Night Changes

Chapter 16- Belle

Adam was all the buzz at school on Monday. Ever since Scarlett's father had sold the car, Adam had been giving her rides to school.  The pair had walked in side by side, only to be separated by the student body. A hoard of girls had rushed him as soon as he had stepped foot in the building. They had mercilessly shoved Scarlett out of the way to get to him. The leader of the group, Avery, had her hand clasped on his arm.

"Oh you poor thing! That rat of a boy from Morrisville needs to learn some manners," she said, planting a sticky kiss on his cheek. Avery's eyes landed on Scarlett and she smirked evilly. Scarlett was so close to pounding her skull in, but Devin had managed to get to her in time. So there was no fight that day. What a bore.

The whole week proceeded in such a manner. Every day Adam and Scarlett would try their very best to stick together, but were pulled apart by a bunch of slutty girls who wanted in Adam's pants.

Later on that weekend Adam had texted her to meet him at the hill, and she jumped at the chance. She had jumped off of her seat at the couch and pulled on her shoes.

"And where do you think you're going?" Her father asked from the kitchen. He came out and leaned against the doorframe with a beer in his hand. 

"I'm going out," she replied in a monotone voice. She shrugged on her jacket and started towards the door.

"I don't think so, young lady. You are staying right here," he father demanded. Scarlett looked at him over her shoulder and scoffed.

"Stop trying to play parent, Dad. You're just making a fool of yourself," she snapped and paraded out the door. She sprinted out to the backyard and through the trail that led to their hill.

"What took you so long?" Adam had asked once she came running up beside him.

"My dad," she panted, "he tried to play parent again. Told me to stay home, what a joke." Scarlett sat down in the grass and sighed. Adam sat down beside her.

"Maybe he's finally realizing that he's screwed up. Maybe he's trying to fix it," Adam suggested. Scarlett rolled her eyes.

"No way. If he really wanted to fix things he would've done it a long time ago. Besides, it's a little late now to try to make amends, don't you think?" Scarlett said. Adam was silent in reply. Scarlett huffed and pulled out a cigarette. She quickly lit it and took a deep, nicotine filled breath.

"Let me try one," Adam said after a moment's silence. Scarlett brought the cancer stick to her lips once again and took another drag.

"You mean a cigarette?" She asked warily. Adam simply nodded in reply. Scarlett raised a brow but lit a new one anyway. She handed it to him. Adam examined it carefully before putting the butt between his lips. He inhaled, and immediately started to cough and sputter. Scarlett giggled at him as he tossed it into the stream.

"That is nasty. How do you do that? It felt like I was going to choke to death!" Adam said, exasperated. Scarlett just shrugged.

"I don't know, I guess I just got used to it after a while. Now I can't go without them," she said dully. The late February air blew through the hill. The midday sun beat down on the pair, warming their skin.

"So are you going to Devin's party on the 27th?" Scarlett asked. Adam shrugged.

"I don't know. I haven't been to a party since I was in LA. Besides, I don't even know Devin that well," Adam said.

"I'm not sure either. I mean, who wants to be the sober girl at a party? Sounds like a terrible time to me," Scarlett laughed. Adam smiled and nodded. He knew how important her sobriety was to her. He was so proud of her for staying away from the drugs and the booze. He had watched as a healthy glow began to form around her with each sober day.