I woke up hastily, breathing very heavily and drenched in a cold sweat. I would have never thought that one day I'd turn my life around. But regardless, the vivid images of last night's dream remain to haunt me.

"Run!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

"Danea, what are you doing? Run!" I grab my little sister by the arm and do everything to pull her along with me, forcefully, jerkily.

The dark creature is slipping through every crack of this deep dark forest and taking every last bit of happiness left.

"Thea I can't make it!" Danea shouts back. I grab her hand tighter and continue, roughly shoving her forward. Turning around to look at this monster, I notice it has half transformed into my best friend, I trip over a rock and fall off a cliff that materialised out of nowhere. I fall for what seems to be endlessly, and a bizarre sensation covers me. I see a moving light at bottom of the cliff and just as I crash, my body shakes awake.

---

It's 4:30, I don't need to be awake for at least another two hours. Why am I having these terrible dreams? I'm supposed to be happy and excited, I mean after all it's the last freaking day of school. I try and fall back into (a hopefully dreamless) sleep, but I just can't. Awhile later, still a bit shaken up, I get my exhausted body off of my bed and make my way to the bathroom. I move with slow, lethargic steps, I'm really not a morning person.

I head to the bathroom and as I reach for the towel, I see my reflection in the mirror. I am not even shocked anymore. Angry, dark circles are very prevalent underneath my eyes and the look of exhaustion is plaguing my face. My face has been the result of a very rough few weeks, and I have gotten used to it. Nightmares don't really mean anything right? I mean, I know you can do dream psychology and whatnot, but my nightmares seem unexplainable to me.

Anyway, dark circles are nothing that my concealer can't fix.

After a quick shower and some mousse in my curly blonde/brown hair, I start with my long and tedious morning routine that I have been doing for the past year of school. If you are wondering, I'm 16, a Sophomore, and this is my last day of school.

After the hair, I start on my face. I cleanse, tone and moisturize, then I put on primer. I cover the dark circles as well as I can and put on my makeup. Because of the early start, I even have time to bake my face, which usually I never have time for. Most people say I wear too much makeup, but who cares? I think I look amazing with makeup, I love putting it on and it makes me feel self-confident. I get out of my ratty sleeping shorts, and put on a short black skirt and a quite low cut long sleeve. What? I have a reputation to uphold.

I make my way to the kitchen, my sister Danea Grey is already wide awake and excited for her last day of 8th grade. My brother Oliver, on the other hand, hasn't even moved out of his bed.

In total, we are a family of five, all mixed race and very proud of our heritage and ethnicity. My parents always say Danea and I look very alike, apparently we both have ruthlessly curly hair and the same smile. I don't see it though. My brother Oliver has straighter hair than the two of us (the lucky bitch) and he is a Junior, 17 years old and is 2 heads taller than me.

I have some cereal and eat up with Danea quickly, my brother doesn't eat breakfast at home, he goes to the cafe across the street with his friends. He said he'd drop Danea and I off on campus. In our school, middle and high school are on a joined campus so it works very well for our family. Our school, Oak Park school, is the very best public school you can get into this side of town. Oliver walks down the stairs dressed, and with earbuds in his ear. He walks right past us and through the front door.

"Danea, Thea! I'm going now, or you can walk." My brother yells.

I grab my handbag and Danea finds her backpack, I have one last check in the mirror and we both out of the house together. Like normal, the car ride is noisy. Well, it's just my sister talking about how she's excited for the Winter Formal and about how she's nervous about high school. Both for next year.

I love my sister, I really do, but sometimes she is just a handful. Maybe it's not receiving enough sleep last night has that has me in a judgemental mood. It's not like I can't blame her I was exactly like my sister at her age. The car ride lasts 15 minutes, and we are dropped off in the school parking lot.

I see my clique just as I get out of the car. If you are wondering about my general stereotype, it would probably be dumb and pretty. I am part of the popular group, it's because I am a cheerleader and hot. I guess you could also say I am queen bee, well, that's what the girls tell me. I'm not proud of it but quite a lot of people call me a bully, I personally don't see it. Being popular kind of forces you to be like that, but that is one of the prices I need to pay. I don't mind. My friends Rebecca, Michelle, Kelly and Denise are all part of the popular cheerleaders.

"Hey T!" They shout from the benches, as I rush towards them my mood automatically lifts.

"Hey bitches! Last day of school!" I reply.

"I just got a text from Justin, and he said that the guys are having a party at his house tonight."

All the girls squeal at the prospect.

"Hey, do you think Ashley will show after what happened with her last week?" Denise asks.

Denise is the one in our group who is always caught up with all the gossip, she loves spreading rumors and gossip. She also loves discussing the latest 'fashion flops' with the girls in our grade. Kelly is so beautiful, but more of a reserved girl at school. Don't be fooled though, take her to a party and she goes completely wild. Rebecca is quite empty headed, she's failing at least 6 of her eight classes. I know she isn't failing P.E. but that's because Coach loves, her being a cheerleader and all. Michelle is the best of them all. She is my best friend in the whole world, she will back me up in everything I do. I trust her so much and tell her literally everything.

Well that's us, the popular group of girls. Everyone wants to be us and everyone fears us. Just the way we like it ...