The Only Girl

Chapter 1

I hurriedly dragged the box of picture frames and other junk my mom decided to bring with us to the new apartment. Dropping it on the ground, I earned a shrill voice from my mom telling me to quit the attitude. Mom thinks that she is 16, and so every morning she tries to fit her not-so-slim body into a pair of skinny jeans and designer shirt meant for a 13-year-old. But on the other hand, I am wearing my usual ripped skinny jeans, high-top converse, band tee, and leather jacket that is almost to old to function. Everyone told me it looked really badass, so I wore it anyway. My gray beanie was tossed on the floor forgotten, so I scooped it up and tugged it on, heading outside.

"Hey, grab those two small boxes hun," my mom said as she stumbled past me, holding three boxes in one hand. Oh, did I forget to mention that she used to be into ladies' wrestling? Now she works for a cable company, but due to a problem that she has, she rarely works. That also brings me to the question of why we moved to the other side of Detroit. Mom suddenly got this great idea, and like all her other great ideas, it needed tons of money. But there was another important reason. So as usual, I am expected to buy my own dinner at QuickTrip.

"Hurry the fuck up, honey!" My mom says as she slams the door in my face. "Either help or off to the library with you. Nobody needs to turn out like me, stupid, muscular, and pregnant at 17."

You are probably wondering if you read that wrong. My mom had me at age 18, and my dad tried to stay for about two years. But Mom's crazy antics and horrible ideas drove him away. I'm still surprised it wasn't me, men normally leave because of kids. I'd like to say that I'm like everyone else, but I still get to deal with my awesome dad, so when I show up with a box labeled 'Dad', Mom doesn't question anything.

After we had finished unpacking, a red pick-up truck showed up. "Dad!" I shouted, jumping over boxes and running out the open door.

"Katrina Ollie Lassiter. How's my little Kit Kat?" Dad said as he engulfed me in a hug. My voice came muffled through his galaxy MCR shirt.

"Good!" I said.

"You know, now that you live across the city, I thought you might need a better way to get across to me. Lower the hatches, Albert!" Albert was his huge Saint Bernard without a leg that he found on the street. And since dad is practically a rocket scientist, Albert now has a cyborg leg (without the lasers of course) and a great eye for trouble.

Albert lowered a big crate off of the back of the truck and loosened the bolts with his screwdriver. Dad stepped forward and took off the top. A gleaming motorcycle stood there, black and beautiful. I was speechless. My dad ran his hand over it as my mom came outside to gape at it with us.

"How...how on earth did you get this? For me?" I barely got that out before Dad launched into explanation.

"An old coworker of mine had this and totaled it. So we got together and fixed it up. Now it's good as new!" He walked around to the front of the truck and pulled out a matching black helmet. "Safety first!" He said.

"Wow. Thanks dad," I said. "Now I'll just need to learn to ride it."

"Hop on," Dad said as he put on another helmet. "Let's go to the diner and get you a real dinner." He threw a pointed look toward my mom who shrugged and stalked inside.

***

With only two days until the second semester of junior year starting, Mom and I were busy unpacking and putting away. But I had to admit, my room was pretty cool.

My loft bed sat in the corner, my desk underneath it already stocked with my drawings and supplies. Each wall was dedicated to something different. One was covered in band posters of Black Veil Brides, Falling In Reverse, Sleeping With Sirens, and so many more. It took up my whole tape role. I had a second with shelves that held all of my skating trophies and medals. The third wall was plastered with drawings and canvases that I had drawn.

Mom and I got help unpacking from her best friend Lola, but it was awkward. Her son Ronnie and I broke it off before I moved and he had to go on tour with his band. We weren't going to try and fail with a long distance relationship.

While Mom and Lola were unpacking for the living room, I heard a knock on the door. I went to open it as the doorbell rang three times. Another knock sounded.

"Hold the fuck up!" I yelled, hoping they would hear me.

I pulled the door open to reveal two boys and an older man standing there.

The older guy started to speak, "Hello there! You seem to be our new neighbors. We've come to help you unpack," he paused, motioning towards the two boys behind him, "I'm Robert, this is Leonardo, and that boy back there," he pointed to the second boy who was leaning against the hallway wall with his earbuds in, "is Andy."

Leonardo stepped forward. "Hi, sorry, my dad is bad with nicknames. Call me Leo. And by the way, he's the only one who is gonna help. How about us three go back to my place to hang?"

"Sounds great! I need a break from, well, this," I pointed toward the mess of boxes in the apartment. Then I leaned into the house, where Leo's dad had disappeared moments before to help. "Mom I'm going to Leo's house! I'll see you later!" I grabbed my phone and keys.

"Oh, you won't need those. I live in the same complex," Leo said.

"Well, you know that black motorcycle in the lot?" I continued when he nodded. "That's mine. How would you like to take a ride?"

I laughed when his eyes went wide and he nodded. "You're way more badass than I though," he said. "C'mon Andy, we have a motorcycle to ride."

Andy slowly put his phone away as I got a good look at him. His arms were covered with tattoos, each one unique and meaningful. His black hair was gelled up into spikes, and he wore black jeans and combat boots. His muscles were taught and visible through his Ramones shirt.

Leo elbowed me back into reality and I looked up to Andy's face. He had a knowing look, and walked off down the hallway.

"Hurry up Kat, it's only a two-seater!"

I smiled and went after them. This might be okay after all.