Through Thick & Thin

Prologue

It was the middle of May and a perfect day for the grill. The birds were out and the sun was shining brightly down on the three high school graduates who were helping set up for the graduation barbeque that was to take place later on that evening, getting ready to head to their favorite spot. "Don't be out too long you three, everyone is expected to be coming by the house at 5", exclaimed Mrs. Turner as Michael and Michelle, fraternal twins, and Jason started walking towards the fence gate. "Great! That means we have until six to be back," Michael teased. Mrs. Turner gave Michael a look that meant she wasn't joking and she meant what she said. "I'm kidding mom, we won't be late. In fact we'll even be back early," replied Michael to his mother, with a smile so wide across his face, his mother couldn't resist but to smile back. "Don't make promises you can't keep bro," said Jason with a coy smile as he patted Michael on the shoulder, nodding in the direction of Reyanna, Michael's girlfriend, who was just coming through the fence gate herself. Reyanna, and Michael had been talking off and on since last summer, but never wanted to risk their friendship by dating. After finding out about how Trevor, a friend of Michael's, got into a car crash the day before he was going to ask Reyanna's friend to prom, and to be his girlfriend, they both realized how short and precious life was and decided to give it a try, and for the past 8 months the two had been inseparable. Michael looked over at Reyanna, who was talking to his sister Michelle. Reyanna was about 5'5" with long, dark brown hair and reddish-brown skin. She had decided to wear a short orange and white romper, with black-and-gold wedged sandals instead of shorts and a crop top, since all the parents were going to be at the barbecue. Michael loved how it clung in all the right places, accentuating her curves. It was the perfect combination of sexy but classy, and Reyanna knew that she would definitely get Michael's approval, as well as Mrs. Turner.

" Hi Mrs. Turner," Reyanna said with a smile and a wave. Mrs. Turner gave Reyanna a warm smile as she replied, "Hello Reyanna. You kids be safe today, and remember the food will be served at 5:30 sharp." "Yes ma'am, we'll be back in time," she said with a smile. Reyanne glanced in the direction of Michaels' gaze and instantly gave a shy smile as she tucked her hair behind her ear. Reyanna had known Michelle and Michael since the fourth grade and they had always been super close and the best of friends. She always thought Michael was kind of cute, but it was always in a little kid sense. But after he came back from baseball camp summer of junior year, she instantly saw that the "little boy" looks were no more, and before her stood a stunning and sexy young man. He was no longer the scrawny little ninth grader with superman glasses she had known all those years, but before her stood a six-foot, hunk! She had expected him to come back and look different but for Michael it was a complete transformation. She saw him standing there with his family, wearing a rusty-orange button-downed shirt with fitted jeans. The color of the shirt popped nicely against his yellowish-brown skin, with his slim body and toned muscled arms! The first time she hugged him when he got back, she didn't want to let go, and like her he had decided to ditch the glasses and get contacts so he didn't have to deal with them during the games. She always knew he had nice eyes, but without the glasses she was able to get a better look and saw just how beautiful and brown his hazel eyes were. He was handsome, and that along with his great personality had her hooked ever since.

"Umm Earth to Reyanna, hello," said Michelle laughing as she waved her hand in front of Reyanna's face. "Hmm what," said Reyanna as she snapped back from her memory. "I was saying we should get in the car so we can get their before rush hour hits. You know Atlanta traffic is nothing to play with," said Michelle as she entered the passenger side. "Oh right, I'm sorry," said Reyanna as they walked through the fence gat and towards the driveway. She got in the driver's side of her 2015 Dodge Charger, sapphire blue with a black racing stripe down the middle. The car was a graduation present from her parents for making Cum Lade and getting a full-ride Track Scholarship to Brown University. She had been running track since the second grade, and she was proud to see that all her hard work and training had paid off, especially when she got behind the wheel of her new baby. Reyanna cranked up the car, put it in gear, and followed the others to get onto I-285 to head to their favorite spot.