For The Love Of Millie

O N E

The cold winter air suffocated Sinclairs lungs as he stepped out into the dark night. His two closest friends Finn and Lewis waited for him in Finns restored 1967 El Camino. Sinclair hopped in the back before Finn pulled away. The cool breeze intensified as they drove quickly through the cookie cutter neighborhoods of their small town. Despite the unusually cold weather Sinclair noticed that many families were still going to attend the towns annual winter fair. He and his friends however were headed in the opposite direction. They were on their way to the annual forest bonfire. This event was created by the high schoolers some thirty years ago who had grown bored of the town festival. So they had created their own tradition the same night and it's been happening ever since.

"Hey Sin, how you doing back there bud?" Finn yelled out the window.

Sinclair turned to look at his friend in the rear view mirror and held his thumb up.

This was Sinclairs last year attending the event. This time next year he hoped to be somewhere across the world. He loved his little town but he craved so much more. He wanted to be so much more. His small town would only take him so far.

Finn stopped the car near a bunch of others surrounded by trees. It was almost pitch back but due to the distant fire and sounds of talking and music the boys knew where they were going. Lewis wrapped his arm around Sinclairs shoulders and squeezed.

"You ready to make the best out of our last year?" He questioned.

"Oh hell yeah man!" Finn shouted.

Sinclair ignored the question and continued on to the source of chatter. The three arrived shortly at the bonfire where many other young people were already gathered. Many who were already very under the influence of whatever they had gotten their hands on. Sinclair looked around at the many familiar and unfamiliar faces. He followed after Finn, knowing where they were headed when he spotted a red head in a skimpy dress.

The red head was Finns on and off girlfriend, Stacy. She was sitting on old broken down bleachers accompanied by her entourage, Hannah, Gina, Millie, and Vicki. Hannah and Vicki were fraternal twins. Both were tall busty thin figures but Hannah had blonde hair and Vicki had brown. Gina only became a part of the clique last year when she moved here from the Philippines. She was short and had long dark brown hair. Millie, she was the odd man out. Many could never figure out how she had become a part of the group. She was quiet and reserved. There wasn't a mean bone in her body, unlike her companions. She had black tight curly hair that reached her shoulder blades. She was rather thin and had mocha skin and chocolate eyes. Although Millie didn't know it, she was a sight for sore eyes in her little white washed town. There were only a few families scattered about of nonwhite backgrounds.

Millie who was having a conversation with Vicki that she could care less about looked up to see Finn and his two friends walking towards them. She despised Finn. She thought of him as manipulative and rude. She would say that Stacy deserved more but they were, in fact, a match made in hell. Her eyes wandered over to the boy on Finns right, Sinclair. She was most fond of him in the trio despite never having talked to him. The stories she had heard about him were very different from the ones she'd heard about the other two, although he did have a couple stories that haunted him. Things he had done that weren't so admirable. But what high schooler didn't have a couple of those?

"Well, hello ladies. You girls ready to have the night of your lives?" Finn smirked as he stood in front of the girls.

Stacy stood up and wrapped her arms around his waist.