"Because you're being stupid!" The dam was open and there was no closing it now. "You're repeating the history of your parents, don't you see that? Your dad knocked up your mom, didn't really love her and then left her high and dry when he couldn't take it anymore! You can't coast through life, Kent! At some point in your life you're going to have to stand up for yourself." I shook my head as I stalked over to my suitcase and threw my bras in.

Kent stood there for the longest time. The tears had already spilled from his eyes. He was never one for confrontation, ever. There was only that one time that he had a confrontation that I saw. At our first high school party a guy was picking on me and Kent punched him in the face.

His face became solemn as the emotion faded from his eyes. The tears still stained his cheeks as he turned away from me.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Elly. I hope you have a good summer.“

When he shut the door I reached for my stereo and turned it up loud, loud enough to cover the sobs that racked my body when he walked away from me. I felt, in my heart, that it was forever.

Chapter Nineteen

Fall 2003 - Senior Year

I glanced around the packed bar, a smile on my glossy lips. A guy dressed like a cowboy wolf-whistled and put his arm around me as I tried to get to the bar. "Princess Leia, will you be my slave?" I laughed and held tightly onto the golden chain that was around my neck.

"Not tonight, cowboy." Luckily for me, the men had plenty of eye candy tonight and moved on quickly when I showed my disinterest.

I was almost to the bar when I tried to squeeze past a nurse and a maid.

"Elly!" The nurse's voice made me jump and look at the face. It was Jen, and holy shit for six months pregnant she looked very...unpregnant. "Who are you supposed to be? A belly dancer?"

There was a tall dark-haired person behind her wearing a lab coat who turned around after Jen spoke, his hands in his pockets. Kent looked as good as ever and it made me a little bitter to admit that. I had hoped that after our fight and our summer hiatus that he’d look like shit. He was wearing a lab coat with a nice polo under it, dress pants and shiny shoes. Around the neck of the lab coat was a stethoscope.

I cleared my throat as I met Kent's eyes with my own. "I bet Kent knows."

“Princess Leia, the Sex Slave, of course.” Kent offered a little smile as he stood there but I didn’t return it. “It looks good on you,” he said. The comment got a nudge from Jen to his ribs.