Going back to school felt strange. Everyone was the same. No one seemed to have changed, yet I felt completely different. I walked through the hallways in a daze and when people would talk to me, I hardly listened to what they had to say. After spending the rest of the weekend dealing with my mom after my uncle left, I was exhausted. He had left after we had a screaming match in the middle of the living room after I got home from James' house. He said that I was acting like a spoiled brat and was very disrespectful to my father's memory. I told him that he hosted the whole funeral to look more likable because he was an old dried-up prune that no one wanted to re-elect. His face had turned tomato red and he slapped me roughly across the face. My aunt and cousin took him to another room and yelled at me to go to my room. I stayed there until they left later that night, crying because I couldn't believe everything that had gone on. I admit,

For the remainder of the week, James continued to come over to my house after practice to help me with my homework and to work on his own. During school, for some reason, neither of us acknowledged that we were seeing each other after school or friends of whatever it was that we were. It didn't stop me from giving Pink Streak a dirty look now and then. Especially when she would laugh loudly in the halls and touch his arms or when she would run and jump onto his back and climb onto him. It grated on my nerves, but I never let on to him that she bothered me. Instead, we would talk about schoolwork, he would ask about my mom and we would talk about people at school. We never dove into anything too deep. I felt like doing that would open up the book of emotions I had kept hidden away for another day. He would stay for a couple of hours and then leave and when he would leave, I would feel reality slap me in the face. Wi

JamesWhen I got up to put my clothes on I noticed the look of panic on Kelly's face. Her azure eyes were wide and she held her comforter up to her chest. I slipped on my boxers and smiled at her, hoping to cheer her up, and climbed back into bed with her.She sighed in relief and grinned back at me as I lay next to her and wrapped my arm around her. She snuggled up next to me and closed her eyes."I thought you were leaving." She said quietly."No. Not unless you want me to.""Nope." She popped the 'p' and wrapped her arm over my chest. I smiled down at her and kissed the top of her head. Kelly was like a drug. I knew being with her wasn't good, but I just couldn't stop myself from being pulled in.I had been determined on Monday to just leave her alone and let her do her own thing. But when Ms. Danforth gave her the thick a*s manila folder full of schoolwork she was missing, I couldn't help but ask her if she needed help. I was

It was huge. There was a giant section full of vegetables and fruits to the left. I hadn't put any on my list, but decided that I should probably include some. I was fascinated to find already-made salads and some other cute little things. But some of the prices shocked me! Who would willingly pay four dollars for a single piece of fruit? I grabbed a few salads and moved into an aisle full of peanut butter and jellies and other stuff. There were so many choices. I sighed as I looked through my list and back up at all of the stuff in the aisle. My phone tinkled in my pocket and I dug it out, annoyed already by having to look for all of the stuff I needed like a damn scavenger hunt. "Hello?" "Hey, did you find what you were looking for?" "Yes but who willingly comes to these types of places? I can't...there are too many choices. I will never get through my list." I glanced down

Dexter followed me up to the convenience store and with his fake ID bought me my mom's beer and cigarettes. He then followed me back to my place. The relief I felt when I saw Chloe's car parked in the driveway was almost laughable. Noticing this, Dexter kept driving without stopping and I knew I was safe for now. He would want something for the favor soon and I knew that I'd have to give in at some point. With James knowing that I was with Dexter, I'm sure he wouldn't be an issue anymore. Chloe stepped out of her car when I didn't climb out of mine and knocked on the driver's side window of my mom's car. I opened the car door and she sighed. "What happened?" "A lot. I'll tell you inside. You wanna help me with this?" I handed her the thirty-pack and she grimaced. She knew where I had gotten it from. After giving my mom her bounty I broke down in my room and told her every little detail, down t