1 Prologue

"You're expelled from this school, Ms Hastings. We cannot ignore the disobedient behaviour displayed by you in the previous three weeks. We never had such a difficult student before. I hoped you would improve, but now it is clear that won't be the case in the near future." Those words didn't phase me. I had gone through worse.

I shrugged and replied in a nonchalant manner,"Fine. My little brother Daniel Hastings will go with me." With that statement, I adjusted my bag on the shoulder and moved out of the small room that resembled Mr Davier's office. I was getting claustrophobic in that teeny little room.

Hmmm. Now that I had gotten expelled, we needed to go to another town. If there's any left to go. I scoffed at that thought. My past tendencies of breaking the rules and disobeying the teachers had gotten me expelled so many times that I had lost count. But I couldn't stop. I needed relief somehow. And I think the students usually like me around as I make their daily boring lives a little bit more interesting with my pranks and jabs at the teachers. It gave them entertainment and something to gossip about and released some of my frustration and guilt. It was a win-win situation really. They didn't know what they were losing.

But I needed a town that we hadn't visited yet.

A hand tugging at my arm made me break out of my thoughts. I looked down to find a familiar kid with stormy grey eyes and ruffled messy brown hair. His mouth was in a straight line, a expression I recognised all too well.

Time for a scolding from my little nine year old brother. Yay. I thought with a eye roll and breathed out a huge sigh.

"You got expelled once again, didn't you?" He aske- no, said. He knew the answer already with the tone he was using.

"Why are you asking me when you already know the answer?" I asked, exasperated.

"Seriously, Ash? It's only been three weeks." He admonished me.

"I was just foolin- " I started to say something but the little rugrat cut me off by placing his small fingers on my mouth.

"Yes, you were fooling around. I know that. But, Ash, why don't you understand that it's your senior year. You should be studying, hard. You want to get into a nice college next year or not?" That question stumped me. Of course I wanted to get into a nice college. It was the only way to get a degree which ultimately gave me money in the form of a good paying job. I muttered an affirmative in reply to his question.

"Then you should start taking things seriously. I am not saying you don't have already enough pressure and burden, or that you don't handle it well. I am just saying that maybe you should start to live your life for yourself. Not for me, not for anyone." He finished with a encouraging smile.

I sighed heavily. "You know, you're too serious for a nine year old. And Danny, you're not a burden for me. Even though I agree I would have liked some time to enjoy 'youth', you are the most quiet and well-behaving kid I have ever met. It's not at all a problem to raise you."

By the end of my reassuring speech, he was beaming at me. His eyes were glinting with love and happiness.

Those eyes were the reason why I still wanted to live. I wanted to see those eyes just like they were now, forever. His happiness meant everything to me. It meant that even though I was a big failure in life in everyone's eyes, I still mattered to him. And the fact that I mattered to anyone, was enough reason for my happiness.

Only Danny had the power to make me smile and laugh. Or even show emotion for that matter.

"So, you've got to decide which town we go to next. 'Coz I've got nothing." I raised my hands at the last part, and let them drop to my side freely.

He laughed at that, a pure sound of pleasure. It was contagious. A wide smile spread across my face and I began to laugh along with him. After our laughing fit, he finally answered.

"How about Lakefield? I heard it's nice during this time of the year." I thought about it. And thought about it some more. Dan began to tap his foot on the ground impatiently.

"Well?"

"We are going to Lakefield!" I picked up my brother from the ground and began to swing him.

"Wheee." His laughter was the best music I had ever heard. At that time, I wished I could live long enough to hear it everyday.