chapter 7

Lizzie pulled her car into the school parking lot. As a senior, she was given priority parking in the front lot. Matt enjoyed the perks of having a senior sister.

The two exited the car in silence, and made their way toward the school. Much of the journey to school had been silent. The two seemed to be processing everything from the past week in their minds. And there was no doubt that both of them were internally fighting a battle against their fears; their fears of what might happen to their mom and what she would be going through that day.

Once they had reached the curb to the front of the school, the two siblings went their separate ways. But as Matt began to walk away, Lizzie shouted after him. "Hey Matt!"

"Yeah," he turned to face his older sister.

"She's going to be ok. I promise."

"Thanks, Lizzie." He replied with true thanks. Lizzie knew her younger brother was grieving, and although she was scared, she had to fulfill her duties as older sister. He appreciated that.

The two parted and Lizzie walked to her locker to grab her economics book. As she turned the corner and began to approach her locker, she spotted Gordo waiting for her. She smiled and made her way toward him.

"Morning, Lizzie!" he greeted her sweetly.

"Morning, Gordo." She replied, but not as angelically as her usual self.

"Hey, Lizzie, you're mom is going to be ok. Mrs. G can make it through anything. She's a strong woman, where do you think you get it from?" Gordo supplied. He was very aware of the cause of her gloomy disposition.

"Thanks, Gordo, but I just wish I could be with her right now."

"I know. I'm so sorry, Liz," he replied warmly as he rapped her in an embrace.

He made her feel so safe, and she snuggled into his warm arms. Leaning her head against his chest, she felt protected.

The bell rang and Lizzie pulled away from him. She wanted so badly to stay in that position forever, but the bell had ripped her away. "I'll see you during passing. Please let me know what I can do for you. I'll do anything to help you feel better."

"Thanks"

Gordo gave her one last tight hug and the two walked to their classes. Lizzie headed toward her economics class while Gordo walked toward his AP chemistry class. Advanced chemistry first thing in the morning, Lizzie could not comprehend it.

Lizzie slid into her desk, and dropped her backpack to the floor. She was in no mood to listen to her teacher, Mr. McClure, talk about the American economy for an hour. The class was designed to teach high school students how the economic system of America worked, but instead Mr. McClure spent the period preaching his own political agenda, and explained how much he disliked the actions of the current president. Lizzie, luckily, sat near the the back, and laid her head on her desk, and thought about everything going on. She wanted so badly to be with her mom. She couldn't get her mind off of her, and would have been so much more productive for her to go with her mom than for her to attempt to sit through all her classes, while thinking about her. She wished she could at least be with Gordo right now. That would have helped a little. She needed him so badly. She just wanted him to hold her again. Maybe Miranda was right. Maybe something was happening between the two.

Lifting her head, Lizzie peered around the room, trying to free her mind of the many things preoccupying her. She scanned the students around her. Why weren't any of her friends in her class? She spotted three of the star football players sitting along the left wall. Lizzie had no doubt they would not be passing the class this year. Rebecca Hutchens, the senior secretary, sat in front of her. She was nice and very polite; definitely part of the ASB group. She also spotted several cheer leaders and marching band members. After wasting a significant amount of time categorizing all the students in her class, she looked back up at the clock. Fifteen more minutes to go. Her mind then slipped back to her mom. She was never going to make it through the day this way. She wanted to scream. One of her friend's cousin had been diagnosed with leukemia few years ago. Lizzie had been at her house one day, and her friend asked her to go to the hospital to visit her cousin who was receiving chemotherapy. Lizzie shivered as she pictured her friend's cousin lying in that hospital bed. She was hooked up to an IV pole, to receive the drugs, and she looked so sick and tired. Lizzie didn't want her mom to look that way; so pale and tired. She wanted her bright, joyous mother. The joyous mother she had previously taken for granted. A tear managed to escape but she quickly wiped it away. She had no desire to break down in her economics class in front of probably the worst teacher she had ever had. Once again, she attempted to shift her thoughts and looked to the front of the room at one of the popular cheer leaders. Lizzie smiled to herself as she looked at Claire Wanager's new hair style. She had bleached it blond, but she had fooled no one.

The bell rang and Lizzie jumped to her feet. Grabbing her backpack, she quickly evacuated the room. Lightly jogging passed the science building, Lizzie halted in front of the math building. Gordo had AP calculus next, so she would wait to see him. She however did not have to wait long, and Gordo quickly enveloped her in a warm embrace.

"Thank you," she murmured, muffled by their hug, "I needed that "

"You're very welcome" he said as he stepped back. "So how did econ go with the lovely Mr. McClure?"

"Haha, funny," she replied as she rolled her eyes. "Do we have to go to our next class. Let's just leave."

"And break my perfect attendance record. I don't think so, Missy."

"Loser," she responded through giggles.

"That hurts, Lizzie." He shot back pretending to clutch his heart. "Ok chica, I wish I could entertain your wish and stand here forever, but we only have a four minute passing period so…"

"Ok ok," she responded reluctantly, "I'll see you at snack, and we can walk to English together."

Lizzie was disappointed that the meeting she had been craving so badly for the last hour had to end so prematurely, but they had snack next and then English together.

Lizzie sat through her Spanish 4 class; half listening to the profesora, Senora Diaz, while she day-dreamed once again. Her mind wandered over the same things she had contemplated in her econ class. She tried again to change her thoughts, but every time her mind found its way back to the dreaded topics.

"Senorita McGuire, numero tres por favor."

"What?" Lizzie was pulled from her thoughts. "What, um, numero what?" Lizzie looked down at the blank sheet of paper in front of her. The students had been assigned an exercise from the textbook, but she had failed to complete, or start for that matter, the assignment.

"Numero tres, por favor." The teacher repeated with irritation.

"Um, it's imperfect so, um, tenia, um…"

"Can someone who completed the assignment assist Senorita McGuire?" the teacher scanned the room. "Si, Senorita Stanley?"

Lizzie glared as the girl delivered the correct answer. This was not going to be Lizzie's day. Why had she even taken Spanish 4 in the first place? "Because that's what colleges want to see" she could hear Gordo saying in her mind. But at that point, college admission was the last thing on her mind.

After what seemed to be a life time, the bell rang, and Lizzie sprung to her feet. She knew if she did not make a quick break for it, she might receive a lecture from her profesora and she was in no mood. Not minding the others around her, she pushed her way through the other students and rejoiced when she breathed in the fresh air outside; she was free from the grips of Senora Diaz.

Walking toward the vending machine, Lizzie, Miranda, and Gordo's usual hang out, she looked out for her friends. The hang out was not far from her Spanish class and she quickly viewed her friends.

"Hey, Lizzie," Miranda called out as she rushed to her friend and gave her a quick hug.

"Hi Miranda"

"Hey you," Gordo chimed in as he jumped in and delivered one of the life saving hugs she had become partial to.

"Hey Gordo"

"So, was Spanish any better than econ?"

"Worse"

"Aw, I'm sorry, Liz."

"Thanks, but what can you do about it?"

"I can beet up Senora Diaz."

"I'd like to see that," Miranda jumped in.

The three spent the rest of their break complaining about their teachers, and then Gordo and Lizzie walked toward the English building together. "Gordo could once again sense Lizzie's anxiety.

"Liz, she'll be ok. Stop worrying, you'll make yourself sick."

"I know, I just…"

"I know, I'm so sorry, Liz"

Gordo gave her one last tight hug before the stepped into their English class. The period was not much different from her previous two classes, but having Gordo next to her made it that much more bearable. She felt more secure with him there by her side.

The rest of the day played out much the same and Lizzie almost cried out when the last bell of the day rang. She quickly made it to her locker to retrieve her things. Gordo was again waiting for her.

"Is your mom going to be there when you guys get home?" he inquired.

"They weren't sure," she replied as she dumped her last binder into her bag.

"Ok, I have track practice so… Are you going to be ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Go run your heart out." She replied slightly downcast.

"Are you sure? I could…"

"No," she replied with more confidence. She wasn't going to make him neglect things for her. "Go to practice, young boy."

"Yes, ma'am!" she said as he rapped his arms around her one last time. "It'll be ok, Lizzie."

"Thanks"

Lizzie grabbed her bag and returned to the parking lot where her younger brother was already waiting. They drove home in silence.

As they pulled up into the driveway, they both realized that their mom was already home. Neither knew what to expect and entered the house apprehensively.

As they entered the house, their father acknowledged them from the top of the stairs. He placed a finger to his lips, "She's sleeping." He explained. "She's really wiped out. Do your homework downstairs, but don't make a lot of noise."

The two followed instruction. They both sat down at the kitchen table to begin assignments, but neither particularly interested in the work in front of them.

"Lizzie?" Matt broke the agonizing silence.

"Yeah, Matt"

"Is this what its going to be like?"

"I guess so."

"I don't like it."

"Me either."

Just then the two heard their mom upstairs go into her bathroom, and then they heard the toilet flush. Both looked at each other and frowned.

A/N:

As always thank you so much for all of the reviews. The are always greatly appreciated.

Oh, and because I'm posting this on the 4th of July, God Bless America and God bless our troops.