The Neighbor

Chapter 18: Rescued

Life was miserable without Brendan. I had Lani of course but it wasn't the same. There was no more doing his bills or learning guitar. No more lounging on his couch or napping on his waterbed. He was my first friend I couldn't see him anymore.

And my mother was even worse than before. She was furious that I had hidden such a thing from her. The chores became even more ridiculous than before and I had so many that I barely had time to do my homework much less enjoy myself. To sum it up, life didn't seem worth living.

It had been a month since I had seen or spoken to Brendan. Everyday I went to school, came home, did chores, finished my homework and went to bed. I never did anything else. I hadn't even spoken to Kahoni since that day on the beach. I just walked through the days lonely and miserable. But one day all of that changed.

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"You can't keep sulking around your house everyday, "Lani said, "I won't allow it."

"That's nice and all but I don't have a choice, "I said, "I have no where else to go."

"Come live with me and my grandmother, "she said.

"I can't, "I said, "my mother would just come and take me back."

"So we need to find a way to get you out of reach, "she said.

"That won't help, "I said, "even if I could get away I wouldn't have anywhere to go. There's no one else who could take care of me."

"What about your dad?" she asked.

"Trust me, "I said, "if I knew where my dad was I would be on a plane as soon as possible."

"Well you can't keep doing what your doing, "she said.

"Watch me, "I said. I sat down in my usual seat in English right when the bell rang.

Mr. Kahele gained everyone's attention. "OK class, don't forget our concert this weekend. Many of you have advanced in your musical talent and some of you have not, "he stared pointedly at me, "but we will not point fingers."

"Creep, "Jace faked coughed.

"Let us begin, "Mr. Kahele said, pretending to have heard nothing. He began talking about the next essay we would be writing, but I was unfocused. I couldn't help thinking about what Lani said and my response.

She had a point, I couldn't keep doing what I was. If I had my father's phone number or address I could get on a plane and leave. But I couldn't help thinking that I might not. I was given the information I wanted, would I leave? True I hated it here with my mother and I missed my father. But he abandoned me, why would I want to be with him? If I could just leave, even for a little while, I would the happiest girl alive. All I needed was someone to care for me.

"Danny?" Mr. Kahele said, "are you paying attention?"

"Uh yes sir, "I said.

"Then what kind of essay will we be writing?" he asked.

"Um..a persuasive essay?" I guessed.

He walked up to my desk and said, "A literary essay. See me after class."

I slumped back in my chair and thought about how much I hated my life.

At the end of class I walked up to Mr. Kahele's desk and waited for him to speak.

"Do you have anything to say to me?" he asked.

"I'm sorry sir, "I said, "I've just got a lot on my mind."

He nodded then said, "I'm not mad about you not paying attention, no one does. I wanted to talk about the concert."

"Oh, what about it?" I asked.

"You know your not the best in the class, "he said, "for awhile you were doing well, improving. But you've been going downhill this previous month, forcing me to take action. I do not want you to come to the concert."

"What?" I said, "you can't do that!"

"I can, "he said, "I have made up my mind. If you come to play this weekend I will see to that you are thrown out."

"That's not fair, "I said, "I've been so hard!"

"You haven't been working hard enough, "he said, "now hurry on to your next class."

I turned on my heel and stomped away. For a moment I actually considered Lani's idea of leaving.

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The rest of the day was as bad as the beginning. I got loads of homework I had to finish before tomorrow along with all my chores. I walked back home with Lani still trying to get me to live with her and her grandmother.

"I can't Lani, "I said, "now if you don't mind I need to go do my chores."

"Well actually I quite do mind, "she said.

"It was a rhetorical question, "I said. I entered my house with Lani still shouting after me. It took three hours to do all my chores and by then it was six o'clock. I went up to my room and started my homework.

"Let's see, math or history, "I said, "their both boring and will probably only take a few minutes." I was wrong. The math only took about ten minutes but history took half and hour. By the time I finished the rest of my homework it was about 7 o'clock.

I sat down on my bed, exhausted. I thought, again, about what Lani had said. I didn't have anywhere to go, but the idea of running away sprouted a kind of happiness inside me.

I got a bag down from my shelf and started packing everything I owned. Seeing as I owned almost nothing it all fit. I swung the bag over my shoulder and opened the window. It was dark and raining, but it was now or never. I was about to swing my leg over the windowsill when the doorbell rang. Being the curious person I was I dropped the bag and quietly snuck down the stairs.

My mother opened the door. It was Brendan, panting and soaking wet. "Your wrong, "he said.

"What?" my mother said angrily.

"Your wrong, "he said, "she doesn't deserve this. It's not her fault your husband left you. It's not her fault that your so depressed. It's not her fault that no one likes you. Danny is a kind, selfless kid who would do anything to make anyone else happy. If you can't see that then you don't deserve her."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing, "my mother said, we had a deal. You promised not to come near here again."

"I don't care about our deal, "he said, "do whatever you want. All I care about is Danny."

I wiped tears of joy out of my eyes and ran upstairs. I grabbed my bag and ran back downstairs, into Brendan's arms.

"Hey midget, "he said, then to my mom, "I have a concert in California next week. And she's coming with me whether you agree or not."

I walked down the street with Brendan knowing that this was exactly the solution I had been looking for.