Prologue

I remember growing up in that tiny little apartment that only had one bedroom and I small kitchen and living room and dining room. To really think about it, there really was no dining room or a real living room. I grew up with just my mother and my 8 month year old sister. When I look back on it now, one of the happiest times was all three of us in one room just talking, well me and my mom, about real things.

My dad died when I was 14 years old in a very bad car accident. He was rushing to get to work because he was late and it was in the middle of winter in Minnesota and he was going to fast. He hit a patch of ice and went head on with another car. He died in the hospital 2 days later of a brain hemorrhage. My mom and me were there when he passed and till this day I can never forget how my father looked the last time I saw him. Tubes going down his throat and needles in him arms. All bruised from his head to his feet. The last moments of his life I said to himself, "I'll never forget you dad" and I have kept that up until now.

Since my father's death, we had to be tight on money because there was not a lot there. That's why my mother, sister, and I were living in that one bedroom apartment. From that time I have been on a roller coaster of a life and I owe all that I know to my mother. She showed me that money was not everything and that you shouldn't rely on it, but some how I ended doing that.

Chapter 1

New romances

It was a cold snowy Minnesota winter when I was getting up to my little sister Alyssa'a crying. I grabbed my robe and walked out and went to Alyssa's room which was also my mommy's room. My mom was standing by the window, staring out into the world and patting Alyssa on the back rocking back and forth. The sun was already out and was shining on mommy like she was from heaven. I stood there for a minute or two just staring at her. Her redish-brown hair laid down on her back. The light glimmering off her deep brown eyes. I then walked in and I went over to her " Hi mommy. Is everything okay?"

"Yes I'm fine Tristin. Alyssa was hungry so she woke me up. How are you doing this morning?"

"I'm good. Just kind of tired now from Alyssa waking me up from her crying," I said running my fingers through my hair and rubbing my eyes trying to wake myself up.

"Well you better get dressed for school or you might miss your bus," mommy told me using her left hand grabbing my shoulder and turning me around to go get ready.

I walked out my mommy's room and went to the bathroom. I grabbed my cloths and hurried to put them on. I put my brown hair up in a ponytail, picked up my backpack and ran to the door and reaching for the knob when I heard my mom yell, "Have a good day Tristin. Be good."

"I will mom. You have a good day too."

I opened the door and ran down the stairs. When I ran out of the building the bus was just pulling up to my bus stop. For once I was actually on time for the bus. I got on and sat by Jessica who is my best friend. She told me some new gossip that she heard the whole way to school. We reached school and some clouds had started to cover the sky. From the first day that I stepped into this school all through the hallways people have always whispered to each other about me because of everything that has happened and that I'm "poor" and they always look down to me. I hate it so much. Just then I saw that dreaded person; Missy sanders, the most popular girl in the school who has always put me down from the first day I came here.

"Well look what we have here. Raggedy Anne no wait she had more fashion sense then you. Why don't you just run away. No one wants you here Tristin," Missy shot at me but I have never let anything that she says to me put me down in any away at all.

"Man she needs to be ripped in the ass. Hey Mike why don't you go and do that to your little princess," I said to my friends. Mike was Missy's little boy toy and I can't believe that he sees something in her. I couldn't but help smile to myself saying that. She really does need a good kick in the ass.

Before the day was over I got a note from my mom telling me that she was going to be gone until tomorrow because she had to go to see my grandma. This was not the first time that she let me stay home by myself and I loved it when she did. It was Friday and I thought that I would tell Jessica that my mom was going to be gone and wanted her to come over. I asked her and of course she could.

"Hey Tristin, When should I come by your house tonight?" questioned Jessica after the final bell had rung.

"Oh come over anytime that you can. I'm not doing anything special," I commented smiling.

'Okay, I'll talk to my mom and maybe get some homework done and come over," Jessica said.

After I got done talking to her, we ran to the bus and headed home. My stop was the last one so the bus finally stopped in front of my apartment building and I started into the building and up the stairs. I stepped into our apartment and mom had left me a note just in case I didn't get the message at school. I was so excited that I got to be home alone and kind of be on my own for a day or so.

After about two hours Jessica called and said that she was on her way. She was sixteen and she could drive which I thought was really cool. I sat down at the couch and turned on the Tv to wait for Jessica to get here. After only about ten minutes was here. She came up and I opened the door and I was very surprised when I saw two guys standing behind her. I couldn't see the guys faces at first. Then they walked into my apartment and saw them. It was Jessica's friend Trevor and his friend Cory. I had met them before and I was really intrigued with Cory. He seemed like a really nice guy. Jessica had made me go out with her to the movies and they had come with us.

"Hey Tristin. I know you know Trevor and Cory. They said they had nothing going on tonight so I thought that they could come over and hang with us for a little bit. I thought it would be a blast with some guys here," Jessica said sounding so excited.

"Oh that's cool. Welcome to my palace," I said with a little laugh. "Sorry I like to be sarcastic at times."

"That's cool. It's great that I girl can open up and be a little crazy and out there," Trevor said which received a laugh from me and Jessica. " This is a nice place. Glad that I am able to stay here."

"Oh its no problem. Like Jessica said it will be fun," I said trying to be some life into the room. So I walked them into the living room or you could say my room to sit and watch some Tv for awhile.

An hour or so later, we were still watching tv and talking about different things that have been happening. Well all started to get a little hungry so I got up and walked into my tiny kitchen to put a pizza in the oven. Cory came in a couple of minutes later to help me.

"Thank you for letting us stay over here. I was more then glad to say yes to Jessica when she asked me to come over here," Cory began as we were waiting for the oven to heat up.

"Oh its no problem, I'm glad that you came. We need some more people to make this night a little more fun," I said smiling at Cory getting a little hot. Me and Cory talked for a little while. Then the pizza was done so we went back into the living room. Trever and Jessica were still sitting on the couch. Trever had his arm around Jessicas neck and they looked comfy.

"Well here is the pizza you guys," I said bracing myself when Cory, trever, and Jessica attacked the plate of pizza. We ate the pizza up in a matter of minutes and were all pretty much full after that.

"So Tristin," Trever began, "what kind of movies do you have? There is really nothing on tv to watch anymore."

"Well I don't very many, but I have Save the Last Dance or Rocky horror picture show. There is also cross roads or The rock," I answered.

"How about we watch Save the Last Dance. That movie is always fun to watch," Trever replied. So I got up and retrieved the movie and put it in. The movie started and Trever had his arm still around Jessica. I sat down and Cory streched out his arm and put ir around me. I felt cozy and relaxed when he did that.

About a half an hour into the movie I could see Trever was starting to kiss Jessica. I thought that was so nice of him to do that.

"Hey Trist, can I go into your mom's room. I'm getting tired and I just want to lay down for a little bit," Jessica asked.

"Yeah go ahead," I responded.

Jessica went into my moms room and a little bit later Trever went with her to see how she was doing. I knew that he was going in there so they could do something. Well while they did that, me and Cory were still sitting on my couch watching Save the Last Dance. I had noticed that Cory had moved closer to me and put his other hand on my knee. His touch felt really nice to me I was feeling really comfortable by him. Cory was a football player so he had muscles. he was 6ft. 3inches. I loved tall guys and his muscles that you could see from his arms. He felt like someone who could really protect you and you could feel safe.

"So what do you think they are doing in that room," asked Cory turning to me and staring into my eyes. I noticed that he had the brightest blue eyes that I have ever seen.

"Oh they are probably having some fun and being Jessica and Trever. I know Jessica can be really bad sometimes," I retorted staring back into his eyes. The movie was almost over and we were both cuddling. I could feel his strong arms around me, holding me tight like never wating to let me go. Finally I stood up and turned the movie off.

"So what do you want to do now," I asked not wanting to have silence.

"I don't know. I'm getting a little hungry again. Do you have any mac 'n cheese," Cory asked rubbing his tummy.

"Yeah I do. I'll go make some." I got up and went to the kitchen.

"So Jessica tells me that you don't have a boyfriend right now. I can't believe why I beautiful girl like yourself doesn't have one," Cory said walking behind me into the kitchen. "I mean you are one of the prettiest girls that I have ever soon in this town."

"Well I just haven't found that one guy that pushes my buttons," I said looking down trying to find the mac 'n cheese box. I found it and started to make then noodles. I could feel Cory's eyes watching me and then I felt his hand on my shoulder, "So where is your mom tonight?" Cory said surprising me with that question.

"She went to see my grandmother for a couple of days," I said.

"That's cool. She do this often?"

"No not really. Just once in a while." I could feel his hand running down my arm and his other hand on my waist. His breathe I could feel on the back of my neck and it was a really nice feeling. Wait what am I doing. Should I let him do that, should I let him touch me like he is. I was getting a little scared.

"So do you like basketball," I said moving to the freg to get some milk.

"yeah, I love basketball. I want to play it in the big leagues some day," Cory said.

"That's cool. I always wanted to play basketball but I never got the chance because I had to help my mom with the house and watching my little sister. I have never really had a chance to be a kid. I have always had to be the grown up to help my mom out," I said tears buring hot under my eyelids.

"Wow that would be really hard." Cory said with his eye brows going up. Looking like he was really surprised to what I just said to him. "That must have been really hard for you to deal with. I mean being so young and everything.

"Yeah it can be at times but you just deal and then you move on." I said trying not to get to emotional. Then I thought to myself, why am I telling him all of this stuff. Why does he look so interested in what I have to say. Was I falling in love with him or was it just my heart needing to get it all out.

I thought that I would know soon enough.