The phone was blaring in my ears. I flipped around and shut my eyes tightly concentrating on my dreamless sleep. After that nightmare, I couldn't close my eyes. Every time I closed my eyes, the last thing I saw in the dream kept popping up. I didn't even knew when I fell asleep and now this damn phone was disturbing me. I groaned and picked up the phone.

"Hello", I said in a hoarse tone. "Grace get your lazy ass off the bed right now !!!! ", Eva was shrilling in the other side. Music to my ears. "Good Morning to you too Eva.", I said rolling my eyes.

"What?", confusion was evident in her voice. After a pause Eva spoke again, "Christ Grace!, we were talking about the day out till 1 yesterday night. Today, I call you to ask if you were ready only to find out you are busy drooling in the pillow. Why can't you just pick up the goddamn phone and not make me call your mother? Why? Just tell me why?. " I was a second close to ask her to talk slowly but I knew better to break hell loose if I do. I could hear her taking deep breathes. "Okay. Here's the deadline. I am giving you exactly 30 minutes and I want you out after. Now, GET READY !!"

"Hey, I'm..". The line went dead. Shit.

Eva Marie Campbell ,a beautiful blonde, perfect structure, a pure soul and my best friend through summer and winter. Controlling and caring were her traits. She was a member of our school cheer team, where almost everyone bully me. She was my shield. She didn't care who talked bad about being my friend and I was grateful for that. Cool Eva came when she jabbed at my bullies. She lived down my street in a mansion with her family. Did I mention she was controlling? Yeah, she is.

After brushing my teeth and bathing within a record time of 15 minutes. I put on my favorite jeans and green sweatshirt that didn't show much of my shape. I tied my waist length black hair into a bun.

When I went down, I saw my dad in the dinning table reading papers, mom in the kitchen and my sister, Violet, in the phone. Weekends were same in our house, Dad reading papers all day for his research, Mom doing her special--that's what she says--pancakes and iced tea. Violet talking to her friends from school for catching up--what changed between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, I didn't know. Ever since Violet entered the middle school, the conversation between us became less. She started hanging out with her friends more and one time she told mom that she was embarrassed of me in an argument. They think I didn't hear anything that happened inside the house. Wrong.

"Eva called.", Mom said while setting the dishes. "I spoke with her mom", I replied plainly.

Right when I took my backpack a car horned in our driveway. I rushed to the car waving my hands. The July weather in Chestertown was never disappointing. Not too humid to enjoy some water time in the lake. We had more visitors during this season as Chestertown was famous for its home made cheese and Loon lake where water festival took place around this time of the summer.

When I reached the car, the two persons I least expected were in the car and Eva was standing outside sulking with her hands crossed across her chest. "What happened? ", I asked looking at her confused. By the looks of Eva, I could clearly saw that she didn't like them tagging along. Suddenly a head popped out of the passenger seat causing me a little shriek.

"Grace what are you doing out there? Get in the car, we are going to the lake", the familiar voice called me. "Jordan?!!. What are you doing in the car and who told you are coming with us? ". I looked at Eva pouting, "You said it will be only us today. Girls day out ? Remember ?"

"I' m sorry Grace. When I parked here, Jordan asked where we are going today. I told him that we are going to just hang out by the lake, he got in the car saying he will be coming with us". Sometimes, I forget that he lived across the street and had a habit of going protective brother over me. Not that I cared, still, sometimes he didn't get the idea of private space. Well this was Jordan Owen Smith, my brother from another mother. He played for school soccer team player, high school senior and my personal body guard. We had known each other from birth. Dad and uncle Smith were best buddies from school days, that they decided to stay close to each other.

I sighed and looked at Jordan. "Jordan, it is supposed to be only us."

"No way in the world, I am sending my sweet little Grace alone for the lake and hangout in the festival. You know that festival is going on in the town right plus I am B-O-R-E-D", he said dramatically rolling his eyes. "I am almost sixteen and trust me that I can handle difficult situations and there is nothing dangerous in attending town festival. We know all the people in the town and why can't you just go practice for your sponsorship and don't even start about my little Grace thing ", I whined. "Get in the car or we are cancelling the hangout ".Jordan said firmly.

I huffed and entered the back of the car with Eva and that's when I saw that deep hazel eyes looking at me through the rearview mirror. "Hey Grace", he said with his thick honey voice.

Kill me now..

"Hey Elijah"

Elijah Mathews -Jordan's best buddy, quarterback, blonde, high school senior, loves gaming, the popular guy whom every girl wanted as her boyfriend, can't cook but a good eater, goes to gym every Tuesday through Friday. Stalker much.

Elijah was my first crush I developed when I was 14. When he started dating, it broke me. There were countless nights I cried myself to sleep. He was worth it. Among all the boys I've known, he was the most gentle and caring one ever. Though I felt happy seeing him happy, when he shared about his love life with Jordan -- during hangout at his house where I practically live-- there was this tightness in my chest that I couldn't explain. I knew Elijah never saw me as a girl who he could date, but all I could do was HOPE. Last year Elijah broke up with his 3rd girlfriend in 3 years and he was SINGLE.

"Is that my Double Chocolate Chunkie Brownie!!", Eva asked suddenly through gritted teeth, diverting all our attention towards her. Jordan cocked his eyebrows and smirked. There he goes. "Yes Marie. It is your brownie", he said with a wink.

Oh Boy

Two things Eva hated the most, someone eating her chocolate brownie and calling her Marie. Jordan knew where to press her buttons. When I turned towards Eva, her face was red with anger. I could practically see smoke coming from her ears.

*Smack*

I knew that the day was going to be a long one.