The day started out like any other, get dressed and then stumble through the litter of beer cans and whiskey bottles dad had left strewn through the living room from the night before. I glanced over at the couch where he was now passed out, face first with one arm thrown over the edge and a garbage can by his head with partially dry vomit in and around it and even dripping down the side, to make sure he was still breathing. Once I saw his chest rise and fall, I knew he was alright, at least for now. I had more important things to worry about besides dad drinking himself to death. It was my first day of school in a new town and my first day of high school so I didn't want a reputation as the kid who showed up late and was coincidentally a trouble maker, I had already experienced that label and didn't want that stigma to follow me to the new school. This was supposed to be a new start, a clean slate and I planned to make something of it.
I walked briskly in the cool August morning air still laden with dew toward the end of the road where several of my peers were already waiting on the bus. As I approached, I noticed that all but one of them were huddled together laughing and joking with one another. Obviously they were friends and had known one another for quite a while.
Still I couldn't help but wonder why one of them was not associating with the others. Various thoughts filled my head trying to explain it as I continued walking to where they were gathered. Maybe she was shy and didn't make friends easily, maybe she was into cutting or something and we all know teenagers don't like being associated with people that others considered weird for fear of being considered weird themselves. The loner was also overweight, maybe she had sat on one of the others at some point and that's why they didn't like her. That's a valid reason not to like someone, right? The last thought made me smile as I spanned the last few feet to where the rest of them stood. I had made up my mind, I was going to find out why nobody was talking to her.
YOU ARE READING
They Make 'em Everyday
General FictionBeing the new kid on the block is never easy but proves even harder when you find yourself torn between your past, an alcoholic and abusive father who is on the verge of killing himself with his habits, and a new friend everyone thinks is crazy but...
