Me and a couple of my friends are having a sleep over slash party in my backyard. There is booze and music and we are planning an all-nighter. I only invited four friends, how it tripled in size I will never know. It began simple, with a can or two over a track of my favorite songs talking about boy stuff like normal. The five of us had plenty to say, about drugs, school and girls.

“So, you have a girlfriend yet Peg Leg?” asked Matt acting all sarcastic because he knew I didn’t have one, and yes, my nickname was Peg Leg. It’s a long story that ended in me being in a full leg cast for the summer, I can walk on it, but I mostly hop.

“No, do you?” I asked him trying to ditch the topic of me having a girlfriend. I put on a grin, that was just my way of telling him to back off. He didn’t get it. We were not the best of friends, Matt and I, it was all our dad’s fault for having a feud between each other for years over stupid neighbor stuff.

“Of course I do Peg, but I want to focus on you tonight, it is your birthday after all. Common’ just tell us, what’s new with the girlfriend hunt?” He smirked as he gulped his beer casually acting as if he is the potential leader of this group of friends.

“Ok, if you have to know. I’m interested in a girl in school, she wants to be friends, but don’t worry, I’m working on it. Can we drop the subject now?” I asked him, drawing my attention to the other three people staring at us as we casually argued over the subject. I opened a can of been and drank quickly trying to drain the already caused stress of my birthday.

“Peg, I have to call my mum to let her know I’m staying over, she doesn’t really know I’m here. She thinks I’m at the bowling alley with my cousin and his friends.” Sam said as he leaped off his seat and walked towards the door.

“Yea, the phone is in the front room, just ask my mother first to let her know.” I said, looking at Matt pulling a cigarette out from his pocket. “You can’t smoke here man, my mum with go crazy.” I demanded him to but it out. Ever since my mother caught me smoking she’s never been the same, she smokes herself but she would never want be to have such a bad habit.

“I’m sorry chill out! So she will let us drink but not smoke? That makes no sense.” he argued while putting out his cigarette on the wall. He smiled, drank then looked a the other two sitting across from him. “So, what’s with you two? Enjoying yourselves?” he asked sarcastically, grabbing a slice of pizza from the fresh box I placed on the small portable table in the middle of the four of us. The sun was setting over the distant mountains.

“I’m fine thanks I’m just waiting for the actual party to start.” George said grabbing a new can from the crate next to him. “I hope you don’t mind Peg, but I’ve invited some friends along, you know, for the extra company.” he added as he put on a squeamish smile as if he was waiting for a positive reply.

“How many friends are you talking about?” I asked, uncomfortable about the whole situation. Sam came back outside from the house and took his seat on the plastic furniture. He had a smile on his face as if to say his mother is allowing him to sleep over.

“Just about three or four. Their friends from school, you would know all of them of course.” he replied looking down at the floor with a strait face.


I grabbed some sticks and threw them onto the fire I built earlier with Sam. The night grew and several people from school arrived with more alcohol. George was right, I did know them from school. There were many social groups, including the popular people and the non-popular people. My backyard was full of people now, and the music was louder than ever. I pushed my way through the crowd of people to my back door. I went inside and called for my mother. No answer. I smiled, I knew she was asleep, I ran to my room and grabbed a box of cigarettes from under my bed. I ran out side, lit up a cigarette, and began to enjoy my party. A chance to let go from the stress from school, it was my birthday after all, I should be enjoying myself. I threw a cigarette at Matt, laughing as a I took a long deep breath from my cigarette. Its been a while since I’ve smoked, and was only going to do it this once then get rid of my secret habit. I began feeling drunk, extremely dizzy, and was in the mood to dance which I knew I was extremely bad at. I grabbed the first girl I saw and began to dance. I didn’t care that everyone was laughing at me, I was drunk and enjoying myself. The dancing continued for a while and eventually everyone passed out or left.

I opened my eyes. I had a splitting headache. The afternoon sun shone on my head blazing over the surrounding mountains, which only made my headache worse. I stood up from lying on half a sleeping bag which also two other people were also using as a bed and made my way to the house. On my short walk to the back door I managed to kick over a few beer cans, stomp out a few lit cigarettes, and stumble over a sleeping girl who I had know clue who she was. It was warmer in the house, my mother had already left for work and left a note on the dining room table.



Honey, I left for work, be back at four,
make sure the back is cleaned when I come home, ok.
hope you enjoyed yourself last night,
Lots of love,
Mum
Xoxox


I looked at the clock on the wall. C***! It was almost four. I had thirty minutes to clean the backyard and make sure everyone had gone home. I ran to the kitchen and grabbed a plastic bag from under the sink and began to pick up the empty cans of beer on the floor. The place was a mess, there were sleeping bodies everywhere. I woke up Sam and Matt, George wouldn’t get up and he threatened me if I tried to wake him again. He’s not a morning person. The bag was full, I tied the top and then threw it over the fence into the brush. I grabbed a brush and swept the used cigarettes into a corner, then scooped them into a plant. Almost everyone was awake now, and people began leaving. Thankfully, things were moving along smoothly. The only reason I was worried about not cleaning up and getting the people to leave before my mother came home was because my dad would follow soon behind her. He is an alcoholic, an aggressive scum bag who likes rules and order in his home. I wasn’t too afraid of him, except for the fact that I was.

Everything was cleaned up in the backyard, the people have all left except for George and Sam who were in my room playing video games while I finished cleaning. The patio furniture was all in place, the few gifts I have acquired lay on the dining room table. There was ten minutes spare time left, I was pleased, another reason not to be shouted at avoided. I ran to my room, down the hallway, up the stairs, then I noticed something. My parents bedroom door was opened, and there was light coming from the room. I opened the door and turned the main light off, then began to turn around only to find a shoe lying on the floor. It was covered in what I thought was blood, but it couldn’t be. My mother must have dropped something in one of her shoes, but why was there only one shoe here? I searched the room and found nothing. I then looked in the bathroom attached to the bedroom. There lying on the floor was a girl, a popular girl from my school. She looked as if she was sleeping but the blood surrounding her head proved otherwise.

I was terrified. Shocked. I had no idea what to do. I stood motionless, staring at the dead body in front of me. Could I go to prison? It wasn’t my fault? Should I call the police? These are the questions I’m dying to answer.