Anywhere Is Better Than Here

Alright, give up, get down. It's just the hardest part of living. Alright! She wants, it all to come down this time.

I rolled over, shutting off my alarm on my phone and getting up to stretch. It has been a month since the funeral, give or take a few days. Every Sunday since, my mom and I go to the cemetery to visit their graves. Today was Wednesday and I had to get ready for another day of hell.

After changing into a pair of light denim skinnies and a white From First To Last band shirt that had a pink skull on it. I straightened my hair and placed in a pink bow on the side by my side bangs. I then put on some dark make up and brushed my teeth before walking downstairs. I slipped into my checkered vans and walked into the kitchen, my mom wasn't downstairs yet, as usual. I got myself a blueberry muffin and ate it before making my way up the stairs again and into my mom's room.

"Mom, I'm going to school now, okay?" I said, pulling back the covers a little bit.

She sniffed and wiped at her eyes, "Okay sweetie, have a good day at school. I'm not going to go into work today."

"Mom?" I asked, sitting down beside her on the bed.

"Yeah sweetie?" she asked, her voice still tired and a little raspy from crying.

"Do you want me to stay home with you today?" I asked, smoothing down her bed-head.

She looked up at me with watery eyes, "No, no Abby, you don't have to do that, I'll be fine, really sweetie."

"You sure mom?"

"Absolutely positive. Have a good day at school Abigail, I love you," she said, sitting up and giving me a kiss on the cheek.

"Alright mommy, love you too. Now, I don't want you staying in bed all day. Call up Mrs. Santiago, I'm sure she would love some company. Maybe you guys could have some Spanish coffee or something."

She laughed, "Maybe, bye honey."

"Bye mom!"

I made my way out of her room, making it back downstairs before picking up my bag from the counter and my house keys. I shoved my cell phone in my back pocket, screaming up the stairs to my mom to call me if she needed me, and walked outside just as a silver Toyota pulled up into my driveway. I walked over to it, opening up the back door and getting in next to Nick. After closing my door, I turned to the three boys, staring at me.

"Good morning," I said, as cheerfully as possible as I could.

"Mornin'," the three chanted.

Joe turned back around in his seat as Kevin turned his head more to back out of the driveway. Nick turned to face the window again after lacing his fingers with mine. I swear, these boys always need some type of contact with me, it's sad.

No sooner than letter, Kevin was searching for a spot in Senior parking. We finally found one near the end of the parking lot. After gathering up our bags, we all got out of the car, Kevin locking the door behind him. Joe walked with me and Nick and Kevin caught up with some other people they knew from their other classes.

"What's today?" I asked.

"The fifteenth," Joe replied.

"No, not the date. Like what letter day?"

"Oh, uh, I think today's C day," he said, scratching the back of his head.

"Oh goodie, we have a free first period," I said, smiling up at him.

"Starbucks?" he asked.

"We can't leave the school Joey. You know that if we get caught we'll get a suspension."

"Fine, Ms. Goody-Two-Shoes," he muttered, pushing me into the wall of the hallways lightly.

I laughed, making my way to my locker in D hallway, Joe heading to his at the end of A hallway. I saw Kenderson from my English class hanging out next to my locker with his friend Francesca or, Frenchie, as we like to call her.

"Beckett," Mike said, nodding as I came to my locker.

"Kenderson, Frenchie," I said, nodding my head.

"You have a free first period right Abby?" Frenchie asked.

"Sure do," I said, placing the books I didn't need into my locker and pulling the ones I did need out.

"Oh goodie goodie gum drops!" Kenderson squealed in a fake girly voice, "You should totally come to Starbucks with us then!"

I looked up at the both of them and shaking my head, "Why does everyone want me to go to Starbucks with them today? I can't guys, I'm sorry. What if we get caught?"

"Please Abby?" Frenchie begged.

"Yeah, I got a pack of cigarettes last night! I'll give you some!" Mike said, opening the front pocket in his backpack to reveal a box of Newport Lights.

"As tempting as it is, no thank you Mike. Joe is in my free and he would notice that I was gone. I don't want to lie to him. And he'd have a field day on me if I came back smelling like cigs," I said, closing my locker and standing up, placing my bag on my shoulder.

"Aw," Frenchie whined.

"Alright," Kenderson said, he opened the small box up and took out three cigs, handing them to me.

"Aw Kenderson," I said, looking at them, "You really don't have to."

"I told you I would give you some the next time I got them. So here, take them before a teacher comes," he said, placing them into my left hand, the hand with my purity ring on it.

I smiled up at him, placing the cigarettes into a safe pocket in my bag, "Thanks Mike, this is really sweet of you."

He laughed, "Yeah well, I try!"

He dramatically popped his collar and brushed off his shoulders before giving me a hug and walking away with Frenchie at his side.

"What was that all about?" a voice said from behind me.

I almost jumped out of my skin, my face pale even more as I turned around to face Joe. I tried to come up with something quick so he wouldn't know, "N-nothing, pencils. He gave me pencils." I lied.

"Oh, really?" I nodded my head, "Alright can I have one then? I don't have anything on me and I have a test third period."

I nodded again, my face turning back to its normal pale color. I reached into my bag, searching for the first pencil I saw in the pocket I kept my pencils, pens, and purple BIC lighter in. I handed him a pink mechanical pencil. He looked it over.

"Pink, wow, I always knew that kid was a fag," he said, shrugging and turning around, about to walk away.

I put a hand on his shoulder, "Wait, wait, wait. Mike Kenderson is not a fag."

He turned over his shoulder and looked at me, "Whatever, come on."

"No, hold on, Joe. He's not!" I said, not taking my hand off of his arm.

"Okay Abby, he's not. Let's go," he said, putting his arm on the small of my back and leading me through D hallway.

"What is your problem today?" I asked, stopping in the middle of the hall, making him turn around yet again.

"My problem? What's yours? I just made a small comment on Kenderson, and you snapped," he said, moving to the side to lean against the glass to the school store.

"Because he is a good guy and he's my friend," I said, staring him in the eye.

"Okay! That's great! I'm sorry, now can we please go?" he asked, taking my hand and walking us to the north cafeteria.

Once we walked to the back, I pulled my hand out of his and he turned around to look at me, yet again, "You are such a jerk, Joseph! I should have gone with them to Starbucks. Now I'm stuck here with you."

He took his hands and placed them on my face, "What is the matter with you? Are you feeling okay?" He gave me a concerned look.

I sat down on the seat slowly to one of the circular tables. I looked down at my hands, spreading my finger across my lap. I then looked up at him, staring at him straight in the eyes. What was wrong with me? Why did I snap on him?

"I-I don't know," I replied back after a minute.

He took a seat next to me and picked me up. After sitting me on his lap, he wrapped his arms around my body. He kissed my cheek, rubbing my back as I buried my head into his shoulder.

"Sorry Joey," I mumbled into his shoulder.

"It's okay, I know you didn't mean it," he whispered in my ear, running his fingers through my hair.

I opened my eyes and saw a person standing on the other side of the table, hanging from the ceiling upside down. He just stood there looking at us. I could make out some of the features and could tell it was definitely a guy. His face was pale with an amazing complexion; it's as if his skin glowed in the lights. His black hair was medium length, and his black and blue bangs hung low in his eyes. His eyes... They were the most gorgeous eyes I had ever seen. They were a purplish-blue-green color with a ring of amber in the middle of them. They were the freakiest eyes I had ever seen, but the most psychedelic. His black sweatshirt covered arms crossed his chest. His studded belt gleamed in the light from the ceiling. His black skinny jean clad legs were spread as he stood there with a disapproving look. But when I blinked for the third time, he was gone.

"Hello? Earth to Abby," I heard Joe's voice pull me out of my thoughts.

"Huh?" I asked.

"Are you okay? You're kind of choking me right now. Think you can loosen up your arms a little?" he asked, trying to make the tight grip I had on his neck loosen.

I quickly pulled my arms away, saying sorry again, and shifting so that I sat in the seat next to him and not on his lap. I looked up at the ceiling again. Had that boy been real? Or was I just imagining him? What the hell is going on with me?