Roses and Cherry Blossoms

Chapter 4

"Hello Miss Jasper, I'm Mrs. Higgins." My apparent guidance counselor says, giving me a huge smile.

"How are you?" The school psychiatrist says.

"Hi! I am well." I greet both of them. I would be better if they didn't call me out of the one class I had with Cupcake though.

My guidance counselor, Mrs. Higgins, has curly black hair to match her dark skin, she is so pretty. The psychiatrist, Mrs. Greene has short blonde hair and eyes that match her last name.

"Evangeline, how was your first week of school?" Mrs. Higgins questions, giving me a smile.

"Amazing." I beam. "I met my Cupcake! He has been so wonderful!" I tell them.

"I am glad, but that is part of what we wanted to talk to you about. It says in your records you have been diagnosed with DPD?" I nod at Mrs. Greene. "We have heard, and even seen some things that have us worried about your relationship with Mr. Matsushima."

"What? My Cupcake and I have a great relationship. He is my best friend!" I argue. Everyone thinks the worst of my little Cupcake and it makes me sad.

"Evangeline, we mean regarding your DPD. We know that the loss of your parents was hard, they were all you ever had. We are just getting concerned that you are too, well dependent, on Kai." Mrs. Higgins explains.

"I mean maybe, but he is all I have." I point out.

"Your grandparents?" Mrs. Greene asks.

I shake my head. "We don't get along great." I say, not wanting to get them into trouble for neglecting me, they are all I have left.

Ever since Monday, Cupcake has picked me up every morning, we spend lunch together, and we have hung out the last few days after school before he takes me home. I don't want that to change.

"You don't need to spend less time with Kai," I let out a breath that I was apparently holding. "We just don't want you to only depend on him. You have grown really attached this week, and he doesn't know how to cope with your disorder. You need more outlets, you can't only talk to him." I nod.

"We also heard about the incident in your English class on the first day, can you tell us about that?" Mrs. Higgins asks me.

"The teacher had a movie on, a girl lost her parents in a car accident. My parents only died two weeks ago, they got hit by a drunk driver when they were driving back home." I feel a few tears fun down my face. "It was just too soon. It all brought me back to the moment I opened my front door and the police officers told my that both my parents were gone. I started crying, so Cupcake picked me up and we left so I could calm down."

They both nod and look at each other, unsure of what to say next.

"Have you thought about your future at all? This is your last year of high school." Mrs. Higgins asks, typing away on her laptop.

I haven't thought about it at all. But I really should. My grandparents are going to kick me out when I turn eighteen. The money left behind by my parents won't last me forever.

Do I want to go to college? What do I want to do with my life? I can't just be a stay at home mom. I don't have any kids, or a husband to work while I stayed home.

"I don't have any ideas." I admit.

Maybe I could be a teacher? But then I would only have students for a year before they leave me. Maybe a therapist? But patients come and go.

I had never thought about this, I never needed to.

Mama and Papa always made me stay in the moment, they told me I would worry about that when I got there.