**DISCLAIMER**

Me: (sitting on my side of the line, glaring at Tommy)

Tommy: (sitting on his side of teh line, glairing at me.)

Me: I bet I'll get more of the readers on my side.

Tommy: (shakes his head) Mmmm. . .no. . .I bet I get more.

Me: But I've got Adam! That has to count for like at least ten people!

Adam: Whoa, I'm not on anyones side. (Walks over to stand on the line.) I like reading it and I don't think the story is senceless, but I didn't like it that Tommy died!

Tommy: But you're obligated to be on my side!

Adam: (raised an eyebrow) How am I obligated?

Tommy: I'm your bass player!

Adam: And that makes you my employee, so I'm that boss, and I say I can be on the line.

Me: (snickers at Tommys defeated expression.)

Tommy: But . . .

Adam: No buts about it babe. . .its a fact.

Tommy: (sneers) Whatever. I'll still have more people on my side.

Me: Keep dreamin' Ratliff.

Adam: (Sighs, rolling his eyes turns to readers) Well since those two are in a verbal smack down, I'll finish this up. I'm sure if Jackie wasn't in the middle of this little 'war' she would want you to know that she doesn't own Tommy or I. She would also want you to read and review this chapter. And enjoy it as well.

Chapter five

"The world slows down but my heart beats fast right now
I know this is the part where the end starts"

*two weeks later*

"Mr. Ratliff. This is the forth time you've been sent to my office this week. Would you care to tell me why that is?" Mr. Stevenson, the principle invoked.

I sat in the repugnant, uncomfortable, maroon upholstered chair in front of Mr. Stevensons desk with a smug-I-don't-give-a-flying-fuck expression on my face. Before this week I'd never been SENT to his office, so this seemed to surprise him. Granted I had never been the straight A, student government type, but usually I stayed out of trouble. Although that fact was changing dramatically.

"I haven't done anything." I scoffed, folding my arms.

"Than why are you here?" He questioned.

I rolled my eyes. "Because I really haven't done anything."

I allowed his small mind to process what I meant by that, and once the logic clicked, he scowled. "And why is that Thomas?"

Jesus, I hated being called Thomas. "Because Stevenson, all this shit is pointless." I spat. "Do you really think we are gonna remember anything you people are cramming down our throats when we get out of this fucking place?"

Mr. Stevensons face turned bright red. If there was one thing I knew he hated it was language. I bet the bastard used curse words regularly himself, but if he heard a kid use it once heaven help them. So much for freedom of expression.

"With that kind of attitude, I don't expect you to remember. In fact, I don't expect much out of you at all."

I sneered. What gave him the right to say that?

"Thanks." I said, just to a smart ass.

I could tell by the strained visage on his face, he was having one hell of a time deciding what to do with me. The last four days of school I spent sleeping, and to be honest it was only because I wasn't sleeping at night. My dream, or what dreams I used to have, had become hideous nightmare. Although when it came down to it, I really didn't give a fuck anymore now that my life was a living hell.

"I think the best punishment for that attitude is a full weeks suspension." the principle finally decided.

I laughed humorlessly. "Seriously?" I was dumb-founded and laughed again- a dry, dark sound. "My punishment is to not come to school next week?"

He nodded.

"Hell yes!" I sighed standing. "No school is fine with me."

The man was a first class idiot, or at least the messed up education system made him appear to be. What kind of punishment was an entire week off from that teenage hell hole? There wasn't a person in those halls that would say a week of no classes, or cramped desks wasn't a nice retreat. And I really had no reason to come to school anyway. Most of the classes I didn't understand anyway, plus I had no friends to look forward to seeing. Well, there was Monte, but lately our friendship was a tad bit bumpy.

"Get out of my office." Mr. Stevenson demanded.

His ugly face was red again, and the purple vain on his wide forehead was protruding.

"Gladly." I grunted as I began to walk to the door.

"Your suspension is effective immediately. I want you off of school property in the next ten minuets." he added before I was completely out the door.

"Oh. . .lucky me." I said as I left.

The narrow halls of the school were barren when I went to my locker. Class was still in session, but it never failed there would always be the one kid out of class that looked at me awkwardly as I left the building with just my guitar case in hand and my back pack situated on my shoulders. I didn't care though, I was free from the beady-eyed stares and glances for at least a week.

~oOo~

I realized rather quickly that I wasn't sure what to do or where to go. If I went back to Monte's place, his parents would throw a fit about the suspension. And I couldn't go home, I didn't want to. All the memories were still too vivid in my mind to go back to that wretched house. I hadn't even seen or spoken to my mother since the ordeal. She was back home, but I just couldn't take it.

Before long, I found myself in the lower southeast part of L.A, just wondering down the gray sidewalk. Most of the shops and buildings were rundown or vaccant. I pictured the neighborhood I lived in, and imagined that it soon would resemble something like this. Broken. This part of town people shied away from, and for good reasons. No one wanted to be in a place like this when there was the glamorous, sparkling down town Los Angeles awaiting. But the longer I sauntered along he pathway I felt more and more like I belonged in the dreary, dim surroundings. My emotions mimicked the dusty, empty and gray scenery.

On the inside I was screaming and crying, even though all my tears had already been spilt. I felt so completely lost. The things thought in school had nothing whatsoever to do with real life. For the people that dealt with math or science everyday it was a little different, but that wasn't most people. Currently no school subject applied to my life. I was desperate for a class that could teach me how to deal with the accumulating emotions. What was the right way to deal with all of the grief and the hate?

The sky above me was slowly turning into a rich canvass of oranges and gold's as the sun sank deeply into the waves of the ocean. I had been walking through the slumbs all day, feeling as though no time had passed at all. Time was funny that way. Sometimes it passed too slowly like now, than other times it was so fast you couldn't keep up with it.

I wasn't exactly sure what time it was when I found myself back on the front steps of the Pittman residence, but it was late enough that his parents were already in bed. The back door was always locked weather someone was home or not, and I didn't have a key, so I hoped that Monte was still awake.

Before I raised my hand to knock, the door swung open.

"Where were you?" Monte asked.

His attempt to block the doorway was valiant but failed to stop my slender form from sliding around him.

"Out." I said flatly, dropping my guitar and backpack on the ground.

Monte shut the door behind me and moved to look at me.

"What?" I spat.

"I heard you got suspended."

My eyes narrowed. "Yeah, why do you care?" I maneuvered around him again and placed myself on the couch, in front of the TV-which was already on.

"Because obviously you don't!" he accused.

"You're right." I sneered. "I don't."

I brought my focus back to the television and Monte continued to stare at me. I wasn't in the mood to have this talk with him, nor would I ever be.

"And why is that?" he asked.

I ignored him. Like I said, I wasn't in the mood. Monte picked up the remote from the table and with the click of a button the screen turned black.

"Huh? Why is that Tommy?"

I clenched my teeth. "Why should I explain it to you? How could you possibly know how I feel?"

"I would if you just tell me!"

I shook my head. "No you wouldn't. . ."

"Tommy I want to help you." Monte's tone changed. "You won't even go see your mother for Christs sake!"

My blood was hot, and my hands started shaking. That was just my temper acting out. I had no intention of fighting Monte, but I was too fucked up to keep control.

"I can't go back to that house." I spat at him. "Even if she is there I can't go back!"

"Why?" Monte begged.

"Because I just can't! I don't expect you to understand. I honestly don't expect you to give a fuck either!"

"Tommy, please I want to help you." he voice got quieter.

I shook my head. "I don't want your help."

Had I not been blinded by my overwhelming emotions, I would have seen how much pain was in Monte's eyes. Here my best friend wanted to help me, and I didn't even care. My temper had me so flustered I couldn't see straight. My head was throbbing, and my eyes were stricken with tears by some putrid emotion that caused me so much pain it burned to breath.

Monte stood frozen in front of the blank, gray TV screen, unable to move or process what he was witnessing. His dark eyes followed me as I walked out the front door and I cold feel them on me. He watched me walk down the street, and when I was sure he couldn't see me anymore I fell to my knees and began to cry. There, in the silent blackness around me, when the only sound was that of my weak and heart broken sobs did I finally realize just how alone I really was.

A/N: There ya go guys! I updated haha told ya I wasn't given up on anything! So make sure you leave me a review! And why don't you tell me what side of the line you are on while youre at it haha.

*Thanks for the reviews from last chapter!*

Love ya!