• I began to breathe heavily and it felt like my heart was in my throat. I turned around in a complete circle, trying to pinpoint exactly where I was. I didn't notice anything that would remind me of where I was. I sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm my nerves. I turned around to face the direction that I thought I came from. I took a step forward, and then another. Before I knew it I was strutting past people, making me look like I wasn't lost. Like I actually knew where I was going. I looked around me again. Nope, still nothing I can remember. Maybe I went the wrong way, I thought, until I saw the store I was in before. My calm facade disappeared as I rushed over to the entrance. When I was inside I quickly began to look for Jason. When I didn't see him, I went over to one of the cashiers.
    "Um, excuse me. Have you seen a man with dark hair and eyes. He was wearing a black and green Hollister shirt?" I asked. The girl just looked at me and popped her gum, licking the gum from around her mouth, showing some of her piercings. Only then did I notice that the girl had multiple piercings. Some were on her eyebrow, others on her lip and then still others in different areas. She had black hair with a variety of colors blended with it. Her brown eyes were staring at me with boredom.
    "Uh, nevermind." I mumbled. She smiled, like she agreed and I hurried out of there. I took a right and just kept walking. I was guessing I was somewhat in the middle of the mall when I saw a map. I hurried over to it and looked. I glanced at the store behind me. Bath and Body Works. I checked the map for it.
    "Okay, so if I go downstairs and take a left-" I mumbled to myself. My phone rang and I jumped and immediately reached for it. I flipped it open.
    "Hello?" I breathed.
    "Where are you?! I am totally freaking out here! And Jason is looking for you too." Elaine rambled.
    "Jason? He's with you?" I asked.
    "He was. I tried to get him to stay here but he insisted that he had to find, RIGHT NOW, and left."
    "Which way did he go?"
    "Towards SEARS. Why you gonna meet him there?" she asked.
    "Yup." I replied and flipped my phone shut. I checked the map for it. It was right below where I was. I rushed over to the railing and looked down. Sure enough, a very familiar head was looking around frantically.
    "Jason!" I cried. He looked up and smiled when he saw me. We both rushed over to the escalator at the same time. I got on the one going down and so did he. He began to rush past people and met me in the middle.
    "Oh my god. I'm so glad I found you." he whispered, collecting me in his arms. I wrapped my arms around him too and sighed in relief. I was no longer lost. I could hear people around us going, "Aw. They're so cute."
    "Where did you go?" I asked, looking up to him.
    "I said I was going to the bathroom and when I came back, you were gone."
    "Oh." He smiled and stepped off with me when we got to the bottom.
    "I promise never to lose you again, if you promise never to leave me again." he said taking my hand in his.
    "I promise." I smiled, secretly loving the way our fingers fit perfectly together. We walked in the direction he said he came from and met back up with our group.
    "Look at who decided to join us." Alyssa grinned. She raised her eyebrows when she noticed our hands.
    "Still playing hard to get, I see." she whispered, walking up to my side.
    "Shut up." I whispered back and she laughed. Tori rushed over to me and hugged me tightly.
    "We were so worried when Jason told us you were lost. I'm so glad you okay." she said, letting go of me. I smiled in response and looked at the others. Jordan and Paige were smiling at me. I waved and Paige came at me full speed ahead. When we collided she gave me a hug.
    "Uh, hiya Paige." I laughed.
    "Where in the world did you go?" she asked releasing me.
    "Honestly? I have no clue." Jason snickered and I elbowed him in the side. I looked around to the people that surrounded me. These guys are my family, I decided. The people I belong with, people I feel at home with, people I can rely on to be there when I need someone to talk to. I felt someone jump on my back and I tried my best to stay on my feet.
    "Wow, you actually stayed up this time. Were you at the gym? Is that where you disappeared to?" Elaine asked sliding off me. She smiled at me and looped her arm through mine, on the opposite side where Jason was.
    "I hate to break up the love fest, but I left Chantal alone." Jason whispered in my ear.
    "I thought she was with Missy?" I asked.
    "She had to go to a doctor's appointment earlier so Chantal went back home, and she doesn't have a key." he explained. I nodded and turned to the others.
    "Sorry but we have to go." I called. Everybody let out complaints.
    "Uh-oh, first they're whispering in each others' ear and now they're leaving unexpectedly? Make room for the Love Train! WOOO! WOOOO!" Elaine shouted, doing her best impression of a train whistle while pretending to pull the rope on a train that makes the whistle go off. I laughed and nudged her as me and Jason departed.

    "Baby-sitter Angel!" Chantal shouted as she rushed to me. She hugged my legs, refusing to let go. I hobbled over to the door with her on one of my legs.
    "So, how was your stay at Missy's?" I asked.
    "It was amazing! Missy had this new Easy Bake Oven and her mom let us make cupcakes and cookies. But her brother kept on trying to eat them. Her brother is a butt face." she rambled off, not even stopping when we got inside. I plopped down on the couch and Chantal climbed in my lap, still going on about a story that I wasn't even paying any attention to.
    "Chantal? Did you get any sleep?" Jason asked after she yawned for about the fifth time.
    "Maybe." she mumbled.
    "You can't stay up all night, it's not good for you." he said picking her up and carrying her down the hallway. He came back into the living room without her and I gave a questioning look.
    "I put her in her bed so she'll go to sleep." he explained, plopping down next to me. I laid my head on his shoulder and he put his arm around my shoulders.
    "Do you still want to wrestle?" I asked after a moment of silence.
    "Wrestle? Or wrestle?" he asked. I grinned and he immediately climbed on top of me. I sprawled out across the couch.
    "Oof! Get off, you're too heavy!" I gasped. He laughed and and let his weight off but not him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and using all of my weight, I launched myself on my side to send both of us into the floor. I landed on top of him and tried to pin his arms onto the ground. He simply grabbed my arms and pulled them out from under me so I landed on his chest. I pulled my arms to my sides and put my hands on both sides of his face. I looked down into his eyes and then at his lips. He was watching me closely, like he wanted to close the distance for me, if I didn't. I leaned closer, and closer, almost closing the distance- out of no where my phone goes off. I groaned in complaint and pulled in out of my pocket. "Mama!!!" was flashing on the screen.
    "It's my mom." I informed him. He looked annoyed.
    "Do you want to answer it?" he asked. I shrugged and flipped it open.
    "Hello?" I asked.
    "Where are you?!" she shouted. I cringed away from the phone.
    "I'm baby-sitting." I replied. Then I thought about where I was. On top of Jason, in the floor, about to kiss him. Wow, I'm a really bad baby-sitter.
    "I thought you had been kid-napped. You scared me half to death. Please come home." she said. She sounded like she had been crying. I rolled my eyes.
    "I left a note." I argued. Jason gave me a confused look.
    "I don't care, get your a** home. Now!" Then my phone went silent. I flipped it shut and stood up.
    "Hey, what's wrong?" Jason asked, standing up with me.
    "I have to go." I sighed.
    "Aw, why?" he pouted.
    "My mom." I replied heading for the door.
    "Oh." he mumbled. I opened the door and turned to him. He looked sad. I bet I did too.
    "Well, bye, I guess." I mumbled. I turned around to leave before he grabbed my arm. I turned back around.
    "Bye." he whispered kissing me quickly on the cheek. I stepped outside holding the cheek he kissed, dazed. I drove home, Jason on my mind the whole time. As I pulled into the drive I saw my younger sister waiting on the porch with her arms crossed. I put it in park and got out.
    "Where have you been?" she asked as I made my way to the front door.
    "None of your business, snotty." I replied messing up her hair. She gave a huff and followed me inside. My mom was sitting on the couch, a box of tissues next to her that had crumpled tissues all around it. She sniffled and looked at me.
    "Hello Catherine." she said, using my real name like I was a co-worker.
    "Hi mom." I gave an awkward smile and sat down on the couch.
    "Savannah, can you go get me some water?" she asked my sister, who nodded and went into the kitchen. She came out with a small glass of water, handed it to mom, and sat down next to her. Both of their faces expressed grief.
    "Am I missing something here?" I asked. My mom sighed and put down her water.
    "My mother has died." she whispered faintly. I gasped.
    "When?" I asked frantically.
    "Last night, in the hospital. She just. . . . stopped breathing." Savannah said with a shaky breath. I felt the tears build up. As a kid my grandma was always there to comfort me when my mom was fighting with my dad. I pulled out my phone and texted the news to Jason, explaining why I left.
    "How's grandpa?" I asked quietly, closing my phone and looking to the floor.
    "He's not taking it well. They said he's completely lost it. He started throwing pill bottles at the nurses yesterday." my mom replied, refusing to look up. Me, my mom, and Savannah were never really close, but we're close enough to understand how much this loss effects one another. I looked at my mother. Her eyes were blood shot, her nose was running, her hands were shaking. She looked like the world just came crashing down on her. I got up and slowly made my way to her. I got down on my knees and wrapped her in my arms. She seemed hesitant at first but finally gave in, wrapping her fragile arms around me. When I pulled back I took a tissue and wiped her nose for her.
    "It's going to be okay." I reassured her. She smiled and nodded. There was a sudden car horn outside the house. We all looked to each other in total confusion. I got up and looked outside the window. Jason was standing next to his car with the door open. I went to the front door and opened it. He looked at me and then smiled embarrassingly at the ground. I smiled and ran towards him. He caught me in a hug, lifting my feet off the ground. When he put me down he looked back at the house, where Savannah was standing in the doorway with my mom.