As the bell rang, I practically ran to the pool. I changed and locked my locker once my bag and sword was inside it. I checked with the swim teacher then did a perfect dive into the pool and swam to the opposite end of the pool before coming up for air. A few boys were in the pool now and one face made me want to slap myself. Dakota was standing next to the teacher. I was about to dive back under when one of the boys swam to me.

"Hey Leo, want to see who can do the best flip?"

"You're really asking me that?" I mocked, smiling.

"Yeah, I am," he smiled. "I may lose but I want to see you do one off the high-dive."

"You could have just asked," I smiled as we swam to the diving boards.

He laughed as we pulled ourselves out of the water. I climbed up the high dive and prepped myself. I did a handspring off the board and did a spiraled double into a perfect dive and resurfaced in the center of the pool. The boy who had challenged me, grinned idiotically, and jumped. He almost did a double 'til he landed on his torso against the water's surface. I grimaced and swam to him as he resurfaced.

"Smooth," I smiled, pulling him to the edge of the pool. "Never challenge a dancer."

Some of his buddies came over to check on him as I got out of the water. I pulled him onto the side so he didn't have to keep moving since he was still in shock from the impact. He was having a hard time breathing and was hunched over a little bit.

"Eric, are you okay?" Mr. Newman came over.

"Sure..." he groaned.

I looked at his chest and it was bright welt red with the imprint of a few ripples. "Wow, you hit that water hard. You have welts from the ripples."

Everyone surrounded him for a better look. Once they got a good look, they started laughing and a few fell back into the pool. I helped Eric stand up and walked with him to the bleachers, ignoring the glaring Dakota. His buddies helped him off to the locker rooms and I ran off to shower. Interesting thing about the swim class, I was the only girl. As I walked outside, I froze for a second seeing Dakota waiting.

"You really are talented," he spoke, walking with me towards the buses.

"Thanks. Are you really in both of my last two classes?" I whispered.

"Yes, you have a problem with that?" he grabbed my arm, stopping us both and made me look at him.

"Why is it that when you look at me, you start glaring?" I narrowed my eyes, pulling away from him.

"Really? I haven't noticed," he spoke, lying through his teeth.

"I need to go. Dylan is waiting for me," I growled, walking towards the buses.

"Is he your boyfriend or something?" he muttered.

"What?" I stopped and looked at him shocked.

"You heard me," his eyes narrowed.

"Dylan is my older brother," I snapped. "What made you come to that conclusion?"

"People talk a lot. Plus, you two act closer than any siblings should."

"Dylan has always been there for me because my mom was too busy to be. I need to go," I snapped and ran down the sidewalk towards the buses.

"Leo, what happened to you?" Dylan saw me running towards him.

"Got held up. I'll tell you in the car," I muttered as he dragged me to the car. Jack grabbed my bags and put them in the trunk as Dylan and I slid into the back. "Apparently there's talk going around that we're a couple, not siblings."

"I heard something like that last hour. That sophomore, Todd, is very talkative and is in my math class. He asked me if we were a couple," Dylan spoke, annoyed.

"Dakota is in my swim class. He asked me that when I came out after school was over. They're kinda nosy and I don't like the way Dakota glares at me," I growled.

"Yeah..." Jack got in and pulled out of the parking lot.

"So... How was your day?" Jack called back.

"Good, those teenagers, who moved in down the street, are in a couple of our classes," Dylan spoke, putting on a fake smile.

"Wait, they're the ones from down the street?" I hissed and Dylan laughed at me.

"That's good," Jack smiled. "Their father works for me now."

"What is it that you do exactly?" I asked.

"Secret intelligence for the government," he smiled, "but tell no one I told you."

"Where are you taking us?" Dylan asked, looking out the window.

"You'll see," he smiled wider.

I groaned and slouched in my seat. I didn't like that smile; it was too... mischievous. That was really the only way to describe it.

"What are you planning Jack?" I spoke, keeping my voice emotionless.

"I don't know what you are talking ab..."

"Cut the crap, you have the smile of a kid planning something crazy or mischievous."

"I want to surprise you both, so I'm not saying anything," Jack smiled.

The silence fell quickly even though the radio was on. I leaned against my door and looked out as we drove into the center attraction of Chicago. Jack finally pulled into an underground parking lot after showing his military ID. We got out of the car and I grabbed my saber bag out of the trunk. I slid the bag across my back as we walked into the elevator. Jack took us up to the 10th level of the building we were in and walked through a set of offices where there were uniformed personnel.

"Sergeant Wilkinson are these two yours?" a woman came up to us.

"Yes this is Dylan and Leo. Have the packages arrived?" Jack smiled.

"They're in your office. Just arrived a little while ago," the woman smiled, walking off.

"This is where you work?" Dylan gasped.

"Yes, come on. I have something for both of you," he laughed walking towards a huge office.

On the desk were four packages and two letter-sized envelopes. He handed us each one of the three sized packages and we opened them. The large one was a laptop, the smaller box was an iPhone and the envelope held a credit card.

"This is way too much," I chuckled in surprise.

"Wow, Jack..." Dylan took a deep breath. "Whats your reasons for this?"

"Well, Dylan you'll be graduating soon and off to college, am I right? You'll need some way to keep in contact with your mother and sister."

I walked over to Jack and hugged him. "Thank you," I whispered.

"You're welcome Leo," he spoke a little shocked and Dylan joined the hug. After a minute, Jack finally spoke. "Come, by the time we get home, it will close to dinner time."

He pulled out two computer bags and we put our new gifts in them and walked out of the office. Jack drove as quickly he could through the rush hour and we got home around 6. I walked straight to my room, not hungry and turned on my new laptop. I opened the internet, glad there was wireless and checked my email. Mr. Nelson had sent an email saying that he had two nephews moving to Chicago and was wondering if I was in the same school. I replied back saying that they were in a few of my classes and asked him to tell the marching band I missed them. I saw something marked as spam and I looked at it. It was from Jack.

'I know you may never truly consider me as a father but I want to do the best I can to be there for you. Don't worry about any expenses ever cause I will pay them. For you and for Dylan.'

I smiled sadly knowing that he knew it was possible that I'd never think of him as a father. I closed the lid of my laptop and laid back against the pillows, tired and overwhelmed. He knew all of this and still he kept trying.