current mood: tired as heck

current song: Party in the USA



When she was eight years old, her mother was an alcoholic, her father was in the middle of his third marriage. Her brother didn't have any friends, and he sometimes took it out on her with his fists.



When she was eleven, only three of twenty kids came to her birthday party. She was living with her father, who's divorce papers had just gone through.



When she was fourteen, her brother was diagnosed as bipolar. He spent a few weeks in the behavoiral center, and she slept in her dad's bed every night that her brother was gone.

When she was fifteen, at the end of her freshman year, every single thing in her life was changed.

* * *

Bowling; it was the only thing in town to do that night; the movies were crawling with teeny-boppers, the mall was closed at eight, and none of us could drive yet. So, we went bowling, Haley, Josh, Marco, and I being the original group. Haley was there, though, so we were joined quite shortly by Alex and a gaggle of his buddies. Haley's boyfriend was supposed to be there, too, but he was having trouble finding a ride. According to Haley,

"He doesn't even want to be here, if he did he'd already be here."

I didn't really respond. Haley was my very best friend but I knew she wasn't going to listen to me. He would get here when he got here, whether he wanted to or not. Haley wouldn't stop texting him until he got here.

My friend skipped off to flirt with Alex, trying to make herself feel better, and I occupied myself with Josh and Marco. Josh was currently trying to toss a bowling ball between his legs and get a strike. He was concentrating pretty hard; the bet was up to three dollars. Marco was sitting on a stool, and I sat on the one next to him.

Marco was my best friend, besides Haley. Everyone kept telling me boys couldn't be just friends with girls, but I knew Marco was different. We could hang out and even flirt a little but we'd never go beyond that.

Marco asked me, "Do you think Josh'll hurt himself trying to do this?"

I shook my head. "Nah, but he might kill a few future babies."

"Assuming anyone ever wants to have babies with him," Marco replied, and then we were quiet as Josh finally threw the ball. And knocked down all ten pins. I bought him a candy bar as a prize.

When I came back from the food bar, Haley was standing next to Marco, looking fairly annoyed, so I assumed, "Boyfriend- alert."

"Yes. I cannot believe that jerk is going to show up now after we've been fighting about it all freaking night!"

The emphasis she put on the word night must have drawn her boy to her, because he walked in the door that very second, trailed by a very blonde guy. My eyes stuck to that guy like glue, though I didn't know why exactly. I'd seen him maybe two times before, but something was different now.

"Haley," I said. "Who's that?"