Four Page Letters (TeacherxStudent)

Chapter 1

Charlotte

I walked into the cafeteria and stood in line. They were serving pizza today and I knew I had to eat. When I woke up this morning there was a single five dollar bill on the counter. Which meant my Aunt Laura has come and gone. Simply leaving five lousy dollars. Not nearly enough to survive the weekend. This meant I would probably have to steal from the grocery store again. I don't like doing it, but I don't have much of a choice.

My aunt Laura was granted guardianship of me when my father died two years ago. My father was my super hero and I was his Charlie girl. My mother died during child birth so I never got a chance to meet her. But my dad always told me how much I looked just like her. I got my gray eyes from her and that was my favorite feature of myself. My dad and I lived the perfect life together. I never needed for anything and always got whatever I wanted. He was in the medical field- a doctor to be exact. A damn good one at that. He was a well-known cardiologist and he made off pretty good. We had a nice two bedroom house in the Newbury subdivision. Nothing extraordinary, not too big, just right for us. He always said we didn't need the biggest house on the block to prove we had money. Everything was literally perfect until he had a heart attack two years ago while sleeping. Ironic right? A man who spent his entire life saving people's hearts and his very own would fail him. I remembered telling him goodnight before we both went to bed. Yet only one of us woke up the next day.

My father left me in the care of his older sister Laura. She was supposed to move into our house with me but she never did. She simply keeps the bills paid and comes by every now and then to make sure I'm not dead. She usually stocks the refrigerator with food to last me for the month, but I'm guessing she didn't have time to stop. We never really had a close relationship. I hardly saw her growing up, but I'm guessing my father left her to care for me because she was the only other family I had.

I took a seat at a table in the corner alone and began to eat. I didn't have many friends. Well, hardly any. I wasn't very popular, but I guess I wasn't a nerd or anything either. And it's not that I wasn't pretty enough. I had actually been told numerous times before that I was gorgeous. My big gray eyes were always the first thing people noticed. I'm fairly tall, about 5'7 I'd say. I had a nice body; I used to be into track and field so it did my body good. I had long blonde hair that I usually let flow down my back. I didn't think the world of myself, but I knew I was pretty. I just wasn't very outgoing. Since my father died, I just wasn't as willing to open up to anyone anymore. I was quiet. I come to school, do my work, and go home; rarely ever changing my routine.

We are three months into my senior year at Spring Creek High School. I'm actually afraid for it to be over because I have no idea what the hell I'm going to do with my life after graduation. I don't know if I want to go to college. I haven't given it much thought, not even sure if I could afford it. I have this fantasy of becoming an author and traveling the world, setting up my work stations throughout different parts of the world. I have a love for writing. Anything really, short stories, poems it doesn't matter. Writing is an art to me. And it's the easiest way I can express myself. That's one of the reasons I fell in love with my AP English teacher. Mrs. Dandridge was my teacher last year for Literature and she actually asked for me to be in her AP class this year. I remember one parent teacher conference she told my Aunt that there was something special about my writing. And she thought I would do well in the AP class, as there would be a lot of writing prompts and she thought I would like that. Just the thought of knowing she thinks there's something special about me is enough to send me over the edge.

Lunch is just about over, and I have a free period next. I typically spend it in the library writing in my journal or something. I got up to throw my trash away and as I was exiting the room I ran into someone, causing me to stumble back and fall. "Shit, I'm sor—I said before looking up and realizing who was standing in front of me. Mrs. Dandridge stood there with her arm extended out towards me. "Language Miss Avery. Are you okay?" she asked while helping me up. I nodded, "Yes ma'am. Im sorry I wasn't watching where I was going." She nodded, "I've noticed these days you aren't very attentive. Seeing how you nearly missed your lunch time." I stood there, feeling a wave of awkwardness wash over me. She always renders me speechless. It's like I never know what to say to her. As we stood there I could feel her eyes burning holes into me as I kept my head lowered to the ground. "Well I won't keep you sweetie. Enjoy the rest of your day." And with that she stepped out of the way allowing me to leave. I almost ran out of that cafeteria. Feeling embarrassed that I can't even hold a normal conversation with the woman.

I headed towards the library and took a seat at my usual table this hour. Soon the day would be over and I would have to figure out how I was going to survive the weekend. But whenever I come in here I feel at ease. There are no distractions, and it's where I get majority of my writing done. I took out my journal and began to write:

If I had the strength I would tell you

What my heart says but my mouth won't speak

Of how you never leave my mind

And render my knees weak

The things that I should tell you

Of how these thoughts consume my day

Yet when I get up the nerve to reach you

I get lost in your way

My darling, won't you find me?