"Tay, we're gonna be late for school," I heard my youngest sister Michelle say. Groaning, I covered myself from head to toe.

"Get out," I say, sleepily.

"Bu we're gonna be late," she whines. I sit up, grab my pillow and throw it at her. "I don't care!"

"Well, then I'm leaving without you. If you're late then that's your problem," she says in an attitude. I lay back down and say, "Good. Now beat it."

"Diane!" Michelle exclaims walking out of the room. She's just like my mother. Another snitch. Although, she's only eleven, she acts much older than her age. In fact, she doesn't even look eleven. She's tall for her age, which makes her look thirteen or fourteen.

"Taylor!" scolds Diane, advancing toward my room. I sit up quickly rubbing my eyes. "I'm up!"

"No you're not up. You're still in bed!" she exclaims pulling the blanket off me. Aggravated, I jump out of bed and stomp into the bathroom.

********************************************
"Move it, Tyler!" someone shouts in the hallway, passing by me. "My name is Taylor!" I want to yell. Unfortunately, school is way different for me than it is at home. I'm not exactly what you call the most outgoing person in school. In fact, I'm invisible. Except to my two enemies.

I guess I'm one of those people who are always in the way and are completely useless. Unless, they use me as a target to bully and poke fun at.

"Isn't it too late for Halloween?" asks Crystal as I head to my locker. Tiffany, Crystal's friend, says, "Yeah. Halloween was like two weeks ago."

Everyday when I get to school Crystal and Tiffany insult me. Mostly Crystal is the one that comes up with her lame insults. Tiffany just laughs her fake little laugh. They always find a way to make me look bad. I usually ignore them. But, quite frankly I've been getting tired of their lame insults. It's like they have nothing better to do.

"Are you going to wear that mask to class?" asks Crystal as I take books out of my locker. I slam my locker shut and turn to them. "Leave...me...alone!" I shout. Crystal gives a fake gasp,"Loner girl actually talked."

"What a miracle," Tiffany says as she shakes her head. Rolling my eyes, I turn around and head to homeroom.

********************************
Xchyler

"So, here I am. With my guitar. About to perform in front of 100 million people world-wide," I say looking at myself in the mirror. "The cameras are on me and the audience has fallen silent in anticipation. As I..."

Something hits my head making me me spin around in surprise. I see my brother Nick at the doorway smiling. He signs, "Talking to yourself again?"

"I guess so," I sign back, smirking. He smiles and sign, "Are you going to pick up your schedule?"

"Yes, I start school tomorrow." I sign. "Are you sleeping over Kev's house?"

He nods and signs, "I won't be able to see you tomorrow morning. So, good luck."

He gives a thumbs up and smiles. "Thanks for covering for me, Nick," I smile signing back. Nick nods. "You better go before you're late."

"I owe you big time," I sign, clapping him on his shoulder. He again gives a thumbs up and leaves my room. I grab my sweater and keys and head out the door.

Nick was born without hearing. So, since he can't hear, he can't speak either. The reason why he's covering for me is because my stepfather doesn't know that I'm about to start high school tomorrow. He thinks I'm going to practice with my band.

After being in the band for six years I decided to quit and go back to school. The only one who knows about me quitting is my band and Nick. They're both keeping it a secret from my stepfather and the media. But, sooner or later they will. I want to prove to everybody that I can be like a regular teenager. That's why I decided to go back to high school.

I pull up to East Brooke High and park my car. Looking at myself in the mirror, I fix my hair and say, "You can do this, Skye. It's just high school. Nothing to worry about."

I step out of my car, close the door, and walk toward the school. When I enter I see that the hallways are empty. That's good...for now. Nervously, I wipe my sweaty palms on my pants and head toward the principle's office.

***************************************
Taylor

Thirty more seconds until class is dismissed. Just thirty more seconds. Students in the room started to whisper loudly. I even heard a couple of them give gasps. They were all looking out into the hallway. I wonder what their looking at.

"Drrrrrriiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnggggggg!!"the bell rings. The students stamper toward the door, knocking each other into the walls. I was pushed back and back to the end of the chaos, as people shoved me out of their way to get by. Bending down, I pick up the spilled contents of my book bag, putting book after book into the bag. Slinging it over my shoulder, I walk out of the room, pulling the door behind me.

I look out into the hall and near the principle's office, I see a huge crowd of students formed, looking into the office door window. Wanting to know what the fuss was all about I decided to go and investigate. The crowd that was forming were watching a boy who looked a year older than me. He was talking to Ms. Brian, the principle.

Some students were whispering. "It's Xchyler."

"I wonder what he's doing here," says a girl. Another says, "Maybe he's going to perform for the winter festival."

I roll my eyes and walk out of the school. I don't know who that Xchyler is, and apparently I don't care.

********************************
Xchyler

The back of my neck is sweaty. I can feel eyes looking at me from behind. Maybe I'm making a big mistake by coming back to school. No, I can't back down now. I made it this far. I hope everyday it isn't like this.

I turn around and see a whole swarm of kids outside the office. I smile nervously and turn back to the principle who is typing something on the computer.

"Ok. Here you go," the principle says, handing me my schedule. "You'll start class tomorrow. Come early before 8:05, so that I can show yo where you;re classes are."

"Thank you," I said shaking her hand. She smiles and says, "Welcome to East Brooke High, Xchyler. Enjoy your senior year."

****************************************************

Taylor

I was just a few blocks away when I saw an ambulance near my house. Running toward my house I saw the ambulance people carrying one of those things where they put dead people in. As they closed the doors of the ambulance I watched as they drove off and disappeared.

Please God, don't let it be her. When I turned around I saw Roxanne coming down the steps and she looked as if she had been crying. I shook my head, not wanting to believe what I knew had happen.

"Taylor," she says as she starts to walk closer to me. Crying, I ask, "She's dead, right?"

"I went to her room to give her, her medicine...but, when I kept trying to wake her...she didn't even move," Roxanne cries. "Her face was pale and when I touched her skin...it was so cold."

"It's all my fault," I sob. Roxanne puts her hand on my shoulder and says, "It's not your fault, Taylor. She was..."

"I know she was sick!" I yelled making her let go of my shoulder. "I made her sick!"

"Taylor, you didn't make her sick. She had a heart problems," she sniffed. "Don't blame yourself for her death."

"No. You don't understand! I made her heart weaker and worse. I killed her!" I cried. Roxanne tries saying,"No..."

"I hit her, ok! Didn't she tell you? I hit her!" I yelled. "She found out I was drinking! I gave her an attitide...so she hit me. I pushed her back! I, made her die! So don't tell me that it's not my fault!"

With that I ran. I didn't know exactly where I was going because my mind wasn't on where my destination would be at. But, I didn't care. I just wanted to get away from it all.

"Taylor!" I heard Roxanne yell. I just ignored her and kept running.

*************************************
Xchyler

What a day. I am so glad the principle was their to back me up and help me out. If it wasn't for her I don't think I would've ever have gotten put of their. I could've been stranded their for hours. She told them to either go home or get suspended. I didn't think I had so many fans. I mean, I'm just the guitarist...not the lead singer.

I looked at myself in the rear-view mirror, not paying attention to the road.

"Your a new person tomorrow, Xchyler. A new person," I smile, wink, and look ahead. When I see that I'm about to hit a girl, I screeched the car to a stop. She stops in surprise and keeps on walking.

Rolling down my window, I call out, "Sorry!"

She says nothing and continues on walking. I shake my head and watch as she turns a corner. I could of sworn I saw tears in her eyes. I shrug my shoulders and drive home.

****************************************************

Taylor

It was three in the morning when I came back home from the park. Diane followed me to my room. She was really angry at me. Just like mom would get angry at me whenever I came home late.

"Where have you been?" questioned Diane, closing the door behind her. I ignored her as I sat down on my bed and took my sneakers off. "What's that?"

She pointed at the bottle on the floor next to me. "Water," I replied with no emotion. Diane took the bottle, opened it and sniffed it. She then put the bottle on my dresser and looked at me with her arms crossed.

"Vodka? Your drinking again?" she asked with a stern voice. I shrugged my shoulders, "So?"

"You're not the only one who lost mom, Taylor." Diane said.

"Don't you think I know that?"

"What example are you setting for Michelle?" asked Diane. "Taylor, how old are you?"

I laid my back down on my bed and looked at the ceiling, while rolling m eyes. "Oh boy, here we go again."

"Yes, here we go again and again. Ok, yes, mom died...I know that you're angry and hurt. So are we. Do you see us going around drinking and making ourselves and everyone else around us feel miserable?" she asked. I answered, crossing my arms, "Well that's you guys, not me."

"Don't give that attitude, Taylor. You're acting..." she started. I sat up, interrupting her, "I know already! I don't act my age! I don't frickin' care! You don't have to keep reminding me! You're not mom!"

"I'm not trying to act like mom. Neither am I trying to replace her." she said. I stood up,"Well, you're acting like it!"

"Taylor, stop yelling!" Diane exclaimed, taking a step toward me.

"I don't have to do anything you say! You're not my mother!"

"Taylor..."

"No! I am sick of you already!"I barked. I slammed my fist on my dresser. "I'm sick and tired of you telling me what to do!"

"Well, if you would take some responsibility for yourself and act your age, then maybe I wouldn't have to be telling you what and what not to do!" she exclaimed. I snapped, "I too can take care of myself!"

"Ever since dad died all you've been doing is moping around and waiting for someone to feel sorry for you," Diane argued. "Well, life doesn't work that way!"

"I don't give a damn who feels sorry for me!" I growled. Diane shook her head, "This is the reason why mom hits you. You never listen! Never! You made her sicker and it's all your fault she died!"

When Diane realized what she said she took a step toward me and tried to touch me. "Taylor, I-I'm so sorry. I didn't mean that."

"Yes you did! I hate you!" I snapped advancing toward her. Wildly, I started swinging at her with punches while crying. "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!"

Surprised, Diane tried grabbing my hands to make me stop hitting her.

"Taylor, stop!" I heard Roxanne, my second oldest sister call out. She grabbed me by my waist and tried pulling me back. I yelled and kicked even more. Diane grabbed both my arms while Roxanne tried to control my movements.

"She's gone crazy!" I hear Michelle holler coming into my room. Reacting to what she said I swung at her, hitting her on the lips. She hit the wall with a thud and just sat their in shock and fear. When I realized what I did I pushed Diane and Roxanne out of my way and ran out of my room. I ran into the bathroom and slammed the door behind me.

Sobbing, I sat down with my back against the door. I brought my knees to my chest and buried my face in between them. Rocking myself back and force I continued on crying until I fell asleep.