Hollow

Chapter 2

"Ouch, we really need to cut those roses down shorter" I mumbled.

"Hey, Halo!" My neighbor Timmy called from the gate next door.

"Oh, hey Timmy!" I called back.

Timmy was my 12-year-old best friend... slash neighbor. I mean to be fair, we were the only two kids in the neighborhood. Well, from what I know. Timmy jumped over the gate to get to my side of the backyard. "You know Tim, you really gotta stop jumping the gate. You're gonna fall again..."

Timmy is very short for his age, which makes him look like he is 5. He has messy red hair and he always wears that green ripped up sweater. He doesn't like to act like a normal person and knock on the door to ask for me. Instead he jumps over the mini gate in our backyards if I'm outside, or he climbs through my bedroom window. He is ... really weird.

"Then how else am I supposed to get rid of the mice in your backyard?" He complained

"We have mice in our backyard?!" I asked.

He nodded. "Yikes, I guess you aren't as weird as I thought." He rolled his eyes.

" Anyways, My mom said you and you Ma'am can come over for dinner."

"Can't." I said. "I'm busy,"

Timmy shrugged. "You're missing out, she made chicken nuggets!"

I laughed. "Nomatter how much I like chicken nuggets Timmy, I have dinner to make myself."

He looked toward the corner of the back of his house. "Ooo! A rat!" Timmy ran towards his house and jumped the gate again.

I shrugged, and picked the last tomato off, put it in a bag, and went inside.

When I closed the back door, I could see Ma'am smiling as she sat down and looked at a big ripped up album."Whatcha doing Ma'am- Ma'am?" I asked. "Come." She said. "Look at how beautiful I was as a young lady. "

I looked at the picture. Ma'am-Ma'am looked like a supermodel! She had her straight black hair slicked back with a white headband, she had a pretty short red dress on with four white buttons at the top, as she carried her black purse she touched the collar of her shirt. She also had very nice white heels. There was a man next to her he looked tall with a black suit on and he had slicked blonde hair. He had his hands in his pockets and stared at Ma'am. The picture was taped on a ripped yellow page of the album and it was labeled in a red pen "Me and my love (1962) " With a drawing of lips at the side.

"Wow, Ma'am-Ma'am, you looked beautiful!" I said surprised at the picture.

She sighed. "I was, and that man was the most handsome man I had ever seen in my life, he was also the sweetest."

I looked at the tall man.

"What happened?" I asked. "With him?"

"Well," she said, closing the book. "He was shot while we were watching a movie in a park."

"I-I" she said sniffling. "I never got to tell him I was pregnant." "He sacrificed himself... for me"

I looked at Ma'am and gave her a hug. I felt so bad. I asked, "Was... Was my dad the baby?"

She looked down. "Yes." She shook her head.

"Ma'am-Ma'am.. What happened with my dad." "Where is he?" ... "Why doesn't he care about me?"

Ma'am looked at me,

But Ma'am-Ma'am, what did happen with my dad?" I asked again.

She looked at me, "What do you mean, hun?"

I looked down, "You always say you're upset with the man my dad has become, Why? What did he do?"

"You're not ready, Hollow." She said. "You have to find out from your father, it's not my place."

I stood up. "Not my place?" "What do you mean, not my place?" I said irritated.

Ma'am stayed silent.

"You know Ma'am, if you really think about it, how many times have I opened up to you compared to you opening up to me?"

She didn't say anything. I felt bad putting her on the spot like this, but I'm tired of my life being a mystery. Not knowing who my parents are.

"Please, tell me something!" I begged. "I can't keep living like this anymore!" I do everything you want, I cook, clean, take care of you, do my school work, obey everything you say, don't you think I deserve to know?!"

She looked at me, "How dare you Hallow Mabel, I'm your grandmother! And you know the reason I'm not tellin you, is to protect you."

She came up to me, "You think I don't want to tell you about your parents, Halo?"

My body shook. She never said this to me before. But I'm just sick of just sitting there without saying anything like I always do.

I looked at Ma'am. "I know I'm supposed to say no... but to be honest..."Yes, Ma'am-Ma'am. I really do think you don't want to tell me about my parents. Because it's not like I'm going to see them, and there's nothing I can do about it." I looked straight at Ma'am." I just wanted to know... I wanted to know that I'm not just some obedient innocent fourteen year old girl. I wanted to see that I am more in life, or that there is something in my life behind all of these bushes."

I went to my room with a tear falling out of my eye.