My life was going drastically downhill, I had just started high school; everything was going fine, until soccer practice the first day of school. This was hard-core soccer, the girls were nice, but superficially so, ones that the adults thought were angles, but I could see right through them. The junior girls were the worst. I did make friends with one other girl, Sara, she was really sweet. She was the only other Freshmen to make it on the varsity soccer team. The junior girls invited all of the soccer girls to a party two weeks from Friday. It was the biggest party of the year.
When High School started, Casey and Derek with both seniors, Edwin was a sophomore. Edwin, while still my best friend, had a different schedule, so we did not spend as much time together. He also had a girlfriend, she was nice I guess, but for some reason, I really did not like here, especially when we would all watch movies together, and it was like she was taking my time with him. It's not like I got to see him much anymore.
Casey tried to walk me around everywhere. While I love Casey, I really do, she was getting on my nerves, the stress of soccer, trying to make friend and the junior girls got to me and I started to lash out at her. I could not stand here attitude. Needless to say, Casey and I were not speaking at the moment. She even had the nerve to tell Mom, now I have her and George on my case. They are worried about my grades, my friends (or lack therefore) and my soccer. They keep pestering me to see the guidance counselor, Casey swears by him.
The Friday of the party came, I wasn't going to tell my parents that I was going to a high school party put on by junior soccer girls, I told them I was having a sleepover with Sara, which was kinda true, her parents were going out of town, so after the party I was going to stay at her house.
As soon as Sara and I got to the party, I realized that this was the real deal, there was loud music, people were drinking, and I could tell that it was not typical punch that I was used to it was alcohol and lots of it. The junior girls spotted us and immediately took us under their wing; they were bound and determined to make sure that no one on the soccer team was seen as anything but ultra cool. They shoved some drinks in our hand and we started to chat in a circle, then one of them spotted a guy and waved, I was standing with my back to them, so I did not see who it was. Everyone at school knew that Casey and Edwin were my siblings, but not the penultimate Derek.
The seas parted as such, the circle moved to a half circle and I realized that I the high school hockey team was staring me in the face, I had taken this opportunity to take a drink, realizing what that was with the shock of seeing Derek I spit out my drink. The girls looked at me with disgust. Derek was staring at me, I knew it, but I could not look up.
The music starting to blare, people started to dance, one of the hockey guys started to introduce themselves, I shyly shock Derek's hand. He was acting as though nothing weird had happened, like he didn't find his younger step-sister at a kegger.
One of the junior girls, named Callie said that they should all dance, just as a slow song came on. Callie was making faces at Derek, all of the hockey guys grabbed a girl, leaving Callie, Sara and me, boy the look on Callie's face when Derek grabbed me and headed for the dance floor.
"So," he asked, "what are you doing here, I thought you were suppose to be at a sleepover?'
"Maybe I just wanted to?"
"I know you better than that, look, I know something is going on with you lately and I guarantee that getting drunk here will not solve your problems. So why don't we leave, catch a movie and go home."
"I can't Derek, I have to be here, the soccer girls said that if we do not come to the party, they will make my life a living hell, and I want to play soccer" I was practically having a tantrum.
"Just walk out with me, they will never know." Derek Said.
Derek grabbed by hand and pulled me out the door; Callie walked up and started talking to Derek.
"Where are you two going, the party is just getting started?"
"I thought that Lizzie and I would get some air"
"Why would you want a freshman, when you can have someone like me?"
Derek just looked at her and pulled me outside.
The ride to the pizza place was really quite, so was ordering the pizza, all I said was what type of soda I wanted.
We started to head home around 11:00, then Derek took a wrong turn, then a few more. "Where are you going I asked"
"I can't take you home yet, people will be awake, ask questions and ask why you smell like beer."
"Oh, thanks"
"I come here a lot, I haven't showed anyone it, I thought you could appreciate it."
"Its beautiful" I had to admit, it was beautiful, it was peaceful and serene, Derek helped me on the hood of his car and we sat in silence was a few minutes.
"So do you want to tell me what is going on?"
Over the years Derek and I had become closer, after he helped me with hockey, we started to hang out more, but we were never really close close.
I wasn't sure if this was the right thing to do, but I had no one else to talk to so I spilled my guts, everything about the soccer girls, how hard high school was, how Casey was getting on my nerves and how Edwin's girlfriend was getting on my nerves.
After I finished my rambling, I was balling my eyes out, just to realize that it was all off my chest, I knew Derek wasn't going to tell, then he did something unexpected he pulled me into a hug. It was then that I realized that I had a big brother, one that would pick me up from parties and not rat on my parents, he was going to help me with soccer and make sure that Edwin broke up with his girlfriend; he said he couldn't do much about Casey.
After talking with Derek, I started to set things right in my world, soccer and my grades improved, I talked to Casey and we were close again, I even confronted Edwin about his girlfriend. Derek and I now went to all the jock parties together and became really close. Things in my life were finally falling into place, a place that a few years ago I would have never imagined, but a good place altogether.