buds in.

Jared sighs, running a hand down his face. "You're right. Thanks, Teresa."

"No problem," she responds, still working on perfecting her garden.

As Jared stands to walk back into the house, Eva rushes out. Her eyes are wide and her long hair slaps her in the face. Panting, she stops in front of us, inches away from Jared, who looks alarmed.

"Ev, what's wrong?" He questions, his back facing us as he turns to his girlfriend.

"We're out of food!" Eva sighs. "And water." Her hair clings to her face, water droplets dripping to the ground.

"Did you use the last our water to wash your hair?" Jared grumbles, his voice rising.

"I'm sorry! I felt gross, okay?"

I reach to touch my greasy mess of hair, which hangs lifeless against my skull. The oil has started to clog the pores on my face, yet I've used all my willpower to refrain from bathing. Even my body is full of sweat and collected dirt. Anger rises within me as well, but is soon replaced by fear. How are we supposed to get more supplies? Is this it? Are we going to die from starvation and dehydration?

"We needed that to live," I slowly growl, rising to my feet. Then, I let out a sigh, forcing myself to calm down. It's just the fear talking. "I understand why you did it, Ev. But didn't you think of the consequences?"

Her shoulders slump, hair hiding her face. "Please don't be angry! I thought we had more, I swear!"

"I can't believe I'm dating a selfish brat!" Jared yells, storming off towards the house.

"Jar! Wait!" Eva sobs, attempting to rush after him.

I sigh, grabbing her arm and tugging her towards me. Instead of fighting, she slumps against me, tears streaming down her face. My heart sinks as I spin her around, pushing her hair away from her eyes.

"Ev, it's okay. He'll cool off eventually. He's a rich boy, remember?" I lamely attempt to joke. "He's not used to water not being handed to him on a silver platter."

She shrugs me away, fire in her gaze. "That's not funny, Autumn!" She honestly sounds like a pouting five-year-old. "I screwed up our relationship over water!"

"Relax!" Teresa exclaims, causing me to turn towards her.

"How can we relax?" Eva screams.

"There's an abandoned store down the street I sometimes get supplies from," Teresa calmly responds.

"Tell me where it is and I'll go!" I offer, eager to get out of this confinement.

Teresa shakes her head, a sad smile plastered on her face. "You're the one they're looking for, remember?"

"I'll go. You know, since I used the last of the water," Eva mumbles from behind me.

Teresa claps her hands together, passing by me and heading towards Eva. "Okay. But you can't go alone. We'll assemble of team of people to get some supplies."

As they chatter on, I refuse to turn around. The situation is so serious, I can't even go with them to get water. Now, Jared is upset with Eva! Why do bad things happen to good people and couples?

I have no tears left to shed, so I go back to tugging on weeds. Pushing my negative thoughts away, I once again wrap my fingers around a weed and tug. Each little sprout gets removed, my meticulous work succeeding in distracting me.

The sliding door opens and closes, signaling Eva and Teresa have gone inside. A rather long weed sticks out to me, hidden among the flower stems. Quietly humming to myself, I grit my teeth, tugging with extra force. The stubborn weed pulls free of the dirt, flying to the ground beside me.

Once that flower box is finished, I move onto the next. Dirt cakes under my fingernails, causing me to feel filthy. However, I ignore the feeling, continuing the pull. My hair flies into my face, yet I refuse to touch it with my filthy hands. So, I attempt to dislodge it with my elbow. grunting at the effort.

Suddenly, my hair is pushed back for me.

"Want some help, there?"

I sigh, scooting over. "Knock your lights out, Cody."

"You alright?" He queries, ripping a perfectly healthy flower from the bed.

"Cody!" I shriek, slapping his arm. "Pull the weeds and dead flowers, not the healthy ones!"

"My bad," he mutters, elbow brushing against mine as he works. "What happened to Eva and Jared?"

I sigh, relaying the story to him. As we continue to work, moving onto the next flowerbed, worry grows within me. I hope nothing happens to them.

"So, um, what are we?" I whisper, tossing another weed to the ground. Since Teresa brought it up, I think I need an answer.

Cody stiffens beside me, halting in the middle of tugging a weed. "Well," he slowly draws, turning to face me, "we're whatever you want to be."

I smile, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders as I stare into his hazel eyes. They radiate solace, comfort, and safety. I feel like glancing into his eyes is the eye of the hurricane, corny as that sounds. "Well, do you want to be my boyfriend, Cody?" I question, relaxing against the grass.

"I don't know," he teases, leaning forward and connecting our lips. "Is that a valid answer?" He smiles as soon as he pulls away.

All my worries disappear as I rapidly nod. When he leans in for another kiss, I push him away, gesturing to the flowerbed in front of him.

"It's time to work, not kiss," I laugh, reaching towards the dirt once again.

Cody pouts. "You're so mean."

I grin, tossing my dirt covered weed at him. "How mean am I now?"

And that's how we both end up covered in dirt, our dire situation completely forgotten.