I wake up exhilarated and ecstatic. I jump out of  bed and pull on the first outfit I see. Well, that's actually less than accurate. If I had actually trusted myself to pick out an outfit at (checking my watch) 7 AM after only sleeping about 3 or 4 hours, I would end up looking like my little sister Mandy. I glance over at her, who, as usual, is on her computer playing Minecraft. So antisocial. I look at myself in the mirror, satisfied with my decision to pick out my outfit out before the party last night. That school party was awesome, because all of the teachers and most of the other kids went home after 12:05. After about an hour, it was pretty much cleared out because everyone cooler than us had gone elsewhere and the rest of all people had gone home already. So all that was left was me, Rafael, Rodney, Tasha, Lila, Juan, Sadie, Adam, Tracy, Owen (the product of Tracy's midnight), and Jojo. I mostly spent the entire night (Or, I guess I could say, morning) trying to force  Rafael to dance, and mostly failed but ended up succeeding after about 2 and a half hours.  I guess it's better than the dance everyone went to a million years ago back at the beginning of middle school, where I spent 4 hours trying to get Rafael to dance and failed the whole time. I think this time he was just too tired to keep disagreeing. Well, at least I got him to dance! We danced the night away, and everyone just had the times of their lives. While everyone else thought the best part of the night was the dancing and just light, funny conversation, my favorite part was just being there next to Rafael, my  hand forever clasped in his. It's just about the best thing I've ever felt, just pure joy and absolutely nothing else.

I walk into McDonald's and find our booth. Juan and Tracy are already there, along with Rodney and Sadie. This is pretty much everyone without their dates... I actually like this group better because I get the person, not their alter ego that only comes out around certain people. What? Don't judge me! I bet I'm the same way! I respect the fact that people probably feel the same way about me. I walk over to our booth and plop down next to Sadie, in my spot next to the wall (we're all very particular about where we sit) and pull out my iPod.

when r u coming? I text Rafael. Not even 5 seconds later, it dings. I smile, satisfied.

soon

>:-( b more specific

sooner than u think

Sadie taps me on the shoulder, and I look up. "What?" Sadie giggles."Look up!" I tilt my head all the way up to the sky and find... not the sky! But better! "Hi, Rafael," I grin, scooching over so he can sit next to me. Sadie understands, or at least acknowledges the fact that she can get a better spot. She jumps up, overjoyed because Adam's there. They grab the booth next to our usual one so they can have a bit more space. Understandable. As everyone slowly trickles in, I find myself just completely overjoyed by the fact that Rafael's just here, and he knows, and he doesn't hate it at all. I smile up at him, and he smiles back. As I see Jojo come in through the door, (she's always the last one here. She calls it "fashionably late, but I call it lazy) I hop up so I can get my large chocolate milkshake with whipped cream and sprinkles. My parents would never let me get this at home. But ever since 6th grade when they finally  let me start coming here by myself with my friends, this has been my tradition. Juan's parents gave in at 4th grade, and Sadie has been coming here since 2nd or 1st, even, with her best friend since they were really little. I mean, our town is super tiny, and there's no crime at all. I don't get why they're so worried! It's not like I'm irresponsible or anything. I can take care of myself. I walk over to the counter and pull out 2 ones, handing them to the cashier without even having to order. I come here a lot. Everyone knows me here. As I wait for my food, I notice that Rafael has followed me over here. "Hey." I look up at him. He really isn't that tall, but I kind of have to look up at everyone according to the fact that I'm still only 4'6". Wonder when my growth spurt will come? "Hey, you." He smiles back. As I grab my milkshake and slide back into the booth, I automatically start giggling with my friends in one of our many inside jokes that aren't the most sense-making. Rafael slides in next to me, casually, as if he does this all the time. (He doesn't, by the way.)

As we're all laughing our heads off and having fun, I hear it. bang. It's so faint I'm sure no one else could ever hear it, but I do. And I know that Sadie hears it too, judging by the fact that she suddenly covers her ears and pinches her face worriedly. I go over to her booth. "Did you hear it too?" I whisper in her ear. She nods. "What do you think it could be?" She asks softly. But I know that she knows that I don't know, and she doesn't, either. But the one thing we can both agree on is that it's something dangerous. bang. There it is again. Sadie and I both know that it happening again is not a good sign, so I begin to gather up everyone and lead them out of McDonalds. bang. Uh oh. It's getting louder. Not good. Rodney's face is so pale he looks like he just saw a ghost. Actually, he looks more like the ghost. BANG. Everyone in the restaurant is screaming and running around, crazy and without a plan. We make it outside. "Look!" shouts Juan, hair whipping around and voice faint under the screaming of the fierce wind. I follow his finger until I see a pod. It has some kind of sign on it. I squint to read it. I think it says something like Train to Mills? I don't know, but all I do know is that it's very important to get into this pod. Rafael, Juan, and Lila are already running towards it, and they're almost there. I have to get there. I glance behind me, and see Sadie and Adam on my heels, along with Rodney and Tasha. I pound my legs with all of my might, disintegrating the dirt beneath me and knowing that I must get there to stay alive and okay. Now I'm only a few feet away. "GET IN!" Shouts Juan, holding his arm out for me. I pound my legs even harder, going faster than I have ever before. I race with all of my might, hoping to get there before these quiet bangs turn louder, and into something much more ominous.

JUST BECAUSE I'M MEAN, I'M GOING TO LEAVE OFF HERE. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED, AND I HOPE YOU WAIT FEVERISHLY FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER! MWAHAHAHAHA! (I WILL PUT IN ANOTHER CHAPTER, HOWEVER!) PLEASE PUT IN COMMENTS IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS! THANK YOU PEOPLESES FOR READING!