I frantically ran into the living room, where mom was watching yet another christmas movie. "Mom! Wecan't go to the dance!" I told her, panicking.

She looked at me, exhausted. "Alice, we've been throughthis already. I already made the plans. Is it because of the scars?" She asked. I shook my head quickly,and was about to say something, when she interrupted. "Alice, I didn't tell you, but it's one of thoseevents where we wear masks!" She said happily. What? If he comes to the dance, I won't be able torecognize if he comes up to me! Then again, he won't recognize me, either.

I sighed. There was nochances of changing my mother's mind now. "Fine. When is the dance, again?"

"In a few days. I thinkit's four."

"So......I have......four days to prepare myself for this dance?" She nodded.

I groaned, andwent back into my room. Damn, I'm an introvert. It is pretty late though.......I didn't even touch mycomputer, since I thought that virus was still there. I just showered, and went to bed, trying to think ofways to protect myself.I woke up in the morning to even more snow outside. I smiled, and remembered that today was theSnowball Festival. It's a huge snowball fight in the park, between all people that want to come. It wasmostly Everyone vs. Everyone, but you can team up with someone. If you hit someone else with asnowball, they're out of the game. Last person, or team, standing wins. I've competed in this with Taraevery year for the past five years. We never won, though, but it was still fun. In case you're wonderinghow I know it's today, that's the way it is. Every year it's a day after the first snow falls. No matter howmuch snow there is. It was real bad one year. There was less than an inch of snow, but this year, I thinkit's the most snow I've seen. I have high hopes for this time! I stood up. "Mom?" I asked cautiously. Iwas worried that she was using the pills again.

I relaxed when I heard her calling from the kitchen. "I'min here, sweetie! Are you going to the Festival today? I'm making breakfast especially for that, youknow!"

I laughed. "Yes, mom! Of course I'm going!" I went to the kitchen and saw that she really wasmaking Snowball Festival breakfast. It's a type of pasta, shaped like snowflakes. 'Why pasta?', you ask? I asked my mom a few years ago what food can make you strong for sports.She said carbohydrates, which I didn't exactly understand. She explained that it's in noodles, forinstance, so I begged her for that breakfast. Why breakfast? There are quite a few people who come tothe Festival.........It lasts pretty much from eleven in the morning to some time in the afternoon. I wolfeddown my food, and raced into the park. I checked my clock: 10:57. I should check who came here.There are the 'regulars', that come every year. Some are even from other towns! I know some of them,but only some. Then there are new people, who just came this year. I noticed really many weird glancesin my direction, more like my face. My scars. Sigh. I checked the people for the person who gave themto me. Not here? What a surprise! I felt a tap on my shoulder, and turned around. It was Patrick! "What're you doing here?" I asked. I didn't know he knew about this.

"Tara's parents told me aboutthis! I wouldn't miss it!"I considered asking Patrick to be my teammate.

I wasn't completely sure, but I made my decisionquickly. "Wanna be my partner in the Festival?"

He grinned. "Yup! It'll be like Peeta and Katniss in theHunger Games!"

I facepalmed. "Hey, Patrick." I nudged him.

"Yeah?"

".......did you even read thebook? Or watch the movie, for that matter?" I asked cautiously. He shook his head. "Well, for one,Peeta was lying around in a cave a lot, while Katniss was going hunting. Also, Peeta was incompetentin hunting, and Peeta and Katniss attempted suicide in the end." He looked shocked by the time Ifinished.

"I thought they were both good!" I shook my head, laughing. I heard a bell signifying thateveryone goes to the main area.

"Well, everyone, welcome to the annual Snowball Festival! Have fun!You each get five minutes to go somewhere and hide, or start making snowballs, or I don'tknow.....aaaaand START!"