After 17

Chapter 1- Now 17

Yesterday I turned 17! It was everything I wanted. I became more popular, I have more friends, and I have a boyfriend that's better than I could've imagined. I've known him and some of my friends for a while, and they've gotten even better ever since I turned 17. But something seems off...like something is gonna happen but I just...don't know what. It's something that won't go away! And it wasn't like always where I just thought the worst. Because once its hands strangled my thoughts in its strong hold, it didn't let go.

As always, I'll just ignore it. It'll go away...eventually.

The light passes through the car doors window, as I step out of the car and onto the school grounds. As usual, I passed through the halls being flooded by compliments, showered in gifts, but there was one glare from across the hall...that I had never seen before. She was staring at me like I had done something to her. Like I had done something to harm her. And I knew nothing about her...As first period started to begin I saw the best boy I've ever met, Jack Brown. I was almost completely focused on him, but from the back of the class I saw the girl staring at me! Again! As the teacher told us to sit down and started to call role, I learned her name, Vivianna Lawson, and still didn't know who she was. Maybe she just had a bad day or has a resting angry face. But she was looking directly at me for the whole class. She looked like she had a problem with me, but I'll just ignore it. It's nothing for me to get a bad grade over. As class ends and the bell rings, I start to stand up to get to the door. But I can't stop looking at the girl...what was her problem with me? And why did I not have a problem with her?

***

The whole day passed without her stopping her glare. Whenever she saw me, she wasn't happy even if a few minutes ago she was super happy. Whatever her problem was...I didn't have anything to do with it. As I started to glare back and roll my eyes at her(I think that was the appropriate response to someone literally death staring at you the whole time...but she sure wasn't happy that I did it), my mom started to call. I was going to miss the call and just call her back but I decided that I should answer anyway because something didn't feel right. "Hello?" I started to get annoyed at the silence but eventually she started to talk. "Hello, Brooke! Is Jack driving you straight home? Your dad's coming back from his business trip today and we have important news to tell you." My smile started to get bright at the thought of seeing my dad, especially since I haven't seen him in a few weeks. But it got dimmer as I told my mom the truth. "Mom, me and Jack have to go to a party tonight but I'll cancel if-"

"No! Go to the party. He's staying until tommorrow night so we'll tell you then." My mom said with an insisting voice. I started to shake at the curiosity of what they had to tell me, maybe they were taking me to Florida for Winter break, or buying a new house. "Are you sure? You said that it was important!"

My mom began to talk quietly, it wasn't like a whisper, but it was very soft. "No. Go have fun. Just text me when you get there. And when you're coming home" I started to get suspicious but I kept my mouth shut, said goodbye, and hung up. As I started to walk to Jack's car, and as he gave me a kiss, Vivianna's stare got worse and it started to track me wherever I went.

As me and Jack pulled up to the party, I was pleased to see the Vivianna wasn't here. But the bad feeling I had earlier was. I started to get uncomfortable at the party, especially since Jack started to drink...and he had to drive us home. I got up and went to the bathroom wondering how I would leave the party since Jack treats his car like his child and won't let me even sit in the front seat. As I left the bathroom, there was no Jack. There was a unoccupied seat where he used to be and it was to many people for me to see him among the crowd. I rushed to the kitchen to find my best friends, Alissa and Allison Crawford, drinking out of a bottle of beer. "Alissa! Allison! You two have to drive home!"

Alissa started to trip over her sister, and put her cup onto the kitchen counter. "No we...don't. Our mom is coming to pick us up...she knew that we'd be drinking!" I started to take the beer away from Allison as Alissa finished talking and put it in the trash can next to her. "Can she take me home? Jack started drinking and he was my ride...speaking of Jack, do you know where he is?" Allison started to throw up in the trash can and when she gained her composure, she replied, " He went upstairs with that girl from first period, umm Vivianna! He was asking something about rooms."

My heart started to pound in my chest. As soon as I heard Allison mention Vivianna I started running upstairs pounding on the master bedroom door. When we finally got the key, and unlocked the door, all I could feel was heartbreak. I saw Jack and Vivianna making out on the bedroom floor.

Then I felt rage for the first time, Vivianna smiled at me...

She found happiness in my despair...

I pushed through Allison and Alissa, ran through the houses front door, and started punching Jack's car. I started to run home, crying and screaming as I called my mom to pick me up.

As soon as I got home I saw my dad, and that was the only thing that brought me joy!

"Dad! You're back!" My mom glared at him with the same glare as Vivianna looking at me, and my bad feeling inside was pounding. "He's not here for long." My mom said with an eyeroll. "I thought you were staying until tommorrow..." My dad started to stare at me intensely, like he was about to cry but he was trying to stay firm. "Well, I had a change of plans...me and your mother have to tell you something important..." I started to get scared. My heart was going from 95 miles per hour to 105 and I could hardly breathe.

"I'm moving to California and me and your mom our getting divorced."

***

I was officially, mentally broken...

As soon as he spoke those words, I bolted out of our house. WHY WAS EVERYTHING GOING WRONG? I had a dad and a mom that loved each other but not anymore, I had a boyfriend who seemed perfect but that was only on paper, I had a home that wasn't broken in half, and I was happy when it was the same! When nothing changed! I wish I could go back to normal! And even though everything that could ever go wrong has happened that bad feeling hasn't gone away! WHAT COULD BE WORSE? Everything was good before now, before the party, before Vivianna, and before 17!

...But little did I know that while I was walking down the road drowning in tears, my bad feeling was hurdling towards me, going 75 miles per hour. And it hit me dead on...