Chapter Three

My best friend, Andrea Postivich or as most people called her, Andie lived only a few minutes away. We met accidentally in high school, in the tenth grade and of all places. in the girl’s room. Three senior jocks surrounded her. One of them had her against the wall with a hand on her throat. Andie was thin and weak back then. It was before she started gymnastics and hanging out with me. I took a few steps closer with my fists clenched and said,“What the fuck’s going on? Get your hands off her.”

“Mind your own business,” the girl holding Andie said.

I cracked her across the jaw and knocked her on her ass with one punch. The others ran out as fast as they could.

Five years later we’re still best friends, we’re inseparable and now I needed her more than ever. She walked out of the front door as soon as I pulled up, as if she sensed something was wrong. She wore a Gators sweatshirt, and her long auburn hair glowed from the porch light. Andie put her arms around me, looked me dead in the eyes, and said,“What’s wrong?” We sat outside on a wooden bench swing and I told her the story. Her mouth stayed wide open. I put my head down, and said,“I couldn’t let him keep hurting them.”

“What’re you gonna do now? The cops?”

“The only person who knows I know you is Megan and she won’t rat me out. Can I stay here a couple of days?”

“Sure.”

“But, what’re you gonna do, Mar?”

“I’m thinking‘bout Atlanta. Maybe find a job waitressing or something. Why?”

“Well, can I go with you?”

“What about your mom?”

“She won’t give a shit.”

Andie was an only child and her mother, Agatha or Aggie, gave her everything she wanted. Aggie was a real nut job. She was always into some kind of cause, animal rights, human rights, abortion or drugs. She had erratic mood swings and would flip out, rip into Andie one second and seconds later, she’d be singing and calm. That’s where Andie got her hot and cold personality. Aggie also loved to party and had a revolving door on her bedroom. Andie mentioned our trip to her mother