"You two. I'm looking for someone - a tall girl with blue hair. Have you seen her anywhere?"
"No. Sorry. But if we do see her we'll let her know that you're looking for her."
"Thanks, but don't say anything. Just let me know if you see her. I'll be around campus somewhere. My name's Mr Madsen."
"Er. Okay Mr Madsen."
"Thank you young man. And remember – don't say a word about me if you see her."
"Sure thing sir."
The security guard abruptly marched away through the crowd, scanning the faces all around as he did so.
"Man that guy's intense. Glad he's not my dad. If that girl's his daughter or something, looks like she's gonna regret coming to this party."
"Yeah Matt. I bet. Let's head outside. I can hardly hear you over this music. I've had my eardrums assaulted enough for the time being."
"Sure. A breath of fresh air. Why the hell not? So anyway, like I was saying before Sergeant Shithead rudely interrupted us, do you think you might like it here or what?"
"These 'Vortex' parties I can live without, but the school's okay, I guess. The town sure does look like a nice place...but it's very small. Not much happens here, I reckon."
"Like what? The club scene? All night ragers? Beach parties and shit? Yeah, because that's totally your thing, Mr Moshpit 2012." said Matthew sarcastically.
"I know, but this place looks a little too sleepy, even for me."
"Dude, this place was just made for you. You love walking in the woods and watching birds and shit. Did you happen to notice all the countryside on our drive here? This place is in the middle of fucking nowhere. You could walk for hours and hours and not see another living soul. Don't even tell me that hasn't got your antenna twitching, 'cos I know it has."
"Yeah. I guess. And I do need to get away from home. I suppose here is as good a place as any."
"Too damn right! It's way past the time you finally left the nest...and your mom. She's only holding you back. There's a whole world out there waiting for you. Your mom doesn't want much from life apart from her next beer or ten, but you can be so much more than that. Do you want to spend the rest of your days working for little more than crappy dimes in that shitpit of a gas station? Do you? It's like she's got a disease, and she's infected you with it – the disease of a chronic lack of ambition. Remember Dead Poets Society? Get out there. Make your life extraordinary."
"Maybe. But what about you? Would you come here as well?"
"Nah man. It might not be too quiet for you, but it definitely is for me. Bright lights, big city for me."
"Well that sucks. We've been best buds for years, and now we're splitting up."
"Screw that! You think that we're never gonna see each other again? No way is that happening."
"I hope not."
"Chill. It won't. Anyways, have you seen all the hot chicks here? You're not gonna have time to be homesick or anything. Now that you're not with Lisa any more, there's nothing stopping you, is there?"
"Nooooo...not really...but...I've never really...you know."
"Are you freaking kidding me? What about Lisa? What did you two do all that time you were together? Just hold hands or something? Jesus dude! Tell me that you got to second base at least."
"We fooled around a little, sure, but not...we didn't go all the way."
"You're seventeen now. So now you can. The girls here will be free as a bird...so long as you get in there quick enough, that is. And what better time to start than right now? She could very well be your first notch on the bedpost. Over there. Look. Go over and introduce yourself. What have you got to lose?"
"Who? Where?"
"That girl with the blue hair. She's over there, sitting on the ground. See her? Hiding in the corner behind that bush. I thought you were the birdwatcher here, not me."
"Um. I dunno. I have no idea what to say to her. And she looks a bit too punk rock for me."
"Dude, you already have the perfect icebreaker. When you tell her that Major Asshole is hunting for her, she'll probably be grateful. And if you play your cards right, she might be very grateful."
"You reckon?"
"Yeah. But we'll never find out if you don't go talk to her, will we? Go on. Get your unambitious ass over there. Carpe diem. Seize the...night."
"Er. Okay."
"I'll meet you back inside."
"What? You're not going to be my wingman?"
"Nope. You got this. I'm gonna work some more on that Tara chick. I think I may be in there. Laters. Now move it. I'll see you soon. Or not. We never know our luck. Laters dude."
The smaller boy watched his best friend walk away, then loitered apprehensively for a few seconds before nervously walking over to the young woman. As he got closer he caught the familiar, unmistakable aroma of marijuana permeating out into the cold night air of spring. The joint was dangling between two fingers of one hand wrapped loosely around her shins. The other hand was carelessly holding a half empty bottle of beer by the neck. Her head was bent forwards between her raised knees.
"Er. Hello. Are you okay?"
The girl painfully slowly raised her head to look up at the boy standing in front of her. He almost gasped when he saw her eyes. He had seen the very same look before - every time his mother looked at him. Utter despair. Grief. Loss. Isolation. Loneliness. Heartbreak. Completely without hope. Her eyes looked...dead. 'She's dead inside. This poor girl is really, incredibly, badly broken. What the hell happened to her? What made her like this?' the boy thought to himself. Her gaze rendered him speechless.
"What?" she asked in a low monotone.
"Are you alright? Do you want me to..."
"I want you to get lost."
"But I just..."
"I know what you're after, dickhead. And you're not getting it from me. Now fuck off and leave me alone."
"Okay, okay. I'll be going...but I should let you know that campus security are looking for you."
"Really genius? What the fuck do you think I'm hiding here for? I already know. Now fuck off."
"I...er...I'd like to help you if I coul..."
"No one can help me. Least of all a fucking prick like you. Now if you don't get out of my goddamn face this second I'm gonna smash this bottle into yours."
"Okay. I'm sorry to have bothered you. Bye. I hope things get better for you."
The girl said nothing, merely burying her head back between her legs. The boy walked away and left her there. Alone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"It's too bad you struck out with Bluey, but Tara's invited me back to her room. Sooooo..."
"It's cool Matt. Go. Don't keep her waiting. I think I'll head back to the motel. Laters."
"Laters dude. Don't you dare jerk off in my bed."
"Just shut up and go, jackass." joked the smaller of the two boys.
"Aye aye Captain. Catch you later."
"Sure."
The boy ambled towards his car, idly perusing the trees surrounding the car lot as he did so. Then he saw her. She was sitting in the back of a beaten-up and rusting pick-up, partially hidden in shadow. He could hear the almost inaudible sound of her quiet weeping drifting out into the night.
"Hey. Listen. I know you don't want to see me again, but I just want to apologise if anything I said before upset you. I'm sorry..."
The dead eyes once again paralysed his tongue. She wiped the tears from her face with a sleeve. Without a word she picked herself up from the truck bed and almost fell onto the ground before recovering from her stumble. She opened the driver's door before speaking.
"Get in."
"I'm sorry? Pardon me?"
"For fuck's sake. Get...in...the...fucking...truck."
"What? Why?"
"Are you totally fucking stupid? Do you want to fuck me or not?"
"Um..."
"I'm leaving now. Either you get in or you don't. I couldn't care fucking less."
"Er...um...okay. My name's..."
"Shut the fuck up. I don't want to know your name. After this, I never want to see you again. Ever. No talking. No kissing. No undressing. Just fuck me from behind – I don't want to see your face. Put your hands on my shoulders and nowhere else. Just get it over with and then go. Got it?"