• It's raining lightly, almost happily, and Shadow is jumping on my bed. Crayons and paint coated the air around us, as I was busy coloring bored of playing cards with Shadow. When I didn't join Shadow jumping on the bed, he stepped on my drawing and kicked my box of crayons sending them flying all over the room. He picked grabbed my arm and dragged me on the bed, we laughed as we jumped up and down on my bed.

    "This is so much fun!" I laughed jumping higher.

    "What's going on?" nine year old Gabe said bursting into the room, smiling. He looked around and then asked, "You're in here by yourself? Who were you talking to?"

    I rolled my eyes and pointed to Shadow. "Shadow of course! Don't you see him, he's right here?"

    Shadow placed a hand on my and shook his head. I didn't understand why Gabe couldn't see shadow, he was here, he is real. I could touch him and he could touch me. Shadow has feelings, and he sings and dances with me. Shadow brings me up when I'm down, and he's the only one I would show my secret place too. To me Shadow is the realest thing in the world, and Gabe is as real as a flying unicorn.

    "You are crazy, forget your imaginary friend and come play with me! Let's go out to the pond, and throw rocks at ducks. It will be so much fun!" Gabe exclaimed.

    I looked at Shadow and he smiled at me, "Go ahead Lucy, I'll wait for you in our special place when you get the chance to come. Go and play with your friend."

    I was about to protest when Shadow pushed me forward, and Gabe grabbed my wrist pulling me forward. We ran through the house and out the back door. Ran through damp grass, and glistening woods out to the pound. Gabe turned around smiling from ear to ear, the sun shining and sparkling pond behind him, and the wind blowing his light brown hair in the wind.

    "Hello, Lucy? You've been gone for two days! When are coming back to school? I mean Tanner can't stop asking me about you, and Jake is the same way...." Tabby droned on and on and eventually I just sat my phone down and let her talk to herself, and sometimes I'd say 'uh huh' or 'okay and then'. I was busy reading 'To kill a mockingbird' for English I didn't hear Tabby say, "HELLO? LUCY?"

    I jumped and asked, "Yeah what did you say?"

    "I saaaid, do you want to come shopping with me tomorrow?" Tabby said, as if she couldn't believe I was ignoring everything she was saying.

    "Yeah I guess. Hey I'll talk to you tomorrow, my mom is calling." and the funny thing was she was calling me.

    "Fine but we are sooo going to talk later." Tabby said hanging up, the dial tone echoing in my ear.

    I laid there looking up at my ceiling, waiting a few seconds before I went to Mom. After a while I threw my legs over the side of the bed and made my way down the hall way. Once I was there, Mom didn't realize I was there, too busy working off of the computer. I stood there awkwardly, I felt as if I was in trouble and as usual all I could think about is all the things I could of done wrong.

    Mom patted the bed and said, "Sit, Lucy, let's talk." I jumped on the bed as she closed her lap top and said, "So how are you feeling?"

    "Fine. Great actually. I told you and Gabe this countless times but you just don't listen." I muttered, picking at my over sized t-shirt.

    "Gabe is just worried about you, I mean when you guys were growing up, he'd always be hanging around you or Ren." Mom stated placing a hand on my knee.

    I sighed and shook my head, "I know but still. I'm not a baby, I know when I'm sick."

    "I know you do...What do you think about Gabe anyways? He's awfully cute... Do you have a crush on him?" Mom asked, causing me to scoff in disbelief.

    "No! Oh God, No!" I exclaimed. "I like someone who isn't as... abrasive as he is..."

    I felt blood rush to my face and looked away from Mom, trying to calm my beating heart. My eyes started water and my throat felt dry like a hot summer day.I still couldn't get over the fact that Tanner agreed with what those boys were saying, it mad me so mad but sad at the same time.

    "Oh..." Mom replied, awkwardly removing her hand away from my knee.

    "It's just as well, he doesn't like me." I muttered under my breath and smiled enthusiastically at Mom.

    "Aw, sweetie, that's okay. You don't need boys anyways, you are way to young. The only boy you need in your life Right now is your dad." Mom said hugging me, and I thought, great the your-still-my-little-girl speech.

    I detached myself from Mom and made an excuse to leave. I passed Ren in the hallway, and trailing behind him was that tramp of a girlfriend wearing shorts so short they would be considered underwear. Jenifer is black headed tramp in my book. First she took my brother's virginity, when she herself isn't one. I know I'm old fashion, but she blamed Ren for it, when I hear stories of her always doing drugs and sleeping around. It's a wonder she didn't get pregnant before she met Ren.

    I smiled at Ren halfheartily and went into the living room, just to see Courtney and Kade sitting in our living room couch watching some idoitic horror movie. I turned to leave but Sam and Josh walked in with Gabe trailing behind... What is this, hang out the Franks place day?

    I watched as Kade gave Josh the third degree- everyone is over protective of Sammy since she's the youngest- and Sammy and Courtney talk about their crushes. Courtney flipped her hair and winked at Gabe, and Gabe ignored her helping Kade give Josh the third degree. I thought I could make a escape before Gabe's next words...

    "It was bad Kade. Three guys surrounded her, and looked like they were about to rape her. So of course I stepped in, but we all know Lucy is... She said, 'Gabe you didn't need to come here, I can take care of myself. Plus I dont want you to hurt my classmates." Gabe said, and everyone looked at me.

    I laughed, "That is so not how it happened. I was puking at school and called Gabe to come get me. Well he was taking to long, so I decided to hide from the teaches in the forest. When I was there I climbed the trees, and was caught. After those guys were laughing at me because I never do anything bad. Gabe came and I said, 'You didn't need to come, I can take care of myself. Besides you are not strong enough to protect me.' and that was that."

    "That's not what I heard." Jenifer said, coming in with Ren.

    I put my hands on my hip, "What did you hear?"

    "That some nerdy cute guy called you ugly spit on you and then you puked." Jenifer said.

    I rolled my eyes at her, "Whatever."

    "That sounds right." Courtney said laughing with Sammy and Kade

    I started to laugh with them and countered, "Hey, I don't care. But, ya know, at least I can hold up my end of the conversation without kissing or sexual implications."

    Ren shot me a look and Gabe shook his head disapporvingly. I frowned and left in a hurry, I don't care what they think of me, because in a few years I'll be long gone. I went to my room and turned up my radio as the song 'Welcome to my Life' by simpleplan started to play on the radio. I put my ear buds in, picked up a book, and started to drown out the rest of the world... If only I could really drown out the world...

    *****

    Picking through my locker at school slowly, by myself I felt my neck prickle. I looked around and behind me just happened to be no one other then Sean. I rolled my eyes and grabbed my math work, slamming my locker door shut. Sean has always had a locker diagonally across from mine, but I just pushed it to the back of my head, hopping he would disappear. I walked quickly toward Ms. Valor's room not stopping to say hi to any of my old friends. I put my down my stuff in the back of the room and pulled out my favorite book by my favorite philospher, "Walden" by Henry David Thoreau. Although I find it quite boring to read it the normal way, I just picture myself as if I was living back in that time, and it's a pretty good read.

    "Miss Franks" Ms. Valor said, pointing to me, "What is the answer to the question on the bored."

    I hadn't notice that the class had already begun. I could tell by the looks of my classmates that they thought this was going to take all day. Ms. Valor didn't believe that 'I don't know' is an acceptable answer, so if someone doesn't know the answer she'll sit there and work it out making the lucky student feeling stupid and embarrass.

    "Two hundred eighty nine" I answered not even giving the problem a full thirty seconds to answer.

    Ms. Valor smiled, "That is correct. Does anyone have any questions on how this problem is worked?"

    Of course there is always that one student and he even asked if I could show my work on the bored. I could tell he understood how to solve it but doubted my abilities. Getting up and going to the bored without being asked I worked out the problem with no problem and sat back down. I looked at the homework bored and started the homework without a second thought.

    My drifted back to the other day, when Tabby wanted to hang out but canceled at the last minuete. I laughed a little at myself, causing the all so smart student to stare at me with discontent and hatered. I stuck my tongue out at them, doodle on my notebook. I doodle the clique crushes name with hearts around it. Embarrassed I scribbled over it like crazy, in till you couldn't tell what I wrote.

    Walking to my next class I saw Tabby talking to Rachel, laughing. I hurried passed them and into Communication Application, just to be intercepted by Mrs. Stephsen.

    "Lucy, just the girl I wanted to talk to." Mrs. Stephsen said, smiling ear to ear. I always like Mrs. Stephsen, she was in her forties but knew how to talk to teenagers. She would often give candy out on holidays, something most teachers stop doing after we got into middle school. Mrs. Stephsen also made class fun and not awkward any way.

    "Yes Mrs. Stephsen?" I asked returning her smile.

    "You know your scheduale choices for next year are coming up, and I just wanted you to know that I think my Advance Speeking class is perfect for you." She said patting my shoulder.

    I thought about, I really like speaking in front of people and I like Mrs. Stephsen. I nodded, "Okay I'll think about it."

    Crossing the room to my seat, I sat down glad that atleast I got to keep this class. I pulled out my speech I was suppose to present today about the advantages of legalizing gay marriages. Tabby walked in, she saw me but sat at the front as far away from me as she could get. I stuck my tongue out at the back of her head, knowing that people who saw me probably thought I was crazy. I didn't care, I know I'm crazy.

    "Doesn't look like your life is going great." Upperclassmen Hilary said, sitting next to me.

    Hilary was one of those girls who would be friends with you when you're going through a tough time. I think people do this to make themselves look good, but whatever I took the chance to become friend with her.

    "You're telling me. I'm still trying to figure out what I did to make her hate me so much. Last time I checked, all I did was be myself." I sighed distressed.

    Hilary laugh, and her laugh was light and bouncy like the jingling of christmas bells. "People are like that, all you can do is power through it. Know what I mean?"

    I nodded smiling, "Yeah I do know what you mean. So how would you like to hang out tomorrow? I'll introduce you to a private school cutie."

    "Sounds cool, but I have a better idea. I know my own private school cutie and he is having a party. Wanna come? I can pick you up, but you have to promise to wear something hot." Hilary said all bouncy like. She reminded me of a puppy with the way that she bounced around all innocent like.

    I shrugged, thinking why not. "I'd love to go."