• Her hands gripped the steering wheel as she stared blankly at the cars in front of her. At this rate, they'd be late. Hidden behind the all too big sunglasses were her eyes that glanced up to the rearview mirror to catch a glance at her friend. The friend, Megan, simply shrugged in shoulders. The two then glanced towards the passenger seat where Trace was passed out. Lena quickly turned back to the road and ignored her sleeping boyfriend. She tried to occupy her thoughts of yesterday and last night and of her school banquet; not the event that had occurred this morning. For a spilt second, she could hear his snapping again and his words that cut her like a knife. All she had done was check the rental tux and tried to clean up the room before her parents got home, but he had already done everything. She couldn't "comprehend" that. Her eyes water again, and she reached for his sleeping hand. They had to get him to work at 12, and it was already 11:50.

    "Maybe I should just call in sick." Trace yawned.

    Lena's stomach dropped and without hesitation she grabbed her phone and threw it into her side door. Trace gave out a loud sigh and tried to show his disgust for her action.

    "You have to go to work." Lena said calmly. He'd only work once that week, and he needed money for rent.
    "I don't have to do anything." he snapped.

    Megan's fingers texted away to her boyfriend which made sense since Trace lived with him now. Lena's gripped tighten, and she bit her lip. It was either an attempt to hold her words or to relieve the pain.

    After an awkward, one hour car ride, they finally arrived to Matt's house. He stood outside in warm ups and holding a polo shirt for Trace to put on. It was 12:03.

    "Come on, babe. If you just changed shirts and shoes, we could probably get there by 12:10." Lena pleaded.
    No response.
    "Trace...?"
    No response.
    "Come on, Trace. Matt's parents said you had to work." Megan chimed.
    "No one listens to me!" Trace roared as he slammed the car door.

    Matt followed Trace into the house to try to talk to him.

    "What the hell was that about? What don't I listen to him about? The fact that has no money for rent, and I drive his butt every where and pay for every thing!" Lena cried out.
    "I know, I know. He's being a jerk." Megan soothed.
    "He's been like this all morning. I told him to go to bed because we were getting up early. What did I do..."
    "Look, let me go in and see what's going on. Why don't you come?"
    "No, I'm staying in the car until he goes to work. If he chooses not to, then I'm leaving; simple as that."
    "...I understand."

    Megan ran in while calling Matt's name. Lena stared out the window and let tears run down her face. She had no problem in leaving. This was the boy she wanted to marry. Yet she was seventeen years old, and he was eighteen years young. Reasonable people would say there stood no chance and that it was unrealistic. Lena was slowly beginning to see how right the reasonable people were. She would be moving soon to Miami to go to college, and Trace would stay here. Here in the Middle of Nowhere, GA. Lena wanted him to have a fresh start with her in Miami; but in her heart she know he'd never leave here even if there was nothing for him here. A high school drop out who jumped from job to job had ended up with the girl who had the world at her finger tips. But he had never been like this in their year and a half relationship; she supposed that turning eighteen gave you license to do as you pleased.

    "Lena, Trace is in the shower. He's going to go to work." Matt said happily.
    "It's 12:30. What has he been doing?" Lena asked.
    "He wanted to smoke and then we had a chit chat. He's just sick of people trying to tell him what to do."
    "He does what he wants. I haven't told him to do anything except go to work. And you and I both know your parents will kick him out."
    Silence.
    "Look, he's trying. He just feels like he's being ganged up on." Matt said.
    "Oh, well excuse me for doing everything! What about me? This is he being selfish. He's treated me like dirt all morning and all I did was wake him up! Don't make excuses for him. Where is the line? How may times is he going to dance on it and break my heart!" Lena exploded.

    This is what happens when you hold your emotions in while hoping for some chance of change.

    Megan and Matt said nothing as they watched Lena cry. They both knew she was right, but no one would say anything to Trace.

    "Here he comes. Just don't say anything, okay?" Matt hissed.
    "I have nothing to say." Lena whispered while starting the car.

    Trace slid into the passenger seat looking like a guilty, rebellious child waiting for his lecture. But much to his surprise, Lena said nothing. She just drove back towards to Polo Store. It was 12:50. After five minutes, they arrived. She didn't put the car in park or even turn it off; she just stopped and unlocked the doors. Trace stared at her in hoping of her saying something. But her silence continued as he shuffled towards the entrance of the store. He turned to wave, yet the her car was no where to be seen.

    "Hey, Meg, I'm going to Taco Bell. Want anything?" Lena said into her phone.
    "Well, that was quick. Did you two talk?" Megan asked.
    "Nope."

    Lena picked up the food and headed back to Matt's house; but as she pulled into his drive way, her phone rang.

    "Hey, I'm outside--" Lena answered.
    "Did Trace call you?" Megan quickly asked.
    "Uh, no?"
    "He called Matt."
    "And?"
    "They have someone working his shift...he needs a ride."
    "I was just over there...why wouldn't he call me?! What's Matt going to do? Walk there and hold his hand home or drive there with his imaginary car?"
    "Yeah...I know. Are you going to get him?"
    "No one else is. I'm walking in."

    Lena threw a bag of food to Megan. Kittens were scatted around the house and trash was randomly placed. Matt and Trace's room had finally been cleaned and the floor was visible and the bunk beds were reachable. Lena walked out back to her, again.

    She pulled into the parking lot and begin to walk up to the outlet mall. The Polo Store was packed.

    "I swear, if he wondered off I'm not going on a wild goose chase for him." Lena grumbled.
    Her heart begin to swell with rage, and all she could think of was what she wanted to say to him. But finally, the swelling stopped and her heart burst. She found him.

    He was sitting on the bench by himself. His head was cradled in his arms, and his eyes seemed red. Lena wanted to hold him in her arms and rock him like a small child. Maybe sometimes she felt like he wasn't the boy she had once loved, but at these times she could see that the boy was still there.

    "Here." She said as she pushed her quesadilla to him.
    "Thanks." He whispered.

    She quietly sat on the bench, and his hand slid to hers. Maybe they were just another young love; another lost story about a good girl who fell for the bad boy. But Lena's eyes stopped looking towards the future and instead looked at the boy next to her. And when his eyes met hers, she forgot how to breathe and fell in love all over again.