I groaned. My right shoulder was throbbing. I lifted my head and squinted my eyes in the dark bedroom. 2:46AM. I sighed and laid my head back on my pillow. 

I my side and faced the sleeping figure next to me. "What am I going to do? I'm in too deep and I don't know how to come back from this hole I dug myself into." I used my free hand and caressed her cheeks with my thumb. 

I couldn't help but admire her features. The way my thumb slid on her smooth, silky cheek. I smiled at the way she wrinkled her nose when my fingers came in contact with it. Even though her eyes were closed, I knew her eyes were beautiful. Those onyx, almond shaped eyes were the most beautiful things I've ever laid my eyes on, other than her as a whole. I could look at those for the rest of my life, if I were given the chance. 

"If only you knew how much I like you." I said softly. My heart sank and my chest started to hurt at the words I had just said out loud.

I closed my eyes and used my free arm to cover the top half of my face. I sighed, again. 

"I need to get out of here."

Painstakingly slow, I took my arm from underneath Ms. Jung's pillow and crept out my bedroom. I thought about going back to Yuri's room but I didn't want this morning's interactions to repeat. 

Sooyoung? I shook my head. Her bed is too small and her body already takes up more than half. There wouldn't be any room for me in there.

Sunny? No. She hates being woken up from her sleep. She's definitely out of the question. It's worth a shot though. Right?

"Bunny?"

"Go away." She mumbled.

"Okay." 

At least I tried. 

I made my way to the kitchen table and poured myself a glass of orange juice. I went back to the kitchen and got a plastic baggie and put some ice in there then wrapped it with a towel. I hung it over my shoulder and hissed at the sudden chill. I took a sip and leaned my entire back on the chair. A deep sigh escaped my lips as I tried to relax. 

"What are you doing out of bed?"

"You love taking the blanket away from me in your sleep."

"It gets cold in your room." Her feet shuffled from the hallway. She stood behind me. "Stay still."

"What are you doing?"

"Hold still. I'm going to massage your shoulder." I felt two hands press on my shoulders. "Your bruise looks really bad, you know that right?"

I laughed softly and sipped my orange juice. "What makes you say that?"

"You're wearing a white t-shirt and I can still see the bruise." She continued to massage my shoulders. "Your jaw is starting to have a deeper shade of purple." She smacked me on the shoulder. "Yah."

"Ow!" I hissed. "What was that for?"

"Why did you get out of bed?" 

"I couldn't sleep." I scratched the back of my head and laughed. "My mind kept wandering."

"What's going on?"

"My dad lost his job at his company so he can't afford to pay for me to live in the dorms. I've been applying and following up but no one wants to hire a 15 year old." I laid the side of my head on the table.

"Let me help you fill out some scholarships and go from there. The administration are usually pretty good with cases like these. I'm sure they wouldn't wanna lose one of their star students since elememtary school."

"You think it'll work?"

"I'm almost 100% sure it's going to work." She pulled up a chair and sat next to me. 

"Why did you wake up?" I asked. "Aren't you a heavy sleeper?"

She looked down at her shirt and played with the ends. "I got used to you sleeping next me..."

Did she just blush? Am I seeing things? Does this mean she likes me? Should I kiss her? Wait. No. Too soon. 

I laughed awkwardly. "We've only been sharing the bed for two nights now."

"I know, but I can't help but shake the feeling that something was missing."

"What are you guys doing up?"

I looked up and saw Sooyoung standing by the hallway with her blanket wrapped around her. She walked over to the table and sat across from me and Ms. Jung.

I silently cursed her. Ms. Jung and I were just about to have a moment but this giant had to come and ruin it.

"I couldn't sleep and I thought orange juice would help."

"Has it helped?"

"Do you see me sleeping?"

Sooyoung took a sip. "I guess it doesn't help."

"What are you three doing up?"

Ms. Jung, Sooyoung and I looked up and saw Sunny in her navy blue bathrobe. Her short hair was spiked at the back and flat on one side. She yawned and took a seat next to Sooyoung.

"None of us could sleep." Ms. Jung answered.

"I guess we're all having one of those nights." Sunny covered as she yawned again. "How long have you guys been awake?"

"I woke up around 1." I answered. 

"I think around 2:30 for me." Ms. Jung answered.

"Me too." Sooyoung nodded. "How come you couldn't sleep?"

"Ppany woke me up. I tried to go back to sleep but I just kept tossing and turning in bed. I gave up trying to sleep and decided to make myself some warm milk. But then you guys were already sitting here when I walked out of my room." She shrugged. 

"I guess Yuri is the only one who gets to sleep well tonight." Sooyoung laughed. She stretched her arms out and wrapped an arm around Sunny. Sunny smiled and scooted closer to Sooyoung. The shorter one pulled her knees to her chest and snuggled into the blanket and Sooyoung's frame.

"It's 4 in the morning. What are you doing awake?" The four of us looked at the hallway and saw Yuri's figure. She had her favorite pair of black tight fitting shorts and a loose tank top. She was wearing her baby blue jacket that she had purlosely bought two sizes too big specifially for the cozy feeling. Yuri laughed and pulled her jacket closer to her body. "I guess we're all having one of those nights." She walked over and sat at the head of the table.

"Hey, remember when we were in elementary school and we found that hiding spot in the woods near the park?" Sooyoung looked at the three of us.

"What about it?" Sunny asked.

"Do you think that it's still there?" She asked.

"Is it?" I shrugged. "When was the last time any of you guys went over there?"

"Hmmm... I think the summer of last year." Yuri hummed. 

"Really?" Sunny said surprised.

Yuri nodded. "I remember because that was when you guys all went back home. I spent half my summer in that spot."

I eyed Sunny and Sooyoung. Guilt suddenly washed over me.

That had been the summer when my aunt, who was practically my second mom, had passed away. It was the same summer when Sooyoung found out her dad was battling stage 3 lung cancer. That was the same summer when Sunny's younger sister had tried to commit suicide. That was the same summer when the four of us were supposed to make it the best summer ever because high school was right around the corner.

Yuri didn't have much. She just had the three of us. And that summer, we all had promised each other to have the best summer ever before high school and spend the entire summer together. But that was the first summer all of us left to our respective homes. It was the first summer Yuri had spent alone. 

"Yul..." Sooyoung started. 

"It's fine." Yuri said quickly. "You guys had important family stuff to do that summer. I'm not a heartless person. I understand."

"I know but you should've gone with one of us." I explained. "None of us wanted to leave you alone."

"It would've been awkward, Ppany," Yuri said softly. "You guys have families...it would've been awkward if I was there..."

"But the four of us are family too, Yul." Sunny said. She reached over and held her friend's hand. "Unfortunate circumstances just occurred."

"Don't worry about it." Yuri laughed. "Blood family always comes first."

"But--"

"You guys have a family that love you. Don't take that for granted. They will always come first. You hear me?" Yuri snapped. She stood up. The legs of the chair broke the silence between the five of us sitting around the table. "I'm going to bed."

"M-me too." Sunny peeled herself out of Sooyoung's embrace and walked to her bedroom.

Sooyoung sighed and got up. "I guess that's my cue to go to bed too."

Ms. Jung nodded. She walked to the hallway and stopped. "I'll see you in the room?"

I nodded. "I'm just gonna finish my orange juice and I'll be there in a little bit."

"Still can't sleep?"

I shook my head.

"Wanna talk about it?"

I stayed silent.

"I'll be here when you're ready to talk."

I nodded and continued to drink my orange juice. I swallowed the liquid hard. I wasn't sure if it was because of Ms. Jung or the guilt of leaving Yuri for the summer was coming back again.

"Aish." I scratched the back of my head and slammed it on the table. "What is going on with me?" I groaned. 

I laid there for a second before I took a deep breath. I walked back to my bedroom and saw Ms. Jung sitting on the bed with a book in her hands. She looked up and smiled.

I felt my heart starting to beat out of my chest. 

This was way too weird for this to not be a dream. It had to be a dream. Why else would she be living with three students? Granted this is only temporary but this is still way too weird. I'm just waiting for me to wake up and realize thar this is all a dream. A really, really weird and unrealistic dream. Of course, dreams are unrealistic which is probably why I'm 99% convinced that this entire thing has been a dream.

"Tiffany?"

"Eh?"

"You're spacing out again."

"Am I?" I chuckled nervously. "You're probably right. I do that sometimes."

"Are you gonna tell me what's been bothering you?"

"Maybe on a different night."

She nodded. "Alright. Come here and lie down. You look like you really need your sleep now." 

I nodded and crawled intk my bed. I purposefully turned my back towards Ms. Jung. I let out another sigh.

"Are you sure you don't wanna talk about it?"

"I'm sure. Goodnight, Ms. Jung." I said, fully aware that it was already 5-something in the morning.

"Goodnight, Tiffany."