Aly

July 24th, 1984

It was just a few days before I was going home when I first met one of the new friends me and Daria made over the years.

I was in the middle of a McDonald's when the cashier asked me which school I went to when she gave me my milkshake. Prince Karai Institute, I said. The girl standing behind me, a tall, lanky girl with a pinched face and small eyes, a slightly too full lip, and large ears told me she would also be coming to Prince Karai School. She was moving from Victoria to Calgary. Her name was Ellen McCrae.

"Why are you transferring?" I asked as Ellen took her order.

"My dad's taking a job in Calgary," Ellen replied coolly. "He's going to work at the National Post. He's a journalist. My mom's a teacher. She's going to teach at John G. Diefenbaker Middle School."

"Oh," I said. "My name's Aly Black. My mom's a counselor and my dad's a businessman at a corporation. My friend Daria lives nearby me. She's really nice. I can't wait for you to meet her."

"Daria? What name is that?"

"Her dad's part Turkish."

"Really?" Ellen's thin eyebrows arched. "I've never met anyone who's mixed. I have met some pureblood blacks, though."

"Tell me about it. Did they speak another language?"

Ellen and I moved out of the way so other people could order. "No. The only person I know who can speak another language is my dad. He knows German."

"Daria's learning French, and she already knows Arabic."

"I think we'll be great friends."

Marco

July 26th, 1984

"Your life must be better than mine," Jack says, kicking a rock. His hair's now about two inches long. He decided he didn't like the skater haircut anymore, so he cut it.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Your mom's normal. Your dad doesn't go on business trips a lot."

"My dad's a cop. Of course he doesn't go on business trips." I'm confused. What's Jack talking about?

"What are you talking about?" I ask.

"Never mind," Jack says.

Cass

July 29th, 1984

Aunt Marie and Uncle Bernie were at church on this day. So was Eloise. I remember it well. It was just me, myself, and I, sitting alone at the table. Feeling low, I was, and with good reason. It was my birthday today, and my good old aunt and uncle refused to celebrate it as I'd 'be more spoiled than I already was.'

So I was just sitting there, feeling all miserable, when I noticed Randall was standing in my backyard, with a couple of Cokes in hand. I ran to the back door and let him in. Randall ran in, as fast as he could. Why'd he be coming here in this hot summer heat?

"'Sup?" Randall asked, sitting down on the table, opening his Coke as I opened mine.

"Nothing much. Just leave me alone."

"I came here to wish you happy birthday." Randall stood up, hands on the table.

"I feel very bad right now."

"Of course you do. The reason no one's here except me is because you're acting like a noob, feeling bad for yourself. If it weren't for me, Jack or Marco, you wouldn't have any friends. And with good reason."

I watched him go as I took a sip of Coke from my can. All I could do was feel even more miserable than I did before.

During these years, I would often lie about what really happened at my house because I didn't want to be seen as a noob. Even now, I sometimes lie about my childhood because I hate having to think about what really happened. I remember I always thought everyone else's lives were better than mine.

That really wasn't true.

Daria had an older brother into heroin. While he did bring coke into the house, he never actually used it because the tests performed on him after what happened proved it. Why he brought it in, we'll never know. Jack had to deal with a mostly absent dad and a mom who had some issues. Randall's life may have been better if it hadn't been for Ms. Kane. Whether or not she's still teaching, I don't know.

I hope not.