The one.

Mom was fine by now, but dad kept the nurse just in case of any incidents. She still needed the IV pole though. Owen and I hadn't had a fight since then, I was guessing cause he didn't wanted mom to faint again. One day in school, a couple of weeks after mom's incident, a new girl came to our school. Her name, Wren Dubois. She had a French accent but you can hardly tell, she wasn't the typical perfume-smelling-hair-flipping French. She wore a White T-Shirt that said 'Bite Me' with a black hoodie, and jeans with sneakers. She walked towards my way and I bit my lip.

"Hi, mind if I sit here?" she asked as she pulled a chair.

"Ye- yea, you can," I said as I started to flip through the pages of the English textbook.

"Oh, and by the way, mind if I sit with you during lunch? I have no friends around here, I hope it's okay with you," she said as she looked at me as if to open up and devour me whole.

"Erm, yea, it's fine with me." I said as I forced a smile.

She smiled back and the lesson went on well, no interuptions from Melinda and Justin. They were too busy trying to catch up with what the teacher was talking about. When the bell finally rang, she followed me out of the class. Melinda and Justin were also getting up from their sits, observing me carefully as I almost knock into a pile of books. They laughed and I heard a 'Loser.'

"Hey! Just leave her alone, you filthy piece of 'Plastic'," Wren said fiercely.

"Oh yea, so what are you gonna do about it? Go and get Napoleon?" Melinda said as Justin and his jockies broke down in laughter.

"Haha, very funny. Une salope, morceau de merde," Wren looked at her and smiled. Melinda looked at her with confusion.

"Well, you think you're so smart aren't you? We'll see about that sooner or later." Melinda said as she walked away, looking defeated. Wren tugged me to the hall, apparently I had completely frozen when they started to fight.

"Thanks," I said shyly.

"No problem, somebody has got to stick up to you." she said as she stuffed her books in her newly found locker. And just then Gavin came and shaked her hand, she pulled it away and looked at me awkwardly.

"Oh! This is Gavin, Gavin this is Wren," I said as Gavin bowed sarcastically.

"Nice meeting you Gavin, j'espère que nous deviendrons de bons amis," she looked at him and smiled.

"Naturellement. Vous la connaissez?" he said as he pointed to me.

"Yea, I met her at English class," she said.

"Okay, enough with the chit-chatting, shall we head to the Canteen?" I said as I lead Gavin and Wren away from the halls, into the Cafeteria. We grabbed sandwiches on the counter and scouted for seats. We found one, but it was right next to Melinda's and Justin's.

I swallowed and walked slowly.

Prologue.

I heard a faint sound, getting louder, louder. I lifted my head, my eyes still squirming. I heard the radio coming from my brother's room, a song came along. It was my jam!

I don't know but
I think I may be fallin' for you
Dropping so quickly
Maybe I should keep this to myself
Wait until I know you better

I am tryin' not to tell you
But I want to
I'm scared of what you'll say
So I'm hiding what I'm feeling
But I'm tired of holding this inside my head

I stood up and headed for the bathroom door, as I moved slowly, I hummed the song. I changed my clothes and went down for breakfast ; the song slowly dying down. My dad was downstairs, drinking hot tea. My mom was at work most of the time so seeing she wasn't there wasn't much of a big deal. He nodded as I sat down for breakfast. My big sister passing me toast. I chewed slowly, not feeling hungry. And my dad looked at me, and said, "For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die. -Edward Kennedy". Then he said work hard in school and went out the door, waving at my little brother.

I finished up the toast and grabbed my bag and I nudged my brother to go.

"Come on, hurry up," I said impatiently.

"Okay okay," he said as he gorged down the cornflakes, "I'm almost done."

I grabbed the keys to the car and tossed it to my sis. She started the old C216 Mercedes up. Madison was going to drive me school first, then dropped Owen at his. I got in the front passenger seat and after what seemed for ages, the little twerp got in. After a few fights between me and Owen, Madison reached my school. I got down and tripped. Well, not exactly tripped, someone banged into me, an Afro haired guy banged into me, it was Gavin, my best friend. He helped me up, said a sorry and then a hi.

"What's today's quote?" he asked as we made way to our lockers.

"For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die. Speak translator," I joked.

He looked at me and made a retarded face and said, "It simple means that people who cared is our concern, the jobs goes on, the ones we hope for the best still lives and all the dreams shall never die."

"Oh." I was already looking at some guy across the hall. Gavin said a bye and took off, being a Goody Two-Shoes as usual. I managed not to fall asleep in class. But was woken by Taylor, she poked me and I stirred, but other than that, nothing went wrong the whole day, until Lunch.

I stirred my non-fat espresso and watched Tyler walked towards me, my expression on my face not changing, still smiling.

"Hey," he looked at me with his clear blue eyes.

"Hi." I replied.

"I haven't seen you around, not going to parties anymore?" he sat down as if I had just invited him to eat with me.

"Yeah, my dad made a strict curfew, you know, after the incident." I said coolly.

"Oh, well, what if it was a birthday? Would he mind?" He sounded anxious.

"When? Who's? Where?" I asked.

"On Friday, at my house, it's my birthday." He said as he took my sandwich and took a bite out of it.

"Well, I'll try and make it, see you there." I said as I snatched the sandwich back.

After school, Madison drove me home, we saw dad sitting down on the sofa, looking worried. Madison asked what had happen, he whispered to Madison but didn't tell us. Madison explained as we headed for the hospital. Apparently, mom was in the hospital, she had collapsed from 12 hours of working. It struck me hard as we rushed to the hospital, visiting mom. She was just lying there when we finally got there. She looked so fragile, so pale. It was Thursday night when finally she came back, dad taking all the bags. She went up to her room and shut the door. Owen helped dad but in the end just making all mom's clothes spill out of the luggage.

On Friday, I had totally forgotten about Tyler's party.

"Hey, you heading to my house first then freshen up before going to Tyler's place?" Gavin asked, a string of spaghetti went into his mouth, making slurping noises.

"Oh crap! I forgot! I didn't even have a Birthday present for him yet! Shit!" I slapped my forehead.

He laughed."Well, no need to thank me," he said as he took out a neatly wrapped present, "I am your best friend, aren't I?"

I hugged him tightly, almost tipping over a cup of Soda. "Thanks, and you are." I grinned at him.

I followed him home after school. On the way talking about how Melinda and her oh-so popular friends always kiss ass to have good grades. We also joked about Justin and his jockeys, how they love to show it off in the Boy's Locker Room. I made a gagging face and laughed.

Then we went there about 6. Music was already bursting through the whole house. I make my way past the crowds, finding Tyler. Gavin pulling me towards him and pointed to Tyler. I nod to Gavin as he walked towards a guy holding drinks.

"Hi. Happy Birthday!" I screamed my lungs out trying to make it a normal conversation, giving him the Birthday presents.

"Hi! Thanks for coming, you, err, wanna go away from the music?" He shouted back.

"It's okay, Gavin's getting drinks! Sooo, I guess not." I looked at Gavin as he handed me one and gave his present before high-fiving with Tyler.

I tugged Gavin away and he waved a bye at Tyler. We snagged a seat on the couch while some couple left the room kissing and touching. I watched in disgust and turned away.

"Did you see the way Tyler looked at you? He was so into you. Come on, give me a comment." He said as he used his hand pretending to be a microphone, reporting news about me.

"I'll give you one," and I showed the finger. "He's a freak, no way." I hit him on the arm gently and he pretended to passed out.

"Well, if my calculations are correct, is he the one?" He pointed at a Blonde haired guy, with pale blue eyes and a crooked smile.

I chuckled, then my face became serious. "Still, no."

"Are you sure about that?" He teased and stood up. He walked his way to that guy.

"Hey, my friend here - he pointed at me - would like to know your name," I smiled at him politely and waved. Gavin and him laughed.

"My friend is Jake, and tell your friend there, if she wants to talk to me anytime, call me." He winked at me, I stood there still smiling like a retard. I nodded at him as he walked away.

"What do hell did you do that for?!" I yelled and punched him on his arm as soon as the guy was out of earshot.

"What?! Can't a guy have some fun? Speaking of fun, look at that girl. Damn. Wait for me here." He said and he started to walk towards her. I laughed at him as he tries to make a move. Jake sat down next to me, offering me a drink.

"Hey, you're from Mandela High, right? I'm from prep school so you probably never seen me." He passed me the drink.

I pushed it back, playing hard to get. "Yeah, I am." I smiled at him and we continued to chat, soon later, Gavin joined us after the girl had finally left. It was 6 when we came, it was 2 when we finally left. Leaving all that partying, drinking, playing, talking, flirting behind.

As Gavin dropped me out in front of my house, I sneaked in the kitchen quietly, but my dad was already waiting there, looking at me sternly.

"I don't wanna say anything right now. No, I'm just going to let you go tonight. But just for tonight, after what had happened to mom...I don't wanna wake her ; now you, go to bed. And wash up first, you smell like alcohol." He watched me as I went up the stair and then let out a sigh. I had disappointed him, again.

My mom's condition had only gotten worst ; she was constantly coughing, sometimes so hard that you think she might start to cough up blood. She did, we freaked, we panicked, then we sent her to the hospital.

Madison listened as the doctor explained. Owen just sat there crying as he looked at mom through the window. Me, trying hard to understand what the doctor was saying. But after a few days, the doctor said that mom was allowed to go back, but must still be monitored, my dad hired a nurse to take care of her. Always next to her was the IV pole. A puckered plastic sack of clear liquid hung from it's stainless-steel hook. I watched as the drops drip slowly down the skinny tube. Owen asked mom one day as he was sitting next to her in the bedroom what that liquid was, she told him it was glucose, a kind of sugar water. He imagined it was a kind of liquid candy, he asked her whether it tasted sweet, she laughed quietly and said no. Every time I saw the nurse change her medicine, I eyed her with suspicion. As the nurse adjusted the tape on mom's arm or inserted the needle in another vein I held her arm. And no matter how hard I tried, every time the needle went in, I couldn't look away.

My mom didn't really fully recover, but she had gone back to work, staying at home, facing the computer, managing shares.