Running Like Forever [Frank Iero][1]

Part 1

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My eyes were closed but the car was still in motion, I could tell by the rumbling of engine. I didn't want to open my eyes because I knew I would be somewhere I had never been before. A place so foreign to what I was used to. Everything was going to be different now. My life was going to change completely. Today was the day that my family had moved from sunny California to... New Jersey.

My father's work had transferred him to the east cost headquarters, so here I was. My mother had been totally for it too, which meant I had no say in the matter. From the day I found out we were moving to now, I had prepared to make my parents life a living hell so they understood just how much I didn't want to be here. I was being immature, I knew that, but I couldn't help myself in this situation.

I had to leave my school, my friends, everything back in California. I didn't know how I was going to live!

Did I fool you? Did I make you think that my life before this was perfect, that I was one of those teens who grew up with great, loving parents with a beautiful house and back yard? Someone who was miss popular in high school? I didn't and I wasn't.

I had only ever lived in one home. I grew up in it my whole life and sure it wasn't big, but it was one of my favorite places in the world. I never really had many friends either, the ones I did have were more for in school than out of it, but I didn't really mind that. I actually liked being alone. And my parents? They would fight, sometimes it would be bad and sometimes things would turn out okay. At times I wondered why they didn't just get divorced, I think they would both be a lot happier.

I tensed as I felt the car break to a halt. I was scared and only clamped my eyes shut tighter.

"Honey- Oh! I think she's asleep, dear." I listened to my mom's high-pitched voice, cringing on the inside.

"I'm not sleeping, Ma. Just not opening my eyes yet."

"And why's that? Lets not be so immature, you are almost 18 after all."

I sighed and finally opened my pale blue eyes. I blinked a few times, the hazy fog that was set over my eyes vanished after a moment. I stared at the house outside the car window. It was a two-story house that was a tan-green color that reminded me a little of puke with a dark blue door and white trim. I sighed again and opened the door. My parents were already carrying boxes from the back of the car and into the house, while I just stood there and watched for a moment.

I turned to my left and watched as the moving truck turned down our street, trying to will it away. This felt like a bad dream that I could only pray I could wake up from. My eyes panned back around, taking in the rest of the neighborhood surrounding my new home and noticed a boy sitting out on the porch of the house next door. His eyes were already on me, but he made no movements to show that he was embarrassed by the fact that I had caught him staring.

After a long moment, he took one last drag of his cigarette before he put it out in the ashtray next to him. Without so much as a smile, the boy turned and disappeared back inside his house. All I could think about was how badly I now wanted a cigarette.

Later that night after everything had finally been moved into the house, I plopped down on my bed with a heavy sigh and looked around my newly decorated room. There were band posters spread across the walls, while boxes that still needed to be unpacked were pushed into the corner next to my desk. I looked at my phone, 10:23pm.

I crept from my room as quietly as possible and looked up and down the dimly lit hallway. I walked passed my parents room and peeked inside, seeing two unmoving figures curled up in the bed. That meant they were asleep till morning. I grinned to myself, tip-toeing back toward my room. I pulled open my bedside table compartment and rummaged around until I found what I was looking for, my pack of unopened cigarettes. I grabbed a lighter and headed out of my room once again.

I trotted down the stairs and quietly opened to front door, hoping the sound wouldn't wake anyone. I closed the door behind me and took the three steps down that lead from our porch to a stone walkway. The stone was cold against my bare feet as I made my way to the driveway and took a seat on the hard pavement.

I took a long drag of my cigarette and exhaled happily, all the tension from the day lifting with each passing second. My parent's didn't know I smoked, I had been hiding it for years now. I could only imagine how disappointed they would be if they ever found out. I closed my eyes and took another long drag. I finished one and quickly lit up another. I groaned as I noticed lights turn on in the house, illuminating the driveway ahead of me. I quickly put out the cigarette and hid it under my leg, my pack already safely in my pocket as the porch light turned on and the front door opened.

"Lenny, are you out here?" My dad called quietly.

I rolled my eyes as another sigh escaped my lips. "Yeah, Pop!"

"Alright, well your mother and I are going to sleep now. I have work early in the morning and your mom has a job interview in the next town over, so she'll be gone all day too. Will you be able to fend for yourself?"

I was quiet for a second. "Don't I always?"

"That's my girl."

With that said, he went back inside. Five minutes later I lit up that same cigarette again to finish it off. Was this how it was going to be from now on?

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A/N: First chapter!!! :) Hope you like! Vote? Comment?