ELEVEN YEARS LATER

ALANA

I have three fears, one of them, no, two of them are easy to figure out. I have an Aquaphobia, which means, I'm afraid of water. Don't get me wrong, I do clean myself, but the mere thought of me drowning and having no control of myself in a large body of water, makes my stomach queasy.

My second fear, most know about it, by most I mean my swimmer friends: Brody, Maya, Chelsea and Sage. I know it's Ironic that I would have friends in the one sport involving water, but, I can't seem to break myself from them; they are like family, you know? But anyhow, I'm getting a little off topic, my second fear: Im afraid to get hurt. Like, physically, mentally, and emotionally hurt. I suppose that's why I'm such an Introvert.

But is it so wrong of me to not want to get out socially, and if I do go out it's to hang out at the media arts centre in Burmil? Probably...My friends looked over at me expectantly, like I was obviously paying attention to their conversation. I blink several times, trying to figure out what in the world they were talking about.

"What?"

"Seriously, Al, were you not listening at all?" Chelsea said as her left eyebrow raised. She sometimes reminded me of those cliché girls, you know the ones from Mean Girls. What were they called? Plastics? Hey, I may be an introvert, but I do know movies.

"No sorry," I'm definitely not sorry, "What were y'all talkin' about."

Maya giggled as my oh-so-annoying southern drawl rose to the surface. Sometimes when I speak, I get this accent. It gets annoying, but sometimes I barely notice it. But not this time.

I make a fist, annoyed that my mouth thought it could make me have an accent. Most of us here at Dragon didn't and we lived in the country. Goes to show we country folk don't all have accents and wear cowboy hats all day. Dang it! I'm doing it inside my head!

"Well," Sage started with a final glance around the group for permission, they all nodded. What was going on. "We signed you up as a plus one on the swim trip."

"What?" I couldn't believe it, they know how much I'm afraid of water! How am I even going, my parents wouldn't sign off on this, speaking of they don't sign off on really anything my-. No! Please no! How can she do this to me!

"Don't worry Al, you won't be swimming, you won't even have to be in the ocean, you can stay in the beach house and read." I felt my panic drift away. "We are leaving next week." But it didn't last long when my heart jumped in my chest.

"Excuse me, next, week!"

Chelsea waves it off like it was nothing, "Your Aunt Josie has everything taken care of don't worry. You need this vacation."

"But what about my brother?"

My brother, Adrian Mathews, has been skipping classes for as long as I can remember, and he skips time at home too. My big brother isnt there to protect me from what happens there

"Who cares about your brother, he's a deadbeat anyways."

"Chelsea!" Sage exclaims, leaning over the table to swat at her, "what is wrong with you?"

I closed my eyes, swallowing what was in fact the food I had bitten into before Chelsea had made her comment. I stood, not looking at my friends and walked away. I was done with her comments about my family. I was just, done. "Alana wait!" Sage called behind me but I ignored her and rushed into a classroom, not checking if there was a teacher in there.

"Can I help you?" Great, this is the math room.

I shook my head, unable to form words, as salt filled tears stung my eyes. "Do I need to take you to the councilor?"

"I'm fine." I manage to rasp out through my emotions choking me.

How many fears do I need to deal with today? First the vacation to my death, and now I'm being hurt by my friends. No doubt I will get hurt at home again. Why is life so unfair? Why do we need to hurt to be strong?

"Are you sure?"

"I said, 'I'm fine.'" I was suddenly done with all the questions, I was suddenly done with everyone. Why am I feeling this way?

Running out of the math room and across the hallway, I make it to the double doors that was my freedom, and for the first time in my life, I skipped school. Not having a care in the world whether I got in trouble for it or not. I just needed to clear my mind, and I sure couldn't do and there.

***

I don't know why I thought it would be a good idea to skip, I mean, all around me is farm land. Where could I go on foot? Sighing, I walk across as the paved highway in search of somewhere to go. I couldn't go home, and I couldn't bring myself to go back to the school. Maybe if I sit in this ditch, no-one will find me.

"Alana!" I don't look up, I don't want to see my friends right now. "Alana!"

I curl deeper into my hiding place and wait, but my nose defies me and I sneeze. No, not one of those girly mouse sneezes, this sneeze could blow down a house. My group of friends walk over towards my hiding place, Chelsea was nowhere to be seen, but everyone else stood around me, worry written on all their faces. Maya knelt to be eye level with me, I searched her dark brown eyes, I knew what I would see, her kind nature through her into me. I didn't want to, I wanted to be mad just a little bit longer.

"Alana, this isn't about Chelsea, is it." I couldn't speak, if I said anything I would give it all away, and the last thing I wanted to do was to scar my friends with my past.

I kept my mouth shut, not wanting to do anything. "Oh, hun, you can tell us anything." Sage commented, from behind Maya. Brody stood next to Sage, with his hands shoved in the pockets of his torn jeans. "Guys, we need to go, lunch is almost over."

"I don't want t-to go back there." My voice breaks.

"I could take you to the media center." Sage says, picking me up off the ground.

"But, don't you have class. What about your parents?"

"Forget my parents," Sage comments, "you're my best friend and you need a break."

"But-"

"No buts, you need this."

I nod, they know me so well, that they are willing to help me, even if they don't know what I need help with.