Aurora jumped with a start. A horn had woken her up from her short sleep.

She waited for the boys to leave and she got dressed and ready. Then she walked outside. It was still dark out, which meant she was up early then she usually got up. She rubbed her eyes, looking for the boys. They were standing in front of a shed called the Library. She walked up and had a shovel tossed to her.

"I really have to dig holes?" Aurora was hoping it was a joke on the new kid.

"Yep." Magnet said. "5 feet deep, five feet wide."

She sighed and followed everyone out to the dig site.

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Her hands were blistered when it was finally time for lunch. She painfully pulled herself out of the hole and drug herself to the line by the truck.

When it was her turned, Pendanski filled her bottle and tossed her a bag lunch. "Let me see your hands."

Aurora turned her palms up. Pendanski shook his head at the sight. "It'll get easier."

She knew it wasn't true. Her hands would be sore tomorrow, making it worse. She sat near her hole and took a few deep breaths.

"How's it going?" She turned around to see Squid. He sat beside her.

"I wanna go home." She said, wiping the sweat off her forehead. "I can't believe this."

"Well, I'll let you in on a little secret." He said, leaning towards her. He whispered into her ear, "They say the first holes the hardest, but, believe me, it the second one that'll get you."

Aurora smiled. "Thanks for telling me."

Squid smiled. Aurora realized how much he looked like his father. She felt this connection to him even though she just got to know him.

"Look at the love birds." Armpit said, laughing. Aurora blushed and Squid looked down at his feet. Then the realized how funny it sounded and started laughing themselves.

It was the first time Aurora felt truly happy since before the accident.