Adrenaline

⌊Prologue⌉

Dr. Andy,

The teachers are making us write letters for Mothers Day. I told Ms. Carol that I don't have a mom. She asked where my mom was but I don't know. So I told her I didn't know and she said I should write a letter to an important girl in my life. And, Andy, you know I don't know no important girl, so I am writing to you. Ms. Carol says that we have to write at least 3 paragraphs. 3! What am I even supposed to write about? I'm not really good at the whole thank you thing. Well, not making it 3 paragraphs.

But I made 2 friends! Just like you said I would. Their names are Alex and Blake. I don't know how to write Alex's last name, but Blake's last name is Black. He's Aaron Black's son! When we went outside, they asked me to play superhero with them. Blake acted like the villain and he kidnapped Alex so I had to save him.

You know, Andy, I kind of wish I had a mom and dad sometimes like the other kids. They don't understand why I don't have parents. They call me an orphan. Am I an orphan, Andy? Is that bad? I don't know what it means, but everyone says I'm one. Blake says there's a lot of orphans in Adelmir, but I didn't want to ask what an orphan is because I don't want to be the only person who doesn't know.

Rich :)

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Dr. Andy,

I'm not really liking this whole middle school camping trip thing. They've explained that it's a good learning experience, like, a hundred times, but I don't really see the point. What am I learning from tripping in mud and diving into water? I already know how to swim because you taught me. I don't get why it's mandatory. The elementary kids are apparently jealous that we get to go on a trip, but it's not as fun as it probably sounds for them. I can't believe we have to spend 5 days over here? If I faked being sick, do you think they would believe me and send me home?

Rich

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Dr. Andy,

I didn't expect my first day of high school to include a teacher telling us to write a letter to our families about what we're worried about for the next four years. I don't really think I'm worried about anything. Both Alex and Blake are here too, so it's not like I have to worry about making friends when I already got two good ones. And I already know that I want to go to college for mechanical engineering. I'm not worried about grades because I've always had pretty good grades. And there's no point in worrying about how teachers will like me because I'm already used to everyone saying that I'm too hyperactive or whatever and I can't really change that. And extracurriculars aren't really that bad either. I don't know if I even want to partake in any, but I might go into baseball because Alex is trying to convince me to so he won't be alone - Blake already said he absolutely would never do baseball.

Maybe I do have a bit of a worry though. I'm not looking forward to some people using the fact that I don't have parents to bully me or whatever it is they like to do. I guess people just get bullied for anything. But I also just have this, like, feeling in my stomach that something bad is going to happen while I'm in high school and I don't know what it could be. There's not too much that could go seriously wrong. But if things do start going off the proper path, you will tell me, right? Just so I can be prepared.

Rich

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Dr. Andy,

This sounds like a dumb question, but I don't really want to ask face-to-face in case someone hears. But is it normal for a friend to be overly obsessed with power? I mean, all of us want to win at some point or whatever, but I can't see it as healthy in any way to insist that one would go to the edges of the earth just to be in control of other people. And I don't think friends should be rudely bossing other friends around. Again, like I said, dumb question. But I'm a bit worried is all.

I've noticed Blake slowly growing more quiet and distant than he usually is. He apparently is at odds with his dad and he's mad at everyone about it. I don't know if he was repulsed by what I said, but I told him that in due time things would probably be just fine. He didn't explain why he was fighting with his dad, but he did mention how his dad didn't trust him enough to put him in his will as sovereign, but rather his younger brother. Honestly, I don't think it makes much sense either because Blake has always seemed so trustworthy, but he doesn't want to listen to me or Alex. It's been a lot of us just hanging out together and Blake randomly showing up without explanation of where he was. He seems to get mad when we talk to him or don't listen to him, which I just don't think is normal. Maybe it is and I just don't get it, but still. It just seems wrong.

Rich

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"Andy- I don't know why you didn't answer your phone, so you're probably busy, but I really got myself into trouble this time. If it's hard to hear me, I'm sorry, but... the cops may or may not be looking for me right now. I'm hiding in the abandoned apartment complex by the west district and I don't really know how long they are going to look for me until they find me or give up. I can't explain right now what happened... but it has to do with Blake. He did something. Something bad. And now I'm in trouble and Alex is god knows where. I'll explain later, but, hell, don't leave me here, please don't leave me here. I know I promised to stay out of trouble, but I swear to you that this isn't my fault-"