The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

ok, after this one im going to take abreak in posting to see if anyone likes it so far, so if you want the rest of the story post a commment and tell me, thanx you!









Chapter 4







Josh jumped back and Mike and Sara jumped and looked at me with worried looks on their faces as I scrabbled at my hip pocket.

“What’s wrong?” Josh asked, obviously worried.

“Nothing, I just forgot that I had my cell on ring and vibrate, so I might actually realize it if it went off during the concert.” As the first notes of Huckleberry Row started, I headed for the door. As soon as I got out of the inner door, I answered it.

“Hey Britt. I said as soon as I had the phone to my ear. I knew it was my best friend Brittany Basterly because she was the only one on my phone with the ring tone of Kelly Clarkson’s Breakaway, (I hate Kelly Clarkson, she is such a prep, but I love that song).

“Hey Dom.” As soon as she said it, I knew something was wrong.

“Brittany, what’s wrong?”

She started crying. “Brittany what the fuck is wrong? You’re freaking me out!” I said as someone walked up behind me. I half turned my head, noticed it was Josh, and went back to Britt, who was really starting to scare me.

“It’s A-A-Ashlynn.” My heart skipped a few beats. Ashlynn is a good friend of mine. She is also a hell raiser, so just about anything could have happened. “What happened?” I demanded.

“Jolyn called me about 2 minutes ago,” she paused, drew in a shaky breath and continued telling me what Ashlynn’s sister had told her,

“A-Ashlynn…Ashlynn was in a car crash.” On the last word, her voice broke as I got a huge lump in my throat.

“Oh my god…..” I fell onto the bench nearby and choked back tears. Out the corner of my eye, I saw Josh sit next to me and look at me with a concerned look on his face.

Finally, I found the ability to speak again. “Is she okay?” I asked tentatively, my voice quavering.

“I don’t know. Jo called me from the hospital, but they won’t tell her or her mom anything. All they know is that the crash was bad.”

“What hospital?” I asked urgently.

“She got flown to the one in Sayre from Soldiers and Sailors. I was at my mom’s so she’s taking me there now; I’m on my cell.”

“Damn! I’m in Reading; no way I can get there from here. At least not before Jo and her mom and you hear anything, and I’m supposed to stay here till Tuesday!” It was Friday.

I heard a beep so I looked at my cell phone’s screen very quick.

“Shit! I have to go; I only have about 5 minutes left. Call me as soon as you hear anything. Good or bad. Talk to you later”

“I will. Bye”

I hung up and slipped my phone into my pocket. Then I stared at the ground thinking and trying to swallow the lump in my throat and not cry.

What will happen? I wondered. Oh my god…Ashlynn can’t die, she just can’t…Jolyn will be …destroyed. Amber and Brittany might actually get along at the funeral though…either that or they’ll start a brawl…wait, there’s not going to be a funeral, because Ashlynn is not going to die. Oh my fucking god…

“Are you okay?” Josh’s voice broke into my thoughts.

I almost said yes, because that is my standard response to that question, but thought better of it, and said, “No, not really.”

That is when I broke down. I pulled my legs up onto the bench, wrapped my arms around them and started crying into my knees. I felt Josh’s arms around me. I had been crying for about five minutes, when I heard the door open, and someone walk out. I heard Mike’s voice say, “What are you two doing out-” he cut off mid sentence when he realized I was crying.

He walked over knelt down, looked at me and asked, “What happened?”

I was crying way to hard too answer so Josh answered instead, “I don’t know. I walked out, she was on the phone with one of her friends, and when she hung up, she started crying. But from what I heard of the conversation, it sounds like someone got hurt or something.”

“Oh, geez.” he said to Josh. Then he turned to me and said, “It’s going to be okay Dominique.” I finally slowed my crying down enough to talk. I lifted my head with tears still running down my face and half whispered, half prayed, “I sure hope so.”

chapter 3



Chapter 3







“What the FUCK is your prob-” I started to say, and then it died in my throat as I turned and saw who it was.

“Josh!” I shrieked as I broke out in a smile. “I’m so sorry I didn’t realize it was you! No one told me you were coming!” I gave him a hug.

“Its okay, Kay Lynn would probably hit me, if I snuck up on her and tried to make her jump. By the way, you look great. I didn’t know you wore make-up. Or skirts for that matter.”

“Normally I don’t, but-” I cut off as I realized exactly why I was used as a doll. Kit-Kat and Leanna were playing matchmaker! Not that I minded that much, considering I knew it wouldn‘t work, I would just have to tell them to get a grip. “But what?” Josh asked curiously.

“Never mind.” I said

“Okay. By the way, hello. Somehow we skipped that”

“We did skip that,” I laughed, “Hi.”

Then the first notes of Tuff Bite started.

“Come on let’s go!” he said as he headed across the porch for the door and grabbed my hand. I followed him.

When we got inside, the band was in full swing and in the middle of Tuff Bite. After it ended, they played about five more songs then they started playing UREZ (pronounced, “You’re easy“) and I started singing along to the words.

“You make it easy, to fall in love with you,

And I don’t think I’m want to find someone new,

I know my heart can’t stand this pain,

I’m on my knees again”

“Nice singing.” Josh complemented me at the song’s end.

I blushed a deep ruby red, “Thanks,” I said, “But it helps that I’ve sung that song five million times.” That and the look at the lyrics. “You make it easy, to fall in love with you”, and I’m standing right next to Josh who I used to have a deathly crush on…hmm… let’s do some basic math here! I thought to myself.

Then Jimmy, the lead singer, came on the mike. “We’re going to take a real quick break so Ziggy can go to the bathroom. Meanwhile just hang tight and we’ll be playing again.” Ziggy is the drummer. He’s cool but he had probably had a couple glasses of beer before the show, and that’s why he had to pee.

I walked over to the bar, where Jimmy was sitting until Zig was ready, drinking a Synged shot (their own creation) and as I got over to him and saw him in the light, I did the same thing Sara did at almost the exact same time, except she was approaching from the opposite side.

“Oh my god!” we screamed. Jimmy had cut his hair. We hadn’t noticed with the way the lights were on the stage but as we went over it was obvious that he had cut his curls. We ran over.

“You cut you curls!” I said shocked.

“I can’t believe you cut your curls!” Sara said at almost the exact same level of horrification.

“We’re going to sue you for emotional distress!” I said.

Jimmy laughed as a voice behind me said, “Looks like your going to need a lawyer Jimmy!” It was Josh, who had evidently followed me. He rested his arms on my shoulders with his hands hanging out in front of me like my friend Nick sometimes did, as Jimmy said, “Wait, wait, wait! Girls, I’m sorry, but it’ll grow back out.”

“Okay so we won’t sue you.” I said as Josh started to move a little closer. I squirmed a little.

“But we will cry about it.,” Sara said, “we will cry a lot.”

“Wait, who’s crying and why?” I leaned back just a little into Josh as Mike came over and joined the conversation, “Do I have to sing the coconut song?” he asked.

“No we’re good,” I said as Jimmy and the band headed toward the stage, and Josh‘s grip tightened just a little, “we’re just depressed over Jimmy’s hair. He cut his beauti-” I stopped mid sentence and shrieked.

well here's chapter 2. Enjoy, and don't forget to comment!





Chapter Two







Following the primp session, we got out of the van. After having the lights on while we were doing make-up and stuff, the almost complete darkness of the parking lot, disturbed only by the Wendy’s sign and the car headlights, along with the sign of Chucker Chubb’s, was a relief on my almost vampirian eyes.

I breathed in the sweet summer night air as we walked to the door of Chubb‘s. I could smell chicken wings, pizza, greasy hamburgers from the Wendy’s, a slight smell of beer, and underneath it all, so that you could only notice it if you really focused, car exhaust from the highway. To most people, this smell combination would be either a tiny bit gross or irrelevant, but to me it meant Synged, my friends, and a hell of a good time. It made me feel safe because I’m with my friends, and as long as one of us is still standing, no one’s going to touch the others.

“Earth to Dominique! Are you thinking about Josh again?” Kit-Kat asked.

“No, just glad to be here again. I hate living so far away.”

“Well you can be happy all you want just give Greg five dollars or you’re not going to stay here very long.”

“Oh! Oops, sorry Greg!” I said to the doorman as I took my pentagram wallet out and dug out the five-dollar entrance fee.

“It’s okay. So is this Josh your boyfriend?” he asked with a smile on his face.

“No,” I sighed, “just used to be a major crush.” I responded as I glared at Kit-Kat for not dropping it.

“Oh okay. Well have fun guys,” he said as we walked in to the bar and he took money from the people who had stepped up behind us.

After the long ride, I was thirsty, so I stepped up to the bar, ordered and paid for a Coca-Cola from Mama Rose, and went out on the deck.

The deck was basically an outdoor porch thing, with tables and stuff that overlooked the lake behind the bar.

On sunny summer days, we’d go swimming in the lake during the days, then come up to the Synged concerts at night, pausing only for the guys to put on a shirt, the girls maybe shorts over their bottoms, or a shirt over their tops, maybe not( depending on whether what they wore swimming was allowed in Chubb’s by itself).

I walked over to the railing, looked at the sky, as full of stars as the ocean of fish, and zoned out, waiting for the concert to begin. I started thinking about Josh, and the last time I saw him. It was a couple of days ago. Kit-Kat was going over to his house because his mom was making breakfast. He invited the entire Street Team, although only Kit-Kat, Jeremy, and I could go to his house (oh yeah, Josh is on the Street Team too!), because:

1.) The twins and their guys had a date,

2.) Kiata had a doctor’s appointment,

3.) Mike was shopping with his little girl, and

4.) Nathan and Timmy were hanging with their friends.

Anyway, we went to his house for breakfast. We went early-ish, because we didn’t want to be late. Josh was still asleep and his mom told me to go up to his room and get him up, while she finished breakfast. As I climbed the steps I heard Kit-Kat giggle, and my heart skipped a couple of beats. I went to his door and knocked.

No response.

So I slowly opened the door and peeked through the gap looking for the edge of a bed. I soon saw the top of it, then Josh’s head and next his torso. I paused.

He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and one arm was lying across his bare, flat, stomach, while the other was curled under his head like a pillow, his face tilted slightly towards it.

If his chest was bare, I wondered, how far down was bare? I decided to take a chance, and millimeter by millimeter, I opened the door. I saw his abs and stomach and paused. I drew in a breath and paused then I pushed it open ever so slightly, closed my eyes and prayed he was wearing pants.

I slowly opened my eyes, and started at his head, and worked my eyes ever so slowly down, and about ½ an inch more then I had seen before was revealed, and in that ½ inch, was what I needed. The top of his jeans.

I walked softly up to the side of his bed, while looking around his room. On the walls and shelves were knives, swords and other weapon-like objects. My favorite, a katana sword from Japan with a black hilt and sheath with blue markings and an iron blade that could cut a playing card apart it was that sharp, hung right above the head of his bed on the wall.

“Josh. Hey Josh, wake up.” I said softly. No response. I perched myself gently on the edge of his bed, like a bird alighting on a tree branch. As I was noticing how his eyelashes were laying on his cheeks like black spider webs, I sang softly “Yo, Josh, wake up, we’re here.”

This time, his eyes fluttered open, wincing slightly at the bright sunshine. I looked in to his breath-takingly astonishing blue eyes, as they widened in surprise.

“Dominique!” he gasped, “I thought you guys weren’t coming till later!”

“Well we came a little early, so your mom told me to come wake you up. Hope you don’t mind.” I apologized as I stood up.

“No, it’s I was just a little surprised that’s all,” he replied as he stood up and stretched. That’s about when he noticed he wasn’t wearing a shirt. He grabbed a black baggy one of his floor and fumbled in putting it on as I turned around, smiled, and walked out and said,” “Well I’ll leave you get dressed. See you downstairs.”

When I came down, Kit-Kat gave me this annoying Well-that-must-have-been-exciting-for-you looks. I glared at her then went and set the table for Josh’s mom.

When Josh traced my steps down the stairs, he was wearing a pair of jeans and a clean black t-shirt with a H.I.M. Heartagram on it. I was standing next to Kit-Kat. He walked over and gave her a hug and said, “ Hey, Kay, long time no see.”

“Hi. And I’m still mad at you for being a month older then me!” She joked.

He laughed and shook Jeremy’s hand. “Hey man, what’s up? I’m Josh.”

“I’m Jeremy. Nice to meet you, man. Thanks for inviting me over for breakfast.” Jeremy said since this was the first Jeremy, and he walked over.

He gave Kit-Kat a hug and said, “Hey long time they had met. Then Josh moved on to me.

“Good morning…again. What’s up?” he said as he gave me a hug. “Hi,” I said as he pulled away, “the sky, middle fingers, and occasional hard-ons.” I added in response to his question. He laughed as he walked to the kitchen to say good morning to his mom.

“Foods done!” he said as he came out of the kitchen. After that we ate, during which he sat next to me.

Does that mean he likes me? I wondered, curious, does that mean h-

I stopped mid-thought as someone came up behind me and proceeded to give me jumper cables, causing me to spill my Coke over the railing and drop my cup into the lake.

really long story i've been working on...i'll give you it in chapters so its not too long.....hope you like it!





Chapter One







“I got a spoon!” That’s Jeremy.

“No spoon for you!” That’s Kit-Kat

“But I want a spoon!” Jeremy.

“Tuff bite!” Kit-Kat.

“Baby, come and play with me!” And that was Sammy (that comment was in reference to a song….tell you later). I am Dom and in case you are wondering, yes my friends and I were high. Per. As in hyper. As in lots of caffeine and sugar and adrenaline and excitement. We were in a huge van, on our way to Chucker Chubb’s, an awesome Bar & Grille. Yes, I just said bar, and yes, we are all under age, (except Mike), and no, we were not breaking any laws. The bar let miners in, but we just cannot get alcohol (obviously), and no one can give us any or we all are thrown out, and we get charges pressed. We were going to watch this band, called Synged, play. We are part of the Street Team. No, let me rephrase that, we basically are The Street Team, minus, like, 4 people. Kit-Kat, (my best friend); Jeremy, a friend; Samantha, who we call Sammy, and Sara, the twins; Sammy’s boyfriend, Brett; Sara’s fiancé, Justin; Nathan, another friend; Mike, another friend; Timmy, yet another friend; Leanna, or Lee Lee, an almost-cousin; Kiata Arlene, who wasn‘t with us; and me. Okay this story is going to be a little easier to follow if I give you descriptions, so let me go back to the beginning of the list.

Kit-Kat. She is tall (5‘6“), blonde, and emo, also goes by Kay Lynn, and usually gets all the guys attention. But I still love her. She needs all the love she can get; she’s had a tough life. First, she got bounced back and forth between her mom, her dad, and the foster care system. She has moved between 4 different states and 17 different schools in 10 years. Then her sister is taken away, and then her mom dies. And she is only sixteen years old.

Jeremy is about 5’4”, 5’5”, dark hair, Hispanic complexion, is about 19, and has a very interesting heritage. Lets see, his mom is Irish, his dad is Puerto Rican, and they met in…..drum roll please…..Germany! Yeah, I know how does that happen? He doesn’t know. And about the spoon? Yeah, he was outside on lunch break from his job, this mentally challenged kid (he has no idea who the kid was) walks up to him. Ok he knows the kid is mentally challenged because he has the drool, the helmet, the whole bit, only thing he’s missing is the chaperone. The kid holds out his hand in a fist with the thumb pointing straight up and says, “I got a spoon!”, and runs off. So ever since, Jeremy has been obsessed with spoons.

Sammy and Sara are 17-year-old identical twins. There used to be no way to tell them apart besides their attitudes and clothes. They are both about 5’7”, super skinny, wear glasses (or contacts), and have brown eyes. Then Sara dyed her hair black instead of the reddish-brown that they shared and you just have to remember which is which. Sara is a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl, likes wrestling, (WWE; one of her favorite wrestlers is Triple H) and is just your average tomboy. Her fiancée, Justin is a little taller, about 19 years old, black hair and beard stubble, and doesn‘t talk much (guess he‘s the dark silent type…). Sammy is a little more into skirts and heels then Sara, but she rocks just as much. Her boyfriend, Brett is an inch shorter than she is and kind of hard to describe. Nevertheless, I’ll do my best. He has chipmunk cheeks, wears glasses, and is somewhat cute in a weird way. He doesn’t talk much either.

Nathan is about 5’5”, and looks kind of like Sammy’s boyfriend. He is 17 years old and really fun to be around and like all of my friends, his mind is in the gutter just about 100% of the time.

Mike is about my height (so about 5’ 5”), with a buzz cut and astonishing blue eyes. He is 25, and really silly and fun to be around. And he’s a great person to have around when you’re upset, because he can make anyone laugh.

Timmy is, well, I am not sure how old, but at least 7 inches taller then me, 26 years old, and has red hair and a red beard. And by red, I mean red fading to pink. He dyed it bright, apple red. He has pegs in his ears and almost always is wearing his trench coat.

Then you have Leanna, who is 18 (just). She is about 5’ 5” tall, and has jet-black hair and blue eyes. She also is the mommy of Kiata. Kiata is a bout 1 month old and adorable. Also, one of the other people on the Street Team is her sister Skye.

Finally, you have me. My name is Dominique or Dom for short. I am about 5’ 3”, 5’ 4”, with brown wavy hair and natural blond highlights. I have dark brown eyes with green specks. I am skinny-ish and kind of tan. My friends say I’m pretty so I guess I am. I am 14 years old.

Anyway, like I said we in the van, and Justin was driving. Riding shotgun was Sara. In the captain seats behind them were Sammy and her boy friend, in the seat behind them was Kit-Kat in the middle seat, then Leanna on her left and Nathan on her right. Behind them, I was in the middle since I was the smallest, and on my right was Jeremy and on my left was Mike. So it looked like this:



Windshield

Justin Sara

Brett Sammy

Leanna Kit-Kat Nathan

Mike Me Jeremy

Back of Van



Anyhow, everyone was laughing at Sammy’s joke about Synged’s one song (the Tuff Bite comment). Well, I was not really paying attention so, I giggled, but did not really laugh. Mike turned to me and said,” O.K. that is it, you have been really quiet this whole trip. What’s wrong?”

I replied, “Nothing’s wrong, I’m just thinking.”

“’Bout what?”

Before I got a chance to draw a breath for an answer Kit-Kat answered for me, “Not about what, you mean about who!”

“What do you mean?” Mike asked even as I felt myself start to turn red.

Her one word response was, “Josh.”

It was bad enough I was embarrassed in front of our friends by her, but the worst part is she was right. I had been thinking about Josh. Josh is Kit-Kat’s step-cousin, who I happened to used to have a MAJOR crush on. He is about 5’ 10”, with sandy blond hair that is about a 1/2 inch or so long, blue eyes, and is 16.

I hid my face in my hands. I could feel it. I was blushing bad. Meanwhile, everyone else started laughing. I looked up and grinned at everyone, “What’s so funny about the fact that I used to like Josh?” I asked.

“The fact that you are so totally and completely infatuated with him!” Kit-Kat said, and everyone laughed. “I am not infatuated, I really liked him! Besides, I‘m over him.” I insisted.

“OK, Whatever” she said, and dropped it. Nevertheless, she had a look on her face as if she knew something I did not, and she was just itching to say that she did, but was not allowed. I knew that look because I had seen it several times before.

Then everything was chaos because everyone (o.k. all the girls) had to redo their make-up (whoever was wearing it), or take care of their hair, (while the boys were busy making faces), because we had pulled onto 5th Street Highway, the other end of which was Chucker Chubb’s. I was not wearing make-up and I always left my hair down so I was making faces with the guys, when Kit-Kat and Leanna attacked me.

They used their make-up on me, and I was beautified. I tried to protest, but it was 2 to 1 and then Mike and Jeremy joined their side saying they wanted to see me in make-up and with my hair up. So I was completely out-numbered. When they were done I had undergone foundation, cover-up, blush, eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara, lipstick, and glitter powder dusted on my face. Then they decided that Nathan and I were trading places so I could get my hair done.

So when we pulled into the Chucker Chubb’s parking lot, my hair was brushed, had mousse put in it, and put in a partial ponytail (where only the top half is up). That was taken down, then they took the hair from about halfway up my head and put that into pigtail-like things, but with half my hair hanging down yet, and they put glitter and these little decorative thingies in it. I figured they were doing more just playing Barbie doll with me because of what happened when we went to go to Lee Lee’s where we were being picked up.



  



I came out of Lee’s bedroom in a pair of jeans and my black Pebbles (from the Flintstone’s) t-shirt. Ok, so the jeans were ripped across the knee. O.k. so the shirt was a little faded. But that was my usual look.

They took one look at me said “Oh no!” and drug me into the back bedroom. They pull out this bag and make me put on this grey skirt with red and black lines that make it plaid. O.k. yes it is punk but it is still a skirt. And it’s short. When they finally get me to put that on, (I was wearing these short shorts with a skull on the one corner that I usually wear swimming underneath, they at least compromised that far), they bring out these awesome black knee high socks that are almost long enough to be leggings. The socks had hearts and stuff around the top and they were totally punk. Those I don’t mind. Next came the shirt. It is this low-cut black spaghetti strap with a built in bra, with hearts and other punk shit on it. Finally came the high heels. They were black sandals with a chunk heel at least three inches high, and two inches thick. When they were on, I looked like a punk schoolgirl. If my parents were there I would not have made it halfway to the front door, (then again they won’t let me wear anything out of the house that I couldn’t wear to school practically). But they weren’t, and I figured Kit and Leanna just wanted to play dress up with me.

However, after the hair and make-up, I figured something was up. I also figured if I asked I’d get the no-we-were-bored-and-your our-Barbie-doll act (even if they do melt Barbie’s), while exchanging a Ha-ha-we-fooled-her-she’ll-never-guess look with each other.

Besides, I reckoned I would find out at Chubb’s.

this is a story i started to write...comment it and tell me what you think!









“Our song is the slam of screen doors, sneaking out late, tappin’ on his window, when we’re on the phone and he talks real slow, ‘cause it’s late and his momma don’t know. Our song is the way he laughs, first date when I didn’t kiss him and I should have, and when I got hom-” SLAM!

My hand smacked on the button of my alarm clock radio, as I checked the time. “Our Song” by Taylor Swift, one of my favorite songs, something wonderful to wake up to, even if it was in the middle of the song. Except for the fact that it was still too damn EARLY to wake up in the first place. Ugh, 4:00 AM. Yet still I dragged myself reluctantly out of the nice warm womb of my bed, and flicked on the light. I cringed, as across the room my sister moaned and rolled over in her bed. Lucky her, I thought, she doesn’t have to get up for school till 6:30. Grrrrrrrrrrr!

I groggily grabbed the clothes I had picked out the night before and made my way through the large, silent, dark house towards the downstairs bathroom so I could take a shower. When I got to the bathroom, as I was getting ready, I glanced in the mirror. I looked like....well...Someone who just woke up! I thought moodily. Then I giggled as I stepped into the shower and let the hot, soothing water run over my body to wake me up. When I got out, I hurriedly dressed in my tight black jeans, and a maroon office shirt with a tang top underneath, and slipped my wallet in my back pocket.

Then, I hurried upstairs to make sure I had everything I needed. I grabbed the miniature book bag I would be using as a sort of purse/ camera bag for the day. I grabbed my new, five-mega pixel, four-time optical zoom, digital camera, made sure the batteries and SD memory card were in it, and put it in the front pocket. I ran to the bathroom, grabbed a couple just-in-case-I- might-start-early-because-it- is-almost-time tampons, and threw them into the hidden pocket. I then decided to raid my secret candy stash my closet. I opened the hinge door, turned on the light and grabbed the sleeping bag sack that it was in, pulled out the gym bag, and looked through quickly. Hmmmmmm. I grabbed the lemon-lime lollipop I had been saving, a couple tootsie rolls, and some various other small hard candies, and tossed them into the larger, main pocket. Then, I threw the small book bag/purse into my regular-sized black book bag that I used for school, which already contained my hoodie, and a stuffed animal (don‘t ask). I also dumped my large stash of pens, my notebook, my CD player and my very small collection of mostly burned CD’s, my electronic handheld Suduko game, and my favorite book, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, which has made the Somewhere Around Ten In Quantity, Books Which Have Made Me Cry, Or At Least Come Close To Crying List (this list also includes The Great Gilly Hopkins and Bridge To Terabitha by Katherine Paterson, and Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse by Stephanie Meyers. These are all very good books, you should read them!)

I ran downstairs, dumped my stuff on the couch in the living room to grab a quick breakfast. We were going to get breakfast on the way, but someone had said something about pop-tarts, and I do not like any of the fruit flavors, so if there were any non-fruit flavored ones I could eat it with the skimpy lunch I had packed the night before. As the eggs I were making started to cook I grabbed the bag containing the previously mentioned skimpy lunch, and threw it into my book bag on top of everything else.

As I was starting to eat my breakfast, my step-dad stumbled down the stairs. I looked at the clock. 5:23. I wolfed down the eggs, while he grabbed what he needed, then grabbed my book bag, and headed for the back door. On my way through the kitchen, I dumped my plate and fork in the sink, and then ran to the car. The ride to the school was silent, as I was, regardless of being out of the REM cycle for the past hour and a half, still not fully awake. When we got there, he dropped me off at the curb, I gave him a hug as he asked “You guys will be back in around 11:30 tonight, right?”

“Yeah, they’ll probably pass around phones so we can call you when we get close. Either that or I’ll borrow Sarah’s cell. Love you. ‘Bye.” I climbed out, with my book bag slung around my arm, and dashed over to my friends. There, I dug out my camera and took the first picture of the fieldtrip to Pittsburgh; all my friends standing around, looking dead asleep on their feet. Trying to smile.