Pretty is, as Pretty does...

We were young, he was wild, I was innocent. 

I lived far away at the time, I had recently relocated into my dads apartment up in Concord North Carolina.  Something I didn’t want to have to do, but wasn’t given the choice.  I looked forward to when my dad finally braved to let me drive from Concord to Garner a 3 hour drive, by myself at 16.  I would drive down unload my car at Amanda’s parents house and we’d be off. 

One summer night in 2001 the girls were set to be free.  Many weekends were spent at Ashley’s parents house, they were always out of town at the beach and we were always setting up for our weekend adventures there.  This one weekend we had no idea what was in store.  Everyone called us the 3 musketeers.  Where you saw one you usually saw the other.  This Saturday night, not to much was happening.  We had decided to stay in.  The girls were going to party alone.  It was around 9:00pm and we took down the liquor.  We started drinking shots back to back.  We all smoked cigarettes of course so we’d occasionally go outside and take smoke breaks.  In btw. the drinking we’d tan in her parents tanning bed and just embrace being young, being stupid, and not having a care in the world.  It hit about 8:00 in the morning.  We were out of liquor, still up and still laughing.  Ashley was cooped up in her room with her “secret lover” and someone pulls into the driveway.  We sort of peek out the blinds, and then run to Ashleys room and get her and Mr. out of bed.  They both walk outside and AP and I stayed in peeking.  We open the front door and Ashley introduces us from her driveway.  I still remember to this day what I was wearing.  Ashley, “Chris, Perry…..This is Crystal in the green shorts, and the other is Amanda.”  Ap and I closed the door probably giggled a little bit and headed to the back yard to jump on the trampoline and smoke a cigarette.  After we were done we came in and went up stairs to shower.  After showering we both had to make it to Ashley’s room to get some clothes.  We came down stairs and realized the boys were still there, so towels rapped around us we ran across the kitchen into the hall headed towards Ashley’s room.  We made it there safe.  But the only thing was, AHH…Mr. was still there too, and we just really didn’t click.  So Amanda standing at Ashley’s door me doing the solider crawl across the carpet to Ashley’s dresser, trying not to wake Mr. up Amanda is now dying laughing and I’m shhing her from the carpet.  I get us some clothes and ease my way back out tip toeing the whole way.  We get dressed and go into the living room where the boys are, half asleep.  Chris was in the recliner, Perry on the floor.  Perry had a bag of skittles hanging out of his pocket, and only if you knew Amanda you could realize how much she’s a fan of skittles.  She is now tip toeing across the floor stealing the bag of skittles out of this guys pocket as he sleeps.  I’m now laughing hysterically and she’s shhing me.  She get’s them, and we were both happy, smiling, still taking the day as it came, and being so young and free.  This would be the start of something wonderful I never would imagine.  That boy in the recliner would become more then just a boy I’d met at 16…………..to be continued.