I stayed there a while, sitting in the warm, sweet air and crying next to my mother’s grave. I cried over the flowers I brought my mother. I wish she could see me. I just wish that one day she could come with me, or I would go with her, but I didn’t want to die, even if everyone I knew hated me and my Dad thought I had something to do with mother’s death. The only reason my Dad let me in the house was because someone might see me outside and then they would probably report him, and he wanted to live here, not in jail, or with my Mom, or as he calls it, DEATH. I liked to call it a better word, heaven. My Dad sometimes threw me out of the house and called me a freak and yelled and swore a lot. When I went to see my mother sometimes, he asked me where I was going, and if I said to see Mom, he said and screamed SHE IS DEAD or WHY? WHY? ARE YOU DUMB? Sometimes I thought I was adopted, but Mom was nice. I was young though, I don’t know why, but ever since Mom left, I just felt like I didn’t need any friends, but in my heart, I really did. I needed friends because friendship helped me when Mom left, all of my friends and everyone else were super nice, too, and all the teachers too, but one day I shut every one out. My Dad said he would homeschool me but he never taught me anything but how to yell and one million reasons why he should blame me for killing my mother.
I tried texting my only friend. Her name was Sarah. She didn’t care if I was dumb or awkward. I am super dumb. When she came over in eighth grade, she was doing philosophy, and my Dad didn’t really homeschool me like he was supposed to when he said he would homeschool me. When Mom was around, she used to say to my Dad, “When you get mad, just count to ten backwards, then you will calm down.” But these days, he only gets mad when I tell him to count backwards from ten, or he throws a book at me. I loved him even though he did this stuff, but I want to tell you where all the fun started and I got to tell you it from the beginning, a long time ago…the sad beginning.
Chapter 1
“Wait,” Sarah called as I looked. She was running behind me. “You’re always winning in our little races, you know, Christine. You are super fast. You should try out for the track team.”
“Yeah, right. Those people in the track team are weird and mean and huge. Whatever. But I am sorry, I can’t. I have violin lessons and I am not fit for it. I got to help out in the house because Max isn’t really feeling like herself these days.”
“Hey, well, you won’t really be alone. We could do CHEERLEADING,” she yelled.
“Wow, ok.”
When I turned around and saw her with a pom pom, all I thought was boringness.
“Oh, come on.”
“Fine, only for a little bit. And if I don’t like it, I will quit. Understood?”
“Ok then.” She burst out in huge smile. “Wow, oh my god. I am so happy you are actually going to try it out.”
Chapter 2
“Do I have to do this?” I called. My feet were tired.
“Yes, you said you would try and, wait there until I come out of the stall, please. Oh, wait. How does this look, Chris?”
“Oh gosh, I don’t really know what to say. You look good with pom poms. What about the outfit?” I answered.
“Well, it’s too tight. What about yours?” Sarah called.
“Well, it’s too tight. I am coming out now, wait.” RIP RIP RIP RIP.
“Oh no, wait, can you hand me my clothes? My outfit is too tight, too.”
“What’s with these cheerleaders and tightness?” I said.
“No clue, Chris, no clue.”
“Well, whatever. Let’s go. I don’t really want to try on the outfit. I’m too tired.”
“Whatever, Chris, let’s go.”
Chapter 3
“Ugh, I can’t do this. I should be at home helping. I hope I don’t get on the squad,” I said.
“Whatever, Chris, come on. I hope I get in. I bet I could become best friends with Elisabeth,” Sarah responded.
A pang of jealousy filled my body. Wasn’t she my best friend? A bunch of thoughts filled my head.
“Okay, let’s try. Five, six, five, six, seven, eight, flip!” Then another a double somersault.
“Ouch, ouch, Sara, you know I can’t really do th…ouch,” I said.
“Don’t be a grouch, you have to try. You promised, Chris,” she whined.
“Fine!”
“Sometimes you can be a real grouch, Chris.”
“Whatever, let’s go home!” I exclaimed.
Chapter 4
“Hi, Mom,” I said to my mother.
“Hi, sweetie,” my mother said.
“How are feeling? Is your fever down? How are you feeling?”
“I am fine, hun. How are you today?”
“Fine, ma. I am going to go up in my room. I got to do homework. I have lots. Bye.”
“Ugh.” Maybe Sarah texted her.
I sighed, then cried.
“Why is everything in life so hard? I have to do cheerleading with Sara and now Sara wants to be best friends with Elisabeth and…now I think Mom is going to die. Wwaaahhh.”
RRRR IIII IIII NNNN GGGGG!
“From: Saraqueen396
hi let’s quit this cheerleading thing”
“What–quit? Why!?” I immediately responded. “AARRRRRRRGGGGGGG,” I screamed in my pilllow.
Why why why would she quit? I thought it was our thing. Immediately I knew what to do. Run away. It was a really good idea, the best I had in long time. I immediately packed my backpack full of shirts and underwear. In my other bag, I packed pants and sneakers and a pair of flats. I wasn’t sure when I would leave, but I knew it would be today, because in the night I would be too tired and my dad would be home, so I might as well do it now. I stepped one leg out the window, then the other, carefully, so I wouldn’t make any noise that would cause my Mom to wake up and see me. Then I would get in trouble. I ran as fast as my legs could go…
“OOUUCHH!” I fell and tripped down the hill.
I looked for a place to stay. Once I found a place to stay, I opened my sketchbook. My recent sketch was of this girl, who looked so pretty. She sort of looked like me. I tilted my head.
It sort of reminded me of home. I didn’t want to imagine home, or my Mom calling the cops. Ugh. I looked at my scraped knee. I wished I brought bandages or alcohol in case of an accident.
“WELL, I AM HERE. I SHOULD PROBABLY EAT SNAILS. I should probably go home now. I gave them a good scare.”
Wait, I thought, I don’t want to go home. What will I say? I am so dumb. I should have brought food or snacks with me.
“Excuse me,” said a strange boy .
Chapter 5
“Don’t call the cops, please.“
“I won’t. I am nice. Anyways, you are just a girl jogging in the woods.“
“Right.” Oh wow, I made it without getting caught. Oh darn, he is still here, I thought.
“Well, bye, “ the boy said as he walked away.
Ugh, I thought. That guy is annoying but kinda cute. I tilted my head. Not bad. I must have looked like a fool in these clothes. I looked at the clothes I was wearing – my Dad’s khakis, and my Mom’s old blouse from Goodwill. I hadn’t wanted to look like myself. All my clothes were so, um, GIRLY. I hated it. Sara picked them out, but I never had the courage to say no offense, that outfit looks GIRLY. Anyways, Sara always wore those kinds of clothes, well, sort of like mine. I waited for a long time. Ugh, I thought. This is so boring. And off I drifted.
“Kid, come with me.”
“Huh?“ I said. When I looked up, I found a tall cop by me.
“Look kid, come, the train is going to leave us.”
“Where do you want to go?” I said.
“I am going to take you to an adoption center. Ohhhh, I forgot to ask if you had parents. Dumb me, sorry.”
“No, I don’t. My Mom left me here,” I lied.
“Okay, come on. You are coming with me,“ said the tall man.
Chapter 6
After a LONG train ride, I found myself face to face with an adoption home. They’re way creepier than they look in magazines.
Ding, dong. The bell sounded…uh, it didn’t sound normal.
“Well, off you go,” said the officer that went with me on the train.
“Okay, bye.”
“Bye,” he said without turning.
“WELCOME!!” a voice boomed from the loudspeaker. “Miss, please come to the main hall NOW.”
Chapter 7
At least I had my pad of paper. I also had my mechanical pencil. While I waited for someone to open the door, I started drawing anime. Anime was my favorite. I loved drawing it, too. I also loved watching it, that is the thing I love about my house. I had netflix and my anime website so that I could watch any anime show for free.
Sometimes, I doubt myself in my drawings or in class, I am always shy and …
“HELLO, LITTLE GIRL,” a seven-foot-tall woman said. Her face was uglier than the house, her eyes were gray but with a mix of red in the middle of her pupils and her hair was white, and I think she was albino. CREEPY .
“Hi,” I said. I didn’t want to be bothered by anyone, especially not by her.
“So, whats you’re name?”
“Abigail,” I lied.
“So, do you have parents?”
“NO,” I lied.
“Are you sure?”
“Yup.”
“Where did you live before then?”
“Alaska.”
“Then how did you get here? It’s Ohio.”
“Walked,” I lied.
“1,074 miles?”
“Yup.”
“Why are you lying, little girl?”
“Um, I am not…”
“Don’t deny it.”
“Oookaay.”
“Ok then, go up in the room and unpack. You WILL write a letter to me telling me where you used to live, and I know when you’re lying, it’s my…talent. Everyone here has one.” She smiled at me like the joker.
I thought about that.
Chapter 8
I thought and thought about it, and I couldn’t take my mind off it. I felt so curious. What was my talent? What if I don’t have a talent? Where was I, really? Was that really the only person in the orphanage?
Boom!
As I heard the boom, I sang,
“Oh, tumbling leaf
You fly so high
Let’s go chasin’
Butterflies
We follow clouds
Up in the air
Painting pictures
Of fairy tales
Oh, summer sun
Hold me in your arms
I love you, mother nature
Your sunny fields of green
I love your taste of freedom
Your singing in the wind
I love, I love
Breathing deeply
To smell your summer rain
I love, I love
When you kiss me
With your sunlight on my face, I love, I love
I lay my head
Under the tree
How many seasons
He might have seen
The golden fields
They softly bow
And seem to whisper
A lullaby
Oh, summer sun
Hold me in your arms
I love you, mother nature
Your sunny fields of green
I love your taste of freedom
Your singing in the wind
I love, I love
Breathing deeply
To smell your summer rain
I love, I love
When you kiss me
With your sunlight on my face
Like a warm embrace
Oh, you little bird
Tell the whole wide world
That I save my love for her
I love you mother nature
Your sunny fields of green
I love your taste of freedom
Your singing in the wind
I love, I love
When you kiss me
With your sunlight on my face
I love, I love.”
“STOP SINGING,” said someone upstairs.
Sorry, I thought, as I kept on singing under my breath.
“Come down here. There is someone I want you to meet,” said the woman that was, I guess, the manager.
As I came down, I saw a girl next to the albino woman who was probably the manager.
“I want you to meet Jade. She is…very, very creative.”
That minute, I knew I was going to be safe here.
Three Years Later
“Some girl named Sarah is here,” called the manager, who I recently learned was named Gretchen.
Sarah. The voice rang in my mind. How did she find me? I thought I was safe.
“Coming,” I called.
The minute I saw my friend’s face, it reminded me of everything. I missed her. Sure, Jade and I had become best friends throughout the years, and even though Sarah became my enemy, I still burst out crying.
“It’s ok. Do you know about what happened?” Sarah asked.
“No.”
“Well, your Mom died and your Dad is mad, but you still have me ALWAYS.”
“I want to come back.”
I knew that things wouldn’t be the same, but at least I had Sarah.
The End