Slipping Away

Chapter 1: Happy Early Birthday!

Bzzt-bzzt

I lifted my head up and looked at my digital clock next to my bed. It read 2:43 in the morning. I picked up my phone and looked at the caller ID. Eileen.

"I wasn't sleeping or anything..." I said answering my phone groggily.

"Girl you need to get out more!" Eileen kind of yelled at me.

"Well sorry that I'm not the party type like you. What's up?" I asked sitting up in bed and turning my bedside lamp on.

"You're sneaking out tonight! Look out your window..."

I got up and looked out my window. Sure enough, Eileen was standing on my front lawn waving at me like a maniac.

"Why Eileen?" I whined into the phone.

"Trust me, Andrea!" She squealed.

"Last time I did that, I got grounded for 2 weeks. You have any idea what my parents will do if they catch me again?"

"Just put on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. I'll be waiting on your front steps." And with that ending, she hung up before I could decline.

So I got out of bed and heading over to my dresser. I pulled out my baggy black sweats with pockets and slid them on. I opened the top drawer of my dresser and pulled out my neon green t-shirt. It was one of my favorites. I checked my phone for the weather and it currently read 76 degrees. I wouldn't need a sweatshirt.

Before I snuck out of my room, I put some blankets and pillows under my covers to make it look like I was sleeping. Then I quietly opened my door, stepped into the hallway, and slowly shut my door. I looked down the hall at my parents bedroom door. It was shut. And on that note, I snuck downstairs.

I went into the kitchen and grabbed a can of lemonade. I drank it quickly and then placed it in the recycle bin. I made sure I was quiet when I was in the kitchen since my parents room is right above it. I disabled the alarm for the house so I could sneak out. I put on flip-flops and then walked out the door into the garage. If I went out the front door, my parents would've heard me shut it. With the door going into the garage, all I had to do was go out the regular door next to the garage. No noise required.

As I shut the door next to the garage, I looked to the front of my house and sure enough, Eileen was sitting on the front steps like she said she was going to. I walked over and kicked some dirt at her.

"Someone's in a mood!" She growled.

"It's 2:50 in the morning I said looking at my phone! Give me one reason why I shouldn't be in a mood. I should be sleeping right now!" I commented back.

Eileen got up, grabbed my arm, and started running down the street with me.

"At least tell me where we are going..." I said about 3 blocks away from my house.

"Oh Andrea. Why don't you trust me?" Eileen said kind of sarcastically.

"I just like to know where I'm going."

"It's a surprise. That's the only thing I'm telling you."

"What are you doing out this late on a Monday night in July?"

"My mom went off to another party and never came home. Which implies that I can do what I want."

"Eileen, I've told you, you can have the guest bedroom in our house so you can stop dealing with your mom. For crying out loud she's a drug addict, abuses alcohol, and doesn't raise you right. My parents love you like their own. They want to see you succeed."