Chapter I
Mrs. Doherty's Love
I always start the day riding my bike. Right after I woke up and ate my breakfast I immediately get on it and begin my whole day by going to school. I don't know why but I like the cool air running through my whole body, and the effect of chasing the speed – the feeling of getting away from the reality. I ride my bike in the morning, then during the noontime and even until the sun sets. I use it the whole day.
Oh I almost forgot, by the way I am Gregory but you can call me Greg. Ever since my dad bought my bike as a birthday present for me I never had a day without riding it. I ride it every time I go to school near our place. I'm a first year secondary student at Mt. Carmel Academe; a private school ran by a congregation of nuns. Any way, my dad died when I was still nine I think. My mom told me that he died because of a car accident. I thought she was just lying but I never see my father then. During that time I often catch my mom crying alone. It does hurt me but I have to help my self from not crying. I have to show my mom that I can handle stuffs like it. I thought it would help but it worsens my case. I kept my tears from falling and even the feelings that I need to deal with, as a result I still find it hard to talk about it.
On my way to school every morning as I ride my bike I usually meet Mr. Ginny, the huge white-haired old owner of the fruit stand at the end of the street. He always greets me with a big smile and hands me with a little red apple every time I pass by. His apples really taste good and delicious; even better to those of the nursery rhyme that kids often sing sweet. Besides that he never failed to give me advices whenever I need them. I actually enjoy the day as it ends by having conversation with him. He is almost a father to me since my dad passed away.
Across the streets there stands the castle of the princess I really adore, Sheila McMahon. She's an angel sent by heaven, a flower that blooms only in May, and the fairest of all women. She's simply perfect. It's just that she's older to me and she's also my arts class teacher. Though she's too old for me I still like her. As far as I know, age doesn't really matters anymore nowadays; besides, I'll grow up sooner or later.
Ms. McMahon has a sister, Lisa. Lisa is my childhood friend and my ever dearest best friend. She's talkative, boyish and an honor student. The funny thing about her is that I can actually talk to her about boy stuffs and about my crushes. She understands a lot of things about me. Before, I really thought that she also likes girls until she told me that she has a big crush on Jerry Lance, the most popular and the coolest guy at the campus. Though Lisa is cute still I just can't compare her to my princess. My princess is a lady while she's just a buddy to me.
A few blocks from Mr. Ginny's fruit stand I often see Mr. Daniels, my sweet and kind professor in Science, reading a newspaper in front of his balcony. He is nice and studious professor. He never embarrassed a student and, especially, he gives me good grades, which I think matters most. But the kinder he is the worse his neighbor is, Mrs. Doherty. The old woman, whose hobbies are shouting and pouting, lives alone beside Mr. Daniels' house. Every time I see her it is either she's walking her dog or sitting at the bench in front of her house. But every time I remember her there is only one thing that comes in my mind the antagonist of every story.
One time I got late on my first class and missed a quiz when I met Mrs. Doherty on my way to school. I was already hurrying to catch my first class before it starts when she got my attention. She was then shouting and asking for some help. As an instant reaction I get near her and ask what the problem is. She slowly said that her back is itching and she needs someone to scratch it. My God! Why she had to shout like that? After I scratch her back she asks one more favor, to walk her dog. I try to refuse but she insisted. I explain why but she scolds at me instead. I just get on my bike and tried to catch up with my class while she's shouting why youths of today are too defiant. I don't know if I will get angry at that moment but the thing is I really have to hurry up. She doesn't even thank me. As I get in my class I saw my classmates already taking up the quiz. My teacher Mr. Welding smiled at me and sends me out of the class. Oh no, I missed a quiz! Mr. Welding has a policy in giving quizzes; he doesn't accept late students on the day of the quiz. So I have to take a makeup quiz instead.
As the sun sets at that day I walk with my bike at my right side and Lisa at the other side. She was laughing at me when she heard about Mrs. Doherty. But to break it out I change the topic and ask about her sister. The moment she heard about it she stops from laughing, and it seems to change the whole atmosphere. The only thing she said is fine. I refrained from asking when I saw Mrs. Doherty in front of her house shouting again and asking for some help. Lisa immediately got near her and asks her why she's screaming. I hesitate helping her but... Panicking, she answered, "Pokka got away!" I immediately ride on my bike and try to find Pokka. Oh by the way, Pokka is the small hairy dog of Mrs. Doherty that she walks every morning. We look everywhere until we finally find it at the plaza near Mrs. Doherty's house. At the Moment she saw Pokka she hug it tightly and cried like a baby. I don't know what actually to feel that moment about her, whether to get angry with her because of what happen earlier that morning or to feel sorry for her.
Mrs. Doherty invited us to have some tea inside her house and we willingly accept it. As I and Lisa sat at the sofa and wait for Mrs. Doherty, we saw a picture of her hugging a girl. When she got the tea done, we ask her who the girl in the picture is. She told us that she was her daughter. We got shocked when we knew that she actually has a daughter named Mia. But what shocks us more is when she told us that Mia had left her. She said she is against Mia's love affair with a married guy, but her daughter insisted. It came to the point that almost every night they fight and shout at each other. She suddenly paused from talking and tears started to ran her cheeks. And she continued it was one night when she got home from work and caught her daughter having drugs with that guy. She said that she got so angry with them and told them to go out and leave her house. We don't expect her to tell us about that but it really hurts. She tells us more about what she feels when her daughter got away. She told us about what are the favorite dresses, stories, and songs of her daughter while trying to stop her eyes from crying. She cried that she actually hungers for the touch and kisses of Mia. Mrs. Doherty explained to us that Pokka is the only thing left to her and loosing Pokka will definitely stop her heart from beating. I got moved by the way she talks. We can't do anything, so Lisa sat beside her and tried to sympathize with her. Mrs. Doherty hugged her and thanked us. She said it was the first time she let her feelings out.
We stayed for some hours and say good bye to Mrs. Doherty. And again she thanked us. She even invited us to visit her sometimes. Well, I really thought that she is cruel and rude but after that sunset she showed me her true self. I thought she can't cry, that she has no feelings, and that she knows nothing about affection. But all was untrue. She really loved someone so truly, so dearly, and so much. And she actually hungers for a return to what she had offered.