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of testing different oil combinations, looking for reactions, checking notes, comparing samples, writing down new notes, and then starting the whole process all over again with each new scent choice.
    And I loved every minute of it.
    There were a million and one possible scent combinations, and it was up to me to find the ones that complemented each other. Sometimes it was difficult, but it was never, ever boring. And the best thing about the whole process was that each night seemed to fly by. They didn't drag on anymore, threatening me with shadows and dreams.
    I started working a little earlier each night, and sleeping a little less during the day. After perfecting the formula for Mom's autumn harvest perfume, and creating a brand-new winter scent, I decided to do something different. Something that filled me with fear, and more than a little trepidation, but something I knew I had to do.
    I was going to make a perfume for Kristen.
    She had asked me several times before to make one specifically for her, but I'd always hesitated. It was a challenging thing to do, creating scents for people that not only smelled good but also mixed well with their body chemistry. Since Kristen was my best friend, I always felt extra pressure to make sure her signature scent would fit her perfectly. I never wanted to disappoint her in any way. But this time I decided to give it a try.
    It ended up being much harder than I had ever thought it would be.
    I couldn't find scents that blended well, and after several hours of laboring on it, I gave in. Standing up from my worktable, I walked around the room to stretch my legs. A headache was starting to pound between my eyes, and I rubbed my temples with my fingertips. There was no way I could keep working with strong scents while I had a headache. I wouldn't be able to concentrate.
    Grabbing several pillows from the foot of my bed, I carried them over to the window seat and piled them up high. Hopefully, if I just rested my eyes for a while, the headache would go away… hopefully.
    I settled into my nest of pillows and rested my cheek against the window pane. It was cool and helped to ease the pounding in my head a little. I sighed at the temporary relief. This spot was pretty comfortable. / could stay like this for hoars.
    When I opened my eyes again, the world outside had gone suspiciously orange. Then I realized it was sunrise. I had slept through the night without any nightmares.
    Over the next couple of days I slowly readjusted my sleeping schedule. I didn't fall asleep until after midnight, but at least I wasn't sleeping during the day anymore. Which was a very good thing, because school started on Monday.

Chapter Four
    First Days

    His school-house was a low building of one large room, rudely constructed of logs; the windows partly glazed, and partly patched with leaves of old copy-books.
    "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"

    It wasn't until I'd made it four blocks away from home on Monday morning that I realized I was going in the wrong direction. I stopped short, coming to an abrupt halt in the middle of the sidewalk. There wouldn't be a daily stop at Kristen's house to pick her up. Not this year… and not next year. Those wouldn't happen ever again.
    A small ache started throbbing in the vicinity of my heart, and it made my chest hurt. I rubbed at it while I turned in the direction of the high school and began walking slowly toward it. Alone. I took several gulping breaths of air to try to make the sensation go away, but it wouldn't. I kept feeling like I was forgetting something the whole time I walked.
    I was still occupied with my thoughts when I came to the metal doors that marked the entrance of the school, and passed through them to the main hallway. A large hand-lettered sign taped to the wall on my left directed all incoming traffic to the gymnasium for an assembly.
    Following the sounds of new sneakers squeaking loudly on the recently polished wooden floors, I shuffled along with