New Kid

Homesick

  I really missed my hometown. I liked everyone I had met so far. Not one person here has even heard of Framlingham. I've only been here three weeks and I find it unbearable. The people are nice, including my host family. My parents arranged for me to have a personal driver. He is a friend of the family but has lived in the States for twenty years. I know my parents meant well and I was going off the deep end...
      It all started with a girl named Amy. I met her when I was twelve. She had blonde hair and four tiny freckles across her nose. Her eyes were blue/green. They changed with her mood and I was in love, or so I thought. I mostly saw Amy at school, she was a mate of a mate, if that makes sense, or friend, as Americans would say. Anyways we hung out with the same people. We even kissed once, though it was brief. I was walking her home one day after school. It was raining and I didn't want her to get  soaked so my umbrella came into good use. I was surprised that she kissed me. I didn't think she liked me that way, though she said I was a "sweet" boy. Over time, we fell away. That happens, I suppose. But I was constantly looking out for her, whether she knew or not.
Amy changed a lot. She was always pretty but now she was stunning. I knew several guys who " wanted" her, but I was naive enough to think Amy was too innocent. I heard more and more rumors that Amy was easy and one bloke bragged about her "skills". I threatened to beat anyone who said those things. But everyone told me to shut up. One guy asked me why I haven't shagged her yet. He got a bloody nose and I got a bruised hand.
    I knew Amy hung out with a bad crowd. I wasn't sure if the rumors were true. But I had to defend her because noone else would.
      I didn't hear from her much. Just a quick "hello" if Amy happened to be at school that day, passing in the halls. One night I got a text from her at 2:00 a.m. She wouldn't say what was wrong but she wanted me to meet her at a nearby cafe' at 7:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. I agreed but regretted it. We haven't talked in a year, not really but I had to be her friend. Most of the kids she hung around seemed like jerks. I guess I would never learn.
    I got to our meeting place exactly at 7:00. My mum didn't seem bothered that I was going to school early as I did so before to work on projects. I ordered tea and waited. Amy arrived at 7:15. Her eyes looked red and puffy like she had been crying all night. " Hey, so what's bothering you?" Amy didn't say a word. She just looked down at the table. I asked her if she wanted tea or coffee but she shook her head no. I reached out to grab one of her hands. " Come on, love." " You can tell me." Amy gently pulled her hand away. Tears started to fall. I couldn't handle seeing her cry. " Ed, I might be pregnant," she whispered. " Are you sure?" " You should tell your mum, you will have to see a doctor.." but Amy cut me off before I could finish. " Are you crazy?!" " Tell my mum who had me when she was 16, who loves beer and drugs more than me?!" " I think not!" The few people in the cafe' all stared at us. I waved my hand to let them know everything was okay. " I've been living with my grandmother for a few months, she would not be happy." " She is recovering from hip surgery so she has no business worrying after me. I tried to calm her down. I even offered to go with her to talk to her grandmother. She said she would think about it. She hugged me and said she felt better after talking to a good mate. I offered to walk with her to school but she said someone was picking her  up. I knew she wouldn't be at school...
    I only saw Amy one other time. She was at her locker, kissing some guy with purple hair. He pulled back, smacked her on the bottom, and told her to hurry. He would wait for her outside. Amy giggled but blushed when she saw I had been watching. She grabbed a few books and shoved them in her bag. " Hi Ed." "Hey, I just wanted to know how you are doing since,  last time" I managed to get out awarwardly. " I'm great." " I wasn't pregnant, just a false alarm." I was more relieved than she looked. " Great I'm glad." I smiled and started to walk away. Amy said goodbye and left to be with her boyfriend.
   I was glad Amy was okay but wondered why I couldn't have been the one kissing her. I wasn't jealous, the guy looked slimey. A real bloke. But I feared for Amy.  She seemed to be moving way too fast for me to keep up.
     Christmas break was here. I hung out with my mates and even got snogged New Year's Eve. She was cute and I forgot about Amy. Didnt seem right to be shagging someone and thinking about someone else.
     The first week back at school I heard terrible news. An announcement was made that Amy McDonnell had died during the holiday. Classes were dismissed for the rest  of the day. Some girls who knew Amy were crying in a huddle. Then I saw something that pissed me off! The guy with the purple hair was busy groping some girl who looked like Amy a little. He was really into their make-out session because he didn't even jump when I slammed my hand against the locker. " Hey, show some respect!" The guy laughed and whispered in the girls ear. His hands grabbed her ass as she moaned her approval. " I said, show some fecking respect!" This got his attention. "Look I don't know you and I don't want to, so bugger off!" " You were busy groping Amy a few weeks ago and now your hands are all over her!" The girl looked a little hurt but still snuggled up  to the guy. " Amy was my friend and you have no respect!" "Look mate,  Amy was fun, we shagged about twenty times , it was good but Amy was all over every guy." " Weed, pills, she got it." " She was a slut!" The guy spit to prove his point. I lost it. I began punching and kicking. He was taller and bigger but I moved faster. Teachers still left in the building came to break it up. We were both given detention for a week. I knew Amy had problems but that guy didn't seem to give a bloody hell. Maybe nice guys do finish last. ..
   The next few months were a blur. I began drinking every day. Soon that wasn't enough. I got some pot from the purple-haired guy, whose name I learned was Drew. He laughed when I told him what I wanted but he didn't question me further. My parents knew something wasn't right with me but left me alone.
      Then one day my parents announced their big plans for me. I tokd them no chance in bloody hell but I knew they were worried. I told them about Amy and how she trusted me when she had noone else. My mom looked sad as she told me she knew about Amy and she had been twelve weeks pregnant.  I knew about the drug overdose though. My mum suggested counseling but I refused. We talked for an hour or so and I agreed to go to the States as a foreign exchange student. I would leave t he end of the summer.  Other details had to be arranged but I knew it was for the best. I still missed Amy but I knew even I couldn't have helped her.