Thank You...Forever

CHAPTER 1

JUNE 26, 1990

"C'mon Zoe." Sam was frustrated, she was pulling Zoe off the ground once again. Theresa was a full block ahead of them, she wasn't paying any attention to her two friends, she was singing, and she seemed to have gotten lost in a song. They were all drunk, which was ok since today they all graduated from high school. Zoe was more than drunk; she was footless, and Sam could not hold her up anymore. Theresa finally turned around to see what was keeping them so far behind.

"What the hell did she drink?" Theresa yelled.

"I think she said Daniel gave her Brandy." Sam grunted as she was trying to steady Zoe on her feet.

"He loves me, you know, and I love him too." Zoe said, dead weight and with a big smile, Sam winced at the smell of her breath. Theresa ran back to them to help, and they each took a side to hold her up.

Zoe was walking steady now, leaning on her friends. She was mumbling about how much Daniel loves her and how much she loves him.

"Yeah, Yeah, we heard all about it." Sam said.

Zoe ignored her friend's comment and began to sing. "You don't compare to being blue."

Sam and Theresa looked at each other and laughed.

"What the hell is she singing?" Sam asked.

"I don't know, but it sounds familiar."

"Oh, I know, I think she's trying to sing Sinead O'Connor. Oh my God she is way off."

They were laughing so hard that they almost lost their grip on Zoe, and she almost fell on the ground. Now she was laughing too, but she had no idea why.

After they got a hold on Zoe again, Theresa leaned over to speak with Sam. "I guess you should all just crash at my house, we can't bring her home like this."

"Oh, stop it, my dad doesn't care, I promise you he doesn't care." Zoe slurred.

It was late, but the streets were not absent of people passing by them and staring. Some smiled as they passed, but an older couple shook their heads in disappointment at the sight of the three drunken teenagers.

"No, I want you guys to stay at my house anyway, Amanda told me earlier that mom was drunk all night, so she is sleeping, and nothing will wake her up. "I also do not want this night to end."

"It really was a great night." Sam agreed. "I know you had a great time Zoe, right?"

"What?" "When?"

"Never mind."

"Sit her down Sam, I need to throw something at my sister's window so she can let us in."

Theresa and Amanda's mother never let them have keys, she told her daughters that this was her house, and they will never come and go as they please. She usually didn't pay much attention, but there was the rare occasion when she would wake up sober and she would play the part of mother of the year. They relied on each other to get through horrible days with their miserable, drunken, and troubled mother. Theresa was 17 and Amanda was only 12, but they were as close as any sisters can get.

One rock hitting the window got Amanda's attention, she would always sit up and wait for her big sister when she was out anyway. She ran down the stairs and pulled open the door, she was sleepy eyed and smiling and Theresa and Sam, both gave her a hug. Meanwhile, Zoe must have found her feet and went behind a parked car to pee.

"You guys' stink." Amanda said, curling her nose. "Where is Zoe?"

Theresa pointed, "She's behind that car, I think she fell asleep over there."