Forever and Always

"True terror is to wake up one morning and realize that your highschool class is running the country."

-Curt Vonnegut

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   Alex woke up at 3:00 am on Monday morning, and could not fall asleep again. She lay there all night, wondering what her first day of school would be like. She would be a junior this year, along with Scarlett. Her former best friend from high school the year before. Her and Scarlett had a huge falling out a few days before, and it had not ended well. Alex would realize that once she got to school that morning. 

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   It was Wednesday. Just five more days until the start of her junior year. Alex had been sitting on one of the swings at the park and was reading "Someone Like You" by Sarah Dessen. She looked up at the blue sky and watched the clouds float away. She sighed and pulled her phone out of her pocket. She composed an new message. 

   "Hey, I'm at the park by my house. I need to talk to you...now"

   Ten minutes later, Scarlett pulled up in her red Slug Bug and smiled at Alex. Alex didn't return her smile. Scarlett scrunched her eyebrows in wonder and pulled her key out of the ignition. She hopped out of the car wearing short shorts and fishnet tights with a strapless green shirt. She spun her lanyard on her finger and walked over to where Alex was sitting. She plopped down on the swing next to her and smiled. 

   "So girlie," she said with a smile. "What's up?"

   Alex took the pack of cigarettes out of her bag and tossed them at Scarlett. Scarlett caught them and looked at the pack. She...smiled?

   "Hey," she exclaimed, "I've been looking for these! Thanks a ton! Where did you find them?" She looked at Alex and saw that she wasn't smiling or laughing. "What's the matter Alex? Did I do something wrong?"

   Alex squinted her eyes. "Well," she started. "That package of cigarettes got me in trouble yesterday. My mom burst into my room and started saying how she couldn't trust me and how I was making stupid choices. That while I was gone I was off having sex with Jackson and you and I were getting into trouble. She said that I have changed a lot since I met you. She was right, and I realize that. I have changed since I met you. I've made some bad choices, but I never smoked. My mom thinks I did. Thanks to you."

   "Wait," said Scarlett. "What are you trying to say Alex?"

   "I am saying, Scarlett, that my mom no longer trusts me because of you. She thinks that I have had sex, because of you. She thinks I smoked, because of you. She thinks I was off "having a good time" with you for the six weeks I was gone. She doesn't trust me and she doesn't even know where I was." Alex looked down at the wood chips on the ground. 

   Scarlett looked at her with her mouth agape. She looked down and back up at Alex. "So what are you trying to say Alex?"

   "What I am trying to say," Alex declared, "is that I can't and I don't trust you. You have gotten me into so much trouble since I met you. My parents don't trust me anymore, and it's all because I have been hanging out with you."

   "So what you're trying to say is that this is all my fault that your parents don't trust you? My fault that you got into trouble? My fault that Jackson chose you at the beginning of last year and ended up taking you to his stupid apartment instead of taking you to the dance? And then having sex with you so that he could stay on the football team?" Scarlett immediately shut her mouth, and Alex could tell that she regretted what she had just said.

   "Wait," Alex muttered. She shook her head in disbelief. "You...you knew...you knew what he was going to do? You knew and you didn't even warn me?" She got off the swing and stood directly in front of Scarlett.

   "Of course I knew," she replied. "Troy's on the team too, and he let me know." She looked up at Alex and smiled. "Jackson never told you?"

   Alex frowned, holding back tears. "Told me what?"

   "The boys on the football team can either force you to do what they want, or if they really love you, like Troy loves me, then they can tell you and make sure that you either want to do it or you can tell them you don't want to. And then they'll go off and find someone else to have sex with. He never told you or asked?"