Charlotte

Mrs. Morgan: "First pair of partners Brett Sampson and Patrice Parker"

Lucy: "Oh hell no! Your dead Patrice"

Oh shit if Lucy was a mess before this was sure to send her over the edge what the hell was with Karma? Did she just like to fuck with us all? Did Mrs. Morgan have a connection to her? She was sure starting to lose her spot as my new favorite teacher. Lucy was already a mess before this now she was beat red her fists clenched. Mrs. Morgan shot her a look as Cassie jumped up pushing her down. I grabbed her hand to keep her from doing anything we would regret.

I know Mrs. Morgan had no clue about the history between Patrice and Lucy not like those of us all waiting holding our breaths as Lucy stared daggers at Patrice.

Looking at her now brought me back to when we were eleven the day Lucy read her poem Patrice was the only one who dared to bring it up after class. While everyone else was trying to act like it didn't happen.

I remember Patrice was talking about her parents divorce she was really upset it was kind of sad I admit. Patrice's mom had always been a little more adventurous most small town girls are but most have a few kicks at college come home and settle down, all our moms did they adjust to life back home and forget any sill ideas of breaking out. They devote their lives to being loving wives, moms, grand-moms, working woman.

Not Mrs. Parker she came home to open her own law firm but found there wasn't much need here very little crime happened what did it was small time stuff that we all worked out together. So she got a job in Indianapolis where she fell in love with city life. She also met someone there a handsome man who owned his own business who could provide the life of adventure she so wanted.

Patrice came home one day to find all her mom's stuff packed she was waiting for someone, she tried to explain to her daughter it wasn't her fault that she had just fell out of love with her daddy he wasn't a bad man just a simple man, he just couldn't keep her happy anymore she had a restless spirit. She needed to spread her wings and fly.

Patrice cried begged her mom not to do this but her cries fell on deaf ears her mom simply walked out the door, got into the car and never looked back. As any kid would she chased her mom down the street crying begging her to come back but all she saw was a reflection of a man staring back at her through the mirror she recognized the man.

Eric Dunn

Lucy almost chocked on her water when she said the name but Patrice wasn't joking in fact she started screaming at Lucy, blaming her for what happened. She said it was all her fathers fault that he was a selfish, conceited holly-wood whore and that Lucy was heading down the same path.

I can still remember the words she screamed at Lucy to this day.

"For the love of fame, your dad is so blinded by the lights he can't see his rain of pain brings down a family, Fame is a curse and anyone who seeks it is evil a fat evil cow

You should starve yourself, if your anything like your parents you'll be a slut a home wrecker

I wouldn't wish you as a friend for my last dying breath you'd be better off dead, your a fake Lucy Dunn you expect everyone to be just like you wear the same clothes as you smoke like you, act the same

Well I want no part of it keep your pom-poms you torment all the girls, your such a bitch"

Part of me ached for her I knew she had said those things in pain. But it didn't give her the right to attack Lucy over it her life was hard enough. Lucy for her part just flung her hair back and said screw her we knew by her tone that she was in a lot of pain but she didn't want anyone to see it so she stood up and yelled.

Lucy: "If anyone here is a slut it's your mom she's the one who was married and broke her vows this wasn't a one time thing the bitch has beens screwing my dad for years you were just too blind to see it who's the one blinded by the lights now? "

It was the final blow to her Patrice crumbled into a fit of tears running out. None of us went after her even at eleven years old we were old enough to know the lines of friendships had been drawn. We could be friends with Patrice who had just insulted the most popular girl in town or stick by Lucy.

Over the next two years we didn't speak to her she buried herself into her books and spent her time with Archie. There were times I really wanted to talk to her I wondered if she regretted saying those things but my loyalty was always to Lucy.

Thirteen was a whole new hell it's when we all started to fall apart. Brett liked Kendra, Kendra and Lucy both liked him, Lucy back stabbed Kendra after Kendra went ahead and said yes to Brett knowing Lucy liked him. They fought like crazy Molly, Cassie, I had to divide our loyalty. To me there was no question Lucy was my sister, but I also knew I had a role to play so I did my part I spread the rumors Lucy asked me to. I had no idea it would give me the reputation it did, maybe if I did I would've chosen differently.

After it was all said and done though it left it's mark after Kendra was so scared by boys and peer pressure and Lucy that she signed a virginity pledge. I was a mess over my part in all the lies that I got drunk had unprotected sex with Eddie in his dad's pickup truck. Eddie had to drive his dad's truck to take us home. He got busted for underage driving which really set well with his dad who's a probation officer for juveniles in Indianapolis. Malcolm's parents split up he got busted for drugs.

I was so scared going to Juvie but everyone supported me Patrice's mom represented me in court, I got 60 days in Juvie, Eddie got twenty days his right to get a license has been revoked till he's 24. Malcolm was sentenced to two months for possession, ordered to do a drug, rehab program.

Patrice was the one who suggested everyone make cards for each day we were locked up they hand delivered them each day, we weren't allowed to see them everyday but it helped knowing they were thinking about us. Being locked up gave me time to think to appreciate what I had. Mainly my friends while I was locked up I worried about Lucy I knew more about her than anyone. One of the things I did before I went away was ask Kendra to forgive her look after her. Kendra hated Lucy she figured out it was Lucy who started the nasty rumor about her. She kept saying she had a mental illness that she was sick she didn't deserve friendship but she did it for me.

Lucy didn't have a mental illness what she has is called Anorexia Nervosa she was diagnosed after she fainted during a football game. I can't tell you how scared I was seeing her faint from the top of the pyramid. She fell so far that she broke her arm, she wasn't breathing. Giving her CPR was the hardest most rewarding experience ever. I cried so hard hearing her start to breathe, I never let go of her hand the whole way to Indianapolis Children's Hospital.

I know how it helped me having my friends support me when I was in jail, so I wanted to do the same for her except they weren't allowing visitors into see her. She was on a special unit for kids with eating disorders they claimed she needed time to rest to heal. I know Lucy better I know what she needed so I asked Archie to help me get into see her. He knows this hospital better than anyone else. Archie being Archie agreed to it under one condition. In return he wanted to get to third base Kendra wouldn't do it so if he helped me I had to provide it for him.

I would do anything for Lucy so I went along with it. Patrice's mom was the one who drove us since she lives closer to Indianapolis than we do. While I was in with Lucy Archie would go to his appointments or to visit friends Patrice and her mom would go out have dinner or shop, they had a lot of healing to do.

People say Lucy isn't sick she's just a drama queen who wants attention that she can get better if she wants to. They have no clue what they are talking about Lucy wants to get better she wants to be healthy but she can't because she isn't in control Ana is in control. Ana is making the choices not Lucy. For Ana getting better means getting fat to Ana that is unacceptable.

Anorexia is all about control for Lucy it was because she couldn't control her parents fighting, the fact they barely even noticed she was alive. Her older sister Sarah is a plastic Surgeon for celebrities she lives in La. Her whole life she was the smartest in her class always earing honor roll she's beautiful funny and talented. Her older brother Steven he was top of every one of his classes now he works in the supreme court, Lucy never felt like she measured up which is why Ana had such an easy time taking control.

For the last year she has been okay it's helped having us all together Kendra stood by her when she was hospitalized. Anorexia is a disease that you never fully recover from you can heal you can gain weight but you always have to struggle. I know because I have my own voice my own best friend that talks to me she gets me through the worst of times. I call her Billie, when Billie takes over I feel secure, I feel loved she guides me she helps me. Lucy is the only one who knows about Billie she'll never tell.

I was seven when Billie first took control of me it she came to me on my darkest night the night Max stole my innocence. She told me he did it because I was weak I wasn't strong like my sisters or my cousins, I wasn't pretty I was fat if I was thin he wouldn't touch me, he did it as a punishment. So I started reading labels. I started watching what I was eating, she told me to exercise I researched online ways to become thinner, I convinced my sister to take me to the store to get slim fast, I told her it was for dance. Lucy went on a diet with me because that's what besties do they support each other.

Somehow somewhere Ana became more powerful so I know it's my job as her bff to support her love her and be there for her. It's us against everyone else. I hate seeing her in this pain, I hate seeing the way Brett is looking at her, this latest setback is all because of him. He doesn't deserve her he never did I've always stayed out of their relationship because she swore she could handle him, now I'm starting to see she maybe lying to herself, maybe he has more of a control over her than even Ana.

I'll be dammed if he destroys her after the hell she's been through she's breathing heavy again. I know she's in pain, I know he caused it.

Why couldn't Brett just be as sweet as Eddie if he was maybe I wouldn't have such a problem with him and Lucy but Brett never thinks about anyone other than himself. Eddie at least tries to put others before him, the night I was drunk he took care of me. He maybe a little geeky but he has a good heart.

Brett right now was doing nothing to offer Lucy comfort he saw her breakdown everyone in the hall did, it was all over school. Eddie sat on the couch next to us taking her hand, she would flip if she wasn't so tired. Her eyes flipped open for a minute as she heard Eddie say.

"Lucy your perfect the way you are Ana doesn't make you beautiful you make you beautiful by being confident being sexy by being who you are, Luce your a skyscraper in a town of cornfields and farm houses you are our inspiration"

"Eddie your so cheesy but thank you"

Eddie smiled kissed her check and pumped his fist as he danced over to Brett who glared at him, instead of being happy that someone helped her when she was hurt he looked like he wanted to pound his brains out.

Lucy: "Brett is so handsome Charlotte I have to get him back I will prove I am the queen bitch in this school, to be the queen I need my king."

Charlotte: "You can do so much better Luce"

Lucy: "Your sweet to Char but you know we belong together"

Charlotte: "Why? Because your parents say so or because you love him?"

Lucy: "I'm so confused Charlotte I have lived my whole life by my parents standards. I don't know if I want Bret because he makes me happy or because they tell me he is my future"

Charlotte: "Your a good girl Lucy a smart girl you can figure this out I'll help you if you truly love Brett I'll stand by you promise me though you won't lose yourself to him"

Lucy: "I'm not a good girl Charlotte maybe Brett is just a part of my sins. I mean we can never escape our sins Char. I know I am suppose to get better but maybe better isn't meant for bad girls like me"

Mrs. Morgan: "For this assignment I have chosen the pairs

Brett Sampson and Patrice Parker"

Lucy: "Oh Hell NO!"

Mrs. Morgan: "Lucy Dunn And Charlotte Grande"

Archie Walker will be with Cassie Williams,

Cassie growled not because she hates Archie but because she wanted to be with Richie her boyfriend. This was bound to be a test the question was would we pass or fail?