I watched the sky fade into a light shade of orange behind the houses in the neighborhood.

The trees started to look like they were only silhouettes of a picture-perfect fairytale and just a few birds already flew through the air.

For a moment the whole world seemed to stand silent. As if everybody was busy watching the colors mother nature decided to gift us to welcome everyone into a hard day of whatever they do for a living.

The colors slowly faded with time, leaving a light shadow of pink above the city.

I remember the last time the sky got painted in such beautiful colors and pictures of me, Tessa, Cole, Francisco, and Chase immediately rushed inside the back of my head. As if someone just threw a photo album at me. But even the best moments don't last forever and slowly fade into memories. Just like the colors do at the beginning and end of each new day.

The way the sky changed its color in such a beautiful way fascinated me every time since I was a kid. I remember imagining watching the sunset with the prince of my dreams when I was a young girl. That was when I still believed in love or anything that comes along with it.

That was before everything that's happened.

A cold shiver ran down my spine and brought me back to reality.

I gulped and moved away from the window in my room...or at least the room Tatumn gave me. I was sure I could make this place my favorite when I got here. But it's been days and I might be good at feeding lies to everyone else- but I'm certainly bad at feeding myself ones.

Even tho the few things I brought with me found a beautiful place in the room and Hazel insisted on putting up old frames of old pictures she still had of me and her, the room still felt cold. I have had some of my first memories ever in this house, but it didn't feel real. Anything that happened in my childhood here in Florida seemed to be just like a dream. But I had to wake up way too soon.

I sigh and ran my fingers through the bit of my hair that wasn't put in a ponytail.

I'm not sure what caused me to wake up this early today, but for some reason, my body decided to go fully active at 5 AM. And trust me, that never happened before.

I've spent the morning looking out of the window and using the time in the bathroom I could use. Not being late had its benefits.

I walked over to one of the pictures Hazel put up of us. Hazel, still with her long ash blonde hair smiled at a girl next to her. While Hazel's big blue eyes were focused on her, the girl seemed to be busy playing with the flowers she just picked up. Her shoulder-length blonde curls were standing in every direction and she just seemed...careless. this girl was me. But at the same time, she wasn't.
I knew growing up changes people: but I feel safe to claim that this girl- right in this picture- had nothing to do with the summer I saw every time I walked past a mirror.

I gulped again and put the picture down, the Photograph facing the wall this time.

I tried to suppress the memories I had of this day and walked over to my bed again, where my phone laid on one of the blankets. My hand automatically reached out to it, knowing that gesture way too well.

I let myself fall onto the stack of pillows and unlocked it. There weren't any new messages except the one Blake send me last night about the plan of ours, but I've already read it on the notification bar.

As if my hands wouldn't be needing instructions on what to do, they already tipped on Chase's chat. Even tho I should've, I didn't delete anything. I don't care if I had any proof on my phone or whatever, deleting their numbers would've felt like I gave up on them. And that's the only thing I would never give up on.

None of them have called, or text me since I'm back in Florida. And I wouldn't be that unprofessional and text or call them. I got it. These are the rules.

But I'd come back with the biggest weapon we could have.

The only one that kept on calling was Kendrick. He talked to Tatumn and texted me from time to time. I missed him. I really did.

I scrolled through the conversations I and Chase had. We talked more in person. My eyes searched for anything that included information I could use now. Another name, a City, a description. Anything. But nada.

He didn't talk much about Carter. No one ever did.
"He's the devil in disguise. I can't wait till someone gets rid of him.", I heard Chase once say to Francisco before they actually got rid of him. Once again this made me face the truth: I wasn't just searching for a ghost, I also had no idea who I was dealing with. I didn't know what he was capable of.

But what I knew was: I'd risk anything.

I'm not quite sure how many minutes passed, but the house suddenly seemed to be louder. It was obvious that now everyone was awake. I tiptoed over to the door and peeked around the door frame to get a better look at the stairs. The smell of bacon filled the house.

The bathroom a few meters away seemed to be empty, which gave away the fact that Hazel already finished whatever she was doing in there for hours in the morning. I grabbed my backpack I needed as an alibi and my phone and jogged down the stairs while pulling my tie out of my hair so it could fall down my back.

"Good morning.", I mumbled as I reached the kitchen. Cass, Tyler and Hazel already sat by the counter while Tatumn was busy doing her mum stuff. She indeed was a good mum to her kids. A mum everyone would wish for.

She gifted me a loving smile. Cass and Tyler immediately shut their mouth and stared at me. I didn't know what their deal was but for some reason, they somehow didn't seem to like me anymore. Hazel waved at me. I didn't know when she woke up but she seemed to have enough time to curl her silver-grey hair and put some perfectly matched makeup on.

"Do you want bacon?", Tatumn asked me and pointed at the bacon. But I shook my head. "No, thanks I'm not feeling well.", I answered and she nodded understandingly.

That my kids, is a surprise tool we might need later.

But before Tatumn had the chance to say anything Hazel already took the words. "Good. I just finished, we can go now if you like to, we might actually be on time this time.", she laughed. I threw a look at the clock. To my surprise, it was already 7:40. I nodded.

"Yeah. Sure.", I smiled.

We packed our things, said Tatumn and the kids goodbye, and drove to the school. Hazel talked and I stared outside the window. We arrived, met Antony, and talked a little. Just like every other day. Everything seemed to go as planned.

My timetable read physics as my first lesson. Hazel had math, on the other side of the school. Such as Anthony. I didn't really know anyone in my physic class and no need to explain: I hated physic. But I had to go through this one lesson.

I just played with my pen most of the time, avoiding eye contact with my teacher so he wouldn't pick me, and waited for the hour to go by faster.

I practically jumped off of my chair as the bell rang, telling me that the first hour of the day was finished. I would've had English now, but I made my way to the secretary instead.

Mrs sunshine lifted her head as I stepped in, clearly not expecting to see someone this early a day. But let me tell you one thing: her name might make her seem like a ray of sunshine, but she clearly wasn't one. Her dark hair chopped off perfectly above her shoulders and The dark red lipstick made her look like a vampire in contrast to her black outfit she was always wearing. Her look practically killed me as soon as she saw me and I instantly got this unwelcome feeling in my gut. But I had to do this.

"Good morning.", I said with a hint of suffering in my voice so she could already tell I didn't feel well.

"Good morning. How may I help you?", She asked, not taking her eyes away from me. I gulped.

I know I've said I wouldn't skip school again here in Florida. But this was an emergency and my only chance on finding Carter. So I had to do this just once. And I had an excuse.

"I want to sign out. I don't feel well.", I stated and she eyed me suspiciously. "Why?", She asked.

I knew this wasn't going to be easy, but I didn't expect her to investigate me like that.

"I don't know. I already woke up with this bad feeling but I wanted to try and make it past the day but... I just don't feel like I can do it anymore and I don't want to vomit in Mr. Wilsons class." I made a face and Mrs. Sunshine nodded. "Nothing the school nurse could handle?"

I shook my head. "I don't think so."

She formed a deep V with her eyebrows. "What are the symptoms?"

I shifted slightly uncomfortable.

"I'm just really tired and I just feel very sick. Especially in the morning." I mumbled and her eyes widened. "oh."

I nodded and everyone stood silent for a second. "Do you want me to call your legal guardian or-"

"no. No, I already called my godmother, she'll pick me up.", I said and she nodded again, then wrote something down on a paper that looked like an absent-list. "Fine, I hope you'll feel...better soon.", She said, slightly uncomfortable. "Thank you."

I gave her a warm smile and slowly walked around the corner. The hallways were almost empty since the next lesson already started. A triumphant smile plaid around my lips.

I rolled my eyes, in disbelieve of how easy people believe other people, and checked the time on the clock that hung in the middle of the hallway. Almost 9 AM. Tatumn got off to work around thirty minutes ago. The twins went to school as well and Hazel had a full timetable.

I got out my phone and opened Hazel's chat while walking down the hallway towards the outrace to the parking lots.

"I don't feel well. I might head home by bus :/ don't worry about me.", I typed and reached the big heavy door. I pushed it open.

The daylight met my face and the sight of a full parking lot was given to me. I walked down the stairs towards the only car that immediately caught my eye. The party lot was empty, next to a dark-haired guy towering over the said car.

"I told you you don't have to skip.", Blake shouted as I got nearer and I rolled my eyes. "Good thing I do whatever I want to do.", I said and stopped next to his dark car.

He opened the door for me and I got in without hesitation. Without saying anything he walked around the car and took a seat behind the steering wheel himself.

After he called yesterday night to tell me he got someone that could help us with our plan, all we did was plan how we'd get through with it. I convinced Blake to skip school and wait for me at the parking lots and well... you know the rest of the story.

"So where did you find that somebody?", I asked since he didn't tell me everything last night. A sightly proud smile covered his lips.
"I have my connections.", he simply stated and started the engine.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm serious Blake. I'm curious."
His grin grew.
"First you tell me your name was willow, then serious and then curious?", he asked obviously amused and I couldn't help but hide a smile because of his hilariously horrible joke.
"Oh someone ate a clown this morning."; I rolled my eyes once more and after he grinned a little while and we left the parking lot, he started talking.

"I told you about that thing I was doing right? Let's say someone still owed me a favor-"
I cut in on that. "You really take that whole favor thing too serious."

He rolled his eyes this time and continued talking, ignoring my little snap back. "- so he owed me a favor because I once got him stuff for free. Anyways so I know that he and a lot of other kids use fake ID's to get into clubs and stuff they shouldn't get into-"
I cut him off once again. "But having a fake ID to but alcohol and a whole new identity is a whole other level."

He sighed and suppressed a grin. "Okay just let me know if I can finish my sentence."
I smiled awkwardly and tried not to roll my eyes. "Right, sorry. Continue."

He waited for a second to make sure I'd really listen this time and then continued with his story. "Anyways, so yeah you're right about the whole identity thing. But you came up with the idea of finding out about his new name and that's the only way we have. It's not just him who owns a Fake ID. A lot of people have and they all got it from the same person: and let me tell you their fake IDs don't look fake at all. This guy knows what he's been doing.", he explained and I took the information all in. I nodded briefly and was just about to say something, but he cut me off this time.

"I did some research and found out that he's also faking birth certificates and green card documents for illegal immigrants. Making fake IDs for teenager is just a little thing he does besides to get money because they're absolutely overpriced.", he laughed about the last part but I didn't feel like laughing but thought about what that means.

I nodded again and ran my fingers through my hair. "Do you think he could've done that with carter? Giving him a whole new identity?"

Blake shrugged. For a moment I felt proud of him. I knew he had some potential. When I offered him to search for someone who helped people change their identities, because obviously I already had this plan, I didn't think he'd actually really find someone who was able to do so.

"I'm not sure. From all you told me this carter could be all around the US by now. I'm pretty sure there's more than just one person out there who sells new life's. But if he really is near Florida: he's our man."
And for some reason I just knew he was. I'm not sure what he was: maybe it was the fact that chase once mentioned the north side had some alliances over here in Florida or the fact that I just hoped for it to be that way. I had the strong feeling that carter smith wasn't that far away.

Blake stopped the car at a red traffic light and turned his head to look at me. I smiled at him. "Congratulations Sherlock." I joked and he smiled back.

"But you know, this whole thing isn't legal. So don't give him any money for anything.", he said suddenly in all seriousness. That's another thing he took to serious: this whole "let's-stay-legal- thing."

Even tho his halo was more than just broken, he tried everything to hold it in place.
But I replaced it with horns long ago.

"Of course not." I assured him and he briefly nodded, then looked back to the street again, as the traffic lights turned green.

I used the time I got and threw a look at my phone. A message plopped up just in this moment, Hazel letting me know that she hopes I'll feel better soon. Another message informed me that she'll go to one of Henry's football games later that day and with that- my blood instantly ran cold. Then I remembered one of the things I wanted to talk about to Blake today.

I peeked at Blake from the side and took in his perfectly shaped side profile, exposing his jawline in every best way possible.

"You know, Hazel told me about you guys.", I suddenly burst out and owned myself an amused side glance from Blake. "About 'you guys'?", he asked.

I rolled my eyes again.

"You were friends. She said you stopped your friendship because you didn't like Henry."

I swear I could've felt Blake tense a little at that, but it left just as fast as all his other emotions did. He never seemed to express them any longer than a few seconds.

"I told you he's an asshole.", he simply stated and shrugged again. I let out an ironical laugh.
"Yeah I figured out such as much.", I mumbled and he glared at me from the side again.

"What did he do this time?", he asked as if he wasn't even a little bit surprised about what I just said, already expecting him to do something douchebag like sooner or later. Maybe it was his name. Henry, Nate, Josh and Tristan just had something about their names that screamed douchebag.

"He flirted with me at the party.", I simply sighed and Blake rolled his eyes. "How original.", he mumbled and I agreed by nodding along.
"Did he do something like that before?", I asked him, knowing what his answer would be.
"I saw him kissing another girl in the halls just right after he and Hazel became official.", he explained and I sighed. Henry was even worse than I thought. And if he didn't have the informations he had: I would've crashed him in every way possible. And I don't give a shit that he was like double as tall and double as broad as me!

"Hazel didn't believe me. But I guess you know that.", Blake sighed. I nodded. Awesome.
Henry was right about one thing: the only one who'd be screwed if I told her was me. And the simple fact that he had anything to stop me from what I wanted to do, made the blood in my veins boil.

I didn't answer to what he said. What should I say anyways? So I just gulped and looked around, searching for anything to change the topic before he asked any further questions I didn't want to answer.

I Foul a new topic when my eyes caught sight of the radio. "Why do you never play music?", I asked, totally out of context which made him turn around for a second, only to focus on the road again. "Who says I never play music?"

"Well, whenever I ride with you I don't hear any kind f music so I just assumed you don't listen to music that's only silent to my ears." He smirked at my words and shook his head in an amused way. But he didn't answer my question. A simple question he denied any answer to.

He never seemed to give away anything, and at the same time so much. It was almost confusing how one person can be so open and closed at the same time. Like an open book, with some glued pages about the littlest things.

But I shouldn't judge someone for not telling his secrets to a stranger when I didn't even opened up to the ones that are close to me.

"I like the sound of the engine.", He answered after a brief pause and I made a face. "That totally sounds like a lie.", I said and he raised an eyebrow.

"Oh so just because you don't like the answer it means it's a lie?"

I formed a deep V with my eyebrows. "Doesn't it work like that for most of the people?", I asked him and he seemed to think for a moment. "What makes you think that?"

I shrugged and turned my head away from him to look out of the window. I had no clue where we were, but the houses started to get smaller and the road less clean. "I don't know. Think about it. Nobody likes the truth as long as it's ugly. Try telling a mother her son is a drug addict even tho she deep down knows. People believe everything as long as they don't have to face the real truth. They rather hear the perfect lie.", I explained and even tho I didn't face Blake, I could make out a little move out of the corner of my eye.

"Who can blame them tho?", he suddenly asked and I turned my head back to him again.

He spent me a little smile, one of these where he'd just lift the right corner of his mouth.

"So was it a lie?", I asked him and motioned too the radio. His smile grew by that and he looked back on the road. "What do you think?"

I know he didn't expect an answer to that. But something told me that he'd always tell the truth. And another thing told me that I'd have to change that very soon.

Even if I planned to answer on that, there was not enough tie left anyways. Because only seconds after he took a turn and slowed down the car. "We're here.", He said, typical coldness in his voice.

I practically ripped my eyes away from his angelic face and looked outside the front window. The street was nearly empty. I wasn't particularly sure what part of Florida we were in, but the burned trashcans and and empty energy drink cans made it sure that it wasn't near anywhere our living blog. "lovely.", I muttered as I took in the street in front of us and Blake parked the car on the side of the road. It couldn't be far away from our school since we only rode like thirty minutes. And even tho most of Florida seemed like another world to me, this place felt extremely strange.

"I really hope my source spoke the truth.", Blake said and slowly got out of the car, scanning the surroundings. He walked around the car and opened my door, and this time I let him because I really wasn't in the mood for a fight right now.

I got out of the car and he closed the door again.

Blake started walking and I followed him at his heels since I didn't know where we had to head. "Let me talk.", He claimed and I made a face at that. "Yeah, what do you dream about at night?", I asked him sarcastically and he rolled his eyes at that, but didn't bother to contradict since he finally seemed to understood that it doesn't help anyways.

We had to walk a couple of feet, till we reached a house. To my surprise it was the prettiest house in this area and even tho it didn't exactly look like in beverly hills, it's yellow house facade made it look almost lovely. We walked towards it's door and stopped right in front of it.

Blake looked at me, sightly uncomfortable and I motioned towards the door for him to knock. He got my signs and hammered his hand against the door so that any resident would clearly hear it.

We shared one last look before the door finally swung open.

__________
Hellooo I'm actually not a big fan of authors note but I wanted to say something:
So I'm really sorry for slow updating but it has its reasons. I have the whole story figured out and planned in my head but I'm kind of scared to write it because it never seems to meet my expectations.
Anyways so I decided to just write and if it's totally shitty then it is what it is.
I can overwrite the whole thing later so I try not to worry too much :)
Also Thanks for your support !!!!!
It really means a lot