i Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! /i

I rolled over and slammed the alarm off, leaving my face down into the pillow. I sighed before rolling over on my back and staring at the ceiling. My hands went to my eyes and rubbed them, trying to bring them into clear focus. I glanced at the clock. i 6:30 /i it read. ' i Bloody Hell, /i ' I thought as I sat up. Why on earth had I agreed to start something where I had to get up this bloody early? ' i But it's what you wanted, remember that? /i ' I stood up and cursed myself as I walked into the bathroom.

My blue eyes landed on my image in the mirror. My flaming red hair stuck up at odd angles, and I was in dire need of a good shave. I turned the faucet to the sink and held my hands under the cold running water. I pulled the water up to my face in attempt to wake myself up a little more. ' i It's no use, /i ' I thought. I grabbed my wand from my robes that I wore the previous day and pointed it at my face.

"Barbering," I said, and the effects of the spell left my face smooth. "Well that's taken care of."

I stared at my hair. It just i had /i to be red...just like everyone else in my family. Nothing seemed to be my own. My looks belonged to someone else, I had to share a room while I was growing up, and everything I owned officially became the property of the family. ' i But it's what you wanted, /i ' I thought. ' i Or what everyone else thought I wanted. /i '

Of course that's not how I got here. I wanted that joke shop just as much as George did. I must be kidding myself. ' i But you don't want to go to work half the days. /i ' It's work...it's not supossed to be fun. ' i You should have stayed in school. /i ' I stormed out of the bathroom, being sure to take my wand. I returned to my room and dressed for work and straightened out my shaggy hair with the wand.

With a small i pop /i I apparated into the back room of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. I took my heavy cloak off and hung it on the metal peg before walking up into the main part of the shop.

"About time you got here," said my younger brother, Ron. "I had to fill in for you since you decided to get your beauty sleep."

"Shut up, Ron," I mumbled passing him.

I found George in the gaggle of people and mentioned to him that I needed to talk to him. I walked outside in the crowded Diagon Alley. I pulled a cigarette from my robes and lit it with my wand. I took a long, and very needed, drag. I leaned up against the stone wall and closed my eyes while the cigarette burned between my fingers. It wasn't too long until George clambered out of the shop. His face was red, and sweat poured from his forehead and soaked the tips of his red hair.

"What is it?" he asked. "Something wrong?"

I opened my eyes and looked at him. I took another drag before speaking.

"I've been thinking about taking some off," I said.

George's face was serious.

"Ron won't be happy to hear that," he said.

"I'm serious," I snarled.

George looked down at his feet and then back up at me as I took yet another drag.

"I'm sorry. But take as much time as you need. It's your shop too though," he said.

George walked back in before I could say another word. I put my head back against the wall and took the last drags of my cigarette before stomping it out and blowing out the last reminents of the soothing smoke.

I must have walked down the streets for hours, because when I returned to the shop, it had cleared, and Hermione had showed up to take Ron to lunch. I must have looked rough because as soon as I stepped into the shop, Hermione rushed to me and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Are you alright?" she whispered.

I gave a short nod before pushing my way through the people I knew as my friends and family before settling into the back room. I sat in the old squeaky chair and propped my legs on the desk that was littered with papers and cigarette butts. I leaned back and closed my eyes. I remained still as the door opened.

"What's wrong with you?" asked the voice of my twin brother.

I opened my eyes and sat up, taking my feet off of the desk.

"I just have some things going through my head," I said.

George stared at me with a mixture of anger and fury, what the difference is, I have no idea.

"Just go then, will you?"

"Sorry. Didn't know I was wasting your space," I snapped.

I stood up and came eye to eye with my twin. Our identical faces were inches apart. His face rarely stood with such fury, especially at me.

"I don't know what your problem is, but you've done this too long, Fred," he said to me through gritted teeth.

"Then I will no longer," I said before apparating to the burrow.

I stood in my bedroom for quite some time. Anger was the feeling I was experiencing at that time. I had never gotten into a fight with George, but this one was sure to carry on. ' i Then move out. /i ' That was it! Move out...get away from everything I once knew.

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It wasn't even a full day before I had found the flat that I wanted and could actually afford. The owner was an elderly wizard who used his time to tend to his mandrake garden hidden out back and concealed by magic. It was perfect for me. Two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a decent kitchen. It wouldn't be hard calling this home. I was set to move the next day. I walked into the kitchen with the note that I had scribbled and set it on the table, letting the words read out loud.

i I've decided to take some time to myself. I found a flat outside of London that I've rented. I will owl you all when I am ready. Please don't worry about me.

All My Love,

Fred. /i

I looked at the table one more time before apparating out of the burrow one last time.

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A/N: Sorry for the length...had a "time limit". But next chapters will be better!

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