The winter break was short, and for whatever reason, I was feeling expectant for the new year. Instead I should probably have felt embarrassed about last year's fiasco, but I didn't. So anyway, I decided to try fixing my mistakes and set a new rule. Be tough.

That was because both in kindergarten and in elementary school, everyone loved me. They kept saying how cute I was. I said that I had grown up and I didn't want this to stay with me.

Mum was being supportive for once in her life, so she suggested I start dancing lessons. "It will help you be more confident. Plus, the teacher is a close friend of your uncle, and he invited me to one of their shows last year. I loved it! Oh, you might meet some cute boy as well, if you haven't already."

Some cute boy? I genuinely thought all boys were dumb back then. But the dance lessons sounded like a good idea. Until the day I had to go arrived. It was a Wednesday, regular weather, around eight o'clock, everything was fine. I was a bit nervous, but nothing I couldn't handle. Or so I thought, because as soon as my mother and I stepped inside the studio, I saw Kosmar talking with a guy I recognised from school. And that probably meant Lucy was there too. My first thought was to run as fast as possible and go home, or at least hide somewhere so I wouldn't have to face her. That, of course, couldn't happen, as mother held my hand tightly. She became protective of me ever since we moved to such a dangerous city.

"Barbara!" I heard a man saying, referring to my mother, and everyone looked at us -including Kosmar. I was screwed. Maybe, just maybe, if I closed my eyes hard enough, I would disappear. I didn't.

"Mum, can we leave?" I whispered.

"Don't be silly, it's going to be so much fun." Did I mention that I was screwed? If not, I was screwed.

"I am so glad to see you. This must be your son." He said, looking at me. I wished I had drowned in that pool last year.

"I am a girl."

"Oh, I am sorry. You are really cute, aren't you?" I didn't know how to react, so I said the first thing that came to my mind.

"An innocent look is a great disguise for a serial killer." He laughed awkwardly along with my mum, who said that I had a weird sense of humor. He just told me to take off my shoes. I looked at mum worried but she just smiled and told me she would go with the other parents in the building's cafeteria. I sighed and sat on the floor when Annika approached me.

"How are you?" she asked from a distance.

"I haven't been worse. You must be happy to hear that, no? You probably hate me after what happened last year."

"No, not really." She sat next to me, way too close for my liking. Less than three meters is inappropriate. And suspicious, in my case at least. "Morgan asked me to tell you to come back."

"Why?"

"You helped us, well, you helped them. The fire was Kosmar's fault after all; no one blames you for it. Morgan kept talking about how much he likes you, so I ended up leaving. I have to advise you against coming back. Morgan is getting more creepy nowadays."

"Wait, does he like me romantically?"

"Yes. I mean, it's so obvious. I can't believe you didn't get that when he held your hand that time we heard about the fire."

"Well, I can't believe he didn't get that I don't like him back when I told him to fuck off."

She shrugged her shoulders. "Morgan is Morgan. He doesn't get hints."

"I literally yelled at him that he wouldn't ever need to worry about a zombie apocalypse because zombies eat brains. I have called him dumb in every way possible."

"He told me that you are like this and that's why he likes you. I think you understand why I left. In fact, the only reason why I got to join that shit is because Morgan is my cousin; my aunt is worried about him."

"Poor you." I managed to say.

"Girls, come on! It's about time we start the lesson." The teacher told us. I looked at Annika, and Annika looked at me. We remained silent for a moment until the teacher yelled at us again.

"Do you want to go?"

"Not really."

"Come on. We can go to my mother's house. My baby brother is in there, but he won't tell on us. We can stay there until they find us."

"I am in."

"Great." She headed outside, and I followed her, keeping my head down. I noticed Annika had forgotten her shoes in the studio, and she was walking barefoot. We stayed silent for the most part, but when we arrived at her mother's house, I had to say something. It started getting too uncomfortable.

"Do you want to play truth or dare?"

"People play that only to dare someone to kiss someone else. Just ask me out, it's way easier."

"Don't be silly. Girls can't kiss girls." I said, but then looked at her, questioning what I had said. "Can we?"

"Of course we can. You can kiss anyone you like. It's gross though."

"I agree. People only have relationships for money or power. I would have a relationship with someone for something like that too." I admitted. She shrugged her shoulders.

"Then, do you want to gain some popularity?"

"How?" She chuckled and kissed me. I was shocked for a second but decided I liked it. Now that I think of it, none of us knew what we were doing, but it was okay at the moment, and for long afterwards.