I was lying on my bed, staring up at the ceiling when I heard a knock on my bedroom door.

"Come in!", I say.

My mother opens the door and enters my room.

"Yes?", I asked.

"You've been moping around since you got home from school. Is there anything I should know about?"

It took me a moment to answer, "No, I just have a lot on my mind."

She came and sat on the edge of my bed, giving me that concerned parent look.

"Is there anything you want to talk about?"

I pursed my lips, "No..."

She put her hand on my knee, looked me in the eye, and said, "Well, you know I'm always here for you...if you ever want to talk about anything..."

I smiled meekly and said, "Okay. I know, mom."

"Alright... Well, I've got to get started on dinner-"

I interrupted her, "Mom..."

"Yes?", she asked.

"Can I sleep over at Aerie's house tonight?"

"It depends, when do you think you'll be home?"

"I'm not sure. We're planning to have a girl's night, you know. Watch scary movies, eat popcorn, do our nails..."

"Oh, yes!" She clasped her hands together, "I remember doing that when I was your age! We'd stay up all night watching scary movies, screaming and talking about boys, playing truth or dare! Oh, those were great times!"

She had a distant look in her eyes, she was reminiscing.

"Well, can I go?"

"Oh..." She came back to the present. "Sure, sweetie!" She smiled, "I'll call you in the morning to make sure everything's going well, and when you get home... Tell me everything!"

"Okay, mom. I promise." I smiled at her.

She patted me on the head and got up, walking out the door.

"I love you, mom!" I yelled after her.

"Love you too, sweet pea!", she yelled back, her voice trailing off.

I got up off my bed and walked over to my door, shutting it and turning the lock.

I walked over to my bed and pulled my light pink Hello Kitty duffel bag out from under it.

I shook it out, dust, crumbs and old candy bar wrappers falling out and onto the floor.

I brushed them under my bed. I'll clean it up later.

Then I walked over to my little periwinkle nightstand, covered with pink flower stickers.

In my nightstand are my supplies for, say, if the electricity went out or someone broke into our house. I also have a first aid kit and a bucket of candy from last Halloween in there too.

I pulled it open and grabbed my flashlight and my pepper spray, setting them on the floor next to me, I then proceeded to grab the first aid kit and a handful of old Halloween candy.

I pulled everything up into my arms and carried it to my bed.

I let everything fall from my arms onto my bed.

I then shoved everything into my bag one by one.

Wait, what if I get thirsty? I grabbed the partially drunk water bottle from my floor and threw it in the bag, then zipped it up.

My stomach was starting to knot up.

I looked in the mirror over my dresser and frowned at myself.

My conscience chimed in now,

You filthy liar. How could you lie to your own mother like that? You make me sick. You deserve whatever may happen to you tonight...

Ugh. I hate peer pressure.