I'll be there for you
These five words I swear to you
When you breathe I want to be the air for you
I'll be there for you
I'd live and I'd die for you
I'd steal the sun from the sky for you
Words can't say what love can do
I'll be there for you

Bon Jovi—I'll be there for you

After awhile my phone goes silent and I realize I'd fallen asleep. Darn the Berlin Wall! I look down at my phone and see my brother is calling. I answer like I always do. "No one's home right now, leave a message at the beep!"

"Max! You're awake!"

"Umm, yeah, why wouldn't I be?

"Max you were asleep on your homework again… you looked so cute snoring and drooling…"

"I do NOT snore and drool!" I growl into the phone.

"Uh yeah you do, ask Nick…"

"YOU BROUGHT HIM INTO MY ROOM!"

"Well umm you see… gotta go! Bye!"

*sigh* I put my phone on charge and look down at my book, I need something to keep me awake. I get up to look up to look in the kitchen to see if I still had a Red Bull left. No Luck. Well, Jeb and Lissa weren't back yet, I go to my room and slip on my converse and grab my wallet, locking the door behind me. I walk through the back yard remembering things how they were before my twin died… when I was a whole person.

This whole house is full of memories like the path through the back yard I'm taking right now. Dylan (my twin) and I would always sneak out at midnight to get chocolate chip cookies, skittles, and Dr. Pepper. I smile as I remember those nights. Dylan and I were such kids then, pushing each other around, trying to see who was the best "ninja"; I laugh at how silly we were. I quickly text Iggy to see if he wanted to come over and I told him to meet me at the gas station to get some snacks. When I got there he was standing by the movies looking at the chick flicks.

"What do you think Max?"

"Uh No."

"Aww Come-"

"No."

"Fine, what are we doing tonight then?"

I walk to the energy drink section of the store and looked for the Red Bull. "Well, I have homework to finish, did you already finish all yours?"

"Yeah," of course he did. "then why did you text me?"

The thought of Dylan passed through my mind again. I quickly pushed it to the side.

"I need you to keep me awake while I do my homework." I smiled because I thought I had succeeded. Too late, he caught it, at first I thought he was going to say something but he closed his mouth after he opened it. He turned back to the movies and picked out a chick flick and a horror film.

"OH! EM! GEE! Max!" He used his girlish voice with this. "We totally gotta watch these!"

I laugh at him, give in and take my Red Bull and Funyuns ups to the register to check out. My eyes travel to the chocolate chip cookies and I remember Dylan again the way we'd race to get to the store and laugh when I ate the last cookie. This time I couldn't stop the look on my face. I take a deep breath and give the cashier my money and wait for Igs. I step outside, trying not to think about Dylan. I repeat the same words over and over. It wasn't your fault, you didn't do it, Everything will be fine. I start to feel calm and Iggy walks out.

"So I was thinking…" he starts to speak.

"Oh god, you were thinking!?"

"Come on Max!"

"Iggy, what have I told you about thinking!" I laugh at the exasperated look on his face.

"Not to…"

"And why is that?"

"Because, the last time I caught the Literature Room on fire." He says in a bored tone.

At that we both start laughing while remembering the day he tried to add some "zest" to the play we were rehearsing. We started walking back to my house as we talk about that day and how Ms. Oak reacted. That was the first day I met Iggy.