“I don’t know what to do! You’re the only one that knows.” Megan said as her and Payton sat on the couch, at his house. Payton was Megan’s best friend she has known since first grade. Payton was about five foot ten, and was built like and athlete, with short curly blonde hair. He also lived on the same street as Megan, South Seventh Street. Megan was shorter. She was about five foot seven. Slim and lanky brunette describes Megan. Megan has had a rough life. Her dad left when she was only one. Ever since then her mom has been abusive. Caitlyn was Megan’s older sister. Caitlyn died when she was four, and Megan was three, of a deadly virus. The death effected Megan and her mother’s relationship badly.
“Why don’t you just go to the freshman guidance counselor? She can help you!” Payton suggested. He didn’t know what else to say, so he just sat there.
“I’m afraid to tell anyone else. My mom might find out and beat me even worse. I hate it here!”
“I don’t know. I’m sorry Meg.”

“I guess I’ll try and work it out myself…”

“No! You need to talk to someone!”

“Payton, back off! I’m a freshman, not a first grader!”

“Whoa! Calm down, I’m just trying to help you. Sorry I even bothered!”

“I’m sorry. I-” she was saying, but she had no excuse. “I don’t know. I’m just sorry.” She was saying as Payton leaned over and gave her a hug.

“It’s okay.” Payton said as he thought of more to say. “So do you want to hang out this weekend?”

“Umm… Today’s Thursday, right?” Megan asked as she scrunched up her face, as if thinking really hard.

“Yeah and tomorrow is Friday.”

“You’re funny.”

“So do you?”

“I’m going to a party at Alex’s house, but you can come. Want to?”

Payton was surprised. Alex was known for having parties with drugs and alcohol. “Umm… Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“Yeah, are you afraid?” She joked.

“No!”

“Then you’re coming?”

“Yeah. But I gotta go home. I’ll see you tomorrow at school though.”
“Okay, bye.”

Payton left Megan’s house and walked to his. He was worried, why would Megan want to go to party knowing there would be drugs and alcohol? Did she want to do that stuff? That was all he could think about. He decided to calm down and worry tomorrow.
“Hey, Payton!” Megan said as Payton picked up the phone.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“Not much. Do you wanna ride together to the party?
“Yeah, I was meaning to ask you that. I’ll drive. Okay?”
“Yeah, that’s fine.”
“I’ll pick you up round 7:30.”
“Okay, see ya then.”
“Okay bye.”


“Are you rea-” Payton was saying as Megan screamed when he walked into her room. He quickly shut the door and stood in the hallway. After a couple of seconds of silence, he asked if he could come in. After Megan said yes, he slowly opened the door and his jaw dropped.
“What? Do I look bad?” Megan asked as she got worried.
“No you- uh- look- great!” Payton said as he stood there in awe. Megan long brown hair was curled and she was wearing a pair of light Buckle jeans, a partially see-through Ed Hardy shirt, with a white undershirt, and her white Nike Shoxs. As she walked over to give Payton a hug, he could smell her Ed Hardy perfume.
“Thanks so do you!” Megan said as she looked at his outfit. He was wearing an American eagle graphic T-shirt, light Hollister jeans, and a pair of black and purple DC shoes.
“You ready?” Payton asked.
“Yeah, lets go.”

The two of them arrived at Alex’s house just as things were starting to get crazy. As they walked into the house, there was a giant cloud of smoke that lingered all through out the house, and it reeked of weed.
“Are you sure you wanna stay?” Payton asked as he nodded towards the door.
“Yeah, come on it’s a party!” Megan said as she grabbed his hand and led him farther into the house. They walked through the front living room and kitchen, to reach the second living room. As soon as they walked into the room, Alex motioned them to sit on the couch next to the one he was plopped on. The two of them casually sat on the couch as if not sure what to say or do.
“Want a smoke?” Alex asked as he offered a smoke.
“Nah, we’re good!” Payton said quickly so Megan didn’t have a chance to say yes.
“Actually I was askn’ the lady, not you brah.”
“Well she doesn’t want o-” Payton was saying before Megan cut him off.
“Yes I do! It’s a party, so why not have fun?” Megan said as she grabbed the blunt before Payton had a chance to stop her.
“Meg, come on!”
“Stop! I’m not a little kid, let me have fun!” Megan was saying as she took a beer that Alex had also handed her.
Payton sat there for two hours and watched his best friend hurt herself. Within the two hours, she had smoked four blunts and consumed at least six cups of beer. Payton left for five minutes to go to the restroom, but decided not to go when he smelt the even stronger odor of weed. When he got back to the living room, Megan was passed out on the couch and her drink was all over her shirt and pants, and there was a small burn on her arm from the blunt.
“What happened?” Payton asked Alex as he approached him.
“I don’t know, she’s not my problem!” he retorted as he shrugged his shoulder as if he didn’t care.
“Listen, if you’re gonna give her blunts and alcohol when I walk away, you need to watch over her!”
“What ever brah. You really should control your girl!”
Payton scooped Megan up into his arms and left the party. He managed to get her out of the party, in and out of the car, and into her house with out waking her up. Thankfully her mom wasn’t home.
“Where am I? Why do I smell? Why is my shirt wet?” Megan said as she awoke when Payton laid her on her bed.
“You’re at home. You were smoking and drinking. You spilt your beer on you when you passed out. Oh and you burned your arm when you passed out too.” As he said this Megan noticed the burn on her arm.

“Oh my god! I'm a mess! I'm so trashy!” Megan said as she began to cry.
Payton sat next to her and rapped his arms around her. “You are perfectly fine! Things just got a lil outta hand that’s all. But you might want to go take a shower.”
“Okay but will you stay here? I want to talk to you after I shower.”
“Yeah.” Payton said as he helped Megan up. She grabbed a change of clothes and headed towards the bathroom.

“I’m so sorry!” Megan said after she drank a glass of water and ate some of the pizza Payton had cooked. While Megan was in the shower, Payton cooked a frozen pizza and brought it and some water into Megan’s room.
“Stop saying sorry” Payton said as he moved the plates of the bed and onto the table next to Megan’s bed. After the plates were out of the way, he scooted closer to Megan and rapped his arms around her. “Meg, can I ask you something?”
“Yeah what is it?”

“Why’d you do it? I mean like smoke and drink.”
“I don’t know I thought it would make my worries go away.”
“Did it?”
“Well at first it did, but I don’t remember much after that. Oh my god! That sounds terrible, I need help!”
“It’s fine, but you do need help. Not because you have smoking or drinking problems, but because you have home problems.”
“But what am I suppose to do?”
“Do you trust the guidance councilor?”
“Yes.”
“Then talk to her! Trust me I’m here for you, but I can’t fix this. But she can.”
“Okay.” Megan said as she began to cry. She was remembering all the fights that led to bruises she has had to hide. Payton sat there with his arms around Megan, as she cried, until she fell asleep. Once she was asleep, he slowly laid her down. After he covered her with a blanket, and wrote her a note, saying “Went home. Call me. –Payton”, he kissed her on the forehead and headed home.