Trudging through the front door to my new and improved soon to be considered home I was approached by the crumbling of brick, the cracking and wearing away of shingles on the roof. The windows were held together by duct tape. The smell of cannabis seeping through the screen door. Home sweet home.

“Momma?” I shouted to echo across the house. In hopes that my hypocritical mother was off running errands. I got no response in regards to my shouting. Thank the Lord. I plopped down on my old, beat up, brown couch. I grabbed one of the Navajo blankets lay across its back side. That was always something I liked about my mom, she always got such neat and vintage decorations to place around our travesty of a house. Pulling the sandwich bag labeled ‘Moby Dick’ out of the hidden coffee table drawer, I fished through my purse for a lighter. I packed as much green glitter into my red elephant bowl, hoping to get this over with before mom came home.
The first hit went down rough and dried my throat. After gagging a few times from coughing so much I was able to allow the smoke slide right through the course of my body. Filling me ever so gently with its comfort. Washing over me like a summers sun rays beaming down on you at the beach. Falling into the silence of my own thoughts. Gasping for air before I plummet to sleep.

“Katie..? Katie wake up, what’re you doing?” Momma demanded.

“What?” I said groggily.

“Is that weed sitting on my coffee table? What in the hell have I told you about smoking this s***? I’m pretty sure last time I caught you smoking I said I was going to kick you out if I ever caught you again, did I not?” Great, she was actually going to pull the ‘Mom’ card on me and act like she cares.

“Mom, it was Danielle’s. She came over after school and wanted to smoke. I told her I couldn’t so she lit herself a bowl. Then her dad called, telling her she had to come home. So she left everything here and I fell asleep before I got up to put it all away. Or take it to someone else’s house.” I sounded so sure of myself. Sometimes I believed my own damn lies.

“Oh, is that so? Call Danielle. I’d like to hear this from her as well.” She said diligently. Tapping her foot and holding her hand out, she waited for my cellular device to be in the palm of her pale jittery grasp.

“She doesn’t have her phone right now. She got grounded the other day for sneaking Kenny through her bedroom window Saturday night.” I said matter of factly.

“Who the hell is Kenny?” She asked curiously.

“Oh, he’s Danielle’s boyfriend. They’ve been goin’ steady for a good two months now.”

“So you thought it was okay to let this girl smoke marijuana in our living room? You just started at this school, how are you always so capable of finding trouble to thrust yourself into? Katie, you already know how much trouble I am in with the law as it is, I’ve got all sorts of warrants that still need to be payed off. You can't be allowing your hooligans of friends do these kinds of things in our home! I can’t afford for you to be getting into trouble too. Do you understand me?” She glared at me with her beady green eyes.

“Yes mom, jeez.” I was beyond annoyed at this point. Lying to my mother had become vomit. I couldn't hold the lies in anymore. I got so tired of actually telling her what was going on in my life, it wasn’t like she actually cared anyways.

“You're about to turn eighteen Katie. It’s time to grow up.” She strutted to the bathroom, slamming the door. I sat and waited for the hot water from the shower to kick on. Laying my head back to rest on the couch, I listened to the water fall down like rain. I woke back up to the alarm of my phone going off. 6:00 pm. S*** I was gonna be late for work. Great.
I ran around the house like a chicken with it’s head cut off. Searching desperately for the left pair of my all black work shoes. I really needed some new ones. The heel of my foot now touches the ground, rather than being protected by my shoe.
FOUND IT!
I rush to my blue beat up car and speed out of the driveway. Packing a batty while driving with your knee is a God given talent, really. Swerving in and out of cars on the highway was a piece of cake. Especially with the nice buzz I have going’ on.

“You’re late Judy.” My manager shouted from behind the line as he saw me enter the kitchen.

“My name isn’t Judy, Kirk!” I called out from the office.

“Yeah but how can I say you have a big booty if your name isn’t Judy?” He looked confused. A very common look on Kirks face.

“I guess you can’t. And I’m pretty sure saying I have a ‘big booty’ is classified as sexual assault. Especially for a new hire like myself, I could take it as you being serious. I could be terribly scared of working in a restaurant with all new people and think my manager is going to lock me in the freezer and try to catch a feel. What do you think about that Kirk?” I was too stubborn to put up with his sexual innuendos.

“Go get a headset, we are on channel 2 today.” Kirk said with a dumbfounded look on his face, quickly ending the conversation.
I was the new hire at the towns’ ‘Biker Bar’. My uniform consisted of ripped off, bleached jean shorts. A black t shirt and matching shoes. At least we didn't have to wear visors like those poor teenagers employed at the ‘Sonic’ next door. Although my shorts werent too modest, they were making me fairly decent money. Money that was going to have to be used towards house payments and groceries. I dont really know where Momma’s money goes. She says she gets paid twice a month, set dates. But then she still seems to never have money for anything when it comes to paying for our living arrangements. She normally leaves friday nights for the weekend. I go days without seeing her, and don’t ever question a thing. She gets so defensive when I question where she’s at and who she’s with.

“Hey Katie, you following me around today or wanna try tonight on your own?” Mercedes asked from behind the bar.

“Oh, hey! No I think I can try it on my own tonight. Shouldn’t be too hard right?” I could hear the glint of confidence as it poured out of that sentence.

“Okay well just let me know if you need help with anything! I’m assuming Kirk has you up in section seven. It’s the one the beginning servers tend to use since its the smallest section.” She said with a smile shining through her eyes. Mercedes was one of those blonde country bumpkin cheerleader in highschool type of girl. Granted her name did sound a little too dark for her skin color, she didn't seem to mind. Most people called her ‘Sadie’ anyway. As I was about to say ‘Thank You’, Sadie got bombarded by a group of four gentlemen in black ‘Harley Davidson’ jackets with some sort of civil war hat proudly resting on their graying heads.

I sat back, watching the hostess out of the corner of my eye. She sat a couple in booth eleven. Unfortunately, there was a fairly large post in the way. Making it incapable for me to guestimate the age of the couple. Age depends on the amount of the tip. Large tips is what im praying for at the moment.

Oh s***. S***. S***. S***. Of course I get stuck with Ken and Barbie. Of f*ing course! Stupid ass hostess need’s to figure out who is okay to seat in my section and who is not. Motorcycle man and mermaid girl are on the list of people that CANNOT sit in my section!

I quickly turn around from the booth, acting as if they weren’t my table to begin with. I rush back to the bar.

“On second thought Sadie, can you do me a favor and take over table eleven for me? I’ll watch these fine gentlemen for ya till you got some time on your hands. Please?” I asked desperately.

“Uh sugar booger, I am bartending tonight. You can’t take my place for me because you’re still underaged. I’ll get their drink order for ya until you can calm yourself down and get that sweat off of your upper lip.” I knew Sadie was doing the best she could to help considering I hadn’t given her a single explanation as to why I didn’t walk to take that table.

“Okay Sweetie Pie, they got two waters. Lookin’ at the menu now and will be expecting you shortly to take their order. I know talking to strangers can seem nerve wracking at times. You’ll grow out of it, I promise. Plus, the young man at your table was chiseled from gods hands. Don’t stare too long though, I think that’s his girlfriend with him.” Sadie should be working for ‘Seventeen ‘ magazine, she can put together quite mesmerizing words to make something sound interesting. Sucking in a big air of breath, I walked their way.

“Hi guys, how we doing? My name is Katie and I’ll be taking care of you tonight. Are we ready to order?” My hand was shaking as I flipped open my book to write their order down.

“Hey, Katie. My name is Noah. So I’m pretty sure I saw you run into Jimmy Bowling’s locker today at school.. How’s your head?” He was talking to me like he had known me for years and there wasn't a shy bone in his body.

“Uh, yeah that was me. It’s fine. Had some ice on it for a bit in the nurse’s office today. She said no major damage, just might be gettin’ a few headaches.” I could hear my voice quiver in the back of my throat as I spoke.

“Hey I’m Adelyn. I’m Noah’s girlfriend. Seems to me he’s too rude to introduce me himself.” Her voice was snotty and obnoxious. What did Noah see in this girl?

Ugh it felt so good to actually know his name now.

“Oh hey, what’s up? So are you guys ready for me to get an order in for you?” I knew I sounded impatient at this point. I just wanted nothing more than to get away from that table. I could feel my cheek burning and the hives coming up underneath my cotton shirt.