I look at the mirror again, knowing it doesn't matter but all of a sudden it does. I fix my hair again, which is not obeying the commands of the straightening iron, and give myself one last look. Well, I guess this is about as good as I'm going to get! I skip down the stairs ("What's the point of walking when you can skip instead?" Sadie, 2015) and into my dad's car, pulling the door behind me without a second glance. I slip my reading light out of my bag and start reading. (Hey! I'm not there yet, so I'm not technically being antisocial!) After what seems like only 2 seconds of reading, my dad calls, "We're here!" successfully scaring me enough to jump and hit my head on the car door roof. Oh, well. "Bye, Dad!" As I make my way to Mr. Hagadore's room, I check my watch. Only 8:30. So. Long. Until. Midnight. As I continue to walk, it gives me a second to realize that I brought my book with me. Oh, well! As I flip to my page and start read-running (the faster way to read-walk), I get so caught up in the story that I run over Juan for the second time today. Well, technically he ran over me the first time, but still. "Hey, Juan! I feel like this has all happened before.." I joke lightheartedly, knowing that later will be anything but lighthearted. He smiles back, and I know he's thinking the same way. I guess this is just how it is with your oldest friends. I give him a little wave, and we both continue on our ways. Mental note: never run around Juan. I continue to read-walk (I'm definitely not going to run this time) until I reach Mr. Hagadore's room. Guess it's all or nothing! I push the door open, glancing st the clock. Still only 8:45. So... Long... Till... Midnight...

I purposely avoid everyone, especially Rafael, the next hour and a half. I'm pretending to read (something I NEVER do) while planning my crucial ten minutes. By the way, I've never really deliberated how this whole thing works! Basically, it works like this. Each new years eve, for the last five minutes of one year and the first five of the next, people basically can do whatever they want. All they have to do is take the injection, and everything that happens in your experience stays in your experience. Each person has a different experience, and every person in their little ten minute world reacts exactly like they would in real life. After those ten minutes, the main character of their landscape will come out of it and back into the real one. After discovering the result, the person can then try it in real life if it works out. I mean, of course you have people like George who will try to burn down the school, but that kind of experimenting is monitored, to make sure it doesn't actually happen. "Dawn? Daaaawn! Dawn?" I'm jostled out of my thoughts for the second time today. "What?" I snap, looking at Rafael with my best stink eye. "You've been ignoring everyone all night and pretending to read! Are you feeling okay?" Rafael feels my forehead. I stick my tongue out at him. "I'm FINE!" He knows I'm fine. Just being annoying as usual... Yet it's so cute... ANYWAYS... I bat his hand away and glare at him. He gets the message, but has to ask for more information, like always. "Why are you ignoring everyone?" He asks again. "I'll tell you at midnight!" Ha! I can be annoying too! It's time for Rafael to give me the stink eye while everyone laughs. Everyone knows that there's no consequences at midnight. This one, special midnight that comes only once a year.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EATING! I MEAN... READING! I HAVE FOOD ON THE MIND... HOPE YOU ENJOYED @summerlily1 AND OTHER STALKERS WHO READ EVERY CHAPTER! GIVE ME SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO FIX THE STORY IF YOU HAVE ANY! ~meliketosmile4