For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin--real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life…

It was about 8:30 in the morning and I was out on the fire escape having a smoke and a couple drinks before starting my pathetic day. Every few minutes I would look inside to see if the girl I had hooked up with was still in bed. It was nothing serious, just to have fun every now and then. She knew I didn't want anything more than that and neither did she, so it all worked out.

A few minutes later my phone started to ring. Before I answered it I took a last puff, put it out and set my beer down. I got up from the stair and climbed in through my window only to land face first on the floor. I reached for my phone and answered it. "Hello?" "Hi sweetie", my mom said from the other line. "Are you coming?" she asked. "Yeah…when?" "Right now." she answered. "Okay, I'll be right there."

I got up from the floor and went out to the living room, grabbing my clothes on the way and getting dressed. I quickly brushed my teeth and went out the door to catch the bus that would lead me to my destination.

Once I reached the cemetery I went to where the rest of my family was. "You couldn't have worn a tie?" My father asked me once I was close enough. "Good to see you dad." I reached them and stood next to my sister, Caroline. "Thanks for waking me kid." I said to her. "You smell like Listerine and beer." she said to me. "Thanks", I chuckled and kissed her cheek.

Caroline laid some flowers on his grave and we each said our prayers before heading down to the restaurant we would always go to after we went to visit my brother, Michael's grave.

We took our seats and ordered the usual. It had been a while since we had last done this and thing were a little more tensed than they usually were. "So, how is everything?" My mom asked to try to lighten the mood. "Everything is fine mom." I said, taking out a cigarette and lighting it, bringing it to my mouth. But before I had the chance to let the smoke fill my lungs my mom snatched it away and put it out. "Good" she said. "Caroline, did you tell you're brother what you're art teacher told you?"

Caroline turned towards my mom and shook her head. "What? What did she say?" I asked, intrigued. Instead of my sister answering, my mom did. "Her teacher was looking at her work and she decided to put her work in the Upper School Art Show next month! She said that Caroline had "shades of a young Rembrandt." "Really? That's great kid." "Yeah and I'm the youngest one being entered." She said, looking over at me and smiling. "She said that they were really good and that she loved them." Caroline said with a smile on her face. "Yeah and if they really like it I could be going to an art camp…"

"Could you pass the butter Emmett?" My father asked, interrupting Caroline. "No, you can wait, please continue Caroline." I said not giving it to him. "No, it's not important." she said, continuing to draw on her paper.

"You're daughter was speaking." I said to him. "I wasn't changing the subject, I just needed the butter." he said as if he hadn't just done something wrong. "Oh. And what was the subject?" "Excuse me?" He said. "The subject that you weren't trying to change…what was it?"

"Exactly." I said as I got up from the table and kissed Caroline's forehead. "I'll see you later."

I grabbed my stuff and left the restaurant. Michael would be happy that we still did this, I said to myself in a hysterical tone.

After leaving the restaurant I headed to downtown to my favorite coffee shop, the one I always used to go to with my brother when he was still alive. When I arrived I took my usual seat and took out my journal and began to write.

An hour later I put away my journal and went on my way to school. A couple blocks from school I met up with my roommate Edward. I took out a cigarette and lit it. It had been at least about 3 hours since I had last had one. And I was dying to have one.

I looked over at Edward and saw him smirking. "What are you smirking at?" I asked. "I sold your girlfriend a toothbrush." He said with a straight face. "You sold my who a what?" "You know the voluptuous, oblivious little blonde you left in your bed this morning. I sold her a tooth brush. Got three bucks." He said, smiling at himself, proud of what he had done. I had totally forgotten about her…I'd have to call her up again tonight.

"Um…Congratulations?" I said, but it came out as more of a question. "Are in order, yes. Because me selling that tooth brush gave me the greatest idea ever: 'The Slut'!" I looked at him more confused than before, if that was even possible. "The what?" "'The Slut', you know the 'Single Lady's Universal Tote" "Oh yeah, right! How could I forget?" I said, sarcasm dripping from my mouth.

Jasper continued as if I had never even said anything at all. "It's the one night stand travel pack for women. We throw in some make-up, toiletries, cell phone charger and a couple useful phone numbers. Set the retail price at $19.95, maybe even do and infomercial." "And you actually think women will but this?" I asked honestly. "Hell yeah. One night stands happen, their part of life."

"You need help." I said laughing and finishing up my cigarette. "Okay, fine. Don't take me seriously. But just remember that at some pint in time two people just like ours about light bulbs. One of those two people went to have fame and fortune and the other one probably went to work at some Denny's or something." He said walking ahead of me. I walked a little faster. "I'm pretty sure they didn't have Denny's in the 19th century." And with that we made our way into school and went are separate ways to our classes.