Paige

Chapter 8

I woke up screaming in my bed. Lilly shot up from the end of my bed and barked loudly.
My heart was beating really fast and my hair was sticking to my sweaty neck. My mom burst into my room looking just as panicked as I was.
"I'm sorry," I said between breaths, "I had that nightmare again."
Her face relaxed a little and she sat on the side of my bed. She scratched Lilly's head to calm her down. She ran her fingers through my hair. She always did this to calm me down.
"Are you feeling okay?" She said softly.
"I don't really know what to do."
"No need to get upset. Just do what you think is best."
"Did the city really mean that much to you?"
"Yes. It's where I grew up," She had to pause because she was getting emotional, "I left out one piece of important information."
My heart brayed faster again, "What is it?"
"You.... You had a brother..."
My jaw dropped, "I what!"
"Yes... He died with the rest of our family." She sobbed loudly. I wrapped my arms around her and she cried on my neck, I could feel my sleeve getting damp from her tears. I almost cried too.
We sat in silence. The only sound in my room was the loud sobs of my mom.
She came up from my shoulder, "I'm so sorry. Your shirts all wet now." She said with a small laugh.
"It's okay Mom. I never knew you were holding this in for so long."
"I know, I am just so glad I have you."
She returned to crying on my shoulder. I have never seen her like that before. It was unacceptable to make my mom cry like this. I had to meet these stupid Canines and give them a piece of my mind for making my mom cry this much.
I had almost decided to go to Africa when a thought struck me. What about my college application? If I go to Africa and not accept my college application. And when I came back, they wouldn't let me back in.
I couldn't just let go my chance at my dream college. I know it might sound selfish but animals lives are equally important.
"Mom?" I said.
"Yes?"
"I will go. But only if my college doesn't accept me."
She sat up from my shoulder and looked at me with wide eyes.
"Okay. If that's what you think is best. You're almost nineteen, I'm glad you're making your own decisions."
She kissed my forehead and began to walk out my room, "I love you sweetheart."
"I love you too Mom."
--
The next morning I slowly got out of bed. I took a shower and put on a pair of ripped jeans and a purple tank top. I slipped on my converse sneakers and put my long blonde hair in a messy bun.
"Good morning," My mom said as I took a seat in the kitchen, "Why all dressed up? Want some eggs?" She was already frying some breakfast for a fat, hungry George sitting at the dining room table.
"I would love some," I said, "I'm gonna go and see Mason."
"Oh. Ok." She said as she set a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon in front of me. She started piling another plate for George, almost twice the size of mine.
"Hey Mom. Does George know that you have a gift?" I said. I was kind of surprised I said that. It was on my mind and it just slipped out.
"Yeah, I do," George said, "It just made me fall in love with her more, knowing how special she was." Mom's cheeks turned bright red and she pecked him on the lips. That was the sweetest thing he I had ever heard him say.
"Wow I didn't know that," I said, "Can you show me how you use it?"
Her eyes went wide for a second, "Okay, if you want me to. I usually don't use it. But on special occasions I almost have to use it. If I have a sever sickness or if you did. When George broke his leg when we were dating and he was bleeding terribly. I didn't think he was going to make it, so I had to heal him," She kissed George on the cheek again, "You know now... So I can show you."
She went into the kitchen and grabbed a clean knife from the butcher block. She held it up to her wrist, she winced as she slit it. A stream of blood started trailing down her arm. I gasped and choked on air.
"MOM! Why did you do that oh my god!" I was panicking. I ran to get a first aid kit but my mom stopped me.
"Paige! Paige! It's okay! Watch!" My mom held up her bloody wrist. She placed her thumb on the cut and dragged it across. The blood around it disappeared and the cut faded away. My jaw dropped. I completely forgot that she told me she could heal.
"That's amazing... What can I do?" I said in awe.
"That I don't know. You will have to find that out." My mom said, giving me a smirk. She grabbed a towel and wiped the blood off her arm.
"Hey will you go get the mail please? I didn't pick it up yesterday." She said. I walked outside and opened the mailbox. There was a few magazines, and two envelopes.
I scan through People's Magazine as I walk back up to the house. Why don't they just leave The Kardashians alone?!?
I stop in my tracks and drop the magazine when I catch a glimpse of one of the envelopes. On the front of it in bold letters says:
TO PAIGE MARTIN- NEW YORK UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
I run inside and slap the envelope on the counter. Mom squeals a little when she reads the front.
"Open it!" She said in a high pitched voice. I rip open the top and take a deep breath, this was the envelope that would decide my future.
I open the flaps and read the print. My heart drops.
DEAR PAIGE,
WE SADLY CANNOT ACCEPT YOUR APPLICATION. WE HOPE YOU HAVE MORE SUCCESS IN FINDING THE COLLEGE FOR YOU.
SINCERELY,
NYU
My eyes burn with tears. I didn't get accepted. Mom could tell I didn't by my face expression. She wraps her arms around me and holds me while I cry on her shoulder. This time I had the breakdown.
"It's alright baby. There stupid for not accepting you." She said softly.
"There's plenty better colleges out there." George butted in. He was slipping on his Burger King hat and was about to leave for work. He gave us both big hugs and left. He was starting to grow on me.
I stop crying and look through the mail to get my mind off of it, I spot a plain envelope in the pile. Mom picks it up and opens it. She pulls out a handful of pictures and smiles big.
"What is it?" I asked. She hands me the pictures and I smile bigger. It's Homecoming pictures.
I look through all the funny pictures of my friends and I. In most of them we are either making funny faces or holding peace signs up with our dates, they were all so cute.
I came to the last picture and my stomach fluttered. It was me and Mason. His arms were wrapped around my waist from behind and we were laughing together, it was so perfect. His hair shined under the lights on the dance floor, and his teeth looked like pearls. My curly blonde hair draped over his chest.
I realized at that very moment how much I craved to be with him. How I would go crazy in my head if he even said one word to me. I realized that I loved him, and that I wouldn't just be going to Africa for my mother, or for the sake of those poor people, but for Mason also.

I want a boyfriend like Mason!!! Ugh I hate myself for creating him! UUUGH FEEEEEEEEEEELS!!!! Okay I'm done lol new chapter coming soon!