Prologue

 I watch as one of my best friends - Pax Lawson (Melodicspike21) - clings onto the chain, his face wincing slightly as his warm hands hit the cold metal. All I'm doing is sitting on the swing, occasionally shifting my feet so I swing forwards and backwards a little bit, but I'm not really one for things like swings, slides and climbing up trees. Never have, never will. However, I'm positive that the moment Pax was introduced to the outdoorsy children's 'adventures' he's been begging to go on the 'pwaygwound pwease daddy' and, to tell you the truth, only the cute four year old voice has changed. It's one of the few things that will get him to grin broadly, and everyone smiles when he's happy. That's not often though. He's been through some deep shit and he expects everything else to be shit. It's such a shame - his smile is beautiful and it really brings out his startling golden-yellow eyes. Anyway, I'm rambling. I tend to do that - when I start I can't stop. I'd like to say sorry, but my nature is to say 'Get used to it.'

 For about three seconds I'm embracing the smell of the first bluebells springing up on Emerald Park, the feeling of the cold early-spring breeze rushing through my rough hair (it's rough because I dye it so much), but all that is ruined by Pax's childish screams in delight as he tries - and fails - to touch the leaves of the tree in front by going as high up as possible. I look over and, sure enough, his smile is natural - unlike when he's smiling at his boss: that's more like grimacing, for God's sake - and his white teeth are showing. It's lovely seeing him like this - not plagued by the anger or misfortune that used to follow him wherever he went. I like to think that it's his roomates' fault that he's happier, but that could just be me. I'll also never know because it's hard to get him to admit that he likes us.
  Five minutes later and I have to disturb him. "Ham, you need to get off. That boy wants to get on." He rolls his eyes at the nickname (don't ask - it's pretty weird) and jumps expertly off - well, expertly until he crashes into the tree. I laugh, not really helping him up as such.

 He gets up, rubbing his head. "Shit that hurts. And you weren't helping either, giggling your ass off like that!"
 I slowly get up from the swing, still laughing, and walk over to him. "You know me. I'd rather watch you fly into a tree than help you get your twenty-year old body off the swing any day," I say between giggles. He sighs as I give him a quick hug - not really friendly as such, as he seems to hate human contact. It's weird.
 "So glad Dino isn't here." He's referring to our roommate, Lucy Taylor (Ilovetaylorlatner), who's a little bit like me in the can't-be-arsed-to-help-friends department, except that she'll help strangers when I'll still laugh. It's not mean, it's just... OK, it's mean, but that's who I am. Deal with it.
 My expression turns puzzled. "Why? You know I'll tell her everything that happened, and she'll either tease you or feel sympathetic and kiss you." I'm teasing him properly now - he's kissed one person before and he hated it. Like I said, he hates human contact.
 "If she does, I'll push the whore into a bin. Now... oh my God, you have another tattoo!"

 I point to new skull tattoo I had done this morning. The freak who did it was a pervert, but he got the job done and done well. Anyway, if he tried to grope me or anything I'll just punch him in the face. "Fuck yeah! You like it?"
 "It's awesome, but when are you planning on stopping having someone put drawings on you with a needle?"
  "Well, I'm twenty now, so..." I pretend to count up years on my fingers before saying, "never. Why - you have a problem?"
  "No, it's just... you know... weird. You're twenty and you have a million tattoos," He frowns.

  "I know. It's great, right?" I draw a line with my fingers to illustrate my point. My late mum and dad used to do it and now I do too, so no questions.
  He does his 'thinking face' - ie, he screws up his nose a little - and says, "Can I have one?"
  "Why the fuck not?" I pull out the 'Toby's Tattoos' (I know - so cheesy) card and give it to him. "That's the number used to book an appointment. The place is on 72 - "
 "Oh my God, there you are. I've been looking for you guys!"

 We turn around and, sure enough, Lucy is stomping over to us, and anger written all over her bright red face. I giggle. "You look like a tomato."
 She gives me a death stare, and even though it's not quite as scary as the look Pax gives you when he's annoyed, it still shuts me up. "Not funny Sunshine," she says, and this time it's my turn to give her the look, although I'm not great at it. My actual name is Sunnie - Sunnie Edison - and I'm also known as Lightning, but she knows how much I hate being called Sunshine. It doesn't suit me at all.
 "Don't call me that, bitch. What's your problem anyway?" I'm moody and she knows it.
 Normally she'd apologise but it seems that today she's in no such mood. Instead she just goes, "I got fired today, thanks for asking, so leave me the fuck alone."

 She's expecting someone to give her a hug, but she's turned all moody at me now so I look at Pax. He rolls his eyes and awkwardly wraps his arms around her. "It's OK, you'll, you know, find a new job. I mean, it might suck, but..." Lucy glares at Pax and he stutters, "I mean, it might be kinda shitty to start off with, but you'll get better, depending on the job... oh God, I can't do this. Lightning, take over!"
  He runs behind me. Poor thing - anything to do with emotions he just can't deal with.

 I give her one of my famous (I wish!) hugs, my tattooed arms slowly wrapping around her, rubbing my hands and pressing her coat into the flesh on her back. "You will get another job, and me and Pax will get one too. The thing is, I simply can't think of a job me and Pax might be good at. You're pretty and talented, but we're really dumb and you know us - I'll be rude to the interviewer and Pax'll be all awkward. You saw a fantastic demonstration when he hugged you." She giggled, and I could sense that Pax was glaring at me. Death glares are one of the two things he's amazing at. The other is drums. "What can we do to get some extra money in?"

 We broke away from the hug and looked at Pax. Unusually for him, he was smiling broadly (second time this day - I'll have to make him some sort of award) and he had a look in his eyes like he had an idea. Me and Lucy sighed simultaneously - his ideas were often dirty, random or stupid. Often all three, come to think of it.
  "What is it?" I say.
  "Well, we all really like each other right? I mean, we live together and stuff."
  I gasp overdramtically. "Holy shit! That's the second time you've blown my mind - you are showing emotion on your face and telling us how awesome we are! Are you ill?" Lucy laughs loudly, only to be shut up by Pax's expression, which had turned into the I'm-going-to-kill-you look. "Sorry, continue."
  "And if it's a porno movie, then no," Lucy says. You might think that was a joke, but he has come up with that idea on numerous occasions. We never said yes, by the way. Just want to clear that up.
  "No, Dino. I was just thinking that we could start a band."


 So there - that was the prologue. The chapters will have titles, but this is just a prologue so it doesn't. I've tried to write it like it's Sunnie's thoughts, and she's a bit of a different character than the quiet, shy ones I usually make, so let me know if you liked it. 
 Big thanks to Melodicspike21 and Ilovetaylorlatner for giving Sunnie her friends!  
 Please comment and let me know how I did!