I had given up on TV and was sitting back at my desk in my room. I had finished all my homework, had changed into some pajammies, and was trying to work on the song again. I couldn't get Carlos and the Tri-pods out of my head though. I started to tap the pencil to the paper hoping to catch a beat I could use.

I dropped my pencil on my desk to someone knocking on my door, "Yeah?" I called through a sigh.

The door opened a crack and my Mom poked her head in, "Hey, I brought dinner home." She smiled.

"Alright I'll be out in a sec." I smiled as I began to put everything away.

"And your magazines came in today. I put them on the couch."

"Thanks." I followed her out to the kitchen.

"Is everything okay?" She asked handing me a plate.

I sighed. No, everything is not okay. Carlos pulled a stupid stunt for stupid people, Dad is a liar, I have yet to even begin the song I was to write for Gustavo, and I'm not even hungry.

"Long day I guess." I replied as I spooned a small pile of Chinese food on my plate.

"Have you gotten anywhere with the song?" Mom asked passing me the egg rolls.

I made a disgusted look to her question and took an angry bite out of an egg roll, plopping it down on my plate.

Mom laughed, "That bad?"

"I've never been this blocked before, I don't understand it!" I exclaimed as we sat at the table.

"Maybe this is a sign to take a break from all this show business stuff?" She asked raising an eyebrow as she took a bite of her food.

"I'll take a break of the Jennifers…" I mumbled moving food around on my plate.

"Where's your Dad?" She asked not catching what I said.

I shifted my eyes from her to my fork, "Main office." I passed on his lie.

Mom drew in a long breath before slowly letting it out, "Alright."

The rest of dinner we ate in silence, the only thing that could be heard was the clink of our silverware on our plates. Shortly Mom had eaten everything on her plate and excused herself to go to bed.

I stayed at the table, pushing what was left of my food around on my plate, when my phone buzzed.

From Carlos:

What did you think?:D

I huffed and narrowed my eyes and put the phone down on the table. I got up from the table and cleaned everything up before grabbing my magazines and going into my room. I finally kicked my shoes off as I closed my door behind me. I sighed as I sulked over to my bed.

I just need to relax…that's all…I'll be better after I do…

I lied down on my bed, sounding like an old man in the process, and began to sort through my magazines. Most of them were celebrity gossip, my brain is a media suck hole like that. The more I flipped through the magazines was the more I wanted to rip my throat out. All of the celebrity gossip magazines were all about whose gained weight, whose lost weight, and who had the 'best bikini bods'. It didn't help that every face of a powerful female celeb that I respected was replaced by one of the tri-pods.

You'll never be a Jennifer…

Is everyone this concerned with how they look? Is pride this important? When I was back in Illinois, the biggest concern I n my old high school was who had the sexiest tractor. I guess the stakes are just that much higher out here in LA.

I sighed and tossed the magazines down on the floor next to my bed. I crawled to the foot of the bed and reached to flip down the light switch.

I was finding it hard to stop my thoughts. With me doing nothing, but lying in the dark, it was actually making it easier for my thoughts to pillage though my mind. The back of my eyes began to throb as a headache slowly started to set in. I blinked my eyes lightly.

At least the crazy Latino is okay…

My eyelids began to get heavy as I yawned and got under my cover. I rolled to my side to face the wall and snuggled into my pillow.

"Elizabeth Ann, I'll tell you one more time; get up or you'll be late for school!" Mom yelled while banging on my bedroom door.

My eyes snapped open as I inhaled deeply. The dream I was taken from wasn't a very happy one; needless to say I'm glad to be awake, "I'm up!" I shouted to assure my mom.

"Get dressed. Eat." She demanded. I heard her footsteps get faint as she walked away from my room to continue her morning.

I sat up and looked around my room as if seeing it for the first time. I shifted my eyes, trying to blink away spots, as I got out of bed. Yawning, I trudged my way over to my closet and picked out my clothes for the day. I laid everything on my bed and began to change.

I had gotten my pajammies off, about to drop my shirt to the ground, when I froze. Swallowing hard, I looked over to the floor length mirror across the room. My breath was caught in my throat. It's my body. I've had it my whole life. Only now, I knew how the world was looking at me. Like I had a brand new pair of eyes I looked myself up and down. I saw everything that the magazines had saw as "flaws" in me. Surprised at how many there were I tore my eyes away and finished getting dressed with a new not-so-good attitude to start the day.

I got the rest of my things together, slung my book bag over my shoulder, and walked out of my room. I walked out to the living room to find my mom rushing around. She wasn't supposed to go to work until noon, "Mom, what's up?" I asked.

She stopped in her tracks and looked to me with wide eyes, "Your father didn't come home from the office last night and I have to get everything he was supposed to do after work yesterday done before I go to work." She replied looking through some papers.

"Anything I can help with?" I asked as she walked into the kitchen.

"Yeah," She said opening a cabinet.

"What?"

Mom closed the cabinet and tossed me a blueberry cereal bar, "Go to school." She replied in an 'I'm-the-adult-I'll-take-care-of-it' tone.

I caught the cereal bar, grabbed my phone, and weakly smiled as I walked out heading to the Palm Woods School.

Walking down the hallway, I looked down to my phone. Carlos had blown it up with text messages, missed calls, and voicemails. Every now and then I would spot a call from one of the other guys or Jo or Camille, who had probably given in to the begging of Carlos to call. I smiled.

I can't stay mad at him…

From what I could tell by the time of the texts and calls he had stayed up most of the night trying to get a hold of me to see if I was okay or to see if I was mad. I wasn't mad at Carlos for long yesterday. Sure, I was upset he did that stunt, but I was mad at the Tri-pods. For fawning over him when he was getting praised by his friends.

I got to the lobby and saw my classmates sitting and chatting. There were still a few minutes, about ten, before class started. My guys and girls were sitting in a cluster of chairs; Carlos with his back to me helmet and all. He was sitting with his head resting in his hand, his elbow propped up on the arm rest, nodding lightly as if he were fighting to stay awake.

I weakly smiled, walked up behind his chair, and lightly set my book bag on the ground. I pressed my index finger to my lips for those around Carlos who saw me. The smiled and gave a small nod before going back to their conversations. I leaned over the chair; his breathing was steady. I could keep time to it; it was so steady.

I looped one of my arms carefully through the space between his arm and his head and wrapped both my arms around his chest, resting my head next to his. Carlos jumped, holding his helmet to his head, and looked over to me, "Morning." I greeted as he settled back into his seat.

Carlos jumped and turned to face me sitting on his knees ion his seat as he realized it was me, "Are you alright?" He nearly shouted.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I asked.

"I was trying to get a hold of you all night. I thought something happened." He replied, his lack of sleep showing in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Carlitos. I didn't mean to make you worry."

Carlos yawned, "It's okay as long as you're okay."

I smiled, "I'm fine, I promise." He returned the smile and held his arms out for a hug. I leaned forward and he wrapped his arms around me and I did the same for him.

We broke the hug and he looked to my hands, "Are you going to eat that?" He asked.

I looked to my hands. I had forgotten all about the cereal bar my mom had tossed to me earlier.

Are you?

"…No. Go for it." I replied holding it out to him.


Was that me who fell of the planet? Welp, sorry for the wait. Reviews? :)