Twiddling my thumbs, I keep on glancing at the clock. Five more minutes and then it will finally be summer vacation!

The bell rings above head, at last, and I bolt out of my seat, racing out the door.

"Al!"

I look over my shoulder to see Hunter heading my way, a smile making its way onto my face.

"Can you believe the year is over?"

"No, it's a dream come true."

He takes hold of my hand."How does pizza sound?"

"Amazing."

Fifteen minutes later we're sliding into the red and yellow booth, pizza in hand.

Hunter grins, before taking a bite of his. "Now this is the life," he says, tomato sauce dripping down his chin.

I lean forward, my fingers wiping it away, and smile. "Agreed."

That's when he kisses me, tasting like well, pizza. I close my eyes, my fingers making their way into his hair and my mouth moving along with his, deepening our kiss.

When I open my eyes, he's gone.

"Hunter?" I begin to panic.

"Al, help me."

I run toward his voice, passing empty booths. Reaching the checkout counter, my eyes widen. Standing behind it is Miss Jakins, her gun pointed at Hunter.

"No," I cry, just as she pulls the trigger...

My eyes fly open and I sit up, trembling. These nightmares have been frequently happening the past few nights. All I ever see is Hunter dying over and over again, every time I close my eyes.

I remain awake for the rest of the night, rocking back and forth, blanket wrapped tightly around me.

At five thirty a.m., I climb out of bed to go shower.

Dripping wet, I stand before the mirror, gazing at my reflection. My eyes are bloodshot due to the lack of sleep.

Sighing, I quickly change into a jean skirt and yellow beaded shirt.

I'm about to enter the kitchen when voices greet my ears.

"Pancakes." - Danny.

"Yeah, thanks." – Derek

There's some shuffling and then Danny's voice again, "Can I ask you what happened at the clinic? What happened to my sister?"

"I'm not the right person to ask."

That's when I step into the kitchen. "Smells good. What's for breakfast?"

Danny smiles. "Your favorite." He places a stack of pancakes on the table before me.

"Oh wow, yummy, thanks." I dig in, ignoring Derek who's watching me, a small smile on his face. "Do I have to go to school today?"

Danny chuckles. "Yeah, you've only been back for a day."

"I know, but I don't think Elena's going to be there today."

"Why not?"

"Hangover."

"I see." He takes the empty plates and places them in the sink. "But you're still going. Plus you'll have Derek there, so who needs Elena today?"

Derek's smile spreads. Fluff.

"I do! But whatever, I'll go." Finishing up my breakfast, I add my dirty plate to the collection in the sink and head out.

"Have a good day," Danny calls after me.

...

Jogging to school always helps relax my nerves.

"Alice!"

I glance over my shoulder at Derek, annoyed. "What?"

"Thought you'll want a jogging partner." He smiles sweetly.

"Nah, I'm good."

I quicken my pace, hoping to get rid of him. Of course, it doesn't work.

To my surprise, he takes hold of my arm, stopping me.

"What now?" I glare at him.

"Your knapsacks open."

"Oh." This guy seems to make me feel like more of an idiot every day. He zips my knapsack for me. "Thanks."

"Anytime."

It's usually a fifteen-minute jog to school, it takes us ten.

The first period is accounting, one of my worst subjects. (Yeah, yeah, I know I dislike most subjects. I'm just not a studious person, although I always do well on my assignments.)

Entering the classroom, I take a seat next to Kayla.

"Hey."

"Hey." I place my heavy book, (which are rare) onto the desk before me.

"Excited to learn?"

"Nope."

She laughs. "Thought so." She then curls her hair around her finger, not a good sign. "So the guy you jogged to school with today, who is he?"

Like I said, not a good sign. "A 'friend' from the clinic."

"Oh!"

Just then our teacher, Mrs. Gross enters the classroom.

"Good morning class," she greets and then starts with the lesson.

I pretend to pay attention, while really I doodle. Just like I always do during my classes, including the classes taken at the clinic.

I shudder, remembering all those terrible months I spent there going through the 'cure', an experiment to see who's weak and who's strong. Those that are weak are killed, for they are a burden to our society. This is what I must stop. We all deserve to live. Weak or strong.

Once the class is over, I'm the first one out of my desk and out of the classroom.

...

I find Elena at lunch.

"You're in school," I say, surprised.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, maybe, because you were wasted last night."

"Honestly, I came last period, slept like a baby the whole morning."

"How's your head?"

"Still pounding, but I'll live."

"This looks really unappetizing." Derek slides into the seat beside me, placing his plate piled with orangey mashed potatoes and pink chicken before him.

"It's not as bad as it looks."

"They all say that." His shoulder brushes mine, as he takes hold of his fork.

I move my chair away, hoping he won't notice. His lips curve up on the sides in a smile. Shoots, I think he noticed.

Ignoring him, I scan over my schedule; next up is art, my favorite!

Miss Horn splits us up into partners.

"What a coincidence," Derek smirks, twirling his paintbrush. I frown, not amused. "So, what are we supposed to be painting?"

"A portrait of each other."

"Sounds cool. Should I go first, or would you like to?"

I smile. "I'll go."

"Okay. How would you like me to pose?"

Biting my lip, I think. "Hmmm, go there, lean against the wall casually, with your arms crossed of course, and look off into the distance." A pose I've seen many male models in magazines doing.

He chuckles. "Yes, ma'am!"

He goes and leans against the blue, chipped-painted wall, foot up, arms crossed, and his beautiful dark eyes staring at ME.

"Derek," I scold, feeling self-conscience, "Look into the distance."

Once he obeys, I begin to paint him, capturing every detail. His perfect nose, high, flushed cheekbones, and prominent chiseled jawline. I even captured his five o'clock shadow of a beard. Then I move onto his eyes, which are nearly black, with long light lashes that suddenly begin to flutter.

I drop my paintbrush, annoyed. "What are you doing?"

He continues to blink. "I have something in my eye."

"Well get it out."

"That's what I'm trying to do." He rubs his eyes.

I wait 'patiently', dipping my brush into the paint and then wiping it off. Over and over again.

"Got it," Derek says at last.

I glance down at my watch. "There are only five minutes left to the period."

"Five minutes is better than nothing, you'll finish up whatever you can't next time."

So I continue to capture his eyes on my canvas.

...

I plop on the couch beside Danny. "Bonjourno Sen'or."

He smiles. "How was school today?"

"School," I reply, placing my feet on the marble coffee table.

"Feet off!"

I listen like a good girl. "So how was your day? What'd you do?"

"Grocery shopping, college, and prepared dinner." I look at him, sad. He's only twenty-one; his life shouldn't be like this. "Tomorrow is Saturday." He interrupts my thoughts. "I thought we could do something fun."

I grin. "Sounds great."

He smiles back, stands up, and stretches.

"Where are you going?"

"To take dinner out of the oven, do you mind getting Derek down here?"

I'm already off.

...

The door creaks as I push it open. The room is empty, running water greets my ears.

I wait around for seven minutes until Derek emerges from the bathroom, his hair dripping wet, and a towel wrapped around his waist.

I can feel the heat rising to my cheeks. "I'm sorry. I um, came to call you down for dinner."

"I'll be down in a few."

I nod, backing out of the room, trying as hard as I can not to stare at his muscle-toned chest. I guess now we're even since he was in my room back at the clinic when I stepped out of the bathroom in only a towel.

New lesson for life.

· Announce yourself when you're in another's bedroom and they're in the bathroom.

I enter the kitchen, to find the table unset, and begin to help Danny.

"Is Derek coming down?"

"Yeah, shortly." I put the platter of chicken and peas onto the table.

That's when Derek saunters into the room and takes a seat across from me, so every time I look up we make eye contact. How great? Right?

"Derek, how long do you plan on staying in Kentucky?" Danny asks as he serves me a spoonful of peas and chicken.

Derek glances over at Danny. "Not sure." He takes a spoonful of his peas just as I finish up my chicken. "If you ever want me to go, just tell me."

"I want you to go," I hear myself saying.

"Alice," Danny scolds.

"It was just a joke." Or was it? Pushing my peas to the side, (I hate peas) I say, "Now if you'll excuse me." I stand up and leave the room, not waiting for a response.

...

I comm Elena, her face appearing on my DSS.

"Hey!"

"Hey, what's up?"

"Nothing much, bored."

"Yeah, same here."

"Want to do something?"

She lets out a breath. "I can't since I'm grounded."

"Oh, no, what did you do?"

"Got drunk, remember." She frowns, twirling her cherry-blonde hair around her finger.

"But it's not the first time that you did."

"Precisely, that's why my parents finally decided to punish me."

"Poor baby."

"I'm going out of my mind, Alice," she cries, throwing her hands in the air, to emphasize her words.

"It's called boredom, Honey and so am I."

"Hey girl you're not grounded, go out and enjoy your night." Her voice rises.

"I'm too lazy to go out, plus I have no one to go out with."

She sighs. "Whatever. Now got to go, talk to you another time."

"Okay, bye. Have a good night."

"You too!" She blows me a kiss and I catch it planting it on my cheek. She smiles, before hanging up, my screen going black.

I go downstairs to the family room, plop onto the couch, and turn on the DLS, beginning one of my favorite movies.

Every Friday night, Hunter and I would snuggle on this couch, my warm, fuzzy blanket wrapped around our shoulders as we watched our favorite movies.

A tear escapes from the corner of my eye and rolls down my cheek. I wipe it away, angry at myself for crying.

"Is the movie any good?"

I glance up to see Derek standing in the doorway. "Yeah, it's one of my favorites."

"Do you mind if I join?"

"Honestly, do whatever you want."

He sits down beside me. "I know you weren't joking earlier. You really do want me to go." His eyes are sad. "But I can't, I have to keep an eye on you."

"It's not fair."

"Life isn't always fair."

I look away at the screen, which is now playing the worst part of the movie. By this part, Hunter would always draw me closer to him, practically onto his lap, and allowed me to cry on his shoulder. Hunter, I miss you more than anything in this world.

"I'd always used to cry at this part," I whisper, swallowing the lump in my throat.

Derek places his hand on mine and I stare at him, surprised. "Me too," he smiles weakly. "I used to watch this movie twice a week."

My eyes widen. "You're kidding me?"

"No." He pulls his hand away.

We finish the movie in silence, my knees hugged to my chest, and my shoulder brushing against Derek's. Guess what? I don't move away from him this time.

...

Danny wakes me up with breakfast in bed.

"Oh, have I missed Saturdays at home," I smile, taking a sip of the sweet orange juice.

Danny sits down beside me. "How does ice skating sound?"

"Wonderful!"

He grins, "Go get dressed and we'll be off." He then leaves, taking the tray of food (that's now settling in my belly) with him.

Climbing out of bed, I go to change into my fleece sweatshirt and leggings.

...

Tying up skates isn't as simple as I remembered it to be. My fingers tangle around the long laces, somehow creating a large, chunky knot, which I'm sure isn't how it's done.

"Need a hand?" Danny smirks.

Pushing my hair out of my face, I nod. He undoes my messy knot, replacing it with a neat bow, and then helps me to my feet.

"Remember how to skate?" His bright blue eyes sparkle.

"I think so."

"Then let's go do this!"

I smile, wobbling after him on the plush, carpeted floor towards the ice rink.

"Danny Peterson, is that you?"

A lady heads our way. She's breathtaking, her platinum blonde hair tightly pulled back in a pony, making her high cheekbones even more noticeable. Her large, light brown eyes are on my brother.

"Sara, what a surprise seeing you here."

She smiles, revealing pearly white teeth. "Dan, you know I work here every Saturday."

"I do?" He feints innocence, winking at me.

Oh, my god, my brother's flirting with this drop-dead gorgeous lady and she's flirting back with him.

She looks at me. "So you're Danny's sister?" I nod. "A pleasure to meet you. I'm Sara Hudson, a good friend of your brother."

I take her outstretched hand. "Alice."

"I know, Danny told me all about you."

"Oh!" Did he?

"Alice, I need to talk to your brother privately for a moment, is that okay with you?"

"Uh, yeah, sure." I step onto the rink.

"So are we still on for tonight?" I overhear Sara saying.

"Yup, I'll pick you up at eight. How does that sound?"

I skate off.

...

"Soooo you and Sara are just friends or are you something more than that?" I lean onto the handrail as I bend down to retie my skate.

"Are you trying to butt into my love life?" Danny looks at me amused.

"Oooh, so you're in love with her."

He blushes. "I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to. I saw the way you looked at her and guess what? I think she might feel the same way about you!"

"Alice."

I look at him, just as he gives me a shove. I go sliding backward, crashing into someone, and fall hard onto the ice.

"Ouch," I groan, struggling to stand up.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for you to fall." Danny's long legs appear before me.

I tilt my head back and begin to laugh. He looks surprised.

"Did you see the look on that guy's face when I crashed into him?" I choke.

He nods, smiling, and helps me to my feet. "Race you?"

I skate off, with my older brother right on my tail, shouting at me, " You're such a cheater."

...

After skating till our feet ache and our legs are numb, we go for ice cream.

"What will you like?" The ICmachine300 asks.

"Chocolate swirl, please!"

"Please wait a moment as I process your order." The machine begins to beep. Thirty seconds later, its mouth opens, revealing a cone topped with ice cream. Heaven in a cone!

I take it and begin to lick the chocolate-flavored ice cream. "Oh, have I missed this," I tell Danny.

He laughs. "Slow down Wonderland, or you'll choke."

"On ice cream, is that even possible?"

He shrugs. "Anything is possible."

I roll my eyes at him but listen, beginning to eat my ice cream a tad bit slower.