Everyone in Jonathan's life: his parents, his sister, his grumpy friend Charles and his sunny friend Laker, knew he was the last person on earth who'd ever break a rule. What none of them knew, at least not yet, was that he had just lost that title and was now the second to last person who'd ever break a rule.* Jonathan loved following rules... well, he loved to be praised for following rules. In the ten years he'd been going to school he'd heard 'you're a good kid, Jon' more than anyone else probably had in their entire lives. But more than he loved rules, more than he loved praise, he loved London Smithson-Jones.

And that's why, without telling anyone, he was sneaking into school at two o'clock in the morning. He'd heard a rumor --likely unfounded, but it never hurt to be safe-- that Brady Richards was planning on asking London to homecoming. Tomorrow. This was ridiculous, of course, because Brady was a junior, and juniors were too cool to date younger classmen. Nevertheless, everyone who knew Jonathan had been asking him if he'd heard the news, and well, he'd decided Brady wouldn't have a chance to ask London if he got to it first.

*The new least likely person to break a rule is Jimena Maria Flores, who seemingly doesn't think even true love is worthy of rebellion.

London Smithson-Jones was an ethereal beauty. As he slipped out the back door of his house, being careful not to wake his sleeping parents, Jonathan imagined her in his mind's eye. She had dark eyes, full lips, and luscious chocolate hair that cascaded down her back in effortless waves. She had the most beautiful dimpled smile that conveyed a joy Jonathan didn't know was humanly possible. Walking through the hallways at school, she seemed to float, like a ballerina dancing on a --

Jonathan's reverie was interrupted by a rustle in the bushes, which startled him back to reality. It was probably some ghastly creature, or worse, someone lying in wait to catch him in this illicit nighttime expedition. His heart racing, Jonathan tiptoed past the bushes, then ran through the side yard and onto the street.

The streets at night were an alien landscape Jonathan had never witnessed before. The typically busy street was dead silent, not a car in sight. Vibrant flora sunk into the darkness, barely visible. Streetlights cast an eerie, yellowish glow over the whole scene. The hoot of an owl resounded in the distance, and the air smelled strangely clean as if purged from diurnal human nastiness. The stillness was almost suffocating.

Jonathan slung his navy-blue backpack over his shoulder and began his trek to school. He walked to the end of Elm street, then ventured onto the main road. As he walked, he could feel the rolled-up posterboard stuffed in his backpack, sticking out at the top. He hope it hadn't been crushed or crumpled. There were so many ways this could go wrong. What if the school custodian was patrolling the corridors and caught Jonathan sneaking onto campus? What if a stranger abducted Jonathan before he even reached school and he was separated from his parents forever? What if a wolf attacked him and he bled to death before anyone found him? He started to imagine himself in the principal's office, stared down by principal Milton and his parents. "How could you do this? What's wrong with you? Welcome to detention for the next month, also - you're grounded." Jonathan shook his head, trying to dispel these thoughts. These were risks he had to take, he told himself. London - beautiful, smart, funny London - was worth it. He would not let that smarmy jock Brady Richards take her.

Fifteen minutes later, Jonathan had arrived at Lakeview High School.

"Hey, Jonathan," a voice whispered in the darkness to him. His eyes hadn't adjusted yet, but he still knew the beautiful voice of London.

"Hey," he responded, "How's it going?"

"Uh, pretty good," she responded, suppressing a laugh, "What did you want me for this late?" She stood up, from her criss-cross applesauce position, her head at Jonathan's shoulder. He looked down at her, resisting the urge to reach out and brush her hair to the side.

"Well, it's now or never," he thought. Taking a deep breath, he prepared himself for any kind of answer. "Well, I was wondering, that, you know, since homecoming is coming up," he looked down at his feet, unable to finish, but she had gotten the hint.

"I never thought you would ask!" she yelled, throwing her arms around him, "Of course I'll go!" Jonathan looked up, surprised. He was sure that she would say no. His dream had come true. He went into a kind of daze, as if he was dreaming, and London noticed.

"Are you okay?" she asked, voicing concern. Jonathan finally snapped out of it, and laughed.

"I just thought that you wouldn't say yes," he responded, "This is a dream come true!"

"Well why would I say no?" she questioned, "that's what friends are for." Suddenly, Jonathan got a bad feeling in his gut, and then London answered that question.

"We are going as friends, right?"