Thanks so much to the amazing Happiee for the perfect teaser trailer on the side! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

As I drove around the street, I was bombarded with memories. Every inch of this town seemed to have some part of me with it.

I passed the playground where I got my first kiss; the ice cream shop where I almost started crying in front of my friends because Jimmy Walker pulled down my pants around my ankles; the pizza shop where I had fought over Adena; the park where we had taken the picture; the school where…

I stopped my thoughts, not wanting to go down that road.

Since I had no desire to have an accident like earlier, I forced myself to focus on where I was headed. Driving past all the important landmarks of my life, I found my way to Moe's Motel. Pulling into the extremely small parking lot, I got out of the car and jumped onto the sidewalk to avoid stepping on a smashed beer bottle I could now see a bar residing across from the Motel.

That will be fun.

Pulling open the front door, a small bell rang. As the attendant ran out from the back room towards the counter, I looked down and made my way to him. So far, this experience was nothing but difficult.

“Hello, how can I help you?”

"Just one room please." There was a long silence between myself and the attendant. When I looked up, he was staring at me eyebrow raised.

"ID?" He questioned. Reaching into my back pocket, I pulled out my wallet and handed him my driver’s license. He snatched the license from my hand and scanned over it was anticipation. When he saw the name, he looked back to me with a smile. "Dylan?"

“Yeah…?””

"It's me, James!" I didn't move. James? Did I know a James? "From English? Remember, I'm the kid who face planted because I was trying to jump over a desk." I tried to recall what he was talking about. And then it clicked. I wasn't sure how exactly to react to this. James and I had only been acquaintances. Never friends. Now here he was, trying to bring up the past.

“Oh...yeah...I remember..." I tried to smile.

"So man, how have you been? To be honest, I didn't think I'd see you here after the whole Adena thing."

Just hearing someone say Adena’s name so nonchalantly was so peaceful yet so gut wrenching. I instantly felt nauseous just speaking about her. I was so thrown off by his comment, I just stood there staring at him for the longest time.

"Uhmm... Well... I've been..." I paused, unable to formulate a response.

"I've been working here since I graduated. It's my dad's place." James interrupted. Somehow I hoped he started to talk about himself to save me from having to do the same thing. "So... why are you in town?" James questioned, killing a fly that had flown right in front of him on the counter. I watched as James wiped his hands off on his pants. "Are you in town for the festival?" James wondered, seeming to save me yet again.

"Festival?" I questioned.

"Yeah. Since... you know...Adena... The town's been a lot more concerned about each other. We always meet at this festival in the town square across from the pizza place."

"For her?" Was all I could manage to say. I was being controlled by two emotions. Happiness. I was happy that this town was so concerned with making sure people who felt unloved, felt loved. But most of all I was angry.

They couldn't think to be nice to Adena? They couldn't think to do something like this...the getting together...before someone had to die for it?

It took Adena's death to make it happen?

Balling my hand into a fist, I couldn't help but grind my teeth. Adena deserved to be here to see the town like this.

"Do you have a bathroom?" I found myself asking. Raising an eyebrow, James nodded and pointed to the restroom in the lobby. Walking into it, I noticed it was a single bathroom. Taking in multiple deep breaths, I tried to calm myself down. I turned the faucet on and splashed my face with water. When I felt like I had done a decent job of calming down, I turned the faucet off and exited the bathroom. James still stood behind the counter, looking uncomfortable and unsure.

"Do you need me to call your dad or something?" James questioned as I reached the counter.

"No!" I almost shouted immediately. James nodded and slid some papers over the counter. They were forms for the room. As I began to fill them out, James frowned.

"You know, he comes in here every few months." He began.

"Oh really?" I questioned.

"Yeah... Looking for you." I froze, looking up at James.

"For me? Why?" I couldn't help but wonder.

"Who knows. Maybe he thinks you'll come home someday, like you are right now." I finished filling in the paperwork and handed it back to James.

"You know." I started, my head down. "I'd like to keep me being back just between us." I looked to him.

James nodded curiously. "Why?"

Pulling out my wallet, I set down the price for the room for a week that I had seen on the paper work. Setting the money on the counter, I continued: "It'd make everything easier."

"For who?" James questioned, causing my anger to boil. I didn't reply. James took that as a sign to end our conversation. He grabbed a set of keys from behind the desk and handed them to me. "Room seventeen."

"Thanks." Walking out to my car, I grabbed my small suitcase and made my way to my room.

I didn't know James really well, but he could run a motel pretty good. The cream colored walls were chipped in a few places, but otherwise clean. The dark carpet was clean as well. If the room looked anything like the hallway, then I figured I would have a decent stay....well...that is if I could figure out my life...

Seeing the number seventeen on the door, I attempted to swipe the key. It took me a couple of tries before I managed to open the door. I was so worried about someone seeing me, that I wasn’t paying attention to anything else.

As the door creaked open, I flicked the light on. A quick glance around the room told me I would be fine. The walls were the same cream as in the hallway, but with a tint of yellow. Next to the door was a closet where I put my bag. Walking into the bathroom located across from the closet, I realized it was a little small but do able.

I was just glad it was clean.

Exiting the bathroom, I sat on the bed that was across from the door. It was nice and firm; just the way I like it. The blue and brown bedding was comforting and reminded me of Grady for some reason. Those were his favorite colors. I tried not to think about him now.

I couldn't.

I needed to focus. Seeing a remote on the little side table next to the bed, I turned on the little TV sitting across and to the right of the bed. Surfing channels, I found what I was looking for...SpongeBob.

When I felt myself start to sweat, I got up and went to turn on the air conditioner. A newspaper caught my eye. It was laying on the desk opposite the TV. Forgetting about the conditioner, I walked over and glanced at the headline.

When I saw the picture plastered on the front cover, I found it difficult to breathe.

Adena's beautiful school picture was on the front page with the words 'Death of a local girl saves town' plastered above it in a heavy blank ink. I froze, dropping the paper to the ground.

That same rage boiled inside of me. Why? Why couldn't she have saved the town by being alive?

Why did it have to be her? Grief overcame me and I crashed to the floor. I hated how they treated her like a thing. They didn't care about her life. They cared about what they got out of it.

I was hurt and disgusted. Grasping the newspaper, I read the article. But as soon as I was done, I wished I hadn't.

It was a bunch of crap. It spoke about how Adena had been a much loved child of the town who had attempted the unthinkable after being brokenhearted at the dance.

They knew nothing‏.

The part that angered me the most was how the article ended. 'Adena's death is coming up on its fifth anniversary this Saturday'

Had it only been five years? It felt like a lifetime.

I could still feel the anger deep inside of me, wanting to burst.  That's when a thought crept into my mind.

The bar was only across the street‏.

Grady tries to force me to avoid it,  since I had almost drunk myself to death many times. I had used the bottle to hide my pain from the outside world and from myself. I had used it to be at peace, just for a moment. Adena always managed to sneak into my head though.

The peace had never lasted long

I could hear Grady's voice in the back of my head, scolding and yelling at me for even letting the thought take over. Too bad I was pushing Grady's voice aside. I could feel the taste of the alcohol in my dry mouth. All I wanted was to be at peace. I paced around the room, unsure of what to do.

The paper caught my eye and Adena's face stared at me. I paused and the more I stared at it, the more I longed for alcohol.

I had told myself I was just going for a stroll outside to get some fresh air. As I put on my jacket, I repeated this to myself. As I locked my room and walked down the hall, I repeated it yet again. As I headed across the street, I repeated it again.

As I walked into the bar, I knew I had been lying to myself the whole time‏.

The bar was well lite which I wasn’t too happy about. I would have preferred something darker, but it would do. I wanted the alcohol more than a dark room. Curving around some dark wooden tables, I sat down at the dark wooden bar counter.

“Can I get a beer please?” I asked the bartender. Her thick red hair was tied into a bun at the top of her head. By the look in her eyes, I could see that she was tired and didn’t really want to be here. But those brown eyes showed a happiness for her customers; a happiness I wanted so bad.

“Sure thing, Pumpkin.” She said, placing a beer in front of me. “Anything else I can get for you?” I shook my head and looked around.

The white walls accented the wood flooring quite well. Overall, the place was in good shape and homely. I could find myself getting pretty comfortable here with a couple of drinks to drain away my sorrow.

Glancing to the right, close to the door, I could see a younger couple, probably in their early twenties, sitting at a table in the corner. They were so close, just talking and enjoying each others company. They seemed so... happy.

That's what I wanted.

I wanted to be happy. I wanted to be with Adena, holding her in my arms as we faced the world together.

I forced myself to turn back around, looking at the bottle in my hand. I could only stare into it and at the substance. Did I really want to do this?

I had gone off the deep end before. Could I do it again?

"Are you alright, honey?" The bartender asked with a smile, setting a supportive hand over mine. I could only look into her eyes, wanting them to be Adena's. I had to stop thinking about her. She was all I could think about since I crossed the town line.

Someone on the other side of the bar called her over. She sent me a kind hearted smile before disappearing.

"No. I'm not." I whispered, forcing myself to drink. I could feel the beer running down my throat. I missed this feeling.

The bartender came back, smiling, and handed me another drink. I smiled my thanks and took a big swallow. As I was drinking, I glanced to my left and saw her.

My glass fell from my hand, shattering into a million pieces. I could feel the eyes of the bartender staring at me. She hurried over and started pestering me, but I didn't pay attention. All I saw was her.

Adena.

She sat in the stool next to me, smiling.

"Hey." She said. I could feel my heart stop. Was this real? Was Adena really sitting in front of me. I wanted to reach out and hug her. I wanted to hold her in my arms.

"What's wrong?" The bartender questioned. I looked to her for only a second before turning back to Adena.

Except she was no longer there.

"What?" Was all I could whisper.

"Dylan!" A hand grabbed my shoulder and yanked me. I turned to see James with another guy looking at me curiously. "Hey man. Who were you staring at?" I couldn't help but sit there stunned.

Had this just happened?

James sat down where Adena had been and his buddy sat one seat over. The bartender walked into the backroom. She returned with a broom and began to sweep up the glass.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, turning towards the counter. I put my hand over my face in embarrassment.

"It's okay, sugar. Don't even worry about it." After she cleaned up the glass and threw it away she got me another beer.

“This is my buddy, Ross.” James smiled, slapping the back of the person he referred to as Ross.

“Hey.” Was all I replied with before taking another gulp from my bottle.

“So, you in town for the festival?” Ross asked. The bartender walked over, handing Ross a beer. He must come here often, because he accepted the beer and began drinking it immediately. I hadn't been paying attention, I had been thinking about Adena and how I had seen her.

Just a moment ago...

"Dylan?" James questioned. Shaking my head, I turned to James and Ross.

"Sorry, what?"

"Are you here for the big festival?" Ross asked again.

"Festival?" I questioned, not paying true attention to what Ross had said.

"You're not from around here, are you?" Ross laughed.

"No, I am... born and raised here..." I nodded, taking more from my bottle.

"Never seen you before." Ross started, chugging the rest of his beer. "Ruby! One more!" The bartender, who i'm guessing was Ruby, walked over. She gave him a fresh beer, taking the one he had finished from him. "When did you leave?"

"Uhmm... about five years ago." I said, taking more from my bottle. I wanted to finish it.

"Ahh. So you missed the start of the festival."

"Ross, drop it." James snapped.

"What? I'm just talking about the stupid festival! The whole town gets to celebrate some dead girl who was so desperate for attention, she killed herself." It felt like my heart had burst. I put the bottle to my lips and chugged the rest of it. Setting down the money I owed for my beer, I got up.

James only watched as I slipped my jacket on. I walked over to Ross, setting my hand on his shoulder. He turned his whole body around, confused. That's when my rage took over. I balled my hand into a fist, sending it smashing into his nose.

Ross flew from his chair and smashed to the ground. I could feel tears of pure frustration and anger threatening to fall from my eyes.

"What the hell man!" Ross screamed. James just sat there, finishing his beer. I looked around the bar. Everyone sat there, looking confused and frightened.

I took in a deep breath, looking to Ross.

"Don't you dare talk about her like that." I whispered before walking out of the bar.