A/N- Sorry it's been awhile. I tend to do that. I hope this lives up to the first chapter, I think it does in a different type of way. Let me know with a review, dudes.

Dandelions were everywhere, floating softly up into an abyss of sky blue. They were all around me, the closest near the bottom of my shirt. They were a pure white, making the other colors surrounding me and the hillside even more rich. There was no wind, but the weeds continued to fly, higher and higher into the deep, never ending sky. But, instead of looking up at them, my eyes traveled downward, to my bare feet. The warm, dewy grass clung to them, and I felt as if the blades were washing away my troubles. The sunlight poured from different directions throughout the heavens, and the heat made me feel alive instead of tired.

After realizing this, a spurt of excitement ran through me, and I lifted my eyes to the rising dandelions in the sky and began twirling around. It reminded me of The Sound of Music, only much, much better. Song seemed to burst from every piece of nature that surrounded me. All the trees and their roots seemed to join in song, the clouds hummed a tune, and even the dandelions began to dance as they made their way up, and up, and up.

Now my head was tilted upwards towards the sky, and as I twirled, the colorless dandelions seemed to mush together into the mass of blue. I felt as if I was at the foot of the vault of Heaven, and my sole purpose was to wait until the Great Gate opened. Not a worry in the world could stop me as I span, faster and faster. Inevitably, I soon became dizzy and tripped on my own two feet. But there was no pain after my clumsy landing on the lush grass, and I laughed as I realized the dandelion that began at the bottom of my shirt was now above my head. Normally I would have felt ditsy, but here in this world I was as free as a butterfly, soaring above the highest cliff on the most peaceful beach.

I laughed again at this beautiful thought, and reached out to grab the dandelion, slowly making its' way out of my reach. It was a pity I hadn't noticed all the other dandelions were gone, and that this one was losing its' seeds to an invisible wind...

A shadow fell over me, causing fear to reach the very corners of my heart. A white fist clamped over the lone dandelion and smashed it to pieces. I watched the hand in horror, and skirted my eyes with caution down the expensive suit. My breathing quickened and my eyesight blurred as I took in the broad shoulders, and finally, the face. It was a lawyer's face, the lawyer's face. My breathing stopped.

This time I hadn't caught my breath, I lost it.

"Hey kid, wake up will you! I'm not letting you ditch school on your first day."

Layla Bridget's eyelids flew open, and held their place at the tops of her hazel eyes. Involuntary tears were spilling down her unwashed skin, and her alarm clock's buzzing finally made its' way into her head.

"Wha-what time is it?" she mumbled as she turned over to check the vibrating clock.

Dashed red letters revealed how late she was before her father spoke the words.

"Six-thirty! You got to leave for the bus around seven. It's like a twenty minute walk or so. It's pretty cold out there, so I hope you packed a jacket."

Layla tried to make sense of this in her dreamlike state. Six-thirty? That meant she had to squash an hour long morning ritual into thirty minutes.

With the alarm still going, the clock changed.

She heaved a sigh,"And counting."

Thirty minutes later Layla was trying to make her way to the door. Her hair was wet, her eyes were burning, and she was getting ready to curse her dad for living in such a mess before another thought occurred to her. She turned to her father sitting in his favorite spot, the couch, and yelled out in a rage.

"Why the hell am I rushing to take the bus to school when you can just drive me? It'd give me more time, to actually dry my hair!"

Mr. Bridget's head bolted to Layla's face, a shot of anger in his eyes.

"Now don't curse at me missy, alright!" his words began in a shout, and then took a menacingly quiet turn,"Some bastard stole my car when I went out last night, I took the public bus home. It's the same one you're goin' to ride today. It's perfectly safe."

Layla stood where she was, paralyzed for a moment. Then, with careful, quiet steps, she made her way to the door. She relieved the door of its' locks and turned the knob.

After the door opened a crack, she whispered,"Sorry."

Her only reply was the satellite TV, telling her to "Click it or ticket" as she closed the door and left the apartment.

Layla immediately rushed to the steps that would lead her downward, into the black hole of apartments that shadowed the sunny day. Layla followed these as quickly as possible, trying to escape her father and every apartment nearby. It felt as if everyone had heard the conversation she was leaving behind, and embarrassment flooded her cheeks, complementing the fear in her eyes. Would she and her father actually get along? She was pretty sure she was stuck with him, and a heavy dread seemed to break through the bottom of her heart like a massive weight. There was only a small dash of hope in her mind that her mother would actually win the next case, or any trial after that. Only a small, glowing light was what kept her from falling into complete darkness, from losing all faith in her mother.

Reflected sunlight attacked her already sore eyes as Layla stepped onto the sidewalk that tagged alongside the street. A little bit of warmth filled Layla's body as she reminded herself of why her eyes were such a wreck. She had been daydreaming in the shower about the strange, brave boy she had seen the previous night. Or was it a man? Layla was fairly sure he was her age, but why was he involved with those cops?

Those were just the questions that were running through her mind before a handful of shampoo had streamed down from the top of her skull and into her eyes. A waterfall of chemicals wasn't too soothing, and Layla was reminded once again of why her mother had only bought her No More Tears hair products for the longest time.

All these memories ran through Layla's head within a few seconds. She had stopped at the corner, where her apartments disappeared and a new intersection began, every road leading her through a sea of unfamiliar buildings and houses.

By now the all important question had come to her, the one that would change her course of life, forever. She could have gone back and asked her dad exactly where the bus stop was, but she was too afraid of what she might find when she went back. Besides, it was about time she blazed her own trail, instead of being controlled by others.

A car honked as it breezed by Layla, leaving clear smoke behind, adding to the strange mixture of smells that is Brooklyn. A rush of various other vehicles buried the smoke into the street before it could get anywhere near her, but the air still felt dirtier than it was before. By now Layla was at a streetlight with a decision firm in her mind, and it drove away any sense of doubt or reason. A bad feeling tried to gnaw away at her, but one thought of her dad yelling at her brushed away the temptation to go back. She was free now.

A man frozen in place flashed green from across the street. He was enclosed in a tiny black square sign, the symbol that showed whether it was wise to cross the street or not.

"Your own personal servant to look both ways for you," Layla thought, and a strangely familiar burst of excitement ran through her.

She practically skipped a few steps of freedom across the street, the adventure of finding her own way to her school chasing away the knowledge that she would most likely become lost and never make it there. She was a girl trying to be a teenager, because she had read and heard that she was supposed to be doing things like this. She was supposed to be brave and have a little fun.

"To live a little," she sighed, and closed her eyes for a second.

That's when a deathtrap of chipping paint and metal smashed into Layla, knocking more than her thoughts away.