The wind blew against her face, stinging her gentle skin. Her blond hair hung in a long ponytail. Her blue eyes were cold and her lips in a frown. Casey Hill sat on her front porch, watching the night sky. She ran the day’s events in her head while she gazed at the stairs. Nothing exciting had happened. Just he usual everyday stuff.

Then, she remembered. Remembered what her one true friend told her. Casey was in the girls’ bathroom when Jana Smith came in. They’d been friends since 5th grade.

Jana’s green eyes were wide. Her skin looked pale. She was frightened, Casey could tell, but by what, she didn’t know. She’d asked Jana how her appointment at the doctor’s went. That’s when Jana told her.

Four simple words could scare someone so much. Four scary words. And Jana told her those words. “I have breast cancer.”

That’s when the tears came. “Oh God!” Casey had exclaimed. They hugged and cried in that bathroom for ten minutes straight. Casey told Jana, “I promise to get you through this. I promise.”

As she watched the dark sky, she prayed to God, if he was out there, to help Jana. She had to survive…right?

She felt the pain as the cold blade of the knife dug into her skin. Bleed, she thought. Bleed to know you’re alive. That was the only way she knew she wasn’t dead yet.

You see, Erin Simpson lived in a world where no one paid attention to her. Her mother barely knew she existed, her father left her so-called family two years ago, she had one sister who was so wrapped up in herself she didn’t realize Erin lived there, and everyone at school, if they even noticed her, laughed at her clothes and the way she looked.

So, as she cut her skin with the knife every night, she sighed with relief to know she was still alive. She rinsed off her new wound, wrapped a clean piece of cloth around it, and cleaned the knife. Then she went to her room, finished her homework, and went to bed.

Barry Jones felt anger rising in his body. His mother was gone again. She was out at a club and wouldn’t be back until three or four in the morning. She’d have a new guy with her. She’d have more drugs with her. He knew so. And then whichever guy she brought home tonight would sneak out when she passed out and she wouldn’t ever see him again. He knew the drill. It happened almost every day since he was born. See, Barry had been a mistake. His mother had gotten pregnant with a man named Larry. At least Larry was an honest guy. He paid his child support every month and even sent Barry gifts on holidays. He wished he could live with his father. If only his father knew what life was like at home. But Larry never visited. Brooke, Barry’s mom, would get mad. Besides, Barry thought, Mom needs me.

But if Larry would just stop by…No. Of course not. He wouldn’t do that. Besides, it’s not like Barry could go. No, no. Fifteen-year old Barry had to take care of his mother.

As he turned out his light, he thought to himself, I wish Larry knew how it was here.

She sat in the bathroom, cold, lonely, and depressed. No one loved her. No one cared. No one gave a rat’s ass about Eva Turner. No one except Adam.

“Eva!” Adam called from the bedroom. “You ok?”

“Yea. Everything’s fine.”

“Then come back to bed.”

“Coming!”

No one cared. Until she met Adam. He cared about her. He loved her.

Eva walked back down the hallway to the room. Her black hair swayed, her blue eyes cold, her feet stepping gracefully with each step. She wore a black, silky, see-through top with her black thong, which she wore on Adam’s request.

As she entered the room, she smelled roses. There were candles lit all around and Adam in his boxers, lying in bed.

“Hello beautiful.”

Eva giggled. “Adam! This is so romantic!”

He got up and walked to her, put his fingers on her lips, and said, “Shh. Don’t talk.” Then he took her by the hand and pulled her to the bed. As he started kissing her neck, he whispered, “I love you, babe.”

“I love you too.” So what if I’m only thirteen? She thought. And if he’s seventeen? We’re in love, right?