Prologue
Sitting alone in my front yard. I watch my neighbors play with their children, walking their dogs. I feel a nudge on my right arm. I look over to find Daisy trying to get under my arm.
"You're too big Dai-Dai." I tell her.
She keeps on pressing. It was dark outside, kids were heading in. I still sat, waiting for mother and father to come home. Thats when my tiny phone rang making Daisy and me to jump. I answer the phone, and a deep voice answers.
"Miss. Miller. I'm calling about your parents."
"Yes, this is me. What about my parents?" I ask.
"I'm Officer William Lennox. I'm calling because you're parents were drunk driving … again."
"Are they alright?" My heart racing. Thinking the unimaginable.
"I'm afraid not. They crashed and died on impact. They were driving ten miles over the speed limit."
I wake up screaming. I wake up every night hearing those words. Aunt Judy and uncle Ron had taken me in. With their son, Sam. They've stopped running up the stairs asking if I was alright.
I've had the same nightmare since I was six. I am now 17. I sat up fast. My heart racing all over again, living that moment of denial.
I slowly get out of bed and take a hot shower. I walk down the stairs still in a dull shock. I go into the living room, and sat down on the couch. But then I decided to get inside Sam's car.
He never lets me drive, much less sit in it. Its a old beat up yellow a black camaro. I tiptoe out of the house, grabbing the car keys on the way. I slowly walk to the car.
"Hey, Bee." Its weird to talk to a car, much less nickname it.
I run my fingers over the door, and it shakes slightly at my touch. I do a double take, but shrug it off. It was cold outside. I open the door and get in. I start the car and a sound like gunfire went off.
"Shh, Bee. Sam can't know I'm in the car."
"Heaven, get out of my damn car!" Shouts Sam.
"Step on it." I shout, laughing as I peel out of the driveway. We go way beyond the speed limit. I'm laughing as I see Sam pedaling on my black bike, trying to catch up.
"It feels so good to drive." I laugh.
I don't even know where we're going, I just know this is going to be fun.
"You're amazing, Bee! Amazing!" I shout. smacking the steering wheel lightly.
I soon find myself driving into the desert. I look out the side window to see the sun rising.
"Isn't it beautiful, Bumblebee. I wish I can see it more often." I whisper, a small smile appearing on my lips.
I turn the car around, after a hour or so. Its only six when I get back home. When I step out of the car, Sam comes storming out of the house, anger turning his face red.
"This is the 3rd time you've stolen my car this week! I am so going to kill you!" Sam yells.
"Sorry. Its just, you know. Cool to have a car like Bee." I whisper.
Sam freezes in its tracks.
"Why'd you name it Bee?" He asks.
"It looks like a bumblebee." I whisper.
He sighs, though she didn't notice.
"I'm still going to kill you." He sneers.
"Try me." I sneer right back.
Sam charges me and I lower my shoulder flip him over my head. He yelps and lands on his back, moaning on impact.
"I've been taking karate for 4 years and I still can't beat you." He says, getting up.
"You don't flow. You gotta flow. You can try again, if you're not scared." I tease him.
"Lets take this to the backyard." He says, trudging away.
I follow him to the backyard, Uncle Ron is going to yell at us for stepping on his grass. We never care though. I get into a fighting stance, fist raised in front of my face. Sam does the same but his fist are lowered a bit more, exposing his face.
Sam charges and I easily throw him to the side.
"Really Sam, really. That was liking picking up a feather, put more power into it." I instruct, circling Sam.
Sam charges again, and I easily slide to the side and trip him. He lands face first. He gets back up, blooding pouring from his nose.
"Look what you did. My girlfriends going to kill you." Screeches Sam.
"I'll like to see her try."
Sam lowers his fists and stares at me.
"How come you don't protect yourself at school? I mean I always come home to find that you were beat up."
"I don't use my skills to protect me. I do it to protect others. I direct every bully to me, so than others do not go through pain. I am protector and must stay protector." I simply tell him, lowering my fists a bit.
"I wish you wouldn't do that."
"Than who will? One must start, and then must finish. I wish you would understand."
I turn around and walk away. I sense him charging and I deliver a backflip over his head and a kick to his back. He goes sprawling on the ground like an angel.
"Never let your guard down." I say, rolling my eyes before lifting him up by the back of his shirt.
"Hey, put me down." He shouts, kicking and fighting.
I carry him to Bee before laying (Dropping him more like it) him on the ground next to Bee.
"Oof." He says.
I laugh, leaning against Bee.
"I can't believe I keep getting beat by a girl." Sam says getting up.
"I've been at it longer."
"But you don't even do karate."
"My parents taught me, before, you know, they lost themselves." I whisper.
"Yeah, I know."
Awkward silence fills the air. I look at my watch and it's 7 o'clock.
"Would you take me to school?" I ask.
"Sure, hop in. I just need a napkin to clean the blood of my face."
Sam leaves to head to the house. I get in Bee's passenger seat and wait. When Sam comes back out he's carrying his and mines backpack. He gets in and tosses the bags to the back seats.
"Thanks." I tell him.
"No prob."
We drive in silence, a very comfortable silence. We reach school and I head to french class. Miss. Doty is the best teacher out of all of them. She gives us the time to complete projects and homework. And shes amazing with french.
"Bonjour." (Hello) Miss. Doty says.
"Salut." (Hi)The class responds.
"Aujourd'hui, nous allons en apprendre davantage sur la lecture de livres français." (Today we are going to learn about reading french books)
"Nous savons déjà comment." (We already know that) Snickered Trent.
"Examen" (Review) Miss. Doty said, glaring at Trent.
I raise my hand slowly.
"Oui, mademoiselle. Miller?" (Yes, miss. Miller?) Miss. Doty asks, turning her gaze to me.
"Qu'est-ce que nous allons examiner. Je veux dire, si nous avons déjà appris à lire en français, que ce que nous pouvons examiner." (What are we going to review. I mean, if we already learned how to read in french, than what can we review.) I ask hesitantly.
"Très bonne question. Nous allons apprendre à lire à la volée. Nous devons la lire en un clin d'oeil, donc pour les deux prochains jours, nous allons apprendre à tous les français, il n'y aura pas une fois de la langue anglaise sur vos papiers." (Very good question. We will be learning how to read on the fly. We must read it in a snap, so for the next couple of days we will be learning on all french, there will not be a once of english on your papers.)
The class groaned. No english, for a week. I sigh, and work on the worksheet the teacher had handed out.
After school was over I was standing next to a yellow Lamborghini in the parking lot. I was getting ready to leave when Trent walked up. I looked at him and turned away, walking down the street.
"Get back here!" Shouts Trent.
I continue to walk away, and he grabs my arm. He spins me around and tosses me to the ground. I lay there for a bit, and he kicks me in the gut. I grimace, standing up.
"You're going to do our homework for us." He orders and I shake my head.
"What." He seethed.
"Wǒ bù huì zuò nǐ de gōngkè. Nǐ xūyào xuéxí, fǒuzé nǐ huì bèn bǐ nǐ yǐjīng shì." (I will not do your homework. You need to learn, or you'll be dumber than you already are.) I say calmly in chinese.
"What did you say?" He has a perplexed look on his face.
"Je bent dik, stom en dom. En de grootste pestkop op deze school." (You are fat, dumb and stupid. And the biggest bully in this school.) I say in dutch.
"Speak english girl." He spits in my face.
"If you wish. I was just saying how amazing you are with bolts for brains." I tell him.
He uppercuts me. My head flying back, blood pooling in my mouth, dripping out at the corners.
"Say that again, go ahead I dare you."
"Rydych chi yn y ci fragging benywaidd, gyda nothin 'i'w ddweud ond byddaf yn lladd chi. Os ydych am i brifo fi fynd yn ei flaen. Rwy'n unig yma, gan gymryd sgrap oddi wrthych oherwydd fy mod yn amddiffyn ac amddiffynwyr diogelu. Ac os oes gennych broblem gyda hynny, yna byddaf yn yma." (You are the fragging female dog, with nothin' to say but I will kill you. If you want to hurt me go ahead. I'm only here, taking scrap from you because I am a protector and protectors protect. And if you have a problem with that then I'll be here.) I cuss in welsh.
"English!" He punches me across the face.
"You can do whatever you want with me, I don't give a damn. Just keep in mind that karma's a pain in the aft." I sneer, receiving another hit to the face.
This time I fall to the ground, the world spinning. I can barely pick myself up off the ground. Then a shout.
Sam no. Going back. Leave this to me. I shout in my head.
"What do you want, Witwity?" Trent say aggressively.
"Leave my cousin alone." He yells.
"Sure I'll do that."
When Sam gets close enough to Trent, Trent makes to hit Sam. My Sam, no way. I spring up and take the hit thats meant for Sam. Sam kneels down next to me, almost getting hit again, but I block it with my fist connecting with his. I hear shatter and knew I had broken his wrist.
Trent yells and nurses his hand.
"You little …" I cut him off.
"If you ever try to hurt my friend again, I swear I will do worse than break your fragging hand. You hear me. Stay away from them, and you won't get hurt." I hiss out between my teeth.
Trent glares at me, before walking away.
"Heaven, are you alright?" Sam asks.
"What do you think you were doing? You idiot. You ruined everything. What happened to the talk this morning, he's going to target someone else, and they'll be in pain." I shrug off his question, and just start ranting.
Sam tries to speak several times but my voice just keeps getting higher and higher. I stop talking when my head all of a sudden gets jumbled, and I collapse in Sam's arms.
"Heaven, Heaven. Can you hear me?" Sam asks frantic.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just too many hits to the head." I whisper, almost not loud enough to hear, but he still does.
"You're going to be fine." Sam keeps repeating to himself.
"No sacrifice, no victory." I whisper the Wikiky's family motto.
"You're right Heaven. You're right." Sam says, crying now.
"I'm not dying, you big baby." I tell him sternly.
"I know." Sam laughs in between sobs.
"Suck it up, I'm not that important." I tell him, laying a hand on his cheek.
"You're the most important thing in our family. You're everything. I always wanted to be just like you. You were smart, kind, gentle, sweet, brave. Everything I wanted to be."
"Sam you don't get it. You were always those things. Even before you knew I existed." I tell him.
"Can you say that in your homeland speech?"
I nod my head.
"Anata wa shinsetsude, amaideshita. Itsumo soko ni watashi no tame ni, watashi wa mohaya jibun jishin o tamotsu koto ga dekinakatta toki. Hokanohito ga tsuneni nokotte iru ma wa, taizai shita. Watashi wa anata ga shitte iru soko ni shiawasedeshita. Shikashi, watashi wa eien ni soko ni taizai suru koto wa dekimasen. Watashi wa sugu ni nokoshite oku hitsuyō ga arimasu. Anata ga sore o dō omou ka dō ka wa dyngte inai yo." (You were kind and sweet. Always there for me when I couldn't keep myself up any longer. You stayed while others always left. I was happy to be there you know. But I can't stay there forever. I need to leave soon. I'm not dying if that what you think.)
Sam cries even harder.
"None of that." I whisper.
Sam nods his head and sniffles. I slowly sit up, the world spinning a bit.
"Hey, Sam. You okay?" A voice asks.
A spin around and find myself facing a tall guy. About as tall as me. 6' 3''. A large build but lean. He was wearing a yellow shirt, with black stripes along the sleeves and collar. Black slacks with yellow on them and yellow shoes.
"No." Sam says, holding back a sob.
"Yes you are." I tell him.
"No, you're dying."
The guy in yellow gasps at this.
"No I'm not. I'm just bleeding." I tell him with a laugh.
Its been several days since Sam told Trent off. But I learned he did me a favor that day. Sam just made Trent want to hurt me more, and he spent most of his time hurting me. One time got so bad that I was rushed to the hospital. When they asked what happened I said I got into a gang fight.
They didn't know my history and took that as an excuse. Aunt Judy was so made that she grounded me for a month, also believing what I said. She didn't know that I was bullied and I made Sam promise me not to tell. He didn't like it much but agreed all the same.
I would some times find myself thinking about the person in yellow that day. He seemed so familiar for some reason. It was quite weird, considering I have never seen him before in my life.
"Heaven, I'm going to go now, won't be back till monday." Aunt Judy called up the stairs.
The whole family (Not me still grounded) was going on a vacation and wouldn't be home for three days. It was amazing to know that they trusted me enough to watch the house.
"KK." I yell back down from my dark room, where I was drawing a peterbilt semi-truck from down the street.
I found that it was there most of the time during the day. It was blue and red and had flames running along the side.
"You know the rules."
"Yes, don't leave the house, don't leave your room unless hungry or have to pee, don't answer the door, don't answer the phone, don't get on electronics, and don't talk to people." I repeated the rules I had etched into my brain.
"Good, we'll see you later." And with that I heard the car start and drive down the driveway.
I sighed and leaned against my wall. I look at my locked door that lead to the balcony. They had locked it when they realised I could easily leave that way. I find my lock pick that I had hidden in a safe in my closet wall.
I bend down in front of the chained door. I stick the pick into the keyhole and wiggle and twist. After several minutes the lock clicked and opened. I pull the chain off the door. I open the door and smell the fresh morning air.
I go over to the railing and lean over it, enough to almost fall. I pull out my sketchbook and pencil and start to draw the yellow lamborghini I had seen that day with Trent and Sam. I shaded every part that needed shading, I drew every line straight. After an hour or so it was done.
I then pull out my ipod and pick my favorite song, The Fault in Our Stars by Birdy. I sing along, not too loud and not to soft.
"He knows full well there's just time
So is it wrong to dance this line.
If you're heart was full of love
could you give it up?
Cause what about, what about angels?
They will come, they will go, and make us special Oh Oh Oh
My voice slowly grows, everything tumbling into it, giving me the power of love. I never knew love, yet I'm singing about it with so much passion. As the song continues I lose myself.
"Don't give me up
Don't give,
me up.
How unfair it's just out love,
found something real that out of touch,
But if you searched the whole wide world
Ho oh oh, would you dare to give it up,
How can I possibly know about angels? I don't know. I will never know.
Cause what about, what about angel?
They will come, they will go, and make us special oh oh oh
Don't give me up
Don't give,
me up
Cause what, what about angels?
They will come, they will go and make us special
Its not about, not about angels.
The song slowly goes to an end and I close my eyes and sit down. After several minutes I hear a knock on the door. I ignore it, but knocking turns to pounding. I make my way down the stairs and look out the window to see a heavy, colored guy on our porch.
I grab the phone and call Judy.
"Hello." Judy's sweet, sugary voice says through the phone.
"Hi aunt Judy. Theres someone at the door." I tell her.
"Oh, Heaven. That must be your babysitter. Let him in dear."
"A babysitter?"
"Yes. You're grounded and I can't trust you right now."
"Okay, Judy, I'll let him in. But I don't like this idea." I hang up before she can say goodbye.
I open the door, only to nearly get pounded in the face with a huge fist.
"Wow, dude. Take it down a notch." I tell him, swing my head to the side.
"Sorry, lady. I'm John, I'm here to babysit." His voice is husky.
"Well, come on in. Um … theres not much to do."
"Wheres the little pooper I got to watch?" He asks walking in and making himself comfortable on the couch.
"I am not a pooper. Or little for that matter. I just can't be trusted." I whine.
"Oh, I was told I was watching a 4 year old."
"I'm 17."
"Sorry."
"Thats ok. Anything you want?" I close the door and lock it.
"Yes. I want you to be quiet and listen very closely." All of a sudden he's behind me, covering my mouth with his hand.
