Greg and Jesse were best friends growing up. They were also good friends with a girl named Hilary in elementary school. She hung out with the two guys everyday after school. Greg’s mom, Mrs. Raposo, and Hilary’s mom used to go to high school together and were the best of friends. Greg and Hilary were almost like brother and sister.

But when they got to high school, they separated and grew apart. All they did was smile in the halls when they passed each other. She spent less and less time with him and Jesse and never went to his house anymore. Greg had always liked her; however, she always had some feelings for Jesse. But after freshman year in high school, Jesse moved into the city and they never saw him anymore.

Her personality didn’t change, but she didn’t have many friends anymore, let alone talk to the ones she did have. She never seemed to have new clothes, or look “together”. Whenever Greg saw Hilary, she always had a quiet look, like she had a secret or something. Both Greg and Jesse knew her mom had died, and felt really bad for her, but never brought it up around her. Neither knew much about her father either.

It was Christmas Eve, also Hilary’s 17^th birthday. Greg and Jesse were 17 also, and all three seniors in high school. At Greg’s house, he was playing board games with his three little sisters while his mom made a delicious family dinner. His dad was setting the table. It was a seemingly perfect family. Although Hilary’s was a bit different…

Her house was empty. No one was home but her. Around 10, Mr. Dock, Hilary’s dad, came home, more drunk than usual. Hilary tried locking the door to her bedroom, but nothing worked. He was banging on it down yelling at her to clean the kitchen.

“Hilary get downstairs and clean that kitchen! What have you been doing all day? Why weren’t you in school!?” Mr. Dock yelled on a rampage.

“I don’t have school dad, it’s Christmas, also my birthday, not that you would remember anything like that….” She said testing him.

“Don’t you use that attitude with me missy!” He swung to hit her but she moved out of the way.

“You’re drunk, just go away” she insisted.

“Shut up! You need a good beatin!” Mr. Dock slapped her hard across her face. She felt a sharp sting through the length of her right cheek.

“Just leave me alone! Please! I don’t need to be beat….I need a mom,” Hilary started crying.

“Don’t you start talking about your mother, she left you, and she hated you and never wanted you!” He lied.

“That’s not true! I saw you! I saw you! You think I was only 3 and never would remember, but I did! I did! I saw!” she had tears all over her face, “You killed her you freak! I remember everything like it was yesterday! You were wearing your big work boots. You came home drunk, like always, and mom was in the kitchen making dinner. You thought she moved your newspaper from the table, and you got mad. You started yelling and throwing things. She was cutting up steak for dinner with a knife……….”

“How the hell do you remember that? You we’re three years old!” Mr. Dock was shocked.

Hilary left her father standing there. She walked out of the house and ran the whole way to the park in tears. She found a bench and sat there, face in her hands, silently sobbing to herself. She saw a shadow walking on the sidewalk, and at first she was scared, thinking it was her dad coming to find her to hit her. The person walked by, then backed up and stopped right in front of her.

Greg was a tall good looking guy with a nice body. He had brown hair. Jesse was average height, blonde, and the greenest eyes. Hilary was a cute, blonde/blue eyed girl. She was perfect in everyway: grades, looks, and everything except her embarrassing secret about her dad.