Here in this Sorrow Chapter 2

Alison Drew

I was up so late studying last night that I sleep right through my alarm. The only reason I get up at all is because the dog woke up my dad and he realized I wasn’t awake. Today is his day off, otherwise, he would have been long gone and I wouldn’t have made it to school at all. I had to wash my hair in the sink because I didn’t have time to take a real shower. I feel like such a slob. My mom used to always tell me that looks are everything. Of course, she hasn’t called me in almost two months, not since she moved to Europe with her new husband. She didn’t even fight with my dad in the least over custody. I had cut into her life too much as it was.

The only thing that ever hurt me more than that was when her new husband, who she was fucking behind my Dad’s back, asked me to call him “dad.” I spit in his face and ran home crying. I never told my father about it, because he probably would have beat the shit out of Vincent. I vowed I would never talk to Vincent again.

My dad gives me a ride to school, and I get there with just enough time to make it to my Course II Math class. I’m practically running down the hall, shoving people aside. Mr. Jefferies told me that he was going to start giving me detention every time I was late, and too much has already gone wrong today.

I don’t even stop when I pass Shelly Marcone and that junior guy she’s been hanging out with. I’ve known Shelly since we went to the same babysitter when we were little kids. She was my first best friend. I used to spend the night at her house almost every weekend. For a while, me, her, and Jennie Dix were practically inseparable. My dad used to call us “The Three Muskettes.” It was even at my house that Shelly started drinking. We were all twelve years old, and we stole a bottle of my parents’ wine. I had one glass, and Jennie only had a little sip, because she didn’t like it. Shelly drank almost the whole bottle. She was so drunk that I thought for sure my parents would know. They didn’t find out though, even when Shelly threw up all over the bathroom and I had to clean it up at three in the morning. I was so scared that Shelly would have to go to the hospital.

She’s been drinking heavily since then. I kind of hung out with her less and less once I found out that she had been stealing bottles out of my parents’ liquor cabinet. I never got in trouble for it, but I think they were suspicious. I still hang out with Shelly now and then, at school, and at parties, and stuff, but I’ve only had her over to my house once in the last couple years.

I can’t wait until the school year lets out. I’m doing so poorly in almost all of my classes, and I don’t know what I’m going to do. It all started when my parents split up around Christmas. I fell behind then, and just never caught up. It came on so suddenly, that I don’t even know if my dad knew it was going to happen. My mom claimed that she didn’t meet Vincent until after the divorce, but they are already married! How are we supposed to believe that? My dad doesn’t talk about it much, so I don’t know how he’s feeling. I missed a lot of school. I even almost started drinking with Shelly. I’ve promised myself that I’m going to do better next year. Right now, the only classes that I’m passing are Chorus, which you have to be an idiot to fail, and English. I’m actually doing well in English. It’s the only class I know I’m going to pass. During the divorce, I didn’t do more than read, even the books that were boring. I had them read before the rest of the class even thought of it.

When I get to class, Mr. Jefferies is talking to some blonde kid that looks like an upperclassman. Mr. Jefferies loves to talk, and will probably hold this kid prisoner long after the bell rings. I could have gotten here late, and he probably wouldn’t have even noticed.

My assigned seat is in front of “Wheels” Trudgen. I went out with him for about a month last year, but he broke up with me because I wouldn’t let him put his hand up my shirt. I wasn’t all that upset, because he was so obsessed with his car. It was all he talked about, just because he was the only freshman with a car. It seemed like it made him think he was better than everyone else. He even gave himself that ridiculous nickname, which he says people started calling him on their own. When we started going out, everyone was still calling him ‘David,’ even though he had been offering to drive everyone around for three months. I’m still friends with him, I guess, I talk to him and everything, even though he’s kind of a dork.

His friend, Steve Valentine is really cute though. I just started working with him at the grocery store, and I think I like him. He is so quiet and shy. I want to get to know him better, but conversations with him are like pulling teeth. I know he likes me too, because he is always looking at me, and always seems really nervously excited whenever I talk to him. I think I might ask him if he wants to go to the last dance this year. It’s coming up at the very beginning of June.
The bell rings, and Mr. Jefferies is still talking to that senior. It doesn’t look like it will end soon, so I turn around and start talking to “Wheels”. I ask him if Steve is seeing anyone. “Naw,” he tells me. “Steve is totally available. Didn’t you just start working with him?”

“Yeah,” I say, pretending to be casual, even though I’m really excited that they were talking about me. “Actually, I run the register, and he stocks shelves, but I see him all the time.”

“Wheels” nods. “I thought he mentioned that.”

The upperclassman starts to walk away from the desk, and Mr. Jefferies steps out from behind it. “Alright people,” he exclaims. “Time to learn!”


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