Teen Ink

Useless information

Joe’s party doesn’t get out of hand, I’m the only girl there but I mainly hang with Todd. Who cares if I don’t have friends that are girls!
“Hey, Joe! Got any beer?”
“No beer.” I say. Beer + teenage guys + me = not good, beer was how HE first hit me.
“And who are you?” The senior jock says to me.
“Joe’s sister. And there is no beer and there will be no beer. Do we have an understanding?”
“Well if I want to go get beer I can and your not gunna stop me.”
“Hey, Patrick, what’s the problem.” Todd says coming up behind me and taking my hand, I don’t flinch.
“She says no beer.”
“Then there’s no beer. Hand me a coke will you?”
“No beer?”
“No beer.” Jock looks at our hands.
“Geeze, Todd. What happened to you?”
“Nothin’. Hand me a coke.” I stare up at Todd. He’s holding my hand, protecting me, backing me, and standing up to a senior. Dude. What did happened to him?
“Okay.” Jock leaves.
“Sorry about that. He’s a real ass.” Todd said to me, still holding my hand. Uncomfortable.
“No, really, I didn’t notice.”
“Yeah, really.”
“I hate guys.” I pout and sit on the stairs. A bunch of howling in the living room. Guess who scored a point?
“I can only speak for myself, but I’m sorry.” He takes a seat next to me.
“Thanks, I think. But why do some of you have to be assholes?”
“I don’t know, but it put all the good guys to shame.”
“Beer: the worst invention ever. EVER!”
“I totally agree.” The thing with people with problems: is that if you have a bigger problem than another person, no one can vent or complain to you. The thing is, Todd’s dad was an alcoholic and walked out on him when he was really little, I only know this because I asked, not because he told me.
“Yeah, the football isn’t even that interesting, you can go watch if you want to, you know.”
“Naw, I’m good here.” He smiled at me and took a swig from his coke. I smile back.