Maddy watched herself in the mirror as she put on her lipstick. It was like it was another girl was doing it. It wasn't her mouth, her hand. Who had she become? Why had she allowed this to happen? When had it happened?
"Maddy, Shelly is here!" her mother called from downstairs.
"I'm coming!" Maddy called back. She ran her fingers one last time through her hair, and went downstairs.
"When will you be home?" her mother asked, standing by the front door.
"I don't know, Mom. You know, I'm in college now. You don't have to worry," Maddy said. "Don't wait up. And anyway, I'll be with Shelly and Ryan and T.J. and Carolyn."
"All right. Just remember, I'd rather you spend the night there on the couch than drive back if you've all been drinking," Maddy's mother said. She sighed. "Of course you shouldn't be drinking since you're underage, but you're a good girl and I can trust you, right?"
"Yes, Mom. You know you can trust me," Maddy said.
"I know I can. I wouldn't let you go if I didn't."
"Gee, thanks, Mom," Maddy said sarcastically and went out the door to the sound of her friend's honking, her mother watching her until she got into the car.
Shelly and her boyfriend T.J. were sitting in the front of the car. Ryan, Maddy's boyfriend was in the back. Maddy got in beside him and he kissed her lightly on the cheek. Maddy smiled but something inside of her recoiled from his touch.