The next day, I realized that I still hadn't paid Eli for winning the bet. In fact, I'm pretty sure that no one at school besides Toby knows that Claire asked Jim out to the Spring Fling first. Might as well be the one to deliver the news because Mary and Darcy have been driving me nuts about it. After second period was over and Jim, Claire, and Toby had left, I went up to Eli Pepperjack's desk and gave him $10, which was the amount we agreed too. His face lit up with excitement and exclaimed, "Haha! Thank-you, Claire! I knew you wouldn't let me down." This caused Mary and Darcy to come over and see what all the excitement was about.

        "What are you guys talking about?" Mary wondered. Eli was about to answer, but I intervened, "Nothing besides the fact that Claire and Jim are going to the dance together. I'm just paying Eli because he won the bet that was placed a couple weeks ago."

        "Wait? Jim asked C-Bomb to the dance and she didn't tell us!" Darcy exclaimed. Then, Mary asked, "Wait? You bet that your brother and Claire wouldn't go to the dance together?"

        "Not exactly. For that piece of information, you are going to have to ask Claire. Even though, I witnessed the whole thing. I'm just disappointed in Jim." I stated and shared a smirk with Eli. Mary, Darcy, and Eli left and I knew that Claire would have her hands full for a while with the questions that Mary and Darcy are going to ask. Then, I felt something crawl in my ear and I to get it out, but then the crawling feeling vanished and I felt my vision go blurry for second. Once everything cleared up, I saw a shadow move out the classroom door.

        "Hello?" I called out. There was no answer. I exited the classroom and followed the shadow. When I went out of the classroom, there was no one in sight. No students chatting in the hallways and when I looked inside other classrooms there were no teachers either. Then, I heard footsteps coming down the hallway. I summoned the Thriskule and aimed an arrow to the incoming intruder. But, what I saw next made me freeze in my tracks and drop my bow. It was my father. How was he here? I started backing up, but I tripped and put myself up against a wall.

       "Daddy?" I cried. He held out his arms and said in a deep voice that made my skin crawl, "Monica, my little girl. You've grown so much since the last time I saw you." He held out his hand to help me up and I'm not sure why, but I took it. He left me up and he smiled at me.

        "Is it really you, Dad?" I cried. He wiped away my tears and replied, "Yes, my dear girl. I'm here." I quickly embraced him and I felt like I was a little girl again waiting for her father to come home. Except, now he is. Through my tears, I asked, "Why did you go with that other woman, Dad? Why did you leave us? Why did you leave me? You promised that no one would ever be able to replace us!"

        "Because you, your mother, and Jim mean nothing to me now." He answered. Suddenly, his whole demeanor changed and he shoved me back to the ground and yelled, "You are worthless and you were very much easy to replace!" I got up, ran into another classroom, locked the door, and sat down trying to calm myself. Then, I saw Jim. I ran over to embrace him, but when he turned. I stopped. He was wounded. He took a step towards me, but he fell. Before he fell to the ground, I caught him.

        "Jim?" I cried. He opened his blue eyes and they stared at me in disappointment. He replied, "Why did you leave me, Mo? I needed you, but you left me to fight off those monsters alone." I cried, "No. This can't be happening. This isn't happening. Please, Jim. I'm so sorry."

        "Good-bye, Mo." Jim said, then his body went limp. I cradled him in my arms and sobbed. I heard the door open and I turned to see my father once again. When he saw Jim's body and laughed, "See how pathetic you are? You couldn't even protect your own little brother." He's right. I really am worthless. Then, I heard someone calling out my name and I felt someone slap me across the face.

        Everything vanished and I saw Toby and Claire looking at me in concern. It was all a dream. I shook my head and asked, "What happened? Where's Jim?"

        "There's no time. Stick these up your nose. We have to help Jim!" Toby exclaimed. We ran out of the classroom looking for Jim. Soon, we saw him in the Jim and Toby exclaimed, "There! There's Jim!" We ran up to the doors, but Angor Rot closed them. No, he can't kill Jim! I tried desperately to open the doors, but to no avail. Finally, we were able to open the doors and saw Jim lying on the floor unconscious, but alive.

        "Jim! You're alive!" We all cried out. Toby, Claire, and I gave Jim a bone-crushing hug and Toby said, "We really thought we lost you." When we exited the Jim, I noticed that everything seemed to be returning to normal. I departed from Jim because I had to make sure that the other students were alright once Jim and Toby filled me in on what had happened. Thank God that everything was just a dream and I was so thankful that Jim was alright. Luckily, everyone else was alright to and Mom came after school and demanded to know what had happened. So, I told what the police were telling everyone. That there was a chemical leak in the lab, but everyone was alright and unharmed. I noticed Blinky go up to Jim, Claire, and Toby and he seemed out of breathe. Did he run all the way here?

        Once everything was cleared up and we were free to leave, I went up to Claire, Toby, Jim, and Blinky and Jim informed me of how he escaped from Angor Rot. Apparently, Angor Rot had struck a deal with Jim. If he gave him the ring that Strickler was carrying, which apparently controlled Angor Rot, he would severe the bond between Strickler and our mother and he promised that he would not harm me.

        When we got home later that night, I went up to my room and thought about everything that had happened today. I got down on the floor and searched for the present that my father had given me for my birthday and when I found it... I opened it.