A/N: Going to try to make this good. Sorry for any errors. Read and Review.

A young teenaged Hispanic, with black hair and light caramel skin and slightly built but mostly husky, was wearing some Nike sneakers, jeans and a black shirt with a gray hoodie as he grabs his bookbag. He sits up from the grass of the park.

He sighs, "Man..."

He finishes, "I don't want to go home."

He scratches the side of his head, "But if I don't... Then I'll hear it later."

He stands up as he stretches, "Err. Just have to wait for this year to be over and then I'm done here."

He stops as he looks up to the sky, "I'll be off to college and won't have to deal with this anymore."

He places his bookbag on his back as he stands there for a few more minutes.

"All right then," he sighs, "time to go home."

He treks to his house slowly as he ponder where to go and what to do after college. He stops when he realizes he is home and hesitantly went up the steps as he grabs his key and opens the door. He locks it and turns to the dining room when he sees his youngest sister on the computer. She turns to him and waves, "Hi Max."

She smiles as does this and he copies, "Hey. Sam, how was school? Still hate the fifth grade?"

She nods as her smile turns into a frown, "Yes... They have this new rule about A and B days at the school."

"What?" he asks confused as he walks over to her and drops his bag on the floor.

"Yeah," she nods, "I know right."

She adds shaking her head, "Today was the first day they tried it and so many people were lost, confused and late."

She turns to Max and asks, "Did they do the same with you?"

He shakes his head 'no' while replying, "I never had A and B day when I was there."

He stands up and speaks, "Man... Dillenger School changed since I left."

He smiles at her, "Don't worry about it, okay. I know you'll be okay."

She comments, "Thanks."

"Now," he questions her, "why did they want to do it?"

"To help the kids understand how the high school works," she answers and he was once again baffled, "But... I'm in high school and we don't have A and B day there."

"I don't know," she shrugs, "it is the Board of Education's fault for doing it."

He leans in and whispers, "And let me guess... Dad said how they're stupid republicans, right?"

He pulls back and she nods.

"As I thought," he sighs as he grabs his bag again and goes into the living room.

He sits on the floor near a circular round table as he pulls out books from his bag and starts his homework.

Few minutes later...

"Finish," he sighs as he closes his book and puts it aside.

He goes upstairs to his room without saying a word to anyone. When he reaches his room, he locks the door and pulls out a notebook under his pillow with a pencil.

"Now..." he begins, "I need to get back to writing some poems. I don't want to lose that part of me."

He opens his book to a blank page and has the pencil above it, ready to write whatever came to him; however, after a few painfully writer blocked seconds he starts to write something. He reads what he has written.

"Don't know what to call this.
A poem, a thought, a note.
All I know is that I miss something.
That something is child innocence.
The way everything looked so bigger and all a mystery.
It's hard to see the magic in things when you grow up.
Like how rainbows were formed after a bad storm.
How pretending to be heroes, just to have fun.
Rolling around the park, feeling the sun's ray around us.
The wind playing with our ears, whispers sweet nothingness into them.
How jungle gyms looked like mountains and how chasing fireflies made us laugh.
Looking up the night sky, seeing the moon and stars.
Thinking they were other things; like the moon being made of cheese."

He makes a face, "This is horrible, it's a pile of shit of words together."

He erases it all and mutters to himself, "Come on, Max. Use your emotions and let it flow through."

He has the pencil an inch above the paper; it starts shaking as Max sighs and closes the book.

"I can't," he softly murmurs, "I can't do it."

He angrily tosses it aside as he lies down on his bed and stares at the empty ceiling.

"I'm delicate. I'm fragile. I'm a rose in a tightly enclosed garden and the sun's rays no longer reaches me. I'm slowly withering, suffocating from the encircled area. The ground is too cold for my roots to get the nutrients needed to sustain me. The wind whisperings sweet nothings are all but sweet whisperings, but the howling storm turns those nothings; and then those nothings are not nothings anymore but somethings...somethings that lash and whip against me during the tempests and turbulent times of fury gusts. I'm a delicate and fragile flower in an enclosed garden, often trampled and ignored. Only through pseudo-love was I able to live as long as I have, but now the toxins from the tampered soil has finally been taken in. The gradually poison is quickening my end," he shakes his head as he stops his ramblings.

"No. I wish I knew why I can't write poems anymore?" he asks himself.

"Maybe it's because the only emotion I feel right now is sadness," he answers, "and I don't want to cry; especially, in this house. I can't ever be open, be free here."

He just stares at the ceiling, like it had answer to a question he wanted so desperately to ask it and that that answer may help him see what he needed to be seen; so that he can have peace of mind. But there was nothing, just cold empty space staring back into and through him. He closes his tired eyes as he sleeps.

Dream...

I was walking through a rain forest or jungle in the middle of the night, alone. I had nothing to illuminate my path, but the dim light of the moon to guide and give me company and the few stars I could see. I look up to the full moon hovering above me, wondering if it is free to be as it is or was it forced to be. I look down at the rugged path as I watched my feet as I took each step, through undergrowth passages and bushes. I felt uncomfortable as if eyes were watching me closely. I could feel them and the darkness that surrounded me did not help comfort me in any way. It was as if the gaze could go right through me.

Snap!

My thoughts left me as soon I heard it- the snap of a twig. It was only feet away from me, it scared me to hell. I planted my two feet on the ground and decided to turn and see just what it was that caused that sound. My hands formed tense fists at my sides as I slowly turned, my jaws tightening and calming down, and my eyes struggling to keep open. I could hear the bushes shake from whatever it was.

Crrooakkkk!

A stupid frog hopped away from a the bush, looked at me and then croaked as it hops away. 'God I'm such a scared-y cat,' I thought to myself as I let out the breath I didn't realize I had been holding and turned back to walk. I sigh in relief once more as I began my pace yet again when I felt eyes on me again. My jaw shut and tightened as my pace grew quicker. What the hell was wrong with me? Me and my stupid fears. As I began speed-walking out of the area, I noticed a change in the atmosphere. The moonlight was gone, the stars had vanished and the cold wind whipped at me. I was surrounded by darkness. 'Great. Just great,' I thought as I look around.

I see thick dark clouds covering the moon and stars, stealing away my precious moonlight, my only source of light.

"Where do I go?" I ask myself, "Where even am I going?"

My hands locked together, squeezing as fear slowly crept through me. I struggled not to scream, not to run, not act stupid. How could I be so childish? So fearful? I was after all nineteen, what nineteen-year-old still fears the dark, fears what goes bump in the night? Or walking alone at night? I shake my head as I was about to take my first step, but stop when I hear Snap.

I heard it again. It had to be that stupid frog again, that stupid frog I'm going to kill it! Why did it have to follow me around scaring me? I'd show it not to mess with me… My eyes strained to find that little vermin, I walk over to some bushes; however, I found nothing. I looked towards some other bushes, as I parted them I could make out a figure- a large figure. It sure as hell was NOT a little slippery frog. It looked like an enormous over-sized creature thing on four legs. What the hell was going on? Was this some lame joke? Were my parents or sister playing some sick joke on me?

"Hello?" I called out, my voice cracking, "Who are you?"

"What are you doing?" I watched the dark figure closely, attentively. I had an odd feeling that, that...thing. It wasn't normal, not in the slightest. My breathing quickened as I watched the figure, it stands from its four legs onto two and it was scanning the area. Then, it snaps it head at my direction. I saw it go down on all fours again and looked as if it were getting bigger. No it wasn't getting bigger, it was getting closer. My hands were now trembling and I was frozen in fear. My heart pounded against my chest, my face paling, and my brain telling me to move- run! But I was paralyzed with fear, fear of that hideous figure…

Crunch. Snap. Crunch.

It was getting closer. My senses were going crazy and I could hear my heartbeat along with the creature's ragged breathing. Why? Why me? Every brain cell in me was screaming at me to move, do something! I watched, closer and closer it got. I could hear it, sense it, feel it, and smell the fowl odor that it let off… Finally I move as I run away from the creature. I run through it, not dare looking back at it. While I was running, I cut through bushes and squeeze myself through the under and overgrowth.

'Is it just me, or are these things getting thicker than before? Probably because I'm running for my life that they seem that!' I mentally scream as I could hear it behind me. Before I knew it, I trip over a vine and fall on my face. I push myself up and try to scramble to my feet, but my leg wasn't moving. I look down and saw it was entangle in the vine I trip. I try to rip it with my other hand, but it didn't want to release my leg. I was clawing at it, but then I felt a tug on the vine and was pulled onto my back as I was being dragged. I turn over and try to grab onto something to stop this, but everything was out of reach. The vine lifted like it had a life of its own and was holding me before the darker figure, I bit on my lower lip so I wouldn't release a sob as it growls at me. I feel the vine ascend as the creature stands beneath me and I shake my head as tears escape my eyes.

"No! Help!" I cry as I struggle from the grip of the vine, "Help! Somebody! Help! He-mmh!"

The creature puts a vine around my mouth and then coils it tightly around my body as it licks its lips. I close my eyes, not wanting to see it anymore and wishing it would disappear. The next feeling made my gut drop as the vine released me and I open my eyes as I fall straight into the creature's mouth. I cover my face with my arms, so I don't look. My heartbeat raced and thundered in my ears, pupils expanded, eyes widened, and blood rushed as I watched, waiting. I was going to die; this was the end of me. I squeezed my eyes shut awaiting the worst…The last thing I saw was the teeth about to bite me...

Max's P.O.V.

I awoke, terrified. I fought with my sheets, determined not to fall deeper into the maw of the dark creature, until I realized that my sheets were white, had no eyes, no mouth, made no sound and were only swallowing me because I was so entangled in them to begin with. I shot up in bed. I was drenched in sweat and my breathing was heavy. I put a hand to my chest feeling my heartbeat and closing my eyes trying to calm down. I check and felt my arms and legs, making sure they were here.

I sigh as I fall back onto the pillow, "Man... Crazy nightmare."

I pull out my phone, "Great... 6:30 in the morning."

I forced myself to get up and stretch as I look around my darken room.

I wave my hand, "No need for lights."

I yawn, "I know my way around my room."

I walk to the door and open it as I close it softly, then I quietly leave through my sisters's room. I walk down the stairs and watch TV.

The News came on and I listen, well half-listened and half-asleep, until something got my attention.

"This coming week we're going to have something that has never happened before. We're going to have two eclipses in the same week. Scientists say that this is a very rare moment; however, they are stating caution as well," the anchorman states with a smile, "Here's more from Ronnie Latoya."

"Thanks, Frank. Yeah, I was shocked when I first heard about this. Two eclipses happening on the same week," she speaks as the screen turns into a split with half showing Frank and the other Ronnie.

She adds, "Scientists say that their might be something unique about this."

She turns around to a scientist as it fully captures them.

He's wearing a typical scientist uniform with a clipboard in hand, "That's right. We're right now observing it and we thing it might actually release small minute charged particles, but they won't come even close to the Earth; however, we are going to study those samples thanks to NASA. They're helping us gather the particles before we lose them for good; though, it is only if we say it's okay."

She asks him, "Do you think this is why there are so many legends and myths about this?"

"Why yes. Yes, I do believe that to be true. Years and years ago," he explains, "we attempt to explain eclipses. People around the world, and through time, have come up with many a tale to explain the sun's disappearance. Viking believed it to be sky wolves, Koreans thought of fire dogs, and African versions of celestial reconciliation—these are only a few samples of the many ways people around the world, and through the ages, have sought to explain eclipses. Many also believe it to be an opening to another world because it is said that two worlds will crossover and the barrier between this dimension and the next will become thin. But, like I said before. All are just myths, folktales."

"That was really something," she said as he waves goodbye, "Thanks for having me."

"Oh no problem," she said as he walks off.

"There you have it Frank," she continues, "a brief idea of how people tried to explain this phenomenon."

"Thanks Ronnie," Frank comments as now the screen is fully on him, "Now time for some weather."

I change the channel, I really didn't want to think of the weather right now. I'm annoyed and cranky and all I want is to go back to bed and sleep, but that wasn't going to happen. I sigh as I lift myself up and got myself ready for school.

An hour later...

I was finished with everything, shower, brushing, cleaning; the works. Also, had my horrible uniform for school on as I wait for my sisters to wake up.

"Man...this is so boring," I mutter as I just remembered I left the TV on while I was out.

I walk over to it and change the channel as it lands on Lilo & Stitch: The Series. I sit down and watch it, it's the Richter episode. It help pass the time because as soon as it ended, my sisters were already dress and in the living room.

"Max?" I look to them, "Huh? What?"

"Come on, We're going to be late to school if you don't get moving," Beth states.

Then my other sister, Beth's identical twin, Lisa walks into the room.

"Max, we've been calling you. For a long time. Mom's driving us if you don't move soon; you'll be left behind," she insists as I stand up, "Really?"

I look at my phone and saw it was 7:45, "Shoot. I didn't even realize it was that late."

I grab my bag and jacket as I ran with my sisters behind me. We all went outside and jump into mom's car as she drives us to the high school. When we arrived, we all exit and say goodbye as we wave to her. She drives off and we go into the building where my sisters wave bye as they walk to their lockers. I stop at my own and was getting my books, but the whole eclipse thing was playing in my head.

'To think...People believed that eclipses were portals or something like that.' I lightly laugh at the thought as I turn around with my books in hand. However, I bump into someone or thing and all my books fell along side me onto the floor.

"Ow," I softly say as I landed hard on the floor.

I look up and see that it was Jerome, "What you got two left feet?"

I stand up and look down, "I-I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to."

He leans in, "What was that? I can't hear you?"

I shrink away from him as I repeat, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, I didn't see you there."

"You know what I oughta-" he stops as someone asks him, "Oughta what exactly?"

We turn and find Johnny there, walking over to us as he steps right in front of me.

"Am I speaking in a different language or are you hard of hearing?" he asks as he crosses his arms over his chest, "Oughta what?"

He glares at us before putting his hands in his pocket, "Nothing."

He walks pass him and deliberately hits my shoulder, which made me drop my stuff, "Oops. Didn't see ya."

"Why I-" I stop Johnny, "Stop, it's not worth it. Really, it isn't."

I pickup my books and he sighs, "Max."

I look up to him, "What?"

"You can't let people like that step all over you," he replies, "you got to change that. Show them how you're not scared of anything."

I stand up and retort, "Why? If I stand up to him, he'd most likely would want to either fight me or humiliate me. I'd rather avoid both situations."

I place my books in my bag, "Besides, violence doesn't solve anything. It just makes matters worse."

"Thanks again," I add as I walk away.

"Max," he walks over to him and continues, "Running away from problems doesn't solve them. Sooner or later you've to face them and you won't be able to run away from them."

"I think you're wrong," I protest, "Running does help, believe me. I've been running from many problems, and I'm fine. I'm fine."

"No it doesn't. It's just a temporary solution," he counters.

"Listen, I know you're watching out for me. I understand that, but it was my fault technically. I hit him. So there," I comment as I walk away.

"Max, how can you say it like that?" he asks him shocked.

I don't answer him as we walk.

"I've known you for three years now and I know that you're hiding something," he insists, "So tell me. Tell me what's on your mind."

I smile at him, "Johnny, you're a really good friend and I appreciate what you're trying to do. Really, I do. But...it's done now. Time to move on."

I continue to walk and he follows me, "So you're not going to do anything?"

"Why would I? If I don't bother him, he won't bother me. Simple as that," I explain like it was obvious.

"Max, that's not how things are really. What if he did something to you, like he actually hits you. Then what?" he asks me.

"I try to avoid the hit because if I were to hit back and someone called the cops, I'd probably go to jail and I don't want to go to jail for a stupid misunderstanding just because I was trying to defend myself," I state.

"What?" he asks confused.

"Look," I say to him, "Just drop it. Seriously. I made a mistake and I paid the price."

"You're not getting it though," Johnny comments, "It wasn't your fault. You didn't do anything wrong."

I sigh, "I'm not in the mood for this. Can we stop talking about this?"

"Why are you avoiding it?" he asks me, "In fact, why do you always avoid stuff like this?"

"Oh my god, really. Really," I snap at him, "Look. I'm fine. No bruises, cuts, nothing. Can we just drop it? It's not important."

"Why are you mad then if it isn't important?" he questions me.

"Because I hate when you keep repeating the same thing over and over again," I answer him, "That's why I'm mad."

I go to the cafeteria with him behind me as we wait on line, awkwardly.

"Sorry," I apologize to him, "I didn't mean to snap at you. I-I just got really riled up."

He shakes his head, "Max. Don't say sorry. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Sorry," I add, "it's a bad habit."

"Max. I'm sorry. I just don't understand why you let him do that?" he asks me.

"Because I know that I've to take it with a grain of salt," I reply to him as we move.

"What?" he asks perplexed.

"You know, it's an old saying." I saw the look on his face and ask in disbelief, "You've never heard of it?"

"No," he answers, "What does it mean?"

I sigh as I explain, "It means to consider something to be not completely true or right."

I add with a smirk, "Can't believe you've never heard of it? My mom always told me when I was younger after how the kids used to pick on me."

I slightly frown, "Though, sometimes it's hard not to listen to some of those things being said; especially depending on the person saying them."

"What is it Max?" he asks concerned in his tone as he sees my arm lightly shake.

I look down and sigh, but then smile. "Oh well, that's done with. It's nothing, really."

I heard a hard slap sound and I and some others flinch, Johnny sees this as does a few others. We turn and see a couple having made a scene and one holding their face was the one that got hit. They leave the lunchroom and I sigh.

"Max..." he stops as I speak, "I just got startled. I'm good. Fine, just fine."

I look over and see everyone was slowing going back as I sigh in relief.

"Why'd you flinch like that?" he asks lowly.

"I was startled. That's it. Nothing else. Besides, I wasn't the only one," I answer him as we go through the doors and get our free breakfast. I take a bagel and butter with some OJ while he had the same; except he took the cream cheese.

We walk to a vacant table and while I was eating my bagel, Johnny looks at me.

"If you ever need to say a thing, I'm here. Trust me," he said as I look up to him, "I'm fine, but thanks anyway."

We talk and then notice the bell was going to ring; I finish my bagel and wolf down my OJ as I go to my first class. It was another boring presentation in English. I was trying to stay interested, really I was. But I begin to nodding off now, barely able to keep my eyes open in the warm room, close to boredom of the classroom. I yawn as I lean on my arm, but then it slips forward and I jerk back up; just barely awake that this.

As the guy or girl, whoever was presenting; my head sunk again forward again, my eyelids feeling the gravity of sleep as I put my arms on my desk. My eyelids were fighting against the tremendous weight, but were losing. The presenter's voice was fading away, becoming distant and echo.

I heard a sound and that woke me up as I look around.

My eyes turn to the now open door with green foliage coming out of it. My eyes lock onto it as I mouth, "What the heck?"

I see movement of something dash by and now I was sitting upright, wiping the sleep from my eyes, shaking my head like a dog shakes its body to dry itself. I look back out the door. I still see the greenery there, vines, flowers, etc. I look nervously towards the rest of the class. No one else has noticed a thing outside the door. All are dumbly mesmerized by the presenter, who now recites like a deep-voiced robot, his face never moving from the white-lined paper.

"As Shakespeare has written:

"From forth the fatal loins of these two foes,

A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life."

I stand from my seat, my eyes wandering warily on the teacher and class. But no one turns as I slip to the door and disappear through the rainforest-covered doorway. I part a bush as I look around. I don't see any signs of anybody here. I hear laughing as I run through the green obstructions. I turn and for a second I saw a pink-furred creature before it disappears.

"Hey! Hey, wait up!" I yell as I chase after it, "Hey! Come back!"

I race blindly through a bush and I turn the corner, smashing straight into another body. We both go down as I rub my nose, "Ow... That, that really hurts."

I shake my head and I find a teen, dazed as he lifts himself upon one elbow as he tries to focus. His nose was bleeding from the hit, "Oh, I'm so sorry."

I go down and take a napkin from my pocket, handing it to him as he wipes his nose.

I help him up, "I'm so sorry. I really am."

He dismisses, "It's okay, bra. You didn't mean to, I know. Thanks for the paper, see ya."

He leaves as I was confused, "Wait what?"

I turn to talk to him, but he disappears. I quickly look around, trying to find him; however, I couldn't see any sign of him. I scratch my head, 'Okay...Weird.' I begin to walk further down and soon I'm blinded by a bright light. I see I'm near a bright sunny shore with waves lapping against some white sand.

"What?" I ask lowly as I slowly approach it.

I crouch by it and put my hands in the water and then pull them back out. I shake my hand to dry it off as I stand up. I examine the whole area and there isn't a single soul in sight.

I cup my hands over my mouth, "Hello?! Hello, anyone out there!?"

No answer. I walk on the shore until a find something on the ground not far from me. I slowly approach the thing and notice it was a small blue orb on the sand. I pick it up and quickly examine at it, 'Why does this look strangely familiar?'

I pocketed the orb into my pocket as I continue to look around. I heard footsteps and turn as I see that same pink creature again looking at me. I cautiously extend my hand out to touch or pet it. But before I could, it suddenly disappears as I felt the ground shake.

"Whoa!" I yell as I try to run and grab onto a palm tree.

A crack open underneath the spot I was and the tree and myself fell down into the hole screaming...

I open my eyes and saw that I was on the floor in front of everyone.

I awkwardly laugh, "Sorry, my foot fell asleep. Continue on."

I go back to my seat and cover my face in my arms as I heard my classmates laughing at what had happen. But I was too distracted to pay attention as I grab my hand. 'What a weird dream.'

The bell rings and everyone left the classroom in a rush; even myself. I go to my next class, gym.

Gym...

Everyone was sitting on the bleachers, chatting about something or another thing, but my mind was still on that daydream.

"Max!" I turn and see Johnny running to me with his gym attire, "Have you heard of the double eclipse?"

"What?" I say before it hits me, "Oh yeah. It's coming this week, right?"

He nods and adds, "So do you think what people are saying about it?"

"Which would be?" I ask him unsure of what others had said.

"End of the world. Alien invasion. You name it," he laughs as I smile, "Get out of here."

"No, I'm serious. Like dead serious about this," he speaks as we both laugh.

"Wow... I really need that," I comment as we sit on the floor.

"Why?" he asks me.

"I sorta dozed off in my English class and ended up on the floor," I answer with a clear blush of embarrassment on my face.

He laughs hard and loud, I glare at him. "I hate you. You're supposed to be my friend, not laughing at my pain."

"Come on, Max. It was funny," he states.

"Yeah? For who?" I counter.

"Everyone," he shrugs, "Even you."

"No."

He adds, "Come on. It's funny, you've to admit it."

"Not for me it wasn't," I smirk.

"If it wasn't funny, then why are you smirking then?"

"Because of what you said prior about how everyone said about the double eclipses," I retort as I look at him.

"Sure it was," he said with a 'Whatever you say' tone.

"It is," I protested.

"Anyway, what was your dream about?"

"I was on a sunny beach and that's pretty much it. Found no one there, just myself," I reply as I try to think, "No...wait. I think I was chasing after something. Yeah, I was. I was chasing after this pink-furred creature, but it vanished before I could even do a thing."

I add," I can't remember much after that."

He lightly laughs and I shake my head at him, "ANYWAY..."

I ask him, "Do you know how long it'll last?"

"They said it's going to last a couple of hours," Johnny replies.

"They could be wrong though," I suggested, "For all we know, it could last only a few minutes."

"Maybe," he shrugs.

"Hey... I know this mind sound crazy. But, do you believe that eclipses can be portals?" I question him.

"No, do you?" he retorts to me.

"Not really. Just asking, you know. I mean, it makes just as much sense as an alien invasion or any of those things," I reply and we both laugh.

We stop as we heard a whistle and everyone went to their spots for attendance.

After school...

"Max, you should come by weight room today?" Jacob asks me as I was getting my homework.

"I'll be there soon," I laugh as I shake my head, "Can't believe a Freshman is telling me what to do."

"I'm not telling you. I'm saying to go because it is going to be a lot of fun," he comments.

"Yeah, for you because you laugh when Johnny picks on me right after every mistake. Not so much for me," I reply.

"He's doing it to help you and you know it," Jacob states.

I sigh, "I know, I know."

I look to him as I close my locker door, "Come on, Johnny is probably waiting for us."

We rush down to the locker room to change and Jacob beats me as it takes me a couple of minutes later to reach it.

He makes a smartass comment, "Weren't you on cross country for like fifty years?"

"Oh...Haha. Funny, very funny," I pant as we go through the door.

We continue to talk, but I stop as I heard.

"Look who do we have here," we turn and see Jerome there.

"Max, where's your boyfriend, Johnny," he teases as I look down.

Jacob defends me, "Quit it. Okay, we don't want any trouble."

Jerome laughs with his friends, "Aw look, Max has another one of his boyfriend to protect him."

He sneers, "What a bitch."

I look up to him and counter, "I'd rather be a bitch than a poser any day."

"What was that?" he turns to me and I quickly look down, "Did you say something?"

I slightly shake and stutter, "N-no."

"I think you said something," he comments as he narrows his eyes at me.

"W-well...I-I mean," I stammer and he yells at me, "Spit it out!"

"Y-yes, I did. Look, let's not do anything here that we might regret later. Okay," I quickly say.

He walks over to me as I bump against a locker behind me.

He glares at me, "You're so lucky you're not even worth a beat down. You're already a worthless piece of shit. You fuckin' fatass."

I look down as he punches the locker near me, making me jump from fear and he laughs with his group as he leaves Jacob and me. Jacob walks over to me, "You okay?"

"Um... Yeah, I'm fine. Really," I said as I go look for a locker with Jacob behind me. Johnny comes in and sees us.

"Sup guys," he waves and I wave, "Hey."

He walks over to us, "Anything happened?"

"Nothing much," I reply as I grab my clothes.

"Nothing?" Jacob asks surprised and I turn to him, "Yeah, nothing. Nothing happened at all."

I walk out and go to change out of my uniform, by the time I walk back in; I could feel the atmosphere has changed. I saw that Johnny had a pissed off expression on his face and Jacob too.

He turns to me, "Why didn't you tell me that Jerome was picking on you?"

I glare at Jacob and then turn to him, "He was making fun of you Johnny. So, I was trying to defend you and it didn't end well."

"Look, I'm still okay. Now can we go workout," I suggest because I was getting uncomfortable.

"Max... Every time you told me you were okay. You're never okay," Johnny counters, "Tell me, what's really on your mind?"

"I don't have to say anything because nothing is wrong. Can we please just work out?" I ask as I begin to walk.

"Max, come back here. We're not finished talking," Jacob adds as Johnny follows him.

"Yeah we are," I state as I open the doors and walk backwards, "I just want to workout and go home to finish my homework. We're wasting time."

I bump into someone and turn around to see who it was and as my luck would have it, it was Jerome. He falls over a medicine ball and onto the floor. Everyone was quiet, like some horrible thing just happened and as fast it was quiet; it was just as fast getting louder with the sound of laughter.

I cover my mouth as I contain my laughter and then Jerome slowly stood up, looking around.

His eyes land on me, "You!"

"Now, now wait. I can explain. It was completely an accident," I try to reason.

"Bullshit! You did that on purpose you fat bitch!" he yells and I clench my fists tight.

"I'm sorry that I bumped into you," I speak, trying to calm down.

"Damn straight you better be, you fuckin' dumbass! How stupid are you!" he continues to insult me as I take a shaky breath.

"Can we just stop now? I've apologize because I know I was wrong," I explain, "Now, if you don't mind."

He blocks my path, "Hell no. This is the third time you've gotten on my nerves and I'm going to show you something."

I gulp and close my eyes, but seeing how nothing happen; I open them and I see one of the security guards through the corner of my eye.

"Max, buddy, you okay?" he asks as I nod.

"Just making sure. I heard some yelling," he adds.

"I-I bumped into Jerome, Roy. It was my fault. That's it," I sum it up.

"You sure?" he asks me and I nod.

"Okay then," he waves as he walks through us and down the hallway.

Jerome turns to me and whispers harshly, "You're lucky, but sooner or later that luck will run out and then when I find you... You're gonna get it."

He nods and his group leaves the place and I released a breath that I didn't know I was even holding.

Johnny comes over to me, "Okay, seriously why didn't you told Roy about what happened?"

"What would it solve?" I ask, "He'd get in trouble, find out it was me and make my life a living hell. No thanks, I rather want to avoid that."

He offers, "But you might've been able to stop him?"

"Um...You know," I walk back to the locker room, "I-I'm not in the mood to workout. Sorry."

I open the doors and enter then I hear them open again. I walk over to my locker, take my stuff and close the lock. I grab my bag and see that they're both in my way.

"Guys, I really don't want to do this. I'm tired and getting a headache," I say wearily, "Please, just let me leave."

Johnny was about to say something, but I interject. "And don't say I'm running away because I'm not or that I'm avoiding."

"Fine then," he walks over to the same locker with Jacob and opens the lock as he passes it to me. He grabs his stuff with Jacob and I look confused at them. "What are you doing?"

"Going with you," Johnny states.

"Isn't it obvious?" Jacob adds.

I scoff, "You guys are unbelievable."

I walk away from them and I hear them running after me. I walk upstairs and walk through the gym with them not far on my tail.

"Max!" I heard them and half of me wanted to wait, but the other half said to keep walking.

I stop and wait for them.

When they finally catch up to me; Jacob asks me straightforward. "Why don't you stand up for yourself?"

"Listen, those are just words. They mean nothing, I've been called worse and I've dealt with worse," I explain.

I add, "Just take it as a grain of sand."

"I saw you clenching your fist," Johnny informs us, "I know you were angry. So what are you going to do, just bottle it up?"

"I'm no longer angry, I'm just tired and want to go home. Now, if you would excuse me," I was about to leave when I heard Johnny say, "Bullshit."

I turn to him, "I know you. You're holding it in, Max, it's not healthy. Okay, you need to let it out."

"Oh like punching his lights out? Yeah, that is a better alternative," I sarcastically remark.

Johnny replies, "No one said that. Might be thinking about it, but no one said that."

"I know what the two of you would do. You would've followed him and straight up hit him," I state seriously, "But as for me, violence doesn't do anything but make more unnecessary violence; which no one wins from it."

"Yeah, but you can't keep it inside either," Jacob adds.

"Listen, I've been holding in all of it and I'm fine. See," I say as I spin in a circle, "Nothing is wrong with me. Nothing whatsoever."

"We're your friends," Johnny points out, "when your in trouble your supposed to tell us to help you."

"Yeah well there's somethings even friends can't help," I retort.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Johnny asks.

"It's nothing, I shouldn't even had said that. Listen, I'm fine. See you tomorrow," I say as I began walking home, "Bye."

Home...

I got home, quickly opened and closed the door before any bugs came in and walked over to the kitchen.

I see my dad and he asks me while looking at his mail, "How was school?"

"It was good," I say as I look for something to nibble on, "Where's mom?"

"Working today remembered?" I nod and then ask, "The girls?"

"Sam is with her friends while Beth and Lisa decided to walk around the park," he answers.

"Oh," was all I said, "so, it's just us."

"Yep."

He asks, "So...how do you think your grades are?"

I answer, "B+ to an A's, basically."

"Good, good. You've to be a model to your sisters." he said as I say, "Yes, dad. I know."

"They look up to you. You need to show them what it means to be a good student. Also, you need to get good grades to get into a decent college," he continues.

"Yes, dad."

"And then you'll get a good paying job."

"Yes, dad."

"Then you'll have your own life to do whatever you want."

"Yes dad, of course dad."

"Good boy," he said and I roll my eyes.

After that, painfully awkward silence filled the house as I walk over to the living room; I grab my textbooks from my bag and turn the TV on as I do my work. While I was doing my homework I felt a bone freezing chill run up my spine, my hair on my arms, and probably the rest of my body, were standing up on end. I stand up and quickly look around the room and then out the windows, making sure there was nothing there. Every since I fell on my head last summer, I've had an ominous feeling that something bad was going to happen. Well... Let's say after that incident, it only intensified those feelings. Most of the time when I get them, I knew it was bad and I would find out later I was right. But this was something on a completely different level, it's almost as if I can predict something horrible is going to happen to me. It's so bad, it's almost an essence and I can somewhat feel it, it's cold, dark and empty and whatever that thing is...it's terrifying. I've felt that presence ever since that day and it's getting stronger. Lately, everything is making me jumpy because of this paranoia. But, I know it is very, very wrong and it's on going; something was going to happen. Something odd was happening to me, I can feel it.

After trying to calm myself down, I dismiss the entire thing and go back to work.