Chapter 1

Joy was vibrant and bubbly once, but not since that day. The day she left was the worst day of my life. I try to remember how beautiful she was. She was thirteen and breathtaking with honey-colored hair that this sun-kissed shimmer, her eyes were brown, but if the sun hits her on a certain angle then it formed little flecks of gold on her iris.

That was the picture I wanted to have of her, but all I could remember was watching her walk home from my house that day. She carried her skateboard under her arm dragging it along as she limped. Her hair was matted and tangled. Her cheeks were tear-stained and her eyes bloodshot.

There were so many things I wanted to tell her, but I couldn't speak and as much as I wanted to follow her my legs couldn't move. A tear fell from my eye as I shook myself of the memory. There hasn't been a day that's gone by that I haven't thought about her. I wonder if she's okay and how she looks now that we're adults.

I picked up the flyer and continued to read. DRAMATIC POETRY READING AND OPEN MIC NIGHT Fri 7:30 pm in the lounge

This was too much to take. I decided to blow off my last class and go home. I was about to open my car door when my cell went off. I checked my caller I.D. It was Isaac. "Hello," I said.

"Are we still on for tonight?" Isaac asked me.

"I don't know. I'm not really feeling up for it," I said.

"No, you can't cancel on me again. This is the third time this month. I miss my little brother," Isaac said.

I did feel a little guilty, but I couldn't have dinner tonight, not after everything Joy and I had ever been through re-surfaced. "I'm sorry Isaac. Next, time," Zac said.

"Fine, but if you cancel on me again, I'm not going to ask anymore," Isaac said.

"I understand and listen I'm sorry I'll talk to you later," I said as I hung up.

She looked at the car for a moment almost expecting Zac to be with me. "No Zac mom. I'm sorry," I said.

Her happiness to see me just faded away. I was never important enough. If I didn't visit home and call home as often as I do, I wonder if I'd ever see my family again. They never call me. No one ever does. If I want people in my life then I have to call them, or I'll just fade away into the dust and become a memory.

I think it's because I dropped out of college to pursue a music career and they never really approved of it. That's why I sleep all day and stay up all night this way my confrontations with people are few and far between. It's just easier that way. My mom's face fell. I hated to see her like this. It broke my heart. "Did you at least talk to him?" Diana asked.

"Yeah he said he wasn't up for dinner with me tonight," I said.

No one can understand why Zac won't tell us where he lives. He worked so hard for so long to get out of the house as soon as he graduated high school. I really can't think of one reason why he'd be this unhappy.

I followed my mom into the living room and was greeted by my baby sister Zoë. I picked her up and hugged her. Then, a moment later prince Taylor walked through the door with Officer Dumont. He was sweating and covered in what looked like soot. His face was dirty and he looked disheveled. "Is there something wrong?" my mother asked with a look of concern on her face.

My dad then joined my mother in the living room. "Mr. and Mrs. Hanson your son saved an old woman from a burning building today. I came here to tell you what a fine young man he's become and what an excellent job you've done raising him. He's a real gem," the officer said.

He was absolutely right, Taylor was a gem and could do no wrong. If I could wish for one thing in this world it'd be for my parents to look at me just once the way they look at Taylor. If they could be proud of one thing I could do, that'd be absolutely wonderful.

I flashed him my million dollar smile. I knew I was a charmer. "We should have dinner tonight to celebrate," my mother said.

"That'd be great," I said.