Fight

Prologue

[Prologue]

*Matthew*

June 2, 2006

"Danny's throwing a party tonight at his parents lake house." Sam, my best friend says. He leans against the hood of my 1985 Chevy Camaro, a cigarette propped between his lips. He takes a drag before he pulls it out, holding it with his forefinger and thumb. He blows out a puff of smoke. I watch as it evaporates into the night air, as I lift my own cancer stick.

I suck in, feeling the stress instantly vanish as the nicotine settle within my lungs. I know how bad it is to smoke, especially since I am only fifteen years old and a sophomore in high school. But I have been stressed with my family struggling to maintain money and jumping through apartments. No job will hire me, since I am not sixteen, so I can't seem to help provide money.

I breathe out a puff of smoke and cross my arms, my leather jacket hanging loose on my shoulders. The air is cool tonight. June is typically warm in Sandwich, Illinois. But today, we had a random cold front.

"Well, I guess we have to go. It must have started already." I say, looking at my Blackberry to see that the time is only 8:23.

Sam lets out a throaty chuckle as he tilts his head back, taking another drag as he looks up at the stars.

I have always enjoyed seeing the stars every night, one of the perks of living in the country. When you live in the suburbs, light pollution makes it nearly impossible to even see the North Star.

"Danny is a bitch. But he throws killer parties."

Daniel Winchester is the football quarterback of Somonauk High School. We used to be best friends when we were younger, however our paths split. He joined the football team, and I took to cigarettes and alcohol.

Being an athlete, Danny stays away from all the bad influences of our generation. However, that doesn't mean he doesn't throw a massive party during the summer. During the summer, Danny always goes off the deep end, to make up for lost time during the school year.

"Alright. Let's go." I throw my cigarette onto the street and snuff it out with the toe of my shoe. I walk over to the driver's seat and buckle in.

I don't have my driver's license. I just got my permit a few weeks ago, taking Driver's Ed class during the summer. My parents gave me their old car, mostly so they don't have to drive me to and from school. They spend nearly every waking hour work at low waged jobs, they don't have time to drive me around.

That doesn't mean I'm not close to them.

My father, I am particularly close to. We enjoy fixing up old cars together, collecting old engines and bringing them to life again. We would spend hours in the garage, bonding under the hood of Mustangs and Camaros.

I have a very cordial relationship with my mother. I love her, for the fact that she is my mother. She loves me because I am her son. We never step out of our ways to make conversations with each other or buy spontaneous gifts. Just the typical Christmas and birthday are all we ever indulge with one another.

Sam is typing away on his phone, causing me to risk a peek over at him. "Is that the girl you've been talking about?"

Sam smiles down at the screen, not even flickering his eyes away. Hmph, if you ask me, this man is totally whipped.

"Yeah. Met her at the Yorkville/Somonauk football game last semester. I invited her to the party, but she can't make it. Something about driving her little sister home from a failed sleepover." Sam shrugs and the conversation falls to a close.