It was time. I ripped the sheets off of me and ran out of my bedroom door. Trying to adjust my eyes in the dark, I went down the stairs as fast as I could without falling and slid out of the door, into the pale moonlight. Barefoot, I ran down the street. Everything was quiet except for my feet slapping against the concrete. Then it started to happen. I felt myself going faster. And faster. Faster. I was changing once again. Soon I was flying across yards. My legs, as if as eager as I was, were stretching in front of me, loping over grass. Then I was there. Awaknot Territory. I paused. Then I ripped into the woods. I sprinted through the dense foliage with ease, breaking branches as I went. I could almost see the clearing now, and the adrenaline made me rush at even higher speeds. My eyes widened with excitement as I grew nearer and nearer to my destination. Just then, I broke through the wall of trees into the open field. Surrounded by my own kind. Our leader was on his place atop the hill, looking down at all of us with an adoring, yet proud expression. I sat on my haunches and howled.

"Addison! Hey Addison!" I looked behind me, only to see my best friend, Sandler, jogging to catch up to me. "Hey, buddy. Did you get that geometry homework?

"What a stupid question, Sandler! Since when have I EVER," I paused to increase emphasis, "understood math? You gotta think, man."

"Awwwwwwww, I think someone's in a bad mood," he teased, tugging on my cheek playfully.

"Sorry," I muttered, pushing past some dumb sophomores blocking the whole hallway. "I just can't stand some teachers. Did you know Ms. Edwards told my mom that I talk to much in class?!"

Sandler rolled his eyes. "Well you kinda do. You were chatting away with Erik the whole time."

I scoffed. "Like I'm supposed to be quiet! I'm a teenage girl for Christ's sake! Geez."

He chuckled. "Ok. School's over. What else do you want to do besides blaming everything on your teachers?"

"Let's hit a movie. What do you wanna see? A comedy? Romance? Action? Horroooor?" I grinned, wiggling my eyebrows. He snorted while looking down, brushing a piece of cheeze-it of his shirt from lunch. Sandler did not do well with scary movies. About a week ago we had seen Tears of Terror and he had screamed so loud a half howler monkey half opera singer would have been jealous. "Awwwwwwww," I cooed, mocking the voice he had used on me a few seconds ago. "Is the big man scared of a wittle movie?" I started petting his head like he was my little puppy.

He slapped my hand away and said "Shut up!" but he smiled. I snickered and continued walking down the hallway. When we were out in the Bo Jack High School parking lot, and by our cars I looked over to him and asked "Pick me up at 9:10?"

"Yeah, sure," he agreed, fumbling with the keys to his green jeep.

"See ya then," I called over my shoulder, jumping into my blue Mercedes.

"See you."

Eight hours and forty minutes later, after the movie was finished and we were hanging out at his house, Sandler and I sat in his car. "Should we pick them up now?" He asked me.

"Yeah, he said around this time," I agreed. His car roared to life as he looked over his shoulder and backed out of his driveway. I was jumping in the seat, fidgeting. I was so eager. He drove slowly because of the dark. We rode for about five minutes. Then we pulled up in front of Erik's house. He was, of course, waiting in the driveway for us.

"Hey, guys," he said excitedly. "This is gonna be wicked!" I grinned.

"I, personally, cannot wait."

Sandler drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "What do you think it will be about?"

"I don't know. No idea," Erik and I both replied. Sandler slowed to a crawl as we approached Xavier's small house. He honked. No one came to the front door after a few seconds, so he honked again.

"Dammit, if he doesn't come out we're gonna be late! He hates it when we're late."

"Chill bro," Erik said. "I'll get him." He climbed out of the jeep and ran to the door and pounded on it. I winced. He didn't know what his fists were capable of doing. He turned back to us and shrugged. "The lights are on!" he yelled.

"Throw a rock at his window!" I yelled back. I thought that over. "Not too hard!" I added. Erik nodded and picked up a stone from the flowerbed. He chunked it at the second story bedroom window, which unfortunately for Xavier, was open.

"OW! GOD DAMN SON OF A BITCH!" we heard. Sandler and I looked at each other at started cracking up. Xavier appeared in the window shirtless with black and red boxers. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" He spit at Erik.

"Dude, its Friday! Get your ass down here!"

"Aw, man I forgot!" Xavier slapped a hand to his forehead. "Ok. I'll be down in 10."

"Cool. We'll be back. We're gonna go pick up Bret. Be waiting," Sandler called. He gave a curt nod and disappeared from his window. We heard him getting ready, cussing in the process. Erik ran back to the jeep and Sadler sped to Bret's. We heard babies as soon as we were two feet away from his driveway. Bret appeared in the window, holding his baby sister. A few seconds later he was coming down to the car, wiping something gooey off his shirt. Erik groaned.

"What is this time, Daddy? Creamed corn? Mashed peas? Liquidated bananas?" Bret glared at his friend.

"Shut up. Katie's been sick all weekend."

"And last weekend, and the weekend before that..." Bret swung his giant fist and Erik, who smoothly dodged it.

"Guys, honestly, shut up we still have four people to pick up." I rolled my eyes at the bickering boys and pointed for Sandler to head to Drew and Cameron's. This was my least favorite part of the job. Having to drive with eight boys through a quiet neighborhood in the dead of night. It was like taking care of kindergarteners and was horribly embarrassing when some old dude or chick comes out and tells us to shut up. It just makes the guys laugh harder. I have to hit them quite often, which is surprisingly effective. Sandler pulled up to Drew and Cameron's street. Very convenient for us, they were neighbors so it made things a hell of a lot easier when we had to pick people up. Especially when we were late…like tonight! "Guys! It's 12:37! We're forty minutes late!" Drew and Cameron heard and all but leaped into the jeep while it sped up, heading back for Xavier's. He was leaning against his garage door, smoking a joint. Sandler snorted and shook his head in disgust. His father, the only family member he cherished, died that way last year. "It's OK, big guy," I said, patting his huge shoulder, trying to comfort him.

"Whatever," he said, shrugging my hand off. "He wants to kill himself, I better not stop him." I felt sorry for Sandler. I felt sorry for all of us. Xavier flicked the weed and stamped on it with his foot before climbing in.

"Hey, Princess," he said to me like he always did. I hated my nickname. "How's my favorite girl?"

"Great, man," I said, giving him a quick hug. He looked at the clock.

"Damn, get to Matthew's. Fast!" he said playfully whacking Sandler on the head. We soon were out of the neighborhood and into the rich gated area, after Sandler punched in 8752. Matthew came out, dressed for success, as always and hopped into the jeep with grace. He was half British, yet had no accent. He was the palest of us all, unlike me the darkest. He was also the richest. He wants it, he gets it.

"Hello, everyone," he acknowledged, nodding. Everyone nodded back.

"Sup, Double M?" Cameron said, slapping him on the back. Matthew's last name was Moyle. Sandler pressed forward with his impatient leadfoot and slowly the huge houses turned into crappy old shacks and the perfect lawns turned into dying shrubs. This is where Trace lived. We heard shouting not far from his place. We waited patiently in the car. We knew he knew we were here. We all flinched though when we heard the crack of a breaking bottle.

"We have to go in there!" Bret exclaimed, beginning to stand up.

"No," I said plainly. He's fine. The shouts quieted and I heard heavy boots stomp around, growing fainter and fainter until there was silence. We all sat there for a moment, staring at the door intently. It finally opened and Trace stepped out, his spiky black hair matted with his blood. He walked to the car and climbed in, not saying anything. His bruises shined when the car light flickered on. No one said anything for a moment. The only sound that could be heard was the tires squealing as Sandler all but flew towards our destination. "Trace…" I whispered, reaching out to him.

"It's nothing. I'm fine," he said quickly and looked out the window. He couldn't stand it when people coddled over him. I drew my hand back and put it in my lap, looking at Sandler. He shook his head and kept driving until we were at the mouth of the forest. Erik took a deep breath.

"Ok, guys," he said, clasping his hands and rubbing them together. "Let's go."