text: [Themes: modern, serious, fantasy]
  
  Wennipeg woke up. Again. He lazily got dressed out of the pile of dirty clothes, because he couldn't afford running water. Again. He made himself breakfast, consisting of one piece of stale bread. Again.
  
  Wennipeg had hope at one point. He had just made poor choices. Lots of poor choices. And now, look where he is. Alone, in the crappiest house he could afford, barely able to afford food for himself, much less anything else.
  
  Wennipeg pulled back the mismatched curtains on his one window, to look out on his unkempt, dirty lawn. No one ever knocked on Wennipeg's door. No one ever checked on him, or walked their dog on his lawn, or brought him a fruit basket for the holidays. Depressed, Wennipeg closed his curtains.
  
  Slowly opening the door, almost nervous to show his face, Wennipeg stepped outside. His dirty, stretched-out shirt and ripped up shorts made him feel ugly.
  
  Suddenly, Wennipeg saw a neighbor, walking his dog. The man looked very nice. His hair was combed, and he even had a cup of coffee with him. His dog was a small Doberman puppy, with far, far too much energy. It was a wonder the man could hold a cup of coffee, and be dragged around by his dog without spilling it.
  
  Wennipeg considered saying hello. He had seen his neighbor before, but this would be his first time talking to any of his neighbors.
  
  > Wennipeg ignored the neighbor, and went inside
  Wennipeg knew that nobody would want to talk to him. The man would probably be scared of him. Wennipeg turned and went back inside.
  
  There wasn't much to do. Wennipeg couldn't afford electricity, he didn't like to read, he couldn't go outside much...so he did what he did most: sleep.
  
  Wennipeg had quite the fitful night. In fact, he had a dream. Wennipeg was on his knees, in his childhood home, all by himself. Wennipeg sat, and wondered where things went wrong. He had never been an obedient or good child, but he was still smart. He wanted to be an actor when he grew up. But no colleges wanted him. Nobody wanted him. His Mom wasn't fond of him, his dad was away, working a lot, his teachers grew angry with him very quickly, and no girl had ever liked him.
  
  Suddenly, a voice broke Wennipeg's thoughts. It was a voice he recognized, though he didn't know from where. The voice asked him a question that made him think. It asked him what he regretted. Everything, he was tempted to say. I regret everything. But he realized he didn't. Only certain things he regretted. Then the voice asked him an even more powerful question. It asked him, if you had a second chance, what would you do differently?
  
  > .....
  Suddenly, Wennipeg was in a whole new environment. He was sitting on a beach. Wennipeg recognized where he was immediately. It was a memory, that was very strong in his mind. When he was seven, he was very mischievous. He had gotten lost at the beach while running away from his mom. Maybe this was one of his regrets. He had started disobeying his mom more after this. He considered changing his ways. But no, that would be silly...right?
  
  Wennipeg was determined. He'd seen pictures of sand castles, videos of sand castles, and all of them were magnificent. All he had been able to do was ugly lumps of sand. But not this time. His dad had worked two weekends to get him a big orange pail and a purple plastic shovel. He was going to build the biggest sand castle anyone had ever seen.
  
  Wennipeg was hard at work. He got water from the ocean, wet the sand, and began creating his foundation. It was a long drive to the beach, so he didn't get to go a lot, but he was determined to make the most of it.
  
  Yes! The spires scraped the sky, the seashell-dotted path up to the doors was glorious! Wennipeg loved his creation, but he wasn't done. He wanted to dig a moat. But then, he heard something.
  
  "WENNNNIIIPPEGGGGGG!!!" No! His mom was calling him to go home! His work wasn't done! Couldn't she see? The will to ignore her was strong. But then he remembered why he was here. Maybe he should go, and obey his mother once and for all?[Themes: love & dating, romance, serious, socially important]
  
  The sound of a lone basketball dribbling echoes across the gym and reaches your ears, causing you to shutter. You hate that sound, just like you hate this class. You've hated for it about three years now, but you never quit taking it. You just don't like change.
  
  Across the room, your best friend Bailey is talking with some people you've never seen who keep shooting you sympathetic looks. You hide your face in your arms, only risking quick glances. You know what they are saying, you know exactly what everyone is saying. They've had all Summer to get used to this, and so have you. I'm fine, you think.
  
  You turn your attention to the sound of the basketball. Some senior jock, who's being watched by three giggling freshmen girls is playing, effortlessly making every shot. For a moment, you watch him, but he's not Jacob. He doesn't even compare.
  
  > English Class
  You sit at the back of the class by the window so you can look out of it. Beside you, Bailey sits, dramatically sighing and complaining about how much she hates school. The teacher shoots her a death glare and she shuts up about that and starts going on about something else. She never quits complaining, which you hate.
  
  She has no reason to complain about anything. Both of her parents are alive, and she's never had a boyfriend die, and she hasn't had to deal with half of the things you have.
  
  A girl towards the front of the room turns and looks at you, and then turns quickly around and whispers to the boy next to her. You know what they are talking about. What everyone is talking about. They all feel so bad, like it's their fault. It's not, and they shouldn't feel bad, and you wish they would just forget. That's the problem, nobody ever forgets anything, especially not the things you want them too.
  
  > ...look out of the window
  You ignore Bailey and look out the window. The teacher is rambling on about verbs, but you can't hear her because the air conditioning is so loud and you are sitting right beside it. Outside, leaves blow across the area, scattering out. Fall was Jacob's favorite season, and he always went on about the leaves and how beautiful they were.
  
  Before you can't prevent it, you find yourself remembering him, smelling him, touching him, kissing him, talking to him, laughing with him, smiling at him, listening to him...Tears began to fill your eyes and you know that you're crying.
  
  The door opens and you try to stop, but you can't. The jock from PE stares for a moment, stares at you, stares at Bailey trying to comfort you, and looks around the room at the people asking if you're okay and telling you it will be okay. "Shut up," he tells them, making his way towards you.
  
  He grabs a box of tissues and hands you one, getting down on his knees to get eye level with you. "You won't get over him," he states, softly, "you have to adapt."
  
  Through sobs, you ask, "What would you know?"
  
  "I was in the same situation just a year ago," he says, softly.
  
  > ...thank him
  You suddenly remember him. You remember going to Kassidy's funeral, you remember seeing his face, seeing his sorrow, wishing to never see that amount of misery again...You remember Bailey whispering in your ear, "He's so upset. They were so in love..."
  
  "Thank you," you say, softly. "Thank you a lot, Hunter."
  
  > Afterschool
  You and Bailey walk to the lockers, where you lean against someone's while she opens hers. Last year, you kept everything in Jacob's locker, now it's all in Bailey's. It's not the same, though. You love Bailey, but you were in love with Jacob, and it's just not the same. Bailey looks at you and she can tell that you're thinking about Jacob, so she quickly changes the subject.
  
  "So...that guy...Hunter, I believe, seems pretty into you," she says with a wink as she shuts the locker.
  
  "He feels bad for me," you say, blushing a bit.
  
  "Whatever."
  
  > Day Two
  You step into the gym, Bailey already making out with some emo kid on the bleachers. You turn your head away, quickly, avoiding remembering anything. Unfortunately, your gaze goes directly to the locker rooms, and Jacob is in your head for the day. You sigh and allow yourself to stare.
  
  Hunter is playing basketball again.
  
  > ...stay put
  You stand where you are for the rest of the hour. A couple of people smile in your direction, and Hunter keeps glancing at you, but no one really makes an effort to talk to you. You don't mind. You don't need or want them anyways. None of them will ever be able to replace the love you once felt.
  
  > English Class 2
  Today, you're on time to class. The teacher hasn't started her rambling, and most of the desks are available. For a moment, you almost take the seat where you know Jacob sat, but you decide it against and go straight to the seat by the window and the air conditioning. Bailey's sitting where she always sits. Hunter isn't in class yet.
  
  > ...listen to lessons
  You sit and listen to the lessons, even when Hunter shows up, you just keep listening. And you actually learn something. You learn a new word, a new meaning, and for once you barely think about Jacob all hour. Your mind is occupied. And, you don't even feel bad. For once, it feels okay.
  
  This is going to be continued, if you'd like to continue. Click on "to be continued" for a bonus memory.
  
  > ...to be continued
  "Jacob, you realize I am completely, utterly in love, don't you?" you ask, running your fingers through Jacob's hair as he holds you close and you two whisper to each other.
  
  "That makes two of us..." he replies, smiling. "Won't it be nice to be older and married someday?"
  
  "Yes...it defiantly will be."