"So what was that call from your dad about?" Panda slammed the door to his car

Panda always drove me home after school because he lives caddy corner to me. We both live outside of town. Separately we're pretty isolated but by crow we're pretty close. Picc usually tags along on the days she has cheerleading practice which is usually held in the most inconvenient place possible. Remember how I said we were underfunded? Well we can't even really afford a gym. We share one with the middle school essentially right beside us. And yes that means Picc is usually too lazy to walk a couple hundred feet to get to practice. We still love her though. Rokin tagged along because his mom teaches at the middle school. So really they're both lazy turds. But they're MY lazy turds.

"Yeah you disappeared pretty quickly after lunch, what's up?" Picc sounded concerned

Panda immediately swung out of the parking lot without looking, nearly hitting someone. Panda lifted up his arm and flipped the person the bird."Asshole! Get out of my way!"

"Jesus Panda, are are you trying to kill me? You KNOW that I already have my concert outfit on!" Rokin cried

"The concert isn't until tomorrow Rokin…" I said

"I am ready to GO"

"Apparently" I chuckled

"Don't ignore us Molly" Panda leered from the front seat

"Okay guys...this is really serious" I started

"Like Chris Brown hitting Rihanna serious?" Rokin gasped

"Rokin, please!" we all say in unison

"It's not THAT serious but it's just troubling"

"Are you gonna keep leading us on or can I put on a cd?"

"Panda just focus on driving I'm getting to it!" I pull out my phone to feel a little less awkward "So it's about my parents"

"Are they getting a divorce?" Picc grabs my hand. "Because a lot of people go through this and it's okay. We'll always be here for you babe."

"No, No. It isn't that serious. They're just smothering me. All nine of those calls were to tell me about some letter I got from some college and how much they love me and are proud of me"

"So what exactly is the problem again?" Panda questioned

"What do you mean what's the problem? I can't escape my parents! That's a problem!"

"Honey, even for you this is a bit lame" Without even turning on his blinker Panda whipped the car into the middle school parking lot.

"Well what does THAT mean?"

"Hold on I can't focus and drive." Panda swerved through a couple small children and finally found a place to park near the gym. One day Panda is gonna hit one of them. Panda has never traditionally been a good driver. I don't wanna say it's because he is asian but he is the only asian in River City and he happens to also be the worst driver in River City. By far. The day he got his license he came to pick me up and backed into my parents car. Make of that what you will. "What I mean is that you've had a perfect life! Nothing bad has ever happened or will happen to you. You're a ball of sunshine for everyone around you. If your biggest problem is that your parents love you a little too much then trust me you are doing better than at least 95% of us. You're gonna be going off to college pretty soon anyway so it's not a big deal."

Picc and Rokin reluctantly shake their heads and quickly exit the car.

I can't argue with any of Panda's points I know I've had it easy. Sometimes though, and I mean very rarely, it feels like a curse. I can't help but feel like this is it for me. I hardly ever have to struggle or overcome something. Most things are served to me on a silver platter. I've grown to be everything I'm supposed to be without having to lift a finger. You know how sea turtles are born on land with no parents or help or anything? They just instinctively know they have to get to the water and everything will be fine. But along the way a lot of them actually die. They get stepped on, or eaten, or kidnapped. And that's just their dangers on land. When they get in the water they have a whole ocean of trouble waiting for them. That's kinda what life feels like. I just casually stroll down to the rest of my life in a tide pool while i watch everyone around me get picked off by birds of prey. And there's nothing bad about my life. It's just boring being perfect.

We pull into Panda's driveway and I take "Don't Forget" the Demi Lovato cd that Panda that had been listening to and put it in its case. When I ejected the CD "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga blared through the speakers.

"Um rude?"

"Panda please you play this every time we're in the car. You need a break."

"I am perfectly fine at moderating myself!"

"Trust me you really aren't. You can't even park straight again do you think I really trust you not to go overboard with this?" Panda looks out his windows and realizes he's done it again. I have to crawl out the drivers side door everyday because Panda parks way too close to his dad's truck and he would kill him if he even breathed on it the wrong way. I had to kind of awkwardly straddle him to get out. He's kinda cute, I'd probably be into him if he was straight, but he's gayer than a picnic basket.

"One day i'm gonna get used to parking around that thing. It's the black that throws me off I swear. I can't tell how close it is."

"Panda please go and get glasses."

"Absolutely not I can see just fine." Panda stands up and holds the door open for me to crawl through.

"Well then I hope you have the best eyesight in the world to watch your boyfriend's sex tape." Panda pumps the door in my direction and I flinch to protect my face. We both laugh

"Okay well one he isn't my boyfriend. I don't even like him like that. And Two are you coming to Rebecca's tonight or are you gonna be zoned out the whole time there too?"

"I can promise I will be there. Outside of that I am no future seer. Maybe you could tell me?"

"Listen here bitch I can see just fine! I'm gonna be over in an hour or so to pick you up so we can go alright?"

I shake my head as I flop out of the car into the gravel making up Panda's driveway. Panda heads inside as I reach back into the car to grab my bookbag. Panda gives me one last look before he opens his front door and heads inside. I shoot him one back and then I begin to make my short walk home.

The walk was one of my favorite parts of the day. I could relax and be myself. There's something about being in nature that is so relaxing to me. In british lit one year our teacher had told us about something called the "sublime" and how you could reach a point of total submersion in the universe. I don't know If I believed in all of that but it was a nice thought to think about.

I climbed over the fence that separated our backyards. It was originally for the farm our parents were thinking about starting. They never got around to a full on farm but I do remember there being cows around when I was really young. The thought that I could have been a farm girl who wakes up a the crack of dawn to feed her chickens disturbed me. However maybe it's the exact kind of struggle I need.

I reached the backdoor of my house. My parents still weren't home and wouldn't be for awhile. I set my backpack down on the dining room table and headed to get something to eat. The fridge was packed with the usual stuff. Capri suns, pepperoni slices, shredded cheese, and about 10,000 ton of pudding. For some reason my mom thinks pudding s the key to health. Why? I couldn't tell you but no one wants to tell her otherwise. She'll be on a new kick within a month anyway. I dig through and grab a cup of chocolate pudding and a capri sun. I shut the door and one of the many pictures I drew as a kid falls off it's position on the fridge an lands in a small puddle of water underneath the fridge. I don't bother to pick it up.

Panda said he would he would be around in an hour or so so that meant I had at least two hours to chill before I saw any sight of him. I sit down at the family computer in my dad's office and boot up Runescape. I could disappear in this game for months really. I used to play a lot more serious when I was younger but now it's just kind of an escape. Now I just sit around and fish and make friends. It's nice to be around people who don't know or care about you every now and then. I guess this is my sublime. I am greeted to the familiar sound of the startup menu. It's an iconic sound and very nostalgic. I log in and I appear where I left off last time- in Varrock, my favorite town in the game. I walk over to the water and cast my line in. Nothing happens for a while. Some people gather and I see a name I recognize. Newt301 came over and stood right beside my online avatar. Whoever he was he seemed to be an eccentric player. He always seemed to have the best stuff. Maybe he payed for it. I didn't matter to me much though. He was always fun to be around even though he never said much.

My phone buzzed on the desk in front of me. I opened it to see a message from Panda.

Im gnna b a lttle l8.

Shocker.

Newt301 and I sat beside each other and just fished. Most of the time I talk to him and he rarely ever answers. I thought about trying to strike up a conversation but not even I wanted to deal with the frivolities of conversation right now. So today we just sat in virtual silence. And it was nice. VIrtual reality is the future.

Panda's car pulled up about an hour later. He was only 34 minutes later than he previously agreed to. I'd like to think that this was some kind of character development.

Rebecca's was packed today. It felt like half the school was there. In reality they probably were. The freshmen were in the corner looking at some more comics. Tk and Shether were sitting together working on some kind of a project together. Dusk and Lime were behind the counter furiously making drinks to keep up with the growing number of people in the restaurant. Panda and I walked over to our normal booth only to find Naps sitting there drinking some unidentifiable liquid.

"Naps it's five in the afternoon, this is a little early to be drinking don't you think?" mocks Panda

"I agree with you Panda. Five in the afternoon is WAY to early to be drinking. I can see how you would be concerned about that if I was the one drinking and I am not so back OFF fatty."

"Then what is in the bottle Naps?" I slide in right beside him

"It's just water!"

"Why would you bring water to a coffee shop?" Panda asks

"I don't need this from EITHER of you. I am LEAVING"

"You going back to Canada moose boy?"

"Panda please." I place my arms on naps shoulders. "Just stay awhile Picc and Rokin are gonna be here pretty soon"

"Fine I will stay but I am NOT putting up with anymore ABUSE"

We all settle in to out places and the mood relaxes. I reach into my bookbag to get my things out to start on my homework but Panda is suddenly tapping my foot. I look up to see he's giving me that Panda face. It's the one that says "This is your chance! Suck his cock!" I know this because it's the exact text message that showed up on my screen a couple seconds later. I shoot back the most disappointed Molly face I could muster.

"Hey Naps" I say loudly to get Panda's attention

"Yes Molly?"

"Do you have any clue when Dude is getting here? I heard he had some things for Panda?" I can feel the hole being burned in the side of my head.

"Yeah he's gonna be here pretty soon. I think he had some chores or he had to drop off his sisters or something"

"Oh so he's not with anyone special?" A hard kick comes right at my shin.

"I mean I guess his sisters would be pretty important. Why do you have a crush on him? Is Molly finally gonna step down from her throne and interact with us commoners?"

"Oh no i'm not prepared for that yet. I'm just uh, asking for a friend"

"Oooh which one? Is it Rokin?"

"This is gross and I'm not staying for this any longer!" Panda slides out of the booth and gives me one last look of disapproval as he stands up at the end of the table. He whips around as dramatically as possible nearly knocking over the table next to us. The salt and pepper shakers both come flying off the table and smash on the ground in a glorious mess.

"Don't worry about it, I got it!" Lime yells from somewhere I can't see. In no time he is here with a rag and two new shakers. It's always akward watching someone clean up a mess you made. You know you should help but in a situation like this what could we realisticly do that wouldn't get in Limes way?

"Lime i'm so sorry about Panda he's gained a bit of weight and he isn't sure how to throw it around just yet"

"Oh it's no problem Molly. Just happy I could help. However I do have two questions for you"

"Ask away!"

"Okay well first of all, Naps what is in that bottle? Me and dusk made a bet on whether it was vodka or everclear and I just have to know."

"FINE. If everyone has to know it's moonshine"

"Naps holy shit" we all say in unison

"I just wanted to try it okay. Get off my BACK!" He says as he slumps over in the booth.

"Whatever you want dude I just wouldn't let Rebecca see you with it" Lime adds

"So what is your other question?"

"Oh yeah. So remember how way back a long time ago when we used to sing in the church choir?"

"Lime are you trying to recruit me for Jesus?"

"Goodness no. It's just Rebecca was thinking about having some live performances here on the weekends and I was wondering if maybe you wanted to work together and maybe we could perform a couple songs?"

"Oh wow Lime that's a tall order"

"Yeah I know it's a lot but there isn't exactly a lot of talent around here so I just thought I would ask you. Here's my number." he hands me crumpled piece of paper from the front of his apron. "Just call me if you decide on what to do"

"I'll definitely think about it. Thank you Lime" He smiles at me and then disappears somewhere behind the counter. What a guy.

A couple minutes later Picc, Rokin, and Dude all walk in through the front door. Picc and Dude squeeze in with Naps, Panda, and I. Rokin immediately goes to order a drink and flirt with the other barista boy Dusk. Love is in the air. Everyone is happy. It's moments like these I wish would never end because it's impossible to say that life isn't good. Maybe I don't need a struggle.