Mondays. Everyone hates mondays. You have to wake up so early. Put on normal clothes. Its the day that you realize that you have to spend another week in hell hole that people call school. Except this was the last monday of my senior year. I woke up in my hollister pajama- shorts and my tank top. I walked to my closet and found my bra and underwear and my big puppy sweatshirt and black jeans. I went and got my grey uggs. I sat down in front of my mirror and swiped on some brown eye shadow. I found my iPhone and plugged in my pink skull candy earbuds. I found my Pandora app and clicked on my indie radio. Some Miike Snow started playing as I walked down stairs to my small little kitchen. My brother Marcus was sitting with a five o’clock shadow on his face and a pink housecoat on. I could smell the normal man musk on him mixed with burban. He saw me and nodded at me. His brown eyes were tired,and I could tell that he didn’t want to go to work. Marcus works at our uncles car dealership since the day our parents died. When he found out that they were dead he came home from college and found me in our small house in the corner crying. He came and put his arm around me. I could still see his face as I told him that mommy and daddy’s plane crashed. He tried to keep his cool,but inside I knew that he wanted to move me out of the way and cry in the corner. He always was the best big brother in the whole world, since he was my only family, I always wanted to make sure he was okay because I never wanted anything to happen to him. I poured him some coffee and slid it across to him.
“How you doing kiddo?” His raspy voice slurred before taking a sip of his coffee.
“Life’s alright, is it alright is Oliver go to the library after school today?”
“um, I was thinking maybe you and me could go to a movie or--um nevermind you hang out with your friends.” He shook his head and tried to disregard that he had said anything. I laughed at him. “Of course I would love to go to the movies with you,but Oliver is going to tutor me in Geometry. He is hecka smart,and I have my finals tomorrow. So yeah,maybe another time?” I felt really bad lying to Marcus. Oliver and I were actually going to go to the music store,but I didn’t want to tell Marcus that he wasn’t the coolest guy in my whole world anymore. He just shook his nodded, “Of course, I mean I was a kid before,” He started to look at the ground,both of us were thinking the same thing. That he had to grow up too fast.” But I am proud of you. I wish that I had spent more time worrying about school. Then maybe we would not live in such a mother-- never mind. Just, I’m proud of you. You remind me a lot of mom. I have to go get ready. Have a good day at school. Tell Oliver I say hi.” He took his coffee and started to head up the stairs. And I grabbed all my stuff and started to head out the door to my car.
I felt like such a jerk. I was letting down the nicest big brother in the whole world. He had so much going for him when he was in High School. He was just about to graduate when 5 months before summer before college he found out that his girlfriend was pregnant. His life started to fall apart,then the little baby girl that Marcus had put his whole life on hold...just died. Before he could even hold her. She didn’t get enough air when she was born.His girlfriend was devastated and decided to move halfway around the country from Ohio to New Jersey. He never saw her again. He had tried so hard to get into a good college,but he hadn’t had time to fill in his applications with everything that happened. He was very lucky that our parents had enough money for him to take a couple classes at Ohio Community College. But then they died. They were flying from Utah on a flight to Paris that they had been saving for years for. Then the plane engine decided not to work. Something about how the workers built it. I wasn’t really listening when the police officers told me. I was in such shock. Then they asked me to identify my parents cold corpse. Imagine being a 16 year old,getting home from starbucks with your bestfriend to find police officers and a car to take you to the morgue to find the cold dead bodies of the people who were your rock. Marcus was only 19. Marcus tried to go back to college as he had enough credits to transfer to a state college,but our aunts and uncles couldn't take care of me, because they already had 7 kids of their own and child services didn’t think it would be good for me to stay with them. Instead my uncle sat down with Marcus and talked to him about being a man and told him that I had nowhere to go. I thought maybe about moving in with Oliver and his mom,as they were like a second family to me,but Marcus decided to put his life on hold again and become the man of the house. I have so much respect for what he did. It has been 2 years and I am 18 and Marcus is 21, both of us have aged so quickly. I try my hardest to remember what it was like before my parents died, all I remember is smiles and laughter. When I think of my live now, I am happy,but there's always that faint cloud of sorrow that follows me everyday.
I got to my school,which was a gross green jail that in 1960 they decided to renovate and make it Abraham High School. Not a very clever name as there are over 20-something abraham Lincoln schools. I guess he was a cool dude. I was never a big fan of the whole learning of USA presidents. I what they call independent and they never talk about that in the textbooks so I just never got a interest. Also learning and paying attention is just way too mainstream for me. Thats what Oliver always tells me. Apparently I am a hipster because I like indie music and I wear “nerd” glasses and I like band tee-shirts and “I don’t try too hard” so I guess that makes me a hipster,but in all honesty I know I look like one,but I really do like indie music. I always have. And i’m near sighted so I need glasses and my dad used to have some shaped like the ones I have now. But if that is what makes me a hipster, then fine.

As I walked into my first class I smelt one of my favorite smells in the whole world. The smell of Oliver. Oh, he smelt like sunshine. His cologne is amazing. I could tell I wasn’t the one girl that noticed his amazing fragrance. He is always constantly giving girls hugs. But he gives me the most. Everyone always assumes we are dating,but we aren’t. We are just best friends. My friend Cady told me we should date because we both have brown eyes. If people date just because of similar qualities then I would be married to Harry Styles because we both have brown hair But sadly being in a relationship is based more on just having same physical features. I am glad that some people like personalities because that is all I have going for my self. I have lame brown hair, light brown eyes and I am short. Oliver told me I pretty, but Oliver is a filthy liar. Oliver on the other hand is definitely not just personality . He is very handsome. He has brown eyes,but unlike mine they are always glistening. They have a glow to them that shows you that life is okay. He has brown hair that magically stays in place and even when I mess it up,it is still what his Joanne in math says “sexy”. Though everything about him seems like he has it together,its not. His life is just as crappy as mine. Except his just keeps getting worse. His mom left him and his dad and little sister when Oliver was very little. His dad lost it. I hear stories from Marcus of when Oliver’s Dad was a nice amazing person and he used to be santa at christmas and had the same glow in his eyes that Oliver has. Those stories seem like myths because Oliver's dad bill is a horrid person now. He drinks his life away. He always has a Jack Daniels in his hand. If he didn't have a job at the tire factory then he would always be at home with his tv on college football and a bottle in his hand. I know it really affects Oliver, when I first went over to his house I knew that he was embarrassed. He tried to hide the fact,but his rosy cheeks were telling it all.
As we took our seats I grabbed his notebook from his hands. He reached for it but I ran to my seat. The teacher saw him chasing me and ordered him to take his seat. Oliver took his seat and his face when white. I know I shouldn’t have but I started to flip throw the journal. I came to a long entry titled “My Secrets” that took up 10 pages. As the teacher was babbling on and on about Jefferson I began to read.

Bill is a ass. Simple as that. I am the only person that knows why my mom Marilyn left and that haunts me. I remember it all,even though I was only 7, I remember the tears,the violence. Even though it hurts me to admit it, I understand why my mother left. I don’t understand why she didn’t take me though...Was I not good enough for her? Did I cry too much? I shouldn’t of asked for so much at Christmas. I should of been able to see the sadness in her eyes. Why didn’t run to her? I should of been the man of the house, but I wasn’t. Now its just me, Marley, and Bill. He isn’t my dad anymore. A dad doesn’t sit around getting drunk then beat his kids. Yah he beats me. The counselors always ask how me and my dad are and I just say that me and my dad don’t get along. They ask if he has ever hit me, I look to the ground and shake my head. I look down because if they saw my eyes they would know the truth. One time my dad came barging through the door yelling “Where are you ungrateful little kids?” me and Marley were in my room. She was crying. We could hear him breaking things. I was holding her in my arms. She was only eleven, she should not have to deal with this. I was singing to her Somewhere Over Rainbow. Her sobs started to stop. Bill came barging in. “You smug little bastard! I need to have a talk with you. Get your lousy ass here right now.” I started to get up to the door. Marley grabbed my hand. I kissed her forehead and went to him.
“Yes, Bill?”
“I’m your father,” I started to laugh. He slapped me across the face. Marley gulped.
I stopped reading. I shut the book. I didn't want to know what happened next. As class ended, I gave Oliver back his notebook.
“Did you read anything.” he asked as he flipped through it,making sure everything was the same.
“Of course not.” I used his trick and looked at the ground.
“Good,” He ruffled his fingers through my hair. “,or else I would have to kill you.”

I was sitting at home watching Dr.Phil reruns, I was trying to pay attention to this woman who was trapped in a cave with a dog for months,but all I could think about was Oliver being trapped with Bill. He wasn’t responding to my texts. I had sent him at least 10. I wanted him to drive to my house. I had some news for him. I had finally got my final paycheck from the little coffee shop I work at and I finally have enough money all the stuff I need for college. I have had the right amount for a long time,but I want really good furniture and electronics. It will be my first time away from home and I want to start out really good.
Finally. Oliver texted me. He said that he can’t talk right now,but he will be over in a hour. I went down stairs and put a pizza in the oven. Marcus was passed out asleep on the couch. I walked over to him and put a warm red blanket on him and took his glasses of him. He has mail and bills scattered all around the living room. There are so things that we have to pay for. Water,heat,electricity. Its not fair. I know people have it living situations way worse than me, but I wish I could do more for Marcus. I have offered to help pay for some off the expenses, but he told me to save for my plane ticket to New York for college and for my supplies I need.

I sat in my grandfathers old chair flipping through my seventeen magazine and waiting for Oliver to come. The clock kept ticking. Oliver is never late,he just isn’t. In all the years I have known him,he has never been late. I heard a loud knock on the door. Marcus went to go to the door. He went outside to talk to whoever it was. He was out for 10 minutes. Finally I walked to the door, and I saw Oliver standing there. His lip was bleeding and his nose was swollen.
“Oh my god Oliver,what the hell happened to you?” Marcus helped him inside.
“Bill and I got in a bad fit. It started when he came home drunk and he has been let go from work. He started throwing things. I knew it was really bad, so I had Marley pack some clothes into her suitcase--god the look on her face-- and I grabbed all the cash I had and some clothes and I don’t know what I was thinking but I was going to take Marly to our aunts and I was going to come over here. But.... As we were walking out the door. Bill came at me. Marly ran and I told her to get in the car and stay there. Bill started screaming at me saying “‘ You can’t take her.’” He started hitting me. Then he said..” Oliver started to look down.
“Oliver, tell me right now.Look at me.” I raised my voice. My hands were clenching.
“He screamed at me “YOUR MOTHER NEVER WANTED YOU. YOU ARE A PIECE OF S***, AND THAT IS ALL YOU WILL EVER BE!” I yelled at him telling him it wasn’t true. I know my mother wanted me. I know it. I punched him in the nose and broke from his grasp grabbed my stuff and ran to my car. Marly was crying her eyes out. She had saw the whole thing.” Oliver started to sob. I sat down next to him.
“Then I dropped her off at our aunts house. I told her the whole story and she asked where I was going,and I said I have no idea. But I need to find my mother. Claire I need to find her and I know I can’t do it alone. I need you.”
I looked up at Marcus.
“Where does your mom live?” Marcus broke the silence
“In New Jersey. Marcus I need to go there.”
“Listen Oliver, I understand how hard it is right now. But I mean don’t you want to graduate? Its only a couple more days, and then maybe we can all go and try to contact your mom.”
“Marcus, I need to go now. I don’t care about walking across a stage. My diploma will be here when I get back.”
“Oliver do whatever you need to do. But Claire has to stay here. And if you want, till we figure things out you can sleep on the couch.”
Oliver looked at me. He was waiting for me to say something. I didn’t know what to say. I did not think that there was anything I really could say. Oliver finally spoke. He was looking down though.
“Fine, I'll stay.”
Why was he looking down.
Marcus went to go grab Oliver some blankets. I went to go to say goodnight to Oliver.
“I’ll see you in the morning--” He cut me off.
“Pack your bags and grab all the money you have.” He took my hand. “Trust me.”

I grabbed my duffle bag and started to throw clothes in it. Marcus knocked on my door.
“hey, crazy night huh?”
“Ya.. really crazy.” My eyes darted to the blanket that I threw over my stuff.
“ I feel so bad for Oliver. I don’t know what to go for him.”
“ Maybe he should go find his mom.. I mean it might help him.”
“Yah and it might help if I rob a bank,but in the long run it will just be worse.”
“ I guess you’re right. Well I am going to bed. Long day. I’ll see you in the morning. I love you.”
“Love you too Claire. Sleep tight.” He walked out. I went to go close my door. I waited in my room for what seemed for 60 hours but was only 2. Marcus was sound asleep when Oliver came to my room with my keys in his hand.
“Claire are you ready?”
“Oliver I don’t think I can go. I can’t do this to Marcus.”
“He wants you to be happy.”
“I am happy. And I’m leaving for New York in a month anyways so..”
“Don’t you want to go on an adventure? Remember when we were little and you were too scared to jump of the swing?”
“I thought I was going to die. And I always said I would do it next time we came to the park.”
“ And remember I told you, You can’t wait to do things,because if you don’t try now, you may not have the same opportunity.”
“And I would laugh at you,saying the swing would always be here. Just like going to New York will always be an opportunity.”
“No it won’t, I heading to Nevada in a month and we won’t be together. We are young. When do you think we will ever have the chance to go on a road trip? Listen I’m going tonight and you can come if you want, I just don’t want you to think what might of happened and what you might have experienced. I have been waiting too long thinking that life is going to get easier and that I will have fun soon, too many days have I compromised my happiness for doing what's “right” Now I finally have the courage to follow my heart. There is no reason not to follow your heart. I am going to find my mom. I would really like if I could do that with my best friend.”
He walked out the room leaving me in silence. I shoved the rest of my clothes and grabbed all of the money from my piggy bank. I was finally going to have an adventure.
I walked down stairs quietly, and shut the door. Oliver was just about to leave. I ran to the car and got in.
“Hey, well I thought about it and I can’t let you go alone because you are bound to get lost and you're taking my car and I had to be in it when ever driven so, lets get going.”

My eyes started to open and the bright light started to seep into my eyes. I looked over and I saw that the car was parked and I saw Oliver standing outside looking at the tire. I grabbed my hoodie from the back of the car and put in on and opened my door. I saw Oliver bent down by the back tire. He was on the phone
“Yeah,I was just driving and I felt that something felt lopsided so I pulled over and there was a nail in the tire. No that tire was my spare. 10 minutes? Okay. I’m on the corner or Hamilton and Rush. Okay thank you.” I heard him say.
“Wait the car tire popped?
“Yeah, the repair guy will be here in 10 minutes,so get your bag together.”
“Alrighty, how long will it take us to get to New Jersey?”
“We should've gotten there tomorrow night,but I don’t know how long this is going to take. God “God why did this happen?”
He was started to freak out.
“Its alright! Don’t worry.” I told him. The tire company car came up to us. Thats when I saw him. He was wearing washed out blue jeans and red and black flannel. He had blue eyes and dark brown hair. He came and his voice was so sexy.
“Hiya,my names Thomas Smith I work at Smiths car shop. So let me take a look at the tire.”
Oliver led him to the other side of the car. Thomas accidently bumped into my.
“Sorry sweetheart, oh dang that is a nasty beat up tire. I think we have that type of tire for your fit back at the shop. Let me give my dad a call.” He winked at me and pulled out his phone.
“Hey dad, so I’m with the people on Hamilton and Rush. Do we have any 20 tires left. What? Really. They are coming tomorrow. Oh ya the party. Okay I will tell them,” He hung up the phone. “I’m really sorry guys but we don’t have any tires for your car and we won’t have them ‘till tomorrow. In the meantime if you guys need a place to stay there is a motel right by my house and my family is having a party so if you guys want to come...” His smile. Even if he had just invited us to spend five more minutes with him,I would've said yes.
“ We would love too.” I winked back at him. Oliver and him hooked up our car to tow. I grabbed my purse and went to the truck. It was just 3 seats all cramped in the front.
I was in the middle between two very different guys.As we were driving we started to talk
Thomas started the conversation.
“So what brings you guys over here?”
“Well we are um..” I didn’t know if I should tell him the whole story without making it awkward.
“ We are just checking out colleges. Claire here is going to NYU this fall.” I started to blush. NYU has always been my dream college.
“Really?! Omg I’m a sophomore at NYU, its a awesome school.”
“I bet, i’m so excited!”

We pulled up to this big garden party. Everyone was dressed very nicely.
“oh gosh, I feel really out of place.”
“Its okay you look beautiful. I’ll be right back. Stay here.” Thomas started to walk inside the house. I was just staring at him walk away. He turned around and I pretended that I wasn't staring.
“You like him don’t you! I can tell you think he is cute!” Oliver started to nudge me.
“What... haha I don’t know. I guess...”
“Claire, I am your best friend. I know when you like a guy. He seems nice. Has Marcus tried to call you?”
“Yeah,like five times. I don’t know what to say to him. He is in a meeting right now.”
“Then leave him a message. Perfect.”
“I guess, okay I will be right back.”
I started to walk away. I sat down on this tree stoop and dialed in Marcus’s number.

“Hey Marcus,it’s me, Claire. I know you have kept calling me, but I just don’t know what to say to you. I know your mad at me,or disappointed, I don’t know. I just felt like I had to. Oliver was always there for me and you and no matter what happens with his mom, I needed to be there for him. I am sorry I didn’t tell you, I don’t want you to feel like you can’t trust me. Don’t me wrong, you will always be my hero, but it just felt like for once I needed to be my own hero and have my own adventure. I spent too much time of high school being afraid of what is going to happen next, and last night I realized I had no memories like road trips of parties or just being crazy. You always told my that the world was my canvas and it was my choice on what to paint. So I am finally painting Marcus. So call me back and hopefully,well we can talk about stuff. I love you.”
I started to walk back to Thomas and Oliver. I felt good about what I said to Marcus. It was the truth. I could not lie to him any more.
When me and Oliver got to the motel all I could think about was the great night I had with Thomas. He kissed me. Him and I were walking through the trees after eating and we were just talking about stuff and just everything. And he said he wishes I could stay around,but I told him that we had to leave the next morning. Then he just kissed me. He said that he would see me in the fall at NYU and he walked me back to the car and I left with Oliver. It was so amazing in the fact that it was so pure. We didn't even need to think about it, it just happened. It wasn't planned, Hell we didn't even know each other, but we didn't have too. We knew that it was real and I couldn't wait to see him in a couple months.

We were sitting in in Vicky's Cafe while I was trying to figure out what had happened in the last 24 hours. We went to Marilyn’s sisters apartment. She looked really run down. We walked up and asked her if she knew anything about Oliver's mom and her face went terribly sad. She invited us inside and gave us some tea. Then she told us. It had happened 4 years ago. Olivers mom was suffering from cancer and her body just couldn’t take it anymore. And she died in her sleep one night in the hospital She was all alone. Apparently Marilyn tried to talk to Oliver and Marley, but Bill had given her the wrong address. He didn't want to live without them and he was scared. Oliver ran out of the apartment. I found him in the passengers seat of the car. I got in and drove him to the the cafe. I grabbed his hand,but he just slipped it out.
He went into the cafe and I called Marcus and he told us to drive home so we could sort things out. We ate our food in silence. The usually laughter was filled instead with a auror of sadness and hurt feelings. I paid the the bill and we went to the car.
We were about 4 hours into the drive when Oliver broke the silence.
“You know, I think I knew this whole time that she was dead. I couldn’t feel her presence anymore. But it just bugs the s*** out of me that no one told me. I know that Bill knew I just knew. But why??? PULL OVER, PLEASE JUST PULL OVER.”
I did what he said and he just ran down to the bottom of the field and started to yell. I ran down to him.
“Its going to be okay Oliv--”
“NO, no its not going to be Claire! Every goddamn time my dad would hit me, I would tell myself that life was going to be okay, But it wasn’t... it never was. You know why? You know why? Ask me why!”
“Why..?”
“Because life is f*ed up. Simple as that. Bad things happen to good people because the world is horrible and as much as the good people, try to do good things, we can’t. And you know what, i’m content,because I know what really happened, and I can finally move forward. Though the word sucks at least I know now. And you know what Claire we had an adventure. It wasn’t a perfect ending. It was far from it actually,but it was worth it. And I am so glad that you came with me. I am going to miss you in a couple months. But you are most definitely going to have adventures in college. You are truly my best friend. I love you.”
We just hugged and in that moment I knew that life has hella downs and a couple ups,but when you have a up, you really have to cherish it. And I really cherish hugs from Oliver.

It had been 2 weeks and I finally had the story that I wanted and I had given it to my professor. He gave us all a assignment to work on during class and he went straight to my story. He had read my whole paper in class. I had grabbed all my stuff and was fumbling to get my jacket on when he called me to his desk.
“So, you know you story. I really like it. Remember on the first day when I asked you what you think makes a good story and you replied stuff that people can relate too. And I really did. It was short,but it didn’t need to be long. It was perfect. Also remember when I told you that you can embellish and well I just had to ask,was this all true? Or no..”
“Well maybe it is all true or just some, you will never know but whatever you want to think, is alright.”
“Hey you ready to go?” a blue eye,brown hair guy came to the door to take me on a date.
“Coming Thomas.”
Me and Thomas walked out and got in his car and drove to a little restaurant. When he came around to open my door, my phone began to vibrate. It was Oliver. I put it back in my pocket and walked into the restaurant and Thomas went to the bathroom. I pulled out my phone and checked it out.
“How is your adventure :)”