'4.30. Please don't be late.' the note reads.

I fold it and hastily shove it into my back.

I run out the main door and check if I locked it - twice.

I rush to the corner and hope my bus hadn't left me.

-----

I'm Rina Vaughn. I'm thirteen, green-eyed and a brunette. I'm you're typical teenager - I think.

Today went by really quickly. I had Math (my favorite subject), Science, History, 2 periods of Bio, Grammar, and Study Period.

I walk out of Maxwell Secondary School, along with the rest of the student population. Out on the lawn are my tb buds - Sarah, Jackie, Tasha, Sammy and Rix. They're with a bunch of our guy friends, too - Matt, Robin and Alex.

"Rina!" they greet me as I shove my Math, Grammar and my huge Bio book on the table.

"Wow, somebody's pulling another all-nighter," a voice behind me says.

I quickly turn around and give the speaker a weird look.

"It's not like I have any choice-" I start to point out.

My weird look quickly turns to an embarrassed face.

"Tyler," I greet the blue-eyed soccer player in front of me. He makes his way to the boys.

My friends smile at me, teasingly. I simply roll my eyes at their reactions.

"I can't wait to get to the arcade and play Time Crisis 4," Robin exclaims.

"I'm going straight to the Gap. Sale's on today," Rix declares.

"Ooh, count me in!" Sammy exclaims.

"I'm checking out the new CDs at the record bar," Sarah announces.

"I'll be in the arcade, too," Alex says.

"Ditto," Matt adds.

"Rina?" Tyler inquires my plans.

"Yeah, Marina, what are your plans?" my best friend Tasha asks, mockingly.

I give her a weird look, then turn to Tyler.

"I have training in an hour. Wanna hang-out til then?" he invites me.

"I'm. gonna have to take a raincheck, Ty. Sorry," I apologize.

"Marina!" my friends whine.

I'm surprised by their reaction.

"What?! I'm sorry. I have to meet my parents for that family counseling thing today," I explain defensively.

My friends' faces fall.

"Oh," they go.

"They still think it helps, don't they?" Tasha asks quietly.

"Yeah, which is the complete opposite of the fact that I don't really care for those things," I comment sarcastically.

Everyone's quiet now.

"You still live with your mom, right?" Matt pops up.

"Uh, yeah. I stay with my dad every two months," I add.

Silence.

I pick up my things and flash a really big smile. "I don't know about you guys, but I've gotta meet the parental units at 4.30."

"Bye, Rina," my friends bid me goodbye.

I give Tyler an apologetic grin. He just nods, understandingly.

"Bye," he says quietly.

-----

I hate for me to just leave him there. I mean, all my friends there, but I know my mom's gonna throw a fit if I don't make it on time.

She grounded me when I didn't make it the meeting before last. It was totally not my fault; I got caught up in our study group.

Of course, my mom wouldn't hear of it. She has to expect the best from her only kid.

And my dad? Thankfully, he's not as uptight as Mom.

I just don't get to see him often is the downside.

Not that my mom is there 24/7 either.

You see, my mom, Sydney Bristow Vaughn, is a spy working for the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States of America.

My dad, Michael Vaughn, is an agent who is also working for the CIA.

They separated 6 years ago, but the CIA directors just had to demand that my dad be my mom's handler.

They've never gotten around to talking about divorce. Not that I want them to get a divorce. I know the settings gonna be much worse once that happens.

For now, I stay with my mom and every two months I stay with my dad on the weekends. Holidays are mostly with my dad, when he's around. Christmas is with my mom and grandpa.

But nobody knows this except for me - the whole CIA thing, that is.

My parents swore me to secrecy when I was little, and I've been living a life of secrets since then.

I admit it's hard. They expect me to always watch my back, to be responsible and wise.

That is, of course, something I can't always do. That's why my mother thought it would be best if we had family counseling with the CIA therapist. Ugh.

So that's why I'm here, sitting on the No. 21 bus, on my way to the CIA. I'm running a bit late, and I know my mother's gonna be really pissed.

-----

I get to the agency 10 minutes later than I'm supposed to be. I rush to the 3rd floor, and as I walk quickly to the office, I see my parents waiting out in the hallway.

My mom's tapping her foot, waiting impatiently, with a pissed look on her face. My dad, on the other hand, is just standing there. I greet them with the most cheerful voice I've ever heard myself speak in. "Hey!"

They turn to the direction of my voice. My mom gives me a really stern look, and my dad looks quite sullen.

I go up to my dad to give him a kiss.

"Did anything happen?" he asks gently. My dad has this way of making me feel good when my mom's hotheaded.

"Uh, no, not really. Are we next?" I reply smiling.

"We've been next for the past 10 minutes, Marina. Don't you check your cellphone for messages? I've been texting you since 4.00. Don't try any excuses on me coz I know your classes end at quarter to four," my mom scolds me.

"I'm sorry," I say in an exasperated voice. My cheerful façade has now faded. My dad gives me an encouraging smile.

"Next time, try to be on time." he tells me as we walk into Dr. Barnett's office.