Ashlyn

Couldn't believe that I was actually doing this right now, walking around a carnival holding Mike's hand and having his warm- oddly soft- fingers intertwined around mine.

For a practical use, having a little warmth and body heat didn't hurt since it was starting to get freezing because of the occasional gust of chilly night wind, but what the heck was I doing?

The deal Mike and I had, from what I understand, was that we would only act like a couple at Ridgewood- not every single place we went to. Another thing that I seem to remember was that this 'relationship' was supposed to be temporary, and right now I have this nagging feeling that the 'temporary' part of it all might not be temporary for long.

Recently, we've been breaking a lot of walls and that bothers me- greatly.

With Mike opening up and telling me a bunch of things that no one on the face of the planet knew, I can't find anything within myself to hate him. I mean, how could I? He said that I was his only true friend and that within itself was depressing and hard to hate.

But here besides me was the biggest jerk, the largest black sore in society, the lowest of the low, who was all so vulnerable at the same time. He was grotesque to the core and infinite with his profanity.

This was Mike Nor that we were talking about here, the actor and boy that I hated at first sight. How have I managed to find myself liking a monster like him little by little?

No, I'll never like Mike like that.

I doubt that I will ever find myself liking him that much, but if we were to say goodbye I would miss him but probably forget about him soon after.

However, the real problem with this whole situation was me. When we were on the beach doing his weird little game of "Question or Confession", I almost spilled out everything about myself- everything that I was hiding and all my dark secrets that went along with it.

That's a problem.

I never ever tell anyone anything about my past, and I plan on keeping it that way. My parents obviously knew what went down but they know better not to dare cross that subject with me, but there I was ready to spill my heart and soul to him.

Why? Why him out of all people?

That question constantly plagued my mind right after the game.

Mike never asked me the question directly- because how could have he known- but the thought and word of 'attention' had always been a trigger word for me. It may have been already apparent, but I don't like people and I don't like attention.

When I was at my old school, I got enough of it- the kind you don't want, and I learned the hard way that emotions make people weak and no matter what the cost they can never show it.

So when Mike mentioned his 'brilliant' plan of getting a tsunami of attention by using my unused 'mass popularity' for being the Mystery Student, I freaked out and all the traumatic memories led to the attention I got at school, which led to Daniel's death.

At first, I went on automatic shut down and threw up all my walls to prevent anything from spilling out, but there was something inside me that was so tempted to tell him- craving to have someone to tell that would understand all that I was holding inside.

Maybe it was because he entrusted me with his secrets that I felt compelled to do the same, but I can never tell him or anybody anything.

The day that Daniel died was the day that I lost myself, and I will never be the same person again- nor do I want to. Trusting no one was what kept me strong so far and raised me out of the hell pit that I was in, and I will continue to not trust or be involved with anyone.

People always come and go, and they never do anything but hurt you in the end or drag you down. Sometimes they don't even mean it and other times it's not even their fault, but it happens anyway.

It's better to be alone, and I'm fine like that.

People may need other people to be with, but I fly life alone with no attachments- leaving when I wish and not caring about what happens next because I know that no one else but me will get hurt.

I must have been being over dramatic on the beach today, and I was probably a little over-emotional earlier because I usually get whacked up like this before my period.

I know. That was a detail I totally could have gone without saying, but it explains a lot.

"That looks like fun." Mike muttered quietly- trying to sound enthused but clearly bored out of his mind since we already tried out everything worthwhile. "Want to go on that?"

His voice rattled me out of my thoughts, and I followed his finger to see what he was pointing at and found it in perfect line with the big, flashy Ferris wheel with the big yellow and red light bulbs that lit up the whole entire dock and night sky. It was beautiful, but for anyone who has been on a Ferris wheel before they know that those rides are as boring as a history teacher with a monotone voice.

Curving my eyebrows, I looked at him. "Isn't this another thing that couples do? " I asked suspiciously. "What are you trying to do Mike? First you hold my hand, take me out to lunch, and then take me out here while holding my hand again. This is looking awfully close to a date."

For the most part, I was joking but at the same time it was a serious concern of mine that I wanted to at least address slightly.

Mike rolled his eyes at me and squeezed my hand tightly where his fingers were crunching mine inwards like it was a little paper ball.

Ow! What the heck?

Instinctively, I tried to draw away because it felt like my bones were going to snap in two if he didn't let go, but he pulled me back in and shook our hand as he spoke.

"Please, if you call this a date, I will have to give you some serious lessons about dating. And this," he said as he held our hands up to our faces and clenching onto it tighter than before, causing me to wince, "is just so I won't lose you in these crowds. You don't have a phone yet, and I won't have a way of getting a hold of you if you do get lost."

Finally releasing me from the torture, he loosened his grip but the moment he did I could feel all my joints cracking into place and the indents where his finger nails dug into my skin.

I did a pretty good job holding it in at first, but I couldn't stop myself from hissing from the after sting. The pain didn't last for long, but for a second or so it felt like my whole entire hand was dipped in liquid fire.

Rubbing my hand and glaring at him, I imagined decking him in the face with my remaining good hand.

"Was that even necessary?" I growled angrily but softly enough to not draw any attention.

Mike shrugged his shoulders as he swooped up my hand to prevent me from 'running away'. "Was punching me all those time in the past necessary?"

I scoffed with a smirk, which probably looked pretty evil and threatening since I was still bitter about it all, but it was a good point. "Touche." I replied quietly so this conversation wouldn't carry on any further.

Thankfully it didn't and without another word we stood in line for the Ferris wheel.

The silence was partly due because there was nothing else to say, but it was also because we were afraid of drawing any attention from any crazy, possible Mike Nor fans. Earlier today on the beach was all I wanted to see from a stampede of fangirls and hopefully it will be all I would see for the rest of my life.

After a few minutes or so, we were able to get on the Ferris wheel and when we were slowly inching up our way to the top the view was spectacular.

The ocean stretched for miles upon miles, and when you looked to the right you could see all the bright lights of L.A shine like little jewels of yellow, white, red, and green scattered across a sea of black with the long, lanky trunks of palm trees reaching up to the dark maroon sky. It was so beautiful until Mike ruined it all.

"It would be great if I had an actual fucking girlfriend." He muttered.

If it wasn't an open cart Ferris wheel, I would have flung myself to the side in shock, but I didn't want to rock the cart anymore than it was right now. "Where the heck did that come from?"

Mike rolled his eyes like what he said made complete sense and that I should have known about it, but I honestly didn't.

I don't understand this kid. One moment he's completely happy and the next he's the biggest dick in the world- the typical Mike that I always knew. His name should be a term itself.

Mike /mahyk/

noun

1. A bipolar idiot who has spontaneous moments of kindness but is a jerk for the most part.

adj.

2. Redefines the word 'egotistical' and takes it to a whole different level- the new Narcissus of this era. Often used before nouns and replaces words like 'stuck up' and etc.

Example: Dude, that guy is so mike.

Stupid, mike, and cocky, dang. What a combination.

However, this shouldn't shock me anymore because Mike was always like this and if he really did have a bipolar disorder it wouldn't surprise me. I've seen the stack of pills laying around in his room from the one time I went in there, so he had to be going through something. Either that or he had to be seriously into drugs, which I doubt.

I wanted to ask what all those pills were about, but I figured that would be too much of a personal question to ask. If I had to take medication for my ADHD and he went up to me asking what my problem was, I would be ticked off.

Mike was the type to drink and smoke- although I haven't seen him do it or have any cigarettes on him- but he definitely did not seem like the type to take drugs.

Who knows? People are always a surprise.

After taking a moment to have his silent hissy fit, he spoke again- finally giving me an explanation to his random and spontaneous outburst.

"Here, obviously." He drew out sarcastically as he pointed to his mouth- trying to be smart with me. "That's where those words came out from. If it wasn't for you, I would be able to have some fun. Even if I only ask for one kiss, you will beat the shit out of me- not that I want one from you anyway. But seriously, I'm tied down to a girl that I don't even like, how is this shit even fair?"

I rolled my eyes and scooted as far as I could to the end of the cart so I could be as far away as I could from him. There was so much that I wanted to say to him that I was speechless.

Honestly, what do I say to that?

My gut reaction was to rant him out saying that girls did not exist for his pleasure and that he had to earn one. The next was to slap him because there are obvious reasons for why I don't want to kiss him and that is simply because I don't want to kiss him. What more of a reason do I need than that? I just don't want to, plain and simple.

How ignorant did he have to be to think that girls would kiss him whenever he wanted?

Yeah, whatever. He may think that I needed a lesson in dating, but what he really needed out of the both of us was a lesson in common sense and how to treat a women right.

After giving him a whole mini-lecture of that in my head, I wanted to tell him that this was all his fault and that he was the one that brought this upon himself- on the both of us. But while I said this all in my head at once, I couldn't speak a word of it because it was impossible to get all my thoughts across in the same manner.

My brain was put into overdrive from all that I wanted to say, but I managed to at least sputter out something.

"You brought that upon yourself, moron. And you aren't getting a kiss from me."

Shaking his head, he furrowed his eyebrows and the edges of his lips curved into a disgusted frown. "Yeah, I've noticed. But what about that one time?"

"What time?" I barked sharply- having enough of his attitude and frustrated with trying to figure him out.

With all the personality changes, I can't discern who Mike Nor really is and it's so irritating.

One moment, I want believe that there was some humanity in him, but the next he completely wipes away all my previous misconceptions.

"That one time when you were helping me with the script. Without hesitation, you kissed me right then and there. Why didn't you punch me then? I'm starting to think that you wanted to kiss me, and you are just playing hard to get. "

Of course, he had to bring it up and not let that moment be permanently forgotten. This was exactly what I have been dreading.

To be honest, I don't know what was up with me that night and I have been trying so hard to forget it, but I just can't shake off the feeling of how right it felt. I was so immersed into Jenny's character but at the same time I wasn't, and Mike was being so convincing with being Obidiah but no matter what he was and will be the same person.

How was I supposed to tell him if I didn't know myself? 

But I couldn't have kissed Mike because I wanted to, could I? That can't be it. 

There had to be some way to revert the conversation so that it wouldn't focus on me because if I didn't do so soon he'll turn it back on me. 

But then the revelation happened and there was a reason to turn the tables. 

"What do you mean by me playing hard to get? Does that mean that you have been trying to get me to fall for you this whole entire time?" I didn't know whether to be in disgust or shock but at the moment I was dearly confused.

I knew that there was a possibility of Mike faking everything so I could stick to his ridiculous, little plan to get his popularity back, but I didn't know that he would be so low to actually be faking it so that I would fall to like him. 

"Then what would you have done after that?" I asked, my mind slowly put all the little pieces together as I thought out loud. "After your reputation was healed, would you just dump me to get your revenge on me that way? Was that what you had in mind all along?

His sea green eyes popped wide open, wiping any previous emotion of anger clear off his face and replacing it with confusion. "I-uhm. No, well- at first, yeah. I was super pissed at you, who wouldn't be? You gave me the worst pounding headache I've had in years and almost completely ruined my reputation. I wanted to get back at you, so my friend gave me this idea of having you fall for me and dumping you after healing my reputation- getting revenge at the same time. However, the plan went too far and I gave up on that part of it. I'm only interested in getting my reputation healed now."

Unbelievable. For a moment, I was actually starting to think this scumbag was human.

"You-" I shut my mouth the moment I opened it, bit my bottom lip, and clenched my fist to refrain from hitting him. "You-" My mouth shut again mid-sentence. 

Again, fury and words refused to spill out of my mouth because there was so much that wanted to come out. 

Only managing to shake my head furiously and have my chest heave up and down in anger, I looked down and around the cart to see where we were at on the Ferris wheel so I could get away from Mike as soon as possible. However, we were still coming down from the top- still having a lot of time until we get down.

Kicking my feet in frustration like it would bring me down any faster, I glowered at the scenery I was was once admiring and impatiently waited for it to be over.

All this time I thought that Mike was forcing me to repair his reputation when he really wanted to play with my heart as well. I never fell for him, but I felt hurt and abused somewhat.

Maybe it was because I trusted him ever so slightly, I don't trust people on a normal basis and this just clarified to me the very reason why. 

Calming myself down enough to speak clearly, I returned a stone hard stare- unmoved and not showing any emotion. "How can I trust you? How do I know that you aren't still trying to get me to like you? You were just lying to me the whole time, weren't you- lying about your whole pity story of your 'oh so painful' celebrity life?"

Mike was still clearly irritated with the remaining scowl left in his eyes, but he was doing his best to conceal it to make his fake lies authentic.

"That was all true, I can swear to it." He said lightly, lowering his voice to a gentle murmur.

I shook my head, refusing to believe anything he said was true. Thankfully, the ride was nearing to an end, so I scooched forward, pulled my feet in front of me, and got ready to hop off as soon as I could- focusing my eyes on the ground.

"Whatever," I growled as I slid off the seat and felt him trailing closely behind me despite the dense crowds of people. "It's hard to believe you." I muttered.

Air brushed behind my back from all the people squeezing in tightly behind me and moving to wherever they needed to go, but when they passed me I could hear them scowl under their breath or yell sharp comments as Mike threw himself between them to catch up to me.

This boy will never know how to give up or leave me alone.

"Why is that?" His voice faded back and forth from being held back from the crowd or pushed forward, and it was almost drowning from all the noise.

Not looking back, I kept marching on through and tried to find a quick place to escape into. "Do you really want to know?" I challenged, yelling back at him through my gritted teeth.

Catching up to me for a moment, he looked at me before being pushed aside by a few people that came between us. "Yeah, I do actually." He replied sharply as he accepted my challenge.

But I didn't even stop to tell him- I quickly slipped off to the darker parts of the carnival and ran towards to the dock as fast as I could.

This was what I should have done when I first met him- runaway when I had the chance. But it's too late for that now, isn't it?

Now I'm stuck to him like a little bug to a spider's web, entangled in all the problems and messes he made. I must have been crazy to think that there was any hope of anything between Mike and I.

Turning my head and feeling my hair whisk past my face, I looked behind me and found that there was nothing behind me except for trash tumbling down an empty and dark walkway with all the lights of the stores lined up along it off. The whole place looked abandoned, and there wasn't a person in sight. Was this even a part of the amusement park?

At least I could catch a breath here. It was impossible to breath in those crowds and that means a lot coming from a person who lives in L.A.

But even when I could finally manage to catch my breath, I couldn't breath.

My heart was pounding against my chest like it wanted to break out through my rib cage, my head was pulsating like it was my heart, and the ground beneath my feet seemed to spin. I don't know what was wrong with me, but I know I just had to get away and take a deep breath of cool, ocean air before I ever see his face again.

Maybe it was because I couldn't take anymore of this- all his lies, all his crap, and all this confusion that's muddling my brain.

Usually, I would be able to keep up with everything and keep myself standing on my own two feet, but there was so much going on. First off, I don't know what to think about Mike. It could be possible that he has been genuine with me this whole entire time, but how big of a fool would I be to believe and trust him if he wasn't? Then there was this whole complication with Daniel and the past. For five months I have been able to move on from it, but now I can't sleep at night because I'm plagued again of memories of his sweet face and brown eyes and then mirages of the night he died- masks in black, flashes of silver guns, flashing red sirens, and pools of blood. And to top it all off, I am having mixed feelings of being with a celebrity. Even though my face is on a major magazine company, thanks to the one and only idiotic Mike Nor, no one has seemed to recognize me yet, but what will happen once they do? Will I have to be covering myself up in the hopes of them not recognize me out in the streets, run away from press, and deal with insults thrown at me from crazy fangirls?

Woah, I had to take a step back here. I'm not going to get that popular. I'm just me- nothing spectacular here.

Still, when did life get so complicated?

Thankfully, I saw Dane so to stop thinking anymore than I was I decided to strike up a conversation, and it seemed like he needed one to with how bummed out he seemed over Jacquelyn leaving.

I felt really bad for him because yesterday he wouldn't stop talking or smiling every time he mentioned her name. From what I could tell, things seemed to be going well between them until now, which must really suck. He just got out of the friend zone to possibly be put back in it.

However, we were only able to talk for a little bit until Dane got a whiny text from Mike, and when we got to the car he didn't stop.

Like a little kid, Mike didn't talk much to me but it was so easy to tell that he was giving me an attitude and rolling his eyes at me or flipping me off like he was sticking his tongue out when I wasn't looking. I couldn't say that I wasn't doing the same.

After all, he was getting on my nerves, and his complaining to Dane wasn't helping me like him anymore at the moment.

I wish there was another locker that I could bang his head into.

Dang it, I just remembered that I had to go to some ridiculous party that Mike had planned and didn't bother telling me about until this morning.

I was planning to stay in my room and just fall asleep as fast as I could, but I have a feeling that my plans won't go accordingly.

Sighing heavily and watching my breath explode into a huge, white, foggy cloud on the car window, I reluctantly cleaned it up so I could keep looking out of it. It was my only way of escaping the conversation at the moment and will be my only peace I'll get tonight.

Mike should have told me sooner or not hold his blasted party at all, but I don't have much of a say and it would also be selfish of me to try to stop it - no matter how ridiculous or expendable it may be. Hopefully, it would be the kind of party that I could slip away from and hide in my room without much interruption.

How many parties has he had in the past- probably enough to blow out all his brain cells to the negative IQ he has now.

The gravel started to roll and crumble underneath the tires when it started to reach a complete stop, and when the view of extravagant cars and brilliantly strung lights across the courtyard in front of the huge white, marble mansion made my jaw hang low.

This party was a lot more extravagant then what I thought.

Black Cadillacs, Porches, Corvettes, Lamborghinis, costly looking BMWs, and you name whatever expensive car out there was neatly parked out in front, glinting and almost perfectly reflecting the mansion and bushes in front of it. All of them looked so clean, it looked good enough to eat off of.

This was slightly stereotypical of me, but I was expecting red plastic cups thrown to the sides, random articles of clothing strung in the most random places, and teens half way out of their minds roaming around but there was none of that to be found anywhere.

Maybe I was wrong all along with the type of parties Mike throws because this was looking quite lavish and high end.

When Dane rolled the window down, an unfamiliar face poked in that almost caused me to jump out of my seat. My instincts immediately went to survival mode because in my neighborhood when someone sticks their head in your car you need to roll the window back up on their neck and book it.

But then I realized that the potential threat was a personal valet.

Calming myself down and sinking into the backseat, I threw my hands up to my face. I am so not rich person material.

What am I doing here? Oh yeah, Mike.

"May I take your car?"

Dane nodded and both he and Mike exited the car like it was so ordinary and that they did it every day of their lives, but I was momentarily left behind stunned and clueless. Never in my life have I had anyone do anything for me like this, and even though it was not my car I felt so awkward for someone else to do something that I could easily do myself.

Maybe I was just uncomfortable with the idea of status and being above someone because I'm always the person on the bottom servicing others. I was like him - a nameless face that people like Mike don't even think twice about.

I wasn't supposed to be here on top with Mike. It doesn't feel right.

Snapping me out of my daze, the door next to me was thrown open and I was greeted by a fuming Mike- when am I not?

"Really?" He snapped with agitation. "The valet has got to open your door as well? Can you be any more high maintenance then you already are? All my family is here and any slight delay will make us late. Is this how you are planning to present yourself?"

My eyes shot wide open as I slipped out of the car and blindly followed after him- not yet processing the entirety of the situation. "You're family?" I gawked.

Mike rolled his eyes. "Did I stutter? Of course I said that." He cocked his head to the side in my direction to address me, but he was still racing up the stairs in a hurry. "I swear, I haven't seen anyone walk as slow as you in my life. Come on!"

All the sarcastic and deeming insults that Mike seemed to have so much joy in saying made my fists curl and throat create a monstrous gnarl in the middle of my chest. Steam seemed to be pressuring to the top of my head, and it was a miracle that I didn't explode.

He was lucky that he was so far away because if he wasn't there would have been a good sized dent in his face.

"Excuse me?" I scoffed angrily while catching up to him, "You said this was a party."

Staring back at me irritatingly reserved and glacial, he acted like nothing I said was getting through to his thick skull. "Yeah, exactly. A family party."

This boy was going to make me rip out all of my hair. What did he mean by family? Early on in the morning, Mike only told me that it was going to be a party and did not even utter the word 'family' to me.

I might have agreed to pretend to be his girlfriend in front of Ridgewood, which was pretty uncomfortable in itself, but he would be crazy to think that I would be willing to pretending to be his girlfriend in front of his family. We haven't exactly been throwing everything we got to get out of the mess that Mike made with his father, but I know for sure that this upcoming disaster will do nothing to help us out with it.

There was no way that I was going in there because if I do it will ruin everything and make it even harder to escape.

Before I could even open my mouth or catch up to Mike to give him a piece of my mind, Dane knew what I was about to do and held me back, and I was helplessly watching Mike and my hopes of escaping walking farther and farther away.

I tried chasing after him, but Dane's arms firmly remained in front of me.

"What's going on?" He gently whispered as he pulled me aside.

Throwing up my arms in defeat, I could only look at him shaking my head and trying to keep the panic at a low. "I honestly don't know." I said with my voice slightly shaking.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get a grip on the situation. All of this was going down the drain so quickly, and everything was slipping past my fingertips like a bad nightmare.

Walking into those doors will literally ruin everything and the thought of that made me breathe even faster to the point that I couldn't even catch any air in my lungs. I was majorly freaking out right now, and I don't even know what to do. Should I run away? Should I go in? Should I just blurt out the truth?

"Hey." Dane's soft voice was able to break me out of the mayhem running wild in my head and his gentle green eyes were able to bring me back down to a stable thinking level. "It's going to okay." He cooed with his hands on my shoulder. "It's going to be okay."

I shook my head and buried my face in my hands. "You have no idea how bad this really is."

There was a pause of silence, but Dane gently pulled me a step closer towards the front of the house. "You're right, I might not but if you don't get in there soon it's going to get worse."

Sadly, he had a point and trudging my way up to the house I stopped when I had another idea and turned around to face him again- a frantic look still pasted on my face. "How about running away? How about that option?"

Even though Dane burst out laughing in my face, I was dead serious. It would be easy to run for now and hide in Ridgewood and disappear forever because the crowds of students are infinite, but if I did that I would risk ruining everything with Mike and his dad.

And unfortunately I can't do that because he practically saved my family. I may hate him, but I have morals to not completely screw him over.

Let's just get this stupid party over with.

Entering in and ready to face the lions of the coliseum, I was prepared and finally got the surge of confidence I needed flooding back, but I stopped at the end of the hallway at the entrance before I came out into the open space of the living room.

Heavy but restrained laughter emanated through the hall and a golden aurora shined from the room and glimmered along the walls with clinks of delicate champagne bottles tying the scene in together. It was something you would almost expect from a movie.

It was elegant, pristine, and out of my own personal world, and I don't belong with delicate wine glasses, a height of reserved temperament, and shimmering spender.

I belonged in front of a TV watching the NFL Super bowl with chips in my hands, outside with my dad in front of a charred up grill inhaling in the classic, juicy BBQ ribs, or causing up some trouble in an alleyway at night.

That is who I am. How can I ever turn to someone who could live like this?

Before I could take a step further into the living room to address myself, a hand pulled me back into a different hallway and roughly spun me around.

"Are you going in looking like that?" Mike belittled sharply while circling me and inspecting my clothes.

I was a little thrown off at first, but when I was able to look back at him I noticed that he must have been in the middle of dressing when he rushed out to catch me. Mike's navy blue tie wasn't even finished and was hanging askew, a few of his shirt buttons were buttoned in the hole beneath it, and his jacket was half way on.

Little to say, he was a mess himself and should stop and think before he opens his mouth next time, which will never happen.

Swiftly walking into my room, I looked through my humble selection of clothes and angrily swiped through them to show Mike that I really had nothing better to wear. The only thing I had that would look decent was a black shirt and a pair of white wash jeans.

Mike shook his head and sifted through my clothes himself. "You got to be kidding me." He muttered angrily to himself.

"Get your hands off!" I snapped while slapping his hand away from my closet. He glared at me as I did so, but it's so awkward from some guy rifle through my closet like that.

Sighing while turning to walk out the door and not waiting for me to follow, he sighed unenthusiastically. "I think I got something for you."

A weird, quick image of a secret storage filled with dresses behind Mike's closet flashed in my mind, and I curled my nose up from the queer thought. When he meant that he had something for me did he mean a dress or something that he had that I could pull off to be feminine?

I guess I had to find out, but I snickered at the thought of him being a secret drag queen. For some reason, I could see that.

Before he disappeared into the hall, I quickly followed him and found myself walking farther down the hallway than I had ever ventured down before. I knew that Mike's house was huge, but the massiveness of its size didn't strike me until now.

As a matter of fact, I haven't seen Mike, Dane, or anybody walk down here for the entire week I've been here, and it had me wondering how often it's used or if it's even necessary.

Passing down a few more doors and finally turning off into one room on the right, I cautiously followed him and curiously watched him disappeared behind another set of doors, which looked too big to be a walk in closet but too small to be a doorway.

"Mike?" I called out tentatively.

He wasn't back as soon as I thought he would be, so I didn't know if that was actually a doorway to another room that I had to follow him in.

With all these rooms and halls, I felt so confused and distracted. Someone- most likely me- could get seriously lost in here.

After a minute or so, Mike remerged from the doorway with something of a dark, rich champagne hue with glitter splattered over the creases draped over his arm.

"Here," he muttered while throwing the thing at me and walking to the corner of the room to fix himself up "this will have to do."

Gawking at him but quickly flinging the cloth out in front of me to get a good look, my heart nearly stopped in its place when I saw that it was a long, flowy dress softly resting on the shoulders but quickly cascading into a waterfall of bright diamonds that gently misted the top but pooled into the folds on the bottom. This dress was gorgeous to say the least, and it must have cost a fortune.

But there was something strange about this dress. I can swear that I had seen in somewhere; however, Mike's voice interrupted my thoughts before I could place it.

"Come on." He snapped in annoyance, fumbling with the buttons of his shirt. "We don't have all day. Just put it on!"

When I looked over at Mike and saw his neatly pulled back, brown hair, sharp green eyes, and pressed suit, it clicked.

This was the dress Melody wore when she was on the Red Carpet with Mike for the premiere of the biggest movie hit of the century, "Until the End". They starred as the couple when they were kids, and they played the biggest role in showing how they met, fell in love, and how it all fell apart.

Unlike a lot of movies, the flashbacks in it were huge and Mike and Melody were able to get a good chunk of acting and screen time. I would even say that they had an equal amount of screen time as the older couple, which is crazy considering they were supposed to be the main leads.

And despite being younger and not being the primary actors, people and the media went absolutely nuts over them.

On the TV, all the cameras were focused on them and for the media Melody's manager wanted to make sure that she would shine so he got her that dress.

His plan worked and the magazines were talking about her for ages- I would know because I used to be a super, huge fan of Melody Thompsan. In every single news article she was in, I would read it, look at her style, and try to copy her in every single thing I did.

I admired the heck out of that girl back then, and to a certain extent I hold some level of respect for her now.

There was something about her: the reserved air, the confidence with the way she held herself, or her attitude of being fearless and taking on any task like it was lifting her pinky.

Man, it's almost embarrassing that this dress might fit me. Melody was about twelve or thirteen when she rocked this dress, and I'm sixteen barely being able to do it any justice.

Still staring at the beauty in my hands, I was struck with a wave of awe, shock, disbelief, and a little, faint nostalgia of fangirling. In my hands, I was holding a treasure- a freaking legacy. What was I supposed to do with this?

Almost like he was answering my thoughts, Mike angrily marched towards me and retorted, "Put in on, stupid!"

Unwillingly snapping out of my moment, I quizzically looked at him. "Where?"

Mike nodded his head over to the wooden dressing screen in the corner of the room, his eyes narrowing and his voice very sour from his growing agitation. "Over there unless you want to change out in the open where everyone can see you."

I scowled at him. "Screw you. I'm not changing in here with you. You can see me!"

"What the fuck? I swear, you must think I'm a fucking pervert or something. I'm not going to look. I got to prepare these curling irons so I can fix up your hair and do your makeup. I'm not shitting you. We are so fucking late, it's not even funny."

Warily, I headed behind the dressing panels after making sure they weren't transparent but quickly poked my head back out to look at him once I heard what I thought I heard.

This is absolutely ridiculous- Mike knows how to do makeup and hair. Who in the world could have ever thought that?

Honestly, there are so many things that can be misinterpreted right now because Mike was looking more and more like a secret drag queen by the second.

"You know how to do what now?" I asked with my jaw dropping low to the floor. "And aren't you supposed to have maids for that or something?"

Mike turned around to face me with a curling iron in hand. "When Melody used to- I- fuck it." He replied shaking his head and biting his lip to refrain from screaming at me. "I'll tell you later. It's a long ass story. And do we look like the Buckingham palace to you? We don't have maids for everything. Now how many times do I have to say this? Get dressed!"

Not waiting for him to say it for the fiftieth time, I awkwardly squirmed and wiggled into the dress and hopped out to the chair Mike set out in front of me.

He rolled his eyes at how stupid and clumsy I looked at the moment, but all I was concerned about was him not burning the top of my head or poking my eye out.

Surprisingly, he acted swiftly and did the task like a pro but before I could see it he dragged me out to the living room. If he slowed down for a bit or didn't walk as fast, I would be able to graciously make my presence but no.

The high heels threw me off, and I ended up hobbling into the middle of it like some old lady with an imaginary cane.

The worst part about it was that they noticed, and when I came front and center in the spotlight they just stared at me so quietly that you could hear the crickets literally- and ironically- chirping outside.

Oh, things could not have gotten any more awkward then it did now.

I was dumbfounded like a deer stuck in headlights, but Mike's father saved the moment by standing up from his seat and spreading his arms open wide in welcome with the warmest smile I've ever seen. "Ah, Mike, my son and Ashlyn Demoir, my future daughter-in-law. Please come join us at the table."

It was pleasant enough- despite being called his daughter-in-law- to take my mind off the situation for a brief second, but when I looked around I found at least twenty people with placid, frigid faces with a cold shoulder aimed in my direction. They wanted me out of here, I could feel it.

Somewhere inside me, I was hoping that I would be able to find Dane- at least one familiar and friendly face- but he was nowhere to be found.

Leaning in close to Mike, I whispered in his ear. "Where's Dane?"

Mike leaned in towards me, keeping his eyes on his family and a fake smile plastered to his face. "Fuck if I know. But these noses can smell fear from a mile away, don't show it."

Once those words escaped his lips, I shook my head and questionably stared at him. The way he described his family made them sound like blood thirsty animals ready to attack at a moment's notice, but when I looked back at them I could totally see it.

They sort of reminded me of my family on my dad's side- just a little more crazy, which is a feat within itself.

We were the embarrassment of the Demoir family for screwing up by trusting the wrong people, so they would try to avoid at us at all cost. But if they ever met us face to face I imagine that they would give us a similar look.

Even though we were slowly advancing the table, I could feel my feet slightly resist and try to linger behind me.

I honestly and truly did not want to meet these people, but Mike was pulling me forward so I really had no choice but to go.

Swallowing hard before sitting down in the chair that Mike had so graciously pulled out for me for once, I panicked when I saw him walk over to the opposite side of the table to sit down. For this one time only, I wanted to sit close to Mike because he was the only security I had in this place, but when I needed him the most he was so far away.

Why can't he be close when I need him and stay the heck away from me for the most part? It's the exact opposite of how it should be.

When I was able to finally calm down, I looked around and gawked at the surroundings. The whole entire place had been transformed into something already beautiful to something magnificent.

Golden decorations hung from every wall, tables were dressed in fresh, pressed table linens, and the smallest things were positioned perfectly parallel with each other like they were designed to be on the front cover of those home designer magazines.

All of this work was put into a small family dinner party. I can't imagine what it would like if they tried hosting a huge, big event- it must be absolutely mind blowing.

The room was still oddly quiet, and I quickly drew my attention back to the family, finding that all of their eyes were still pasted on me like they were waiting on something.

Was I supposed to do something?

Okay, this was really awkward.

Sheepishly sinking into my seat, I grabbed my arm and gave them a nervous grin but that was not enough to appease them.

Seriously, what did these people want from me? Did they want me to give them a little dance or a wave?

But doing what I should have done earlier, I looked at Mike, whose face was flushed red from frustration, mouthing and over annunciating like crazy.

He kept opening and clothing his mouth over and over again, and the longer I didn't understand the wider and more open his mouth got.

If he was trying to look discreet, he was not doing it because I'm sure everyone in the room could see straight through his mouth. But I don't know what's wrong with me right now. Usually I'm really good with lip reading, but I couldn't understand what he was saying for the life of me

It looked like he was saying, Bistro loose war shelf potty, which couldn't be it. My nerves must be acting up from being in front of his family, but I don't know why I feel so pressured to act perfect.

These people seemed to despise me already, so I had nothing to lose. Also, I'm not going to see them for my whole entire life. I'll probably stick around for about a week to complete Mike's deal, and go off on my merry way after that.

Narrowing my eyes, I looked back at Mike and shook my head. "What?" I mouthed.

Mike rolled his eyes and mouthed it again. "Introduce yourself, stupid!"

Not needing him to hiss something at me again like an angry cat, I stood up from the table, gently straightened out my dress, and opened my mouth to make myself known but apparently they wanted me to say my greetings to each family member individually.

So doing exactly what they wanted me to do, I made my way around the table and began the introductions. Surprisingly, I did pretty well until I came across the last member of Mike's extended family.

"Hello, I'm Ashlyn Demoir. Nice to meet you- uh."

Excuse me for saying this, but in front of me was a women older than God himself with fashion half as ancient. The lady had a shimmering purple dress draped down to her knees, white fox fur strangling her tiny, fragile neck, and white matching gloves slithering up to her elbows

Out of everyone here she looked the oldest, and there was no doubt in my mind that she had to be Mike's grandma. I mean, come on, just look at her.

All the wrinkles on her face gravitate towards the center of her face like a pug's, and who knows what was hiding underneath her gloves.

Backtracking my steps a little, I gave the older lady a smile. "It truly is a pleasure. Mike must be extremely lucky to have you as his grandmother."

Bad idea.

As soon as I finished, Mike's face palm and mutter of, "Oh shit", echoed off the walls of the shocked and petrified dining hall, and Mike's supposed grandmother slowly rose from her seat meeting me eye to eye four inches short.

If she was a bit younger, it would be easier to spot the red fuming in her face but she looked pissed enough to murder somebody.

"Excuse you!" She screamed- her friendly first impression going out the window. "You did that on purpose, didn't you? That little turd, Mike, told you to say that, didn't he? You two are perfect for each other- disrespectful, disgracing, and downright troublemakers. You two are distasteful; The Nor family inheritance will fall into shambles in your rotten, greedy, no good, little hands."

As she said all this, my only response was a mouth wide open touching the floor. What on earth did I do?

This time, Mike stood up from his chair- clearly irritated. "Aunt Myrtle-" he sighed with his head hanging down.

Hold up. Aunt?

Looking back at the lady besides me, my mouth gaped open even more. There was no possible way that this prune- excuse my manners- could be his aunt. She looked old enough to be the grandmother of Mike's father.

"- as many times in the past that I have mocked you, I honestly did not come up with that or have Ashlyn say that to you. I can assure you that it was just a slip of the tongue. Am I right, Ashlyn?"

When I looked back at Mike, I found him glaring at me and this time he had every right too. I messed this one up real bad.

Taking a step back before the lady could swing her purse at me, I nodded eagerly and awkwardly looked to the side. I couldn't look back at her no matter how hard I tried. Matter of fact, I was scared to. If I looked back at her once more, she would probably claw my eyes out with the fork that was in her hand.

"Slip of the tongue?" Mike's aunt scoffed. "Of course, what else would you expect from a street rat?"

My head snapped back towards her direction. What the heck did she just call me?

"Myrtle!" scolded Mike's father angrily as he stood up from his seat as well- now making it four people on edge standing.

Way to go me for ruining a family reunion.

"I will speak my mind!" Myrtle snapped, glaring at Mike's dad. "You should have not invited me when I asked you not to. You knew that I was completely against this agreement once learning about this girl's origins, and I'm ashamed of you, brother, for allowing this. How can you disgrace the family name by such an act? Look at her, not only does her family have nothing good to offer and that she's dirt poor, she's rude, untrained, and horrifyingly ugly. She probably doesn't have a brain on her either, like most rats do."

Okay. This lady definitely has something against me, but how exactly am I supposed to react to this?

Anger was my automatic first response, but I don't know if I'll be able to calm myself down enough to say anything. I know I was none of those words that she used to describe me- besides poor- but yelling would only prove her right.

To my surprise, I felt Mike's arm reach behind my back and pull me in closer to him. Normally, I would have pushed him off me and stand on my own, but strangely it felt relieving to be this close to him and have him on my side in front of strangers who hated me.

"I swear, I told myself that I wasn't going to start anything during this family meeting but this crosses the line."

Turning my head to the side, I was shocked once again. I thought he was only there for me for some emotional support, but I didn't know that he was actually going to talk back to her.

I wanted to stop him before he ruined anything within the family, but he continued.

"With you spouting off shit that she doesn't deserve, it kind of seems like you are the one being rude here. And how can you even say anything when you don't even know her? She's probably the smartest student in our whole entire school, she has something that all of you don't have, personality, and she doesn't have to bring money into the family because she brings something even more valuable, reality. I love Ashlyn for who she is, and in my opinion she's a blessing to have. We all could learn a lot from her because-"

Mike paused and slowly turned his head to the side to look at me, causing my heart to skip out of my chest.

Oh my god, this was the cliché moment that plays out in every romance movie, wasn't it? You know, that moment where he says something so confessional that he would never dare say in his life, and the moment that would cause me to go head over heels for him.

"-because I learned how much of a stuck up prick I can be sometimes, and I'm okay with that. I want to change. She makes me the better person I always wanted to be."

Yup, that was the stupid cliché moment I was talking about, and it had successfully stopped my heart. Why did you have say that Mike? Why?

It obviously wasn't going to change anything between us because I hate him just as much as I hated him when I first saw him, but hearing all of this put me into pure awe when his ocean green eyes met mine. I didn't know if I should feel flattered, weirded out, or suspicious.

He couldn't have meant all those things because, come on, he's Mike Nor, but something about his eyes changed- the usual mischievous, playful glimmer in his eyes faded away, and it was replaced with a softer look of authenticity.

Talk about five star, Hollywood acting- it has to be.

However, with real life not ending on the good note it should end on, Mike's Aunt decided to sharpen her knife and charge head on into the brewing family battle.

"Yeah," Myrtle scoffed jarringly "you are the worst, annoying prick to ever bless this planet, and I'm sure your 'wonderful' girlfriend isn't any different. Birds of the feather flock together. And you know what? I think she's just marrying you for your money. Yeah, that's it, isn't it?"

This time her grey- almost lifeless eyes- bore straight into the back of my soul where I keep all my secrets. This woman knew exactly what was going on between Mike and I, and I didn't like it.

Even though I was adamantly against the plan that was placed between Mike and I, I refused to let that old woman spoil everything and cut me out to be the villain. Technically, yes, I was doing this for the money but that was only to save my family from the loan sharks. If I had a choice, I would go another route, but unfortunately there aren't many other options.

And with Mike's grip tightening on my arm, I could tell that he didn't like the direction in which this was going either.

"No," Mike growled with clenched teeth. "She's not. She's an honest girl."

Honest? Me, Ashlyn Demoir, an honest person? That's a joke. Mike is surely pulling bull out of thin air right now. I wonder how long he can keep up with this silly, little charade. Can't he see that the game was already lost and that are façade was coming to a close?

Our lie was clear as glass right now. Even a blind person could see through it.

Jeez, Mike, you got to calm down there and pop those veins on your forehead back into your head. I thought to myself since I was too nervous to say anything out loud.

Usually in situations like these, I wouldn't crack under the pressure, but for some reason I started to right now. In my whole entire life time, I had probably told a thousand lies-selling it successfully without breaking a sweat. However, right here at the table red-handed, my heart started pounding itself into a heart attack, and this thousandth lie somehow felt like the first I ever told.

This whole act Mike and I put up is over. I could feel it.

Maybe it's better off this way. How long did we think we could carry this anyway?

Then daring to take the fight one step further, Mike's Aunt eyed me mockingly and almost seemed to taunt me by inching forward until her wrinkly, hostile face was right in front of mine. "You may have him and the rest of this blind, ignorant family fooled, Ashlyn, but you will never sway me. As long as I am alive, you will never marry him, I'll make sure of that."

Before making her grand and over dramatized exit, she made sure that her bitter, sharp, grey eyes stared hard into mine so it would send the message across that she will find a way to tear me away from Mike- mostly the Nor family in general.

Personally, that sounds great. With her alive, it's almost a guarantee that the marriage would never happen with her around, but I still felt somewhat insulted with how she treated me.

To her, I was like an animal, but what kind of sick twisted mind do you got to have to think that those from the lower socioeconomic status were dumb, ignorant, and worthless piles of trash? If I could, I would give her a good whack in the head to straighten things out in that empty skull of hers, but it would only cause more trouble.

Mike seemed to not care about not making the problem worse though.

He angrily marched right behind his aunt- almost as if he was chasing her out to the door- and yelled back at the top of his lungs.

"Go fuck yourself! I love this girl, and I will marry her if I want to, you crazy, old, hag. I'm done with all your fucking shit. Go take your ugly ass home, so all of us can finally rest our eyes and noses. You reek of death. Hope you make it there before you make it to the grave, which I must say good luck!"

Wow, harsh.

A cold prickle crawled up my back, but I couldn't tell if it was from the pure shock of seeing anyone cuss out an older lady in the way Mike did, or if it was the fact that Mike kept saying how he 'loved me'.

I know it's all play and acting, but last night I thought things kind of escalated quickly when he said that he liked me and that I was probably his only real friend. What was he going to say tomorrow, that I was the love of his life?

Then grabbing my hand, Mike marched out of the living room and hauled me out to the hallway and in my room, forming a trail of blazing fury.

"I hate this fucking family." growled Mike as he collapsed on my bed and fell onto his back with fists raised in the air.

I rolled my eyes. He was such a drama queen.

Slowly clapping my hands and looking unamused, I leaned up against the closed door. "With a little more annunciation with your words, I believe that this little dramatic piece here could win you an Oscar."

Swinging his legs up to catapult his upper body into a sitting position, he stared at me in disbelief- rage still swelling in his face. "My aunt completely disrespects you and this is how you respond?"

"I rather not dwell on it." I replied as coolly as I could and looking away at the wall to take my mind off of the earlier events of today.

To be honest, I was so furious that I felt like I had the strength to strangle every living thing in sight, but it would be no good because that witch was out of arm's length. She was the one I really wanted to squeeze the life out of.

Okay, that was going a little too far. I just had to calm down.

Mike was still staring at me, but he shook his head, fell back onto the bed, and pulled out his phone. "If that was me, you would have beat the fucking living shit out of me." He mumbled.

I scoffed. "That's because you're too dumb to know when to run away. At least your aunt had the brains to do that."

"Fuck you."

Falling into one of the plethora of couches in the room, I let my head fall back and eyes close. "You really like that word, don't you." I replied sarcastically.

Hopefully, potty mouth would take a hint and stop swearing like a sailor. It was getting extremely tedious.

"Yup." He answered with a bitter tone. "You know why? Because it has a flexible, wide reach of meaning with two definitions, both that I like very much."

I groaned and snatched one of the decorative pillows on the couch next to me and slammed it on my face to block out the amount of stupidity radiating in this room. This boy was a no good, dirty pig; I can't believe girls like this sort of garbage.

Being the bigger person, I decided not to talk but it got harder for me not to when he spoke up again.

"And you're welcome for standing up for you back there. Of course, I didn't mean a word but you're welcome. Anyway, I'm going to respond to fan messages and all that other shit, so don't talk to me. And if anyone asks for me, just tell them I'm in my room and that I'm busy."

What made him think that I wanted to talk to him after not responding to what he said before? I'm not talking, and I'll keep it this way the whole entire night if I have to.

It irritated me that Mike was still in my room laying on what was technically my bed, but I had enough pride to not speak a word about it to him or kick him out. Matter of fact, I was sick and tired of Mike. All I wanted to do was just lay back and try to sleep because it was getting pretty late and I like my sleep.

Surprisingly, the couch I slept on wasn't half as bad as I thought it would be, and I got quite a bit of rest on it but an urgency in Dane's voice woke me.

Jumping up from the couch and into the hall, I found Dane in the center of the empty living room holding a white, extravagant fox fur coat. I guess we slept through that whole entire dinner party. Thank the heavens that I didn't have to go through any more awkward family introductions again.

Anyway, from the way Dane sounded I thought the house was burning down. What was the big deal about this coat?

"Where's Mike?" Dane asked- seeming out of breath.

I took a quick peek in my room and found Mike passed out on my bed with his phone lying flat on face. As busy and productive as Mike looked, I growled under my breath but told Dane what Mike told me to say anyway.

Dane, as innocent as he was, accepted it without much persuading and threw me the coat, asking for me to give it to Mike before he ran off to his room in a hurry. He must be super tired but I don't blame him. I think all of us were lulled to sleep by the drag of that party, despite the excitement with Mike's aunt.

Taking the heavy coat and throwing it on Mike, I roughly nudged Mike's head and kept shaking his shoulder with my foot to wake him up.

"Hey, butt face. Wake up. Your aunt left her coat here. Aren't you supposed to return it? I imagine she'll throw a huge fit if you don't."

Like a little kid, Mike pouted his face with his eyes still closed and rolled over to the side, cuddling with the jacket I threw on top of him a moment ago. If I didn't hate him as much, I would say that Mike looked cute when he was sleeping, but I know the face of the devil was behind that mask.

"You- you take it. I'm so tired."

"How?" I yelled angrily.

This kid was way too difficult to wake up.

Wincing as he turned over, Mike shook his head. "Clocks," he muttered painfully, "they need me. I- I'm the only one who can save them. Five more minutes. I- I can't let them die. We'll all die."

What the heck was he talking about?

"Do you even know what you're saying?" I said- almost screaming in his ears. "Like, seriously, what have you been taking- ugh forget it, Batman. Go save your stupid clocks another time. You can be a real hero now and give this jacket back to your aunt yourself."

Mike quickly and eagerly shook his head. "No, it has to be now. They'll die. I swear, I can do it in five minutes. Just five more minutes."

This was pathetic, and there was no amount of reason that I could say to pull him out because he was a thousand miles deep into La La Land.

However, I gave it a shot and waited five minutes but he refused to budge. I should've known.

Grabbing both of his shoulders and shaking him even harder, I gave it all I got to wake him up. "Snap out of it, Nor. Your aunt hates me. I can't give this jacket to her. Besides, I don't know how I'll get it there. Can't we just do this tomorrow?"

I didn't see the urgency in delivering it today, but Mike was slightly a little saner- still miraculously asleep- to answer me. "Talk to Gardner, he knows where she lives. She forgets it all the time, and yes it is because she'll come over here and scream her head off."

"Why can't Gardner do it?"

"He's a bodyguard slash chauffer. He doesn't do that work, obviously. I hope it was worth it, Demoir. A clock died because of you. I swear, the longer you talk to me the more time I will have to use to help them."

Shaking my head at this pitiful sight, I gave up and walked out of the room to return the bloody jacket.

I swear, a panzer tank could wreck right into his house and roll right through and Mike would still be fast asleep. Sleepy Mike was five times worse than drunk Mike, and I rather have that than this mess.

So following Mike's instructions, I called for Gardner- the instant I did he showed up, amazing- and he drove me over to the house that belonged to the cranky old woman like it was a part of his every day routine.

Of course, being the usual Gardner he was, he didn't say a word the way there- worst twenty minute drive of my life- but at least he wasn't the type that talked your head off. 

"Ms. Demoir," Garnder spoke respectfully as he looked at me through the review mirrow. "We have arrived. Do you prefer me to wait out here for you?"

Nodding my head, I exited the car door with the jacket from the evil aunt from hell in hand and slowly made my way up to the front gate of her house. Like Mike's unnecessarily ginormous front doors, the black, spikey gates towered up to the sky and overwhelmed me with a sense of dread and awe.

These gates kind of reminded me of those gates that would guard the mansion that a dead, five hundred year old Dracula lived in, and let me say that they were quite unpleasant but fitting in a sense for the person whole lived behind them.

At first, I didn't know what to do but from watching a numerous amount of movies I think these are one of those fancy houses where you ring an answering machine and speak into it so someone could unlock the gate.

I was so hoping that I wouldn't have to see her again after today's incident, but perhaps I could explain things to her and work our problems out.

Here goes nothing.

"Hello?" I squeaked into the microphone as I pressed the button "This is Ashlyn, Mike's-," I almost gagged as the word almost came out of my mouth, "Mike's future fiancé. I wanted to say sorry for what I did earlier today, and I wanted to return your jacket."

No response.

I could have gone home right then and there and told Mike that she must have not been home or didn't feel like answering the door because it was me, but I decided to give it one more shot but again there was no answer.

One more time couldn't hurt I guess, but this time I knocked on the gate. "Hello-"

Before I could finish my sentence, the gate swung open from the slightest touch, and I backed away staring at it in disbelief. She must have unlocked it already and was waiting for me to come in, so not wasting any time I gently pushed my way through the gate and walked up to the front door, finding that it was open as well.

Narrowing my eyes and pushing myself to look through the narrow crack of the door, I tried searching for any sort of movement or noise but it was dead silent. There was nothing in front of me that I could see, but the hairs standing on the back of my head told me otherwise.

Something felt really wrong, and I didn't like being here one bit.

A/N: Wow. Okay. Now WAKIGYAP is almost at 9K reads and 580 votes.... This is insane. Love you all for reading. <3 Thank you so much for voting and commenting, it means the world to know that some people out there actually like my writing. 

Sorry for the long update >.< I was in Korea and Boston and then FAMILY CHORES! Don't forget to vote if you liked it and leave a comment on what's going on in your brain right now. Things are picking up, aren't they?

And then also, SHOUT OUT for the wonderful sourskittles123 for all her support for WAKIGYAP and being such a great online friend. Read her amazing book, "Our Love is Indescribable", comment, vote, and all that amazing stuff.