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My stomach twisted into knots and bile rose in my throat as the sirens blared, hard knocks crashing against the door.

“Shit, get the weed.” Vincent hissed and bolted upright as everyone started frantically collecting their things. Vincent’s features were laced with fear, a characteristic I had never seen nor associated him with.

I watched as people, even Jeremy, began to run for the windows in the back.

I sat, frozen in shock as everyone’s world’s came tumbling down and reality finally struck…

Her beautiful, hazel eyes light up immediately when I stepped across the threshold and into the safe haven I called home. I felt a slight tug of pity before giving my mother a hug and heading to my room.

I flopped down on my bed and shoved my face in the pillow, Jeremy’s words ringing in my ears. It seemed all he could talk about lately was the girls he was hooking up with and his older friends that provided him with weed. He was constantly reminding us that when we get to his age we’ll experience the same things… but he was only a year and a half older. It was as if he was purposely trying to make me feel childish, something he was easily succeeding in.

“Dennis, can you draw me something?” My six year old sister broke my concentration as she hopped on my bed with a coloring book and spread it on her lap.

“Don’t you have homework?” I asked nonchalantly.

She shrugged, “I can do it later.”

“Shana, not now, go finish your homework.”

She sighed, jumped off my bed and left the room, grumbling something incoherent.

I flipped over on my stomach and grabbed my backpack, pulling out binders to start my own schoolwork.

I woke up to the echoes of pots and pans smashing together and the sound of my grandmother banging on my door to get up for school.

I took a quick shower before heading to the kitchen and grabbing a piece of bacon and toast from my plate.

Mom greeted me with a warm smile, trying to hide the obvious signs of sleep deprivation in her features. I lightheartedly rustled Shana’s hair as I spotted Jeremy and Tito kicking rocks outside.

I quickly said my goodbyes and hurried out the door to my friends.

“About time,” Jeremy jokingly punched my arm.

Once out of distance from my house, Jeremey pulled out a pack of cigarettes and wiggled it in front of Tito and I. Almost instantly Tito accepted one, while I hesitantly shook my head, feeling a slight sting of embarrassment.

Jeremey snorted and stuck one in between his lips and lit it, “Relax Dennis, it’s not heroine.”

My face turned red and I shrugged, “I know,” My hand instantly reached for his pack, “I was kidding.”

We walked in silence for a few minutes, only speaking and making snide comments when one of us pointed out a woman walking down the street.

“You guys ready to go out tonight?” Jeremy broke the silence once we reached school.

“Hell yeah,” Tito laughed and nudged me, “I’m going to go ask Malia if she’s going to bring her friends tonight.”

I looked over to where Tito was referring and spotted a small group of popular girls talking in high pitched voices. Each one wore a low cut crop top and jeans, and I couldn’t help but find myself gawking at them.

I watched as Tito casually walked over to the group and was greeted with a hug from Malia. The rest of the girls crowded him and eagerly awaited their chance to put their word into the conversation.