My Only Sunshine

Sixteen, its everyone's favorite age to turn, and surprisingly it was mine as well.

{xxx}

"Come on, Kendra," My step-father pleaded with me, "It's your birthday, be happy." He grabbed the edges of my lips and tried to push them up into a smile, and I just slapped them away.

"Don't fucking touch me," I hissed. I hated that man more than anyone in the world. He always tires to replace my father, but it doesn't work. My dad was like me, stubborn and fucked up, but he died of a drug over dose when I was eight years old, and this asshole always tries to replace him... He and my dad are polar opposites, so he just needs to stop.

He rolled his eyes. "You're such a little bitch, I have no idea how your mother puts up with you."

"She doesn't."

He opened his mouth to respond, but I had already heard enough. "Save your breath, I'm going out." I grabbed a sweat shirt from off the coat rack and I began to shove my arms into it.

"Oh and where are you going? You don't have any friends," He said as if he defeated me.

"Yeah, I'm aware asshole, I'm going out by myself. Later." I just walked out the door.

I walked down the street aimlessly, and just looked at everything around me. I fucking hate California; it was Autumn, and it was still hot? I missed Massachusetts... I sighed and kicked a pebble down the street. I walked to the local park, and sat down on a bench. I was really craving a cigarette when I started to smell the smoke from some where. I wandered off to where the smell was coming from, and I saw a large man standing in front of me. We starred at each other for a brief moment, and then he took his cigarette out of his mouth.

"Hi," He finally said.

"Hi," I said back, but my words were almost inaudible. I didn't do well around new people... why was I even up here in the first place?

A shit eating grin went across his face, and I had no idea why. "I'm Matt."

I nodded, "I'm Kendra," He roughly grabbed my hand from my side and shook it, shaking my whole body too.

"Want a one?" He asked, while pointing to his cig.

I wanted one, so I nodded. It might of seemed rude, but I didn't give a shit. I watched as he rummaged through his pockets, an then he took one out of the carton and handed it to me, then he tossed me his lighter. I placed it in my mouth and lit it up. I sucked the smoke in for a long second then I took the cigarette out of my mouth and blew out the smoke.

Matt laughed a little. "Really needed one?"

I laughed too. " A little." I studied his face for a moment, he had tannish skin, beautiful hazel eyes, a lip ring, dark brown hair and he had his ears gaged and he was actually really hot.

"Are you new here?"

"Kinda... I moved her about two months ago."

"Oh... I haven't seen you around," He mused, it looked like he was trying to decide if he had seen me before or not. "But, I'd love to see you more." He smiled at me. Wait whoa, stop.... was he flirting with me?

I smile back. "I'd like to see you too."

"Good," He stopped and looked around, realizing that it was only us. "You're really pretty."

I was standing there in a Guns n Roses tee-shirt, with a big saggy Red Sox sweat shirt and jeans. I hardly had any make-up on besides eye-liner and mascara and my hair was down and frizzy. Was he dreaming? "Really?"

He nodded. "Beautiful, actually." He lit up another cigarette. Okay, he was either playing me, or on drugs, I just kind of starred at him in utter shock. "What?" He asked, laughing a little.

"Are you serious?"

Matt nodded slowly, I don't think he fully understood me. "Yeah, you're beautiful." He said slowly, as if I was stupid or something.

"Oh... wow." I was totally lost for words. No one had ever told me I was beautiful before.

"You seem shocked... ?"

"Kinda."

"Uh, can I ask why?"

"Uh, well, no one has actually called me that before...."

He looked shocked. "Really?" I nodded, "Those people must be blind."

I smiled, I actually fucking smiled.

"Ah... I gotta go." Matt stated... He looked up at me, "Need a ride?" I didn't actually need a ride, but I said yes anyways. Matt walked me over to his '72 Camero and opened my door. He opened my fucking door... am I dreaming? He got around the other side and I explained to him how to get to my house. He nodded then he turned his car on, and Guns n Roses started blasting through-out the car, he grabbed the knob an turned it down quickly and we both laughed.

"Gotta love GNR." He said with a smile as he backed up from his parking space.

I nodded, "They're the best!" I started humming the song that was playing, then I heard Matt start singing, so I sung too. We sung for a few moments, then he looked at me. "You're different."

"Uh, thanks?"

His expression looked apologetic. "I didn't mean it like that... I meant it in a good way."

I smiled and laughed a little. "Yeah, I guess I am," I looked at him. "You are too."

"I know." He smiled again.

We made some more small talk about music and eventually he pulled up to my house. "Well, we're here." He told me, taking a glance at my house. "Well, you're loaded."

"My parents are, I'm not." He nodded, I knew he didn't understand what I meant. "Well, I'll see you around." I actually wanted to see him again...

"Yeah..." He seemed like he actually wanted to see me too. " Want to hang out soon?" He face-palmed. "Fuck, I'm coming on way too strong." He hit his face.

I laughed, and patted his shoulder. "It's okay," he looked up at me and I smiled for reassurance. "We should definitely hang out soon."

He smiled back. "Tomorrow?"

OH MY GOD YES!! "Yeah, sure." I smiled at him. "See you then."

"Bye Kendra." I got out of the car and before I closed the door, I turned around.

"Bye Matt, see you later." I closed the door and I walked up to my house, then I watched Matt drive away until I couldn't see him anymore.

I ran up to my room, slammed the door shut, slammed my back against the door, and I fell to the floor. I wrapped my arms around myself, and the smile wouldn't wipe off my face. It was the first year since before my dad died that I was having a good birthday. And someone actually talked to me.

I felt happy, and it was the first night I hadn't cut myself in over a year.