Slipped Away

Part 56

July 24

I saw the doctor today and he said I'm starting to look better and that I even gained some weight. The dark circles are almost gone and my strength is coming back.
I'm eating and drinking lots of fluids so it's good that it's showing. I also had my first meeting and I met a lot kids just like me that ran away for similar reasons.
One girl ran away for a whole year because her parents beat her constantly. She is 12 and I wanted to cry listening to her story. She's in foster care now and her adoptive parents are supporting her and being loving. A boy tried to kill himself because he couldn't take being molested by his father and his friends every night
so he turned to drugs and almost succeeded in his suicide attempts. I heard so many sad stories and my heart really went out to these kids. Everybody is really
supportive of each other. Ginger calls almost every day to see how I am doing and it's so good to hear her voice after not hearing it for so long. She's been a real friend and I appreciate it and I told her so.

July 25

I've received some sad news today. Ginger came over and told me that Lou has died of an overdose. I guess she was staying with some friends and they all shot
speed and did a lot of coke and one of her friends said Lou kept complaining her heart was beating too fast and she couldn't get it to slow down so she popped
some ludes and laid down to rest. Later they found her dead. I don't think Damien was with her even though they took off together because Ginger didn't
mention anything about a guy being with Lou. I'm sad she is gone but at the same time I really don't know what to think. She was my first love but looking back on it, 
I wouldn't call what we had love since we were high all the time. When I told Terry she just hugged me and that was all I needed. She knew Lou and I were more than just friends. I don't think Ginger really liked Lou but she never really let on about it.
Ginger also had some good news though. Vangie has moved away and is now in collage studying medicine. She no longer uses drugs either. I'm happy for her.
I'd love to go to collage but I don't know if that will be possible because I'm so far behind in school it may take me eternities to catch up to where I'm supposed
to be. But that's ok because I will work my butt off and I will study every night until I'm caught up. I'm starting over and I hope God will help me.