A/N- I really really suck, I realise this update has been so long coming! The worst case of writers block combined with a real busy schedule. I've decided to be a tiny bit strange and switch to the first person, I'll find it easier to switch viewpoints this way, and I find it easier to write like this. Please read and review, I love reading them! xxx

The same old lines, the same old stories of
Breathless trains and, worn down glories
Houses burning, worlds that turn on their own

She was running. Faster than she ever had before, her legs screaming at her to stop as they burned. She couldn't stop or it would catch her.
She paid no attention to the branches clawing away at her skin, drawing blood each time.
She flew through the wilderness, unable to scream. She didn't have the breath.
She didn't risk looking behind her, maybe in the end her terror would completely cripple her.

Maybe she should just give up now, stop fighting and give in to it. The second that thought entered her mind, she stumbled, only ever so slightly.
It was enough, that half a second she had slowed meant that it had caught her. Her throat produced the most shrilling, terrified scream she had ever heard-

'K! Wake up for god's sake!' I became vaguely aware that someone was shaking her, my eyes took a few seconds to focus on who was in front of me. Chris was sat on my bed, looking distinctly annoyed.

'You want to stop screaming the house down now?' He said curtly. I glanced at my clock, seeing that it was 7.30 am, late to be just waking up for me, but incredibly early for Chris who only turned up to school when he felt like it. I pushed him off the bed with a definite kick, clambering out of my covers quickly.

I had been screaming, that certainly wasn't normal behaviour. If only I could remember what I'd been dreaming about, a blur of the color green, and my own terror was all I could recognise.

I walked over my mirror, and was not confronted with a pleasant sight. Chris walked past me and stalked out the room, 'I'm going back to bed. Have a good day' was all he said. Our conversation was basic now, lacking depth and emotion.
We'd been so close as children, and normally an absentee parent makes siblings grow closer. With me and Chris it was the opposite effect, we'd both retreated into ourselves, content to go on that way.
I'd learned to stop relying on him for the little things, like making me laugh when I was down about something.
I sensed it would get worse with time. That when we were older our lives would be entirely separate, maybe seeing each other once at year at Thanksgiving, or Christmas.

I showered quickly, barely noticing the scolding temperature, too lost in my own jumbled thoughts.
I thought back to last night, watching the Sunset with a beautiful boy had made my day at a new school, altogether less depressing.
I pulled on a pair of jeans, barely looking to see what they were, combining it with one of my only clean t-shirts, and my leather jacket. Like yesterday, I didn't have time for breakfast, but this time I didn't grab an apple, I still felt a little too nauseous from the nightmare to eat.

I checked my phone, not expecting to have anybody wanting to contact me. I was surprised to see a text from Laura, reminding me of Derek's comment last night; 'I think Laura loves you already '. The text read: 'Meet me in the Parking lot before school? I'm sorry if my brother scared you away last night! Xxx'

Not having time to reply, I found myself hoping desperately that she would wait. Laura Hale could be the only friend I made around here, but my instincts told me she'd be a darn good one. I had been trained to trust my instincts, profoundly.

When I pulled into the parking lot I found that finding a space was made incredibly easy today, due to me actually being on time for once.

My face broke out into an unreserved smile when I saw Laura lounging next to Derek's car with chatty Cathy. I made my way over to her quickly, finding myself eager to socialise for the first time in ages. Cathy greeted me warmly, I'm assuming she'd caught on that I might be hanging around for a while.

'Morning!' Laura smiled, after only knowing her two days, it struck me that Laura Hale was a decisively optimistic person, rarely seen without a smile on her face. 'I'm sorry I wasn't home last night, I was shopping with my Uncle'
This apparently sparked chatty Cathy's interest, and as she began grilling Laura on details I found distinctly boring. I couldn't prevent it, suspicion reluctantly made its way into my head. I could swear that Derek had said 'training', he'd said that Laura was training with her Uncle.

I mentally shrugged the thoughts off with difficulty, figuring some kind of miscommunication problem. Derek was nowhere to be seen, much to my well hidden disappointment. I couldn't seem to stop my eyes from straying, and surveying the parking lot for his distinctive figure.

'Are we going in?' I interjected, most liking cutting off Cathy's line of chatter. Laura shot me a grateful look for that, and in that look I realised we had a lot more in common that I'd previously thought. Some kind of understanding maybe. I didn't want to get my hopes up, I'd always envied those girl's who had a best friend, completely in sync with them.

I'd never found myself in that situation, and I secretly worried that one day, when I became a bride, I'd be seriously lacking in the bridesmaids department. A strange thing for a teenage girl to worry about but I did nonetheless.

I stumbled through the first half of the day mostly on my smile alone, teacher's generally left me alone as they had me pegged as 'the quiet one' already, and it was only my second day. I didn't mind being invisible in classes. In high school, anyone will tell you, being invisible has it's perks.

I didn't hesitate when grabbing the appealing and available seat next to Laura at lunch time. She immedietly noticed me sit down and focused an intent gaze in my direction, leaning in closer to talk to me without being overheard. I caught a glimpse of the other girls at the table, each looking a little jelous that Laura appeared to have taken to me so well.
I imagined that it had taken them all equally lengthy amounts of time to be truly regarded highly by her, she certainly wasn't lacking on the friends front.

'You must've made quite an impression on my brother Kate! He rarely takes me into the woods, I hope he didn't convince you that he's a complete loser?' She laughed, 'his social skills need some work' I smiled at this, thinking that he'd never develop these so called 'skills', and he'd be content to do so.

I found myself laughing genuinely, through her witty talk, I could sense her unconditional love for him, it shone in her eyes spectacularly. Something told me she approved of his anti-social ways, and that she wouldn't want him to change. I was just about to reply when I felt a slight pressure on my shoulder, glancing upwards I met the beautifully striking blue eyes I'd been hoping for all day.

'Is this seat taken?'

Once again I am sorry for how long this has taken me! P.S who, or more likely what, do you think Kate was dreaming about? Reading and reviewing would be MUCH appreciated! :) xx