Chapter 7: You're just a stranger

It was 2:15 pm and I was finally free, free from teachers, bratty girls, gossip, hand cramps, and brain pains. I was home from school and everything was as usual, dead silent, my parents were always on business trips trying to promote their shitty business and shitty products, but hey at least it paid the bills, right?

My sister had been leaning against the archway that lead to our fugly looking kitchen. She looked at me and she was smiling at me, this had to be a joke she must've been laughing at me like she always does, I was just going to walk away and ignore her, but before I could walk away she spoke to me. "Hey M (nickname) ... I know you probably don't give a flying fuck but I really appreciate what you did for me yesterday night...David told me everything....You know, I  was going to sleep over Cris's tonight...Do you want to join us were just going to watch a movie and I'm leaving in an hour.. I know we don't really get along but..Um ya..I really don't know what to say." 

I felt warm and fuzzy inside like a bear, damn I'm such a dork. My sister was different, sweeter? Nicer maybe? Maybe it was the drugs still messing with her brain because, I never knew she had a heart inside that cold blooded body of hers. Even though my sister was being so nice, I was suspicious, she always had a way of being a complete bitch to me and why did she want me to hang out with her and Cris anyways, what happened to Janelle? "Uhh..Ya no problem...No one wants to see there sister like that, you know...You don't need to tell me you appreciate it...I'm not doing anything tonight so I guess I'll join you and Cris." I said indifferently, was this a dream? 

Soon enough it was an hour later and me and my sister had arrived to Cris's house, boy time sure did fly. We had the window down in the car as the wind was blowing fiercely and the birds were chirping off in the distance and I could feel the sun on my skin, I loved that feeling of just being carefree and weightless. I was zoning out before I noticed how magnificent Cris's house was, I didn't know much about him but this was no surprise to me because he was best friends with David and there's been a rumor going around for the longest time that David's parents got this house for them. There was no way in hell Cris's parents could afford a pool and a hot tub. I began wondering why I was even here, Cris didn't even like me and the last thing I wanted to be was a third wheel, I guess only time would tell if this is a big waste of my time or not. 

Several hours and several horror movies later my eyes were beginning to strain from looking at the TV screen. We had been watching Jeepers Creepers and I was growing tired of hearing staged screams and seeing fake blood and other stupid special effects they used in horror movies.Jessica and Cris were making out on the couch, and then there was me sitting on the floor actually watching these movies. I suddenly wanted to jump off of that diving board I had seen earlier in his back yard even though it was way over midnight. Cris lived in a good neighborhood ,what was the worst that could happen? "Hey Jess, do you have a bathing suit I could borrow for tonight?" I said trying to sound as normal as possible even though I was doing a weird thing.

Jessica broke the embrace Cris had her in and let out a small whimper as she said"Yeah...I think I have a bikini upstairs in  Cris's room, it might be too big for you but it should be in the top drawer of his dresser if it isn't then you're out of luck." My sister was always spending nights over Cris's house and he was always spending nights over our house and they always ended up leaving their clothes at each others house. 

I made my way upstairs to Cris's room and opened the door to his room. I felt like I shouldn't have been in there but he didn't tell me otherwise and he was too busy with my sister to even care about me possibly snooping around in his room, not like I would anyways. I began remembering what my sister had told me 'dresser, top drawer'. I walked over to Cris's dresser which had a big bottle of champagne and a box of mint flavored cigarettes right beside it. What was it with teens these days? Why did  they feel the need to smoke, do drugs, drink, have sex, and do all the other things our parents always told us not to. Was it the rebellious nature of it that made them get a rush? Or were these things actually pleasing to them? I would never know because, those things were things I would never do but there was one thing I knew for sure, my sister had some God damn big breasts and it made me suddenly feel uncomfortable. I pulled the cheetah print bikini out of the drawer and into the light where I could see it a little better, I was going to have to tie the strings extra tight so it at least didn't slip off of me, my sister was curvy in all the right places and then there was me,little miss flap jack.

I put the bikini on took my glasses off and rushed outside, the wind was blowing against my body and I felt euphoria it was as if I was feeling a rush. I had never worn a bikini before and I felt more, bare and open. Usually I would just wear shorts and a regular shirt because I didn't like attention from people and just felt self conscious about my body and truth be told I always thought bikinis were somewhat slutty. I didn't know if I could feel the same way about them anymore though because they were kind of trendy. I heard Cris's backyard gate making noises,click clack clickity creak. Jess had told me it would be just me, her, and Cris, my left brain was telling me it was probably just the wind making the gate move back and forth but I still chickened out and pushed my legs down into the diving board as I leaped and sprung into the air. 

I felt my body cut through the wind, as I was going against the force of the wind that was wildly blowing at me and almost made me lose balance while I was midair. I could still hear the gate violently making noises as my fingertips submerged under the cool water. Everything was like an instantaneous chain reaction, once my hands were underwater my arms were also, and pretty soon my whole body had been eaten up and swallowed by the big body of chlorinated pool water, I was under. My whole body became less tense and I was floating underwater before I pumped my legs in a rhythmic fashion until my head peaked through the surface of the water and I gasped for air. 

My eyelashes were soaked and nearly glued shut by the water. I blinked my eyes hard and slow and moved my eyes around and about until my vision was somewhat better which is stupid to say because I couldn't see long distance anyways, I was myopic.

I was looking around all over and somewhat squinting at the same time, I felt like I saw something that wasn't there a while ago, a figure.

I looked up to face this figure dead on and realized it was David sitting there with a darkness in his eyes, not an evil darkness but a darkness of sadness or depression . "Nice dive....Don't mind me, keep going I'm enjoying this." David said to me in a sly tone. I was having a hard time trying to get my eyes to focus which was a hopeless case all within itself. Even though I was having such a hard time making out what I was seeing I could tell David was upset about something, he was holding a bottle of beer and practically staring out into space. 

My vision still wasn't exactly focused so I swam closer to the edge of the pool. How much had he seen? I couldn't even come up with words to say, my embarrassment had my confidence on a leash and was dominating it. I began to swim near the pool ladder, I honestly hated time, I wish it never existed, it was just so stupid I mean seriously. You can't go back in time and save yourself from embarrassing situations like this, it only keeps going forward. And to top it off time ALWAYS moved slow when you wanted it to go fast, and fast when you wanted it to go slow, you can never win with time because, it's simply just not our friend and it never will be.

I placed my hands on the cold metal ladder  and began placing my feet on the steps as I lifted my self out of the water and felt splashes of water droplets smack against my skin from all of the motion I was inducing into the water. The wind was still blowing wildly and it made my skin feel chilly all over as I was getting out, my teeth chattered and I was already shaking because I was so nervous. Fuck me.

"Why are you watching me? Why are you even talking to me, I thought you were pissed off at me because of what I said earlier today? Why did you come in through the back door when you and Cris are like best friends?" I asked. I felt like I was interrogating him but he was being odd and my curiosity was taking over me so I had to, I couldn't help it.

David let out a sigh and still kept looking out into space. "Don't flatter yourself I only came here to get away from home and I found you back here diving I'm not looking at you THAT way, believe me I have a girlfriend that I love very much in case you didn't know and to be honest I'm quite shocked you'd even wear something like that."

David was a real asshole, ugh he was so God damn cocky and had an ego out of this world. I didn't give a shit about him and his girlfriend, I didn't even like him that way, I so badly wanted to curse him out but I had to bite my tongue and be the better person. I kept playing back the words he had just said and realized he hadn't answered my other 2 questions and was more concerned with what I was wearing, douche-bag. "You know I would like to think that in the 21st century guys wouldn't be so prude about femininity but I guess that's doesn't apply to such a big masculine and tough guy like you huh?" I said in a snappy way.

David started laughing, "I'm sorry I'm far from a prude sweetie, it's not my fault girls are constantly insecure and need to hide behind a mask covered in face paint you guys call 'makeup' and wear fake extensions and all this other shit and claim they only do it to 'enhance' their beauty, that's all complete bullshit...Why would you want to enhance something you already possess?" David said to me, and I was surprised he said all that to me, he seemed like the kind of guy that would like the kind of girls he just talked about. 

I walked in front of David and layed down on the ground next to him. I placed my hand on my cheek and looked at him, mostly at his legs, he had lots of muscles. "Well, I wasn't talking about that, when I said femininity I meant how girls should be able to wear whatever they want without a guy judging them, I mean I'm sure you wouldn't question your girlfriend if she was dressed like me right now, would you?" I said to him as I began to shake a little. I had totally been crossing my boundaries these past few minutes but he did too when he decided to be an asshole, he deserved my forwardness.

"Melody, you're smart but you can't fool me okay.... I know what you're trying to do....my girlfriend would wear something like that and I wouldn't question her but I'm just surprised you would wear that, you seem more conservative than that, that's all I meant I wasn't trying to call you a slut," he said to me as he kept looking out at the pool water. 

I got up and so did David, he was now leaning against the chair still holding his beer and drinking it here and then, I was sitting on the floor in a more comfortable position and then I couldn't take it anymore, it was eating me up inside. Why did David avoid the other 2 questions I asked him earlier? It was then that I realized how much my timidness held me back in social situations and the only way I would be able to get to know people is if I took risks and stopped playing it safe. "So are you going to tell me why you snuck in here and why you're still talking to me when you can be listening to that cool indie music you're always listening to, what's wrong with you?" I said curiously

As soon as I said that David directed his gaze towards me nearly instantly, a sparkle was in his beautiful eyes that hadn't been there a few minutes ago. "You like my music?!?!?" David asked me in a almost frantic manner and yet again he avoided my questions. 

His frantic tone had put me off for a moment. I leaned to the side, trying to keep my composure even though I was growing more nervous by the minute. "Well, umm yeah.. I didn't know that was YOU but uhhh yeah I like your music, why not?" I  said confusingly, David seemed unconfident which was unusual for him. 

"What the hell are we waiting for lets go and listen to it right now, I have some demos upstairs in one of Cris's guestrooms, I think you'd enjoy them." he said before he spoke loosely again "Come on get up let's go!" he said excitedly.

I got up and held my hands together in front of me, I was so nervous but I couldn't let it show, and after-all David was drinking like a fish, he was probably drunk and if he wasn't drunk yet he would be soon. "Ummm...Yeah let's go and ummmm..Listen to your music," I said as I sounded like a dumb ass. David gave me a semi nod as he took the bottle to his lips fiercely and swung his head back as he drank the last drop. 

200 beer bottles and 200 songs later me and David had still been upstairs enjoying his music and tapping our feet to the beat, but David was a little off with the beat, he was moving too fast and he was all over himself, I was perfectly on beat though. 

"Are you ready for the best part?!?!?" David asked me frantically and instantly I had a flashback of when he said that to me at the arcade and then kissed me. I was thinking of something to say, but before I could even answer him he already was on the floor doing air guitar motions and just totally being reckless. "This is one of the guys solos that used to be in the band...but uhh...Yeah it's a long story I'd rather you not know" David added. I was totally amazed at how loose alcohol made him get yet he was still confidential about certain things, I was curious to know if I could get some information off of him but then again it was wrong to take advantage of him like that, he was drunk and that felt wrong to me. "Dance Mel!!!" David shouted out to me.

I definitely wasn't dancing, not now, not like this. I was nearly naked and he wanted me to dance, I was so nervous even though he was totally making a fool out of himself. I began weighting out the pros and cons, maybe he would be too drunk to even remember if I danced or not, nah fuck it I still wasn't risking it. "Uhhh..no I'm sorry David I don't dance," I said awkwardly but before I could even turn back around to face him I heard a thump .

"Ahhh shit! my head is pounding and this music isn't helping right now...Damn I drank waaaaaaaay too fucking much," David said while shaking his head back and forth like a mother who was disciplining their child. David began breathing heavily and coughing violently, he looked sweaty.

I wasn't even drunk and everything seemed to be moving fast. "Why is this room spinning? It's making me want to hurl!" David said as he got down lower to the floor while still keeping his hand on the wall as if it was some type of support system to him. I started thinking about how David told me he had a hangover at the arcade last night and that was only Saturday so that meant he was drunk Friday and right now Monday was creeping in through the clouds right along with the sun, was David an alcoholic or did he really just like drinking? David began making scary noises that sounded somewhat reminiscent of sounds I heard an epileptic kid make when he had a seizure in front of me back in kindergarten.

"David! You need to stop drinking you're freaking me out, your body can't handle all that, I'm calling the paramedics," I said so frantically that I stumbled over my own words

David somewhat gained his composure and leaned against the wall and tilted his head back. "Mel I---I'm fine, trust me I've been worse there's no need for a para--whatever, I just need one more beer, time, and the morning sun to take away the sad, sad night...." David said as he opened his mouth and kept breathing heavily. His eyes were rolling around like they were going to go into the back of his head but David soon shook his head back and forth violently and stood up as if he had suddenly got a burst of energy. He focused his attention on the couch and stumbled his way towards it until he fell into it and laid down on his back.

Laying down on the couch relaxing he let out a sigh of relief. "Why can't life be like this all the time? Carefree and chill, why can't I just listen to my God damn music, smoke weed, get drunk, and have my girlfriend and my parents get off my back for once?" and once he said that I realized why he had been here, he was just like everyone else and he had issues, probably more than me, I suddenly felt bad for judging him so much. The darkness of the night sky was fading and light was breaking in, it was morning.

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The next day school had been difficult for me, not academically but mentally not to mention I left my glasses at home which only gave me a headache and eye strain. I was just so drained from everything I had been experiencing these past few days and had so many things plaguing my mind, unanswered questions. To make things even more annoying everyone was talking about how there was a new guy that joined our school  and it was amnesty week so we could ditch our uniforms, everyone was talking about all of the shit that was irrelevant and didn't matter to me, I was thinking about whether or not I had witnessed a man die in front of me and everyone else was only focused on the little things. The 20 minute bell had rung, great I thought to myself, I had 20 minutes to get all my shit and leave, I started heading upstairs towards my locker. I just wanted to go home and be alone. 

I had been scurrying around trying to hurry up and get my things, I didn't want a repeat of what happened last time. The scent of tobacco and other cancerous chemicals danced their way evilly inside of my nostrils. I looked around and wondered what could be smelling like that until I came to the painting room and realized that was where it was coming from. I couldn't believe my eyes, I rolled my eyes as a hopeless expression grew along my face.

"You can't be doing that in here you have to go outside and 20 feet away from school property!" I exclaimed to the guy but apparently he didn't hear me.

I walked into the room with my tousled messy bed head and spoke louder "You can't do that in here! Are you crazy!!" I said more annoyingly and loud as I looked at the guy with my annoyed face. 

He took another puff on his cigarette and let out a sigh between the puff of smoke that rose into the air as he exhaled.I must have interrupted him because he fiercely strummed the strings on his guitar in a frustrated manner "God damn I didn't know this school would be so strict...Ms.Kill Joy" he said in snaky way. 

I watched him stand up and come face to face with me. I eyed him up and down as the scent of tobacco and liquor outweighed the number of oxygen molecules in the room. Like a mountain he stood tall and prideful while covered in tattoos and an attitude that was undeniably intimidating but hot at the same time. "Wow, it must be my lucky day, I'm new here...and umm..Yeah...I thought you could smoke here" he said as he eyed me up and down.

I was totally speechless, he was the wild wind on a fierce summer day, he took my breath away. I was hopelessly spinning around in circles and trying to breathe in the fresh air but the wind was too forceful, and it made me feel suffocated. "You must be shy huh? Well...I think the last bell rung and I need to get all my stuff but I don't remember where my locker is, I know it's near this painting room but uhh ...yeah could you help me?" he asked me while somewhat tilting his head to the side giving me a smile that had a hint of flirtatiousness in it.

As if on some sort of que my left hand took my right hand and held it in front of me gently, I was nervous as shit. "Yeah, sure why not! What's your locker number and what grade are you in?" I said quickly, the last thing I wanted to do was stutter right there in front of him even though I had no clue who he was. Like an ice cream cone being exposed to the sun's ultra violet rays, I was melting and dripping all over the place. Soon enough we had walked around the painting room and I found his locker for him.

"Okay here is your locker, all the juniors get white ones , the seniors get black ones, the sophomores get blue, and the freshman get red lockers, like mine" I told him but after I said all that he started looking off to the side and he let out a deep sigh. Did I do something wrong? Oh damn, I probably rambled on too much about the lockers, I was really such a loser sometimes. "It sucks you're a freshman....My name is Denver by the way" he said to me. Why did everyone hate freshman? I mean I didn't think I was one of those annoying freshman that acted like a know it all or a snobby brat, I was chill, or at least that's what I thought. "You know you might just be the prettiest girl I've seen around here" he said a little depressingly, but wait that was a compliment right?

Instantly my body felt hot all over and then, I broke out into a cold sweat. "Wow...um thanks I guess???" I said confusingly, trying to avoid the fact that he had just complimented me. I never liked when people complimented me, it just made me feel weird and conceited even though I wasn't all that pretty to begin with, and besides when someone compliments you, you never know if they actually mean it or if they're just being nice. If only we could read peoples minds, that would be so awesome, I thought to myself. "There's lots of pretty girls around here...I could actually show you a few girls that all the guys go crazy over" I added, I seriously had issues. Here I was standing in front of this guy I found very attractive and he was complimenting ME of all people yet my only possible thing to say to him was that I could show him other pretty girls, God damn I was so dumb.

After I said that he shot me a death stare and looked me up and down like I was crazy. An awkward silence twirled around the room like a graceful ballerina and Denver's rugged voice quickly interrupted her performance. "Nah I'd rather not meet them, I think your a pearl in a room full of ordinary seashells and sandy rocks, those girls are nothing special compared to you" he said to me while looking me dead in the eye. A flock of butterflies began fluttering around inside my stomach along with this mornings breakfast, gross. There was something about Denver that just rubbed me the wrong way, you know they say you can't trust a stranger and he sure was one of them. 

Minutes passed by and we found ourselves chatting away. It turns out this blonde, sun kissed, tattooed boy that had a piercing in his nose was actually from California, the place I had always dreamed about visiting. We surprisingly had a few things in common, he played the guitar also and he loved art, he was like an angel sent from heaven, he was perfect to me, 

I really did need a friend more than anything these days but I had a feeling Denver wouldn't even want to bother being friends with me.  I was dressed  like a clumsy misfit and there he was, like the sun shining bright, he was edgy but dressed very nicely, I couldn't believe he was talking to me but I guess I would never know what was going on in that seemingly bright mind of his. Brrrrrring Brrring the school bell had rung signalling that it was time for all of the students to dismiss. Denver and I had only known each other for a few minutes but he invited me over to his house to hang out and besides we already missed the buses, we figured we would walk to his house and just chill for a little and I really couldn't turn down the offer.

"Uhhh...This is a little embarrassing, I don't have my license yet BUT I'm going to  take my drivers test early morning tomorrow...hopefully I get my license, my parents already got me a car and everything" he said, leaning his elbow against the locker while he ran his hand through his somewhat dirty blonde hair.

Every upperclassmen around here was either getting their license or already had it and I was pretty sure Denver felt like the odd one out. I  didn't really see the hype in driving when everyone could just walk and get some fresh air but then again a car was pretty useful, and I admit a car was a little fun. "Oh don't be embarrassed, walks in the fresh air sure can be refreshing sometimes and look at it this way, when you get your license you can make me feel embarrassed when you show it off" I said while laughing, it was suddenly easier to talk to Denver even though he looked extremely intimidating. Denver smiled at me and jerked his head towards the stairs and with that we got our things and began walking out of the school and through the woods to get to his house which seemed absolutely hidden.

Me and Denver were enjoying our little stroll in the woods and he stopped for a moment and pointed straight ahead and I guessed that meant we were close to his house. With that I took Denver's hand and clasped it into mine, an electrical current ran all throughout my body and I felt connected like those silly annoying little cables by an internet box. I began pulling him along as I was running towards the opening in the woods and heading towards a group of bushes and shrubs with colorful flowers dispersed throughout them and the smell of nature surrounded us at every angle. "Hey! Watch it ! You almost fell into the pond, Milky!" he shouted out at me while laughing. Everyone seemed to come up with nicknames for me but I must admit Milky was the strangest one I've ever heard.

We moved like we had no time to waste and before you knew it Denver had slid his key through the lock which made a ticking and jingling noise because he had so many other keys on his key chain, he opened the door to his house and I walked in. I liked his house a lot it was cozy, yet it still had an elegant feel to it. Denver waved his hand toward the couch and I sat down, this sure was odd and unusual for me, I was so shy and reserved yet I was over here hanging out with some guy I just met like an hour ago, I had changed these past few days and I didn't know if I liked this change or not. My bottom sunk into his plush couch that gave me a hint of comfort even though I felt like my whole body was being sucked into his couch like a vortex of some sort, I began feeling like crap, I was having a guilt trip.

"No offense but you look like you've been randomly hit by a truck, are you alright? Need Denny to give you a bear hug?" he said while laughing, it was obvious he was trying to console me but I didn't appreciate it and I sure didn't appreciate his advances either. My knees began trembling as I had flashbacks of what happened Saturday night and now guilt and regret were surrounding me like a swat team finally taking down their criminal. They kept asking me questions repeatedly and it began to almost sound like a chant in my head.'Why did you do it? Why did you do it? What do you have to say for yourself huh? Why did you do it? Don't you feel horrible for what you did? Why would you do something like that? Why---Would--you--do--it?'  

"I didn't do it! I didn't mean to! It's not my fault! I don't know why I stood there, I didn't know he was going to--to-t- It-it-it wasn't my fault, I didn't mean to do it!!!!!" I screamed out loud. "Stop making me feel like shit! Just shut up!" I yelled even louder, I  was having a melt down inside and just couldn't keep it inside anymore, I wasn't the kind of person that could just keep things to myself, especially depressing things. Did David choke that doctor to death Saturday night? Did I seriously just witness a man die in front of my eyes, I would be haunted forever until I found out and I HAD to know, I couldn't live like this, something was eating me alive. I was breathing heavily and could feel something wet slide down my cheek, a tear.

I looked up and my heart sunk, did I really just say all of that in front of Denver? "Wow....Someone needs to get something off their chest...My dad has this guitar from Rome, it has a cool sound...I want to play you a song, I always play it when I'm dealing with shit and it helps me, I don't know if it will help you right now but the least I can do is try, Right? Stay here I'll be back okay" Denver said before he got up and trailed off out of his living room and into another room.

Teardrops kept running down my cheek and I held my hand over the right side of my face, I could feel my tears create a wet nasty feeling in the palm of my hand but I was too caught up in myself to care. "I-I think I should just go" I whispered, stupidly thinking Denver could still hear me even though he had left the room. My mind was telling me to leave, but my body wasn't being obedient, my body was too constrained with a bottle of emotions from with in me, my body was so constrained from all the stress, it just couldn't move.

Denver came out into the living room with a guitar that looked pretty ordinary to me. He looked rough but he had a gracefulness about him, it certainly showed when he walked over by the end table and sat down, he motioned for me to join him and I got up slowly and sat down beside him on the floor as he began to gently strum the strings on the guitar. A soft melody escaped from the instrument that indeed did have a unique sound, a sound that seemed to never exist here on this earth. As the Earth gradually tilts every year so was I, but at a much faster rate, I tilted all the way over and crashed into Denver's arm, he didn't seem to mind so I rested my head there and watched him closer as he played. Denver plucked a few of the strings in such a way that looked far too complicated for me to even try on my own guitar, it looked so technical and rigid but the guitar produced a soft vibrato when he plucked the strings this way. Melodic romanticism filled the room and it was beautiful, we were in a perfect world...A Utopia and here nothing bad could happen. No violence, no death, no hate, no jealousy, just peace and serenity.

You know how people say all good things come to an end? Well that definitely was the story of my life. Tension and fear invaded the room and shook the ambiance as if there had just been an earthquake. Hate had knocked on the door. BANG BANG BANG "uhh..I wasn't expecting a visitor, it's probably my sister or something..Stay here okay" Denver said to me as he walked away towards the door. Here I was 5'1" in a guys house that I didn't even know, his parents could've been drug dealers for all I know, gosh I'm so stupid sometimes. I heard the door swing open along with a bunch of noises that sounded forceful, I crept up to the door on my tip toes I looked and my eyes grew wide and I couldn't bare to look any longer, I looked the other way. 

"I KNOW your sister was the one at that party Saturday night, she was selling pills and Jessica took some and ended up in the hospital, you know I hate you enough as it is...Just tell me where she is so I don't have to hurt you" David said as he stood there with his elbow up to Denver's neck. What had I gotten myself into? I took a deep breath in and let it out slowly as I stood there feeling like a  piece of dust in a room full of giants, there was nothing I could do but watch and wonder. "I-I don't know where Lex is but I swear I had nothing to do with this, I've been keeping shit under the radar these days" Denver replied as a paintbrush painted the image of horror right across his face. 

David clearly wasn't amused by what Denver had said and I watched him push Denver onto the ground and secure his hand around Denver's neck. Oh no, not again, I couldn't watch this, I had to do something but I had no idea what to do, the last thing I wanted to do was get involved in this nasty dispute. "You can kill me now but your still not going to get any closer to the real problem......My sister" Denver managed to strain out of his constricted vocal chords as David was choking him. I closed my eyes and let out a  high pitched squeal. 

"Stop! Just stop it right now, we're humans not savage animals in the fucking wild! STOP!" I screamed to the top of my lungs, my voice was sharp and squeaky but it worked because David got off of Denver and eyed me up and down suspiciously. My stomach was doing back flips, damn my weak willed spirit. I could not watch anything gruesome or violent without feeling  the need to vomit. 

Feeling my stomach move around and bubble up inside of me, I covered my hand over my mouth and breathed deeply, in and out, out and in. I managed to fight the feeling and avoided possibly ruining Denver's wooden floor that were reflecting the light in all directions, it was clearly freshly polished.

I looked over at David again and examined him closely, his eyes looked a different color than usual. "Well....I don't know why you're here hanging out with someone who nearly killed your sister Saturday night, and I'm not sure I want to know why either....My work here is done but it's still not fully finished....I'm coming for your sister" David said coldly.

Denver began wheezing and coughing as he held on to his chest for dear life while he tried to keep his balance and catch his breath at the same time. "Man I swear I had nothing to do with it" Denver pleaded but it was too late David wasn't listening to anything he had to say.

David was zooming out the door like a bullet train. No one could get in his way, he was determined to get out of sight but little did he know was that I used to do track, I was pretty sure I could chase him down, it would be a breeze. 

I ran down the street and all over town following the little turns and fake turns David had made and I must admit he was a God damned fast runner. The wind was whistling in my ears as my boots slammed against the pavement with every step. YOU CAN DO IT , JUST A LITTLE MORE , KEEP GOING, YOU CAN DO IT I said to myself but my body was saying otherwise.I couldn't believe Denver's sister was the one who gave my sister the bad drugs at that party, was it bad that I still had no harsh feelings for him even after finding that out? I mean after all his sister was the one that did it, not him.  Breathing in and out rapidly and feeling a pain in my chest, I came to a halt and called it quits, it was okay. With the way things were going these days I would definitely see David again later besides, I knew where he lived I could always stop by for a visit and confront him then.

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It was Tuesday morning and the scent of dish washing detergent and pancakes infiltrated the whole house, mom was home and she was on one of her usual cleaning binges. "Okay I cleaned the Kitchen...Not I've got to pull the living room together" I heard her say to her self, I truly did love it when she was home SOMETIMES because when she acted like an actual MOTHER those were the best times to have her around even though this was rare of her.

"Ugh I have nothing to wear and look at my hopeless figure, I've been a 30aa ever since I started middle school...I'm pretty much done growing, I'm gonna be like this forever" I said solemnly while looking down at my body. I didn't feel mature enough sometimes, I always heard the girls in the bathroom talk about how they got their 'monthly gift' and mine still never came yet. What if something was wrong with me? Oh God what if I wouldn't be able to have kids...Should I tell my mom?

I was caught up in my thoughts and then my sister spoke."No Melody don't say that...I know you probably won't believe this coming from ME but you're beautiful, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. As for your breasts, don't sweat it you have time and to be quite honest having big breasts is quite a pain in the ass sometimes" my sister said to me as she watched me look down at myself. "I've got this Moschino dress that Cris got me....I don't like it but I think you would, stay here I'll get it" she said while walking over to her closet that was filled with pink and frilly overly feminine clothes.

"Ah-ha!" she said as she handed the dress over to me with a pair of stockings to match. I threw the dress on and felt, different. The belt that went around my dress read Moschino and it was obviously real gold because I could feel my stomach area being kind of weighed down. I know this is cheesy to say but I felt like a million bucks, maybe it was because I was literally wearing it.

I threw on my glasses and glanced over at the mirror, the image I was seeing was nothing ordinary,it was extravagant, and different, it was exactly what I wanted to be. Was that me? OH YES IT IS YOU HONEY my wild conscious said to me. I tried to pose seductively in the mirror, I was wearing this dress perfectly. I didn't look over done yet again I didn't look like I just threw anything on. I was picture perfect.

"Well damn, I didn't know my sister was that sassy!" Jessica said jokingly and then went on telling me not to tell Cris she didn't like the dress if he asked me any questions. "Just tell him it didn't fit" she said while looking at me with her pajamas still on and her hair messy but still pretty. 

"Yes I promise I won't say anything to him, I probably won't even see him" I said reassuringly to her just as I was cut off by the vibration of my phone in the pockets of my dress. I pulled the phone out of my pocket and examined the sender but it wasn't any of my contacts, not like I had any to even begin with, but it was still strange. I eagerly unlocked the pass-code on my phone and a text popped up reading: 'Hey! Meet me outside I have a surprise for you!' A smile faded into my face, who would take the time out of their morning to come over and surprise me before school? I felt so special inside, I was such a dork.

"Who was that, a secret admirer?" my sister asked curiously. I was a little taken back and unsure of what to tell her. I didn't know who it was, but I didn't want to say that to her and make it seem like I was hiding something.

My smile grew even wider as I felt my cheeks flush, a secret admirer...Wow that surely was special. "Oh no...Well um...Yeah I guess I do have a secret admirer" I said slowly. My heart was doing somersaults in my chest, who could it be? I thought it could've been Denver but, I didn't give him my number yesterday and he probably hated me now because he knew who my sister was and apparently they held some grudge against each other.

"Well that person sure is lucky....I'll stop holding you up...I'm gonna go back to bed, I'm staying home with mom today...Have fun at school" she said while smiling at me. I must admit I loved how nicely my sister has been with me lately but I also wasn't exactly sure how to take it, it felt weird having some one call you a bitch one minute suddenly calling you beautiful. I shook my head back and forth a little and smiled back at my sister as I walked out of her room and went downstairs to see my 'surprise.' 

The sound of my wooden heels against the wooden floorboards on my stair case was quite comical to me. A cute little clucking sound went through the air with every step I took and oddly enough it made me smile. The summer sun was up early this morning and yawning wide, the sunshine was everywhere, so much to the point that it was refracting through the windows. I made it down the steps and turned to go into the kitchen before I noticed a familiar face staring through the glass window in my living room, it was Denver. My knees grew week and I slightly turned my feet in. Leaning to the side I waved at him and gave him a somewhat awkward smile, the sun was so bright it was making me wince and he probably thought I was winking at him when really I was just trying to avoid the sun. The surprise was obvious, he was standing in front of a black Camaro. Wow, I thought to myself either David and Denver had the same taste or this was a coincidence which I highly doubted. 

"Who's that sweetie?!?! A boyfriend?!?!? OHHHHH I'm so happy for you yet I don't know how I feel about this... Tell him to come inside and introduce himself!" my mother said as she bombarded me with more and more questions which only made me want to leave sooner even though I was super nervous inside. Why was she unsure about how she felt about this? She always wanted me to be more like my sister, and have a boyfriend, and experience my life to the fullest but now she wasn't sure if she liked it or not. Was she seeing something in Denver that I possibly didn't see?

I looked around at the floor avoiding her gaze at all costs, she had put me on the spot and she had also made me start thinking about Denver from a different perspective. "No mom he's no one special, just a friend, there's nothing to worry about he's just taking me to school today since he got his license......We're gonna be late if we wait around any longer okay..Bye!" I said as fast as I could before I disappeared through the door and got into Denver's car.

The car ride was really smooth, I barely felt all those bumps you would normally feel in cars that weren't exactly 'top notch.' I had a new goal in life and that was to stop being such a pussy and actually live my life to the fullest without regrets because, if you never do something you'll always think 'what if ?' I opened my mouth slowly and said "I thought you would hate me" Denver shook his head quickly and just simply replied "Nah" as he reached over and fiddled with the volume button on the stereo. The smell of fresh leather seats seemed to be the only thing I could get a whiff of as we were driving. Denver was shaking his head back and forth in rhythm with the alternative song he had playing on the radio, it sounded alternative yet it hate a an indie flare to it. I wondered if he could sing and if he was a good dancer. I eyed him up and down as he was driving, he was so focused on driving that he didn't notice, I smiled and kept comical thoughts of him dancing to myself. The car stopped and we were in the parking lot, Denver told me to wait inside the car and he got out first and then opened the door for me. I hate to be rude but he was the last guy I expected to be opening doors for someone else.

As soon as me and Denver began walking closer to the school he began rambling aimlessly about things I was uninterested in. It was impossible to concentrate on what he said when I felt like this, a million dollar girl in a million dollar world. Something was a little strange though, how did he get my number? "You know I never got to give you one of my bear hugs..." Denver said as his voice trailed off as if he was trying to suggest that I hug him right then and there. I didn't say much , I just said "oh...uhh..Yeah" Denver put his arm around me which made me a little uncomfortable even though I liked it a little bit. Why was he walking into school with his arm around me? Denver sure gave off a mysterious vibe sometimes but something made me curious to know more and more about him.

************************

I was hanging around in the library after-school to study and do my homework,I didn't want to get home. I could see it and hear it already 'how's the boyfriend?, Did you guys kiss yet?' I really didn't want to stand around and answer all my mothers annoying questions. Hmmm, which book should I get, I thought to myself. I always read fantasy books and felt that it was time to change it up, maybe a romance? My thoughts were interrupted by someone obnoxiously clearing their throat next to me. 

David had began talking to me and started off saying "Don't go away before you listen to me, please Mel" he then went on saying a bunch of crap that was probably bullshit. "I'm telling you he's not from California, that prick has been here in Florida for as long as I can remember....You can't trust him" it was a never ending story with him, he was a TV infomercial and I just wanted to mute him! "Look I'm just warning you....Me and him do share a bad past with each other but believe me when I say he's not who he portrays himself to be...But I guess you can learn that the hard way if that's what you want" David said before he finally shut up. 

"I can look after myself..Besides if there's anyone I should be worrying about I think it should be you 'Mr.I can kill you right now', look David I don't need you to tell me things about people you think you know"

A cocky grin grew across my face thinking about how stupid David must've felt, I don't know why but I really loved messing with him. "As a matter of fact....I'm going to go and meet 'Dangerous Denver' right now" I said in a bratty tone as I looked at my nails and acted way too prissy and bitchy for my own good. 

I actually lied to David, I had no idea where Denver actually was but I just wanted to make David think I did. I walked out of the library and around the back of the school only to see something I would rather not have liked to see. "Stop! We can't do this here!" The slut exclaimed as  pants and moans escaped her nasty looking mouth that had piercings reflecting the sunlight off of them. She had brown hair that seemed to get a little lighter towards the ends of her hair, her hair was long long, luscious, and lustful, it cascaded over her shoulders and hung over down her back. I had only been here for a few seconds but it was obvious they hadn't. Denver let out a groan as he broke the kiss for a moment to  breath a little. Denver's right arm moved up and down her arm that had some random looking tattoos all over it. I kept watching as Denver moved his hand over her breast. I grew disgusted  as I looked at looked at Denver's right hand and the way it was pressed gently on her breast as he lightly fondled it a little.

Denver's lips crashed back into hers as she put her hand around his back and tried pulling him in closer. What a slut I thought to myself, gross. "You should come over after you leave work" Denver said to her almost desperately before he started kissing her again. I knew nothing about kissing besides that kiss I shared with David but this kiss sure was sloppy I could hear the noises of them smacking their lips together and sucking on each others lips. As I heard their breathing grow breathing heavier and heavier, the pain inside of me also grew heavier and heavier. I watched him slide his hand up her shirt to a point that wasn't visible to me, I couldn't take it anymore, I couldn't bear to watch this any longer.

I could feel my stomach moving around and making noises, uh-oh.