It only takes a moment for everything to change. One split second, and nothing will ever be the same again.
Lana Brooks, a high school senior, will learn how far she can push her friends and family to the breaking point after she gets into the bad c...
"Fine, Lana. But don't come crying to me when you don't have anyone left."
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❀ Monday-Lana's POV - It all began during lunch period at school. To be exact, I was sitting outside in The Garden at a picnic table with Shannon, Eric, and Adam.
It was a Senior privilege to eat in The Garden, and wasn't taken lightly. Just another tradition at PHHS.
"You did not take your dad's car while he was gone! That Ferrari is his baby, Shan!" I exclaimed.
"Wouldn't stop me from taking it, though. I always do crazy stuff when my parents leave. It's, like, a right of passage." Shannon rolled her eyes.
"Bad girl!" I scolded. Although, I knew Shannon's personality. Reckless but responsible.
"My parents won't be here for the whole weekend. I was thinking we should do something crazy. Like, throw a megahuge party."
"I'm up for a party. I always am." Adam laughed, eating a handful of his organic popcorn.
"Me too. But I have a golf tournament in Cincinnati on Sunday, so It'll have to be Friday or Saturday." Eric chimed in.
We all started to make party plans, like getting BW3s to cater, and setting up Shannon's super expensive karaoke machine, when two girls walked up to our table. I didn't know them personally, I only recognized them from around the hallways.
"Hi! My name is Cara, and I'm a Sophomore." The short brunette said, enthusiastically.
"My name is Amber, and I'm a Junior." She had short, curly blonde hair.
The both smiled gleefully at me. "Remember me, from the Murder Mystery? You wouldn't remember Amber, though. She just transferred this year," Cara giggled.
"Excuse me, but aren't you supposed to be inside the cafeteria? The Garden is for Seniors only," Adam sassed. He was the Student Council President, and he didn't take rules lightly.
"I'm sorry, I just wanted to know if you wanted to meet at Starbucks some time. You know, maybe trade theatre stories? I really admire your work." Cara smiled.
"Wow, thanks! Of course, I'd love to." I blushed, pulling out a pen and scribbling my number down on a napkin.
They left, jumping up and down, giggling like I was some kind of celebrity.
"They make me feel uneasy. I don't trust 'em," Eric said.
"Well, I didn't want to be rude to them. They'll probably lose my number or something. Honestly, I didn't even recognize Cara, and I did the Murder Mystery with her. I suppose it's because last year, she was a freshman." I added.
"Yeah, Freshmen usually travel in packs," Shannon chimed in, making us all laugh. - Thursday Evening - I sat in my room, talking to Jordana on my brand new, bright and shiny iPhone 7!
"Jord, listen! It's only for one dinner! I'm not signing a best friend contract or anything!"
Shannon must've told Jordana about Cara and Amber being my new fangirls, because she was trying to get me not to hang out with them. Apparently, because the two girls had tried out for choir and made it after a few kids switched schools, that made them stalkers.
"Fine, Lana! If Shannon and I can't talk some sense into you, maybe Eric or Adam can." Jordana huffed.
I hung up, reaching into my closet and grabbing some jeans and a navy blue t-shirt that said, 'the ocean made me salty,' that I probably got on one of my trips to Cancún, Mexico.
My mom and older sister were out shopping together, and my dad was at work, so I grabbed my sister's keys and headed out the door. Although I didn't mind driving her blue Jeep Grand Cherokee, I couldn't wait to get my own car, hopefully, at the very least, for graduation.
After dinner It was 8:00 when I got home, and still, my family was nowhere to be found.
I reluctantly marched up to my room, pulled my hair into a high ponytail, and put on my PHHS Panthers sweatpants and a Phillies t-shirt. I had started to do homework at my desk when I heard my doorbell ring.
"That's a little weird," I thought. But maybe one of my family members forget their house key.
I walked down my descending staircase to see none other than Eric standing outside my door. I swung the door open. "I wasn't expecting any visitors tonight. What's up?" Just like Shannon and Adam, Eric lived on my block, less than a mile from school.
"Hey, Lana. Are your parents home?"
"Nope. You look a little cold, would you like to come in?" I responded.
"Sure, thank you. It doesn't feel like exams are less than two weeks away, though the low temperatures may be affecting my brain cells." He said, stepping inside.
In the light, I got a closer look at him. His usually gelled, dirty-blonde hair was wet and shaggy. He wore blue jeans paired with a PHHS Varsity Golfing t-shirt.
"You can set your boots here," I motioned to a shoe mat next to my door. "Do you want anything to drink?"
"I'll take some water, if you have it." He requested.
"Of course we have water, Eric. I'll go grab a glass and meet you in the living room. It's right through there." I pointed to my living room, which was between the two descending staircases leading from the balcony upstairs.
I grabbed two glasses of water and brought them into my living room, setting them on my glass table between two grand red couches. Eric sat on the opposite side from me.
"So, what's up?" I asked. I knew Eric must've come for something important.
"Actually, today I spoke with Jordana, Shannon, and Adam. They voiced their concerns with you hanging out with Cara and Amber. I came to tell you that I'm worried about them, too. Just today, they showed up in my Advanced Robotics Club. Two months after the club started. Jordana also told me that they switched into choir over halfway into the semester. You can't tell me there's nothing odd about that." Eric said.
"I hung out with them this evening, and they seemed pretty decent. I don't get what all the fuss is about," I huffed. I was tired of people telling me what to do.
"Lana, Cara is close friends with Haley Walker. Austin's younger sister. Ryder's even seen Amber hang around in the smoking alley with the Walkers, too. Doing stuff they really shouldn't be doing. We're your friends. We are just concerned about you getting in with the wrong crowd." He pleaded.
I was about to respond, but my phone dinged with a text. "Party at my place, this Friday at 10pm. b there or b square!!!" It was from Amber.
"Look Eric, you should go. I'm not interested in hearing you preach about how 'bad' Cara and Amber are. If I want to hang out with them, that's my choice." I argued.
"Fine, Lana. But don't come crying to me when you don't have anyone left." He yelled, jumping up from the couch and running out my door, slamming it behind him.
