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When my alarm clock goes off, I immediately whack it with my foot, both my hands busy with their own things. For once I'm not running late, but far too early. With my right hand I'm brushing my teeth, attempting to plug my cable into my laptop with my left.

Used to my turning off the alarm and falling back asleep, there's prompt banging on my door. "XARA! ASS OUT OF BED!"

The shock on his face when I throw the door open less than a second later is everything. I try explaining why I'm up to him but immediately he holds his hands up to shield his face. "Maybe try spitting out toothpaste in the bathroom instead of all over me, thanks. Geez, I need to change my shirt now."

I'm about to apologise before realising what it is I'm doing, running over to the bathroom between our rooms, conjoined with Dad having his own, spitting in the basin and washing my face before rushing back to the door, realising my brother's gone. "I LOVE YOU!" I yell instead, hearing his muffled response from wherever in the apartment he is. It's enough to satisfy me and I grin before grabbing my jacket, my camera and making sure the photos downloaded.

Considering I'm already awake and ready for school, I just grab an apple and head out early, taking a walk around the sun-lit park and keeping on the swings, making sure my camera is a good distance away so I don't accidentally kick it. Might seem childish, but I like being on the swings. There's something about being high and having the wind blow through your hair and the strange lurching feeling in your stomach that's comforting to me.

I remember days when I was young, when my Mom used to push me on the swings. I used to love being high in the sky, and so did she. There was a trip when I was six, to go visit some of our family in Canada. Dad and Ky hated the plane ride, but Mom and I absolutely loved it. The adrenaline and excitement is some other feeling entirely, a funny feeling about not knowing what happens next, about living in the moment.

Living in the moment. And my camera's gallery is proof of the lot of amazing moments there are to live in.

"Woah!" I hear Alexandros's voice before I see him a few hours later, sitting in the classroom and working on some things when he makes me jump so suddenly. "Are my eyes deceiving me or is Xara Connolly actually at school early for once?"

"Not so loud!" I hiss, very much aware of the looks I'm getting from the other students because of the attention. "I get to school before you every day anyway – I have to record the broadcasts, remember? But yeah, earlier than usual: I woke up early to get photos of the sunrise. I wrote an article for Jason and Betty about the summer solstice, which is today. It'd be nice for the last day of school, don't you think? Everyone's probably exhausted after prom, so something lighter is best, I think."

"How boring are you?" Alexandros pretends to groan, to which I glare. He throws his hands up in surrender after dropping his bag on the ground, sliding into the seat beside me. "Kidding! Or not. Whatever. I'm surprised you didn't find some sort of drama at prom yesterday instead."