Uh... Hi! I'm making a new story, as you can see.

And I guess that's it!

I don't own The Sparticle Mystery. I only own my laptop, a hairbrush, and a Goldfish named Kat.

"You can't go."

That is what my mom tells me on a particularily humid August day. The weather in the town of Pine Woods (In Washington) has been terrible all week. Gray skies, wet air, muggy feeling... Bleh.

I am standing in the small kitchen in my family's house, begging my mom to let me go to Heather's party. Heather, the coolest girl in 8th grade, the girl with blonde hair, blue eyes perfect features. Her parties are LEGENDARY.

And I can't go.

"Please Mom!" I beg her, but she shakes her head no.

"You need to stay home and take care of your sister. Your father and I are going out that night." She tells me in an end-of-discussion sort of way. Then she turns to washing the dishes.

The small kitchen seems to get smaller. Tears well up in my eyes but I blink them back. Did Mom really have to ruin my social life, just like that?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not the least popular kid in school. But I'm not the most popular, either. With straight brown hair that will never curl, average hazel eyes with thin eyelashes, and a few freckles across my nose, I am an ordinary-looking-and-acting 13-year-old. It took me months to gain enough status to be invited to one party. But, by not showing up, I'll be ignored again. I scowl.

"Kate, don't give me that look." Mom says tiredly, brushing some of her wavy black hair away from her face. She has long, vivacious black hair that I had the misfortune not to inherit. I got my dad's hair, while my little sister, Mia, got my mom's.

"Fine, Mom." I grumble and walk out of the room into my family's living room, plopping down on our overstuffed couch. Pulling out my cell phone, I text my best friend Samantha.

Can't go to part at H's! Mom won't let me! Plz help!

In no time, she replies.

No! What should we do?

I text back,

That's wut I'm asking u!

Sam's reply is imediate:

U could sneak out

My stomach lurches and I gulp. I had considered sneaking out after dark to go to the party, but I'm not a big fan of getting into trouble. Sam, however, is a total rebel. In fact, we are nearly total oppisites. While I am quiet and shy, she is bold and outgoing; while I dress simply and comfortably, she dresses in mixtures of bright, daring colors and black, dyes her hair, and has her ears peirced in two different places. My mom once stated that 'those two are as different as fire and water.' Guess who's water.

Sighing, I type my reply:

I'll think about it.

Just before I put my phone away, Sam replies.

Really? U wanna think about it? The partys tonight, u wont go if u think about it! ):-( We need to talk.

Then my phone starts vibrating.

Incoming call from Samantha Price

Shut up, phone!, I think.

Incoming call from Samantha Price

I let her call me three times before I answer.

"Yes?" I ask, sitting back on the couch. I hear a buzzing sound somewhere, but I ignore it. Probably a fly.

"Listen, K, you HAVE to go to that party!" Sam's annoyed voice sounds from the other end.

"I can't!" I complain, "My mom said I have to watch Mia, and you know I hate breaking rules!" My voice is rising to a wail. Why hasn't anyone heard me?

"KATE! Listen to me!" Sam says firmly, "You have to convince your parents to-"

Silence. I look at my phone. 'No reception'. Huh. Odd.

"Mom?" I call, getting up from the couch, "Something's wrong with my phone!"

The thin carpet tickles my feet as I walk out of the living room and into the kitchen. What was Sam trying to tell me? I had to call her back.

"Mom?!" I call, looking in the kitchen. Dirty dishes are still in the sink, water from the faucet pouring over them. It's the only sound in the house. The kitchen is empty.

"MOM?!" I cry, scared now. There is no reply. Maybe she's in the bathroom?

I scramble down the hallway, floorboards creaking beneath my feet and fling open the unlocked bathroom door.

Nobody is there.

Done!

Also, I promise an update for Briars ASAP!