《1》Fitting In
I don't remember much of my childhood. I don't remember anything before the age of six, and what I do remember after that is blurry for some reason. I know that my childhood was good. It wasn't extraordinary or terrible. It was just average. The thing I do remember about my childhood is that I was always alone. I never had a best friend until I was twelve. Holly Osborne was like the shiny new toy in school. Holly was someone who attracted attention from the moment she came. It's like people were drawn to her. Her explosive personality, the wild stories she came up with... and above all her willingness to do anything for a good time... when Holly become my best friend, I was instantly thrown into the spotlight right along side her.
Holly was beautiful from the start. With long beautiful bright red hair, big bright blue eyes, smooth porcelain skin and long legs. Holly looked like the model version of the little mermaid and she always knew how to grab a guys attention.
Good looks, were not a virtue that I possessed when I was younger. Which was odd considering my parents. My mother, Vicki, was petite like me with platinum blonde hair that curled in ringlets. She had beautiful green eyes and a heart shaped face, like me. Even though I don't remember my dad, my mom always showed me pictures and told me how charming he was... and she wasn't wrong. Tony Moretti was tall and fit, he had dark wavy hair, an olive skin tone which I inherited from him, and brown eyes. My dad was from Italy and he and my mom fell in love when she was visiting with her senior class. They moved here and then had me. Both of my parents were attractive people, but I was an awkward looking child until I hit high school. My long loose waves of dark caramel blonde hair, paired with my dark hazel almond shaped eyes, that were once too big for my face, finally looked right on me. I never grew to be taller than five-foot and I barely weighed above one hundred pounds. I had finally caught up to Holly and suddenly, the guys were looking at me the same way they had always looked at Holly. It made me feel good.
"Natalie Moretti! What are you doing tonight?" Caleb Willis, the star basketball player of our school, asks with enthusiasm as he sits down beside me.
Caleb was tall and slightly muscular. He was tan, had shoulder length black hair and dark brown eyes. Caleb had a face full of piercings; he had his nose and left eyebrow pierced, as well as a snakebite piercing. Despite his appearance, Caleb was one of the most intelligent people in our senior class. Him, along with two other guys, David Jonas and James Leeland, were all the schools pride and joy. James and David had won most of the football games and they were all on track to receive huge scholarships to big universities.
"Um, I don't know. Why?" I ask, flipping my hair a little so that my perfume would waft into his face.
A sly smile pulls at Calebs lips and he leans in a little, making me lean back. Caleb wasn't unattractive but he made my stomach knot up in a way that always made me a little nauseous.
"There's a party tonight in Zach Reeses barn. Everyone is going to be there. Can I count on seeing you and Holly there?" He asks as if he already knew the answer.
I open my mouth to say something when Holly suddenly pops up beside me and leans over my shoulder.
"Of course, we'll be there!" Holly interjects.
"Good, I'm looking forward to it." Caleb says and winks before he leaves.
I turn to Holly. "Do I need to introduce you to the word no?" I ask, raising my eyebrows at her.
"No." She says with a smile.
I roll my eyes. "Holly I go with you to every party we get invited to, I don't think I'm up to it tonight."
"I'm not going to let you stay home all night looking through old scrapbooks and being sad." Holly says.
It's been thirteen years today since my father died; and twelve years since me and my mother moved from Brookhaven to this small town on the countryside of Pennsylvania. I missed my dad, even though I never really knew him. I felt like I knew him, with all the stories my mom told me.
"Fine, I'll go with you to the party tonight. Just promise me you won't get wasted this time!"
Holly laughs and hugs me tight.
I should have stayed home that night. I should never have gone to that party. Never in a million years did I think that that party would change the course of my life forever...
