I woke up to the sound of food sizzling.

Which wasn't a good thing.

Usually it was nice to wake up to the sound of breakfast cooking, smelling the food that came with it. But as someone living by himself in his own apartment, that was the last sound anyone would want to wake up to.

I sat up from bed, seeing that I must have unconsciously kicked the blanket away. As I met the cold air of the morning, I had the urge to grab the covers and burrow back into my bed but I fought against it. I brushed my hair off my eyes and was left blinded by the light escaping through the window blinds. I was never a morning person, and seeing as I woke up before my alarm clock to what may be an intruder wasn't the best way to wake up.

I didn't like the thought of having an intruder in my place, especially this early in the morning. I glanced at my dresser next to my bed, specifically a certain drawer. I didn't want to use it, and so I decided not to at the moment. Quite stupid on my part, but as it is so early in the morning, I didn't wish to wake up the neighbors.

I was still half asleep at this point and wasn't able to think straight. Despite this, I managed to get up from bed. I was on my way to the kitchen, anticipating the moment when I had to confront the intruder who broke into my place just to... cook... food.

What kind of robber would cook food in the house they are stealing from? I stood there for a moment, not liking the realization that hit me.

I knocked the alarm clock off my dresser. The sizzling sound instantly stopped the moment it hit the ground. The screen that read 6:00 vanished in a blink.

I let out a sigh.

After breaking one too many alarm clocks, Jordan decided to give me one. As it was only the first time I used it, I didn't realize he actually made this the customizable sound for the alarm to go off.

I stood there, facing the clock for a moment. Not contemplating the death I bestowed on it and looking back to what we went through. I was planning on his murder. Though I decided to put it off later as I should discuss the details further with Declan.

I first made my bed, not being able to stand coming back home with it as messed up as I left it. Then I went into my bathroom to get ready for school. I didn't see there was any need to go into any details what happens in there. Though I can say that it takes a considerably long time to fix my unruly bed hair. After I was dressed up, I headed into the kitchen to cook myself something before picking them up.

Turning on the coffee maker, I rolled up my sleeves and went to work. I grabbed a frying pan and placed it on top of the stove. I decided to make a quick omelette, having already prepared some sliced vegetables last night for this breakfast. I cracked a few eggs and mixed everything together- If you know how to cook an omelette, I don't need to go on with this boring process.

I placed the omelette on the plate, and poured myself a cup of coffee with a chocolate creamer I wanted to try out. I took a sip and couldn't help but have a small smile escape. I took a long look at the apartment I called home. I didn't mind the solitude I was given since I moved here. Despite having lived here for a few months now, it was as if I have always lived here. I was only thankful for her support for me being able to be here, helping out with the paperwork, the signing, and despite my refusals, the allowance. I need to remember to write back to her to tell her how things are going.

Suddenly my phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, I saw that I didn't need to write anything. I paused for a moment to ready myself as I do with all of our conversations. I took a seat and took another sip of my coffee.

"Hello?"

"Yes, I can hear you."

"You're in California? I thought you were in-"

"Wait. What are you talking about?"

"Are you-"

I suddenly moved the phone away from me at arm's length, hearing the blast of her voice as she screamed out the song. I waited a bit before cautiously putting the phone by my ear again.

"Are you done singing now?"

"Yes, you have a beautiful voice."

"No, I'm not being sarcastic."

"No, that doesn't mean you should be a professional singer."

"I never used to call you on my cellphone, I always have- Stop that."

"What do you want?"

"No, I didn't mean it like that."

"Yes, I'm happy you called."

"School is fine."

"Apartment is fine."

"I'm fine."

"No, I didn't mean it like that either. Stop laughing."

"Yes you are."

"How are you?"

"Glad to hear. I'm happy for you. Now why did you really call?"

"Stop calling me little. I'm quite taller than you now. And no, your high heels don't count."

"Already? So soon?"

"Have you talked to him yet?"

"Talk to him."

"Last time I checked, it was his turn."

"No, I'm not saying that I don't want to- Yes, I know."

"It's just that it's better if you stay there, rather than..."

"When?" I stood up to check the calendar posted on the fridge. "That's it? Tell me when you have more details."

"Okay."

"I just made myself some breakfast. Omelette and coffee."

"Yes, of course I made it my-"

"No, it's fine."

"My next allowance isn't due until next week. You don't have to give it to me in advance again."

"I won't let you spoil me. I can't be spoiled, you know that."

"Yes, I know."

"Alright. You take care."

"Goodnight."

I hung up and let out a huge sigh. Talking with her is a challenge within itself. I sat back down and stared at the phone, thinking over the conversation we just had. I shooked my head. I'll think over it later.

Having finished my breakfast, I quickly cleaned everything up. I grabbed my stuff and locked the door behind me. I walked over to the elevator and pressed the call button. I waited for the elevator for a moment before the doors opened up with a small ding. Entering it, I pressed the button to the garage and watched as the doors closed right in front of me.

-

I woke up with an airhorn screaming into my ear.

I shot up from bed only to meet a water balloon. I was left drenched in my own bed, shivering with my teeth chattering.

When my ears stopped ringing, I only heard laughter.

"What's wrong with you!"

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you?" My mom said between laughs. "I've been trying to wake you up! From how deep asleep you were, I thought you were dead!"

"So you think an airhorn was going to wake a dead person up?"

She snorted. "Apparently."

I fell back to my bed onto the pillow. I cringed when I heard the squish of my head meeting the drenched pillow. "And why the water balloon?"

She shrugged. "Back up. In case the airhorn didn't work."

"And if the airhorn did work?"

She grinned, her smile blinding my half-asleep eyes. "Even better."

I let out a sigh but couldn't help but smile. My mom, the only person that can keep me in check. And I respect that, given I know how I am.

"Well, at least it wasn't whip cream this time..." I muttered.

"Hey, this was payback on how you woke me up with that creepy poster staring at me from the ceiling. Now, we're even."

"Mark me as a dead person from how we've been going on like this."

"Oh, I know you're already thinking of a way to get me back."

"Not unless I really did die," I said before muttering under my breath, "from your cooking."

She blew the airhorn again several times. "What did you say? I can't hear you from this airhorn!"

I laughed. "Give me that!"

She took off running out of my room, yelling at me to get ready for school. I rolled out of bed and accidentally fell off. I groaned and got up from the floor. I stretched a bit, now officially awake by our morning ritual of pranks. As I'm a pretty deep sleeper, this was one of the many ways my mom is able to get me up and out of bed. Certainly not with her food though, because, well...

"Jordan, I burnt the pancakes again!"

"You really need to stop doing that!"

I mean, there were times she does manage to cook something edible, but other than that, we usually go eat out or order something in.

I hauled in the covers of my bed, given it was still drenched from the water balloon. I threw it in the laundry basket. The covers needed to be washed again anyway.

I headed to the bathroom and did my business. The usual this and that. I don't see why I have to talk any further of the secrets that happen in a teenage boy's bathroom from there. The room is a sacred place, from the porcelain throne to that magic mirror that Evil Queen checked herself out with. Though besides checking myself out with my own magic mirror, I was reminded that I gave up trying to fix my curly hair a long time ago.

I went into the kitchen and saw my mom focused at staring at the toaster. If she stared hard enough, lasers might come out of her eyes and we wouldn't need the toaster anymore. She knows that if she even looks away for a second, it's going to spontaneously burn. Or at least that's what she says happens. Really, she tends to forget that she's even cooking something. The universe must just hate her enough to ruin her chance to become a chef, not that she really wants to anyway. Not being able to cook just gives her an excuse not to clean any dishes. But at times when she does try to whip something up, she just has to scrape burnt food off them.

The waffles popped up and she grabbed them with her bare hands before anything bad happened. She regretted it as they must have been piping hot. I grabbed a plate and she threw them at me, just so I can catch it on the plate. She grabbed a bottle of maple syrup and drizzled it over the waffles.

"There! Breakfast! Eat!"

"Yes ma'am," I said, happy to oblige.

My mom helped herself to eat the other waffle. I offered to wash the plate, given she already has to face the frying pan of charcoal. Cue the dramatic music.

"Why are you humming dramatic music?" She asked as I placed the plate on the dish rack.

"For special effects," I said absentmindedly as I cleaned the frying pan since I was already there.

"Oh, you don't need to do that," she said.

"Nah, it's okay."

My mom let out a sigh. "Your friend really needs to show me how to cook some more. He told me that I'm getting there." She smiled at that.

"At least you're getting somewhere, wherever that is."

She looked at the clock. "Okay, we gotta go."

As if on cue, I heard a honk from the window, coming from the front of the apartment. We grabbed our stuff and headed out of the apartment.

"Got your keys?" She asked as she placed her own into her bag.

I shook them in front of her to make it jingle. It didn't matter if we accidentally forgot our keys though. I could easily pick the lock, even faster than using a key. She never really liked me doing that though, or at least in front of her, so I usually hold back with that stuff.

We headed downstairs. My mom kissed my cheek before rushing to the parking lot, yelling out a goodbye. Working at a receptionist for some big shot company, they're pretty stiffy with tardiness. So much, we had to move just to live closer to the building, having to change schools and everything.

And everything.

There was another honk from outside.

"Alright, alright. I'm coming," I called out, opening the front gate and hearing it slam shut behind me.

-

I woke up to a good song playing on the radio of my alarm clock.

I didn't recognize the artist's voice, but it was a pretty good one. I made a mental note to myself to look up the artist as I remembered a specific lyric from the song to look up with. It was probably a new artist, finally able to get their spot on the radio. It made me both happy and envious of the guy, hoping that I'll find a chance like that. With that idea so early in the morning, I got up with a little spring in my step, at least because of the beat.

Humming to the song, I fixed my bed, knowing my mom would yell at me if I didn't. Then I went into the bathroom to do my morning routine. I don't think it was necessary to list what I, as well as the past person, does in the bathroom. After finishing up my business, I headed towards the kitchen to hear even better music.

Breakfast cooking.

From the smell, I could tell I was going to have pancakes and scrambled eggs.

"I'm telling you I'm fine," I heard my mom insist. "Just because there are two of us doesn't mean I suddenly can't cook a simple breakfast. Now go sit down, I'm almost done."

I came into the room with my dad sitting on the dining table, reading something off the newspaper. He looked up a bit and gave me a slight nod before going back to reading. My mom was in the kitchen cooking breakfast.

"Morning," I greeted them.

I gave my mom a kiss on the cheek just as she was flipping a pancake. Then I gave a slight hesitation and looked at her. She didn't notice at first as she was focused in cooking. When she did, she couldn't help but roll her eyes. She faced towards me, arms crossed and nodded.

"Go ahead."

I bent down a bit to look at her stomach and whispered, "Good morning."

I wish I knew if it was going to be a boy or girl, but nature wanted to break the fun and make me wait for a couple more weeks. Until then, I can only wish the kid good morning and goodnight.

My mom suddenly gasped and grabbed her stomach. "I think I felt a kick."

My dad and I were instantly at her. We were in panic mode. We might as well have been those cartoon characters that race back and forth in a room doing absolutely nothing to help.

"What do we do?"

"Call the ambulance!"

"What's the number for 911?"

"She's going to die!"

"I'm kidding!" She exclaimed with a laugh. "The baby can't even kick this early in the game. I have no idea what I'm going to do with you two when the time actually comes."

"That wasn't funny," my dad muttered when he sat back down.

"It kinda was," she replied before asking, "Declan, honey, can you pass me a plate?"

I did so and watched in awe of the food we were about to eat. Soon enough we were eating it at the dining table. I was sure to pour a lot of maple syrup until my mom scolded me that it was enough.

My dad began the conversation, "Have you heard that new song on the radio?"

"Heard it? I woke up to it."

"It's a new artist." He continued, "Paul has been talking nonstop of him and I could see, or well, hear why."

My dad has good connections with people in the music business. One of which is this guy named Paul, the owner of the top radio station here. He tells me that he didn't want to go into that world of the music business. Instead, he owns a music shop and teaches kids music theory and various instruments. Me being one of those kids, only I don't have to pay for the lessons.

"He's from your company, right?"

My mom nodded at the question. "Yes, they were able to make a deal with the radio station and..." It went on from there.

While dad goes into the musical part, mom is in the technical part of the music industry, as she was the assistant of the producer of this big record company. How one half of music met the other? That's a whole other story I don't want to go into, mostly because I was enjoying my pancakes.

"Are you listening Declan? You may be listening to your own story with this one."

I hid my face's attempt of turning red in embarrassment by having a big bite of a pancake. My parents loved the fact that I was into music the moment they adopted me, though I think they still would have whether I appreciated music or not. Regardless, they have been pushing me to work on what I had. It was nice to actually have a future ahead of me, but until then, I just wanted to finish school and this pancake.

I always seemed to find a way to go back to the pancakes.

I heard a car honk coming from outside, noting my cue to go. I finished the rest of my breakfast and placed the plate in the sink. I left the house after saying my goodbyes, to the three of them, and bounded towards the car.

As I did, I couldn't help but hum to that song, knowing it was going to be stuck in my head all day now.

-

They all yawned at the same time.

The car was on its way to school with Bennett driving, Jordan at shotgun, and Declan taking the backseat. The whole backseat actually. He laid down the full backseat, looking up at his phone.

A smile slowly grew on Jordan's face. "Damn Declan, back at it again with the-"

Declan lifted his leg and kicked Jordan with his clearly not white vans.

"I better not see a footprint on the upholstery," Bennett warned him with his eyes on the road.

"Then what about my shirt?" Jordan asked in disbelief.

Declan began under his breath, "It's not like you'll notice-"

"Put on a seatbelt," Bennett said, cutting him off before he starts anything with Jordan.

"Oh, don't make such a big deal about it," Declan told him, still staring at his phone.

"You're going to get me into trouble."

"No I won't," Declan defended. "No one can even see me."

Don't mind the John Cena saying in that line.

"Go ahead and let him sit like that," Jordan said.

Declan lifted his head up a bit and looked at Jordan with a confused look. "Are you actually agreeing with me for-"

"Then when we get into an accident, he can die," Jordan finished.

"Not unless I use you as a shield," retorted Declan as he was about to turn back to his phone, ending the conversation, before Jordan just had to open his big mouth.

"As if you can," Jordan said with a laugh before tugging on his seat belt. "I'm wearing a seatbelt."

"Yup, just like you were trained as, besides being house-trained," Declan said before muttering, "Mama's boy."

Jordan whipped around to look at the back seat and glared at Declan. "What did you just call me?"

"Oh, don't act like you didn't hear me. I know you're blind, but you can't be deaf too-"

He was cut off when Jordan took off his seatbelt and grabbed Declan by the shirt. Declan fell off the back seat and he struggled with Jordan. Declan held onto Jordan's arm, trying to force him to let go of his shirt. He started to try to hit Jordan with his free hand but Jordan was able to block it with his own. The radio was drowned out by the yells in car, only the radio would have the audacity to bleep out the cursing. The car swerved when Jordan accidentally hit Bennett as he drove. Bennett tried to pry them apart from each other with one hand as he focused on driving.

"Are you serious?" Bennett demanded. "Here? In the car? Stop fighting!"

"Say that again!" Jordan dared Declan.

"What part? You being a mama's boy or being as blind as a bat?"

"And there it is! And who are you calling a mama's boy? I would call you one, but wait, do you even know your-"

"Don't even go there Jordan!"

"I'm glad you're not wearing a seatbelt so I can throw you out the window!"

"Not before I do! And you're not wearing one either!"

"So? I can get a better angle to-"

The car suddenly stopped, having the two lurch forward from the motion. Jordan's head knocked the sun visor that was left down. Declan's head hit the radio at the front, which actually caused it to turn on and play the same song he woke up to.

"Put on your seatbelts," Bennett ordered them in a low voice.

The two of them didn't say anything, though sneaked a elbow to the other before sitting back. With the clicks of their seat belts, the car started moving again.

"It's morning and you guys are already fighting."

Bennett glared at them before looking back at the road. He was tired. First how he woke up, then the phone call, and now this. He hated it when they fought because he had to pry the two off of each other. Usually, they got along, but there were times when they fought like that when one found the other's button or were just in the mood to be at each other's throats.

"I thought you were past this. Why are you still fighting like that?"

"It's a hobby I've grown to," Declan said with a shrug.

"Aw buddy, the feeling is mutual," Jordan said before the two glared at each other.

"You guys have to stop doing that."

"Unless we have a mutual reason to even tone down our fighting, you're going to get used to it," Declan muttered.

"No, I won't," Bennett said lowly.

"Someone got up from the wrong side of bed today," Jordan muttered under his breath.

Bennett must have heard it because he snapped, "I didn't have the chance to find the right side with your stupid alarm clock."

Jordan snickered. "You actually fell for it?" He asked in disbelief.

Bennett didn't answer.

"And you used it now? I gave that thing to you weeks ago. I'm hurt."

"Don't even start," Bennett told him.

"What are you guys talking about?" Declan asked them.

"I woke up to Jordan's alarm clock of a present, hearing food cooking."

Declan said slowly, "That's a... weird way to wake up. I woke up to music..."

"I woke with an airhorn and a water balloon."

The two of them looked at Jordan who just shook his head.

"Don't ask."

There was a slight pause in the car, a silence Jordan never liked to be in. He hesitated for a moment before trying to start up a conversation.

"Besides waking up, did you guys sleep well?" Jordan asked. "Except for you Bennett, with your king-sized mattress and your imported silk sheets-"

"I'm not in the mood, Jordan."

Jordan glanced at Declan.

"Me neither."

"Well I'm sorry for trying to make conversation," Jordan said in exasperation.

"We never asked you to make one," Bennett muttered.

He knows that I didn't mean that, Bennett thought to himself silently, going back to focusing on driving.

He didn't have to be that harsh, Jordan thought to himself as he looked back at the window to watch the cars go by.

That was one way to shut him up, Declan thought to himself, putting the earphones to have the music shut the other two out.

The rest of the car ride was silent. Bennett thought it was better that way. Declan couldn't care less as his phone's soundtrack wasn't silent at all. Jordan was left tuned out to the world, staring out the window.

Dartwell High was finally at sight. Cars and school busses drove up to the school as kids swarmed towards it like they were going into the light, which since it was school, was the exact opposite. There was a bit of traffic as kids were being dropped off, but the car was able to drive up to the front of the school. Bennett was trying to get past the front to the parking lot, but Declan and Jordan suddenly took off their seat belts.

"We meet up at lunch at the usual spot?" Jordan offered.

"Yeah, works for me," Declan said with a shrug, having taken of his earphones when they were almost there.

Before Bennett could say anything, the two opened their doors and left the car. With a slam of the car door, the two of them took off to not be late to class. Bennett watched them in disbelief as they left him. He looked in front of him, seeing the traffic before him as cars crowded towards the parking lot.

"I drove you guys and you just- " Bennett let out a long sigh.

If he didn't find parking, they would be in more trouble than they were already in.

-

"Wow, it's actually mystery meat," Jordan said, staring at his plate. "I thought they were only in books or movies."

"Why don't you try making us something for lunch sometime, Bennett?" Declan asked him.

Bennett actually thought that would be nice, but didn't like the thought of bringing food. He wasn't their mom to make their lunch and drive them to... school. Bennett frowned at the thought.

"Well anything you make will be better than this... I don't even know what to call it," Jordan said before looking at Bennett. "Bennett, you don't need to blush."

"I'm not blushing," Bennett deadpanned without a hint of blush on his face. "Nor will I ever."

"But I mean really, look at this. Even my mom's cooking is better than this. Have you seen what she cooks? Yeah, me neither, because she doesn't."

"Isn't that kinda mean?" Declan asked.

"I-I'm not making fun of her," Jordan defended. "Most of the stuff I say about her cooking is what she says about it herself. And what I'm saying is the light stuff. She would make Gordon Ramsey cry if she said half of the stuff to him, and that's saying something. She knows she's not the best cook, but what she can cook is what I prefer over anything else. Like she can make a mean sandwich or when I'm sick she makes really good chicken noodle soup and- I'm going to stop rambling now "

Mama's boy, Declan thought to himself, knowing better not to say it aloud... again.

"Like, if she would look at this thing you call food, she would say that she's better than whoever cooked it. They had to try making it this bad, while she doesn't make any effort to."

Declan shooked his head. "You're terrible."

"And kids actually eat this? Or at least try to," Jordan continued. "What do you do with it? Do you eat it, drink it, or even absorb it?"

A girl passed by their table, carrying a tray of that food.

Jordan nodded to her tray with the so called mystery meat. "And the school expects us to pay for it. Poor girl, doesn't even know the poison she bought."

Declan lit up at that. "Poison?" He suddenly grabbed a spork, or a fapoon, whichever you prefer, and scooped some mystery meat up to then hold it out to Jordan. "C'mon Jordan, you should try it."

"Get that away from-"

There was a sudden crash that stopped their fight for Bennett. The three of them turned to see that same girl was on the floor, her tray and its contents all over the floor. They saw it as some accident, she probably wasn't seeing where she was going. There were a few snickers here and there because people have a weird sense of humor. Before anything happened, the girl took off and ran out of the cafeteria. After that, the cafeteria went back to normal.

Bennett stood up from his seat. "I'm not hungry. Let's just go."

"But you didn't even touch your food," Jordan said, looking at Bennett's untouched tray.

"I thought you didn't call it food."

Jordan frowned at that. "Yeah, I know but-"

But Bennett has already gotten up and was walking away. Declan and Jordan looked at each other, then picked up their trays and left the table. They went to the nearest trashcan and one by one threw out the food then placed the trays at the side. Then they left the outdoor cafeteria and went back into the building to a secluded part of the school, as most of the school was out at lunch.

All of them didn't like the thought of wasting food, as all shouldn't. And though they can defend it wasn't food, and it really wasn't, there was no other use of it. That's why most kids have decided to bring their food instead, just like they have decided to. However, this is one of the many problems the three of them realized they walked into the moment they stepped to this school.

"Nice school, huh?" Jordan said, trying to lighten the mood, but it only did the exact opposite.

Declan had enough with Jordan today, or the rest of his life. So it wasn't the best time to hear his sarcastic remarks. "You're the one who chose it," Declan shot back at him.

"Hey, I wanted another school, any other school," Jordan said in exasperation, "but they didn't want you, and I don't blame them!"

Declan turned to Jordan, walking towards him. "And what are you trying say about that?" He demanded as he came up face to face with Jordan.

Suddenly Bennett came between them, with a readable look that he didn't want to deal with this, with them.

"Not here," he said quietly, too quietly. "Just not here."

The other two backed off, distancing themselves from each other. A safe enough distance, relieving Bennett. Jordan stared at the wall plastered with layers of posters, wanting to see the wave of words than anything or anyone else. Declan walked off a bit to calm himself down. Though he didn't cool down enough because he heard his voice too soon.

"This was the only school that accepted the three of us," Jordan said, reminding them, reminding himself. "Three seniors from different schools. And we wouldn't be in this mess if-" Jordan stopped himself and let out a huge sigh.

He didn't want to start. If he started, he wouldn't stop. That story... Is a story to tell another day.

"It was for the better anyway," Bennett told them. "Better to lay low in this kind of school, far enough from where it all started."

"You're making it sound kinda dramatic," Jordan pointed out with a scoff.

"Isn't it already?"

The bell rang, marking the end of lunch. Kids began to enter back into the building from the cafeteria, or at least drag themselves back in. Really though, one kid was getting dragged by his friend as he complained. The three of them began to walk down the hall, knowing they will part ways to go to their different classes.

From the corner of their eyes, they knew people were avoiding them. There were sideway glances towards them, a few whispers here and there as people looked at them. Despite them finding a school to lay low from the troubles of their past, rumors still managed to follow them no matter how far they were or how fast they run. Ridiculous rumors, although some hit the mark, more than many missed it. It was because of this they knew that they wouldn't have the normal life they may have wanted. But it was only their senior year, their last year of this prison of a school, before they can manage their lives with more ease.

Or so they believed.

"What's the best way to go to the 700s?"

Jordan looked at Bennett. "The 700s? That's all the way at the other side of the school."

"That's some schedule you have," Declan told him. "From the cafeteria to all the way over there."

"That's why I'm asking what's the best way to go to the 700s."

Declan pointed at one direction. "I think you can cut through the main building to there."

"No, you'll be late with that. You should go past the bungalows," Jordan said, pointing at another.

Bennett looked at them to see they were pointing at opposite directions.

"You guys are no help," he said. "Thanks anyway." With that, he walked past them, taking neither side.

Declan and Jordan watched Bennett as he walked away and shrugged it off. Then they crossed paths and walked in their own directions.