"Happy New Year!" Everyone around me screamed with joy. Talking about what their new year's revolutions are, but very few will actually do them, or remember what they were. Everyone here is drunk, well everyone but me.

I plan to keep them this year, and I have them written down at home. But for me to actually achieve them, I broke each down into tiny steps. Each starting at a week, then a month then three. I just hope I won't fail, this year is for me to improve myself, to become better, healthier.

Looking around I try to spot Hailey, but I can't see her bright green hair anywhere.

"Hey cutie, whatcha looking for" an unknown guy came up from behind me, and wrapped his arms around my waist.

Pushing him away, I strongly state without my voice failing me "Not a one night stand, and definitely not with a fuck boy delinquent like yourself."

"Baby, you're an angel" he tried pulling me towards him but I hit his face hard leaving a handprint on his cheek. It had to have hurt him because my palm was stinging in pain.

Two people nearby chuckled. "Looks like your pick-up lines don't work anymore. Your charm has warned out it's time." A girl with pretty black curls told the guy.

"He's never had a charm? What are you talking about Scar?" The guy standing next to her stated, before they both started to laugh loudly.

"Hey! I do too have a charm, I still have it!" The guy who touched me yelled.

"If that's true Andrew, then win this chick over" the other boy told him, nodding his head in my direction.

"I will Gino, just watch" he bit back.

"I'm not an object, and I will never be won over by a scumm like you" letting venom drip through my voice as I gave Andrew a death glare.

"I like this chick, how bout we leave these losers and go get something to eat? My names Scarlet, what's yours?" She questioned, hooking our arms together.

"I can't, I need to find my friend. She has bright green hair up in poney tails. Have you seen her?" I ask looking around for Hailey. Where on Earth could she have gone? Mars? I just hope she isn't doing something she'll regret, or getting in trouble.

"Sorry hun, I haven't seen anyone with bright green hair tonight.I could help you look though, I'll even get the two ogres to help us?"

"Please? Only if you want to. Her name is Hailey, she has really tan skin, green eyes, and bright green hair in pigtails" I tell Scarlet, giving the basic description of my best friend.

"Yeah, I want to help. One sec, Imma go get the ogres to help" she tells me before talking a few steps away in the crowded living room. "Hey! Ogres! Get over here we need your help!" She yelled at them, drawing Gino's attention. Gino came over to us dragging Andrew.

"Finally realised you want some of me baby?" Andrew asked me as they came up to us.

"Yeah, some of your help. I'm looking for my friend Hailey. She has bright green hair in pigtails. Really tan skin, green eyes, and is about 5'7 or 5'8" I inform, what Scarlet calles, the ogres.

Gino nodded while saying "we'll help. Should we all split up and look? Or look in pairs?" He asked me, staring into my chocolate brown eyes.

"In pairs? One covers hafe this floor and the basement. And the other two will check upstairs and the other half of this floor? Two eyes in a room are better than one, right" I ramble on staring into Gino's light grey eyes.

"I'll take Andrew and check the basement" Scarlet informs us, dragging Andrew with her.

Gino and I check the living room, dining room, and kitchen, but there's still no sign of Hailey.

As we head up the stairs Gino breaks the silence between us while still looking around for Hailey. "So, does she party a lot? Or is this just a once and a blue moon thing for her?"

"Oh no, she party's all the time. It's just ever since Kevin I've been more worried about her. I don't want that to happen again. She also causes a lot of trouble and problems, even more then when she's not drunk and high" I tell him.

We check all the doors on the second floor. All five are locked. We nocked on all of them, the bathroom someone was in there, two of the rooms had people in there, but none were Hailey. I know what her screaming and even moaning sound like. Being best friends, and the Kevin incident helps me to know those things.

We head back down stairs and look for Scarlet and Andrew, or seeing if Hailey has appeared.

"Let's check outside" Gino stated in my ear, making me jump. "Sorry, but if I didn't you wouldn't have heard me."

"That's a good idea, let's go,'' I tell him, heading towards the back door. Once we head out I instantly regret not wearing a coat on top of this long sleeve outfit.

Lots of people are surrounding the fire, keeping warm in the cold weather. I'm surprised you can even have a fire with how cold it is, and with the snow on the ground.

I step to the edge of the huge white wood porch and look at the crowd around the fire. Hailey isn't there either. I look in the distance to see if anyone is out further, but no one is.

"Look, the whore is looking for her next victim to get money from!" I hear someone yell out, causing a bunch of people to laugh like hyenas. "What are you doing here?Who invited the slut?" Jayden, Kevin's best friend, comes up to me and pushes me down as he mocks me.

"The only whore here is you. And you invited your slutty ass here?" Gino remarked to Jayden, helping me off the ground. "Are you okay?" He asked me quietly so no one else could hear. I nodded my head yes.

"Look, this guy is actually defending the slut. Dude, she's just messing with your mind. She'll leave you high and dry. Once she gets all your money she'll leave. Isn't that right Savanna" Jayden spits my name out with venom.

"Stop talking about yourself bro" Gino tells Jayden, lightly shoving him back a little. Jayden goes to punch Gino, but he blocks it effortlessly, twisting his arm.

"Listen, I'm sorry, I'll go, just please don't hurt me" Jayden begged Gino. This didn't stop Gino, he kept twisting it as Jayden tried to get away from him. Gino didn't stop till he heard a cracking sound. Jayden instantly grabbed his arm and hissed in pain. "You'll regret doing this mother fucker. I'll kill you, but before I do I'll torture you. You'll be begging for me to kill you, but I won't. I'll have you suffer," Jayden informed him before walking away.

"You can try, but I'll kill you before you even get the chance to touch m-!" Gino yelled after him before a scream cut him off. He looked back to me, then started running where we heard the scream.

"No! Stop! Get the fuck off me! Help!" My heart sank. That was Hailey slurring drunk screaming. We ran over to the shed, going around to the back. There I saw Hailey pinned to the shed by Kevin.

"Get off her you asshole!" I shouted at him as I tried to pull him off her.

"Lookie here. The whore wants to join the party. Should we let her have a baby?"

"Buddie, let her go and we won't have any problems" Gino advises Kevin.

"Why don't you mind your own business? None of this concerns you pretty boy, so just leave."

"You asked for this, remember that."

Despite my efforts Kevin didn't budge. My mind was all over the place. How Kevin got out, what was Gino going to do, how did Hailey end up with him, was she okay. That's why I didn't see it coming, I didn't notice till I was on the ground. Kevin had hit me in the face, it was probably going to bruise later.

Gino was even more pissed at this. He took off his sweatshirt, exposing his tattoos and strong muscles. He went up to Kevin and punched him from behind. I took this opportunity to grab Hailey and drag her, and myself ten feet away from the boys.

"Are you okay? Did he do anything?" I asked a drunk and stoned Hailey with tears running down her face. As she nodded her head I grabbed her face and whipped her tears before pulling her in for a hug. Whispering in her ear that everything was okay, and was going to be okay, while watching the boys go at it.

Kevin looked bad, Gino looked like he only got a few hits on him. Gino looked like he was going easy on Kevin. Like this wasn't really a fight, but play fighting. He was so graceful for being somewhere around 6'3. After a few more minutes Gino punched Kevin in the head, causing Kevin to pass out.

"He'll be okay," He informed me, "but is she okay?"

"Yeah, this was nothing compared to last time. All thanks to you Gino" I said. "Could you help me bring her back to her car?" Hailey had fallen asleep on me, only staying up for I was holding all her weight on my own.

"Yeah, let me text Scar real quick and tell her we found your friend." After a few seconds he comes and lifts Hailey into his arms bridal style. Leaving me to take the lead. "So what did you mean back there when you said that it was nothing compared to last time? And why do guys call you a whore?" He questioned me. I really hoped he didn't catch what I had said, or ask what Jayden and Kevin said.

Gino seemed so nice and sweet, but knowing he's one of them, I don't think I can trust him. I should even be socializing with anyone of his kind. Yet here I was, walking with one, and talking to three. Scarlet is probably one of them too.

"Ummm, well, last September Kevin had sexually assaulted and raped Haily. I tried to help, but I was too weak. I got hurt in the process, but he went to jail and should still be in jail. I don't know why he's out, he was sentenced to ten years on jail" I tell him as we make our way around the house to see the hundreds of cars parked everywhere.

"And why they call you whore?"I was hoping he wouldn't ask again.

"Well, you see, my life isn't all sunshine and rainbows. If we could, sense it brings back memories, I don't want to think about now, let's just forget about it?" I briefly explain, turning down the sidewalk to where the car is.

Looking back to see he is still following me, I notice how he has a angry expression on his nice face. He has a few cuts on his face here and there from the fight. I feel bad, but if he didn't help, no I can't think like that anymore.

A new year, a new me.

After getting Hailey into her 2017 white Chevrolet Impala. "Thank you, Gino. Tell Scarlet and that other one I said thank you for helping me find her. I don't know what I would've done if anything happened to her, or if you weren't their to help." My voice had wavered, and I could feel the tears building up in my eyes. Suppressing the urge to cry I quickly told him "thanks again, Gino. Have a good morning, and new year I guess."

As I walked around to the other side of the car I herd him call out to me.

"Wait!" He then jogged over to me. We stood in silence for a minute or two before he finally cleared his throat. "So, I'm new here in town, and I was sorta wondering. Do you go to ClueBlue High?"

Scrunching up my face I responded sounding unsure, dragging out the first word. "Yeah? I do?" This only causes it to seem as if I was asking him a question. "I mean yes, I do. Why?"

"I was wondering if you could show me around? It would be good to know a friendly face who could help me around, you know?" He nervously shifted his weight from the left side to his right.

"Ummm, I guess I could. I mean it's not like I have anything better to do before classes start. Just find me, or I will find you in the morning. Bye, I'll see you at school then" I parted with him starting the car and driving to Hailey's house. Looking in the mirror I notice he's stop standing there, watching as I drive off. I start to wonder why he moved here, or why he wants me to show him around.