A shorter chapter but I think that it has pretty good characterization. Sorry about the lack of updates, holidays seasons and contemplating stuff with the SAT's and school in general, not having the best GPA or PSAT scores myself... yeah, Anyway I found it hilarious on the Chrismukkah eppy how Summer like saved Chrismukkah like she did in the last chapter. Freaky coincidence huh?Funny thing this chapter had been written awhile and I forgot I had it like I tend todo alltoo often so I didn't post like a fool. Anyhow, please read and review, thoughts, who should be next? Let me know! I love you all and have a happy holiday season. Thanks!

xoxo Jules

Chapter 7: "I'm just a poor boy"

Ryan's POV: "And all the wisdom he shared"

It think Seth's the only one here who ever really knew his father. Summer, well hers apparently ran off when the stick turned pink, and Marissa doesn't even know who her father is… was. She said something about the Santa at the mall, but she was under the influence of something when she spoke so I didn't get the entire story. My dad, he was around for awhile there, always in and out of jail. He got locked up for good when I was about nine. I haven't seen him since…

When I opened my eyes the next morning I forgot where I was. It was cold, freezing cold. I sat up I bed and pulled the blanket around me.

I looked around the room and suddenly it all came flooding back to me. The attic of the church, Christmukkah. I smiled at Summers Christmas tree. It was the first Christmas tree that I ever had. Well actually that's not true. Once my mom got us a tree, when she was working at the lot one year. It lasted for about a week, she fell asleep with a cigarette in her hand, enough said.

Then I felt that familiar tingle. Something about guys and the need to pee first thing in the morning. I left the attic and wander past the balcony looking for the bathroom that Marissa had found the night before. I breathed a sigh of relief when I finally came across it.

I pushed the heavy door open, I heard someone shuffling around inside.

"Marissa?" I asked in confusion watching her frantically tap the contents that were sitting on the mirror back into her vile.

"Oh Ryan, you're up!" She said standing up and smoothing out her pants.

"Yeah." I said keeping my eyes locked on her. She looked away from me. She couldn't look me back in the eye. She was a coward. "I had to pee."

She nodded at me.

"Pipes work up here?" I asked glancing at the toilet that sat in the room.

"Yeah." Marissa said

I looked at her again. She made no effort to leave the room. Was she really planning on watching me pee?

"Are you gonna-"

"Come on, it's not like I haven't seen one, or even looking for that matter." She said rolling her eyes as she pulled out a cigarette.

I tried not to acknowledge her presence as I relieved myself. Once I finished I turned back to her.

"So what time did you wake up?" I asked her

"I donno." She confessed

There was no way that you couldn't believe her with the dark circles that she had under her eyes.

"Why not?" I asked

She shrugged.

"I was sitting on the balcony-listening to the Christmas music."

"Were you singing along?" I asked with a smirk. I watched her face turn stale.

"I don't really know any Christmas carols… besides Rudolph" She said fixated with her feet. I don't think that she thinks people notice it. Her becoming fascinated with her feet when she gets nervous or uncomfortable.

I gave her a sympathetic half smile.

"Do know any?" She asked me with a playful smile.

I shrugged, but my blush betrayed my "coolness".

"Sing me something!" Marissa ordered.

"I don't sing." I said looking down

"Come on! I know you know Christmas songs!" She said, her eyes sparkling.

Something in me gave way and I began to sing.

"Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful…" I sang until "and when we finally kiss goodnight," and then I couldn't remember anything after that. Sure I was humiliated, but the look on Marissa's face was worth it.

"You have an amazing voice!" Marissa said sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes. A girl like her you just don't know how to react to.

"Where you from?" She asked from where she sat on the sink. Her legs swinging back and forth on the counter.

I have found that Marissa can be quite pleasant after a fix when she's passed that… hazy stage.

"Chino. It's in California. You?" I asked

"Right here in Chicago." She said smiling

"I bet I'm the only person from California here huh? You have to be crazy with the weather and all." I said as I felt a shiver run through my body.

"I guess some people like snow and that stuff." She said shrugging and then becoming distracted by her cuticles.

Now the girls from the "home", might be a little more rough than others, but it's easy to see what they could have been like if they were dealt better cars.

I could see Summer on a beach somewhere, over tanning. She would be a daddy's girl, and have the hot jock boyfriend. Seth, well I don't think that he would be much different than he is now. He'd have more than one skateboard though, and he would be misunderstood, but that wouldn't change him.

But Marissa, I don't think that even in another life she could be happy. She might look a little happier on the surface, yanno, but she wouldn't truly be happy. Trouble seems to follow her wherever she goes. I'm not sure how positive I am that that will change.

She's a girl that will always need to be saved. Rhapsody would be foreign to her, as it is now. She's a the type of person that needs a person, she just hasn't found them yet. She is searching for physicality tangible or otherwise that I don't think anyone can give her. She reminds me of the one person who scared me more than anyone in the world, my mother. It wasn't that my mom was particularly bad to be, or that she couldn't be trusted with me, she couldn't be trusted with herself.

"Well I could do with out the snow very well." I said smiling

"You'll get used to it." She sighed "So California huh?"

"Yeah." I said wiping my hair from my forehead

"What's it like there?" She asked me with a childlike fascination.

"I don't know, it depends on where you are I guess." I said, a half smile coming to my face

"When I was a little girl I always dreamt of going to California to find my father." She said honestly.

It's weird sometimes when you see the real side of people come out. The honest side.

"Does he live there?" I asked

She shrugged at me

"I think he did once. My mom was out there visiting for awhile, and when I was little she used to call me her "west coast souvenir."

"She sounds like a nice woman." I joked

"She was a bitch." Marissa snapped her eyes turning distant and cold.

"Sorry." I said even though I'm not quite sure why.

She shrugged again. This girl is living proof that gestures can say a thousand words.

"I'm over it." She said although both of us knew that was a bold faced lie.

That's like me saying that I am over the fact that my dad ran out on us, and that all of my old friends are locked up, and I found my mom dead on the kitchen floor. As much as people try to convince themselves that they are over something I'm just not convinced that you can be.

Some people say that time heals all wounds, all that I've found it does is create new ones.

What do you guys think? Review!