Everything

It took everything she had not to fall apart that year, even though the world she once knew was in that process. Her parents, a loving couple married for 20 years, had surprised everyone by announcung their divorce. Three months later, she was expected to welcome the new man in her mother's life. A month after that, her father announced he was getting married. She wasn't able to deal. Her life slowly began to deteriorate before her eyes. She watched her grades plummet, her friends desert her and her family begin to clash. Her once comfortable and stable life, was gone.

"Pull yourself together, girl," her friend Beth had said to her one summer day.

"You just don't get it, Beth. My family meant everything to me. My father was my best friend, he helped me so much. Now I only see him every other week. Then, when I'm there, we usually don't talk because he's either at work or out with his new slut," she told her, wiping a tear from her brown eye.

"Listen to me, things are going to get better. I promise. You just need hold your head above the water, kick your feet and pray to God you don't drown. That's what I'm here for. Think of me as your own personal life guard."

She laughed at her friend's words. Beth was one of the best swimmers in the school, almost all of her advice had swimming analogies.

"I can try."

"Start by coming to my party. A bunch of people are going to be there."

"Like who?"

"Sarah, Nalani, Carla... uuummm... Jeff..."

"Jeff? Which Jeff?"

"B. You know, that kid that hangs with Sarah and them."

"Oh, that one."

"Yeah. It should be an interesting crowd. Come on, promise me you'll be there."

"Fine, I promise."

The pair walked over to their cars, and were surprised to see two people standing there. It was two guys from school. One looked familiar from the distance, the other, she didn't know well.

"Steve!" she cried as she got closer, realizing it was her chemistry partner.

"Hey there, how are you? What a coincidence seeing you here."

"You know I'm constantly looking for something new to read. Where better to find a book than the library?"

"Good point. Oh, this is Jeff, I don't know if the two have you have met. Jeff, this is..."

"I know who she is, man. I've met her briefly before, at the last wrestling match," he replied in a rough tone, smirking at her.

"Oh, that was you? I didn't recognize you without the spandex," she laughed.

"So, you going to Beth's party?"

"I'm forcing her," Beth replied for her.

"Tell you what," Jeff said, "if she doesn't show up, you give me permission to drive to her house and drag her there."

"Granted."

"You don't even know where I live tough guy," she said.

"No. But I'm sure I can get directions."

"Well, you know what... oh, excuse me," she said as her phone began to ring a Disturbed song. "Hello? Hey Ma, what's wrong? You're... but... wait-- Dad's what? When? Where?" Her head began to spin again. Around her, Beth was saying goodbye and Steve was walking away. For some reason, Jeff remained where he was. "NO! Mom, please, don't... I don't believe... he can't be." She sat on the ground, trembling, an arm slid around her shoulder. She cried into it as she hung up the phone.

"It's going to be OK, just relax, breath," a gentle voice was whispering to her, holding her closer. She looked up at the speaker and was taken aback by the blue eyes that gazed at her. She wiped her tears away and attempted to smile.

"I'm OK, Jeff." She pushed him lightly away from him.

"What's going on?"

"My father decided he was going to opt out of his parental responsibilities. He ran away to God knows where with some bitch he met a month ago. He left my mom a letter saying he was through paying child support and that they couldn't make him if the couldn't find him. The bastard ruined everything." She stopped. She hadn't meant to tell him that. She hardly knew him, yet was spewing her business out like he was her best friend. What was about this guy that made him so easy to talk to?

"I'm so..."

"I have to go," she said, cutting him off.

"But-"

"It was nice to meet you. I hope to see you again."

"Beth's party. Don't forget, I get to come force you there if you don't show up."

"Yeah... right."

He looked at her for a second and then handed her a piece of paper.

"If you ever need someone to talk to, call me. I'll listen."

"Thanks Dr. Phil," she said, pocketing the paper.

"No jokes. I may not be able to advise you, but I can sure as hell listen."

"See you."

"Bye."

She drove away, blasting her Bleeding Through cd. She watched Jeff in the rearview mirror, and decided that, maybe she would go to the party. At least she knew there was one person there she would be able to handle.

The party date came quickly, but she was unsure as to whether it was a good idea for her to go. Things had gone downhill from the day at the library. Her mother had been sent to the hospital for cancer treatments, her brother had been arrested for drug possession with intent to sell and she was simply failing at school. Needless to say, she was not the happiest person in the world. She needed someone to talk to, but no one came to mind, until she did her laundry. She grabbed a pair of jeans and looked through the pockets before throwing them into the machine. A slip of paper fell out, and she almost threw it out when she realized there was writing on it. It was Jeff's number.

'I wonder if he was genuine in his offer,' she thought. Shrugging her shoulders, she picked up the phone. It was worth a shot.

"Hello?" a cheerful voice asked from the other end.

"Hi, may I speak to Jeff?"

"Which one, the older or the younger?"

"Umm," she glanced at the paper, it read, 'ask for the younger.'

"Miss?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, the younger please."

"One moment."

"Thank you."

"Hello?" a familiar voice asked a few seconds later.

"Jeff?"

"Yeah, who's this?"

"Steve's lab partner..."

"Oh, hey, what's going on? You're going to the party tonight right?"

"Umm.."

"You have to."

"I've had a really tough week, Jeff. My mom's in the hospital..."

"Why?"

"Cancer. Then there's my brother getting busted for drug posession and dealing..."

"Wow, tough week."

"I just don't think I'm up to it."

"Hey, why don't we go out to lunch and talk about it. I'll pick you up in 15 minutes."

"What?"

"Be there soon."

"But you don't..."

"Steve told me. Bye." With that, he hung up, leaving her with one choice, change into other clothes quickly. She ran up to her room and changed out of her PJ's into a pair of jeans and an Ozzfest shirt. She pulled her hair back in a french braid, and went back downstairs. As she reached the foot of the stairs, someone knocked at the door.

"Who is it?"

"Jeff."

"Be there in a sec." She pulled on a pair of black Converse and walked out the door.

"Looking good," he said, smirking again. She didn't know why, but that smirk made her smile. They went to a mexican restaurant to talk. They stayed for nearly two hours, and to her surprise, he listened to every word she said, offering advice when he could. When she was done, she was amazed to find that she felt better than she had felt all year.

"Hey, it's almost time for the party. Are you coming?"

"Yeah. I feel up to it now. Thanks a lot Jeff. I honestly never thought a complete stranger would listen to me. Nor did I imagine that I would say all the stuff I did to you. I don't ever tell people stuff like that. Mostly because I don't trust them. I guess your different."

"I'm glad you trust me," he said, putting his arm around her, "come on, let's get to Beth's.

They pulled up to the house 15 minutes later, laughing and joking the entire way to her door. Beth answered smiling, and threw her arms around her best friend. She returned the hug.

"Oh I see how it is," Jeff said, " I take you out to lunch, but Beth gets the hug."

"Jealous?" she asked.

"A little."

"FIne then you big baby," she giggled, throwing her arms around his neck, and kissing him on the cheek, "thank you. There, happy."

"Ecstatic."

Beth looked on knowingly. Taking her friends hand she led her into the party. Jeff followed closely and for the rest of the night, they were at each other's side. Three years later, they were standing before their friends and family, saying there vows, and a year after that, at the hospital, delivering their first child, a boy named Aiden.

I couldn't be happier that I met Jeff. He's changed my life for the better, and I know that without him I would be a lost soul. He's done everything for me, even if he doesn't know it.