Hey:)

Do you have any idea how hard it is to type fast on your screen with fake nails on? I'll give you a hint.

It's hard.

So, I paid to get my nails done because I'm going on vacation. As I write this I'm sitting in my van and have been for the past 9 and a half brutal hours.

We have like...11 hours or something to go so that's...awesome.

So here I am at 1:30 am, trying to concentrate while my sister talks to her meathead boyfriend, the gps keeps blaring stuff like "drive 3.1 miles then turn right." In a monotone voice. My sister cut her finger and I'm sprawled out onto the van seat, trying to sleep but obviously failing because duh...I'm writing.

So anyway, none of you people are probably even reading this so I'm going to stop blabbing and get to it lol.

Wish me luck on our trip:)

( a sincere thank you to ohabigail for the beautiful banner! Go check out her Cover Shop and other books she's amazing!)

Much love,

-Ally

********

Ian

I'm not sure if Tara's mom really likes me or really hates me.

It's one or the other judging by how many questions she's bombarding me with.

Speaking of, she's asking me another right now.

"So." She starts again and I inwardly groan. "Do you have a girlfriend? A crush?"

Jeez Tara's cool but her mom is seriously a bit nosey. I respect her nonetheless.

My heart quickens a little as she asks her question and I involuntarily glance over at Tara. Her face reddened at her mother's obliviously embarrassing question.

I smirk a little.

"Maybe. I'm not sure." I answer her and Tara's face turns bright red and she turns away from my glance, looking down at her hands which are clasped together in her lap.

"Oh. How nice...what's she like?"

Could this women be any more pushy?!

I give her a fake smile.

"Well, she's uh nice. And beautiful. She's got these eyes that just-"

"Okay!" Tara stands up, interrupting me. "Mom, I think that's enough questions...by the end of this I'll have one less friend."

Her mom winks at her and stands up, yawning.

"Well, I'm beat. I think I'm going to head to bed...you're welcome to stay and watch a movie or something before you head out?" She says it as more of a question than a statement.

I look over at Tara, silently asking if it's okay for me to stay. She's gives me a small nod and I smile.

"Thank you Mrs. Jeffrey, I would love to stay a bit longer."

She waves her hand at me.

"None of this Mrs. Jeffrey stuff it's Angela to you."

I smile and nod.

"Alright. Goodnight Mrs...I mean Angela."

She nods approvingly and heads up the stairs.

Tara and I are left in silence (or silent for her...it's always silent for me) and I'm not really sure what to do.

"Hey, if you don't want to hang out tonight it's cool." I tell her and she shakes her head.

"No...I mean yes...I want you to stay. Not stay stay...but you know hang out. Well, if you want to that is." She talks so fast that I struggle to read her lips.

"Yeah I do...want to I mean." I reply.

Well this isn't awkward at all.

"So...what do you want to do?" I ask and suddenly a mischievous look comes upon her face.

This can't be good.

"You know...our principal lives in our neighborhood." She states slyly.

I shrug.

"So?"

"So my mom overloaded on toilet paper last time she went grocery shopping." She wriggles her eyebrows.

Crap. What is she about to get me into?

*********

So that's how we ended up on the front lawn of our principal's home, flashlight in hand, at 11:00 at night.

This is so illegal.

This is so awesome.

I look over at Tara who is currently in all black. Black leggings, black sweatshirt, black beanie and black sneakers.

She went all out.

I'm just wearing my shorts and T-shirt I put on earlier, now sort of regretting that decision.

Anyway, so as all of the worst case consequence scenarios run through my head, I can't help but marvel at Tara's bravery.

She's crazy...but brave.

I would never have done anything like this if she hadn't threatened to kick me wear it counts if I didn't go with her...and I believed that she would do it.

I look back over at her.

"Ready?" She asks and all I can do to respond is to nod.

She hands me a roll of toilet paper then jogs off, climbing the nearest tree.

I followed her example, choosing the tree to my right.

I put my right foot into the lowest branch and hoist myself up.

I wrap a long line of toilet paper around a branch and move on to the next one. I continue to climb higher and higher until all of the branches have been strewn with the white paper.

When I'm done I climb down and look around for Tara. I see her shady figure up a different tree.

I see a light go on in the house.

"Tara." I whisper.

I see her head look to me. She knows I can't see her mouth so I just keep talking.

"Somebody's awake, they're going to see us and we're so going to juvi. I'm too young to eat prison food. Guys in there eat guys like me for breakfast." I hiss.

I see her quickly make her way down to the ground and as soon as she hits the ground her head snaps up to the door. The man himself is standing there with the pouch light on.

"Hey!" He bellows, his hair askew and eyes tired.

Oh my gosh we're so dead.

Without thinking I grab Tara's hand and make a break for it.

I clutch her hand as I feel my feet come down on the pavement time and time again.

By the time we reach Tara's house my lungs are burning and I'm breathing hard.

That was a bad idea.

I look over at Tara.

"What just happened?" I ask her almost as if making sure what I think just happened...just happened.

Her chest goes up and down as she fights for the breath to reply.

"We almost got busted." She breathes.

It was so worth it.

The laugh started with a small chuckle but quickly escalated to a full blown crack up session.

It isn't long before I see Tara beginning to join in. Pretty soon we're both holding onto each other to keep from falling over.

It's the kind of laugh where you know that no sound is coming out but you just can't stop.

Once we pull ourselves together we quickly let go of one another and take a step back.

"That was close...too close. I can't believe you talked me into that." I tell her as we walk up to her door.

I look over to her to see if she's answering.

"Well I'm glad I did...it was fun." She says and I open the door, gesturing for her to go in first.

She smiles at me.

"And they say chivalry is dead."

I return her smile.

"Not here it isn't."

Her smile turns to a grin and she steps through the doorway.

I take a deep breath and follow her inside.

I stride over to the living room couch and take a seat next to her.

I look over at her just as she looks up at me.

"So." She says "want to watch a movie?" She asks.

I smirk at her.

"I have a better idea."

***********

"But now I have to turn over all of my property cards!" Tara whines to me and I just chuckle.

She huffs.

"Can't you accept some other kind of payment?"

I shake my head.

"Just this once?"

"No."

"Please?"

Now it's my turn to huff.

"What kind of payment." I tease and wiggle my eyebrows.

She scrunches her nose.

"Uh...a hug?"

I shake my head...though a hug would be nice.

"How about I make you some..."

"Pancakes?" I offer and she laughs but nods.

"Make it a hug and pancakes and it's a deal."

She reaches her hand over the table and I grab it, shaking it once. I can't help the tingles that shoot up arm.

I pretend not to notice but I see her eyes go wide before she lets go.

We've been playing monopoly for the past two hours.

This game takes freaking long it's not even funny.

So after another thirty minutes I have now beaten her...bad. Like, I didn't know people could be this bad at a board game.

"Okay, I won now it's time to pay your fee." I say rubbing my hands together.

She furrows her eyebrows together as she begins to clear the table, putting each game piece back into the box.

"Do I have to? I don't feel like making pancakes."

I laugh at her immaturity.

"Well, I suppose a hug will do...but you still owe me pancakes." I say and she laughs.

I stand up and hold my arms open for a hug.

She walks toward me and wraps her arms around my waist. I throw my arms around her shoulders.

We sit there like that for a while before she pulls back.

"Is my debt paid?" She asks.

"No way, you still owe me those pancakes."