I shove the pillow over my head to block out the annoying beeping of the alarm clock. It was Monday, and I just had to go to school. I groggily got ready, and was met with the smell of pancakes when I got downstairs. I turn on the TV for some morning news before settling down and digging into my pancakes. Mom frowned.

        "Angel-"

        "Shhh," I said. "I'm trying to watch the news."

        I sounded like a teenager. Which I was. Sixteen and ready for life.

        Mom went back to her newpaper. Dad was already at work.

        In big, bold letters, BREAKING NEWS was written across the screen of the TV.

        "A hundred years ago, a mad scientist named Louis Carnwell developed a 'miracle pill' that prevented death," the news lady said. I turned to Mom. Her eyes were already glued to the screen. "He was forty years old, then. Now he's 140, and apparently the pill worked, and Dr. Louis Carnwell is as young as ever. How does this change the sake of the human race, Fred?"

        I gape at Mom. Her face was still. The guy named Fred on TV kept answering questions from the news lady.

        "Live forever?" I say.

        "Angel, you're going to be late to school," Mom deadpanns, and she shoves me my bookback and pushes me out the door.

        "Yeesh," I mutter under my breath. Outside, flying hovercars were whizzing past. When the inventors of the city introduced hovercars, I was mad at first. The traffic lights floating in the air prevented me from seeing the stars, but I grew to like the green, yellow and red dots in the sky.

        "Hey Kumquat."

        I turn to find my best friend Warner in all his mishappenly haired glory. He has a weird obsession with kumquats, but sadly I'm the only person he has ever called that.

        We walk side by side to the school, Warner talking about some knew type of kumquat that scientists are modifying...blah blah blah. I know. I'm a sucky best friend, but hey, he's stuck with me.

        "Did you hear?" I finally ask.

        "What?" says Warner.

        "About the amazing miracle pill. Apparently a guy broke the law of life."

        "Seriously?" says Warner in disbelief. "I got to watch the news more."

        "Yeah," I say. "I wonder if anybody else has heard of it."

        We got to the school. My classmates were all talking at once, so it was pretty loud. High schoolers these days.

        "See you at lunch, Angel," says Warner before he turns and goes to homeroom.

        "Later," I say absentmindedly.

        I was too busy watching a group of kids exchanging something secretively. They scan the halls with guarded expressions. They see me, and snarled.

        I flinch, and dash down the hallway, hoping they won't go after me. Maybe the pill has found its way into the school already.

;

        "This is out of control," I say as I slam my lunch tray down on the table. Warner looked up at me, his light green eyes portraying confusion.

        "A week ago, when the government first made the pill public, I saw some guys dealing something secretively. Probably the pill," I hiss under my breath. "Now, every time I turn down a hallway someone's cautiously handing something to another person."

        "Huh. I never knew we had so many potential drug dealers at our school," says Warner nonchalantly.

        I roll my eyes. "This is serious, Warner. If everybody lives forever, have you thought about the consequences? Overpopulation? Maybe that'll lead to famine, to lack of resources. Maybe we won't die of age, but of disaster!"

        Warner scrunches his eyebrows and ruffles his wild light brown hair. "You're right as always, Angel. I wonder why everybody can't see that too."

        "I know, right?!" I throw my hands up in the air. "Everybody's just a coward. The people who don't stop it now want to take the pill later in life...I just know it."

        "What're you guys talking about?" says Jack as he plopps down on the seat next to me with his lunch tray.

        "Nothing," Warner and I say simultaneously.

        Jack shoots us an odd look, but shrugs and takes a bite of his sandwich. Sammi and Katie took the seats next to Warner a few moments later.

        "This sandwich looks disgusting," says Sammi as she wrinkles her nose, and Katie nods in agreement. Instead of eating, Sammi decided to braid her dirt blond hair instead, but I guess Katie was too hungry to miss an oppurtunity to eat.

        "The lunch line is so freaking long!" growls a very familiar voice. It was Chester, wearing his leather jacket and black jeans. His dark hair was messy and his brown eyes were tired. Sammi's face breaks out in a huge smile.

        I silently snicker to myself. Everyone but Chester knew that Sammi had a crush on him.

Lastly, Alfie joins us at lunch.

        "Sorry guys, I had to help Mrs. Vega with cleaning the art supplies," says Alfie as he straightened his bowtie and unwrapped his sandwich.

        I don't know how this happened, our little mixed group. You got people like me, Warner, Sammi and Jack that are just kind of laid back and happy. You got people like Katie and Alfie who are geniuses and shy. You got people like Chester who's all bad boy.

        As we ate and laughed, I put the pill thought aside.

        And boy what a mistake that turned out to be.