Suffocation.

Christmas has past and now it is New Year’s Eve. Most people call off work for today but not this household. My Dad was gone before the sun was even up, Denise went off to work a little bit after I woke up, Frankie was called in shortly after arriving home from the night shift, and even Daphne was up early to head to school for some special practice for one of her extracurricular activities.

That left Bobby, Toby, Melanie and I to roam the house until Bobby had to take me to my doctors’ appointments. That was until Bobby got a call from my dad, telling him that he needed him to come into work because, and quote, "we need all men on deck today." end quote.

So that left one person, who seems to have more than enough free time on his hands, to chauffeur me around.

"Hey Freckles," Graham appeared in the living room. I hadn't even heard him come in through the front door.

"Hey Graham, happy New Year’s Eve. Got any big plans for night?" I asked.

"Nah, New Year’s parties are too messy. So I like to go other people’s parties and trash their place. What about you?"

I shake my head no. "Daphne and I were going to make cookies and brownies and eat them all until midnight since Frankie and Bobby are going on that date but she got a call this morning and something at school went wrong so she'll probably be there most of the night."

"Want to party hop with me? A lot of my friends have younger siblings that you'll probably be seeing around school, so I could introduce you."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it beats hanging out here with the kids and Mr. and Mrs. Boring." I laughed loudly. "Ready to go?"

I nod my head again and get up using my crutches that I was beginning to loathe. I grabbed my purse and followed Graham out of the door.

Doctor Fuller is becoming more bearable to be around and talk to. We've decided to side step the whole night that landed Toby and I here in Greenwich, and decided to talk about my parents’ divorce.

Even though I was only five, the divorce impacted me. It started with my parents talking about moving the family to New York because my dad's job wanted to transfer him. My dad accepted the raise and job transfer and my parents decided that he would live in New York and we would stay in Huntsville until we could sell our house. It was only a few months until I started hearing my mom crying at night and my dad stopped coming home for the weekends.

He did come home when Toby was born but he missed the actually birth. Shortly after that my mom took our house off the market and filed for divorce just weeks after. Months after, just after the scare of 9/11, I was put on a plane, all by myself, to go see my baby half-sister, Melanie.

Physical therapy with Doctor Childers was rough, but it is getting better. Because I am still young, my bones are healing more quickly. My collarbone is almost completely mended, just a few more weeks until it won't hurt anymore. All of my ribs were back to normal and even though my leg still hurt, the pain was becoming easier to live with.

Graham dropped me off, promising to swing by at around six so we could pick up something to eat before going to the first party. When I entered my room I saw Daphne throwing clothes out of my closet, Frankie laying on my bed with Melanie curled around her long body, and Toby playing a game on a laptop I still haven't touched.

"Hey guys," I say slowly.

"Oh hi Lennon. I need something to wear. Make me look like I did at Graham's Christmas party please," Daphne begs desperately.

"Okay, but why?"

Daphne draws in a long breath before speaking a mile a minute. "Because the project my group has been working on got ruined, that's why I've been at the school, because I was the one who had to fix it. But when I got there Allen was there and I looked like a total grandma that just woke up so it was embarrassing. But then he suggested that everyone go home and get something to eat then we can pull an all-nighter and so when I walk in I want Allen to notice me."

"Daphne's got a crush!" Toby teased.

"Shut up twerp!" Daphne fought back. "Help me please."

"Only because you're so helpless and I think that it's funny that you're trying to impress A.J."

"What does that mean?"

"Well from just the few minutes of meeting him, he seems a little nerdy," I shrug my shoulders.

"I'm nerdy. Nerdy people still need to impress the opposite sex, you know."

"I know," I laugh, holding my hands up. "From my point of view, you're a ten and he's like a seven. You don't need to do much impressing."

"I do because every time he talks to me about anything I turn into a hormonal teenager that is going through a phase."

"You are a hormonal teenager that is going through a phase," Frankie chimed in.

"Shut up, you're not helping."

"Okay, okay. What look are you aiming for?"

Twenty minutes, five outfits and one fit later, I am watching Frankie move her fingers quickly through Daphne's blonde hair to create an elegant French braid. Daphne shoves her feet into a pair of my favorite black boots before hugging all of us quickly and making a hasty exit.

I laid down on my bed with Frankie and Melanie, Toby's eyes were still glued to the computer screen. I thought about how I should mention to Frankie that I was going to go to a couple parties with Graham, but I couldn't think of a way to bring it up.

"What are you doing tonight since Daphne isn't going to be here?" Frankie brought the subject up for me.

"Well I was telling Graham that I didn't have any plans and he asked if I wanted to go to a few parties with him. He said that a lot of his friends had younger siblings that might be at some of the parties and that would be a good way to meet some new people before school starts."

"I think that would be great. Saint Joseph is going to be like a big slap in the face so knowing people other than Daphne and Graham going in will help you a lot."

"And Graham? He's not going to be there."

Frankie nodded her head. "He got the call a few days ago. The gym teacher and baseball coach decided to retire early and he recommended that Graham be at least the baseball coach and that ended up with him also becoming the gym teacher."

"I can't picture Graham being a teacher."

Frankie laughed, rolling off my bed and landing on her feet. "I know me either. Got to go get ready, this is Bobby and I's one year engagement anniversary."

"Well congratulations."

At around five I finally got off my bed. Melanie had fallen asleep in my bed but Toby went to go play on his game console in his own room. I raided through my closet, just like Daphne had hours earlier. I didn't want to settle for leggings and a sweater, or jeans and a tee shirt. I wanted to dress up a bit; after all it is New Year’s Ever.

I pulled a dress over my head and smoothed it over my torso. The dress was short, it only came down to the middle of my thigh and my scar from both the bullet hole and the surgery were visible on my scrawny legs. I searched through my dresser for a pair of stockings.

I heard Denise arrive home a few minutes before Graham was supposed to pick me up. I ventured out into the kitchen with my coat already on, ready to go.

"Where are you going, Sweetie?" she asked as she poured herself a glass of wine.

"Daphne bailed on our plans tonight so Graham offered to introduce me to some people that I'd go to school with."

"Are you sure that's that best idea?" She asked with a disapproving look on her face.

"Why not?"

"Graham isn't a greatest influence. He got Bobby in a lot of trouble and I don't want him doing the same to you."

My phone chimed, saying that I had a text message. It was from Graham saying that he was outside. "I'll keep it in mind. I won't be out late, tell my dad that I'm sorry I missed him. Happy New Years," I said as I got out of the house as fast as my crutches would allow.

Graham was waiting for me in his old beat up truck that looked like it went through the battles during World War Two. The heat barely worked but I didn't mind.

"Denise claims that you are going to single handedly destroy my youth, as you did Bobby's."

"Bobby fucked himself all by himself. I was just always there in the jail cell next to him."

"You and Bobby have been to jail?" I ask in amazement.

Graham nodded. "It was pretty awesome. We broke into the school and got caught."

"Frankie tells me that you're the new gym teacher. Does that mean I have to call you Mr. Rhodes?"

"Yes, you definitely have to call me Mr. Rhodes. At all times, starting now," he jokes.

"So Mr. Rhodes," I laugh. "What are we going to eat for dinner, I'm famished."

"I hope you like Taco Bell."

Graham parked the car outside of the Taco Bell and got out, rounded the front of his truck to my side so he could help me inside.

I waited in a booth while Graham surprised me with our orders. Five minutes later he comes back with two large drinks full of Baja Blast. Our number was called and Graham brings back two trays piled high with paper wrapped burritos and plates of loaded chips and bags of sugary churros.

"How many people are we feeding?" I ask, looking astonished at the food

"I order one of everything on the menu; eat whatever you pick up until you're full. We'll save the rest for the car ride home."

I stuffed my stomach with five burritos before quitting; Graham was on his sixth and final. Finally we bag everything up and are on our way to the first party.

Graham told me that the host of this party was an ex-girlfriends of his but she has two brothers that go to Saint Joseph's and hopefully they'll be here tonight. Graham also wants to encourage to the brothers to try out for the baseball team.

However that party was a bust. Ella, the ex-girlfriend clung to Graham like glue and only referred to me as 'The Cripple'. We only stayed for about thirty minutes until making a mad dash for the truck.

The second party was better; most of the people would be passed out before the ball even dropped. A lot of kids that currently go to my school were there though. But Graham advised me not to make friends with them because they are just like he was while he was in high school.

The third and the last party is a success, even though there weren't any people my age there. I left my crutches in the truck so no one could pity me. Graham kept his arm around my waist to help support my weight as we mingled.

Graham opened a bottle of champagne an hour before midnight and poured some into two flukes and handed me one. I sipped slowly, even though I wasn't taking the pain medication as much now it was still in my system and the tiniest bit of alcohol was going to affect me.

"Want to go outside with me?" Graham asked in my ear. I nodded my head and as one we made it past the sea of people and into the backyard.

I sit on one of the chairs while Graham pulls out a pack of cigarettes. He pounds it lightly against his palm before extracting a single cigarette, putting between his lips and lighting it. "I'm trying to quit, it's a nasty habit. Frankie made Bobby quit cold turkey once they got engaged. I should have quit then too, but here I am."

"My mom was an occasional smoker. She'd have a cigarette once a week. I never understood why because that was pointless but she said she liked the taste and smell of it. I hated the smell, until now," I added.

Graham smiled at me and finished his cigarette. We headed back inside and refilled our glasses in preparation for the countdown. Only five minutes to go. Everyone was gathering in the living room, pushing Graham and I closer together, to watch Ryan Seacrest begin the countdown.

Five seconds. Both Graham and I started to drink out champagne. Four seconds, three seconds. Still drinking. Two seconds, one second. We finished our flukes at the same time just as the clock chimed midnight.

Everyone grabbed the person closest to them and they shared a New Year’s kiss. Graham and I got caught up in the commotion and our lips found each other.