Chapter one
Be good. The last words my mother said before she left me. I was in a dark puddle of hatred for the last twelve years of my life. Asking why did she leave me with him? Why couldn't he have left me with her, the person who could care for me. My mother. I still remember her. Dark brown hair that swayed in the wind. She always loved kids. She said "Sammy, I promise you will have a little sibling someday." I also believed that. Now I think well I'm glad I don't. Just another mouth to feed. Another mess to clean. I can't do it.
I already have my father, who used to be the fat, jolly man who would dress up like Santa Claus and surprise me every Christmas. He would even dye his mustache and put on a fake beard. After "Santa" left and dad came back my mom would laugh about how he had a white mustache. To that comment he would say "I get older every minute." Now my dad is the stupid, fat man who sits on his butt all day with his beard and very overgrown mustache. Christmas is a past thing now. Every year I put up all the decorations and take them all down. We don't even do gifts. My dad is a journalist and my mom was a teacher. I learned to clean and cook at age five. My dad works everyday but we still can barely afford anything.
"Samantha? The answer dear?" I look up from my notebook to see the whole class looking at me. I quickly look at the problem and solve it. I'm a straight A student so I know if I get this one wrong it won't phase me.
"The answer is x=4?" I say questionably.
"Correct! Now to the next problem…"
I look back at my notebook thinking of how to solve my problem, not the math one. Since my father doesn't get much working I have to get a job. I barely have time to have a job because of school, and all the work I have to do at home and I can't find any places hiring.
Someone bumps me from the desk behind me. I turn my head around and my friend Tyler hands me a note.
"It's from Eve." He whispers.
I look at my best friend. Evelyn Connors. Her face is contorted in confusion. She isn't very good at math and she dreads it every day. I do too but she doesn't understand it as well as I do. She's short with long brown hair and freckles. My mom said that we looked like twins, except I had red hair, like my dad. She was there for me ever since she left. That shows a true friend right there. She looks at me and signals me to read the note. It says: "Hey Sam! Why do you look so down today? Is it the job thing? Write back because I think I have an idea."
I write back: "Yeah it's the job thing. I can't find anything! What's your idea?" I pass the note to Tyler again and tell him to give it to Eve. He hands it to her and she gives him a big smile. She has a crush on him. A big one. She may not show it but she told me. A long time ago, but you know I'm her best friend. The bell rings.
"Okay class dismissed." Ms. Tellers says.
Since I'm closest to the door I bolt out because our class is full of maniacs who cause door jams. Once I'm in the hallway I go to my locker. Our lockers are organized in alphabetical order so my locker is right by Bryce Hardy's locker. Because you know Harning and Hardy? And of course Bryce has to be at his locker right now. I go to my locker to silently grab a book and hope he doesn't talk to me. He's a shy kid but he likes me and he talks to me. He flips his head over to me, swinging his soft black hair in a curtain towards me
"Hi, um, Sam." He says nervously.
"Hey Bryce." I say back.
"Sorry to break up the chat Bryce but I have to talk to Sam." Says Eve as she butts in.
"Nice talking to you Sam." Bryce says as he walks away.
"Yeah sorry Sam. I didn't mean to break up lovers chat but I need to talk to you."
"Thank you! I wouldn't have been able to talk to him. You know that." I say happily.
"Okay Sam after school my house got it?"
"I don't know if I can, I mean I have to clean and cook dinner-"
"Not tonight. He can starve for a night or feed himself. I want to go to the boardwalk with you."
"Okay I'll just ride home with you." I say.
"Oh god!" Eve says looking at the clock. "We're gonna be late!"
We run to our next and last class, Home Ec. We get there and as soon as we walk in the teacher closes the door. We both sigh in relief.
"Okay students today we will be starting a new project. This one is sewing."
All the boys sigh and the girls get excited. I look at Eve.
"This is gonna be a piece of cake." I say.
"Agreed."
The next forty minutes are spent looking at the clock and waiting for it to be over. Finally the bell rings. I bolt to my locker trying to avoid Bryce. I magically get my things and am out of there before he even shows up. I meet up with Eve on my way out.
"Okay this bus right here." She says as she points to her bus. We hop on and find an empty seat. Bryce gets in the seat behind us. I turn around quickly and look at Eve. Help me! I mouth to her. Please! She turns around to Bryce and says:
"My friend Sam here wants to go on a date with you. What do you say?"