(You’re only young once, only young once, only young once…)

This would hurt her mom. And her sister. And her stepdad, though she didn’t care about him.

She grabbed the duffel bag and slipped quietly out the screen door and into the early morning fog. Sitting down at the end of the driveway, she continued her chant.

(You’re only young once, only young once, only young once…)

She knew the moment she met her knew dad that this wouldn’t last long. Not for her, anyway. He couldn’t replace the wild, crazy man that had been her father. But her mom was in love with him, and her sweet little sister was too young to remember Dad. They were happy, and she wouldn’t ruin that for them. But she couldn’t accept this new man, or this new life, or this new story-book family.

But didn’t she deserve to be happy, too? So she had decided to make her own life. She was going to run, leave her family behind, tear herself away from two of the three people who made her life worth living…

(You’re only young once, only young once, only young once…)

She couldn’t just sit here. She stood up and tried to wipe the dewy grass off the seat of her jeans, then started walking in the direction she knew he would come from.

(You’re only young once…)

A truck emerged out of the fog and pulled up next to her, her boyfriend grinning from the cab.

(Only young once…)