BAN-Chapter Uno

meep.

Chapter One:

        I'm so alone in life. No one really likes me besides Blake, an exchange student from England, and Jessica, my best friend. My lifelong hope to raise a family is failing like crazy.

        It's after school on a sunny Friday in May. I take my bike off of the porch when I finish my Calculus homework. I wince thinking about it.

        Down the street and up 2 blocks is Belldonn's Corner Store, the store where Blake works. I pull the door open.

        "Courtney," Blake says, grinning. He loves my name. I don't know why, but he does.

        "Hey Blake," I say, a sense of despair in my voice.

        My voice always sounds like that. I hate my life. My mom is in jail for selling drugs, my Dad committed suicide when I was 8, my sister Rose is bi, my other sister Brandy is diabetic, and my oldest sister Jenny is in rehab for cutting and eating disorders. My family is so screwed up.

        There's also John. John is my big brother who has Down SYndrome. He's in prison for molesting a college roomate's girlfriend. Having DS, going to college is a total honor. He blew it and is sitting behind bars.

        I walk to the back to the drinks aisle and start to eyeball a tiny bottle of tequila. It's hypnotic. I watch the alchohol swirl around in the bottle. I force myself to get some water and OJ and that's it. I turn back and smuggle 2 bottles-1 in each pocket. No one in my house even notices me, so who cares?

        Blake pays for my drinks. He puts in some extra money. Did he see me stealing? I'm about to run and put them back but he just says goodbye dissapointedly.