If I was standing, I would have fallen to the ground. Already sitting, my body had settled with wide eyes and an open mouth. The slight pain in my head was nothing compared to the shock that someone was speaking to me inside my head- most likely the hacker.

My mind immediately went into panic mode. Could they read my thoughts? Did they know I had a fear of the dark? Did they know I didn't like my parents? Did they know I had a crush on-

"Kayla! What's wrong?" Sim asked urgently, shaking my shoulders. Everyone was still sitting where they were- everything was normal.

Other than the fact that I had a fear of people reading my mind. I always felt as if someone was in my head, as if that friendly look they were giving me was a judgemental one because they knew I was secretly thinking of shoving chocolate into my face during the nutrition portion of health class.

"I-I'm fine." I said. "I need to go take a walk."

Before they could protest, I jumped to my feet and rushed off. I didn't really know where I was going, I was just trying to calm my rushed thoughts and fast beating heart.

Which is why I nearly tripped over the tent.

"What are you doing here?" Andrew snapped, sitting in the entrance. Despite only having met him an hour ago, he seemed to be quite unhappy to see me. Was it just because of the toilet comment?

"Walking." I replied, just as coldly.

"I thought you were off eating blueberries and making flower crowns with Jess and your other friends." He said.

"I was... Wait, how'd you know about the blueberries?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows. "I thought you went to go throw a tantrum."

"I could hear you from here."

"Good. At least you aren't a eavesdropping creep."

Andrew huffed, getting to his feet and stretching his arms. "So, why're you walking away from all your friends?"

"Different reasons than why I'm walking away from you. You're just plain annoying." I said, only half joking as I smiled slightly at my own humour. (Which isn't weird. I find myself quite funny.)

"Come on, tell me. Maybe I'll give you some food."

"Why're you so curious?"

"Answer my question and I'll answer yours."

"I've been sent on a big mission by a hacker that's apparently really important." I said bluntly.

As I expected, he laughed. "A hacker? The scientists aren't that bad."

"They are, actually. I'm not joking." I wanted smack myself over the head. Now where had that part come from? I was supposed to let him think it was a joke!

He must've read my mind or something (plot twist- he's the hacker), because he went from lighthearted to serious. "What's the mission?"

I stayed silent for a minute. It really wouldn't be bad to tell him- he was a rich kid, he could help me. And I really wanted to spill the story to someone- I hated not having anyone to talk to about it.

"There's a hacker that wants me to stop the meeting of leaders for my own part of the world and they've made it sound really important and also they may or may not be able to speak in my head." I blurted out before I could think about it any longer.

"Wow. It's only day 2, Kayla." Andrew said after a small pause to process what I'd said.

"Really? That's your only comment?"

"Well, that and the fact that I'd like to help you."

"Why do you care?" I asked suspiciously.

He shrugged. "Because it sounds exciting. And it's a goal. I don't want to stay in this simulation for months with no purpose at all."

"Wow, and I was thinking you really wanted to be nice." I replied with an eye roll. Apparently my mission, which I considered important, was just entertainment for him.

"Just appreciate it. It's not often I help people."

"I figured that out myself." I said, starting to walk back across the field, realizing I had walked all the way to the tree line.

"Where are you going?" He exclaimed, grabbing my arm. "We need to prepare to travel a bit, maybe track down some glitches or something. That's our best bet of getting back to the real world and stopping the meeting."

"Glitches will be impossible to find. Anyways, Sim, Jess, and Mark are most likely coming too. I've gotta go tell them what's going on, then at the very least invite them."

He immediately shook his head. "No way. We'll never get to the real world with five people. That's way too noticeable."

"I need to at least explain stuff. They're my friends." I said, determined to go back to across the field as I yanked my arm away. I had told him everything, and I trusted them a lot more. Besides, I couldn't just disappear on them.

"You've known them for a little over a day, and Jess for only an hour."

"I've known you for only an hour too- less, really, because we haven't actually spent the time getting to know each other." I pointed out.

"Fine, but they better not insist on coming."

I just turned away, walking back towards the stream. Though I didn't want to say no, he was right. Wow, can't believe I had admitted that, even in my head. But it was true- a group of five people escaping the simulation would be easily spotted. Didn't mean I was going to listen to everything he said, though.

"Kayla! There you are!" Jess called, waving me over excitedly. "Sim and Mark went to see if there was any shelter in the woods, and I was all lonely here."

"They seem to be going off alone together quite a lot..." I said, attempting at humour even though I was as mopey as I had been earlier that day. And soon enough I wouldn't have Sim to cheer me up- I'd be leaving these three to go on a mission from a hacker. A hacker. Why was I trusting this again?

Now was not the time to start second guessing my decision to at least try and do this.

"They're pretty cute." She giggled. Noticing my sour expression, she became a bit more serious. "What's up?"

"The sky."

"Seriously, Kayla, what's wrong?"

I sighed. "Am I really that easy to read?"

She smiled. "Maybe."

Accepting my fate as an open book, I sat down next to her. "I'll tell you when Sim and Mark get back."

They arrived a few minutes later, but instead of being their usual cheerful selves, they were running towards us, looking scared. "Run!" Mark yelled.

Neither of us questioned it, jumping to our feet and taking off. Who knew what scary thing could be attacking them in the woods?

Five seconds later, I glanced back to see it. It looked like... A tiger? In the middle of a normal forest?

"Hurry up!" I yelled back at them, terrified at how close it was to the two. I had to turn before I could see anything more behind me, as we had reached the tree line. Death by tree while running from a tiger wasn't a very desirable fate.

Scared as I was, I was struck by a brilliant idea when we hit the trees, one better than struggling through the bushes. I grabbed onto the lowest branch I could see, pulling myself up quite clumsily. I wasn't really the fittest person on the planet.

Seeing my idea, Jess nimbly scrambled up the tree next to me. She was higher up, but I didn't think the tiger could reach me here... At least, I hoped it couldn't.

Sim and Mark barely made it into their own trees before the tiger was clawing at the trunk, looking fierce. I'd never seen such a big animal up close before, because we didn't have zoo's in our world anymore.

One thing I hadn't thought of when we led the tiger over here was if it was ever going to give up. We sat there for what felt like hours until it's ears perked up and it prowled further into the woods.

"Do you think-" Mark was cut of by a yell, and I realized the other thing I hadn't thought of- the tall, black haired prick who sprinted out from the forest, holding a bag of what I assumed was food from the smell.

"What were you thinking, Kayla?!" He yelled as he ran past.

"It's not my fault!" I shouted back. I wasn't just going to let him get away fro the tiger on his own, though. He may be annoying, but he needed help.

I jumped down, eliciting a shriek from Sim. "Pass!" I yelled, gesturing to the food. I could hear the tiger hissing as Andrew tossed the food over its head, and I remembered that I couldn't catch for sh-

Luckily, I caught it before I even had time to finish my train of thought. Not so lucky, though, was the fact that the tiger had turned towards me- It definitely wanted the food.

Andrew was smart enough to start climbing as the tiger stalked towards me. I realized I hadn't been that smart though, since I had no idea what to do now.

Hacker, if you're listening, please send help. And chocolate.

A/N- 10/10 title.