A bright light hit the corner of my face and I slowly pulled myself out from under Tyler's bed.

"Good morning, beautiful," Ty greeted. "You look terrible."

I growled. "Not my fault you're snoring kept me up."

"I don't snore!" he interjected.

"Obviously you do, or it wouldn't have kept me up all night!"

Tyler sighed. "Just get back under the bed!"

Instead of listening to Tyler, I climbed up onto the bed instead. I lay on my back and stared at the ceiling.

The dull color in his stereotypical blue room was fading, and some of the paint on the walls was chipping. The fan looked like it could fall off any second and land right on my face.

"Your whole ceiling should be glass," I commented. "Then, at night, you could stare at the stars while you fall asleep."

"Yeah, my mom is going to let me do that," Ty sarcastically replied.

"Well maybe if you ask," I suggested.

"Even if I did, and she said yes, we wouldn't be able to afford it."

"Don't worry!" I exclaimed. "I know people."

"But, uh, no offense Ari, but you're technically an orphan. How will you afford it?" he asked.

I glared at Tyler.

"I'm sorry, Ari," he said.

I turned my back to him. "If you really meant that you wouldn't have called me an orphan in the first place." I turned to face Tyler once more. "You know I hate being called that."

"I'm really, really sorry, Arianna."

I slid off the bed and walked to the window. "See you later, Ty."

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know!" I exclaimed. "But obviously I'm not wanted here. Goodbye." I slipped out the window and strolled to the edge.

"Ari, wait!" he called.

"Wouldn't want your mom to know I'm here," I replied as I jumped off the roof.

"Arianna Nichole Dawson, I've been wondering where you've been."

I jumped at the sound of someone saying my name. Slowly turning around, I realized it was Jace.

"I missed you yesterday when you made me leave," Jace said.

"Yeah, sorry about that."

"What were you doing at that guy's house?" he questioned.

"Nothing," I replied. "Why do you care?"

"I was worried about you," Jace put his hand on my shoulder. "Arianna-"

"I told you to call me Ari," I interjected.

"Oh, yes, yes. Sorry. Arianna, I didn't want anything to happen to you. I know what's going on. If you just want to talk to me about it; I'll understand."

I jerked away from him. "Stop calling me Arianna! And what do you mean by 'I know what's going on'?"

Jace's blue eyes widened and filled with excitement. "You see, I want to be a detective when I get older. Anything that has to do with mystery, and solving things, I'm great at! See, watch!" Jace pulled a Rubik's Cube out of his pocket. "Time me."

Jace began moving his fingers around with little colored cubes, twisting and turning it. In less than two minutes, he completed the whole thing. Every color was matched up with the correct color on each side.

I sighed. "What does this have to do with anything?"

"I like decode stuff," he replied.

"You still haven't told me what you know about me."

"I was getting to that."

"Can you get to it faster?" I asked.

"Okay, so as I was saying, I want to be a detective. When I first met you, you were acting very suspicious. I wanted to figure out what you were hiding, and I did."

I took a step away from Jace. "What do you mean by that?"

"I know all about it!" exclaimed Jace. "I always do my research."

"You're freaking me out," I muttered.

"You're an orphan."

My face grew red and I clenched my fist. "Don't call me that."

"I wasn't done yet! So, you're an orphan-"

"Call me that again and you don't want to see what will happen to you."

"Will you let me finish?" asked Jace.

"I don't think I want to hear the rest," I replied.

Jace ignored what I said and continued speaking anyways. "So, you got these guys after you to bring you to the orphanage, but you don't want to go. So you're doing everything in your power to keep away from these guys, but they keep showing up. You think that they're evil, but they really just want to help you get a better life. If you trusted them, and you trusted me, everything will be perfect."

"I can't," I whispered. "Sorry Jace, but I really can't. I don't even know you, and they aren't good people- I guarantee it."

Jace clasped my hand in his own. "Arianna-"

"Ari."

"Arianna, you have to trust me."

"Jace, I really don't know what to do. Why is everyone always talking me about trust? And stop calling me Arianna!"

"Arianna, all I'm trying to do is protect you from that guy!" yelled Jace.

"Obviously you don't care that much, or you would have listened to me the first four times I told you not to call me Arianna!"

Jace stood in silence, just staring at me. He looked hurt.

I started to feel bad, and was about to apologize when he began to speak once more.

"I'm sorry for upsetting you, Arianna. I just wanted to help."

I forced the fakest smile ever. "Thanks, Jace, but right now, I just need to be alone."

"Okay," he agreed. "I'll go be alone with you."

"I don't know what your definition of alone is," I replied, "but I'm pretty sure it means solitary. One person. No other people around. Absolutely alone."

"I understand," said Jace, "how about we go back to my house for a while and talk?"

"No, you don't understand."

"Yes, I do."

"Jace, I'm leaving you right now. I want to be alone. Do not follow me or show up at my house in an hour. If I want to see you, I will come and find you. Kay?"

"Okay, so I'll meet you at my house in a half hour?" asked Jace.

I screamed, then turned and ran from Jace.