The graffti covered alleyway was a popular hangout for the cool kids. They drank beer and smoked in this little brick alley. You could only go if you got invited. It was the highest honnor. Which is why Alex Brander was shocked when the beautiful blonde invited hi. Her clothes where tight and black and she wore fake gold jewelry everywhere. She had batted her eyes and invited him. He had choked out a yes and ran off. He had promised his mom he'd never go there, but that was went he thought getting invited was impossible for him. He was the loner nerd guy. Sucked at sports, ignored by girls.But this was his shot. After school he packed his backpack and waited for the blonde. She said her name was Cass. He walked with Cass into the back alley. A few jocks and popular girls had already lit up. A guy in a jersey and a buzz cut offered him a can of beer. He took it and chugged it. Cass offered him a cigarette and he took it greedily. People started smiling at him. So what the beer tasted horrible, so what if the smoke hurt his throat. He was popular. After the fourth beer he and Cass started kissing. He grabbed another cigarette and a red haired girl and kissed her too. He talked with the jocks, a blur of words he couldn't make sence of. He felt great. He was happy and buzzing. He downed another beer. He came back to the alley ever day for the next three monthes with and without Cass. He was failing class, his mother was mad, but he was popular. Alex Brander was no nerd! He kept drinking and smoking and no matter what hsi mom said he kept at it. Till one day he sccepted some heroine. It gave him that buzz too. Now he was take heroine everyday while he was smoking and drinking. His mother cired and begged him to stop. But he was more popular then ever! Girls dated him, guys high fived him!He failed every test and smarted off to the teachers. He began selling heroine too. So he could by more cigarettes, beer and heroine. His mother yelled at him but he was too hung over to care. That's how they found him in the parking lot one december night. He had heroine needles in his pocket, six packs of cigarette, a 12 pack of beer and no heartbeat. The populars didn't mourn him. The teachers didn't miss him. Only his mother sobbed at his funeral, blaming herself for failing him. No one was sure what killed him, the drugs beer or smoking. All they knew was this 'popular kid' was dead. Ah well. They kept drinking and smoking and getting high. What differance did it make to them? But to Mrs. Angelina Brander, it meant the end of her whole world. It meant her baby boy was gone. She cried every night for her little boy who died a popular and alone.