on the map//spencer 'spider' white

1

I met Harper and Amerie when I was five. It was the first day of kindergarten. I met Harper first when she stole my green crayon and refused to give it back. Not five minutes later Amerie told Harper that her green crocodile that Harper drew with my crayon looked like shit. We stuck together after that. Best friends. Always the three of us. Nobody could come between us. We've always been each other's ride or dies.

We were super into romance because we didn't have any in our own lives. We liked to watch people. Not in a creepy way. Maybe in a creepy way if I'm being honest. I guess that's how the Incest Map came about. It was about who hooked up with who in our year and what they did. Nobody knew about it. It was just Amerie, Harper, and I. Some were hookups we'd seen. Some were hookups we'd heard about. And some were hookups we hoped would come to pass.

That was before everything changed. I just don't get it. We were going to own this year. Together. Then, one minute we were at the festival, the next minute, the bitch blew it all up!

It's the first day back at school. Like always my mum isn't home. I'm supposed to be the one to take my younger brother Mason to school. Mum said that's why she bought me a car. I was supposed to get a ride with Sasha, Missy, Harper, and Amerie but I don't always get what I want.

"Let's go, Mason!" I shout at Mason as I walk through the front door, "I'm leaving with or without you."

"No you're not!" Mason shouts back. "Mum wouldn't forgive you if you made her favorite child walk to school."

I groan as I walk towards my car.

"Rough morning?"

I turn and see Dusty Reid, my neighbor, standing in his driveway. Dusty and I have known each other our whole lives. Besides Amerie and Harper, Dusty is like my only friend it's kind of sad.

"Your fly's undone," I tell him.

Dusty looks down and realizes I'm telling the truth.

"That's embarrassing," Dusty says.

"I've seen worse," I assure him. "I've heard worse. I've smelled..."

Dusty cuts me off, "Okay I get it."

I laugh lightly. "Why are you just standing in your driveway?"

Dusty smiles. "I was hoping..."

"I would give you a ride?" I ask.

He nods. "Yeah."

"Why can't you just ride your bike?" I ask.

"'Cause you've got that nice car and we're going to the same place," Dusty reasons.

I sigh. "You're gonna have to fight Mason for the passenger's seat."

Dusty smiles. "I can take him."

"Mason!" I shout. "Now!"

He finally comes running out of the house backpack half open bowl of cereal in his hand.

Dusty laughs. "So, you're not the only one having a rough morning, Rhiannon."

"Get in the car," I tell him. "Before I change my mind."

After dropping Mason off I take Dusty and I to school. I park right next to my friends as they get out of Sasha's car. Dusty nods as he starts off towards his own friends.

"Here she is," Amerie says.

"Had to drop Mason off," I remind her.

"I forgot how much I hated it here," Sasha says.

"Honey, we're home," Amerie remarks.

"Yeah, but still no Harps," Missy says.

"Harper didn't ride with you?" I ask.