My legs are sore, my throat is dry and my eyelids are ready to drop. If I couldn't feel the artificial coldness of the mall, I'd believe that I'm actually walking around a desert.

Because of the stupid Annual Formal at Paul Hall, which will be held tomorrow, I am now in pain because Mitch needs to find herself a dress and I, being the good and loyal best friend that I am, accompanied her to the mall. Although the truth is that since she's the one with a car, I had no choice but to come with her to the mall, no matter how uninterested I was about the whole event.

Mitch frowned at me as I told her what happened with Clint earlier.

It's not really a big deal but she heard if from a couple of cheerleaders and some other people so she wanted to know if it's true and the conversation came up as we were roaming around the little boutiques in the mall, helping her find a dress for the dance tomorrow.

"Sweet-talking jerkface." She said with an eye roll. "Well, he'll still be there on Saturday, what are you going to do when he sees you there?"

I shrugged. I really could care less about what happens on saturday.

"Swallow my pride, I guess." I grinned at her as she rolled her eyes yet again. "I honestly don't care."

"How about.. going there with a date?" She asked, wagging her eyes at me. "I can set you up with one of Matt's friends..."

She trailed off, trying to make me interested. I wasn't.

Where did the famous 'Girl Power' go? Couldn't girls go to a freaking dance without looking like a loner? Besides, what does it matter, most of our friends didn't have dates with them so why do I have to have one?

"Wait, you mean those basketball players that are a bunch of assholes? Are you serious? No thanks! And besides that would just make me look pathetic." I sighed. "Can we just go in one of these shops and find you a dress already?" I dragged her into the nearest boutique leaving her with no choice but to see if she likes anything.

We've been at the mall for nearly two hours now just to find Mitch a dress for tomorrow. I honestly don't get what the big deal is, the first week formal happens every year and what's surprising is that everybody else still seems excited about it, seniors have done it so many times that they should worry about the money they're wasting on gowns and make ups and all the other clichés.

But of course they won't, it's Paul Hall after all, the school for the rich and the famous - not that I'm bragging or even claiming that I'm rich or famous - and nobody worries about something as ridiculous as wasting money. Note my sarcasm.

The dresses took Mitch's attention away from me until she remembered we were actually talking. "The friend of Matt's I'm talking about it actually hot, it's your loss." She said, shrugging like a little kid.

But whatever, I really don't want a date. I like being independent, my ass of an ex proved that I'm better off single.

"Hold on, how about you, what are you going to wear?" She asked, suddenly realizing that I didn't come here to find myself a dress that's priced more than it's actual worth and that I was here only to accompany her into buying stupid clothes she won't wear for a second time because everyone would notice the repetition.

I looked at one dress and gave it to Mitch. "I found one of mom's dresses in their room last week when I cleaned it and I thought maybe I could wear it since nobody else will. I mean, who would, my brother?" I laughed at the thought, my brother acted all macho all the time you'd laugh thinking of him in a dress. "Besides, I'm still not even sure if I'm going.."

"Still? Ugh, make up your mind already." She rolled her eyes at me. "Speaking of moms, mine's trying to set me up with a hot new bachelor."

I laughed. "Again?"

Her parents always did that I doubted they'd run out of 'bachelors' to set her up with. Mitch hated that about her parents. Especially because she's already with someone she's perfectly in love with.

"Jesus, I swear I'm gonna go crazy. I've been set to be married five times already and I haven't even graduated high school yet. Thank goodness they do something horrible to make my dad dislike them everytime. Unfortunately, this new one seems to be good at kissing asses because he's charming both my parents well."

Mitch's life had a Romeo and Juliet ring to it. Her parents were at war with Matt's since decades ago which meant her love life wouldn't be enough to extinguish the fire between two families. I'm kinda rooting for them to end up together, but I don't tell them that, it seems so bad to make the hard life of your bestfriend be an entertainment.

"What did Matt say about that?" I asked curiously.

Matt's pretty sensitive about the topic. They've been together even before they hit puberty, they basically grew up together and the idea of someone having the power to take her away from Matt bothers him a lot.

She grinned at me.

"He said that if ever the guy passes the test, we're gonna elope." And I could see the twinkle in her eyes as she said it, she really did love Matt.

But that didn't stop me from thinking that that's a crazy idea.

Anyway, the girl can live in the mall and not get tired. I, on the other hand, cannot handle more than an hour looking for clothes. If I spent more than an hour, well, I'll be exactly the same as I am now.

On the couch and tired as hell.

I heard footsteps from the front door but I knew it was my brother. He usually comes home late which is why we don't see each other much. I have a normal schedule whereas he gets home late and take off early.

"Dane?" I asked aloud as I heard the front door close.

"Yeah, bud?" He asked softly, he can probably see me lying on the couch.

I felt the couch dip so I knew he was sitting next to me but I kept my eyes closed because I was very exhausted from all the shopping Mitch and I did. Or from all the following and tripping on my shoes I did, I guess.

"Are you here?" I asked, sleepily. It's probably a dumb thing to ask but hey, I'm sleepy, give me a break.

He laughed softly.

"No, I'm just an illusion, a part of your dream." He whispered, sounding very similar to those bedtime kid shows. It lured me farther into sleep.

I laughed sleepily, I sound ridiculous. "Must be a horrible dream then.." I muttered, feeling a smile creep onto my face.

Once a upon a time my brother would've come up with a snotty comeback because we used to hate each other but now he just chuckled.

"Sleepy sister is a mean sister." he teased, tickling me on the side.

"How's work?" I asked, although I doubt I'd remember it tomorrow or even hear it clearly right now.

"Tiring. Very tiring. Today I had to stay in the office and sign a bunch of papers."

Which is what he does everyday. That perseverance says a lot about a person.

He says he's tired, I don't doubt that. He's just twenty-four years old, but he's been working hard since he turned twenty-two, he just got straight out of college when he suddenly had to take over everything. All our parents' life-long works and of course, me. He had to take care of me. I honestly felt bad for him because he had to sacrifice his social life in exchange of mine. I was sixteen when our parents died from a car crash and it haunted both of us ever since.

"Hope I can make you feel better." I told him honestly, talking slowly because speaking when all you want to do is sleep is a very complicated process to accomplish. "But as you can see, I can barely open my eyes."

I didn't see it but he probably smiled. "Are you going to sleep here then?"

Right after I got home, I had all the intention to go up and sleep on my soft and smooth bed but the moment I sat on the couch to rest my aching feet, the magnetic force of it just made me want to stay there forever and so I decided I'm not gonna be able to reach my bed and the couch's gonna have to cut it for tonight.

"I guess." I replied as I yawned and shifted my position.

"Alright, but it's cold so I'm gonna get you a blanket and maybe a pillow?"

"Thanks."

I felt him stand up and then slowly I started drifting back into a deep, wonderful sleep.

My brother did more than give me a blanket, I woke up in the morning grateful to have no stiff neck because he carried me all the way to my bedroom. For the record, he hadn't always been that sweet. Before, we used to fight like cats and dogs but that was until all the responsibilities was passed onto his back. Ever since that day two years ago. We both became different from how we used to be, we've gone through something life-changing that made our bond different and more tied.

Of course, like usual, I missed breakfast with him since he had an abnormally early work time and I had the normal one which meant, like most days.. I had breakfast alone as our housekeeper cleaned around.

"Do you want to eat, Margarita?" I asked, offering her a piece of bread that I didn't think I could push in my stomach anymore.

She shook her head happily. "No ma'am, I have eaten." She replied with her thick spanish accent.

The scenario would be different with our parents alive. Before, they'd never leave us alone, they wanted us to live as a happy family so they reserved time for us to do a bunch of stuffs together. But that's not the case anymore, they are now dead, probably already rotten underneath the earth.

Anyway, back to the sad reality, today's saturday and the dance is later tonight. I know Clint's probably gonna hound me all night which is why I'm still debating on going or just staying home to give my brother a visit at work later so we could have a dinner out.

Clint was my first boyfriend. We used to be friends before dating, he asked me out when we were still too oung, stupid and impressionable. He wasn't the sweet guy type, he dated everyone but when he asked me out, he was the asshole that acted differently around you, I found that appealing because I thought I saw a different side of him, that he may act like a jerk but that he's actually just hiding the nice side of him. The relationship lasted long as I'd expected but after three years I guess he got bored and it excited him to screw my friend behind my back while still not getting caught. Now, he probably thinks that making me like him again is an interesting game to play.

Wow, thinking about the jackass is making my head ache.

What am I gonna do later?

Ugh.

Life really is a big pain in the ass.

"Ms. Hannah, your brother asked me to tell you that your driver had to take an immidiate leave and that you will be driving yourself if you have anywhere to go for today." Margarita said.

I smiled, trying to hide the fact that I was scared to even think about driving. "Thanks, um, did he mention, any, any substitute driver for monday though?" I hope he did because I can't drive, I just don't want to risk it especially after what happened to my parents and he knows it.

She shook her head.

I hated driving, I'd never liked it after what happened to my parents, I figured I'd just have to let profesionals do it instead of me so that no one's gonna have to suffer like my parents did.

"Okay, thanks, I'll be upstairs in the library if anyone needs me..." I told her and went to the library located in the second floor.

Well, that's it, I didn't really wanna go to the stupid dance in the first place and now I just found the perfect excuse.