Love is my Drug

2

AVA

I long board to school every day. With both parents who are addicts, money is scarce, even when I work two jobs with double shifts. At school, I keep my head low, hood up and avoid human contact as much as possible. My only friend is Kaylee Morris, who, upon appereance, is frightening. Dyed purple hair, green eyes, and dressed in either all black or boho chic. Which is ironic, seeing as how she has the most cookie cutter, straight forward, supportive parents. When I get to school,I try my hardest to blend in with the paint. I hate attention, and will do almost anything to avoid it. Why, then, do I hang out with some on the opposite end of the spectrum? Kaylee pulls any attention away from me. I don't think thats the main reason she dresses like that, but she knows I hate attention.

At school, Kaylee and I meet at our table farthest in the corner, the one away from any trashcans.

"Hey, Kaylee." I say. She eyes me suspiciously.

"Why are you wearing jeans and a jacket? It's already summer." It's two-thirds of the way through second semester.

"I, uh, well...it's, um-"

"How bad are the bruises?" she looks pointedly at me. She knows. I sigh. my dad has been hitting me since my mom left him when I was twelve. It's really gotten bad the last year, because she remarried to some slime ball, Morris, who makes enough money to pay for her bad habits. that's the only reason they married! I mean, c'mon, who'd want to marry some balding, fat, guy with no personal hygiene in a Vegas drive through chapel?

"Pretty bad." I say, "They span all the way down my arms, and on my back." I look down, trying not to cry. I'm not yet 18, so I can't leave home legally, I'm over 16 so I'm out of protection of the CPS, and I can't take either of my parents to court because I have no money for a lawyer. All of the money I make goes towards feeding myself and paying rent. My dad doesn't have a job, and if I left, if have to take up prostitution in order to find a new place, furnish it, and keep up with all the bills.

I'm brought out of my thought process by Kaylee. She's scowling to herself and muttering. She hates bullies, and believes that my parents to be the worst kind of bullies, because they don't care about me in any way.

The bell rang, and we went our separate ways, me to science, Kaylee to art.

(Picture of Kaylee on the side)