Big Dreams

Chapter 7: Story Time

When we entered my bedroom, he sat down in my bed but, looking at me, he got up the same second as if he was afraid of me.

- "Can we sit, please?", he asked .

- "Sure.", I said, coldly.

- "I want to start by apologizing again for what I said today, I shouldn't have talked that way about you or the way I talked to your.. friend"

- "No, you shouldn't", we were sitting next to each other and even though he was looking at me I didn't look at him.

- "And I also want you to know that I don't think you're like the other girls, I think you're the opposite to them; you don't let anyone talk about you the way they want to, you don't like injustice either to yourself or to others and although you have a good heart you won't tolerate anyone disrespecting you. I know that's who you are and I love those things about you."

- "I'm glad you know that.. but I'm still mad, how can you behave like that because of your friends?", that was what I really wanted to know, the real reason for his actions.

- "Well, I guess it's storytime..", I was confused but didn't interrupt, "I know nothing justifies my actions today but you said you didn't know me so I'm gonna tell you my story." I didn't know what to say so I just kept listening, "Remember when I told you that I had some..family problems?", he asked me, I said yes and was now looking at him, "my.. father..he..died a few years ago..I was 14", I could see how difficult it was for him to say that so I grabbed his hand instinctively and he made a soft smile, "and my mother.. she became a drug addict after that, so my sister and I are the ones taking care of everything nowadays."

- "I'm so sorry..", I didn't know what else to say besides that so I kept holding his hand tightly.

- "Those friends were there for me and helped me and my sister when no one did and that's why I keep tolerating everything they do 'cause although I know the wrong stuff they do, they kept me clean and gave me food so I wouldn't follow my mother's steps. As for my sister, she has always been the perfect one, nothing affects her, she's stronger than me.."

- "What makes you think you're not as strong as her?", I decided to interrupt.

- "Have you looked at me? I'm just really messed up... My father was everything to me, my example, my idol and he died.. after that my mother was never the same and I couldn't help her 'cause I was too messed up to do that as always.."

- "No, you couldn't help her 'cause you were a child and you were the one who needed help, you cannot blame yourself for her choices", he looked at me and smiled.

- "You're something special, aren't you Sara?", I didn't understand what he meant but I did as he continued, "you see, people in my neighborhood are not like you. When the father of a family dies, the older brother is supposed to take care of the family."

- "That's just stupid, you weren't even 18", I replied outraged.

- "I thought you would say that ...", and he smiled holding my hand with his, "They get into each other's lives a lot, but nobody says anything because we are all like one big family and we often help everyone there. However, they have these stupid rules that I hate, but that I have to follow" I was so surprised that I didn't know what to say, "Many of them are dealers and they think my mom is okay so they continue to sell her, but she is no longer herself. Last year she overdosed, so I stayed at home with her for a while; now she says she's working and will do everything right for her kids, but I don't know if that's true ... ", he paused and took a deep breath.

- "Yes, I know the feeling..", I understood, in some aspects, his pain; as I said that I noticed he looked curious so I added, "Continue, continue".