Hard time letting go

What happened to chapter titles?

School has started three weeks ago and I sure as hell didn't attend summer school like the teachers told me too. "You're going to be a junior with not enough sophomore year credits! You won't be able to graduate and head off to college! Don't you want to be anything when you grow up?"

Of course not. There's nothing in the world I'd rather do then spend my life with my amazing and wonderful girlfriend, Kate. She's all I need, not to make up credits for a college that I won't be going too.

The sun shined through my half drawn curtains. I stared at its lights hitting my white walls, one of which I was facing. Little by little, more of the sun had come up. I laid there in bed, watching the rays climb up the wall until it was just below my calendar. Just as the tiniest string of light touches the page, my alarm went off. I rolled over to turn it off and start changing into my normal clothes.

6:30 AM.

Everyday, on the dot. I kicked the blankets away and threw off my shirt I used as a pj top. The logo is too faded to tell what it used to be, but I'm pretty sure it was a Nirvana shirt. My hands reached into my drawer to pull some skinny jeans out from the pile. I shuddered in the fresh breeze and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Black hair sticking up in a few places, a thorn necklace tattooed on my chest and neck forever. Pale skin with a few freckles here and there, god I look like a vampire, wouldn't be surprised if I was one too. Then maybe my skull and bat tattoo would make more sense.

My eyes darted away again to my closet to look for a shirt. Just then my dad walked in, cigarette in his mouth already, checking in to see if I was awake. I nodded at him while I fixed my shirt and he nodded back before leaving. It's not like he cares about me actually attending school or my grades, but he tries his best and I respect him for that. Not like I have a mom either. To lecture me about how I should quit going to parties and study.

Well, I did. Before my parents divorced.

It wasn't bad, they both thought it would be better if they weren't together and my mom left one night. Took some getting used to a quieter home, my dad thinks it's his fault she left, but I always tell him it was probably for the best. At least he listens to me.

I thought that when my mom left, she'd take everything that was hers, thank god she didn't though. She wasn't the best but she did have her moments of being a halfway decent mother. One of the things she left behind was a hair straightener, she never really used it and let me have it after a while. I took it out of the cabinet and plugged it in to start fixing my hair. Sounds of possibly burnt eggs came from the kitchen. I personally think that it isn't a good idea to smoke and cook but it's too early to care. After splashing water in my face to finish waking up, I headed over to the kitchen table. The eggs weren't as burnt as they are every other day, safe to say my father is getting better.

—

We discussed which song we thought was the most underplayed Green Day song before I had to head off to school. The air outside was fresh for mid September. As I rounded the corner to the bus stop, the sound of pounding sneakers came closer from behind. A harsh slam on the shoulder startled me a little, but I knew who it was.

"Pete! Thought you were going to have me sitting alone on the bus?"

"I was hoping I would," I snickered as we started our handshake. Mark has been my friend for as long as I can remember and introduced me to Kate to begin with. We're both in the same 'Not really caring about our grades' mindset but Mark's parents sure do. And because his parents do, Mark cares about mine too. "Did you do Askander's assignment? I got three paragraphs in before I realized we were supposed to have evidence to back our statement."

I rolled my eyes and laughed, "Of course you idiot, it's a persuasive essay! Why would you not use evidence?" He sighed, looking at the ground embarrassed, "I don't know."

"Listen, we can go to the library when we arrive and I'll help you on what to write since I'm such a good writer," I exaggerated at the end.

"You really are though," Mark laughed. "You could write killer stories with that head of yours."

"Alright, whatever. Just as long as you help me with the conclusion. I never understand what to write for those." He stuck out his arm and nodded, "Deal."

We ran across the small streets to make it to the bus stop. Alex and fuck boy Dustin (Dusty as we call him) were already standing at the stop, probably discussing the party from Saturday. Dusty was bragging about getting the hot chick in the bed with a few other girls in the after party. "You're going to get an STD if you keep that up," I shook my head.

"At least I won't die a virgin," he teased at us.

The bus came slowly trotting along the streets in all its yellow glory. The four of us climbed into our usual seats, I took the window seat next to Alex this time. He had his chem papers out, furiously scribbling something about hydrogen peroxide. I let him work on it since it was his first class.

More people got on the bus after our stop and soon arrived at the wildest high school you'll ever come across. People starting fights anywhere they can, drunk jocks hiding in the bathrooms, hard working kids turned into lazy slobs. This school is shit if you want to learn something, but has decent people at least.

Mark and I headed to the library like I said we would, we ended up fucking around until the first bell rang. These days played out the same. First two classes are boring as hell, I have 4th with my lovely Kate, Chem with Mark and my other friend Melody and then second lunch. English and Math always put me to sleep in the morning but P.E. for 3rd never fails to wake me up with some soccer. I suck ass at my 6th period which is Spanish, but at least my 7th makes up for it.

Mark explained what I could write for the paragraphs on our way out the library. We walked by all the crowds of people blocking the way, thinking they're so cool. Fucking freshmen, I almost look like one but the thorn necklace always peaks out my shirt, only then do they move. That and I look kinda scary to people I'm not friends with.

Kate ran up to me and hugged me tightly, "Babe I got a test for French, wish me luck!"

"Oh," I smiled and kissed her forehead, "I don't think you need it. You'll ace it for sure, I know it." She blushed and hid her face in my shirt. Mark rolled his eyes and laughed, "Tell me the answers later," he teased. We parted our ways with just enough time for the both of us to write our paragraphs. Mrs. Askander watched us scribble on our papers for 4 minutes straight. In the end, we got to turn it in even though she saw us rushing to finish. I think she let us because we at least cared enough to try and turn it in.