Hi, Dad. Well, I've suffered the first day of many to come as a junior. Amber wrote in a letter to her father. Overall, it was an ordinary day. Except when Michael Mitchels almost threw up on me as Mr. Jones announced we'd be disecting rats. I had to dodge it instantly. Thankful for her quick reflexes, she gagged, almost throwing up herself, thinking of the memory, and what could have happened if her speed had failed her. Besides that, today was the day I finally gave Kitty the boost she needed. I'm hoping everything works out for her and Johnny. I really want Kitty to be happy. Amber was fighting back tears. She really missed her father. He had died in a car crash after his car had been struck by a drunk driver when she was only seven. It was late that very night, when Amber's mom had received a phone call from the local hospital, saying that her husband had been checked in and that his situation was critical. Amber's mother quickly drove them there, tailgating almost every other driver in the process. When they finally arrived, the nurse explained what had happened and told them sympathetically, "His injuries were too severe. He's not going to make it through the night." Amber and her mother had stayed with him the whole time, making their last night together count. It wasn't until 3:50 A.M. that his fatalities had claimed his life. His funeral was the following day. Amber and her mother were devastated, and it affected the family drastically. Amber's grades dropped and her social life disintegrated. She rarely ate and never got an adequate amount of sleep. She quickly became underweight and sickly. Every hour of every day at home, she spent locked in her bedroom. As for Amber's relationship with her mother, that's when it began to crumble. Amber had always been closer to her father than her mother. But since her father's death, her mother had become far bitchier. She and her mother argued daily. Instead of her father's death bringing her closer to her only surviving parent, it only drove them even further apart.

Amber, at a very young age, was on the verge of an emotional breakdown. She would always be grateful to Kitty, who offered support and encouragement for Amber the whole time. Kitty had been the only one she'd willingly talk to. When Amber had threatened disappearing for good, Kitty was instantly alarmed and in tears. It was then that, without her mother's consent, Amber was convinced by a very concerned Kitty to go into therapy. There, her therapist addressed her issues and how to handle them. She learned stress and time management techniques. Still shaken by the loss of her father, her therapist recommended she find a way to ease the pain. So, Amber began writing "letters" to her father; even though she would never get any replies, it took away the feeling of him being gone slightly, and that was what was important. After a few months of therapy, her therapist felt that Amber had made a satisfying amount of progress and let her go. Things finally began to improve for Amber, thanks to the help of her therapist and her irreplaceable friend, Kitty. Her relationship with her mother, however, remained unchanged. Throughout the years, she continued to write the letters, and she would for many more years to come.

I love and miss you very much. Good night, Dad. Amber finished the letter and stored it in the safe in her room, along with all her other letters. She glanced at the clock. It read 10:48 P.M. She threw her pajamas on and climbed into bed. Unable to fall asleep right away, she flipped over on her right side, reflecting on her life. With mainly only Kitty to talk to, Amber often felt strong feelings of loneliness; that was exactly why she was secretly wishing for a boyfriend. It would be nice if someone loved me, she thought to herself. Hell, my own MOTHER doesn't even love me! She felt that feeling of desperation creep over her again. I just want to know how it feels... all I'm asking for... is someone to love... and someone to love me. With that being the last thought in her head, falling asleep was inevitable, and she lost all consciousness.

"We got the looks that you're all after! We got the moves that make you cry!" Ember McLain sang, perfectly in tune with the music. In front of her stood a crowd of cheering females- not a male in sight. "If there's a chance of causing laughter, you want a kiss, baby, don't even tryyyyy..." One by one, the backup singers echoed the word. All of a sudden, one of them screwed up and hit a faulty note. The crowd booed and flung trash at her, burying her onstage. The singer popped up out of the debris and retorted,"You're all just jealous!"

Amber opened one eye drowsily and checked the time. It was 6:59 A.M. "Aw, dammit," she mumbled. She hated waking up exactly one minute before the alarm sounded. It was only seconds later when the alarm went off. "Oh, shuddup," she muttered, smacking the alarm, hoping to hit the snooze button. Instead, she smacked the alarm so hard that it felt to the floor and shattered. Amber sat up, startled, and glanced at the remains of her alarm clock. "Sweet," she smiled. "Now I have an excuse to get out of the house later." She made a mental note to get a less obnoxious alarm clock this time.

Amber was pleased to get out of the house unnoticed by her mother, who had been out drinking till nearly 3 in the morning. Amber, because of her father's death, loathed alcohol, and anyone who consumed it. Serves her right if she wakes up with a hangover, Amber thought with contempt. What a dipstick. And speaking of dipsticks... Memories of her latest dream filled her mind. Her idiot backup singer ruined her whole performance. She had no idea why it was bothering her so much when it was just a dream. Had it been for real, she'd be pretty ticked off.

Amber stopped at the corner of the block. Kitty's late again, she thought to herself. Amber quickly checked her bag to make sure she didn't forget her homework. What kind of teacher would give homework on the first day? she thought to herself in disgust. Oh, that's right. They're TEACHERS. They're supposed to make your life miserable. Of course, that couldn't even begin to compare to all the misery she'd already been through.

Seconds turned to minutes and Kitty was nowhere to be seen. Maybe she's not feeling well today. Amber continued walking to school, crestfallen. Now today she would be truly alone.

All of a sudden a loud roaring filled the air. Amber turned to see two people zooming down the street on a motorcycle. She had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit. "HEY! WATCH IT!" she shouted angrily. That was Johnny's bike! But... who was with him...? She replayed the scene in her mind. Wait... was that Kitty? It must have been! Which means... she totally ditched me! Amber was burning with resentment. She could have called me! Trying not to let her anger overcome her, she took a few deep breaths. It was only fair that Kitty does what she wants. After all she did for me... I owe her. The rest of the way to school, she couldn't get the roar of the motorcycle and the image out of her mind.