Pain rushed through my right leg as I looked up at the ocean surface. The waves bobbed up and down, the energy soaring through me. A hand reached down, splitting the blue surface above me in half for a split second. I reached up for it, my legs kicking as much as they possibly could beneath me.

Successfully, I grabbed the hand. I knew from the moment I held on that it was Tyler's. He tried to pull me up, but whatever had hold of my leg pulled me down—I was the rope in a game of Tug of War.

After several minutes of pulling, the unforgiving creature released its jaws, resulting in my being to fly up to the surface once Tyler pulled me up.

Two Days Earlier:

I stood in the meadow I first arrived in after my death. Amelia and Caleb stood before me, their white clothing slightly blowing in the soft breeze. I told them about the event that had occurred merely an hour ago.

"She saw you?" Caleb asked.

"Yes. A demon tried to kill her!" I yelled.

Amelia and Caleb were supposed to be my guardian angels. Why weren't they doing their job? They could have saved Megan, they could have warded off the demons, they could have kept me from speaking to Satan.

"This is not good," Amelia said.

"Really? Because I thought evil demonic creatures trying to kill my little sister was a good thing," I scoffed. "Gosh, I never should have listened to Satan...."

"You talked to Satan!" Amelia yelled.

"Well, I wouldn't have if you left!" I screamed.

"You told me to leave!"

"Stop!" Caleb yelled. "Enough! You need to calm down; both of you. Don't you get it? This is what he wants. For you two to fight."

We stood there, staring at one another. The silence became unbearable. I coughed just to break the noiseless void between us. Once I had realized she wasn't going to speak, I did, though I'm positive it was not the right thing to say.

"I didn't tell you to leave," I huffed.

"You didn't tell me to leave? Yes, you did!"

"Stop!"

We both looked at Caleb. This was the first time I had not seen happiness glow around him.

"You both need to stop. Now, I know you're not on the best of terms. Amelia," he said turning to her, "you are a little bossy. September," he turned to look at me, "you can be such a child sometimes. But we need to work together. This has turned into something far greater than it was before. We are in a war. Do you not realize that or care, for that matter?"

I looked down at the grassy ground, embarrassed. How could I have acted that way? Was I truly becoming into a being I did not want to be?

"I apologize, September. I can be bossy. But you have to realize one little mistake could mess up the whole operation. You have to be careful," Amelia said.

"I'm sorry, too," I apologized. "I guess I just don't know how to deal with this. I just watched my sister die. And though it was not long, it still happened. How am I supposed to fight this?"

I sat down on the ground. For once, I felt completely hopeless, completely drained. How was I supposed to get through this? There seemed to be no possible way.

"September," Caleb said, sitting down beside me, "you will get through this." He was silent for a moment. "I have a question for you: What was the first thing that came to mind as you were dying?"

I started to think. How was I supposed to know this? Looking around, I hoped to find an answer within the nature surrounding me. There were butterflies fluttering through through the air; bees buzzing as they bounced from one flower to the next. My eyes landed upon a small body of water. A deer stood before it, his head down as he quenched his thirst. Then it hit me.

"I Am." I said.

"What?" Amelia asked.

I stood up, excitement running through me. "I Am! The first thing that came to mind were the lyrics of I Am!"

"Precisely," Caleb said. "Just as then, just like now, God is holding onto you amidst the storm. He has been speaking to you, September. Who do you think informed Ken to keep working on Megan when Mary said to let it go? Who do you think brought you to this meadow upon your arrival? Who do you think has been telling Tyler to not give up hope?"

"God..." I whispered. "He has been doing this all this time. He hasn't been M.I.A. He has always been there."

September...I have never left you and I will never leave you. I will always be there, for you are my child.

Chills ran down my spine. Was that him speaking to me now? Is he here? I looked up to the cloudless, blue sky. Nothing but peace enveloped me.

"So," I began, looking back at Caleb, "God has always

been there? That was him speaking to me after I was attacked by the shark? When I felt all of that peace, especially around Satan, that was him all this time?"

He nodded. "Correct."

A sense of happiness overcame me, followed by sadness. He has been with me all this time. How could I be so inconsiderate? How could I call myself a Christian? I no longer knew who I was. Was I the kind of girl who called herself a follower of Christ when truly she was not? Was I an atheist? Did I just go to church for my friends? Covered with confusion and sadness, I sat down on a rock, tears swimming in my eyes.

"I don't know who I am," I whispered. "I don't know who I was, I don't know who or what I believe in."

"September," Amelia said, sitting beside me, "it's okay. That is the reason for this mission. God saw potential in you."

"How?" I asked, crying by this point. "How could He possibly see potential in me when I can't even see potential in myself?"

"Because He created you," Caleb said. He got up from off the ground and stood before me. "He saw potential in you also because you tried. You did something no one in your group would have ever thought of doing."

"What?" I asked, wiping away the tears.

"Why don't we show you?" Amelia said.

I nodded and stood up. "Okay."

Amelia and Caleb grabbed my hands. The wind began to circle around us once our hands touched. Within seconds, we were engulfed in darkness, only for it to soon spit us out into the past. Before we were able to see where we had landed, I heard the noise of lockers shutting, people talking and laughter breaking unnoticed silences. We were at school.

I opened my eyes to find rows of blue lockers behind numbers and numbers of students. Quickly, I spotted Mackenzie, Ariel, and myself standing by Ariel's locker. This was last year. As I stepped closer, I was able to catch pieces of our conversation.

"September Ann Jones, you are going to talk to that cute boy and you are going to like it! Don't make me force you!" Ariel said.

My breath got caught in my throat as I realized what day it was. This was the day I first talked to Tyler. As I watched Junior year September gaze at Junior year Tyler, I looked over at him. He was cute then and still the same now. Slowly, I walked towards him, walking in a zigzag formation past people left and right.

"What do you know about that girl over there?" Tyler asked, pointing in the direction of me and my friends.

"September?" one of the guys asked.

His name was Jordan. He was tall and athletic. His black, almost always styled hair made most of the girls at Lafayette High School swoon, except for me. Jordan was a total jerk to most of the girls at school. How he still got dates was beyond my knowledge. Beside him stood football star Alex McCoy. Like Jordan, he was a total jerk, but only to people who treated his friends poorly. I guess you could say he was a sweetheart deep down, however, I disagreed.

"September..." Tyler repeated. "That's a pretty name."

"I guess," Jordan said.

"Do you know if she's dating anyone?" he asked, still looking in our direction.

I watched him as he watched me try to talk my friends out of getting me to talk to him. My face was bright red. I looked back at him, quickly looking away when we made eye contact. Jordan laughed.

"Haven't you noticed how September always blushes?" Alex asked Jordan.

"Yeah," Jordan said. "It can get funny sometimes."

"Anyway," Alex said, "I don't think she's dating anyone. Why?"

"No reason," Tyler said. "Just wondering."

"Oh, I see," Jordan said. "You want to ask her out. Well, well, new boy has fallen in love."

Tyler laughed and looked down at his schedule. He smiled and nodded only slightly.

"Okay, guys. Enough kidding around. I have not fallen in love, I don't even know the girl, but—"

"She's hot, isn't she?" Jordan said, cutting him off.

"Dude, hot? Really? You don't describe a girl as hot. You describe them as charming, cute, adorable..." he looked over at me. "Beautiful."

"Well, guess who's coming this way?" Alex said.

I looked over in time to watch the somewhat younger version of myself hop from one foot to the next. For all this time, I had thought it was a graceful fall, but looking at it now, I realized I was wrong. From where I stood, I was a donkey who tripped over fishing line and fell into a fence, only that wasn't enough as I fell over the fence, only to find my head land into a bucket in which were Tyler's feet.

I watched as I looked up at Tyler, my face a tomato. He looked at me, smiling.

"Hi," he said.

I continued to look up at him, unaware of the two jocks who stood next to him. They snickered and that is when I snapped out of his hypnotizing gaze. Quickly, I stood up and dusted my jeans off.

"Uh..sorry," I said, then ran off.

"Isn't she a keeper?" Alex said, shaking his head and laughing.

"She sure is...unique," Tyler said. "She's something special."

The bell rang, resulting in everyone to disperse. Tyler, Jordan, and Alex said bye and headed to their classes. Before I knew it, I was alone.

"See?" Caleb said. "It may have started out as a tiny thing, but it soon turned into something magnificent."

I smiled and pushed my hair from out of my face and behind my ear.

"He liked me before I even met him?"

"God puts people in our lives for a reason. Your relationship and death were a couple of the various reasons."

I continued to smile as I looked down the now empty hallway. He liked me even before.

"September," Caleb said. "We must go. We have a lot more to see."

I nodded and grabbed Caleb's hand. Butterflies formed in my stomach as I thought of what I just saw and heard. Smiling even more, I thought of everything. So many things made sense now. I just can't understand why my death made me realize all of this now.

The wind began to swarm around us and in seconds, we were gone.

—————————

I followed past September and Tyler as they walked out of the lunch line and to the silverware station.

"There isn't much for anyone to sit in this cafeteria with the cliques and all. I usually sit outside with my friends."

"They let you do that?" he asked.

"Yeah. They aren't super strict here. Do you want to sit outside? Or would you rather not?"

Tyler looked down at the younger version of me and smiled. My stomach began to church as I remembered what happened during lunch. How could I have been so stupid? And I was flirting? I don't flirt. I'm too awkward!

"No. I don't mind."

I blushed a little and nodded. "Okay, then follow me."

I started to walk towards the glass door. The sky was blue and the sun was shining. From what I remember, those were the best days to sit outside. One day, it was so sunny that I got a bit of a tan. I wasn't upset though, as the day was too nice to be upset at it. We walked over to the first table we saw and sat down. Tyler sat across from me.

As past me looked down to unwrap my sandwich, I studied Tyler. He walked me intently and smiled. When I looked up, he hid his smile by taking a bite of his Mac N' Cheese. The silence was a bit deafening at first, then I asked where he was from. The conversation started off casual then my friends came. Boy was I happy to see them. When I get super nervous, I act like a complete idiot, hence staring into Tyler's eyes where I first fell into him thanks to my amazing friends.

"Hey, guys," I said. "This is Tyler. He moved here from Oregon."

We held up a pretty good conversation up until I caught grapes in my mouth. If I'd known I had started a feud, I wouldn't have done it.

I threw a grape up in the air and caught it in my mouth. Ariel, Mackenzie, and Harry clapped. Almost positive I was blushing, I laughed. Tyler smiled and looked down at his food, moving his fork around.

"That was beautiful," Mackenzie said.

I shrugged and laughed. "I try."

"That is quite a talent," Tyler said. "However, I think I can do better."

"Well, would you look at that. The new guy is stepping up our girl," Ariel said.

"There is no possible way you can do better than me," I said.

He squinted and set his hands flat on the table. I laughed at the seriousness of it all.

"Oh, we'll see," he said.

Tyler took two grapes from my tray (in which I politely scolded him for—I like my grapes) and threw them up in the air. One after the other, he caught them in his mouth. Everyone clapped, including me.

"September, you just got beat," Harry said.

"Eh, give the new guy the crown. He won't have it for long."

He smiled and shook his head, folding his arms.

"You are one interesting person, September. I believe this is the beginning of a beautiful, weird, and amazing friendship."

"Oh, totally, because those are the only friendships you get with me. I'm a diamond."

"Indeed you are," he said.

I looked at him, not entirely sure what emotions were running through me. Ariel looked at me then Tyler. Mackenzie looked down and smiled. Harry, well, he just sat there.

"Um...this has been one of the best lunch periods ever. Don't you guys agree? Grape wars, new friends, the sunshine."

"Boyfriend," Mackenzie said through a cough.

I blushed and looked down. Tyler threw a grape at me in order to smile and I threw one back. The bell rang then we all went our separate ways.

The moment faded before me. Wait, what just happened? I sighed and turned around, prepared for Caleb to take me wherever I needed to go next.

—————————

We stood in the football field. Students began to walk out of the building and walk down the sidewalk to get where we stood.

"What are we doing here?" I asked Caleb.

"We are here to show you your relationship with Tyler was purely planned out and not a coincidence."

To see my relationship was purely planned out....

I looked around, watching students talk, laugh, and overall fool around. It didn't take long for me to spot out Mackenzie, Ariel, and me. To be fair, it wasn't hard at all. All I had to do was look for the bright orange shirt I called my gym shirt. Looking at the group of three, I now understood why Ariel and Mackenzie cringed the first day of gym.

"I can't believe you ran into the guy," Ariel said.

"Well, you pushed me!" I yelled.

"Ooh, September," Mackenzie interrupted, "Look who's in our gym class."

I looked over to the right where Mackenzie spoke. My heart skipped a beat when I saw Tyler sitting on the bleachers. He was in my gym class! How could I forget he was in my gym class?

I glanced back at me and my two best friends. My face was a ghastly white as I watched myself duck behind the two of them.

"Oh, no. No no no. He can't be in this class!"

"Why not?" Mackenzie asked.

"Because...because he just can't, okay?"

Coach Lenner walked out with the softball equipment. My eyes grew wide as I remembered this day. As my stomach began to churn and turn and twist, I looked up at Tyler. This was by far the worst day ever.

"Okay, class," Coach Lenner started, "we are going to play softball. Get into groups of three and toss the ball around."

Mackenzie and Ariel walked over to me, gloves and a softball in hand. They handed me a glove and smiled mischievously.

"Don't make a fool out of yourself, September," Ariel said.

"What does it matter? I already have. I just hope he doesn't notice me."

The three of us spread out and began to toss the ball around. Ariel tossed it to me and I attempted to catch it, but failed. In fact, it didn't even head for my glove, but my face.

"Ow!" I said, laughing.

The three of us stood there laughing to the point where I fell over. Ariel apologized through bouts of laughter and Mackenzie tried to retrieve the ball. Coach Lenner looked over at us and we tried to calm our laughter, however, failed.

"I remember this day," I said.

"September," Caleb said, "you should go to the bleachers where Tyler is sitting. There is something I want you to hear."

I nodded and walked over to the bleachers. As I walked up the metal steps, thoughts ran through my mind. What does Caleb want me to hear? I'm sure Tyler already thought of me as a fool. Once I reached him, I sat down. My stomach churned as I awaited the conversation.

Sitting beside Tyler was Jordan and Alex. I'm sure they thought they were protecting him or doing him a favor by hanging out without him. The truth of the matter was, after I gained the courage to talk to him later that day, they ditched him. Why, I had no idea, however, I felt like I was about to find out.

"We saw you sitting with her and her friends," Alex said. "How was it?"

"Just like a normal lunch," he said.

Lunch...I remembered that day. I made a complete fool out of myself by catching a grape in my mouth. Oh gosh, I can't believe I actually did that. How could I have been so naive?

"You seemed to be having fun," Jordan spoke.

"Yeah, well, you can't help but have fun when you're showing the girl up," Tyler said, laughing.

"You're still watching that chick?" Jordan asked.

"She is not a chick, she is a human being, and no, I'm not...but so what if I was?" Tyler said.

I realized he truly was watching me, as did I. On the field, Mackenzie threw the ball to me, a little to high this time. I jumped up to try and catch it, however, I fell, in which resulted in more laughter. Tyler laughed and shook his head.

"Does she always fall?" he asked.

"Yeah, she's a huge klutz," Jordan answered.

"It's—," Tyler said.

"Funny," Jordan interrupted.

"So you are watching her," Alex spoke.

"I was going to say it's cute. Her falling. It adds...character."

"I guess," Jordan said, "if you're into that kind of thing."

"Fall for her all you want, man. I've heard many have tried and failed."

"What do you mean?"

Jordan and Alex looked at one another. What were they talking about? No one has tried and I knew why: because I was weird, a total klutz, and I was nowhere close to beautiful. Well, I guess Tyler is the first to think I am...to think I was.

"Well, first of all, "Alex said, "she's a Christian girl. Those are always hard to get and to keep."

"Not to mention," Jordan added, "it's hard for her to actually believe those kind of things. Her dad left her when she was young."

"Really?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah, so if you want to ask her out, go ahead, but not many succeed."

"Whatever, man."

Tyler got up and headed back with the rest of the class. I continued to stand on the bleachers, alone, in the cold breeze. I stared at the building, mulling everything over. There was so much more to our relationship than I thought or even knew of. Why is this all coming out after my death?

"September," Caleb said from behind me.

I jumped and turned around. Thunder rumbled in the distance and the air smelled of rain.

"Gosh, Caleb. You scared me."

"Sorry," he apologized, "I did not mean to startle you, however, there is still more to see."

I rolled my eyes and looked at him.

"Why is this all coming out after I die? Why couldn't you make this come out while I was still alive or during one of our fights that nearly ended our relationship? Those would have helped a lot."

I looked around just as the rain began to fall. I was slightly annoyed at Caleb and Amelia's actions. They were so sporadic and sometimes emotionless. Then it hit me. Amelia didn't arrive at the track with us. Frantically, I looked around. My heartbeat began to quicken and the hair on my arms stood up.

"Caleb?"

"Yeah?"

I looked at him, my eyes wide. It seemed as if he understood why I was fearful, as he began to look around, as well.

"Where's Amelia?"

"Didn't she arrive with us?'

I shook my head, my hair flying around my face. We both looked around as much as we possibly could and called her name. After several minutes of looking, we stopped.

"Caleb," I said, my voice shaky, "Amelia's gone."

Caleb stared at me, his golden eyes wide and skin slightly pale. Thunder cracked and it began to pour. Her absence was not good; it only meant one thing: Satan.