Merry new year! I apologize for this being so darn late. I promise that this will update more frequently, I just have to set aside time every day (which I am already planning.)

Thanks for everything guys and gals!

Teenage boys had never been so grateful that they had woken up on a Sunday and that they still didn't have to get up early until Tuesday. They all awoke slowly one by one, with the first being Kiku and the last being Lovino. Kiku woke up rather earlier than the rest of them, rising out of sleep at about ten in the morning and watching cartoons and other shows that Alfred had recorded on television until someone else woke up. Matthew was next and they talked quietly in hushed tones about what had happened last night, just to make sure among themselves that it wasn't really a dream. By the time that everyone else had woken out of their slumber, Matthew and Kiku were talking as if they had become the best of friends overnight. Yet all of their talking and laughing still hadn't woken up Lovino yet. He really slept like he was dead, face down on the floor and snoring softly. Feliciano managed to wake him up by running in the room and screaming that someone had stolen all of the good Italian food they had hidden over the years. Lovino shot straight up like a bullet, cursing all the way.

Matthew made pancakes for everyone, but ended up making them again when everyone ate all of theirs and kindly requested (a.k.a demanded) that he made them more. Of course he did, but not before he sat down and ate his own with slowness that would have drove a turtle insane. Every single person in the room couldn't help but watch him take every single bite. Finally Matthew broke and made more, his own batch of pancakes only half way finished and quickly cooling on his plate.

"Mattie you make the best pancakes. Live with me and make them for me for every meal," Alfred tried to say through a heavy mouth stuffed with pancakes. Matthew just stared at him, pretending not to understand a word but really he knew just what Alfred wanted to say.

"You wish," Matthew muttered. Alfred didn't hear him over his slobbering and chomping of pancakes.

"Do we really have to wait until we get the supplies to go back to the carousel?" Feliciano asked. Everyone looked at their plates. Sure, they could go back, but there would be nothing to do, so it would simply be easier for them to just wait until they could have all the supplies that they needed.

"Don't worry, we can go back there next week. As soon as we have a night free," Ivan reassured. It was surprising that he was the one who had the courage to say that to Feliciano, since normally he was quiet when a situation became to emotional.

"Lets just have fun today, okay?" Matthew said before Feliciano could have a breakdown and cry.

They did indeed have fun that day, and the day after that. But eventually they had to go home and get ready for school. It wasn't easy, especially since they had gotten used to sleeping in late and relaxing the entire day, already out of the harsh routine that school would impose. Yet underneath all the excitement of hanging out together and the thoughts about the carousel, there had been the worry of school returning and the thoughts of how things might change now.

School seamed harmlessly with the next day, melting in so perfectly that the alarms didn't even have to go off to wake the young men on their journey. Kiku came at the same time as always to pick them all up, and before it was eight they were all there at school, acting as if nothing interesting had really happened this weekend. The boys were met with smiling faces and other friends who they knew on the side. Ivan's little sister came forward and clung to his waist, saying how she missed him over the weekend.

"Hey Alfred," a sensual voice spoke through the boys. They parted to reveal Bethany, a girl who had long been after Alfred and he had been after her as well. Today she was wearing something a bit low cut, yet still conservative. Alfred smiled at her, but his eyes weren't behind the smile, no joy sparkled in them.

"Hey Beth, you look great today," he said to her. They went to their lockers, gathered their books, and he walked her to class.

"See you later Alfred," she whispered and placed her hands against his chest, leaning up and kissing him on the cheek. He smiled at her, and walked away to his classes. Yet still his eyes were hollow, but no one seemed to notice besides his friends who looked on from the sides. Already Lovino and Ivan headed off before the others could corner him and ask about it. Yet somehow Alfred's friend knew exactly what he would say when they asked him what was wrong.

Matthew and Alfred had their first class together, and Matthew wasted no time before he began to bother Alfred about what was wrong. Normally Alfred would have to race to class to be on time with how much he would flirt and talk to girls. Right now they were so early for their class that the teacher wasn't even in at her desk yet.

"Alfred what's wrong with you?" Matthew hastily asked. He didn't want to get caught talking, even if the teacher wasn't in the room yet. Alfred didn't answer immediately. Matthew caught him glancing at the door, as if hoping that someone would come in and save him from talking about what was wrong. Alas no one came in to rescue Alfred in his 'moment of need'. He finally sighed, giving in.

"It's just... I can't get him out of my mind?" Alfred huffed. Matthew tilted his head a bit, his mind blanking on who Alfred could have meant, but then it dawned on him and he berated himself for not knowing immediately.

"You're centaur?"

"Yeah, and the worst part is that I can't remember his name! I can't stop thinking about him, and I can't even remember his name!" Alfred was talking rather loudly by now, his hands balling into fists on the table. Matthew leaned a bit back in his desk chair, trying to remain calm in the hopes that his friend would follow his example.

"I'm sure that you'll remember his name soon," Matthew reasoned, but all that seemed to do was get Alfred more annoyed.

"What if I don't? You guys just don't get it, you can remember everything! I can't though... I just can't."

Alfred stormed out of the room, gathering his things in his arms before he headed out the door, roughly shoving it open with his shoulder. Matthew stayed in his chair in shock, before he rushed out of his seat and looked out the door to see Alfred pushing people out of the way to get down the hallways, leaving a clear path of pushed over students and frazzled teachers. Kiku, who had to go to his locker before he went to class and was just passing by, stopped right by Matthew and watched their mutual friend storm out of the school.

"What's wrong with Alfred-san?" he asked quietly. Students were beginning to pick themselves up off the ground, and teachers were fluttering around, making sure that no one was bleeding or had broken bones.

"He's more upset about the carousel than we thought," Matthew muttered back.

Alfred didn't come back to school that day.