Ginger stood in front of her bed in her favorite old pair of blue jeans and black tank top. All of her red wavy hair was pulled back into a high ponytail with a section of her black streak hanging to the left of her face. She looked around the room, wondering if there was anything she had forgotten. There again, it wasn't like she wouldn't be back in three weeks. Ginger was getting ready to drive home for Christmas break, this being her Sophomore year of college and majoring in Creative Writing, she was use to backing up enough life to get her through a few weeks at her mom's house. She was looking forward to the hour and half drive only because she could blast the radio out and sing as loud as she wanted.

Ginger hadn't been home since the summer, something she hadn't done the year before, she went home almost every weekend. This year she was taking more classes directed towards her major rather then general needed classes, she was able to meet more people that were interested in the same things as her. Becoming closer, she didn't find a need to run home every weekend. She talked to her mom and friends back home through e-mail and they could always drive to visit her.

"You sure you got everything?" Her room-mate Rae asked as she walked in, sipping her green tea.

"Yeah..." Ginger said taking Rae's green tea and taking a drink. Her and Rae were in all the same classes, just at different times. They bonded over the school yeah to the point that they considered themselves best friends. "What about you?"

Rae rolled her eyes as she sat on Ginger's bed. "I'd rather just stay here...I'm going to try and make a grand entrance and then sneak out and spend the rest of vacation in Detroit with Darren."

Darren was Rae's boyfriend, something that had sparked Ginger from the beginning. Before meeting Rae's Darren she wondered if it was her ex-boyfriend, Darren. Ginger was happy to find out he wasn't, how awkward would that be. With Rae bringing up Darren, Ginger wondered if she'd see her old neighbor while she was in town. She has seen his lime green convertible last Christmas, but never saw him. Even if it had been years since their break up, it still hurt to see him. Last she knew at graduation, Darren was dating a sophomore cheerleader and planning to go to college in Detroit, again a reason for Ginger to have wondered if Rae's Darren was her's. If she wanted to know more, she knew she was always welcomed at the Patterson house, she just never dared going over there. It was too hard, too many memories that Ginger had put in the back of her mind and in a box under her bed, right next to the box of memories from her boyfriend after Darren, Orion and before Darren, Sasha. Orion and Ginger were still friends, it wasn't as hard for Ginger with him, Sasha and her hadn't spoken since she stopped working at Camp Capprice. They had been on friendship terms when she left, but she didn't feel a need to push for more with him.

Ginger laughed, "Sometimes I wish I could run away like that."

Rae smiled. "Then why don't you? Make an entrance, then excuse yourself to explore Detroit with me, you've never been outside of this state have you?"

Ginger shook her head. "No, I promised Mom I'd be there...I haven't been home since summer, I skipped Thanksgiving so I have to be there for Christmas."

Rae helped Ginger take her things to her tiny dodge neon and pack them up. Once they were done Rae turned to Ginger, "You sure you want reconsider Detroit? I promise fun!"

Ginger laughed, "Thanks, but no thanks."

Rae rolled her eyes. "Well, you've got my cell if you need me. See ya later chick-a-dee."

Ginger enjoyed her drive home. There was barely anyone on the roads the whole time, so she just turned on the cruise control and enjoyed her music. Ginger had always found driving to be relaxing, she could just sit and clear her head. Sometimes she'd think, sometimes she'd just go. The night before finals, Rae and Ginger took a long ride around town, jamming to their music and just relaxing, it made studying so much easier.

As she pulled into the drive way, she saw her brother's dog Monster running towards her and barking. Carl was 18 now and graduating High School next year. Wow, time flies.

Ginger got out and patted Monster on the head. "High spirited for such an old dog." With that, she walked inside. As she looked around, everything looked the same from when she had left. There on the couch sat her mom.

"Hey Ginge!" Lois got up, walked to Ginger and gave her a big hug.

"Hi Mom..." Ginger hugged back, even though they hadn't seen each other in so long, she still felt close to her. "Where's Dave?"

"He's still at work, hard being a doctor." Lois turned and yelled. "Carl! Help Ginger get her stuff to he room."

After Ginger and Carl got her things to her old room, Ginger decided to drive around town to see if anything had changed. Just as she pulled out of the driveway, her cell phone rang "Friends Forever." Ginger knew who it was, Dodie and Macy.

"Hello?" Ginger said, trying to sound like she didn't know who it was.

"Ginger!" Screamed Dodie into the phone making Ginger pull the phone away from her ear.

She put the phone on speaker phone and set it in her lap. "Hey Dodie...what's up?"

"Are you home yet?"

"Just got here, exploring the city, want to see if anything has changed."

"Come up to the mall, Orion's working at the smoothie stand and will give us free smoothies. We haven't seen you in forever!"

Ginger rolled her eyes as she agreed and hung up the phone. Ginger still loved her friends, but having been on pep squad, Dodie was still very high spirited and sometimes Ginger wonder how Dodie could stay so perky.

She got to the mall in no time. Walking around the food court, she didn't see anyone she knew.

"Ginger!" A familiar deep voice called out to her.

Ginger turned and there was Orion. "Hey Orion!" He looked just the same as remembered. He'd grown to 6ft in high school, dark hair, and deep eyes. He was always cute, but with his smoothie stand hat on, well he just looked silly. As Ginger walked up, Dodie and Macy appeared out of no where.

"Ginger!" They both screamed and they all joined in a hug. Ginger couldn't help, but smile it was nice to be home.

"I'll make your drinks and then go on break, usual ladies?" Orion said with a smile.

Dodie and Macy nodded and Ginger laughed, "And what is my usual?"

"You know, I don't actually know." Orion stopped and gave Ginger a sly smile. "What's your usual?"

"Actually, can I just have a green tea with some honey?"

Orion nodded and went to work as the girls walked to a table.

"When did you start drinking green tea?" Macy asked.

"My room-mate Rae got me into it."

Orion walked up and set their drinks down. "Hope it's not too hot Ginge."

"The hotter the better." Ginger took a drink. "Works better at keeping me awake then lattes."

They all laughed and sat there talking about what they were up to. Dodie, Macy, and Orion were all going to the local community college. Dodie was majoring in fashion as were the rest of the cheerleaders from their year of high school. Macy was majoring in psychology. Orion was studying music education. It had been hard for Ginger to leave them, but the scholarship to East Connecticut University was an honor and she couldn't refuse it. She was happy there, but she did miss home. It was like two different worlds.

They were chatting so much, no one noticed him until he said, "Hey guys..."

Ginger turned, there behind her, stood Darren Patterson.