I paced in my house waiting until my mom showed up to watch Liam. At the one end of the hall I was pacing was a mirror, which I stopped at repeatively to fix my hair, only to shake my head and make myself believe I was crazy. Joel didn’t want me.

The doorbell rang. I answered it and my mother embraced me in a hug, “Awww, my little Hazel has found a man…finally!”

“Mom,” I whined, “I didn’t find a man. Remember the fact that I have AIDS .”

“Oh don’t worry honey. There are such things as condoms you know.”

I rolled my eyes, “Can you just watch Liam until I get back home Mom?”

“Alright alright. Just don’t have too much fun on the first date.”

I slammed my door on my mother’s cackling laughter…

and then went slightly above the speed limit to get to Joel’s house as fast as possible.

Then when I was parked in front of his house my watch alarm went off, “Damn,” I murmured. I forgot all my AZT at home. I searched through my entire car: not one pill. “Screw it.” I said and walked to his door.