Ever so quietly, I crept to the window overlooking the front door. 'Just who I anticipated' I thought. I dropped the curtain and it swung back into its position covering the window. I ambled down the staircase and walked carefully to the door. I paused just before opening the door. 'Should I?' I questioned. My hesitation passed as my fingers curled around the doorknob. A petite blonde woman stood in the opening.

"Clover, dear, how good it is to see you! I just stopped by, since it's my lunch break, to see how you were doing, and to see if I could do anything for you. Well, is there anything you need?"

"Oh, hi, Ms. O'Hara. How thoughtful of you to come to see me, but I'm fine. I've got everything I need right here in the comfort of my own home." I snorted mentally at my last statement. 'Comfort! Ha! I don't even have a room anymore!'

"Okay then. Well, I hope to see you again soon! And don't forget to have your mother or someone call or write to the school to tell them that you'll be out for a bit. Ta!" She said enthusiastically.

"Ok, uh huh, buh-bye now!" I mocked with a fake smile plastered on my face. Unfortunately Ms. O'Hara's blonde side kicked in, and the remark I made remained unregistered in the department of 'Hello, I think you're being moronic!' (A/N: No offense to blondes!)

She waved, whirled around, and walked back to her car. She looked from her window one last time and drove off. I shut the door, sighed, and slid down onto the floor. I couldn't take it anymore. It was all too much. My life was rapidly declining and it wasn't fun. I got up and walked back up the stairs to my empty room. I gathered all of my things that I had recently taken out of under the floor and carried them up into the attic. When I got up there it was dark and smelled musty. I waded through the sea of cardboard boxes of junk over to the small, round window. I put several boxes on top of others so I could clear a space for myself. I placed my stuff towards the darkest corner and covered them with a moth eaten tablecloth. With this done I sauntered down into the kitchen to get something to eat.

..*..

I kept an even pace with the tall girl in front of me. Soon, she reached a clearing and paused. She threw her bag down and hit the ground with it. I stayed behind a tree until I could figure out what she was doing. When I realized that she would be sitting there for quite sometime I decided to make myself known. Unfortunately for her, her back was to me.

"So, Skipper, what're you up to?" The girl sitting on the ground emitted a shriek and jumped several feet into the air.

"JESUS CHRIST CHRIS! WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?!" She screamed.

"Not much, Skip, just enjoying scaring you."

"And what did I tell you about calling me that! It's KIP! It's not my fault my whacko mother decided to name us for those dolls! Barbie, Skipper, and Kelly! SHE THOUGHT IT WAS CUTE!! AGH!!"

I chuckled slightly under my breath, but I really did feel bad for her. Imagine going through life named after dolls! And the worst part about it is they're all blondes. Kip at least didn't dress like it. She liked the wild side. Blue streaks in her hair and black clothes. Definitely not a Skipper look alike.

"You know I feel bad for you. Although it is pretty funny. Hey!" I dodged a large rock she had voluntarily chucked at my head. "So, back to what I was going to ask you in the first place… what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

She answered my question with one of her own, "Aren't you supposed to be in school too?"

"Yeah, but I had to follow you to see what you were doing. I was just doing you a favor, I mean, what if you were doing drugs or something!" I peered at her, "You're not are you?"

"Of course not! Moron. I'm here because I couldn't take it anymore. I needed some fresh air from school. Don't tell Mom, please."

"I won't," I replied, "At any rate, I'm going to get a verbal thrashing from my mum about missing school, when I haven't even been here that long, and then she'll play a one-sided game of hundred questions. So, this all amounts to me saying that your secrets safe with me. Well, I am going for a bit of a walk, if you'd like to join me." I watched as Kip slowly rose from where she was seated on the ground and walked up next to me. She glanced at me and nodded her head, signifying that she'd go.

I looked around before we started off, trying to get my bearings of where we were. I noticed a small dirt path out of the corner of my eye that seemed familiar. Maybe I had taken it last night, or the night before. I decided to take this one, since it looked so quaint and homey.

We had been walking together in companionable silence for a while when we came upon a clearing that I knew. It was the same clearing I had been in last night with the girl. I viewed the land and finally I chose to follow the way I thought that the girl had gone. I hiked along through the trees and bushes with Kip close behind. We kept wandering until we came to what looked like a campsite. A ring of fist-sized stones was on one side, ashes strewn through and about it. A large pile of dead branches sat nearby and a fairly large moss-covered rock was sitting next to a small brook that ran through part of the site. One thing was out of place in this little picture; a small white envelope. 'The envelope,' I thought, 'it all came down to this piece of paper. Now, I wonder what could be in it…' I tread over to the envelope, reached down, and plucked it off of the ground.

"What is that?" Kip asked, cutting through my thoughts. "Let me see it."

"It's just an envelope." I stated trying to end her curiosity.

"What has it got written on it? Is there anything inside of it?" She hopped over to me and tried to see over my shoulder. I quickly shoved it in my pocket and stepped away from her.

"That's not your business. Honestly Kip, it could be something personal, like a letter from someone's dead dad! Show some respect!"

"Ha! Like you? You're the one taking it! Why not just leave it where you found it? I was just curious anyway." She snorted. "Just open it, please?"

"Fine, fine, you get your way. Come here, you can read it over my shoulder." I grinned.

"Like, omigod, you're like so rude! Like ew, greedy!" she said in a fake valley girl voice. I went and sat down on the rock and she came after me. I took the envelope from my pocket and read the name on the front of it. Clover.

Authors Note: Hello faithful readers! I just want to apologize right now for me taking my "jolly grand time" in getting this out. I have been so busy and yes, I admit, lazy, that I haven't been writing much. I hope you all forgive and forget easily though! I will try my hardest to get out chapters a lot quicker than I have been. Sorry about the slight cliffie. It's not too bad since you can probably predict what's going to happen next. Well, I'll leave it here and say thanks to all my reviewers….

To my Chapter 6 reviewers ~

-:-Indigo Ziona - Sorry, thanks, and I'll do my best in the future!

-:-MiniMichelle2 - Hey, I wrote more, and in 1-2 weeks there (hopefully) will be more!

-:-Etherealangel - Here is your update, but I know that it wasn't quick. My apologies! And I think you've found your answer…

-:-Killashandra - If you've read the author's note that I posted before then you'll have gotten the answer about the laptop stuff. If not stick it in your review and I'll answer it. (I've deleted the author's note.)

-:-Tavia - I know, terribly sorry about the cliffies. The one I left in this one isn't too terribly hard to figure out and I won't leave you for two months wondering what happened.

-:-Fairytales101 - Well, here's the next chapter and you've only had to write 3 reviews! I hope you'll write more in the future though, because I love getting them! They're good for my motivation…

Now, for 7… ~

-:-LadySorrow - Here's the post, and I know, sorry about it not being very quick about it… but I'm hoping to try and squeeze a bit of writing time in everyday so that I'll be able to get chapters up quicker. Thanks!

-:-Tavia - We meet again! I did write while on vacation, but only minimal… then I got back home and became extremely lazy and sloth-like. Well here's the seven you've been waiting for.

-:-Mistress Chandra Ravenheart - I'm doing quite well thank you. A bit over-ridden with school but I'll learn to manage. Thank you, and up there is seven, as you found out as you read it. Thanks!

-:-AquariusDragon - Thanks so much! I enjoy getting reviews like that because it boosts my self-esteem. =). Oh, you'll see how I tie it in… I don't think that my plot is over-used either… =).

-:-Sinner's Angst - It is 3 am at the time I am writing this as well. What a coincidence. I've even got the Matchbox 20 song running through my head, '3 am'. I hope this suffices for you so you don't die! I need good reviews (and fics) to live on!

-:-Rihannsu - Thank you! If you want, just re-edit the chapter above and send it to me (via e-mail : SilverTigress613@aol.com) and I would greatly appreciate it! And thank you!

-:-Fairytales101 - Yay! I've always wanted a Psycho Reviewer! Since I'm psycho too (mentally insane for those who take offense to that term… lol) it is always good to find another like me. Although I have noticed that there are quite a few people on ff.net who behave in similar manners towards mine… that makes me happy! Thanks!

And for those who decided to review the first chapter… ~

-:-Cho ChangRULES - Thank you… I'll look into your story, if I already didn't. I've read so many now, I can't remember which ones I have, and which I haven't.

-:-Fairytales101 - There it is. Chapter 7. Was it good? I know this isn't too long, but it's longer than most of my other chapters… well thanks much for reviewing, and yes, I do love them!

Well, that's all folks! 'Til next time! REVIEW! Thank you!