(Synopsis: Ami's mother and stepfather are getting divorced, making her emotionally unstable; Koji's depressed; Koichi is angry at the world; and Takuya is on the verge of a mental breakdown. Will they be able to pull themselves back to normal before the New Year's party at Koji's house?) ((Note: Rated "T" for the use of drugs/alcohol, and possibly other not-quite-adult-but-not-for-children themes.))
Ages are as follows: Koji and Koichi-17; Takuya-17; Ami-16 (almost 17)
"Not again," Ami mumbled, slamming the door of her house and going out into the cold, winter night. She pulled her black coat around her tighter and sighed, her breath becoming visible as a small puff of mist. She didn't know where she could go, it was really late at night, and almost everything was closed.
"Ami. Hey, Ami, get over here!" a boy whispered a few minutes later.
Ami stopped walking. She turned and saw her friend, Koichi, leaning against an alley wall. His eyes were bloodshot, and he had a bruise on his cheek. She ran over to him, her blank expression hiding her worry.
Koichi started to walk over to her, but stumbled and fell. Luckily, Ami caught him. He gave her a goofy grin and mumbled, "Sorry 'bout that."
Ami winced. She could smell something like beer on him. "Koichi," she whispered a bit angrily, "Are you drunk?"
Koichi's goofy grin widened. "Yup," he said, as if it were something to be proud of.
Ami sighed and looked around. "Koji's house isn't too far from here," she said. "You should stay there for the night. I'll take you there."
Koichi's smiled quickly disappeared. "No!" he yelled. "You're NOT taking me to his house!"
Ami shut her eyes tightly. "Don't yell," she said quietly. She opened her eyes slowly and started pulling him to Koji's house. When they finally got there, she knocked on the door.
Koji opened the door and looked at his older twin. "Great," he mumbled. He looked at Ami and said, "Come on, it's freezing out there."
Ami nodded and followed him into his house, pulling Koichi along.
After Koichi was asleep in the "guest" room, Koji asked, "He didn't give you too much trouble, did he?"
Ami shook her head. "No, I'm used to it," she said. She looked at her boyfriend and forced a small smile. "What about you? Have you gone to doctor yet?"
"What's the point?" Koji asked glumly. "They can't do anything for me." He sat down, his head in his hands.
Ami sat down next to him. "That's not true," she said. "They can help you. They can give you some anti-depression medicine."
"Why, so I can turn into someone like Koichi?" said Koji. "I don't think so."
Ami sighed and stood up. "Okay, whatever," she said. "I should go. Seeya tomorrow." With that, she left. Well, I wasn't really lying, she thought. I mean, I didn't have to go, but I guess I should get home. She smiled slightly. Home. To her, it was an almost funny word. After all, home is just a name, isn't it? That's all it was to her. And with her mother and her step-father constantly arguing, she tried to stay as far away from her house as possible. She sighed and reluctantly went home.
Meanwhile...
Koji's phone rang. He picked it up and answered it. "Hello?"
"Koji?" came the voice on the other end. "It's Takuya. I saw Koichi a little while ago. He looked drunk again. Is he okay?"
"Yeah," Koji replied. "He's asleep now."
"Okay," said Takuya. "How does a 17-year-old get into a bar, anyways?"
"How should I know?" Koji said. He yawned. "It's late, and we've got school in the morning. 'Night." He hung up the phone and went to sleep.
Across town, Takuya did the same.