The biology project was due very soon, several days actually. Danny was talking more and was getting well in both his bullet wound and his own physical appearance. His choppy short hair was growing, his clothes were clean, he looked like a whole new person but still had a childish mentality and he still had his collar on. The guys decided to walk me and Victoria to school.

"I don't get why we still need to be walked to school," Victoria complained.

"You and Emma are still kids," Sam replied.

"I'm 18 Sam!"

"Yeah, for a whole week and a half, Emma's 18th is still weeks away."

We stopped in front of the entrance of the school.

"Goodbye now, have a great day."

Victoria kissed Sam on the cheek, when she kissed Danny the same way, his eyes widened and he touched his cheek. I stayed behind watching his reaction while Victoria went inside.

"What?"

"She kissed me."

He's never had a kiss in his life, that made my heart hurt.

"How did it feel?"

"Wet."

"Also?"

"Nice," Danny said changing from shock to a grin.

"Wet nice..."

I went inside the school fighting tears.

In one of my classes without Victoria, the bell rung for the next class with her. I was stopped by a girl, Stella, a rich little brat.

"How goes it crack baby?"

"I'm alright," I replied ignoring her insult.

I tried my best but she wasn't taking the hint.

"I heard your mother left, she abandoned you."

"Just a small holiday."

"Holiday from you, obviously."

Bitch, shut up!

"Don't your parents go on holidays too, like uhh...Hawaii or Gwam?"

"They take me with them!"

"When?"

She hesitated, I guess they do abandon her.

"I've been to those places before."

"I guess they abandon you too."

I started walking but Stella pushed me against some lockers.

"What the fuck did you say to me!?"

"The same thing you assumed about me."

"You cunt, you deserve nothing but bad things, you deserve to rot in the streets on drugs just like your mother," she hissed.

Then, a staff member passed by.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing Mrs.," we replied in unison.

She continued on down the corridor. We went to our next class, luckily not late.

I had homework in all my classes that day. Me and Victoria were helping each other with our homework.

"What's the dumbest assignment you've ever got?" I asked.

"Umm...last year, we got that twenty paged packet of reading questions, it's when you read a passage and answer a set of questions to see of you're paying attention. It wasn't the questions or passages that were dumb, it was amount we were given to complete over a two day period."

"Homework over weekends or holiday breaks are just bullshit."

"Language!" She whisper yelled.

"Sorry...anyway, I remember that packet, I didn't do em at all it was so dumb."

"You're lucky you even passed that class."

"...Vic, why can't we have lenient teachers here in the UK. In the states, you guys slack off."

"Oh that's not true at all, I never slacked. I once had a teacher who was so strict for primary school, if we didn't face forward while he lectured, we'd be written up."

"Poor you, that's worse than any of my teachers, and I got caned by every one of them."

"Haha," we giggled.

Our giggling stopped by a knock on the door. Victoria got up and answered, it was Danny.

"Sam said help set the table," he said.

"Ok, thanks Danny, we'll be out in a second."

We set the table, said grace, and started eating.

"How's your project coming along?" Sam asked.

"Great so far, it's finally gonna be due next week, we've been waiting forever."

"It doesn't seem much, you told me to buy a bottle of some drink for it."

"Kombucha, it's a fermented tea drink. It's being stored in our closet."

"Why?"

"It'll form a culture of bacteria and yeast, that's the Biology part."

"Oh ok."

"It's even teacher approved," I said holding my thumb up.

"It does sound fascinating but I don't feel comfortable drinking yeast," Sam grinned.

"It actually has good health benefits, it is an Asian drink after all," Victoria said.

I looked at Danny who was quiet and staring at his plate of food.

"You ok Danny, you look sad?" I asked.

"Yes," he nodded.

"Something on your mind?" Sam asked.

"No," he shook his head.

I just shrugged but kept an eye on him.

The next afternoon, after the guys picked me and Victoria up, I wanted to make a pit stop.

"Sam, I would like to pay my mum a visit, she may be home by now."

"Yes that's fine."

We arrived at my flat.

"You want us to go in with you, I would love to meet your mother?" Victoria asked.

"I don't think so, she's probably on something her new boyfriend gave her."

"I always had sympathy for substance addicts, they may just feel ashamed to ask for help. Maybe we can help her get some treatment," Sam said.

"She's very hard to persuade, I tried more than once to get her to quit."

"This'll be worth a try Emma, trust me."

The four of us walked in the building. I knocked on the door.

"Mum, you home?"

The door opened, she pulled me into a hug.

"Emma, I was just about to call you at your friend's address. Is that her?"

"Yes ma'am, I'm Victoria, my step father and legal guardian Sam."

"Nice to finally meet you, come in, I just put the kettle on."

We walked in.

"Mum, there's someone else I'd like you to meet."

Danny was pale and shaking he was so shy, I told him about what a bitch she can be. He waved anyway.

"This is Danny, my other best friend. It's ok Danny. He's just very shy."

"I'm nervous too, it's fine you guys."

Mum looked jittery and flushed, she was on drugs alright.

"Mum, I would like to speak to you about something."

"I don't think we should discuss whatever I'm assuming you're wanting to discuss in front of your friends. I don't feel very well Emma."

"That's what we wanna discuss, consider this your intervention."

"Emma please, not today, my head hurts."

"I want you to live to see me grow up."

"I am, you're almost of age, you're graduating this spring, you've grown."

She walked back to the kitchen.

"Anybody want some tea?"

"No thank you ma'am," Sam and Victoria said.

Danny just shook his head no.

"Emma?"

"Maybe a small cup, thank you Mum."

Mum sat across from us.

"With all due respect, it's more common than you think that people who use are ashamed of getting help," Sam said.

"Emma, why did you tell them about our family affairs?"

"Because they're family to me, I had hopes in the future you would get your life together, but it's not gonna happen unless you actually do it very soon."

"It's helped me through your father's sudden death, I'm happy."

"But your jitters and headaches-"

Sam patted me on my arm.

"Let me butt in for a minute. I lost my wife in a car accident when Victoria was very small, I know what it's like to lose someone you love. I never resorted to addiction. I resorted to something I love doing, playing piano and tuning them for a living. I may be blind but I've known my way around a piano since I was a young man. Addiction not only affects you but your loved ones, especially Emma. She really loves you, and I know damn well you love her back. It is hard to get some help even after years of addiction. The key is a good support system of family and friends, we'll be your support, all you gotta do is admit you need help."

Mum broke down crying.

"You're right Sam, I do need help."

We all stood up, Mum hugged me.

"Emma, I'm so sorry, I've been a shitty mother!"

I started crying to, I waited for this for a long time.

"You just needed the right words of encouragement Mum. Sam's a wise man."

We still hugged while I whispered a teary thank you to Sam. She rested her head on my shoulder.

"Mum, I forgive you. You'll be just as good of a mother as before the drugs. Let go, we gotta go get you checked in."

I started to let go but she was still as a doll. Her lips were blue.

"Mum?"

I gently shook her. My happy tears turned to terror.

"Victoria call an ambulance!"

She did so.

"Emma, Victoria, what's going on?"

"She was overdosing all this time!"

We silently prayed until the ambulance came. But, she was pronounced dead by the time she got to the hospital. Danny never stopped holding my hand until it was bedtime that night. That night wasn't a school night because it was a Friday, the weekend before the projects were due. I was in the living room because I couldn't sleep. I was just sitting on the couch trying to dose off when I felt someone touch my shoulder, I shot up, it was Danny in his pajamas.

"Emma, I'm sorry."

"It's ok, you were concerned, me, after my mother dying in my arms, moping about in the middle of the night."

I sat back down, he sat next to me.

"Emma...I'm sorry she died."

"Thanks. We were so close to getting her help. She just..." I snapped my fingers.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Again, thanks Danny. I'm questioning whether or not she actually knew she was overdosing to the point of death so she could call and say she wants to see me. Or she actually didn't expect it, she was never hospitalized for overdosing before. I don't know Danny, she was nippy and snappy like a turtle. I couldn't tell if she was serious, she cried but she guilt tripped me before: I don't understand what she's going through, as if her dead husband wasn't my father at all. I'm sorry Danny, I'm venting aren't I?"

He nodded.

"It's ok...you do it every time you come see me."

"I know. Can I ask you a question, I don't know if you know the answer to it?"

He was listening clearly.

"Why can't I have nice things?"

He looked at me like I pulled a rose out of my ass.

"You do!"

"What are they?"

"Me...me...Sam and Victoria!"

I tried holding back tears.

"Danny, if I look on the bright side of this whole mess, I'm grateful, because if Mum never sent me to Uncle Bart's every chance she got.......I never would've met you."

I let them fall.

"I'm glad I met you Danny, although our communication was poor, you were so sweet to me, you're a very sweet guy Danny, you've been trying to talk more and say things from your heart."

He pulled me into a hug.

"Me too Emma...me too."

We hugged for a while longer until I was ready to go back to bed.