jogging towards 2nd

1st

harper

"senior year has finally come, can you believe that ass-kisser?" jess asked me as we walked thru the salt lake city highschool campus doors, "i know. it seems like just last year we were little freshmen." I replied while putting my stuff in the lockers, then someone came up behind me.

"hey babe." Benny said as he turned me around, "hey benny." I said giving him a kiss, then I heard groans from kenny and ham who were standing next to us. these fools need a life.

"guys we have been dating for 3 years and yet everytime we kiss, you gag." I said staring at the immature boys, "yeah grow up already." benny said, they rolled their eyes. I heard someone squeal and I turned my head, it was jess. her and jackson got together about 1 year ago and they haven't been away from each other since, well not actually- it just seems  like it since they are always together.

Then the first period bell rang, so we all quickly got to our homeroom and got ready. i had chemistry first, mr. brown was my teacher. he was OkAy i guess, i'm just terrible at science. we just went over some lab rules and then we did a worksheet for him to see how much we understood the class, "umm benny i don't know any of this." I whispered to him, "it's really not that hard babe." He said laughing, "yea it is. i suck at this, can you help me?" I asked him.

"miss adams are you distracting your classmates?" mr. brown said from the front of the room, "no sir, I needed a pencil." I quickly made up an excuse, "well don't you have one in your hand?" he replied, shit. "ya benny let me borrow one of his, i'm sorry." I said turning back to my work.

I heard benny snickering, "stop you shithead!" I whisper-yelled at him, he just smirked. then the bell rang, finally. man i hate anything that revolves around science. I thought as the rest of the day went on. only 6 more class periods of this hell-pit place called school.

-back home-

Jess and I walked home together and the sandlot boys all went to the sandlot. yes we still played baseball almost everyday at the sandlot, sometimes for 2 hours or 5 hours. Benny went with the rest to join them, but i was too tired to play ball- so jess went with them instead. I walked thru the hallway upstairs that led to my room, there were still pictures of her everywhere. I looked at all the frames with the people displayed in them, my favorite picture of all- benny's family and ours went to a dodgers vs yankees game. We were such babies back then. and we were all together.

"oh hey harper, I thought you were at the sandlot?" I heard cher say, i jumped

"you scared the crap outta me!" I yelled, then returned my gaze to that picture.

"missing her too?" she said quietly,

"yeah" i mumbled. "she would be proud of you, i mean you grew up so much." Cher said I nodded.

"i can't believe it's been almost 3 years without her." she said looking at the picture above, it was of her and my mom standing out front- the day we moved here, i think.

"the worst 3 years ever." I said feeling a pit in my stomach, i looked at cher who had tears streaming down her face. "harper you know it's ok to show emotion, you can cry." she said, I sighed.

Cher was right, ever since mom died, I haven't cried. Yea that whole week I hibernated and cried, but other than that-I have not cried in awhile. I guess my emotions just went with my mom.

I felt the urge to cry, no Harper. Be strong. I quickly went into my room and just sat next to my bed, I was thinking about all the different things is was feeling; stress? No, anger. Yeah a bit. Confusion- big time. Sadness? I wouldn't think that's it, emotionless? Hmmm. I closed my eyes and laid on the floor, sleep is the best therapy.

Cher
"Should I take her to a counselor?" I asked mrs Rodriguez, "Well I think you should hear that answer from Harper." She replied smiling, "ughhhhh but she's too stubborn!" I said then we both laughed knowing that was 100 percent true.

"How are you?" Laura said. I'm doing fine if I'm being honest, Charlie is amazing. He even helps be somewhat of a father figure to James. "Good, James is fine also. He likes 4th grade, he always says how he's a big kid now." I laughed, that little guy grew up. He isn't the little baby anymore, he's a big 10 year old now.

Paislee came rushing through the front door, "ma. Guess what?" She said running next to her mom.
"Chill out Pais, what happened now?" Laura said giving her sweaty daughter a kiss on the forehead.
"I hit a 3 run homer! I did it, Kenny pitched it right down the middle- then SMACK!" Paislee yelled clapping her hands.
"Oh I'm so proud of you girl." Her mom said laughing, I flashed her a smile.

Paislee grew up too, she's not 9 anymore. She's a strong 12 year old now, they keep growing up.
These past 3 years have gone by so fast, well Charlie and I have been dating for 6 years, Benny and Harper for 3, Jess and Jackson for 1- i think.

"Hang in their Charlotte, I'm going to take Paislee home. See you later." Laura said walking out the front door.
Wow mama has been gone for 3 years, and some of us were too busy to think about her.

Oh shit, did we forget about her? I thought as more tears came down my face, the pain needs to stop. i looked around and opened a cabinet where I found the alcohol, cher not in front of your family- "screw it." I said opening the bottle of whiskey, I took a sip. "Whew that's nasty as fuck!" I yelled, taking another drink. after taking a few more sips, the pain was starting to ease away. I finally set the bottle down and buried my head in my hands, what am I doing? I thought as I heard someone walk in the kitchen I think. "Cher?" I heard a voice, who is that?

-end of chapter-
Heyyy sorry the time period skipped like 3 years, but there wasn't anything important to fill in.
Um I hope y'all enjoyed my last book, and hopefully this one too :)