Never To Keep

Chapter 1

I woke up happy and ready to start the day for once. It was probably the first and would be last day of putting makeup on making an effort to look good since I've been here. I curled my naturally straight stomach-length brown hair back out of my face and put on some makeup. I dug through the bottom of my closet for a frilly skirt and tank top. Today's the day I can't start my life again.

I can't believe it's been year since I left California. A year since my parent's divorce was final. A year since I cut off any ties I had left with Creighton. Today was the last day of my junior year and even though I slept my way through it I intended on having one good day here. Only being here a year I've made friends with everyone in the school considering there's only thirty kids per grade. 

I smiled at the tear-stained faces of girls saying they'll miss me and the boys who have become good friends hug me. My usual skinny jeans and hoodie style that I fashioned for my 'miserable' time being here was hidden behind the short skirt I was wearing getting double takes in the hallway. I couldn't care less because tonight I'd be on a plane home.

When the day ended I said goodbye to everyone and said i'd see them next summer even though i hoped that wasn't true. When I said my goodbye's to my father and his family at the airport it didn't last longer than five minutes before i was sprinting towards my way home. 

My father was a decent man, not a very affecionate one, but good. We use to be closer till he cheated on my mom last year with a girl not even seven years older than me. They are married now moving back to where she's from, bringing me, and now eighteen month old Harmony with them. I was glad that the chains that family had on me were unlocked. 

Now I could go home to my mother and her hetic business schedule. I could go home to chinese take out suppers and parties every weekend. I could go back to surfing and shopping till the suns gone and seeing all my friends. I could go back and finish what i started on the maze of a boy.

When the plane landed at LAX I sprinted through the airport with only my carry-on as my luggage and into the nearest taxi. My mom would have been here but she had work, as usual, but this made me smile getting back into my usual routine. 

The taxi took me to my mom's condo in West Hollywood. The small two bed, two bath condo was good enough for the three of us until dad didn't want that lifestyle anymore. I let myself in still having a key and went to my room. 

It hadn't changed at all with one wall purple and pink chevron, one purple, one pink, and one chalkboard walls, It's dark brown wood floors, and my polka dot bedding that resembled the colors of my walls. All my pictures from my old polaroid camera made a collage on the wall. My quote book still opened on a blank page.

I didn't take anything from here with me. Trying to prove a point to my dad I'd be back, of course, it took a little longer than I wanted but I made it back. I pulled out my macbook and there were three emails. One, from my mom, saying that she'd be home sometime tomorrow night and she was staying at Mike's house. Who's Mike? Two, from Lindsey, a girl in Iowa who said she'd be out here towards the end of summer and we need to catch up. Three, from Kellan, giving me the address to where the party was tonight.

The party started at ten and it was a quarter to nine now. I straightened my already straight hair to give in a more edgy look, darkening the eyeliner around my eyes, and pully on khaki colored cargo skinnies and a muscle tee. I slipped on my biker boots before racing out to the street. With LA traffic and this party being in Toluca Lake I wanted to leave as early as possible. 

When the stubborn taxi man was paid off I made my way up the steps of a huge lake house. It was in the richest part of this neighborhood over looking the lake. The party had already started as you could hear the music and see the crowd of people swarming the place. This made me smiled as they didn't have parties like this back in Iowa.