I wake when it's dark out. I vaguely remember Levi carrying me out to mom's car and possibly into the apartment. It was quiet for a while, I was half in and half out of consciousness. It was like no one but me was in the apartment for a while, it was almost too quiet. It was enough to bring back a small amount of pressure inside my chest.

A scent I've never smelled in our home wafts through my room. It's definitely some kind of steak and it reminds me of Levi. Levi? I sit up in bed, and groan. My back feels like someone is sticking tiny needles into my spine with each move. Slowly, I throw the blankets off of me and get up out of bed. I'm still in my clothes from school and decided to put on some yoga pants and a black Hop Jam festival t-shirt. One of the only things from Tulsa that I miss. I went for the music and mom went for the craft beer. All in all it was a great time and I'm a little disappointed to have to miss out next spring.

I hear voices in the kitchen. I stop at the end of the hallway when I see who they are coming from and observe the scene from a distance. Shae is standing at the counter chopping vegetables, Levi teasing her about the awful job she's doing, and mom is pulling what looks like baked potatoes out of the oven. All three of them look up at the exact same time. They look relieved to see me awake.

Mom puts the pan down on some pot holders then rushes over. Gently she wraps her arms around me. She doesn't seem mad, just worried. She pulls back to get a better look, "how are you feeling?"

"My back hurts," I admit, my voice raspy from lack of hydration.

I cough to clear it. My throat is sore from crying too, it hurts to swallow. Without a word Levi appears behind mom and hands me a glass of water. I give him the best smile I can muster and take the glass from his hand. I practically drink the whole thing in one gulp.

"Are you mad at me?" I ask her, even though there is no trace of anger in her eyes.

She shakes her head, "not at all. I'm more worried than anything."

I breathe a sigh of relief then ask, "am I in trouble at school?"

"No of course not sweetie. This was not your fault," she says, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

"I spoke with the principal and Angela's delightful mother as well," she says, and I can hear the hint of sarcasm in her voice. "All the witnesses saw her strike first. She's not allowed to cheer this week and has detention."

I sigh, "more reason for her to attack me."

Mom puts both her hands on my shoulders, "don't give into her crap. I know we moved to get away from the bully's, but here you have friends who will take care of you." She gives a quick nod over her shoulder to Levi and Shae.

I notice there's one person missing from the small group of people here that I call my friends, and that person is Ethan. I turn my attention back to mom.

"It's one girl and if she does anything else she's off the squad. Stay strong, okay? High School is almost over and then none of what happened there will ever matter again."

"Your moms right," Shae says.

She walks over taking Levi's spot behind mom. Levi goes back to his sizzling steak in the pan.

"We've got your back, and just because of something that happened in your past - your mom kind of filled us in - I'm not going to fault you for something that wasn't your fault. We will help you get through all of this. It's her own fault she lost me as a friend, after today I'm done dealing with her nonsense."

Mom lets go of me and goes back to helping Levi in the kitchen.

"I'm here for you," Shae stays stepping forward. "Jackie too. She sends her love, she had to work at the movie theater in town or she would have been here. You're stuck with us now," she says, wrapping me in a gentle hug.

I almost want to cry again, Shae has been nothing but kind to me since that first night. I'm so lucky to have her as a friend.

"That means you're stuck with me too," I say, my voice muffled into her shoulder.

She chuckles, "being stuck with that one over there is much worse," she teases with a wink.

"Heard that!" Levi says.

The steak sizzles from behind us and we both turn to see Levi's cocky yet genuine grin.

"These are ready Mrs. Adams," he says in a polite tone I've never heard.

She grabs a large plate and Levi stacks them on and shuts off the stove.

"Hey salad girl, you gonna finish this or what?"

Shae gives him the finger and he pretends to catch it and throw it into his back pocket. She rolls her eyes and walks back over to the counter where she left all the vegetables. Levi makes his way around mom and the counter and heads right for me. He scoops me into his arms and holds onto me.

"Thank you," I say into his ear.

"Anything for you," he whispers back, sending shivers down my spine.

I don't know when it happened, but liking Levi has become more intense lately. It's nothing I ever felt with Lawrence. I like where it's going, but at the same time I'm hesitant because he's Levi and there's something about him that still makes me feel like this whole thing isn't real.

"What's with the dinner?" I ask.

"Well after your mom brought me back to the school to get my car, she just seemed worn out, so I offered to make dinner. Shae had been texting you non stop once I got here so I answered her back on your phone and told her to come over," he says.

"What about..." I stop, I'm about to ask about Ethan, but then remember the way he was holding Angela in the hallway like they were hiding something. "What about me? Can I help?"

"You can help slowpoke with cutting the stuff for the salad," he says.

"Hey, I'm not a professional chef like you," Shae yells.

Levi chuckles, "hope that's not something you wanna be when you grow up."

"Ugh, if this cucumber wasn't so perfect I would be tossing it at your head," she says, holding up a nice green one.

He turns back to me with a huge smile on his face, and I reach up and kiss his cheek; which is getting a bit scruffy. He gives me one last squeeze and lets me go so that I can help Shae cut up the rest of the vegetables for the salad.

Dinner was a lot of fun and when I told mom about the nomination she was so excited and tried to convince me that I'd win. The dinner table conversation is light and easy and it's just what I needed after a day like today.

After Shae leaves, mom retreats to her bedroom and Levi and I occupy the couch. We've got Netflix on, but aren't paying much attention. He untangles his lips from mine and rests his forehead against mine.

"What are we?" I ask.

My cheeks are on fire, and I immediately want to take it back. Is there a rewind button on life? Asking that sounded needy, and I don't want him to think that at all. I'm enjoying our carefree simple relationship, no matter how much my feelings are growing for him.

"What do you want us to be?" he questions, brushing his lips against mine.

His tongue darts out and tickles my top lip, I giggle and pull back slightly, "I'm not sure," I admit. "I know that I like you a lot."

"And I like you a lot too," he replies, leaning forward and taking my bottom lip in his teeth. He bites down and smirks.

I press my hand against his chest, pushing him slightly. My smile never falters. I'm beginning to love his feisty playful side.

"I'm happy just being whatever this is, no labels - but I'm an exclusive type of girl. When I'm with someone I just want it to be them."

"So then we make it just you and me. Lorgan or Mevi," he teases.

"Did you just give us a creepy ship name?"

He chuckles, and reaches his hand up placing it against my cheek. I lean into his touch.

"Morgan Adams, will you be my non-labeled girlfriend?" he questions.

I snort, "I'd like that a lot."

"Good," he says, leaning forward to kiss me some more.

When my lips are swollen and tired, we turn our attention towards the zombie show on Netflix that we were supposed to be watching and lean into each other. My mind drifts while we lay there. I think about everything that's happened today and how everything seems different than they were twenty-four hours ago. The part that hurts the most is that it feels like I've lost Ethan in a way. Between the way he was acting today with Angela and not receiving any texts, it feels like a loss. It sucks, because although I've only known him for a short life - my life without him seems incomplete.