Chapter 1

I was sitting on the front porch at my mom’s house. My mom’s boyfriend was over. His name is Henry James Poty. I still didn’t understand why two people who were undeniably in love [like my mom and dad] separate. We live in a very small house. Every summer I go to my dad’s house but this year it is different. I am staying there until my mom finds a new house.









My dad lives in Hopewell, Virginia. I’m not excited to go there. It is so boring. Last time I went I ended up getting linguine dumped down my shirt.
“Alex are you ready to go yet “she asked.
“Sure mom just let me get my camera”. But I was sincerely not ready. I didn’t want to go. It would be the worst summer ever. I ran upstairs and grabbed my bags. I had 4 of them. I have one for makeup, two for cloths and the third for books and stuff to do. The worst part of the trip is the train ride. It takes 4 hours to get from Arizona to Virginia. I finally arrived though. My dad wasn’t there, but Uncle Pete was. I don’t like Uncle Pete because he makes his kids date, marry and breed together. He said he was taking me home. I was like oh boy how fun.
Chapter 2



When I got home it was a huge house. It has 5 bathrooms and 6 bedrooms. My room is upstairs. My dad said that he left it just the way it was. Last time I came here I was eight. I walked in and I looked around. It was pink with my little ponies all over it. We have a major makeover to do. My dad came home at 7:30. He gave me a great big bear hug. He is so strong. One time he hugged me so hard he broke my arm. For dinner we had leftover tacos. They were cold and greasy. I headed off to bed at 9:00. I sat there thinking about what I would do over the summer. Dad walked in as I was in the shower. When I got out I saw a little box on my bed. The card said “to my little angel. Love daddy”. I opened it up inside was a gold locket. Engraved on it was daddy’s little girl who shines brighter than the sun. it made me cry a little.











The next morning, I went to the river. There were 14 people there. I sat down on a huge rock. I watched the boys mess around a little. There was one boy who stood out. He was being picked on by the older boys. He wasn’t in the water. He was on a blanket. No one would go over and talk to him. He looked depressed. He looked at me. I looked down at my shoes. He was really cute. I didn’t want to leave him alone so I got up off of my rock. As I walked over to him I noticed he had metal braces on his legs. I stopped in my tracks. I have never seen anyone like that before. So I kept on going. As I approached him he smiled.
When I got to his blanket I said “hi”.
He said “hello” back.
I asked if I could sit down.
Then surprisingly he said “yes”. When I sat down I caught his eyes.
He told me “just go, you don’t have to stay, I know someone dared you”.
I giggled and said “nobody dared me. I think you’re kind of cute and you looked alone”.
He laughed. Then trouble came. Three very tall kids were approaching us.
One said “we should pumble him for talking to a girl”.
I stood up and said “leave us alone”.
Then I punched one straight in the mouth and knocked him on the ground. One grabbed me from behind and said “baby don’t fight.”

I punched him straight in the stomach then the mouth. They left mumbling cuss words and whatnot under their breaths. Then, we hung out until his mom came to get him. She looked at me then back at him. She smiled a little crooked smile.
Then she said that “it was time to go”. Nathan got up and gave me a sweet little kiss on the cheek.
I said “goodbye Nathan”.
Then I scurried home. It was four fifteen by the time I got home.



Chapter 3



The next day we met by our rocks. We ate lunch together he brought sandwiches and I brought juice and vegetables it was so romantic. He lit some candles.
Then he asked me if “I would be his girlfriend”.
I said “I thought we were kind of already going out”.
We both laughed. Then he asked if I would like to come over for dinner.
I told him “yes I would love to, what are we having”?
He said “we were having hamburgers with the works”.
“Yum right now anything is better than left over tacos”. I said














When I got home I told my dad. He said that it was good for a girl to have a friend {I didn’t tell him my friend was a guy}. At six o clock I got ready to go to his house. Then my dad asked what my friends name was. I told him Nathan. He then asked how old he was. I said 13. My dad looked at me, turned around and gave me a box. Inside the box was a can of pepper spray.
What is this for?
He said “This is for your safety.”
You are so over protective. He can’t possible hurt me. He has a sweet heart. Also, he has braces.
Oh so he can’t hurt you because he has metal in his mouth.
Not in his mouth on his legs. So if he ever possibly tried to hurt me I can run faster than him.
I’m worried about you out after dark on your own.
Don’t be I will be fine.
Ok be home before nine o clock.
Gotcha. Love you dad.
Love you to peanut.

When I got there we played a game called sorry I kept winning. He took me upstairs to his room and showed me his pets. He has three fish. Then we ate. His mom is a really good cook. The burgers were well cooked. The fries were not too salty. His mom does everything since his dad overdosed on beer and wine and margaritas. I found out his birthday is in two days. He loves rats. I left his place at about eight thirty.










Today I went down to the pet store. I asked the man at the counter if he had some rats. He looked at me weirdly.
I said “I’m not to girly and there for my boyfriend”.
Then he took me into the back room. I didn’t see any animals back here. So I grabbed my pepper spray. He walked towards me. It was so dark I didn’t even see the big box he was carrying. I sprayed him and he screamed.
What the hell was that for?
Back away I don’t want to spray you again.
He put down what he was carrying and opened it. I walked toward it. All I saw were rats. They were huge rats. I asked how much one was. He said a dollar as long as you don’t spray me again. I told him I would take five and a huge cage.








Today I ran all the way to the river with my package. I couldn’t wait to give it to him. When I got there he wasn’t there sitting on his blanket. So I came back the next day he was there. I gave it to him and I asked “why he wasn’t here yesterday”? He said “that his mom wasn’t off and he couldn’t leave”. I said “oh I missed you. He told me that “he missed me too”. When he looked in the cage he was shocked. I told him that there were 3 girls and 2 boys. He loved them. He loved me. Then in a nanosecond he gave me a kiss. Not on the cheek but on the lips. He invited me over to his house. We had a blast. I had to go home at 4:30. Dad said that “Davey was coming over”. Davey is my three and a half year old brother that lives with my grandma.
Chapter 4







I was sitting on my bed when my dad walked in. He said that we needed to talk.
He said “when a girl meets a guy that she really likes she may be pressured to have sex.”
“Dad where did this come from.” I yelled
“You need to know the basics of protection and…”
I got up and ran downstairs. We don’t need to have this talk.
“Why not?”
“I am still a virgin.”
“Are you sure.”
“NO DAD I HAD SEX AND WASN’T THERE FOR IT.” I screamed
“Ha ha very funny”.
“Anyway I learned about all those diseases and a don’t want any of those.” Then he handed me another small present. Inside were five condoms.
He said “if there are any missing when I come back in a week I will personally punish you.”


A week has passed and no sign of Nathan. I started to get worried. I ran to his house. I asked his mom. She said he is in the hospital. I ran home. I went to visit him and he is doing ok. The next day I saw him was the worst day of my life. The nurse asked if I was family. I told her I was his cousin. When I went in there he was really sick. He was holding my hand and told me “make me a promise”. With tears in my eyes I said “what”. “Keep me in your heart forever”. I burst into tears. I said “I will forever”. He said that I was the last person he wanted to see. He wanted me to stay in his mind in the afterlife. Then like a butterfly on your hand he was gone. I sat there my head in his chest. He was so peaceful when he was dead. My dad carried me home. I cried for ever. When I went to his funeral I gave him a rose and a kiss on the cheek. Before I went to sit down I whispered into his ear and said “I promise I will never forget you”. Then I gave him a picture of him and me at the river. I walked away never to see him again. I kept going back to the rock. I missed him terribly. Our love was un forgettable.