“Hey Parker”, I heard Alex say from behind me. He was hurting just as bad as I was.

“Hey Alex, ready to face another day?” I asked.

“As ready as I ever am,” he replied with a fake smile. He put his arm around me and led me towards our English class. We suffer through English together daily. It’s the only class all seven of us have together. Maria, Michael, Isabel, Tess, and Max all sit together. Alex and I sit about as far away as we can get.

My life changed forever as soon as I saw the look on Max’s face when he saw Kyle and me in the bed, together. With just the one look I knew it was over forever. He has not said anything to me since then. I quit working at the Crashdown the next day. My parents weren’t happy but somehow they I needed to do so.

So much has changed in the short time since I lost Max. I’m not sure how it happened but with the exception of hanging out with Alex, I have dropped out of life. Ever since the fight Maria and I had we rarely talk anymore and when we do it is vague. Isabel, Michael, and Tess have their loyalties to Max. Kyle and I agreed we both need a breather for a while. Which left Alex and misery loves company. Now we have each other, that’s all we need.

Alex found me crying on my balcony a week after I quit, the day after the fight. I refused to tell him anything going on. But somehow he got through to me. He told me about how him and Isabel had just decided to call things off, for good this time. He said he needed someone to talk to and I was the first person he thought of. I think he was just worried and wanted me to open up. I did open up to him that night. He held me why I cried and told him everything, about Kyle, the fight with Maria, quitting at the Crashdown, as I sat there things just kept pouring out, before I knew it the sun was rising and Alex and I were still on the balcony. He was there everyday afterwards and we have been faithfully by each other’s sides ever since then.

The final bell just rang. I have an appointment with my guidance counselor then I’m meeting Alex at the park. I got called to see my guidance counselor a week ago. I knew what they wanted when I made the appointment. “I’m very disappointed in you Liz” I heard Mr. Harvey say again “Three months ago you were valedictorian, now you will be lucky if you graduate. You had such a bright future Liz, what happened?”

I shrug my shoulders, “Can I leave now?”

He dismissed me after a warning, “I’m calling your parents to let them know of this.”