I ended this kinda quick and adrubtly, I realize, but I just wanted it that way. Thanks for all the support. Second last chapter.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

you're gonna lose that girl if you don't treat her right, my friend.

It was May 12th.

Exams started tomorrow and it also happened to be Amara's birthday. She hadn't told him until today and now he felt like a real asshole because he didn't have a thing for her. She had said she didn't want anything, but if he really wanted to please her, take her to Dairy Queen. He was sort of pleased by how laid back she was about her birthday. Amara had striked him to be high maintenance about things like birthdays. Curly was glad she wasn't.

"I'm eighteen," she grinned. "I am an adult."

She laying down on his bed, her head in his lap and her long blonde hair sprawled everywhere. She had just come from a family lunch and she had been overly happy since she walked into the door.

"I accepted Stanford, I think I forgot to tell you that."

She had forgotten. He had assumed she had made a decision, those letters had due dates, but he hadn't pressed the topic much. He tried to ignore it.

"My grandma came to visit, which is unusual," Amara continued. "She gave me some money and a two-way ticket to California to see the campus. I haven't seen her in years, it was odd."

Amara explained how her grandparents were wealthy, but she hadn't seen them since she was thirteen; that was the year her grandfather died. Her grandma was some rich old widow who lived in Florida now. Curly wondered how her grandma could just run off to Florida when she was wealthy and her kid and grandkids were struggling. Amara said it was because her father didn't want help from anyone, especially his stuck up mother-in-law. Curly could understand that.

"When's your trip?" Curly asked, feigning interest and excitement.

"May twenty-third right after the ceremony."

May twenty-third was only about a week away and when Amara came back it wouldn't be to stay. She would be leaving again in a mere month.

Curly couldn't believe he was actually graduating, he was not going to have to continue another year; on May twenty-third he was going to get a diploma in his hand and he would never step foot in Will Rogers again as a student. He didn't know if he was fully ready for that. School was always a place to turn to if things at home got unbearable or Tim was being a controlling dick. That would be gone now.

"I can't believe it. Graduating." Curly murmured, almost to himself.

Amara grinned again. "Neither can I, it's getting so close."

"I don't know how I'm gonna leave you."

Amara had talked about leaving lots but she hadn't mentioned leaving him before. He knew Amara and he knew she was just trying to pretend she wasn't leaving him, but she was. She was going to be on the other side of the country.

"I don't know how I'm gonna handle that either." He chuckled. Amara found her way on top of him.

She was leaving kisses down his neck when there was a knock on the door. Curly got up and peeked through the curtain in his room. If it was one of those damn Jehovah's witnesses he wasn't even going to take the time to descend the stairs. What he saw wasn't much better.

"Come with me." Curly tugged Amara's arm. She was only in his shirt and bent down to grab pants. He shook his head and pulled her along.

Nancy Reynolds never knew when to just admit defeat. She stood on the other side of the door, high off something.

"Curly." Her voice was disorientated and drawn out; it sounded as if she had tried to be seductive but she was too far away.

"Nancy."

At this point, Amara was still tucked behind Curly but Nancy had caught her eye; Nancy's eyes formed into slits.

"I thought you two were just friends. She ain't even dressed."

Curly just shrugged but Amara stiffened behind him, embarrassed. He felt bad for dragging her into this now.

"What do you want, Nancy?" His voice was stern; no room for games.

"Word on the street is Tim has the stuff I want now."

Curly attempted to shut the door, he was not going to sell her drugs, she was doped up enough. Nancy stuck her leg in the way.

"Curly, please." She whined, as if he was denying her water in the desert. Junkies were always desperate.

"Nancy, you know I ain't gonna do that. Go ask Johnny. He's got it."

"Johnny doesn't know about my little habit."

Johnny must of been as dumb and a fucking doorknob if he couldn't tell Nancy was a junkie. She had the tracks and she never made full sense. He had to know.

"I ain't got it. Now we need to get back to where we left off."

Nancy made a growling noise and muttered slut under her breath. Amara stiffened again. He felt like shit.

"Screw off somewhere else, Nancy." He slammed the door shut, not caring if her leg was still there or not.

"That was degrading." Amara laughed uneasy. Curly copied it, stroking the back of his neck.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I thought she might go away if we seemed busy."

It was a dumb spur of the moment thought, Nancy was vicious and didn't like other people touching what she thought to be hers.

"It's okay."

"How about that burger now?" Curly suggested, not wanting Amara's mind to stick too much on being called a slut.

"Yeah, I'll just go get ready."

Amara took longer than Curly to get ready, which was expected.

Angela barged in the door. Her cheeks were red and her eyes were puffy like she had been crying.

"You okay, kid?" Curly said. Angel just nodded.

"Do you want to get something to eat? I'm starving."

Angela always wanted to be around Curly or Tim when she was upset but she would never directly say it. She would just ask to get a bite to eat or go bowling.

"I don't think so, kid. It's Amara's birthday."

Amara was padding down the stairs, she smiled at Angela. "Of course she can come, Curl. You're payin'."

Angela peered up at him through her lashes, a smirk on her face. The traces of tears were gone and she seemed back to normal.

"Alright, then it's settled I'm joinin'." Angel crossed her arms and looked at him like she was daring him to say no now. He didn't exactly want her to go but he wasn't going to be a ass about it.

"Get in the truck." He huffed and they all left.

Angel and Amara had been getting close lately. He thought it was because Amara, even though she was a god damn emotional teenage girl, was more stable of a person to turn to with problems. Amara was always around and Angela had accepted her a lot more than Curly thought Angela would accept any of his girls.

So when Angela and Amara went to the restroom while he ordered it wasn't all too weird.

But Amara came out and wouldn't even look him in the eye; Angel didn't join him until a few minutes later.

"Somethin' you two wanna share?"

Amara glanced at Angel in way the seemed to urge her on.

Angel gave him a blank look. "I think I'm pregnant."

Curly almost fell out of the booth.

Everyone, including Curly had just gotten over Tim's announcement. Angel had just turned sixteen in April. She wasn't supposed to be having a baby. He knew Angela wasn't a pure little girl, he had caught her in a couple sticky situations- but he hoped maybe his baby sister was still a virgin.

"What the fuck? Who is he? Jesus, I'll kill 'em."

Angel just rolled her eyes and sighed. "It ain't a big deal, ok? Stop being such an idiot."

"Ain't a big deal? Who is he? Should I tell Tim or will you?"

"Don't you even think about tellin' Tim, ya hear?"

Curly managed to calm himself down. He distracted himself with the Stones song playing and didn't look Angela's way.

"Alright, now who's is it?"

Angel hesitated. "Ricky."

Ricky fucking Wheeler. Curly always thought that kid was a flake, but he had started to take a liking to his different personality. But all that went out the door when he knocked up his baby sister. That kid was going to get some beating- and he should be scared shitless once Tim found out. His own gang member shacking up his sister. Curly saw Tim having little patience for that.

Bryon had only cut Angel's hair off and the pair did quite the number on him.

"You gotta tell Ma, at least." Tim wasn't really a concern, he didn't need to know. Though, Curly would like some help beating Ricky Wheeler to a pulp.

Amara seemed to agree with him.

"I think you should tell your mother. It's something she should know."

"You guys are making a way bigger deal than it needs to be. I can just get rid of it."

Abortion. Curly would be damned before he let Angel get one of those. They were dangerous; he had heard the stories. His sister wasn't getting cut open by some creep.

He gave Angela the most fierce expression he could and she shut up.

Curly and Amara promised Angela they'd sit outside the room while she told their mother. More or less so the two didn't kill each other.

There was screaming and cursing, and he kept glancing over to Amara to see if she was uncomfortable. She appeared to be okay.

Curly was definitely cutting off sex for awhile, that was for sure. He family seemed to be going through a fertile period.

"I'm calling his parents." Their mother yelled and Angela threw back protests but Mary Shepard stomped out of the living room and into the kitchen and dialled the Wheelers.

The loud voices of Ricky's parents could still be heard as the three teenagers sat at the dining table. Angela seemed more embarrassed than he had ever seen her in his life. She was usually so proud.

Their mother was on the telephone for what seemed like hours before she let Ricky's parents go.

Angela and Ricky were going to have a shotgun wedding.

That didn't sit well with Angela, she was hollering and screeching and throwing things as if it was going to help her out. Their mother didn't say a word; she just sat in the wooden seat with her lips pursed while Angela went hysterical.

Amara went home after awhile, once Angel calmed down. She looked stressed and Curly couldn't blame her. She had just got wrapped up in Angela's affairs and she had to handle the biggest one yet. You never really knew what Angel was going to throw at you; she was a troublemaker and didn't care much for anything.

Somehow, the news was carried on to Tim and when Curly saw Ricky the next day in passing, he was sporting a black eye and a crooked nose. Curlys lips had curled into a smirk at that.

X X X

May 23rd rolled around faster than Curly ever thought it could. His mother ironed his best clothes and Curly lit up a cigarette to relax. Nerves were getting to him. A chapter of his life was ending and Amara might just disappear with it.

"You shouldn't be smoking," his mother hardly looked up from the iron. "Your asthma."

Curly's lips curled at the motherly concern. He couldn't believe he actually missed her nagging. "It's alright, ma. Haven't had an attack in a year."

She rolled her eyes and muttered something about how he almost died as a kid and how Curly must have a death wish. He chuckled under his breath.

An hour later, he stood in the lobby with all the rest of the graduates. He was in his blue and gold cap and gown and it all seemed a bit surreal. Everyone was chattering and laughing, but the room have off an anxious atmosphere.

Steven came over and threw his arm around Curly. There was a cigarette hanging from his mouth and he was grinning like he was up to something. Knowing Steven, he probably was.

"Steven Janes, put that out right now." Mrs. Barnes snapped from behind them.

Steven gave her a charming smile. "I'm sorry Mrs. B. won't happen again."

Steven was the only one Curly knew who could ever make Mrs. Barnes break her scowl.

"Can't believe we're graduatin', man. Us fuckin' slackers."

"It's crazy, I even passed English."

He gave Curly a pat on the back. "Maggie's lookin' for me. See ya in a bit."

Curly let his eyes roam the room for Amara. He had been here a half hour or so and he hadn't seen her once.

As soon as he had thought of her, she and Christian Dixon walked of the principals office.

She wandered over to him pouting. "I'm not valedictorian. His math mark was a hundred, I don't know he even managed."

He pushed her hair out of her face and stuck her cap on her head. "Don't worry about it. In six hours you'll be in California."

Principal Stevens walked into the crowd and his voice boomed over all the students. He looked chipper today; Curly guessed it was because the biggest trouble makers were leaving Will Rogers behind today.

Amara squeezed his hand as they walked. For once he didn't mind; he even squeezed back. He could feel her excitement just through her touch.

He was beaming at her, but he wasn't sure if it was a joyous smile or grimace of nervousness; this was his last regular day with Amara, his friends, high school. Amara had a future, Curly didn't. After today, he was just some guy in a gang. That made him nervous.

The students piled into the gym and Amara gave him a swift peck before going to her alphabetized assigned seat. The gym was stuffy and filled with proud parents and bored siblings. Curlys own mother was there, Angela had been made to come too.

The graduates set up front closer to the stage where Mr. Stevens handed out the diplomas. He didn't get why they held so much significance; it was just a damn piece of paper. But he was happy he was getting one.

Curly's seat was next to Anthony Sheldon, for once the guy was friendly to Curly when he didn't even have drugs on him. He gave him a pat on the back just like Steven had, as if they were old buds. It wasn't just Anthony Sheldon being out of character. Everyone seemed to forgot their classes and social standings; everyone congratulated everyone. It wasn't something that happened often.

Amara was sitting in the row in front of him, chatting with Val Rockwell. They both were gushing over how they would be studying in California. Val was going to Berkeley, Amara was going to Stanford. They had never talked before to his knowledge but now they were planning trips to San Francisco on long weekends.

No matter how hard he tried to not hear about California, he always seemed to hear about it.

"Hey, babe, you wanna get somethin' to eat after this?"

"I can't, I have pack and pick up some stuff. If you wanna help...?"

She raised a brow waiting for his answer; he took that as she presumed he would say no.

"Yeah, but I ain't goin' and gettin' ya plugs if that's where you're implyin'."

Amara's face flushed but she laughed, as well as Val.

"Curly, you'll be the death of me."

She shook her head and turned around.

Mr. Stevens started calling the names.

He never paid too much attention until Steven went up on stage; he grabbed his diploma and flipped off the crowd before running off back to the seats. Curly clapped and hollered, his friend was a fucking idiot, but he loved him.

Amara caught his eye too. She looked real nice in blue, she always did. She untroubled and cheerful, as if this was the best moment of her life.

Curly wasn't too long after Amara. He grabbed the paper, shook Principal Stevens hand and stared down at the crowd. His mother was clapping and Angela didn't seem too bored. Amara was simpering looking pleased with him.

There was a few more people, screaming and hats in the air. Then just like that, twelve years of his life was over. For a piece of paper and a couple caps in the air.

As fast as everyone had piled in, they piled out with just as much enthusasium. Amara was getting a picture with her parents, and to his dismay, she forced him to get one with her too. He didn't mind as much as he pretend he did.

"Let's go get some ice cream, hey?"

She didn't eat much of her banana split, it was mostly left to him and he had no complaints about that. He waited in his truck for her to pick up those extra things she needed.

About an hour later it was time for her to go home. He didn't want her to go yet.

"Can I come in?"

She hesitated and looked at him sadly. "Sorry, but no. I've got to go now."

She leaned in for a quick kiss but he kept her there longer. It felt weird between them, she would be coming back in three days but it didn't seem like that.

He never asked her to stay or even told her he was bothered by it.

"I love you. I'll see you in three days."

He hadn't seen the I love you coming and before he could even wrap his head around it she was out of the truck and out of sight.

X X X

He got drunk that night. Shitfaced drunk. He could barely keep his body up let alone walk in a straight line.

He was so fucking lame. He couldn't talk to his girl about the damn problems so he drank them away.

"You wanna dance, baby?"

Nancy Reynolds never gave up, Curly could give her that.

"Sure." He was pretty sure he heard himself say. He wasn't thinking too clearly.

Through his drunk eyes she seemed appealing again.

He got someone to go put a good song on the jukebox. He must have picked some other drunk or some pansy because he picked The Beatles. Even intoxicated dancing with Nancy to The Beatles made him feel guilty. He didn't stop though.

He didn't stop her from kissing his neck either. He didn't even stop her from tugging him upstairs.

Amara wasn't really his anymore; she belonged to California.

As they were touching, guilt creeped up on him at random points and it made him nauseous.

This wasn't just the self-loathing he felt after screwing Nancy every time before, he was going to hurt Amara. He knew that and he still didn't stop.

He could hear Nancy's ragged breaths and as he started to sober up, they irritated him.

"Get the hell out." He was harsh considering he had complied to everything. She didn't say a word. She dressed herself and left quieter than she ever did in the entire time he had known her.

His head was starting to fucking kill now.

He followed closely behind Nancy; he hoped no one had seen them but he had been so drunk it was doubtful he had been discreet.

He left his Ford at Bucks. He knew his driving limit and he was way past it.

It was times like these when Curly realized why people thought he was dumb- he was too implusive sometimes. It was a horrible trait.

He suddenly felt more nauseous and dizzy. He knew every ounce of whiskey he had drank was about to come up.

He got down on his knees and vomited in someone's rose bush.