The Red Hot Tamales

My name is Cooper Olivia Ludlow, and I am a sixteen year old OCD heiress. Both my parents are filthy rich because they are very, very good lawyers. OCD is Obsessive- Compulsive Disorder... or as my best friend Todd likes to call it Overly Clean Dorkiness. I am not even sure if that is a word.Todd has been my best friend since... well forever. Our parents are good friends, so we grew up together and we just kind of... clicked together, I guess you could say. He Calls me Copper and I call him my Todd. People don't understand why though, but its not that hard to figure it out. Its from the Fox and The Hound.

Anyways, we are sitting in my room doing homework. Well I am trying to do homework, but Todd keeps messing up my things and its distracting me. I am trying not to pounce on him and tie him up so I can put everything back where it belongs, but its hard. He finally sits at my desk and I hear some pen scribbling.

“What're you doing, Todd? And do I have to hurt you for it.” I asked him.

“No.”

I roll my eyes and try to concentrate on my homework, but cant. It's hard being an OCD patient and having someone mess up your things while you are trying to do homework. Out of the corner of my eye I see Todd look my way and giggle. Why is he giggling at me?

"What? Why are you giggling at me?"

"Nothing" Still giggling. I glare at him and grab my pillow. I stand up and raise my pillow like a weapon. He just giggles harder.

"Chill Copper, I was just giggling at the face you made." I squint at him before sitting back down. We just look at each other for a minute.

"So Copper, how is Mike doing?" Mike is my boyfriend. I love him to death, but there are some things I am not happy about. When I first met him, he was really really nice. I mean, he took me everywhere and bought me nice things. Don't get me wrong, I am not the kind of girl that lets money buy her, but it was nice. But what I loved the most was that he seemed to love me for me, and not my money. We started dating about a week after I met him. Three weeks later, I noticed he seemed a little over protective and a little over controlling. Then one night I found the needles and the heroin in his room. When I asked him about it, he grabbed my upper arm in a death grip that left a bruise and dragged me out of the room, telling me it wasn't any of my business. I told him later that if he didn't stop, I was going to break up with him.

"Hello? Copper? You in there" Todd waved his hand in front of my face. I jumped and looked at him dazed.

"Sorry... Mike is doing fine." I lied to Todd, and I hated it. The truth was Mike was becoming more and more aggressive and over controlling. I wanted to tell Todd, but he would get angry and probably try to start a fight with Mike and I didn't want that. Todd looked at me like he didn't believe me but dropped it. I was about to say something when the door to my bedroom flung open and in stormed Mike. He took one look at Todd, then turned angry accusing eyes at me.

"Oh crap! I have to go, forgot I needed to help mom." Todd got up and grabbed his bag. He turned to me and waved.

" Bye Copper, see you tomorrow in school."

"Bye Todd, talk to you later." He walked past Mike and nodded at him. He got to the door and turned and gave me a concerned look. I shook my head slightly, hoping that it would be OK and that I don't need him to stay. He left a few seconds later. Mike just stood there and glared at me.

"Hi Hun. How was your day?" I stood and walked towards him to hug him. Mistake number one.

"You slut!" He screamed at me as the back of his hand connected with my face. I went flying into my desk, knocking things over and pushing the chair across the room. I pushed myself to my feet. Mistake number two. He came after me and grabbed my hair. He pulled me towards my bed while screaming at me. This is one of the times I thank God my parents were both Lawyers and are always away. He flung me onto my bed and then straddled my waist. His hands going around my neck.

"Mike please stop it! You're hurting me!" Mistake number three. His face contorted into anger.

"STOP HURTING YOU?!? YOU'RE THE ONE HURTING ME!!! I LOVE YOU AND YOU SIT THERE AND CHEAT ON ME WITH THAT WIMPY ASS LOSER!" He shouted at me and squeezed my neck harder, making it almost impossible for me to breath. He lets go suddenly and hops off of me. He paces across my room.

"Mike I am not cheating on you! I would never do that, I love you." I plead with him. Mistake number four. He screams at me and rushes to me. His fist connected with the side of my head, knocking me back onto my bed, where I stay down and cry. He continues to scream and curse at me standing over me. He grabs my hair once more and picks me up so I am looking at him in the face.

"If I ever catch him in here with you again, I swear to God I will Kill him and make you watch. Then when I am done, I will kill you." He looked one hundred percent serious as he threatened me, and I knew that I cant let Todd back here. I didn't want him to get hurt. Mike spat into my face before he left my room. I fell to my floor and cried for five minutes, before the over whelming need to get out of here took over me. I got up, grabbed my keys and left, heading for Todd's house.

I got to Todd's little three bedroom house and heard his mom screaming. UH-OH. I ran up the steps and into to house. I see Todd trying to calm his mother down, but he didn't seem to be making much progress. He seen me standing there and I saw relief and embarrassment in his eyes. I walked over and stood in front of her.

"Mrs. Sherman? Mrs. Sherman its me, Cooper. Are you alright Mrs. Sherman?" I asked her. As soon as I had started talking, her eyes flew open and she looked at me. She had stopped screaming to hear what I said. I could smell the alcohol on her breath, and tried not to crinkle my nose in disgust, but I hated alcohol. She looked at me blankly for a minute before smiling at me.

"Coooooper!!! How nice it ish to shee you." She was slurring horribly and she kept swaying. Her eyelids fluttered wildly before she passed out snoring. I tried to hold back a giggle.

"Thank you Copper... and I'm sorry you had to see that. Can you help me get her upstairs?" He asked, not looking at me. I nodded and put one of her arms around my shoulder, while Todd did the same with her other arm. We picked her up and started to head to the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs we passed a large antique mirror. I was horrified to see the giant bruise blossoming on the right side of my face.

oh shit.... hopefully Todd doesn't see it.

He would have to be blind Not to.... I argued with myself. I sighed, wishing that I hadn't decided to come here.