The day seemed to drag along so slowly after science. I plopped down next to Karisa at lunch. Tyler, Alexis, and Courtney were also sitting there.

I poked at my pizza, Alexis noticed. "Hey are you going to eat that pizza, if you don't I do. Pizza is my favorite food," she rubbed her stomach as she said it.

"Yes, you can have it all," I said as I slid my plate towards her.

"Thanks!"

Karisa was chatting with Courtney about a history test they had next block. They were quizzing each other; I knew the answer to all of them though. I was a freak, I had a 99 average in every class, and I never even studied. All it takes is for me to hear or see something one time and I remember it. My teachers are amazed at it.

"Alyss, what do you think is the most interesting event in history?" asked Alexis, running her fingers though her long brown hair, her blue eyes sparkling.

I thought about it. The Salem witch trials had to be it. It was an interesting topic that I had read much on. A time in history where people believed there was magic. I find it ironic that people want to believe in love and miracles, a type of magic, but when there was a chance that it might exist, they wanted to kill it off.

"The Salem witch trials", I replied.

"Oh, mine is the Enlightenment" she said.

My thoughts wandered and I finally came to rest on the subject of homecoming, again. The theme this year was Alice in Wonderland.I had my eye on a gorgeous blue dress. I coundn't wait for Homecoming to get here. I guess I would go with Derrick, he seemed the best choice. He was handsome and tall, well at least taller than me. I was hard to find a guy that height, I was 5'9. He also had a mysterious look to him. I wanted a guy that wasn't to easy to figure out...

"ALYSS", I heard someone shout. Dang! I hated it when my thoughts got interrupted. Of course it was Karisa shouting. "You are staring out into space again. I kept trying to get your attention without shouting but well..." she trailed off not wanting to make me mad twice in the same day. "Tyler wanted to ask you something." I turned to look at Tyler and I heard him mutter something under his breath.

"Well, what is it Tyler?” I ask

"Just wanted to know if you had a date for the homecoming dance and well..."

Tyler was okay but I just thought him as a close friend or a brother rather than a boyfriend. I wouldn't want to go out with him only for us to break up and it would be awkward every time we sat down for lunch. I wanted us to stay friends.

"Well, I was going to go with Derrick. I'm sorry."

"That’s fine, I guess..."he flushed a bright red and looked down at his lunch plate.

Calling Derrick would be the first thing I'd do when I got home. Who knows? Maybe this time the relationship would go somewhere. My thoughts were once again interrupted by noice, but this time I didn't mind. The next table over I heard a stuttering girl asking to sit at there table, but the girls that sat there had other ideas.

"Oh you want to sit here," a girl I think her name was Racheal asked, "You can sit here as soon as you get a life, go sit over there with the other losers."

I hated it when other people picked on someone. I had been picked on all though middle school, and it wasn't very fun. I stood up and turned.

"You can sit with us, you're too good for them, I said, glaring at them. "They are just a bunch of jealous snobs." I glared at Racheal. I would not mind beating her pretty butt to the ground.

Racheal started to say something but then stopped, she huddled with her other friends and they started talking. I didn't care, let them do their worst, what could they do to me? Beat me with their Vera Bradly bags? I laughed at the thought.

"Thanks, alot," the girl said, "My name is Rebecca, and this is my first day here."

"You're welcome, and my name is Alyss by the way." I stood up and introduced her to Karisa, Courtney, Tyler, and Alexis. She ended up sitting next to Tyler, good maybe they could get along. I picked up my bags as the next lunch bell rang, and headed towards my next class.

Finally, the dismissal bell rang for the end of school. I walked pulling the car keys out as I went. I drove home a lot slower this time; there was no need to hurry. The dirt roads had trees on both sides, the tops leaning over towards the middle, joining to make a canopy. It was beautiful scenery.

My thoughts turned towards Aralee; she had raised me as a single mom. I had never seen my father, and he had made no attempt to contact me. I wish I could say I don't care but I do. I want to know him. I wasn't like Aralee wasn't good enough; I just felt I had a connection with him. I always tell myself that it’s just silly to have a connection to a man I don't even know, but I can't lie about how I feel.

Sooner than I would have liked I pulled into my driveway. Aralee wouldn't be home until eight, I usually stayed after school longer, or went to the library but today I wanted some time to reflect and remember that night so long ago...