You know in the movies where they bolt up from under the covers in shock? That's how I felt. I was too exhausted to do that, though, so instead, I fluttered my eyelids open and sat up. My head pounded, but I ignored it. I turned on my phone, ripping it off of the charger. It was seven twenty-seven, three minutes before I had to get up for the first day of my junior year. I couldn't help but smile. The first day, and I wasn't dead!

I threw on the school outfit that I had planned the other day, topping it off with my big smile and black Vans. I never thought that a nightmare would make me so happy to be breathing and going to school.

My mom was in the kitchen, flipping pancakes. Her eyes rounded when she saw me. I sprinted up to her and threw my arms around her neck.

Once I released, she chuckled. "You're up?" she asked. "I thought that I was going to have to drag you out of your bed by your ankles."

I laughed and grabbed a fresh pancake off of the cooling plate, stinging my tongue as I ate it quickly. "Thanks so much for breakfast, Mom."

She stared at me. "If the first day always gives you this attitude," she commented, "I can't wait 'til Christmas." I laughed again, washing down another pancake with a glass of orange juice.

"Do you have any plans for the first day of school?" Mom asked. I shrugged.

"Just seeing my friends," I replied. I knew that I was going to do more, though. I was going to do things while I still had time. After all, I might just die today.

I was going to kiss my guy best friend, Evan Grant Parker.

~~~~

"Woah there! Slow down!" Carly panted, trying to keep up with me as I pushed my legs and ran with all the soccer speed I could muster. Then I saw him, standing as he was in my dream. His backpack slung over one shoulder, exposing "Parker" on his jacket. I sprinted up to him and jumped on his back.

He stumbled and laughed. "Hey Eve," he chortled, turning his head and staring at me with his lake-blue eyes. I grinned and slipped off of him.

"Hey, Evan." My knees became weak with the idea of telling him how I felt. Every ounce of confidence I had gained while running wore away with my energy. God, I was tired. I really needed to do soccer again.

Evan must have noticed how anxious I was, because he asked, "You okay?" His eyebrows furrowed and his face became serious. Why did he have to look so cute when he was serious? I turned to see Carly, who was giving me a double thumbs-up. I told her about what I was going to do earlier when we were running. I grinned. I was glad to have her on my side and still breathing.

I nodded, mustering up the courage. "Fine," I put on a smile. His gorgeous features lit up and he returned the grin. "Um..I need to tell you something." He nodded seriously again.

"Last night I had a dream that the school went on lockdown. The school was in a drug-dealing ring, and the shooter killed Carly and everyone. I went into the bathroom, nearly got shot in there, had my phone dropped in the toilet and-"

"Slow down," he laughed. "That's insane."

I nodded. "And when he was going to finally kill me, my last thoughts weren't my mother or even Carly," I paused as he nodded. He knew what's coming, "I thought of you."

He locked his gaze onto mine, his eyes full of confusion and tenderness, which made my heart melt as I said the words. "I-I love you, Evan," I flinched as my voice began to crack. Gosh, not right now. Evan lifted my chin with his fingers, making me look deep into his eyes.

"I've been waiting for those words since middle school," he whispered. My heart fluttered with hope, and I locked my fingers around the back of his neck and pulled his lips toward mine. I didn't care that people were staring and that a teacher would break us up soon. I barely heard Carly squealing behind us or the bell ringing.  My fingers slid through his soft hair, and I felt his smile under my lips and his arm snaked around my waist. Evan broke it after a second, tilting his head to my forehead.

"Welcome back to school, Eve."