After a week of school of avoiding Dane, as well as most of everyone else, I start to feel better. I can at least think about Dane without really feeling any form of regret or wistfulness. I feel a bit as if Pike betrayed me. Once in the cafeteria, and another at the parking lot. He most likely had some reason, but I still feel a bit of loathing for him. Small, but it's there.I don't care. I probably will not see anybody from my crew once I leave. And when I do see them again, I'll probably not hate them.Walking home, I swing by that little store I stumbled into the night I decided to turn my life sideways. Where I met Lewis. He's been sticky with me ever since that day at the cafeteria. We sometimes end up in the same place.Lewis happens to be in most of the classes that I take where Dane isn't there. We sometimes have conversations. He does most of the talking and I just watch him talk. Observing how his lips and his hands move around when he talks. It's entertaining. What he say

Slipping into clothes that are warm, I look in my bathroom mirror. I guess part of me is into parties.My black knitted sweater hugs my body lightly. The turtle neck is loosely wrapped around. It helps to draw out the natural red color of my skin. My hair is straight and it sits nicely. Some of the longer strands poke out, but I don't bother doing anything.Turning off the bathroom light and stepping out, I walk over to my bed and sit. I hadn't bothered going to school after I got chased down. I just stayed home. It was a Wednesday anyway. Only two days left in the week. Not much of a loss.Checking my gun, I make sure I have six bullets in. Seven, including the one in the chamber. Nothing will most likely happen, but I'm always prepared. And I don't give chances.Not even the first one, anymore.After stowing it in my pocket, I grab a coat and head for the door. It's the leather one. The one from last winter. The smell of myself is twined into the fabric, and I can tell that the once

Because I lost some blood, I sit on the couch with Rupert and Dane and try not to move around excessively. I needed some heat that isn't my own. Rupert and Dane were more than happy to provide it. After the time we spent apologizing, Dane's father finally made a sound that alerted us of his presence. He 'didn't want to disturb', in his own words. He said he saw the whole thing, Dane breaking down and crying, me forgiving, and the rest. He didn't have it in him to stop us. But whatever. The doctor came by about an hour ago. He pulled open my wound and checked to see if the bone was cracked. I hissed and snarled, but none of them really got scared by that. Rupert actually snuggled closer to me. Big teddy bear. The doctor, Dr. Carrier, said that my skull was intact. My upper dermal layer would need time to heal, but I should be fine. He said to rest and drink and eat plentily. Dexter said he would make sure that I ate. After Dr. Carrier left, Dane just lay down with me and hu

"I think they're here," calls Dexter from the kitchen. Looking up from a book I snatched from his office, I glance over at the wide doorway to the kitchen. Dexter leans on it and grins slightly."Noted," I reply. Dexter flashes his teeth. "That means, Reza, that you should go answer the door," he says. "Also noted," I say tersely. Dexter nods with his grin and walks back to the kitchen. Setting my book down, I hop off the couch with Rupert and make my way to the door. Making Rupert get behind me so he doesn't run out, I unbolt the door and open it. Dane, Ves, Mia, Jack, and Pike stand outside. The sun has already set and most of the sky is covered in heavy lead-colored clouds. Seemingly drawn into the sky with a shaky hand and soft pencil. "Hey," says Dane. He steps inside to give me a hug, to which I return a quick one. "Hey, Reza!" says Ves. She and Mia step forward after Dane steps back to give me a hug too. I smile slightly as they embrace me tightly. I see Jac

Walking around the mall with seven other teens, I think of how if this was under any other circumstances where I was in my former occupation, I would be absolutely ballistic. No agent with a third of a brain would ever need any kind of hint or clue to gather that this would not be an acceptable situation. It just stands out too much.But, I'm not that, and I have to tell that to myself. Eight people walking around a mall is probably not an unusual spectacle. Eight teens walking around is probably what every American has seen or imagined once in their life.Entering a retail store, we disperse into groups of two or three to look around. I drift around with Mia and Lewis."Look at this shirt. It's so pristine," remarks Mia as she pulls out a baby blue shirt that looks to be made of cotton. The pearly buttons glisten with the shiny surface of the shirt."It looks good with your hair," complements Lewis as he looks over from a rack of jeans."He's right," I say.Looking around, I notice a