The night was as bright as a thousand lights. This was the last chance I got to make things right. Time was running out, but no matter what, I needed to see him.
I am your average 16-year-old girl. People sometimes wonder if I am my parent's child but In my heart, I know I am. Unlike my parents, my hair was a curly red mess and eyes as green as the green leaves hanging on the tree as if they were little decorations, freckles carelessly were painted across my nose and cheeks. But I did have one thing my father and mom have, it's weird actually but I have my father's exact same toes with one tiny mole on top of the big toe and I have my mom's dimples and smile. During my birth, it did cause a lot of confusion due to my different looks which made my dad get suspicious of my mom. When they saw my toes and smile for the first time they just knew and there was no more doubt.
I attend With-ward High School, you can call it a good school to be at, but honestly, it's hell. I have three friends I talk to the most, Naro is the first, he's a little...well crazy, he claims to see aliens outside his window at night, but once you get pass all his crazy talk he's a pretty cool guy. Next, we have Shiana, you'd think she'd be hanging out with the 'Cool kids' but honestly she claims she just hates them due to the drama they stir up, she loves fashion and she has just the most powerful outstanding singing voice I've ever heard, but she never like attracting attention to herself much. Lastly, there's Sternold, my closest friend, he's really a freeloader, to be honest, but he was the person I've told all my secrets to, he understands me just as much as I understand him. Never do we keep secrets from each other, and if we do most likely it's something that we should never speak about unless told to. One of the biggest secrets I kept from all my friends was my crush on Voniel Peterson. He is in my Chemistry class and he sits right next to me. If they knew I had a crush on him I just know it'd be a problem for them... exactly because he used to be Shiana's first boyfriend and they were pretty serious about each other, no one knows why the just suddenly broke up but it was clear they shared some feelings for each other.
But enough about me, let's get to the real reason why I am telling my story.
7:35 a.m. Saturday, July 2, 1996
It all started on a Saturday morning. The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the open air around me. It was the same caramel with a hint of vanilla my parents would always make each morning they got up. I walked down the stairs wondering into the kitchen. I noticed today my mom was wearing her favorite red dress with yellow sunflowers splattered all over it. That was my favorite of her dresses as well. I remember as clear as day when she first got that dress. It was on a summer day just like today, except it wasn't as hot. I, my mom and dad all planned to go somewhere special together when suddenly my mom squealed with excitement. "Honey look! Isn't it just the cutest!" I glanced over to where my mom was pointing and there it was that red dress with the sunflowers. It was like the dress itself was calling to my mother. As soon as she put it on they just clicked, like they were meant for each other. That was my mom's favorite dress ever since. I sat down at the wooden round table placed inside our kitchen with exactly three dark brown chairs with a red soft seat cushion. "Hey, mom are we going anywhere special today?" I ask eagerly awaiting her reply. My mother looked at me with her solid chocolate brown eyes which shined once placed in the light. She smiled softly walking over with a plate with toast, bacon, grits, and eggs. "I and your father planned on going on vacation for awhile." She said setting the plate down on the table that made a soft thump sound. "Vacation!? Today? But what about me? Aren't I coming along?" I asked feeling my face frown with sorrow.
"Next time sweety, me and your father just decided that the vacation was just going to be alone time for us." She said taking a seat in the same spot she sat at close to the window. She glanced down at her coffee rubbing her index finger along the edge of the cup and picking it up sipping in the warm sweetness that the coffee gave. "So you're telling me I have to stay in this house alone? For how long?"
I heard my father walk over to the table and pulled out the last dark brown chair and sat down at the table. "Look Lily...we understand how you feel but I promise it'll only be four days that we'd be gone." I looked at my dad, strands of his hair laid gently down on his face his eyes gave me a small hint of comfort. I sighed softly and stood up from my chair heading over to the counter and grabbed a fork from the dish rack. "Ok...I understand, but don't forget to get me something." I said glancing at the two of them. My mom softly smiled which showed her dimples that were engraved into her pale smooth skin. I walked over to my chair and sat down and picked at my eggs. "So...when are you leaving?" I asked and scooping up a bit of egg with my fork. "Actually...we are leaving today, after breakfast." My mom soft tone called out. I wanted to understand and I wanted to tell myself that it'd be ok, but a little bit of worry stirred deep in my heart as if it was calling out 'don't go' I don't know what my mind was thinking but I felt awful about the whole idea.
I looked at my parents slowly feeling the weight of my curls that rested on my head. "I see, well you better hurry and eat, you don't want to be late for your flight." My mom glanced at the clock that was above one of the cabinets that were close to the kitchen door next to a window with a pot of lily flowers. "Oh goodness your right, Hank, we have to go." My mother squealed out before standing up from her chair and poured her coffee into the sink. "Dalila honey, hold up a second." My father reached into his back pocket and took out one of his credit cards and about 30 dollars. "Now you know, the credit card is only used for you to buy yourself something to eat but I would give you an additional 30 dollars." He said and leaned down kissing me on the forehead. I stared down at the credit card and the money he had sat on the table and felt a soft sigh escape between my lips, I really didn't want them to go.
After a couple of minutes hearing thumbing and scattering upstairs my mom rushed down the stairs with her suitcase and bags, my father soon following after her. "Lily, we're so sorry for just going on vacation like this but I swear we would make it up to you once we get back." I nodded as I walked towards the front door seeing my parents off. "Bye, have a safe trip," I called out to them. "Bye! I love you sweety." My mom called back as my dad help place her things in the cab. Once they were settled they were gone. Not knowing that that would be the last time they got to see their precious little girl.