Excerpt: Summer Fades To Fall

“Late.”

“Early.” I retorted and turned around.

The boy shrugged and pushed the door closed, “Difference in opinion.”

“Shocking as usual,” Sarcasm dripped from my voice. I dropped into one of the chairs in the corner of the room and he followed suit. We sat in silence. Loud party music filtered through the ceiling from what was no doubt a crammed party upstairs. I crossed my legs and played with a strand of hair that had somehow escaped my pony tail. He sat completely still, his head tilted at an angle, two fingers pressed to the side of his head. In the gloom it was impossible to tell if his eyes were opened or closed.

“Hannah?” he asked softly.

“Yes.”

“Drugs, alcohol or a boy?”

“All of the above.” The words came out in a whisper.

“So you’re here.”

“Yes.” My palm pressed against the chair in agitation.