-So there is this boy and the way he laughs makes me smile && when he talks, he gives me butterflies && just everything about him makes me HAPPY.-

Age 5

I was slumped against the window in the backseat of my parents' SUV, the side of my head pressed against the cold glass, my eyes shut. I was pretending to sleep, so that maybe I could block out my parents' screaming and arguing.

"SARAH!" My dad screamed, and my eyes flew open. "Go get your shit out of the trunk, and bring it in the fucking house!" I scrambled out of the car, and grabbed a cardboard box labeled "SARAH" and took off at a dead run towards the house. I ran up a flight of stairs, and dropped the box onto a bed in a small/medium-sized room. I glanced down at the driveway from the open window in my room, at my bickering parents when something-or someone-caught my eye.

Across the street, and a few houses over, there was a boy around my age, standing in the front yard by the mailbox, just staring at me. He had curly hair, and was wearing sunglasses, shielding his eyes. I smiled and waved, and he waved back, but I was too far away to tell if he smiled.

"SARAH!" My dad screamed up the stairs, and my mouth formed an O in surprise. I gave a hasty goodbye wave to the boy before turning and running down the stairs.

Age 8

I was in the Forman basement with Eric, Kelso, and Hyde. Eric and I were on the couch, and Hyde and Kelso were on chairs on opposite sides of us. We were staring at the TV screen, some cartoon blaring, but none of us really watching it.

The awkwardness practically floated around the room. I had just let my friends now about my dad abusing me (well, Hyde already kinda knew...a little...). He had drunk so much more and hit me all the time ever since my mom left us two months ago. I told them about that, too. And I was silently begging someone to say something. Anything.

It was Kelso who came to my rescue. "Hey, Sarah, ya' know what will make you feel better? That thing that Hyde showed me and Eric last week! What did you call it? Weed?"

"SHH!" Hyde hissed, while Eric looked delighted and yelled, "Yeah! Good idea, Kelso!" while I just looked confused and asked, "Hyde, what is he talking about?"

We got in the circle, and Hyde lit the weed. The smoke floated around the room, instead of the awkwardness. The awkwardness was gone. I felt like I could jump up and float around with the smoke, like a cloud. My mind was empty, absolutely empty and all I cared about was being here with Kelso, Hyde, and Eric. All I cared about was laughing with them, where nothing mattered. That was how I felt...like nothing else but this moment mattered. Everything anyone said was hilarious, but made no sense at the same time.

"Man, Kelso, you were right, this DOES make me feel better!" I said, giggling, and clutching my sides. They hurt from laughing so hard.

Age 15

I slipped out of my street clothes and into my pink-and-yellow-striped bikini. I packed sunglasses, sun tan lotion, flip-flops, and a towel into my bag, and slung it over my shoulder. I tiptoed down the stairs, and peeked around the corner to find my dad passed out on the couch, a beer tipped over next to him, emptying into the carpet.

I snuck out the front door and ran across the street, and took a sharp left to Hyde's house. I knocked on his front door, and there was a little yelling, but eventually it was answered by Hyde. He was in swimsuit trunks, a white T-shirt, and-of course-his sunglasses.

"Hey, Sarah. You ready to go?"

"Yep." He shut the door, and we took off running down the street. Neither of us liked our neighborhood very much, and we wanted to get to the Forman's as fast as possible.

We burst through the Forman's back door five minutes later, gasping for breath, and whining because we forgot to put shoes on, and we stepped on a lot of rocks.

"Dumbasses…" Red muttered, and I giggled when Kitty glared at him. I had always loved the Forman house, which explained why I spent so much time here.

"Eric and Donna are in the basement, they were waiting for you two." Kitty said, then called down the stairs, "ERIC! DONNA! They're here! Get your stuff, we're leaving!"

"What about Kelso?" I asked.

"We're meeting him there," Kitty said, just as Donna and Eric appeared. Eric was in swimming trunks and a T-shirt, too, and Donna had a bikini on also.

"Let's go!" Eric yelled, and we all ran to the car.

We were going to Kelso's new girlfriend, Jackie's house. She invited Kelso over to swim in their pool, and he said he wouldn't go without us, so here we are.

"Man, this is gonna be so much fun!" Eric said, and I nodded.

"Except for the Jackie part." Hyde grumbled.

"She's not that bad," I said, and meant it. I sorta liked her...sorta.

"You take that back!" Hyde yelled, and we all laughed.

When we got there, we all scrambled out of the car, to find Kelso already there.

"Bad news, guys. Jackie's parents didn't fill up the pool yet," Kelso said, and we all groaned.

"No, no, you guys, this can still be fun!" Jackie cried. "I promise!"

"Oh yeah? How?" I asked, frowning.

"We can spray each other with the hose and stuff! And plus, my parents are having a barbecue!"

"A barbecue, huh?" Red asked, and he led Kitty inside the large house.

"Yeah, you guys, just give it a chance!" Kelso begged, and we all sighed, and Donna and I put our bags down. One by one, we climbed into the pool, that was about an inch deep, with the hose sticking in on the side, filling up the pool. We waded around for a few minutes until Eric sighed and said,

"What now?"

"I know! I'll do a Slip 'N Slide!" Kelso yelled.

"A WHAT?" Donna and I asked, amused.

"Just watch." Kelso stood at the edge of the pool, and was soon sliding across the bottom. He hit his head at the other end, and we all erupted in laughter.

"Shut up, why don't you guys do it?" Kelso yelled, picking himself up from the ground.

"Fine, I'll go." Eric said, and neatly slid across the bottom.

"Now, Hyde, you go!" Kelso and Eric yelled, and Hyde stood at the edge of the pool, ready to slide, but then hesitated.

"Just go!" Donna yelled.

"PUSSY!" I yelled, and Hyde froze.

"Who said that?" he asked, and I waved my arm in the air, screaming, "MEEE!"

Hyde ran over to the hose, and ran towards me with it. "NO, HYDE, DON'T!" I shrieked, but then covered my face, to block the water being sprayed at me. I was drenched in a matter of seconds.

"Hyde, you asshole!" I yelled, but he just smirked, and put the hose back, slung over the side of the pool.

"Man, nice job on calling Hyde a pussy. That was priceless," Donna said, and held out her fist. We touched knuckles and I grinned as Hyde slid across the bottom of the pool.