Guys I appreciate your reviews a lot. As promised I will give credit to those who reviewed. I have only received one and that's from:

Lady Leaf8 – Thanks a lot. I know such meetings of characters are weird but then they have to be.

Another thing guys, there were many power cuts recently so I might not be able to update daily. I also have to do my homework as any 8th grader has to. Sorry, but I will try my best. I will also wait for more reviews. So here's the next chapter.

Jonah opened the book and read, "Prologue."

Willow tensed abruptly. No one noticed it accept Alex who squeezed her hand. He did not trust the others and was still not sure of Willow's judgment but it hurt him to see Willow in any kind of distress.

"Is that your car?" asked the girl at the 7-Eleven checkout counter. "The shiny black one?"

Alex suddenly groaned. "It had to start from here."

"Why?" asked Willow's mom.

Everyone was shocked. They all knew that it was Miranda, but could she really hear or see what they were saying? Miranda smiled dreamily. "The shiny black balloon is so pretty. I like it. The readers should be comfortable enough. Let them be happy. Read on." She sighed and leaned back.

Miranda was lost in her own world again. (A/n: We know which readers she was talking about, right?)

Aunt Jo said, "It has been happening often. Her therapist said that she was actually making good progress."

Willow was so glad to hear her mom respond to something that she almost dared to hope to see her mom alright again. In the silence that followed, Jonah started to read again.

Alex nodded as he put a Big Gulp coffee in front of her.

"Cool," breathed the girl, gazing at it. It was a Porsche Carrera—"

"You had a Porsche Carrera?!" Jonah interrupted himself.

Alex smiled wryly, "Yes I had."

"And the sunshine was glistening off it like liquid onyx. "We don't see cars like that around here very often."

No, I bet you don't," thought Alex, trying to remember where here was. Cattle Chute—"

"Cattle's are not cute." Remarked Nate

Everyone looked at him like he was crazy. He just chucked.

"— Oklahoma, or some such dismal place."

"You must have travelled a lot then." observed Aunt Jo.

"Home of the rootin'-tootin' Cowboys! The bullet ridden sign outside of town had proclaimed.

"Pump three," he told her.

Willow smiled at him. She knew he really loved caffeine.

The girl smiled at him—"

Willow now narrowed her eyes. She did not like anyone flirting with him.

"Widening her brown eyes as she rang up his coffee and gas. "So are you new in town?" she asked. VICKEY said her name tag. She was almost as tall as he was which wasn't that tall; he was just over five-ten— and her brown hair had been ironed so straight that you could get a paper cut from it.

Saturday job, he thought, pulling out his wallet. Sixteen or so. She probably goes to that giant high school that I passed just outside of town.

The thought irritated him and amused him in equal measure.

"Why?" asked Sophie

"I'm sure it's explained." Alex replied

"He had only seen high school; on TV: jocks in their letter jackets, cheerleaders jumping around the field, couples hanging unto each other at the Senior Prom. It was another world, one so stupidly innocent that it was frightening."

It might be worth mentioning hoe Jonah's voice got shriller and shriller as he read this. Everyone else looked like their eyebrows were trying to escape.

"High school students were old enough to be fighting; only none of them were.

Because hardly anyone actually knew that there was a war on.

"Nah, just passing through," he said. He handed her a couple of twenties.

Vicky's face fell. "Oh I was just wondering if you'd be going to our high school... but I guess you're sort of old for that. What are you— twenty-one or something?"

"How old are you really?" Aunt Jo asked.

Willow suddenly had an idea. "Why don't you all bet on a number and see that is right?"

"19" said Sophie

"21" said Jonah

"18" said Nate.

"20" said Aunt Jo.

"204" said Miranda dreamily, shocking everyone again.

"Mom, you are right." Willow said.

"WHAT!?"Everyone said.

"She means 204 months and that is 17 years." Willow replied softly

There were reactions ranging from Laughing to murmurs of appreciation to stunned silence.

Jonah decided it was best to read.

"Or something," he said with a slight grin. He was actually seventeen, but she was right in a way. In all ways that mattered, he was old.

"Oh good, old is gold. Now I want some breakfast. I'm starving. Those three barged into our house before we had anything to eat." complained none other than Aunt Jo.

"But we have not completed a chapter yet."Protested Sophie

"I don't care. Willow I hope you have something for us to eat. And also I need to talk to you about a few things. Come with me." Said Aunt Jo.

"Oh no." thought Willow but she walked after Aunt Jo.

That's it. If you want daily updates I have to write only this much cuz 1) The weather's been really bad and the electricity is going on and off. 2) I need to finish my homework. 3) I want the characters to comment on every remark worth commenting on so if I write everything the chapter would get so long that I won't be able to update daily. 4) Please give me more reviews to get a longer chapter.

Also I wanted to ask you guys if I should pop Nina and Beth. Tell me quickly.