I woke up the next morning on the couch. I didn't remember how I got there, but I think it involved a lot of tripping and stumbling. The air was nice a warm, just how I liked it, and the couch was so comfy and the blanket so warm, I thought I would never get up.

I didn't want to, but I managed to pry my eyes open to see two faces right in front of mine. "Gah!" I jumped off the couch and stumbled onto the floor, my body tangled in my blanket.

Lyra and Kat started laughing. Lyra doubled over, holding her sides, and Kat kicked her feet on the couch where I had been sleeping, wiping tears from her eyes.

I couldn't help but laugh along, too. I'm not a huge grudge-holder, and it was pretty funny. I remember doing the same thing to Kat on numerous occasions, so I figured I would let her get away with this one... This time.

Failing at trying to stifle her laughter, Lyra offered me her hand and as I reached for it, I gripped her hand like a vice and used my feet to knock her down, and she came tumbling down right next to me.

I laughed as she sat up and looked around, dazed. This sent Kat into a new fit of laughs, and I thought she might go into a state of hysteria.

Lyra looked at me and grinned. Still on the ground, I offered her my hand, and together we heaved each other off the ground.

When Kat was finally able to take a breath without busting out into laughs and hiccups, she grabbed her sides and said, "Ugh! I think I grew an ab!" She slowly stood from the couch and said, "Hunger and harsh laughter are not a good combo."

I perked up at the mention of food. "You guys hungry?" I asked.

They nodded and I smiled. "Who's up for pancakes?"

"How about French toast?" Lyra said.

"I'm in the mood for bacon," Kat said dreamily.

"French toast, pancakes, and bacon it is!" I went into the kitchen and got to work. I pulled out the griddle and plugged it in to warm up. Then I grabbed a spatula and a large bowl and got ready for the pancakes. I've got my own little recipe for the perfect pancakes, which involves flour, eggs, milk, and lots of chocolate chips.

I got out a Tupperware container and cracked a few egg yolks in it along with milk, vanilla, and a pinch of cinnamon for the French toast.

I did one batch of big, thick, round pancakes, and then a round of French toast, then pancakes, then toast, and so forth.

While I did this, Kat and Lyra stood around, not knowing what to do. I smiled to myself. Over the past years, I had become the breakfast cook, and I usually had it ready before they were up, but this time I had slept in, and they didn't know what to do.

"Kat," I said, "you want to get started on the bacon? Lyra, will you make some apple juice?"

They nodded, and Kat rummaged loudly around in the cupboards for a while before coming out with a gleaming pan. She sprayed the pan with some grease and set it down on the hot stove. While it was heating up, she went to the fridge and found two packages of bacon. I didn't argue with her about the amount of bacon she was going to cook; mostly because I would eat half of it myself.

While Kat was sizzling the bacon, Lyra got out a large pitcher and grabbed a few packages of apple-flavored powder and poured it in along with some cold water from the sink.

After the juice was made, Lyra began to set the table while I piled the plates she brought me with toast on one and pancakes on the other.

I cooked and cooked, and as I was getting to my last piece of bread and the last few drops of pancake mix, Kat called out, "Bacon's done!"

I flipped the last piece of bread onto the plate with its brothers and turned off the griddle. I grabbed the plates and walked them carefully over to the table.

We said a blessing over the meal and started to eat. I grabbed a large pancake and a piece of toast and smothered them with peanut butter and syrup. Then I grabbed about six pieces of bacon and put them on my plate. Kat looked at me and raised her eyebrow.

"What?" I asked innocently.

She shook her head. "Nothing."

I gave her a look and went back to my food. Some people found it strange that I put peanut butter on my French toast and pancakes, but it just didn't have the same flavor without it. Besides, I love peanut butter.

Kat's head shot up to the sound of the front door opening, but I kept eating.  It was probably just Robyn  and Atlanta coming in for some food. They did that sometimes when they didn't feel like cooking.

But it wasn't Robyn or Atlanta. It was one of our other friends, Kaylen Amela. She wore a black T-shirt with a silver jacket and a pair of sturdy hunting boots on. Her hair was long and dark brown, and her eyes were the same color. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail, and she had a silver heart-shaped necklace dangling around  her neck. Kaylen was the rebel of the school. She ditched class all the time to go hunting with her brother, Ivor. They were the best hunters in the city, and they never missed.

"Hey, Kaylen," Lyra said as she took a bit of her pancake that she had smothered in syrup.

"Hey, guys. How was the dance last night?" she asked as she sat down and helped herself to some toast. Kaylen lived in the apartment above us, and she was like another sister to me. She came in our apartment all the time, and she often times came over to meals unannounced. Normally, that would bug me, but we did the same to her, so it was okay.

Kat looked at her with wide eyes. "How did you know-"

"I saw you guys leave," she said as she buttered her toast. "I was thinking of going, but that's not really my scene."

I nodded in understanding. Not much of my scene either.

"Stalker," Lyra muttered under her breath.

We all laughed and Kaylen smiled. "I actually just happened to be waiting for Red to come home. She was out late at the library last night. I was just looking out the window when I saw you guys. So no, I'm not a stalker."

We laughed again. Red Correz was the shy girl of the school. She didn't talk to anyone, which suited Kaylen just fine. They both didn't talk much, but when Red did talk, she usually used Spanish terms that no one could understand, which she liked. I sometimes wondered if she felt that if someone knew what was going on in her head, people might think she was a freak. But she was one of the nicest people around; if you took the time to get to know her. She was very anti-social, and didn't really open up.

Lyra shrugged. "Say it however you like; you're still a stalker in my book."

"Girls, girls, you're both pretty," Kat said as she took a gulp of apple juice.

We laughed and a thought occurred to me. "Kaylen, where is Red?"

Kaylen shrugged. "I don't know. She wasn't home when I got up. I think she went to the library. You know how she likes it in there with no one around."

We all nodded in understanding. If you were looking for Red, the library would be your best chance of finding her.

We talked and laughed for a while before we finished our meal and Kaylen said she had to go hunting.

"Yeah, I better get home before Cooper wakes up," Lyra agreed as she went for her jacket she had left on the couch the night before.

Kat looked over at the clock. "It's only ten thirty. Are you sure he'll be up by now?"

We laughed and Lyra slipped on her jacket. "I better go. Thanks for letting me stay."

I smiled. "No problem. Like Kat said, come over any time."

Lyra nodded. "I'll remember that."

"Good."

Kat and I stood at the door, waving good-bye to our friends as Kaylen made way for the forest in the west, and Lyra headed home.

Author's Note: Okay guys! This chapter's question is: What do you think is going to be the main problem of the story?