"Damn."

The cigarette came to life as she inhaled while simultaneously swiping at the embers that fell on her bare arm. She exhaled and leaned back on her elbows to look at the night sky. This year was a bitch. Graduation was right around the corner and still no college plans.

"What about your future? What are you going to do with your life?!" her father would shout at her. She usually stood and took the verbal assault and then climbed out here, to her secret place. The one place where nobody thought to look...the one place she could watch the rest of the world unfold with no problems. She stretched as she sat back up and looked with interest as a car pulled up and stopped next door. Steven Townsend. God what a prick. So popular, so good looking, such an asshole. It was a shame really. They were together before. But when she started seeing girls go in and not come out, she broke it off. He hemmed and hawed about it, sure, but when she told him about his many whores, he didn't deny it. Now they only spoke when necessary. And it usually involved a snide comment or rude remark.

"Let's see the new skank," she muttered as the passenger door opened. Her mouth dropped when she saw who it was. This girl was a goody-good! Maybe she's lost. People like her don't come around here for the likes of Sir-Many-Ho's. The couple smiled at each other as he walked her towards his house and then he stopped, almost as an afterthought. He looked up at the roof next door, saw the girl staring and wagged his fingers at her. She scowled, aimed her still lit cigarette at him and threw it.

"Bitch!" he called up as he sidestepped the well aimed flying missal. She smiled and gave him the finger in return as he scowled and walked inside.

"Kate!!" her mother's voice drifted out the window. The girl stood up and crawled back inside.

"Coming!"

"Woo...yeah!!" The crowd surged towards the kitchen, knocking the boy aside.

"That's alright, I'm fine!" he called as he got up dusting himself off. Rachel Monroe threw some kick ass parties, he had to admit, but everyone and their mother always showed up. So instead of it being a regular awesome party, it usually turned into a mosh pit free for all just about. He sighed as he walked inside grabbing himself a drink. He swallowed the liquor hard, making a face as he stopped, suddenly seeing why everyone was surging towards the kitchen. There she was. Standing in the middle, doing a beer-bong contest with Jake Storm. It figures. It always turned out like this. She said that she would stop and settle down and she never did. He smiled as he thought about middle school, what seemed like a million and a half years ago. This never would have happened. They would all be hanging out at someone's house watching movies. High school sure had changed everybody.

"Gordo!" she yelled happily as she saw him when she finally set down the bong.

He nodded his head at her while he took a sip of his drink and then looked away. He hated seeing her like this. Drunk beyond all recognition. Countless times he had to bring her home and let her spend the night at his house because her parents would kill her if they smelt her coming through the door. Good thing his house had a basement that he used as a bedroom...

"Come on, time to go," he said as he started to pull her away.

"I'm not done here yet!"

"Oh yes you are," Gordo replied as he pulled her down the street.

"God you are such a drag!!"

"You'll thank me later. Is this what the next four years are going to be like? Me cleaning up after you...taking you home after parties?"

"It's not like you're doing anything anyway," she said as she tripped, attempting to follow his brisk pace. He frowned when he heard this and just jammed his hands into his shorts even futher.

"Liz..."

"What? Are you too good for me?? You can't dump me, it's not like we're going out," she said trying to stand in front of him, but ending up on the far right side instead.

He sighed as he walked over to her. "It's a good thing we're not. Now let's get you home before you pass out." He wrapped his arm around her and led her back to his house.

"Gordo! Did you get the test tubes?" Miranda asked as she walked into the basement the next morning. She stopped short when she saw Gordo still in bed, sleeping in only boxers, with a sleeping girl next to him. She sighed and shook Gordo's shoulder, waking him up.

"Ummphh..." he mumbled.

"Get up. You were supposed to be ready like thirty minutes ago!! And what the hell is going on?"

"Miranda?" he asked finally sitting up in bed. "Oh shit!" was the first words out of his mouth as soon as he saw her there, taping her loafer clad foot impatiently.

"What happened? Did she..."

"Yeah. Again," he sighed.

Miranda sat down on Lizzie's side of the bed and ran her hand through her hair.

"Miranda?" she asked sleepily.

"What are you doing?" she asked softly. It was a loaded question, but one that had been asked many times before. Most of the time it went unanswered, and this morning was no exception.

"Listen, me and Miranda have to do a science thing so..." Gordo trailed off.

"I get it. Ditching me like always huh?"

"Lizzie!! This project is due in like one week!! If you went to class, maybe you would know about it," Miranda said.

"Whatever. I need to go anyway," she said as she rolled out of bed picking up her shirt she lost the night before.

Miranda and Gordo just watched her leave and shook their heads.

"I am so tired of this," she muttered.

"I know."

"No, I really am. She goes out, gets trashed and then we have to pick up the pieces. She might as well just live with you now. I mean we have other things to do!" she exclaimed.

"We're all she has," he replied softly.

"What about her little beer drinking friends?" she asked bitterly. "Why can't they help her? I have to focus on getting into Yale, you have your music...and she has her liquor."

"It's not like we don't do partake Miranda. You are getting into Yale, don't worry about it. As for me, that whole music thing was a joke anyways. She needs us Andy," he said using her nickname he gave her.

"No. She needs help. Help we can't give her."

"So what are we gonna do?" he demanded.

"I don't know. But I can't just sit here and watch anymore. I know that you almost had something a million and one years ago, but it's over now! If you really love her, you really care, then help her," Miranda said as she led the way out of the basement.