• Chapter 1
    Grace’s P.O.V.

    It was a typical, sunny day in Edmonton. Summer vacation has started and all the ninth graders were gathered in front of the school for the final farewell to their friends.
    Everyone was telling their friends they’re going to be going for the summer, but for me I will just be staying in town doing nothing but walk around the city. This summer will be duller than ever.
    My name is Grace. I’m a fourteen-year-old Filipino girl with asthma. I have black hair that flows down to back. My eyes are a dark shade of brown, practically black. I’m a short girl that can get clumsy if I don’t know what I’m doing.
    Anyway, I was walking home from school with my friends. They were chatting on what they were doing for the summer. I wasn’t really listening to their conversation because I wouldn’t think it was important to me. I was just staring into space while I walked towards home.
    I said goodbye to most of my friends, with Yagmur (ya-moor) still with me. Yagmur and me are neighbors and the best of friends. She was listening to her music on her MP3. I was still not talking.
    “So what will you be doing for the summer?” Yagmur asked suddenly.
    “Huh?” I said dully. “Oh I don’t know. I’ll probably just stay home the whole summer.”
    “Oh, well have fun,” she said.
    “Yeah you too.”
    We hugged each other before she walked into her house. I continued walking a few more houses until I reached to my house. I unlocked the door and walked in the vacant house.
    I walked upstairs to my plain room. My room had a bed with blue bedcovers. My walls and door are a light beige. I have a mirror, a dresser, and a closet in my room. I have a few posters of some of the bands I listen to. But mostly my room was no different than any other room in town.
    I set my bag down on the floor and sat on the edge of my bed. I decided to read a book. I got out Breaking Dawn from my night table and started reading.
    Half an hour passed before my parents and my sister came through the door. They were late. As usual.
    I went downstairs to say hi. But I stopped because a person I would never see in so long came through the door. Kristen. Kristen was here in Edmonton. I was shocked. She was the only person that understood how bored and lonely I felt.
    “Kristen!” I yelled as I ran to hug her.
    “Hey Grace,” she greeted. “Long time to chat, what’s up?”
    “Oh not much, just the same boring life the last time you visited.”
    “Wow,” she stated. “Sounds like you had bunches of fun.”
    We laughed and talked about why she was here. She told me she was looking for a job. Luckily my dad told her that she could work with him cooking food at The Glendale Golf & Country Club. So she said she will be staying until the next semester of school. I was so happy. My life just got more exciting now that she was here.
    I showed her to my room, even though she was going to be sleeping in the guest room right next door. She was looking at my posters when we came in.
    “So you like the Jonas Brothers don’t you?” she asked.
    “Well I like their music,” I told her. “I’m not like those obsessed fans that scream every time they hear someone say Jonas Brothers.”
    “Ha ha, yeah.” Kristen laughed. “Those girls sure know how to annoy people.”
    We laughed and made fun of those obsessed girls some more. It was great being able to talk to Kristen again after five years.
    When it was time for bed, Kristen went back to the guest room. I sat on my bed and tried to fall asleep. I finally fell asleep when it was after one in the morning. I was dreaming about a world where I wouldn’t have to be so lonely.


    The next morning I slept in. When I woke up, everyone had gone out. My mom left a note on the table that they had gone to the mall to shop a little and eat brunch. So I guess I have the day to myself.
    I decided to eat breakfast first then go walk around town. When I left the house, I noticed that there were a lot of girls down the block. I ignored them because they’re probably just staring at a guy who they think he’s good looking. I walked the opposite side of where the girls were.
    I decided to take the bus. The bus is the fastest way to take you around town. When I got off the bus I decided to go to the park and just stare at the people playing with the little kids. I saw a few couples walking by where I sat. I ignored them because they meant little to me.
    I walked around the park until I found the place where my friends and I claimed the hill there was ours. I sat on the top of the hill and laid down on my back. I didn’t really care about getting my clothes dirty or anything. I’m not one of those girly girls who whine when they have a tiny stain on their shirt.
    I suddenly fell asleep. I heard a few people giggling. They probably saw me laying on the ground unaware of the public’s eye. I pulled out my iPod and put on my hood to drown out the laughs of the people watching me. I wanted to hurt them so bad. But I had to keep calm if I don’t want to get grounded.
    I continued to sleep until I realized that it was already sunset.
    “Oh shoot!” I yelled.
    I started gathering my stuff off the grass and ran to the bus stop. I missed the bus so I had to run all the way to the house. There were many people on the sidewalks. I tried to run around them, but I ended up bumping into them as I ran.
    I kept running. It was only a few more blocks from my house. The girls from this morning were gone, which was good.
    I wasn’t really paying attention to my surroundings. I then bumped into someone and fell. My stuff was scattered all around me. I knelt down and picked up most of my stuff. I then realized that my house key was missing. I double-checked my purse to see if I missed it, but it wasn’t there.
    “Looking for this?” the person I bumped into asked. He had my key in his hand.
    “Yeah, thanks,” I said.
    He dropped my key into my palm. I then looked up to see say thanks again, but then was awestruck. The boy in front of me was absolutely the best-looking guy I have ever seen.
    For some reason he looked familiar. He had dark curly hair. Brown eyes, and the most gorgeous eyes I have ever seen. He looked fifteen, sixteen years old.
    “Sorry I bumped into you,” I apologized. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
    “It’s okay,” he assured. Wow, even his voice was dazzling. “I didn’t really get hurt.”
    “That’s good to hear.”
    “Yeah, but I didn’t hurt you right?” he asked.
    “Oh no,” I assured him, but then I remembered something. “But I will be if I don’t get home. I’m sorry I really have to go.”
    “Wait, I never got your name,” he told me.
    “It’s Grace,” I answered.
    “Grace,” he said in the awesomest way ever.