The Up Hill Battle

20. Late Afternoon- Tree Hill, North Carolina- January 12th

MIA POV

Schools started again. I'm doing good so far in my classes. I even got a part time job at a bookstore not far from Campus. I'm always reading or helping people find books. The plus side of it all according to Lena is I get 5% discount on all merchandise, Comics included. I actually enjoy it. It's pretty mundane work, but I enjoy it. I haven't done anything wrong so far. I mean if you call scanning the wrong barcode wrong. The store has stickers on the front of some books with a barcode which has a new price. I sometimes forget to look at the cover to check for that sticker, but I can over-ride it easily. I usually catch it before I tell the customer to go ahead and insert there card into the machine.

"Hey, I didn't know you worked here?" I looked up from putting books away to see Sawyer.

"Yeah, I started after Christmas," I said. She looked at me a bit shyly and walked over to me.

"About that, I just wanted to thank you. I mean..."

"For not telling your parents you were drunk," I said. She nodded. "I still can't believe they fell for the whole, saw her walking home crap."

"I think they were just happy you seemed to care," Sawyer said, looking at me.

"I do," I said putting a book on the shelf. I sighed, "I don't hate you," I said, "I don't particularly like you, but I don't hate you. I just don't like you're attitude and I don't like when people mess with AJ. Lena can handle herself most times, AJ's a social wallflower."

"Still, thanks," she said and I nodded. I still can't believe that of all people I end up running into at a Teen Club in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, its Sawyer.

Zeb and I were dancing with each other, smiling, laughing. We were just moving to the music. I had turned around for my back to be against Zeb when I stopped dancing, when I noticed someone. She was dancing. The guy she was with was grinding on her, his hand under her shirt, going up towards her breast. Another guy smiling coming towards her. She covered her mouth and pushed away. I saw her walk outside, I took Zeb's hand going outside. I saw her blonde hair and grabbed her shoulder to turn her around.

"Are you kidding me," I said. I looked at Zeb who looked a bit shocked too and worried. I looked at the time and then at her. She looked too happy, to sloppy even.

"We should go, I'll get our things," Zeb said. I checked her pockets bringing out a number slip. I handed it to him and he walked back inside. After a minute he came back out and I dragged her with us.

"Hey, where are you going? We were having fun," I heard a guy say. I turned around glaring at the person.

"Fun's over," I stated, I looked at her shaking my head, "For like ever." Zeb and I walked away from the Teen Club.

"You're going to fast," she said.

"What are you even doing here Sawyer?" I yelled looking at her. "Here of all places, high as a kite."

"I'm not high, I just had a few shots at the beach before my friends and I came here," she explained. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair.

"Seriously, what friends? Where are they?" I asked angrily. She didn't get to answer because she turned around and threw up. I held her hair as she did. When she was done she just looked like a kicked puppy.

We walked towards my car stopping at a liquor store. Inside we got water, gum, and mouthwash. Before we even made it to my car, Sawyer through up again, this time in a trash can. Thank god, the guy at the Liquor store gave us two bags. I am not cleaning up puke from my car.