Chapter One

It was the day before school started. I typically hated this day as I had to say goodbye to sweet freedom and hello to snobby teachers and nauseating lunches. I didn't necessarily hate school that much. I lived in a small town and everyone knew everyone, including their problems and secrets. Like the fact Mrs. Murphy was recently widowed after her husband died from alcohol poisoning and to steer clear from the Brown family as they were racists (kind of ironic if you ask me) and hated all things not 'pure hwite.' Being not exactly the whitest myself I often found myself cycling the long way home from their home, not wanting to be caught with them in anyway shape or form.

My classmates would typically host a bonfire on the day before school. It was something people would usually do in high school. I hadn't gone in the summer of freshmen year as I spent the whole summer in Iran with my mother but we didn't have enough money to go this year so I was finally able to go to this event that Sebastian, Joey and Kia could not stop talking about for weeks on end.

Coughing, I carried my bike as I entered my house. I wasn't allowed the bike inside the house but with it being the last day of school and people going crazy it was bound to either be stolen or smashed into tiny little segments of metal.

"Ma' you should really stop smoking." I said, placing my bike by the staircase before walking into the cramped kitchen.

"I will when you stop brining your bike in." She said, puffing out another cloud of smoke as she looked out the window, observing the backyard.

I rolled my eyes at her response, chucking my satchel onto the table and slamming the change from shopping onto the counter beside her. "2.87 in change, should've been 6.43 and y'know the Browns influence on the town.'

Ma' clicked her tongue, shaking her head as she smashed the cigarrete into her ashtray. "Fucking cunts. It's nearly the fucking 90s and they're still treating us that way?" She washed her hands in the sink aggressively. "You would've thought the influence your father had they would at least treat us with human decency out of respect?"

"Well not everyone is like that in this town, some treat us with respect." I acknowledged, grabbing milk from the fridge.

Turning off the tap, she turned to look at me. "Mmm, 'some'. Anyways, have any plans for the last day before school?"

"Bonfire." I said before chugging the milk from the carton, not bothered to put it into a cup.

"Bonfire huh? Who's gonna be there." Giving me a look of disappointed, she slapped my hand, stopping me from the chugging the milk

"I dunno," I said as I wiped the milk from my mouth, "Kia, Joey and Sebastian most likely."

"Okay, just be back as soon as the lights go out." She said as she walked towards me, holding onto my cheeks, bringing me down slightly so she could kiss my forehead easier.

"It's a bonfire mama, the lights will be on for awhile." I looked at her, laughing slightly.

"Y'know what I meant." She smiled, smacking my cheeks softly. "Now go and have fun."