I went home to see if everything was ok. I checked in my room: nothing had been touched. I checked my parents' room: same old same. I checked the kitchen, dining room, and hallway.

Nothing looked different. It was as if I'd just come home from school as usual: nobody home, no one would till God knows when.

I left the empty house. It just added to my feeling of loneliness. I mean, I had no real friends, people that understood me. I was a freak, a label that would not go away, not even during this, whatever people where calling it: "FAYZ?"

I walked to the place that everyone seemed to be gathering: the town plaza. I saw a tarp on the ground next to the burnt apartment building that Sam Temple apparently saved best he could. My intuition told me not to look under that tarp: a dead body would be the only logical answer to what was under there.

I looked at the familiar, nameless faces around me. Fifth graders ran around, excited and rambunctious. The older kids looked worried, or eager, some just looked lackadaisical. I didn't see too many really little kids; they were all in the daycare with Mary Terrafino and her little brother John. They were nice kids, pretty cool: I thought about going to help them, but part of me told me I had to stay where I was. I had to wait on Astrid.

And I did. I waited up until midnight. Some kids were still running around wildly, most were snuggled together in family-like units asleep in the middle of the plaza.

Me? I went home.

I hadn't had anything to eat the past day and a half, and I wondered why that didn't bother me; that's when I started coughing, hard, like I'd come down with a cold or something. I sighed sadly, because I hate being sick. "It's just a FAYZ," I laughed to myself, "You'll get over it; only a FAYZ."

I drank down some milk so I wouldn't feel so empty then I went up to my room, hooked my iPhone up to the iHome and fell asleep listening to the chords of Fall Out Boy. "I found the cure to growing older." I wish Patrick, because my birthday is a few months away, and I'm scared.

I woke up as soon as I heard the engine. I thought, "Finally, someone's here to save us, or maybe it was all a dream."

But I followed the noise out to the town plaza and saw that no, we had not been saved, but some kids were putting on a show.

I thought about leaving and going back to bed. I felt weak and I didn't want to give anything to the people around me, but then I saw the face I'd been subconsciously looking for.

Astrid was next to a park bench in the middle of the crowd, next to Sam. My eyes drooped and I felt ten times worse, but I didn't care, I was going to stay, and see if maybe Astrid would notice me.

The "show" or whatever was quite mysterious. These kids from the private school up the hill drove down here looking to make tithes and "help" us. Their leader, Caine Soren, there was something I didn't trust about him; something dark.

He was charming, I'll give him that, but then, there was something else. There was something in his eyes when he looked at the awestruck crowd. His smile was genuine, but in a sinister way, and then they called out Sam's name.

The grin hid nothing. His eyes narrowed in that evil villain way, like when Dr. Doofenshmirtz catches Perry the Platypus and rubs his hands together, about to reveal his evil plan like an idiot.

Then again, Caine Soren was no idiot. He wiped the maniacal look off his face and smiled that "genuine" smile again as he led: Orc and his punks; Sam and Astrid; and a few other random kids into the church.

Some kids left to go back home, or rob some more; John led the prees back to the daycare center for lunch; a lot of girls where gushing over how hot and charming Caine was.

Me? I did what I do best; I analyzed the surrounding area. I was about to head back home and find something to eat when I heard the crash.

I ran toward the church, as I got closer I heard muffled screams. I feared the worst; that Astrid had been hurt; but to my relief she came out of the church quickly, pulling a screaming Little Pete from the sanctuary.

She bumped into me in the rush.

"Sorry," she said looking at me quickly then glancing back at Little Pete, using his trigger phrase, "Window seat, Petey, window seat."

"S'okay," I managed as she continued down the steps. I doubt she heard me. She never pays attention when Little Pete is on the verge of breakdown.

Soon everyone was filtering out of the church. The Coates kids crossed the plaza and went into the town hall. Sam tried to catch up with Astrid, but got stopped by kids in the front of the church, asking him what was going on.

To avoid an awkward situation if anyone was watching (as I always felt there was) I continued up the steps and looked into the church.

Orc and his goonies where still in there, looking expressionless at a kid (was it Cookie?) lying on the ground, screaming in pain. Blood poured from his shoulder. Dahra Baidoo sat next to him, trying her best to get the bleeding to stop. I left before the smell of the blood could hit me. I felt like I was going to be sick.

When I walked back out Astrid was flirting with some Coates kid. No, not flirting, that wasn't the right word. Seducing. Her hand was on his arm and she looked into his eyes; she wanted information. The kid, about nine or ten from the looks of it, with nerdy, too-big glasses that kept falling down his nose and messy, blonde hair, stalled and stuttered as a dark-headed girl from Coates made her way to him.

He jumped when she arrived. The kid had been in the middle of a sentence, about to disclose private information from the looks of it, "Good job, Astrid," I said mentally.

The girl grabbed Astrid's hand and began to shake it; her eyes narrowed when Astrid quickly pulled away.

I suddenly realized that I had been standing on the top steps of the church, looking down at Astrid as the scene played out. If I didn't move now someone would notice and wonder what was going on. I quickly began to move down the steps, passing Astrid as the two Coates kids went toward the town hall.

"Hey wait," she said as I quickly walked past, thinking about the fact that I had almost brushed into her.

"Huh?" I said stupidly, stopping abruptly and turning around to face her.

"How um…," she stalled, not sure if she should go on or not, "How are you managing?" She finally said.

"Um…," I said, "Fine?" I stated it as a question. Something more was going on in her head.

"That's good," she said, looking away awkwardly. It had been a long time sense we had had a conversation, she didn't know what to say.

"How's Little Pete?" I asked, trying to prolong the conversation.

"The same," she shrugged, "Still living in his own world, you know, never noticing the people around him."

"Lucky him," I said jokingly, she smiled.

"Ya," she said, "I'd much rather not know that my life has totally been flipped upside down."

"Same here," I agreed. My heart raced in my chest, this was the longest conversation we had had in a while. She was looser, laughing more; odd how total chaos would make her happier.

"Well, um," she said awkwardly again, "I gotta go, but stop by any time, okay?"

"Will do," I said, subconsciously crossing my fingers. I make no promises I don't intend to keep. I watched as she walked off, toward Sam. My chest hurt, and my breathing came in wheezes, but I clung to one thing that made me happy.

She remembered.

When I was younger, I resented my family; truthfully, I still do, but that's not the point. Mom and Dad would always work late, and I would sit at home, all alone, with my aunts and grandparents calling nonstop.

I hated it. I felt so alone. I slipped into a depression at the age of nine, but I had Astrid, and she noticed.

That's when it started really, this obsession.

She began to come over every day after school just to study with me, just for a bit; but of course, we were young, so all too soon she would have to leave.

"Bye, Astrid." I would say, feeling my heart begin to sink.

"Bye, Les," She'd say and hug me, being sure to give a quick squeeze, as if to say "You'll be okay, don't worry."

But I did, I mean, I was so alone, and I felt even more alone after she left.

I remember that day perfectly still.

I was in my room, it was a Saturday, but my parents had to work and I was alone. I was crying, I didn't know why, I guess I just felt so bad.

I went to the bathroom.

I grabbed the razorblade.

I placed it to my wrist when the phone rang.

"Let it ring," I thought, "They should know that my parents are at work."

But it kept ringing, so I went to pick it up.

"Hello?" I said into the receiver.

"Leslie, Oh my gosh!" It was Astrid, she sounded odd. I heard cries of pain in the background.

"What's the matter?" I asked, immediately concerned.

"My mom's in labor!" she said with excitement, "Little Pete is being born!"

I remember smiling, putting down the razor blade and rushing to my neighbor's house so she could give me a ride to the hospital.

I shouldn't have put it down.

I should have finished it; then and there.

But I didn't, and now I couldn't.

I entered the hospital where Astrid was waiting with tears in my eyes. She had them in her's too and we smiled as we hugged. The nurse called us in to see the new addition to the family.

Astrid's mom let me hold the baby, Little Pete.

I cradled him in my arms while Astrid stood behind me, looking over my shoulder at Little Pete's beautiful, intelligent, little face and whispered, "What a beautiful family."

Tears welled in my eyes. She said it collectively; including me. My tears fell despite myself and I looked over at her with a smile. She met my eyes and smiled back, pushing her long blonde hair behind her ears.

We stood there for a moment, staring at each other; but then my cell phone rang.

I handed over Little Pete and answered. What was said is not important. The thing is I had to leave immediately and that was basically the last time I saw Astrid for a while.

My heart aches now thinking about it. I wish I could turn back time; go back to that day, finish the job.

But I didn't, and I couldn't.

The only thing I could do was sit here and wait.

Wait on Astrid to love me; the girl she'd forgotten.

Waiting sucks.