Lilly heard about the joint-grade adventures of Maybelline Fuller throughout the day, too hesitant to say anything. Principal Vival asked everyone to calm down as Michelle, umm Ms. Jones was covering for the freshmen's home teacher, trying to lighten the mood.

Lilly wasn't amused.

"Wouldn't it be more funny if she came back as a zombie and thought she was alive?"

Everyone but Reiji was rightfully terrified of such a thought, earning her more stairs.

"Forget I said anything," covering herself in her scarf, despite being only seventy degrees in the air.

"I mean, she has a point," Jalecki butted in. "Moritinoners get paid a lot for uncovering dead bodies. We were doing research on this one dog who everyone thought died, but those guys found a heartbeat, and people assumed it became an undead werewolf."

"No we did," Lilly whispered.

"Play along," he whispered back. "Like what would happen if she was technically alive, but also dead."

"Uh, yeah, it'd be so interesting, seeing a dead body not acting like most zombies would. Here's a question," as Jalecki nodded. "If the school was overtaken by a zombie invasion, who in this class would stand the best chance at survival?"

All of the attention dropped off of her to everyone else in the classroom looking at each other. Naturally most of the guys started claiming they would be perfect, arguing over who would last the longest.

I say Basile, duh. He's fast, strong, and won't get caught. Unlike some of you, Gira typed.

"Girl please, you two are the first ones to go."

"Heck Basile kind looks like a zombie too."

The boy with the burnt face sighed, but the stare in his eyes unnerved them.

I'll make the zombies, target the both of you first, so we can escape!

They attributed the robo voice to Basile, begging him to forgive them. Gira snickered while Olivia tried to hide her giggle. Reiji raised his hand.

"Why don't we focus on who would be the best to lead the class to have the most number of survivors?"

That only led the other guys to argue over who should and shouldn't, while Lilly got up, staring at Olivia writing things down.

"What are you doing," she blurted out.

Olivia scratched her head. "Well, no one can decide, so I'm listing out everyone's strengths so we could help each other out. I love zombie stories, but they're no fun when everyone dies, ya know?"

"That's a great idea," Ms. James cheered. "Okay, how about in advisory we continue this discussion? Let's write down each other's pros and see how we can work together as a group!"

The majority of the classroom agreed, but Lilly sighed.

"Oh," sucking her teeth and collapsing back in her seat. "I should've came up with that."

At lunch, the six freshmen had gotten their seat to eat while most of the people were getting distracted by Micah and Zabel using lunch trays to swing an apple back and forth like ping-pong.

Olivia tapped Lilly. "You alright?"

"Tch," turning away. "I'm not in the mood," earning shock from the others.

Gira passed her phone to Olivia. Did someone put gross, stuff inside her lunch food, is she mad at us?

Lilly and Reiji were both about to look at it when Jalecki's hand swiped the phone.

"Hey, Gira, do you only type in poems or something?"

She reached for her food, mouthing angrily to Jalecki's confusion.

"She's saying, hey give my phone back! My medical condition is why I use it," Olivia translated. Gira nodded, convincing Jalecki to return it, apologizing.

Basile grabbed Jalecki by his shirt sleeve, pulling him and reaching near his ear.

"The fire affected her voice and breath."
"Oh nuts, I'm sorry. Your girl's pretty unique. I wasn't on that side of town when it happened."

"Girl? We're friends."

"Yeah, her awesome boy friend. Glad she's got you."

Basile ended up glancing at Gira, rightfully annoyed at Jalecki's behavior, only for Lilly to glare.

"He was just concerned."

"Yeah, cuz I wonder, why you're so mad? None of us, did anything wrong!"

"Then show me what you typed."

Panicking, Olivia crossed her hands in between them. "Come on, we're all friends here, aren't we?"

Lilly sucked her teeth. "None of you understand me at all," about to get up when Jalecki grabbed her hand.

"Hey, just talk to us. What's wrong? If one of us messed up, just say why, and they'll hear you out. Right?"

Olivia nodded, and Reiji's mirroring led Gira and Basile to regrettably do the same.

He let go, and Lilly shuddered, struggling what to say, when Shane approached them.

"Hey. Lilly, so I couldn't find the vampire manga in the bookstore or the library

Willow walked over there. "I'm so sorry! But I'm not sure it's too appropriate."

"Willow, it's fine. Anyway, I found a website. There's a website not restricted by the school. During the next meeting, we'll talk about what genres of stories we like. Sound good to everyone?"

Lilly sighed. "Yeah, sure, whatever."

Willow looked over to her. "Are you sure it won't be too raunchy?"

"Ehh, if she focuses on the characters and the plot, she'll enjoy it. If not I'll find something else. You all okay?"

"Yeah," Reiji claimed. "Just got some stuff to talk about."

After school, Jalecki texted her to meet him late at night. She arrived near the river opposing the lake, still irate, as her stomach growled.

There she found him with a fish in his hand and fishing equipment, starting a fire near the campsite.

"Hey, what took you so long?"

"A girl has a right to be a little suspicious if a guy brings her to a river in the middle of the night!"

"A guy has a right to prove himself innocent before proven guilty and keep his pack well fed."

She sucked her teeth. "You're not my babysitter or boyfriend!"

"Well I wouldn't mind being one of those."

She blinked. ""Which one?"

"I'll be sure to tuck you in before your dad gets home."

She slapped him in the arm. He chuckled.

"Just don't starve yourself, you're cute no matter your size."

She hid her blush behind the arm she used to grab a bite from one of the fish he caught. "How are you so openly corny with no self-awareness?"

"Cuz being open doesn't hurt sometimes. But there's nothing wrong with thinking about what you say. You were jealous of Olivia, weren't you?"

She almost choked on her own fish. "Huh?" Lilly swallowed it down. "You knew?"

"Took me a while to guess. She's got a nice smile, huh."

"You know guys shouldn't compare girls to one another."

He shook his head. "Pitting two girls against each other is one thing. But when the five of you were introduced into the class, I saw a bit of you in her," dropping his smile. "I'm not a mind reader, but to me, it feels like both of you just want to be happy."

Guilt raised her eyes up at him. "I wish I could put that smile on my face."

"My guess, her friends. They wouldn't have transferred classes together. She doesn't talk as much as you, but you're the reason she got inspired."

"I," blinking, "am?"

 "If it wasn't for you, class today wouldn't be so fun. You value the dead, so try valuing what's alive sometimes."

She rose her head, leaning closer to him. "Do you value me?"

"Yeah, obviously."

The next thing he knew, she wrapped her hand around his head, slightly leaning her lips into his. She felt him stun, but accepted it since he grew a smile on his face when she pulled away.

"How...how did it feel?"

"Cold. But warm. Like you."

She covered her face. "I'll apologize to them tomorrow."

He laughed, claiming that was her decision. She asked him to help her, but as he kept laughing, a light from a truck crossed stopped, shining over their entire bodies.

"Lilly, what are you doing here?"

Both of them looked at one another as the grappling hook of the truck flew down at the two of them.