Revealing The Truth

Chapter One

My red-headed best friend Soleil and I walked onto our high school campus, me with an overwhelming feeling of dread and despair knowing I did not get enough sleep last night. I was at work until eleven, then up doing homework until three-thirty. If I could skip school and sleep I would, but I’m taking four AP (Advanced Placement) classes and I’m the Editor-In-Chief of the school paper, so I cannot afford an absence this early in the school year. I’ve never been one to miss a lot of school. I thank the Universe for Java Monster and Five Hour Energy because without those, I’d be a dead girl walking. I feel like one!

Soleil shoved my shoulder, almost knocking me over. “Did you hear anything I said?”

I gave her a dirty look. “No. I’m half-asleep still. What happened last night?”

“I got grounded for a week!”

I ran my hand through my mid-length blonde hair. She told me all this over text last night, but I’ll listen to it again in person. “What happened?”

“Jacob and I went to the movies and out to dinner. When we were leaving, we got stuck in traffic behind an accident, so I was late. Dad said we should have left sooner like we were going to know about an accident. How lame is that?”

“That is really lame. I’m sorry.”

“Next time, I’ll have to take pictures of the accident.”

“That’s some shit my dad would make me do, not your dad.”

Soleil shrugged. “He was in a bad mood last night, and my missing curfew didn’t help.”

“I guess. My dad is always mad. I get he had it all and lost it all, but damn, there’s a point where you have to move on.”

“You’re right. You only have to put up with it for three months. I have eleven months before I’m eighteen.”

“It’ll fly by.”

“I’m going to meet Jacob at breakfast.”

“I’ll walk with you.”

Soleil nodded and we headed for the cafeteria. Normally, we don’t get to school this early but when Dad woke me up by slamming the front door at five-thirty I decided to get up and get ready, using more makeup than usual to hide my lack of sleep.

Soleil spotted Jacob and took off. They’re coming up on their one-year anniversary and I’m happy for them. I am currently single. Nate and I broke up two weeks ago and I’m in no rush to get in a new relationship. He was complaining how we never get to spend time together, but I can’t help that my schedule changed and became hell. You think he would value the time we did have together but instead, he left and I haven’t spoken to him since.

I put on a front at school, but my home life is a mess. I live in a two-bedroom, fourth floor, run-down apartment with my father. He used to be a big shot insurance agent but lost it all seven months ago in February. The only job he could find was part-time at Wal-Mart and started relying on me to help with bills. My job, Red Lobster, started working me more and since July I’ve been working full time and then some. If I could move out at seventeen, I would. But thanks to the law, I have to wait until I’m eighteen in December.

I found a quiet place to sit and sank to the floor. I don’t have the energy to hunt down my friends. Instead, I took out my AP Spanish book and started reading over the chapter.

“I can’t do this anymore! I really can’t!”

My ears perked up. I know that sweet voice. That sweet voice is in distress. I looked up and saw my crush Casey and his current girlfriend Shannon arguing in front of me on the other side of the patio.