Though she's an only child, her mother never really wanted her. After all, there were better things to be done with her time. Like getting absolutely shitfaced and screaming at things. At everything. Everything. As early as she was able to, Gwen was escaping to friends' houses and, in general, avoiding being at home for longer than it took to grab an overnight bag. Her mother frequently called the cops because she frequently considered her daughter a 'runaway'.

Between avoiding home and making as many friends as possible so she would have couches to crash on, Gwen started doing drugs and fell hopelessly in love with the rave culture. The two were only vaguely connected in her mind, since she never got caught up in anything harder than pot (after a bad experience with E) and she was going to raves fro the sole purpose of being caught up in the music. The bright lights, the energy, the pumping bass was everything her life wasn't: exciting, colorful and, most of all fun.

Parties offered her long nights of avoiding home and the days offered school and a part-time job to keep her from her mother who, in all likelihood, was probably passed out on the couch. As long as she's able to continue being around friends and keeping her life separate from the things she doesn't want to deal with or face, she's happy. If she's lucky, she'll get through high school and graduate without her mother even realizing. Then, she'll move away and never look back.