,"You'll never know the reason that I'm stuck in this filthy mud hole, unless you read this story.

I sling my backpack around my shoulder and walk down the hall to art class. Teacher like she always do gives us all different projects to do.

"Mr. Martenez, you're late again, I expect you to be here early from now on," Mrs. Davis says, handing me a sketchbook, a mechanical pencil, an eraser, a piece of paper.

I look down at the piece of paper, of course. I hate anatomy.

"I promise I'll try my best to get here early tomorrow," I say, looking up at her.

She smiles and says, "Very good then, tell me when you get it done."

She walks off to my best friend Andrea.

Andrea smiles at Mrs. Davis and takes the stuff she hands out to her.

I wave at her. "Hey Andrea, when did you get into art class?"

"My mom enrolled me yesterday, sorry I didn't tell you, she wouldn't let me text you are any of our friends," Andrea says, looking down at her stuff to see what she got.

Me and Andrea have been friends since I can remember. She's the closest friend to me.

\After art class/

"Hey guys," Martyn says.

"Aden, when did Andrea get into art stuff?" Scott asks grabbing Andrea's whist.

"Her mom enrolled her yesterday," I say.

Yes, you may not like but my name is Aden. I hate it myself.

"Oh. Why didn't you tell me?" Scott asks. "And, Andrea why did you only let Aden know?"

"I didn't! Sort of. I told him just a minute ago, so don't think I forgot about you guys, like I told Aden, my mom told me that it was mom and daughter time. Sorry," Andrea says, hugging him.

"Oh, sorry that I assumed, I just. . .I don't know, I guess I just am um what's the word for it, um jealous of Aden, 'cause you know you two are like unbreakable," Scott says.

"No you're good it's fine. But next time think before assuming," Andrea says. "It always helps me."

Onyx, who is my girlfriend, walks up with Lilith who is my boyfriend.

"Hi, Andrea, Aden, Scott, Martyn," Onyx and Lilith say at the same time.

I wave at them. "Hello, where have you guys been."

"We were looking for you. So, where were you?" Onyx asks.

"I was in art class, then I well saw them, so me and Andrea started talking to them," I say.

\Hours later/

I walk off the bus and go inside, where Mom is in the kitchen making dinner.

"Young man, why did you not come home at 4:00?!" Mom yells at me. "You had me scared to death! I was just about to call the police!"

I look over at her. "Sorry."

She looks over at me tear-stained face and says. "Sorry?! Is that all you have to say to me?!"

"What else do you want me to say?! I'm so sorry Mom, I didn't mean to do that I had planned to get home before 8:00! Is that what you want me to say to you?!" I yell at her, throwing my backpack on the couch and running up the stairs and slam my door.

I throw myself on to my bed and curl up into a ball.

I grab my phone and text my friends on group chat.

[Sorry guys, I would be coming but my mom is mad at me.]

[That's okay. I can make things work out we can still hangout tomorrow, right]

[Aden, are you okay?]

[Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry about me.]

[Okay, we were worried about you.]

I jolt up in the middle of the night.

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" I scream. "Mom!"

Mom walks in and I run towards her and hug her.

"Aden what happened?" Mom asks, rubbing her eyes.

"I had a nightmare."

"Aden it's okay then, you know that. Can you tell me what the nightmare was about?" Mom asks, running her hands through my light brownish reddish long hair.

"Yeah," I say.

"Come, let's sit on your bed," Mom says, pulling towards my bed.

A little bit later/

"And. . ." I take a big swallow. "I killed you."

Mom smiles softly. "it's okay sweetheart, I'm still here, so don't worry."

I hug her tightly. "Please promise me you won't leave me."

"I won't I promise you," Mom says, and walks out of my room.

I lay down again and try to go to sleep.

The night passes slowly.

When I get out of bed/

I go to the kitchen and get the cereal, milk, a spoon, and a bowl out and pour the cereal into the bowl then the milk.

I take it to the counter and eat it.

Walking out the door I feel like killing someone.

Am I a villain?

No. I'm not a villain.

I was born from the perfect mother I can't be a villain.

But my father wasn't a perfect man, in fact he quit the opposite.

Screech, I go to the bus and climb on it.

"Hello, Mr. Martenez," the bus driver Mr. Jackie says, as I climb on the bus.

I wave at him. "Hi."

"Take a seat, kid," Mr. Jackie says, then smiles.

I nod. "Yeah, that's something my mom taught me."

"Good, it's something you need to know," Mr. Jackie says, pointing behind him with his thumb.

I walk back to a seat at the very back.

Onyx and Lilith are sitting there.

Onyx has pink hair, green eyes, tanner skin, is 6'0" the school uniform which has, a skirt that's pink that goes above the knees, a white shirt that she tucks into her skirt, a pink tie, brown shin-high boots, a pink hat, and a pink jacket.

Lilith has red hair, green eyes, skin that's just lighter than Onyx's, is 5'9" the school uniform which has, pink shorts that goes just above the knees, a white shirt that he also tucks, a pink tie, brown shin-high boots, a pink hat, and a pink jacket.

I sit with them. "Sorry, about last night guys."

"It's fine, it's just that it wasn't as fun without you," Onyx says, pulling on her skirt.

Lilith nods. "Yeah, Onyx got drunk because of it."

I look over at her wide eye. "What?!"

"Why do you think I look like this?" Onyx asks.

"I just thought you didn't get any sleep last night," I say, putting my bag down.

Onyx shakes her head slightly. "No."

"Hey, Onyx, how long has it been since you took any pain-killlers?" Lilith asks, pulling out a bottle. "'Cause here."

Onyx takes the bottle from him. "Thanks."

"Anytime, I mean I am your boyfriend after all," Lilith smiles, and gets his phone out.

After we get to school/

I walk off the bus and walk into school and go straight to the lockers and put my stuff in my locker.

"Hey, Aden!" Andrea runs up to me and hugs me.

"I'm glad you're happy," I say, hugging.

Being tall is a blessing until you have short friends.

Like our janitor, he's a shorty.

I let go of her then Gabriel walks up and takes Andrea into her arms.

"What did Martenez do to you?" Gabriel asks Andrea.

"Nothing, I hugged him and he hugged me back," Andrea replies, looking up at Gabriel.

Martyn, Scott, and Athena walk up to us and Scott stares at Andrea.

"One day we'll be married," Scott says.

Drool falls of Scott's face.

Vice Principal Eddie and Principal Philip come up our Janitor Lyle come up.

"Hey kiddos, what have you been up to?" Principal Philip asks us.

"Getting ready for school, you drunkard," Gabriel says, letting go of Andrea.

"That is not how you talk to your principal, young lady," Vice Principal Eddie says sternly.

"Like I care," Gabriel says, kissing the top of Andrea's head. "I never follow rules."

"Gabriel, please don't do this," Andrea says.

"Only for you," Gabriel says.

I smile at those two. "I love you guys."

"I love you too, Aden," Andrea says.

"Well, I don't know how I feel about you but I guess I love you as a friend," Gabriel says.

Stella, Jeremiah, Cody, and Cody Jr. walk to the lockers.

Stella waves and takes a bite of pork. "Hey guys. Sorry we're late, Cody slept in, so we didn't get here 'till just a second ago."

Cody slaps the back of her head. "Shut up!"

"Guys stop it," Jeremiah says. "Sorry about those dumbasses, they've been fighting all day."

I hang my head. "Fuck off, Honking Toad."

"Fuck you too, Martenez," Jeremiah says.

"Please don't, Mom would hate me, also I don't want to," I say.

"Shut up, Martenez," Jeremiah says.

I smirk. "No, I don't listen to you, sorry. Not."

Cody Jr. holds Jeremiah back, so he doesn't attack me. "I'm gonna kill you Martenez!"

Janitor Lyle wakes over to him and slaps his face. "Shut yo' bitch-ass up."

"Y-yes sir," Jeremiah stutters.

"Good, now you rats, go to school," Janitor Lyle says, going to work.

I put the rest of my stuff that I don't need fight now in the locker.

Then I go to class.

First, it's mathematics.

I put my book on my desk and sit in the chair, Onyx and Lilith come and sit next to me and put their books on their desks.

Myla and Amelia walk in together.

"Amelia, did you get made fun of yesterday?" Myla asks Amelia.

"Yes," Amelia says, tucking his hair behind his left ear.

"They'll pay for their sins. No one lays their hands on my boyfriend," Myla says, as she sits in her chair.

Amelia waves his hands in front of him after setting his book on his desk. "No, no, you don't have to bully them, it doesn't bother me!"

Myla looks over at him. "They don't get to make fun of you anymore. I'm sick and tired of them making fun of you."

I look down at my desk and hear the door open, and I look up to see Cody, Cody Jr. Stella, and Jeremiah.

I don't hate him, but I don't like him.

Jeremiah sits on his desk with his legs crossed, with his book in his lap.

Scratch what I said yesterday, Amelia and Myla are my bestest friends. I've known them since I was three years old, I've only known Andrea since I was six going on seven. Martyn, Scott, and Athena get in the classroom and sit down in their assigned seats. Gabriel and Andrea get in their seats. Gabriella and Florian walk in and sit in their seats. Nico and Carl walk in together and sit down in their seats. Mr. Mikey walks in and smiles and as he goes behind his teacher's desk, the bell rings. Then a bunch of Mexicans come in.

"Good job you kids were all here in time, except you Mexicans," Mr. Mikey says. "Now, open your books to chapter three page ninety."

We all open our books at the same time.

\After mathematics/

Next is Language arts.

It's not my favorite but it's okay, better than physical education.

I put my math book in my locker and take out my language arts book out.

"I guess this is where you get your books," Gabriella says going down the hall with Florian.

"Gabi, don't be that way, it's not nice," Florian says.

Gabriella sticks her tongue out at me and I just flip her off.

I grab my language arts book out of my locker.

My friends come out and get their books too.

Then we head off to class followed by Gabriella and Florian.

Mr. Oscar walks in and gets behind his teacher's desk, ten minutes later the bell rings.

"Okay students, open your books to chapter four page ten," Mr. Oscar says.

I open my book to chapter four page ten.

I read the instructions on the project.

\After Language arts/

I go back to my locker with Myla and Amelia.

"How's your grades Aden?" Amelia asks, putting his book back.

"Better. But not by much, why?" I reply.

"Maybe we can all study at my house?" Amelia says.

I put my language arts book back in my locker.

I pull out my science book out and we walk together to science class.

Everyone goes into their seats.

Mrs. Halley and her assistant Mr. Mario enter the classroom and then twenty minutes later the bell rings.

"Let's get this science cracking, shall we?" Mrs. Halley says. "Open your books to chapter five page three."

Me and the rest of the class open our books to chapter five page three.

\After science/

Me and the entire class walk out of the classroom and go to the lockers.

I put my science book back.

Then I grab my social studies books.

I enter the social studies classroom.

The entire class enters and we wait for teacher.

Miss Petal enters the classroom.

"Hello, class we will start as soon as the bell rings as usual," Miss Petal says.

thirty minutes later the bell rings.

"Open your books to chapter six page eight."

We all open our books to chapter six page eight.

\After social studies/

I go straight to my locker and put my social studies back.

Then I get out my foreign languages book.

I go to the classroom and get in my seat then Mr. Zia comes in after all of us.

Forty minutes later the bell rings.

"OPEN YOUR BOOKS TO CHAPTER SEVEN PAGE NINETEEN!!!!!!!!!!" Mr. Zia yells and we cover our ears.

We open our books to chapter seven page nineteen.

\After school/

Me, Amelia, and Myla go to Amelia's house. We enter his house.

My nose is assaulted by the smell of pork fried rice.

The smell is so nice that I bite my lip to stop myself from falling over.

"Welcome home, Ami," Mrs. Qiao says with a welcoming smile. "Hi Millie. And who are you again?"

"Aden, but you can just call me Martenez," I say, looking over at her.

Ameila smiles and says. "Hey mom, would you mind getting Aden and Myla food too?"

Mrs. Qiao nods. "Yeah, I don't know what Martenez is allergic to though."

"I just will skip over anything I'm allergic to," I say, reassuring her.

"Okay," she says and goes back to cooking.

We go upstairs to Amelia's room and sit on his bed.

"Okay, what are you worst at, Aden?" Amelia asks, pulling out a bunch of schoolbooks.

"Um. . .Math. I suck at math," I say.

Myla takes out her books and sets them down. "I'm ready."

"'Kay," Amelia says, handing me a math book. "Shall we begin?"

"Yeah."

I open the book.

Way later when Mrs. Qiao got done with food/

"Kids! You can eat now!" Mrs. Qiao yells.

I stand up and go downstairs to get the food for us.

"Amelia! Myla! Come get your food!" she yells at them.

"I'm getting their food for them," I say.

"Oh, okay, you sure?" Mrs. Qiao asks.

"Yeah, I'm sure," I say, grabbing the plates.

I go back upstairs and set the plates down on Amelia's bed. "I'm back, as you can see."

"Okay, let's get eating, shall we?" Amelia says.

"Yeah, I guess," Myla says, taking a plate.

We eat then we play guess who online and then finally we all get showers.

After we get showers, we go to sleep.

"I love you guys," I say, then yawn.

"Same here," Myla says.

"I love you guys so much!" Amelia says, curling up in bed.

The next morning/

I wake up and get dressed for school.

I walk to school when my phone tweets.

I unlock it to see a text from Mom.

[Where were you last night?] Mom.

[At Amelia's place, why?] Me.

[You were supposed to do dishes last night mister.] Mom.

[Opps, sorry. I forgot about that, but hey, my math grades might go up.] Me.

[What do you mean?] Mom.

[Amelia taught me and Myla math for me language arts for Myla.] Me.

[You are supposed to tell me when you want to visit friends, Mister.] Mom.

[Fuck, sorry, I forgot about that, real sorry 😭.] Me.

[Alright just tell me next time, okay?] Mom.

[Love you kid🥰.] Mom.

[Love you too, bye👋.] Me.

Well, damn it, I missed the bus.