YOU & ME | JENLISA

Chapter 3

Lisa

They came.

The moms, the dads, the step-parents, the older siblings, the grandparents, the creepy uncles. One by one, at a time they entered the gymnasium, with worried eyes scanning the room until they linked up with their loved one and an instant flutter of relief changed their whole demeanour.

I sat at the back, pretending that I didn't care. Telling myself that I didn't care and yet I couldn't stop watching these students reunite with their family after a mild storm. The Earth could be splitting into half with molten hot lava spilling out and still nobody would come for me.

"Lisa, you can leave now." Principal Yang called over to me. I didn't need telling twice. I grabbed my bag and pushed past the seniors clogging up the doorway with their overdramatic greetings like they survived World War 3.

The air had a post-storm mugginess. Streets littered with fallen branches and damp leaves. I tucked my hands inside the tight pockets of my jeans and shivered, the cold night air easily penetrating through the thin material of my long sleeved T-shirt.

Thankfully the walk to the trailer park was short, the arid grass and weeds were bestrewn with broken patio furniture and debris. I kicked a punctured football out of my path and entered my house.

"Mom?" I yelled, while grabbing a brown banana from the side before going into her bedroom to see how she was doing today.

"Hi" there was sadness in the smile that I used to greet her with. She had lost the rosiness to her cheeks now, with her skin dulling day by day to a ghoulish grey. She smiled at me, seemingly effortlessly but I knew inside it must've taken a lot out of her.

"How was school sweetheart?" She wheezed out, while her chest convulsed like a lady, fifty years her senior in between her words.

"Good."

Lies. Everybody thinks that I'm a rapist. They know my family is trailer trash. I have no friends at all. I broke down in front of my crush and I put myself in a position of being alone with a girl, just when I swore that I would never do that again. I peeled back the banana and took a bite.

"You're a good kid, Lisa." She said, right before breaking into a coughing fit that left her struggling for breath. "Growing up to be a fine young person." She continued, this time her words were slow and breathy. "I want you to know, that whatever happens. Whatever the outcome is... I'm proud of you." I kissed her head, she felt cold because with a lack of oxygen, the blood struggled to circulate through her body. She coughed again, using a tissue to cover her mouth.

I knew the coughing fits were taking a toll on her. Her throat sounded raw, her lungs were struggling and she winced, while holding her chest. I wished more than anything that I could take this away from her, I would trade places with her in a heartbeat.

"I'm getting worse." She gasped out.

"You're not. You just... you need a top up of your medication and I'm working on it." A wave of guilt pummelled into me and washed me out with the tide. I managed to steal $56 in total from the pockets left out in the locker rooms. I didn't like stealing from people, but I had no choice. My mom needed this. "I've nearly got enough for a week's supply." I reassured her.

"I'm tired, Lisa." Her words held more weight than just needing a nap, I knew what she meant. She was tired, tired of living, tired of fighting, tired of putting on a brave front for me. I cleared the lump from my throat and nodded my head.

"Okay, I'll let you get some rest." I wasn't brave enough to face her double meaning and acknowledge it, so I ignored it and left the room.

Every time I closed the door to her bedroom, I was terrified of opening it back up because I never knew what I would find.

Each time I told myself to turn back, take a second look at her because it might be the last time that I will ever see her alive but I was always too much of a coward to draw out my goodbyes. I didn't want to say goodbye, because without my mom, I was completely and utterly alone in this world.