Forever And Always

Chapter 1: What doesn't kill you makes you stronger...or they break your nose

"Okay, girls! Smile!"

"Mama, do we have to?" Phoebe Heyerdahl frowned as her mother was pushing her red bangs from the camera lens.

"Yes, pumpkin! I need to get a picture of my girls in here!" Reba Heyerdahl was far different than her daughter in the sense that she was wild and crazy whereas Phoebe was shy and reserved. "Phoebe, angel, come here real quick?" Phoebe slowly walked over towards her mother. "Your bun looks a bit tight."

Phoebe quickly moved her mother's hands away, tightening her hair even more causing it to look more like a dark donut on top of her head. "Mama, its fine."

Reba sighed, "Alright, sweetheart. Could you get the other girls?" Phoebe nodded obediently and turned to find her find her friends. The first she noticed was Helga Pataki, who was arguing with her father, Bob as usual.

"Look, Bob, I honestly could give two shits about your opinion of this."

"Listen here, little lady, you can't speak to me like that!"

"Funny," Helga narrowed her grey eyes at Bob's matching pair, "I believe I just did." She turned to walk away and Bob grabbed her wrist.

"You can't just walk off, Olga!"

"Actually," she pulled her wrist out, a loud popping sound came, "I can. And for the last fucking time, My. Name. Is. HELGA!"

"Helga!" Bob called after her unsuccessfully as Helga stomped off, disappearing in the crowd. Phoebe silently followed after her, knowing that this would not end well. She found Helga leaning against a large white oak tree on their school campus, smoking a Marlboro.

"Hey, Helga."

"Hey, Pheebs." She looked up at Phoebe and blew some smoke from her cherry frosted lips, "Whatcha doing over here?"

"I do believe the real question is what are you doing with this?" Phoebe asked as she plucked the cigarette from between her best friend's fingers and smashing the cigarette under her sandal. "I thought you said you quit?!"

"I did. I'm just a social/emotionally unstable smoker."

"Helga," she held out her palm and stared up to meet Helga's eyes, "hand me the cigarettes." She rolled her eyes and reluctantly handed the two packs over. Phoebe threw them in the garbage. "Come on," she laced her arm through Helga's, "let's go. My mama wants us to get our picture taken."

"Mama Reba?!" Helga's eyes instantly lit up, "Alright, let's go!" As the girls walked away, they noticed their friend, Lila Sawyer with her father.                                                              

                                                                                                    *

"I am so, so, so proud of you, baby girl!" Ryan Sawyer smiled wide as he hugged his petite daughter. Lila gave a small smile.

"Thank you, Daddy."

"Is there anything you want for a graduation present?" Ryan's smile beamed, causing Lila to feel instant guilt. She had yet to tell her father of her pregnancy...and how it happened. She had always told him everything that had happened in her life...but how could she even begin to explain this? "What's wrong, sugar cube?"

Lila blinked, "W-what?"

"I lost ya for a moment there." He chuckled and kissed his daughter's forehead, "Oh, hey! There's Helga and Phoebe!"