Things Go Bad

"Gee, I thought my home life was bad." My friend Ginger said with wide eyes of surprise. I was telling her about the situation between my dad and Kaylynn.

"Yea, I know. The worst part is, well actually, all of it sucks pretty badly." I lamented.

"Maybe this could be your opportunity to try and have some fun before everything changes," Ginger suggested. "I didn't get a chance to, but you still can." We sat in silence for a moment.

Ginger has been an orphan since she was 14. Her adoptive mother died two years ago leaving behind six kids. Ginger is the oldest at age sixteen. Her brother, Gavin, is fifteen. Then there are Gabriella and Gallagher who are seven and eight. And the youngest two, a set of twins turn two in a couple of weeks. Ginger didn't want her siblings to be put into foster care and separated so she became an emancipated minor and is the guardian of all her siblings. She doesn't really get to have the normal life of a teen because she had to grow up so quickly and be a mom to her siblings. She works full-time at night and goes to school full-time as well and still maintains a 3.5 GPA. I like being friends with Ginger because her life makes me more thankful for mine. And she's always gracious about my venting about my life when hers is much worse.

"I think that's a great idea. Maybe we could go to the basketball game later?" I said in a cheerful tone.

"Sure. I never go anywhere besides work and school." Ginger said with a smile. Then her vibrated and she picked it up to read a text. She read quickly and sighed heavily afterwards.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It's Gavin. He has no idea which medicine is Georgia's and which is Gabriella's. This could be serious if I don't get over there." Ginger looked disappointed.

"We could always go to the game next week." I offered.

"Well, maybe. But you should still go, tonight." Ginger told me.

"But, I-"

"No, Lilith. Remember what I said. Do something fun before your life changes forever." Ginger reminded me.

"Okay, I will. But who will I go with?" I asked.

"Maybe Dustin is free." she snickered as she grabbed her coat and I followed her downstairs.

I playfully hit her in the shoulder and gave her a hug goodbye. I hadn't spoken to Dustin in forever because I just couldn't handle so many things at one time. But Ginger's suggestion was a good one. Since Angela was cheering it's not like he could go with her. And Dirk's dad still had him on lockdown.

So I decided to just take a deep breath and call Dustin.

"Hey, Lilith. I thought you had fallen off the face of the earth or something."

"Well, I was just really busy dealing with my insane family."

"So was I, but it only takes a couple of minutes to dial the phone and say, 'hi, I'm still alive.'

"I'm on the phone now, aren't I?" I got defensive.

"Yea, but I think it's only because you want something."

"Well, I kinda do. Do you wanna go to the basketball game with me tonight?"

"Well, I don't know. Since you've been ignoring me for three weeks, I'm not sure if you even still care about me." He was really trying to make me work for this.

"Dustin, stop being ridiculous. I told you I was busy." I was getting annoyed.

"Busy with what?" he said playfully but I was in no mood by then.

"My parents are breaking up and this time it's for good. Happy now?" I yelled into the receiver.

"Yea, well is that it," he yelled back at me. "A few weeks ago, I found out my little brother has cancer."

"Oh my God, Dustin, I'm so sorry." I said with so much shock.

"Yea, well if you had picked up your phone anytime within these three weeks you would've known. Angela already knows."

"Yea well, what's the point of you telling me? Angela's your girlfriend. I'm just the girl you're sneaking around with."

"So, this is what it's all about," Dustin realized something I didn't.

"You're upset because we're sneaking around. You don't think we have a real relationship."

"You're right. We don't." I was wiping away a few tears then.

"I'm sorry, Lil. I didn't mean to dump all my crap on you like that."

"No, it isn't that. I just feel like I can't handle all of this at once. My parent's divorce, this, sort of, relationship we have, my dad having a baby with the maid-"

"You're dad's having a baby with a maid?" Dustin asked confused.

"It's a long story."

"Maybe you could tell me on the way to the game?" Dustin finally answered what I wanted in the first place.

"Okay, then. But I still don't know how I feel about 'us' anymore, so could we go as friends?" I suggested.

"Sure, if that's what you want." We said goodbye and hung up.

Later on when we met up at the game, I was surprised to see Dirk there. I got kind of nervous as I had only seen him a few times at school since we broke up a while ago. I waved at him and then sat down with Dustin.

"I can't believe Dirk is here." I whispered to Dustin.

"Yea, I know. I thought he was still grounded."

"Maybe the warden let him out early for good behavior." I joked. We laughed for a while at that one. It was always a running joke between the kids at school that Mr. Dreamer was like a Drill Sergeant. Whenever anyone called the house he basically wanted their life story before he would put them on with Dirk. I think people were starting to get suspicious of Dustin and me sitting together because kids from our school kept staring. But as the game progressed, we didn't notice it as much. Throughout the game, Dustin and I laughed and whispered jokes to each other. It was so much fun that I was starting to forget about all the crappy things going on in my life. I was finally just relaxing again. Then at the halftime show that feeling went away when I saw my sister. I guess the jealousy aspect was getting to me. I just didn't see it as fair that Angela was Dustin's confidante when I was the one he hung out with and was much better suited for. We were much more alike that she and Dustin could ever be. This was a very confusing time for me. While I wasn't sure about my feelings for Dustin two hours ago, seeing Angela made me surer of them. It was almost like if Angela wasn't in the way, then I would be able to express my true feelings about Dustin without being cautious of her feelings. While the cheerleaders were making a pyramid, I was making a decision. Angela, being the lightest person on the squad, was placed at the top. I was highly upset by this because I just saw it as a way to boost her already inflated ego. I whispered out loud, "I hope she falls," but I don't think anyone heard me.

But then I figured if I couldn't make her fall, I could upset her, at least. I wanted Dustin, and I could have him. So, without warning from anywhere, I grabbed Dustin's face and kissed him so passionately some parents in the audience had to cover their kid's eyes. It was an amazing kiss. My lips tingled and my knees felt like pudding. After that kiss, everything felt different. I made a strong statement with that kiss and everyone from school took notice. Dustin just stared into space for a few seconds after. I could tell he was shocked and confused. I looked up to see what Angela was doing. From the horror ridden expression she had on her face, I could tell she had seen what happened and was not happy. But, what happened next, was a complete surprise. Taken aback by the kiss, Angela had leaned forward slightly and lost her balance on the pyramid. Then she suddenly began falling forward straight into the wooden gym floor. It only took about eight seconds for her to fall, but I saw it all in slow motion. The second that she hit the floor, my heart stopped. I don't even remember running onto the basketball court but apparently Dustin and I did. A doctor was called out of the bleachers and he tried to examine her. He couldn't because she was face down. We all waited for the ambulance and Dustin and I sat in the back while Angela was unconscious and in a neck brace. The EMT examined her in the ambulance and she didn't respond the whole time. I couldn't breathe the whole ambulance ride. I dug my nails into Dustin's palm as I sat red eyed staring at my unconscious twin sister. I thought that if she fell, she would maybe just sprain an ankle or something. I didn't know she would fall on her head and not even try to break her fall. When Dustin and I arrived at the hospital, my parents were already there. I ran to them and hugged both of them tight. I was terrified at that moment. I just knew it was all my fault that this was happening. Why on earth would I be jealous of Angela dating a guy who is enough of a jerk to sneak behind her back with her sister? Something as stupid as a high school crush is not worth losing a sister. Both Dustin and I at that time weren't really in place to be dating, anyway. His brother was really sick, and now my sister was, too.