I Miss You, Asshole.

I Miss You Asshole. - Mixed Personalities.

Pink. Green. Blue. Purple. Purple. Blue. Yellow.

Yes, yellow!

I yanked the yellow (lined with white stripes) tank from the dusty box. It would go perfect with my jean shorts.

I slide on the thin material, and slip on white flip flops. Marching down the stairs, I overhear my mom talking in her business voice. Though it sounded like she was irritated.

"I'm telling you, for the third time, I'm trying to find an opening at Home Depot."

On the other end, an old lady started shrieking. Then, the dialing tone.

Mom slammed the phone down irritably. She sighs, and rubs her temples slowly.

"Mom," I only stand slightly in the marbled kitchen. "I'm going to explore the neighborhood." Mom looks from the kitchen knives, to the phone, then in my direction.

"Okay, take your phone."

I frowned. In Hushbud, there was no need for a cell phone. Everywhere you turned, there's a store. And where there are stores, there's nice old people willing to call on their store phone to call your house.

"I don't have one." Never had one for that matter.

Mom looked away, running her fingers over the blade. "There's a 3G on the table by the door."

"3G?" I've only heard of those touch phones once on TV. From my understanding, they're touch screens, awesome, and have a bunch off apps like Temple Run and Angry Birds. Truthfully, I've never cared.

The white device was lying there. It had the time: 1:25 PM. And a green battery. Fully charged? I guessed.

I guess I'm supposed to be grateful so I yell to my mother, "Thank you, Mom!"

She doesn't answer, so I assume she's back on the phone or (hopefully) not taking one of those knives to Home Depot. Knowing my mother, I feel sorry for that poor old lady.

My mom isn't insane. She keeps that anger inside. But lately, being around Carly makes her very vengeful.

I close the door behind me and skip to my left.

"Skip to my loo, skip to my loo, skip to my loo, my darling!" I sang. I felt rather dumb for not knowing the rest, so I stop skipping and just walk.

Today's a nice day. The sun is out. The sky is a clear blue. And the warmth is just rubbing me in all the wrong ways.

Mr. and Mrs. Martin aren't waving to me from their grocery store. Nor is single mother, Melanie, smiling as I walk merrily. They'd all been in their houses during the fire. All nothing but ash in their wake.

"Hey!" A girl's voice suddenly called. She sounded like she was on a roof. I looked to the house in front of me and looked up.

Sure as I was, there's a girl sitting on the roof, leaning forward and smiling.

"Hi, I'm Addy." She said. Her brown hair is leaning over one shoulder, making the highlights in them shimmer in the sun. She has warm brown eyes.

"Hazel." I replied. Addy seemed nice, and could be a potential friend.

"Hi Hazel!" She disappears for a moment but then pops her head up again. "Stay there! I'll be right down."

So I wait for her to climb down. I realize my house is only three houses down. A potential best friend and walk home buddy? Addy looked like she was still in high school.

When she makes her away from the side of her house, I notice her hair is actually red. And she has a lot of freckles.

"Hey, you live around here?" She asks.

"Yeah, down the street." I point at my half gray, half yellow house.

She nods slowly. "I live here with my grandma."

There's an awkward silence. I know I'm supposed to reply with something like, 'oh, cool' but it wouldn't come out. Actually, I didn't know what to say. Ask if she goes to Brinch High?

"So, you're new. What grade are you in?"

"I'll be a senior."

Her face falls a bit, but then she smiles again. "I'll be a freshman in college. But we can still hang out. How old are you?"

"Seventeen." And a half. But nobody really cares about that part, so I don't add it. I let out a breath of air, and say, "Anyway, I was walking around, checking out the scenery."

"Ooh!" Addy's brown eyes light up. "I can give you a tour of this lovely town." She curtsies with a British accent.

I play along, "Why thank you!"

We link arms, and waltz down the rest of the street, and then turn a corner. We end up on what looks like the strip mall.

"I didn't know we were this close to the strip mall." I said aloud.

"Yeah," Addy laughs. "There's four blocks of these."

"Whoa." I whispered in awe. In Hushbud, there was only one big long one that stretched around the corner a little.

"So, have you met anybody so far?" Addy asked.

The boy from Home Depot's face instantly pops into my head. I get this big stupid grin on my face. My cheeks ache.

"A boy...?" Addy asked with a teasing voice.

"Logan." I blurted. "I met him in Home De-"

"Logan?" Addy stops in her tracks, which pulls me to a stop. I give her a confused stare. "Logan Holster IE., the type of guy you shouldn't hang around?"

"Um." I was cut short.

I'd read about the bad boys in books. They turn the good girls bad. Hell, Cobra Starship made a song about it. But honestly, I had enough stereotypical things happen in my life.

Like date the start football player while I was the nerd. And having crushes on the boys Zach and Evan hung out with.

Now, the bad boy story...really?

"He's in your grade, but he's bad news." Addy explained in a low tone. Honestly, I stopped paying attention.

Suddenly, I didn't want to hang with Addy anymore. "I appreciate your help, but I'm not going to take it," I said.

Addy's brown eyes go wide.

"B-but, he'll try and steal your virginity!"

Okay... Then, the words flew out, I don't know what came over me, but let me assure you that this kind of language doesn't always come from me. "What if I'm not a virgin anymore?"

I twist on my heel and walk the way we came.

Now I'm not the type of girl who does things on impulse. But something in me just let it go. Was it because of how cool Addy seemed, and then she becomes this psycho guidance counselor?

Likely...

I march all the way home, my sentence replaying in my head. "What if I'm not a virgin anymore?"

Seriously? By Monday, I'll bet everyone will think I'm not a virgin. All because of big-headed Addy.

When I reach the doorknob to my house, I realize what I've just done. As in really done. I was out of my comfort zone with that comment. Addy will think I'm some crazy, loose girl. When in reality, I'm used to the small town life.

The feeling of knowing everyone and knowing good people. Here, everyone is on your case. Say one bad thing, and you've lost them forever.

What would high school be like? 'Only time can tell,' Mom says anytime someone's anxious.

Next thing I know, I feel myself being pulled forward by the doorknob. Behind the door revealed Zach, a grin spread across his face. Like he knew something I didn't and it concerned me.

"What are you looking at?" I asked, frowning and giving him the evil eye.

His smile falters a little. "What's wrong?"

Usually, I'd mutter something incoherent and stomp to my room I shared with mom. But we're here now. Hushbud is the past, and Zach's willing to listen. Why not?

I sighed in defeat, and retire over to the green arm chair in our living room.

Zach sits on the love seat and leans on his elbows. His face is blank of emotions, which means he's ready to take in all that I will say.

"Okay."

I took a deep inhale, and exhaled slowly. Then, all the thoughts that have been going through my mind pours out.

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Ugh, I know these first few chapters are boring. I PROMISE it'll be better. Actually, just skip this chapter. It's just introducing someone. *sigh* please bare with me.