Chapter 2
3 days later
I found out later that he was in a car crash. He died from loss of blood and we buried him in a short time. The day after, to be exact. We didn't have any real relatives. So we just got a bare piece of land and we buried him there. It was almost time for school. Lisa was packing my lunch. Once she was finished, I grabbed my lunch and book bag, said "goodbye", and ran out the door.
It was a brisk, cold morning, enough to chill your bones. I was about 2 yards away from the bus stop and I had decided to walk. I had too much to think about. On the walk to school, I thought about how the day would be like. Facing 6th grade without knowing someone is supporting you. Seeing Mr. Frank and the class. The weather seemed to respond to my feelings, as it got colder, windier, darker.
When I got to school, I rushed to the familiar classroom. The teal blue walls mixed with gray, the beige tile floors, the wooden desks. The first thing I heard when I entered the class was Mr. Frank's, "Lila, I am so sorry about what happened to you're father on the weekend!" Since all of us entered in the room at the same time, everyone turned their heads and asked, "What happened to your dad, Lila?"
I sighed and said, "My dad died on Friday night in a car accident." Everyone became silent, like as a tribute. Arnold was the first to react. He came up behind me and put his hand on my shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Lila." I turned my head to meet Arnold's eyes. "I'm sorry too," I whispered, and I could feel a tear coming down my cheek. When Arnold spotted it, he quickly wiped it away. I gave him a solemn smile, and feeling like I would break down any minute, I went to my seat.
I couldn't concentrate through the day and was relived when lunchtime came. I couldn't take staying in the class anymore. I sat at my usual table, but a lot of the class was crowding around it by the time I got to my seat. Nadine spoke up, "Lila, if you don't mind, how exactly did your dad die?" There was a chorus of "yeah"s as I closed my eyes. Why not, I compromised, they'll find out somehow anyway.
I sighed once again and figured that I might as well. I pushed my lunch aside and started the tale. "It was Friday night and my dad was going to his job at the hospital. He said he'd be back in the morning and he left his girlfriend to baby-sit me. Later on I got a call from the hospital he worked at, telling us to come immediately. By the time we got to his room, he only got to say a few words and then he died. Later someone told us that he was hit by a drunk driver. Surprising the accident was near the hospital. He was buried on Saturday."
By the looks on their faces, everyone was in a thoughtful mood. Just about everyone in the lunchroom heard.
"So who are you staying with, Lila?" Rhonda brought up.
"Now I'm just left with Lisa, his girlfriend." I responded.
"Not with relatives?" Sid asked
"I don't have anymore relatives, not around here anyway."
"Lila, are you ok?" Timberly came over from her table.
"Yeah, I'm ok."
The bell rang for recess and everyone got up to leave. I packed my lunch and headed for the door. But as I was about to leave, someone yelled, "Hey Lila, wait up!"
I quickly turned around to see Helga running toward me. She really changed over the years. She's become kinder, friendlier, and not so defensive. She finally caught up, panted, and straightened up, "Lila, I know that we're not really close, and I was your enemy for most of 4th grade, but I'm sorry about your dad."
"Thanks," I responded and added, "you know, when you think about it, this would fit one of those commercials that say not to drink and stuff." "Yeah, it does. They should put Big Bob in there, too!" We talked for the rest of recess, and I actually forgot my troubles.
After school I did my homework, but the doorbell rang and Lisa rushed to get it. Being incredibly curious, I sneaked near the door to listen. I heard a man's voice saying, "She has no relatives and I don't think you can be her guardian, so I have no choice but to put her in an orphanage." I popped out of my hiding place and shouted, "Why do I have to go to an orphanage? Can't I stay with Lisa?"
The trench coat-covered man shook his head and said, "It's not possible." He was also wearing a brown hat and you could not see his face. Lisa stepped up and tried to reason, "Why can't I? You just can't leave this girl in a strange place, make her leave everything she knows against her free will!" But the man shot at her several reasons why she couldn't and she gave up hope. She turned to me and whispered while tears flowed down her eyes, "I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do now, but I'll find a way. Go get ready, you have to leave tomorrow."
When she said that, my heart was in pieces. I walked slowly and closed the door to my room. I pulled a diary, a little green velvet covered book, and started to write in it. Here's what it said:
Dear Diary,
As you know, my dad died and I'm now staying with Lisa. Well, a guy just came over and said I have to go to an orphanage because Lisa can't be my guardian. Not if I can help it. I visited the local orphanage once and it was horrible. Not enough food, too many people, and they adopt you to whoever to make more room. I don't want to do that. So I decided I would run away, back to Alabama. I still have some friends there and I could live there. I'll go south from town to town until I get there. I guess I'm off.
See ya,
Lila
I closed my diary and slipped it in my book bag. I also packed my book bag with food, towels, warm clothes, and a picture of Mommy, Daddy, and me. At 12 o' clock A.M. I climbed out the window and it started raining lightly. But, before I could run away, I had to visit Daddy's grave. When I got there, I dropped a note I wrote to him and walked away with a heart full of sadness. But then I was a bright light.......
3 days later
I found out later that he was in a car crash. He died from loss of blood and we buried him in a short time. The day after, to be exact. We didn't have any real relatives. So we just got a bare piece of land and we buried him there. It was almost time for school. Lisa was packing my lunch. Once she was finished, I grabbed my lunch and book bag, said "goodbye", and ran out the door.
It was a brisk, cold morning, enough to chill your bones. I was about 2 yards away from the bus stop and I had decided to walk. I had too much to think about. On the walk to school, I thought about how the day would be like. Facing 6th grade without knowing someone is supporting you. Seeing Mr. Frank and the class. The weather seemed to respond to my feelings, as it got colder, windier, darker.
When I got to school, I rushed to the familiar classroom. The teal blue walls mixed with gray, the beige tile floors, the wooden desks. The first thing I heard when I entered the class was Mr. Frank's, "Lila, I am so sorry about what happened to you're father on the weekend!" Since all of us entered in the room at the same time, everyone turned their heads and asked, "What happened to your dad, Lila?"
I sighed and said, "My dad died on Friday night in a car accident." Everyone became silent, like as a tribute. Arnold was the first to react. He came up behind me and put his hand on my shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Lila." I turned my head to meet Arnold's eyes. "I'm sorry too," I whispered, and I could feel a tear coming down my cheek. When Arnold spotted it, he quickly wiped it away. I gave him a solemn smile, and feeling like I would break down any minute, I went to my seat.
I couldn't concentrate through the day and was relived when lunchtime came. I couldn't take staying in the class anymore. I sat at my usual table, but a lot of the class was crowding around it by the time I got to my seat. Nadine spoke up, "Lila, if you don't mind, how exactly did your dad die?" There was a chorus of "yeah"s as I closed my eyes. Why not, I compromised, they'll find out somehow anyway.
I sighed once again and figured that I might as well. I pushed my lunch aside and started the tale. "It was Friday night and my dad was going to his job at the hospital. He said he'd be back in the morning and he left his girlfriend to baby-sit me. Later on I got a call from the hospital he worked at, telling us to come immediately. By the time we got to his room, he only got to say a few words and then he died. Later someone told us that he was hit by a drunk driver. Surprising the accident was near the hospital. He was buried on Saturday."
By the looks on their faces, everyone was in a thoughtful mood. Just about everyone in the lunchroom heard.
"So who are you staying with, Lila?" Rhonda brought up.
"Now I'm just left with Lisa, his girlfriend." I responded.
"Not with relatives?" Sid asked
"I don't have anymore relatives, not around here anyway."
"Lila, are you ok?" Timberly came over from her table.
"Yeah, I'm ok."
The bell rang for recess and everyone got up to leave. I packed my lunch and headed for the door. But as I was about to leave, someone yelled, "Hey Lila, wait up!"
I quickly turned around to see Helga running toward me. She really changed over the years. She's become kinder, friendlier, and not so defensive. She finally caught up, panted, and straightened up, "Lila, I know that we're not really close, and I was your enemy for most of 4th grade, but I'm sorry about your dad."
"Thanks," I responded and added, "you know, when you think about it, this would fit one of those commercials that say not to drink and stuff." "Yeah, it does. They should put Big Bob in there, too!" We talked for the rest of recess, and I actually forgot my troubles.
After school I did my homework, but the doorbell rang and Lisa rushed to get it. Being incredibly curious, I sneaked near the door to listen. I heard a man's voice saying, "She has no relatives and I don't think you can be her guardian, so I have no choice but to put her in an orphanage." I popped out of my hiding place and shouted, "Why do I have to go to an orphanage? Can't I stay with Lisa?"
The trench coat-covered man shook his head and said, "It's not possible." He was also wearing a brown hat and you could not see his face. Lisa stepped up and tried to reason, "Why can't I? You just can't leave this girl in a strange place, make her leave everything she knows against her free will!" But the man shot at her several reasons why she couldn't and she gave up hope. She turned to me and whispered while tears flowed down her eyes, "I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do now, but I'll find a way. Go get ready, you have to leave tomorrow."
When she said that, my heart was in pieces. I walked slowly and closed the door to my room. I pulled a diary, a little green velvet covered book, and started to write in it. Here's what it said:
Dear Diary,
As you know, my dad died and I'm now staying with Lisa. Well, a guy just came over and said I have to go to an orphanage because Lisa can't be my guardian. Not if I can help it. I visited the local orphanage once and it was horrible. Not enough food, too many people, and they adopt you to whoever to make more room. I don't want to do that. So I decided I would run away, back to Alabama. I still have some friends there and I could live there. I'll go south from town to town until I get there. I guess I'm off.
See ya,
Lila
I closed my diary and slipped it in my book bag. I also packed my book bag with food, towels, warm clothes, and a picture of Mommy, Daddy, and me. At 12 o' clock A.M. I climbed out the window and it started raining lightly. But, before I could run away, I had to visit Daddy's grave. When I got there, I dropped a note I wrote to him and walked away with a heart full of sadness. But then I was a bright light.......