Chapter 1 - Mondays.
*Phoenix's POV*
"Phoenix, wake up. You're already 20 minutes late." My mother said waking me up for school. I always did this on Monday. Mondays are possibly the most dreadful day ever. I mean, everyday was dreadful. But Monday's were the worst. First day of school after 2 days off? How could anything be anymore terrible?
"I'm up, i'm up." I said crawling out of bed. I got dressed and put up my hair. I had no one to impress at school. Why bother getting ready for something I hate?
Everyday my mother drove me to school it was silent. I wasn't a fan of my mother. She was a drunk. Yeah, i'm thankful she gives me a house to live in, clothes to wear, food to eat - when I do eat. But the only time I could ever have an ACTUAL, SOBER, SERIOUS conversation with her was when she drove me to school. But I never bothered. She is my mother. She can make the effort to talk to me. She was already wasted when I got home from school.
It all started 4 years ago, when I was 13. I'm 16 now. When I was 13 my father and her split. He left in the middle night. He abandoned my mother, 2 twin brothers, Jake and Sam, and I. No goodbye. Nothing. I haven't heard from him since. Not one single call. Or text. Or letter. I don't think that after this I could ever forgive him.
"Have a good day at school, honey." My mother said as I got out of the car. "Yeah, whatever." I replied. I walked up to the school. As usual, when people saw me they immediately whispered in ther friend's ear. They pointed. Called me sames. Laughed. I was good at ignoring them by now. I just walked fast, with my head down.
I never paid attention in school. I brought my headphones and ipod in everyday. Of course, I was failing every class. But I couldn't stand those teachers. All of them were careless, whiney, annoying, hypocrites. Why bother.
I spent the whole day annoying everyone. Until lunch. I only looked forward to lunch. Not because I got to eat, or socialize with my friends that I don't have. But, to talk to my counselor. Her name was Mrs. Griffin. But I called her by her first name. Which was Amy. Amy has been my couselor since Freshman year when she noticed me not paying attention, or when she noticed me not eating.
"Good afternoon, Phoenix." She smiled at me. I gave her a half smile. "Hey, Amy." I sat down in a bean bag chair. She ate her lunch. "What'd you do this weekend?" She asked me while taking a bite of her sandwhich. "Well. Like usual, stayed home with Jake and Sam while my mom was out partying. You?" I said. She looked down. "My husband and I went to a golf outing. Phoenix, I know it sucks not doing anything on the weekends because you have to stay with your brothers. But your doing yourself a favor."
I gave her the craziest look. How could it possibly do me a FAVOR? "How is that doing me a favor at all?" I asked her. "Because, you're taking care of your brothers. Like how your mother should be. They can look up to you. & they will grow up to be just as wonderful as you." She said. I thought about it. I did take care of my brothers pretty well. I always went shopping to make sure they had food and clothes to wear. I did their laundry everyday. I fed them. I put them to sleep every night. Played games with them. Just like my dad used to do for me.
I started to cry. "What's wrong, Phoenix?" Amy said giving me a hug. I wiped my tears, messing up my makeup. "All the things I do for them. It reminds me of what my dad used to do for me. Like, play games with me. Have lunch with me. I just really miss all of that. I miss how things used to be." I said. I never hesitated telling Amy how I was feeling. She was like a diary that I could write in.
She let go of me from the hug & put her arms on my shoulders and looked me in the eyes. "Listen to me Phoenix. Your father will come back one day. I know you're hurt that he hasn't yet. & that he left. But what you're doing makes me so proud to know you. I KNOW ( she said with emphasis ) that you're going to be great one day. This is only making you stronger. & you WILL keep getting stronger. Just don't give up."'
She started crying too. I gave her the biggest hug ever. I am so glad to have her in my life. She's like the mom I had before. She was also my only bestfriend. & she was my couselor all in one. She didn't treat me like I was mental or stupid. She showed she truly cared about me and how I was feeling.
I hope you guys enjoyed this. I enjoyed writing. Comment what you think below! THANK YOU SO MUCH!! <33
