Good and Gone. Chapter 1

I'm sorry if the writing clumps together. I don't know whats going on. The format messed up, I guess.

Puke is disgusting. Have you ever thrown up into a toilet and just watched it get broken down by water? It's revolting. It made me wanna puke again. 

So I did. There wasn't much to throw up, so it was mainly dry heaves. Horrid dry heaves. I looked around in the stall as I wiped my mouth. There were random conversations in sharpie, graffiti, and chipped paint bits. I got off the germ covered floor and adjusted my skinny jeans. I pulled the lock and pushed the stall door. My gaze instantly went to my reflection as I made sure I looked okay.

Bright green eyes sprinkled with gold stared back. Which was weird, since I have dark brown eyes.

"Holy s**t dude, you scared me," I said to the boy at the sink counter. I moved to the sink and pulled my messenger bag to my front to get my toothbrush and toothpaste.

"You alright, man?" He asked. I paused and looked at him. He had those beautiful eyes, a baby face, and a jagged hair cut.

"I, uh, have a condition.. It's fine." The guy shifted and leaned his back against the counter. He wore a blue/black checkered button up with a black T-shirt and sluggish skinny jeans that so low I could see a small sliver of olive skin and little curly hairs. He was actually kind of hot. 

"Bulimia." My heart stopped and I felt my palms start to sweat. 

I was skinny. Like showing my ribcage skinny. I had a thigh gap the size of Texas and my hip bones poked out like I had my own Grand Canyon. But no one really thought about it, because usually it's girls who have bulimia. And if I'm caught, when I tell them I have a condition, they think its a medical problem, like an ulcer or some s**t, instead of mental.

"About 10% of bulimics are males, and they all either have a history of depression, used to be fat, aren't getting any, or are trying to fit into society's image." I rubbed my fingers against the dirty counter. I kept my head down and closed my eyes. "Which is it?"

Silence enveloped us. After a minute passed, I stole a glance at him. Those eyes were gazing down at me. Patiently waiting. I opened my mouth to talk, but I closed it as soon as I felt tears swelling. I turned away to walk out the door, but this guy caught my wrist and twisted me to him. I could almost feel his breath against my frail hair. Tears were now freely falling down my face.

"Hey, hey... Don't do this. It's fine." He pulled me into a tight hug. "I can make the bad things go away." A sob wretched through me.

"What if the bad thing's me?" I asked as I looked up at him. I pulled away as the school bell rang.

"C'mon, I don't know you, but if it helps, you're attractive as f**k. Even when you're crying," he told me. I let a strangled laugh out and put a hand over my mouth. "What's your name?" I shifted my glance over to him. 

"Can we not get my name and reputation in this?" His smile faltered a bit.

"I won't tell anyone. Though I don't expect you to trust me, you just met me." I closed my eyes and held my breath out of habit. I flicked my nail under another a few times. I looked back at him, at that unbroken stare, and broke.

"It's a stupid name," I said. 

"Oh c'mon, nothing's more stupid than Pierson," he said as he took his sunglasses off the collar of his shirt. I bit my lip and stared at his beautifully crafted hands tracing the bends of his sunglasses.

"River." His expression didn't change for a second. Then he smiled wide.

"Well, River, I'd love to stay and talk more. But I missed the bus and if I wanna get home in time for tomorrow, I might wanna start walkin'," Pierson said as he laughed, his teeth pearly white. I closed my eyes again. S**t...did I want to show him that side of me? He started to walk away. I groaned.

"I, uh, could drive you home. Since, you know, you missed it, talking to me..." I muttered. He stopped and turned, thinking it over.

"I don't wanna be any trouble, but I think my mom will go into cardiac arrest if I'm not home soon," he offered. Then he winked and said, "And you do kinda owe me for being all awesome and making you laugh earlier." I sighed and pulled out my keys.

We walked out of the boy's room and started on the way to the student parking lot. A few people turned heads at the sight. I wasn't sure if Pierson was just popular, or if it really was odd for me to be seen with someone.

As we crossed into the parking lot, I started out towards my car. 

"Um, dude... Holy s**t. We are NOT heading to that 2010 Lamborghini Murciélago Coupe! Oh hell no!" I glanced at him and hit the unlock button. The lights flashed and the f*****g pricks that were sitting on my car glanced around. They didn't see us, so I hit the button that started the engine.

"Get the f**k off my car," I told the a******s as we got in distance. They scrambled and I unlocked my car. I slid in at the same time Pierson did. He ran his hand along the door and onto the dashboard. I stared at him, waiting for him to close the door. He looked like he was in heaven, which was the usual reaction when someone was even close to my car. He looked at me and smiled.

"I could kiss you right now." I rubbed my palm against the steering wheel.

"I,uh..." He shut his door.

"I'm kind of scared to tell you this, but I live at Susan Drive," Pierson told me. "Know where that is?" I nodded. It was a trailer park. I peeled out of the parking lot in that direction. He was staring at me unbelieving.

 Ugh, goddamn it. I bet he thought I was a f*****g spoiled rich kid.

"I bet the money you spend on the gas is ridiculous!" He shouted over my loud music. I turned it down and shrugged, frowning at the a*****e in front of me going slow as balls.

"I only get to drive this every Friday. Any other time, I drive my Nissan," I said as I slipped in the next lane just as the a*****e was about to. I flipped him off as I passed him. "I still have to spend about $150 on gas for this thing every month though. It's more of a burden than its worth I think." It was silent for a few. "I, uh, hope you don't think of me as the spoiled rich kid who does pukes every time he doesn't get what he wants."

"Of course not! Oh but s**t, if I had a Lambroghini, my life would be complete," he said as he messed with the seat adjustments. "I'd die a happy man." That just made me feel worse. I sighed as I pulled up onto Susan Drive. "It's Lot #7." I nodded and eased my way into the parking spot. "Sorry for the trouble. I really am. Do you wanna come in?" I started to shake my head when a woman came outside cautiously.

"Who is it?" She asked loudly over my quiet engine. I bit my lip as Pierson opened the door and told her it was him. "Oh Pier, you scared the s**t out of me! Who is this? Why weren't you on the bus? Oh I'm being rude! Does she want to come in?"

Why do people automatically assume I'm a girl? A sports car. How does girl even compute?

Pierson gave me a pleading look. I groaned and undid my seatbelt. I stiffly got out and locked my car. I shifted awkwardly from my toes to my heels as Pierson and I started to walk inside with his mother, or whoever this woman was.

"Oh honey, I am so sorry for calling you a girl. Pierson typically hangs out with girls since all the guys are scared of him!" The woman had excessive makeup on and curled hair. But she was wearing a night gown. Wait, did she say guys were scared of Pierson?

"Guys just stay away like they'll catch some disease from just hanging out and talking!"

"Mom please," Pierson moaned. "I'm sorry River, this is my mom, Rose." I looked from him to her and gave a polite smile.

"What a coincidence, that's what I call my Murci," I said quietly. Pierson opened the screen door for his mom, then me.

"Just deal with my family, I know they're crazy and awkward..." He whispered to me as he let the screen door shut and slammed the front door. I nodded as he gestured to the love seat. I sat down quietly. It seemed like the couch curled around you. It was ugly as hell, but comfortable. 

Plaid was the theme of the living room centered around a love seat and a recliner and probably a 17" tv. The walls were chipped and there was even a hole in it.

Pierson sank down next to me and put his arm on the back of the couch.

"So are you okay?" He asked me as his mom left muttering something about cookies. I peered at him and nodded. "Are you sure?"

"I just.. At my house-" His gaze twisted and he interrupted me. 

"We'll talk about this later," he told me and took a plate from his mom. She smiled and sat on the recliner. She was actually really pretty, for a girl. 

"So..." She started. "Are you Pierson's boyfriend?"

"MOM." I felt my heart start racing and my whole body felt on fire. I knew my face was red. Rose three up her hands in surrender.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. So River, I bet you live in a mansion! What's that like?" She asked. Her grin looked like it was gonna split like her face.

"I, um..." I shifted on the seat and looked at my nails, flicking them.

"Mom, I think you left something in the kitchen. You mind?" Pierson growled. It wasn't a scary growl. Actually, it was pretty sexy.

S**t. What?

"Alright, I can take a hint." Rose stood and started to leave. "Just remember honey, always be safe and wear a condom-"

"MOM, LEAVE!" Pierson's arm found its way back to his side as his mom finally left. "I am SO sorry.. Oh god, she freaked you out. Im so sorry.." I lifted my head and showed him I was laughing. "You think it's funny? I have to LIVE with that!" I nodded because I just couldn't speak.

"I like when parents make jokes and try to be cool." He shook his head and put his arm back.

"Here, eat a f*****g cookie," he said as he shoved a cookie in my hands. I tried to shove it back. "Don't make me force it down your throat." I shook my head and leaned away as he tried to put it in my mouth. His arm closed in on me and brought me close to him. I resisted lightly, mainly because moving a lot made me feel sick. I felt the sudden taste of chocolate chip on my lips. I blushed as I saw Pierson had the cookie in his mouth and was persistently pushing it inside my mouth as his arms circled tightly against my torso.  I reluctantly ate the goddamn cookie. His nose was touching mine when I was chewing.

"Not so bad, right?"

"I'm bulimic, not anorexic," I muttered. He smiled.

"Yeah, but after you've tasted all your meals in reverse, I figure it can e kinda sickening to eat the food again," Pierson replied. I looked down, but he caught my chin and made me look into his green eyes again. "Why do you do it?" That moment made my breath hitch and tears swell for the second time today.

"I... I better get going. My stepdad will kill me if he knew I was here," I whispered. Before he could question me further, his mother walked in. We both split apart like two cells in mitosis.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but are you staying for dinner? I don't know if we have enough pork chops." I stood and shook my head.

"Actually, I was just saying I need to get going. Thanks so much for the cookies. I, uh.. It was nice to meet you," I said politely. She gave one of those wide grins.

"Oh honey, it was my pleasure! You are welcome ANY time! Pierson walk him out."

As I started my car, he rubbed my arm. "She's right, you can come anytime. We should hang out sometime. Here, give me your number." He handed me a prepaid phone. I struggled, but I managed to finally get my number into his contacts. "I'll text you." I nodded and he shut the door after me. As I pulled out, he waved to me goodbye. I felt my heart thumping the whole way home.