Alcohol

I put the glass containing my reason for being on the roadside curb in my stolen three day old pink party dress down on the sidewalk next to me. No more. I keep telling myself that I can stop it and that I can make my life better even though I know nothing could ever get better. Not ever. I need it. I grab the glass bottle of alcohol and drink more. And more. I don't stop until there's nothing left in it and I can't get anymore. I become so frustrated and stand up, clutching the bottle to my chest, and walk a block down the road. Not sure of what to find or what I'm looking for, I enter a gas station but leave after being literally thrown out because of my state. I stand up and realize there's no point in dusting myself off, so I throw my bottle onto the hot asphalt, sending glass shattering everywhere. I look around and bolt out of the parking lot as I see the large man who threw me out of the gas station come out of the building and start throwing things at me. I turn around and catch one of the bananas and loaves of bread thrown at me and then turn and run again.

I run for three blocks and then finally through a slim part of woods and out onto an abandoned train track surrounded by fields of tall grass. I walk to my makeshift home, a train cabin. I sit down and begin peeling the banana because I'm famished after not eating at all for three days. I was so hungry that I didn't even taste the stolen fruit as I shoveled it into my mouth and gulped it down.

"Hey! Where'd you get that?" a familiar voice called from outside of the cabin.

I grinned. Only my best friend could make me smile. He gave me food if I really needed it and blankets and showers when possible. James is my best friend and always has been. As kids, we came out to these train tracks along with Dylan, a boy in his class who died in a car crash three years ago. James and I had been inseparable then and now were as close to that as you could get in our town. He is two years older than me and always taking the protective manly role.

"The old man at the gas station a few blocks down threw it at me along with this thing of bread I just merely accepted his offer, "I slyly stated.

He motioned for me to move closer to him after he sat on the edge of the train with his legs hanging out and his feet over the ground. I stand up and proceed over to him and sit next to him, my black dirty converse reflected over a small pool of water in the gravel and dirt. I eat the last bite of my banana and then ask him what's troubling him. James looks at me and after a weak smile from him I question again only to be interrupted by the beginning of his explanation.

"Tomorrow's our birthdays," I nod. He and I have the same birth days only two years apart. He continues,"Well since I'm turning 18 my parents think we need to have a big celebration," he gulps and then goes on,"Well I gotta go up to my aunts place with my family. The one in Canada."

"What? No, no you can't go. I need you. How long are you gonna be gone?" I yell as I throw my banana peel into the tall grass and look into his big eyes that are like drops of pure chocolate in his face.

"A month..." he mummers.

"A month?! How am I supposed make it without dying?!!!" I demand.

"I'll make sure to leave something and besides I have somebody who can help you".

My eyes widen and my jaw drops. Nobody usually cares to meet me unless they don't know me. I look at him, dumbfounded, as he jumps out of the train and onto the muddy ground that's still wet from the previous night's rain. His once white tennis shoes slide a little turning them into a deeper brown. I smile as he offers me his hand and gently pulls me down on the damp gravel next to him after accepting it.

"Where are we going?" I softened.

"To meet him."

"Now? I look like crap!"

"It's alright I explained everything to him. He says he'll be good to you. I know he will too. It's fine. Just meet him alright?" he looks over at me as he grabs my hand to lead me to the mysterious helpful man.

I breathe in and out deeply and respond,"Okay. I'll meet him. What's his name?"

"Gavin Friday."

"Okay. Let's do this then," I nervously reply.

****

We walk up the local hangout restaurant for our town and I look around nervously. I look terrible. He walks in front of me and holds the door for me and follows me in after I enter.

"Lemme go to the bathroom, alright?" I say to James before I leave his hand hanging at his side.

With my head down and my eyes to the floor, I push open the door to the women's restroom. The girls already in the bathroom, applying makeup and such, screamed as I walked in. I eye their make up bags and hoping to have one of them leave theirs, I jump at them. For some odd reason that terrified them and they all ran, leaving hairbrushes full of blonde hair and make up scattered across the sink countertop.

"Five makeup bags to myself," I mutter to myself before looking in the mirror to see what I look like,"Wow... I'm going to need a lot of makeup for this. Blue eyes and black hair... hmmm... what color makeup?"

I decide on a deep tan foundation and spread it all over my face and then add some blush, hoping to cover up the bruises on my cheeks. Lifting my chin up, I take a good look at myself.

"Eh..." I murmur and continue applying the abandoned make up.

I add a sparkling shade of green eye shadow and a thick layer of mascara. As I reached into a bright pink bag for some lipstick, my fingers brushed against something. It was something I haven't felt for so long. Money. Straight cash. I pull it out and see that it's two ten dollar bills and my icy blue eyes widen. Not thinking about what would happen if I was caught, I quickly shoved to cash into my right shoe. A beautiful shade of pink is applied to my lips, completing my look. Except for the hair. I plow a green hair brush through my jet black hair, pulling out more hair than I should have. With my hair less tangled and my face looking better, I look at myself in the mirror.

"Okay. Just wash off the dirt on your dress and you should be fine," I say to myself under my breath.

Dampening paper towels under the cool refreshing water, I smile. I can look better now. I dab my dress and after several minutes of that, I give up. I get feed up and throw the make up all over the once clean bathroom.

"Fuck this shit!"

I walk out of the bathroom and see three big men harassing James. As I try to scream one comes up behind me and grabs me and puts his hand over my mouth. I bite him and I can taste blood rushing out if his hand and running down my chest.

"You little bitch! I should-" his threats were cut short as somebody laid a punch on his nose. The man who saved me repeatedly hit him until he was knocked out cold. The threatening man's, whom had just been knocked, posse stepped away from James and ran out the back door after one of them punched me in the stomach. The air was knocked out of me and I collapsed onto the cold tiles.

A hand reaches down to me and I look up and see that it's the one who knocked out the big man. I smile and take his hand. I don't trust people easily but it seems I already trust him. He lifts me up and almost throws me because of my weight.

"Who are you?" I question.

"Gavin. I'm Gavin Friday."