misplaced

Rossie, didn't know what to do.

She never really wanted to be Jen's best friend, but it was easy to see who was on Jen's mind, and it wasn't her.

Rossie stole a look on Jen's phone not so long ago when Jen was helping Rossie out, with the girls down at the dance studio.

Jen didn't delete any of those photos of Caitlin. Of course, Rossie wouldn't dare ask if Jen was still into Caitlin.

Actually, there was no IN or OUT.

Jen needed a friend right now, and Rossie was doing her best to be THAT FRIEND.

Jen could call her anytime. After all, Rossie had her own place. She'd had it for sometime now. All on her own, even if she was a high school dropout. She had her G.E.D. and two jobs.

While her roomie, Nic, was seeing the pink haired girl. He was out with her, every night and sometimes, never came home.

Summer could really be a place of solitude. She should have expected it. Yet, when she was alone, the past was more than just a ghost. It was full of demons that made her feel so sad and lonely. And sometimes, she felt quite like the old blind woman who would find her way to the laundromat.  She was alone too. No one to take care of her, even if she had the roommate from hell. Would Rossie have that life? Some day?

Rossie hated to get this way. And then Van died in the random shooting.

It broke her heart that she would never did quite know him. No reason too. Sure, she knew who he was. How they looked up to him at school.

He'd always been a dumb jock, as she recalled. Now, she felt somehow connected to him, even if she didn't see him that night at the party.

No, she'd been with Derrick. And now, she felt there was a reason he was here at the diner. What could that possibly mean?

Roman's time was almost up, and it was just getting good. Or the fact he was used to all the group sessions and people he'd met during his stay.

OK, there was this one girl that took his breath away. Jade. Naturally, she wasn't very receptive. In fact, she said nothing to him, weeks on end. Funny, how he wanted this to work with a strange girl, who wouldn't speak to him. Maybe he needed a challenge. That's all this was.

Something to look forward to when he got up. He was satisfied with the slightest thing. Like when they made eye-contact. Maybe he was beginning to be a stalker. Somehow, that made him smile more. But then again, maybe he was worse, instead of better.

He never thought of Caitlin. Actually, she never crossed his mind.

Even if it had been a miserable summer, there was one thing on Roman's mind. The hope he'd know Jade by the time he got out of here.