I had spent the whole night chatting with Jerome. I could tell why he was best buddies with Mitch. You could trust Jerome with everything and he would promise not to tell a soul. He was like my new best friend.

I finally logged off of Skype and said goodnight to Jerome. I glanced over at my alarm clock and noticed the time. 6:45. I had been up that long? I ignored it and got ready for school, without any sleep.

Half asleep, I walked to school in a long spaghetti-strapped sky blue cotton dress that went down to my knees. I wore black converse on my feet. My hair was only slightly brushed and it looked that I had gone days without sleep.

I arrived and noticed Caleb and Sarah, being a stereotypical couple. They glared over at me and Sarah paced over to my locker.

"I have to tell you something, Rachael," she told me, a frown on her face.

"What?" I asked, my eyelids almost falling off.

"You're cut from the cheer team."

My eyes blanked wide open and I stared into my locker mirror, trying to get my vision on Sarah without directly looking at her, "Why?"

"What do you think? You're going to prom with the new guy! And you just cheated on your boyfriend with him… the loser…"

"Loser?!" I shouted, "Mitch is not a loser, out of all things! I would rather get cut from the cheer team and be demoted from my status than lose him as a friend. Caleb was not worth anything and neither were you. And I play Minecraft. Yes, Minecraft. The loser game. I play it with my real friends: Mitch, Jerome, Ty, Adam, and Jason."

"Those losers are your friends? Make sure you clear out all of your stuff in the popular lodge before school ends. Rachael, you're done. Goodbye." Angry, Sarah strut back and flirted with Caleb yet again. I gave her an evil glare. No one could ignore my evil stare, not even Sarah. She winced but Caleb dared to challenge me. Instead of making trouble with him, I slammed my locker shut and ran off.

I finally reached Ms. Rudolph's class and immediately sat down in my seat, not taking notice to anyone, even Mitch. He shot worried looks at me, hoping that I would respond to something. I eventually did.

"I'm sorry for last night," I told him.

"It's okay. I realize that you were angry and you just needed some private time," he replied.

"I chatted with Jerome."

"You did?"

"He was online and so I… just spilled everything," Mitch didn't say anything else, so I continued, "Today I ran into Sarah. I told her about Minecraft. She cut me from the cheer team and demoted me from head popular. So much for trying to get Prom Queen."

"Who really cares about being Prom Queen or King? All that really matters is that you have a good time at the party."

"I suppose. I was just hoping on it."

"Well, you never know," Mitch smirked. I glanced at him with suspicion. There was something that he was going to do; I just didn't know what it was.

"I'm gonna start hanging out with you and Jerome more."

"Maybe you can meet Mat… we're going to lunch after school today. You wanna join us?"

"Sure." I smiled for the first time that day.

Later that day, Mitch and Jerome picked me up from my house and drove me over to a restaurant near their old school. Two boys our age were standing outside, waiting, probably for us. Mitch, Jerome, and I climbed out of the car and met up with the boys.

"Ray, this is Mat. Jordan, I didn't think you would show up," Mitch introduced me.

"You're Ray. As in the Ray?" Mat questioned.

I nodded. He grinned.

"You're good," he commented, "At the Hunger Games."

"Well, thanks," I replied.

"And this is Jordan," Mitch pointed to the boy next to Mat. He waved.

"Hi. Nice to meet you." We shook hands.

"Glad to meet you too. I'm Rachael, but you can call me Ray."

"Got it."

Mitch, Jerome, Mat, Jordan, and I entered the restaurant and took our seats. I sat next to Jerome on the right and Jordan on the left. Mitch sat across from me, Mat to his right. A waitress I found familiar came to serve our table.

"Is there anything I can get you to drink?" she asked.

"Water," Jordan immediately spoke.

Mitch, Jerome, and Mat ordered Coca-Colas and I ordered iced tea.

"No one likes tea?" I queried. No one replied and they glanced over at each other, "I guess we're not doing small-talk." I glared down at my empty bread plate. The waitress brought over a basket of white bread and packets of butter.

"Oh," Jerome giggled, "Budder."

Jordan laughed, "Classic Jerome. I miss you already." Mitch laughed along.

"You know that we're only in the next town over. And we can always do Minecraft together," Mitch told him.

"So I heard you play Minecraft," Jordan commented to me.

"Yeah," I responded.

"And you beat Sky, Mat, Mitch, Jerome, and Ty. Professionals at the game…"

"Well I'm a pro too. I just don't post videos on Youtube about it."

"We're going to have to see about that," Jordan grinned. The waitress came back with our drinks.

"Are you ready to order?" she questioned again.

I ordered a Caesar salad, Jerome and Mitch ordered cheeseburgers, Mat ordered a plain hamburger, and Jordan ordered a steak. The food arrived within minutes.

"All of you are getting fatty meat while I have this healthy salad," I asserted.

"It's not fatty," Jerome stated with his mouth full of hamburger patty. I giggled at his failed attempt to speak. He finally swallowed, "Did Mitch and Ray tell you guys that he's going to prom with her?"

"No…" Mat replied, "He didn't."

"Jerome… you don't need to share personal matters," Mitch argued.

"It's fine," I assured him, "They can know. They're friends, right?" Jerome fiercely nodded.

"Okay," Mitch smirked, glanced over at me, and smiled. I sarcastically smiled right on back.

After we all finished eating, Mitch was kind enough to pay for everyone's meals and we exited the restaurant.

"Well, I'll see you later," Mat told everyone else, "I have to go."

We all went our separate ways: Mat and Jordan left in their own cars, and I jumped in with Jerome and Mitch.

"So…" I asked, "Are you gonna drop me off at my place or something?"

"Yeah," Mitch replied. Jerome turned up the speakers and realized the radio was playing "Cups." I started softly singing along, getting louder once towards the middle.

"I've got my ticket I got my ticket for the long way 'round. Two bottles of whiskey for the way. And I sure would like some sweet company. And I'm leaving tomorrow, wha do ya say? When I'm gone. When I'm gone. You're gonna miss me when I'm gone. You're gonna miss me by my hair. You're gonna miss me everywhere, oh. You're gonna miss me when I'm gone. I've got my ticket for the long way 'round. The one with the prettiest of views. It's got mountains, it's got rivers, it's got sights to give you shivers. But it sure would be prettier with you." Jerome and Mitch joined in with singing as well. "When I'm gone. When I'm gone. You're gonna miss me when I'm gone. You're gonna miss me by my walk. You're gonna miss me by my talk, oh. You're gonna miss me when I'm gone. When I'm gone. When I'm gone. You're gonna miss me when I'm gone. You're gonna miss me by my hair. You're gonna miss me everywhere, oh. You're sure gonna miss me when I'm gone. When I'm gone. When I'm gone. You're gonna miss me when I'm gone. You're gonna miss me by my walk. You're gonna miss me by my talk, oh. You're gonna miss me when I'm gone."