I D E N T I T Y

The Dangers of Hope

Kevin's POV:

When I get home from school I slam my backpack down in front of the door and head to the kitchen.

"Mom?" I call out.

No answer.

When I reach the small kitchen I notice a piece of paper taped to the fridge. It reads:

Probably won't be home till late, working a double shift tonight. Leftovers from last night are in the fridge, heat them up in the microwave if you get hungry!
Mom

Putting the note down, I sigh. She's almost never home anymore. She's trying to earn enough money for us to move but the moving fund always ends up disappearing in exchange for food or something for school.

I pop a small portion of meatloaf into the microwave, making sure to leave some for my mom. The microwave ticks and I close my eyes. You could say that today was exactly how I expected it to be.

And that's not a good thing.

Yes, I expected Peyton to abandon me as soon as we were halfway to the school parking lot. I mean why wouldn't she? She's the most popular girl in school, again, and everyone loves her.

Meanwhile I'm the school freak everyone hates and tries to stay away from. And sooner or later Peyton will figure out why and she'll more than likely never speak to me again.

How do I know this?

Because it happens

every

single

time.

Beep! Beep!

I unclench my eyes and open the beeping microwave. Sitting down at the table, I chew my meatloaf and think. I hate school, like absolutely despise it. And not because of the learning, that's my favorite part, it's the people, rumors, and the truths.

The stupid, terrible, awful truth.

Why can't my life just be a lie? That'd be easier than the truth.

I wish I were like Peyton, with a second chance. She may see her double identity as a curse but I'd see it as a blessing. A chance to forget. A chance to start over. To be the Kevin I used to be, the one that didn't have such a crappy life.

Peyton

Jealousy surges throughout my body. She has everything and yet she doesn't even realize it! She may not remember anything but she still has a mother who is always there, friends that like her no matter what, and a boyfriend that loves her deeply.

She's had a tough life too, remember her father. A small voice tells me.

My face twists. And my father left, who was there for me when that happened?

But she's your friend.

Is she? As soon as everyone's watching she turns her back. And no matter how much I expected it I'm still angry.

So angry.

Why has she been acting so weird lately? So...different. She's acting just like the old Peyton and she thinks that nobody notices that she's pretending. But I noticed and I'm mad. Doesn't she get it? Olivia is a part of her now, someone that she just can't get rid of.