Like Sisters
My name is Maxine, but everyone I know calls me Max. At this point I'm in the 3rd week of kindergarten in Wedgwood in Nebraska before winter break. To be honest, life has not been smooth. First my mom and dad died in a fire while at work. Now I live with my Uncle George. He is extremely sweet. In fact he calls me his tiny angel. However even though it happened 2 years ago when I was 3, I think about them every night. However grieving is only a negligible problem compared to the others. People would think that a 5 year old couldn't get bullied, wrong! All the kids in my class throw stuff at me, and call me names. I try to tell our teacher Mrs. Hearts, but the meanest girl Lexi tells me to keep my mouth shut or things would get ugly. It doesn't stop at kids my age. The high school and middle are literally 3 feet from each other. Middle school gets out at 4 so they are not a problem. But many of the high school girls are. I don't know why they picked me as the victim but somehow I'm stuck that way.
There is one person in this world that brings me joy. I have actually never met her. She would never have time, I mean she is a celebrity she probably has performances and videos to shoot every hour. Just hearing her sing brings me joy. Her name is Ariana Grande. Even though she doesn't know me personally somehow I think of her as a missing sister. What I wouldn't give just to see her live, or even just shake her hand. That would lift half the ton off my chest.
A newspaper came in the mail. Uncle George handed a magazine and said " look at page 10" I read it and it said Ariana grande was shooting a new music video for March, called " Missing You" best of all she was shooting it in my home town of Wedgewood Nebraska. I could easily get to it, I mean; it would be like walking to the store. However I figured that would not be a good idea, I mean it's probably a closed set. But yet I still couldn't keep my mind off it.
The whole school day was awful. I was teased and Mocked all day when Mrs. Hearts wasn't looking. Even after school more torture came. A high school boy, about age 16 I would say, came and threw a pebble at me. At that point I knew to get some life back in me I had to at least peak in the music video set just to hear Ariana sing a sentence of her song. That would tide me over.
I decided while I was getting paper for school and going to the playground that that was the best time to make my plan. At last I reached the studio. I was a little frantic that the door was locked. My heart stopped when I heard a male voice coming from inside. It was definitely a security guard. Instantly I crouched behind the tallest bush. He shrugged and left, closing the door behind him. I knew this was risky but every part of me was saying I just had to do this.
A large tree with several branches that climbed up to the top window seized my attention. One skill I know I have is climbing. My hands grabbed branch by branch and didn't stop until I reached the top window. After opening the window a crack, I heard her sing a phrase. It was gorgeous, like an angel singing to me. She stopped and the director asked her something, but I could not hear what it was. Then I thought I saw a threat at her. A man was grabbing her around the waist. My instinct was that he was hurting her. Even though she has no idea who I am, I knew I had to save her. However going down would not be smart. Just by luck I found a rock in my pocket. Without thinking I launched it at him with all my might and in 5 seconds he was on the floor. To avoid being spotted I climbed down 2 branches, but stayed close enough so I could hear. I heard a sentence that made my mind fill with terror. It was Ariana's voice and she yelled " MAC, ARE YOU OK? HELP A ROCK HIT MAC HIS HEAD IS BLEEDING" I didn't mean for that to happen I just wanted him to let go of Ariana . In fact I had only heard him once with Ari, and I never saw what he looked like so I didn't even know it was Mac. I knew the paramedics would be here soon and maybe the cops and they would not care if it were an accident. Plus if Ariana knew she would never like me. I rushed down and ran home as fast as I could.
The next day was Saturday. While Uncle George was at work I looked online to find out if Mac was ok. It said that a rock was launched at Mac through a window. "Darn" I said to myself. "I forgot to close the window" it said that the doctors said Mac would be ok, but would not be able to perform for at least 2 months. Until then, the music video " Missing you was on hold until further notice.
I felt like my heart stopped. The whole video stopped and it was my entire fault. I just wanted to go die in a hole.
Winter break came and Even though I got a break from the mean kids, the thoughts of how I ruined Ariana's Video haunted me. I decided to tell one friend, the only one I knew I could trust. My friend Sammy the squirrel.
I told her everything and went home. It felt great to tell someone, even if it was a squirrel. 3 days later I decided it was time to confess. Uncle George gave me permission to go to the store while he was at work, as long as I was back by 8:45. I needed to get a gift to say I'm sorry to Ariana and Mac.
I didn't have a lot so the best I could do was a candy necklace for Ari, and a pack of pop rocks for Mac. When I stepped out I felt something was not right. For 2 blocks it felt like a shadow was following me. Before I could take another step, a rope lassoed me with my arms at my side. It pulled towards the end just like a fish on a fishing line. Both my arms and legs were seized as soon as I was untied. " 2 scary 17 year old guys looked at me in disgust, " we know it was you who ruined the video; we were looking forward to it, now you will pay. I tried to explain it was an accident but before I could say anything a fist flew into my eye. Then more and more came and they started beating me with sticks. I got all bloody that I was sure to be dead. They pounded me for what seemed like an hour until their sticks broke the tied me in a net and threw me to the side of the trashcans, with my jacket ripped off and torn. I saw them hold a cardboard sign with tape on it. It said" this girl is horrible; She ruined Ariana's music video. " It was taped on my back and I was left alone.
I was frozen and had given up hope. I figured by now no one would notice. Even my tears felt cold down my cheek. Snow had ben falling on me. All of a sudden the sign was moved from me. I figured it was just the wind, until a heard a gentle soothing voice ask me " sweetheart, are you ok? Can you speak to me? That was a tone I knew.
I was too weak and cold to talk or move so I moaned. I heard my net being sliced. Then a pair of tender soft hands grabbed my shoulders and gently turned me on my back. My eyes were barely open but it was enough that I could see that it was Ariana Grande. " Don't worry honey" My brother and I are going to get help. She lifted me up and held me close as she took me to the car. Her warm embrace held me tight. She opened the door and laid me across the back seat with my head on her lap.
I started to say, " Ariana I'm so sorry I meant no harm" but she brushed my hair and said softly " shh, and I know it was an accident Max, it's ok." Those words just lifted a lot off me. Frankie handed her a thermometer and she stuck it under my tongue. My temperature was 88 degrees. Which meant I had hypothermia. An ambulance was called. Ariana asked them if she could give me a sleeping pill cause I was in hysterics. They said yes because it would help me warm up. I took the pill and started to yawn but I was still to scared and jittered to fall asleep. That was no problem for Ariana. She sang a song to me from a musical called " dirty rotten scoundrels called "Nothing is to wonderful to be true" as she stroked my hair. By the time her song was done, her alleviating voice lulled me into a deep sleep.
I was in the hospital for 3 weeks. Ariana and my Uncle visited me every day. She said that I was a wonderful fan to her. I didn't understand why I mean I wanted to but I almost killed Mac Miller. She smiled and said I was the first to actually try to protect her even though she didn't know me. She said goodbye with a kiss on my forehead. A representation of a sister like friendship would stay forever.