The house on Willow's Edge

Chapter Two

"5..4..3..2..and..1!" I counted in my head the seconds until school was over. Everyday I always find myself watching the clock counting down how long it will be till I leave. I don't intend to do this, but I just really can't help myself. I hate school so much, everyone is so malicious towards me. They think that just because I am the poorest person in our rich school that they have every right to treat me terribly.

I used to have a group of friends. It was not a big group, it was only three people, including me, but it was at least nice to have some people in my life. Lydia Winters was apart of my group of friends. She was my best friend since fifth grade, and at one point she was all I had. We used to hangout everyday after school. She would help me take care of my sickly mother, and whenever she got a car she would drive me to school everyday. She was the only person I let get that close to me. I told her everything and she told me everything, there was never any secrets between us. She was also the only person from school who I let see my revolting worn-out home. And, she never once judged me for it.

This all changed though on November 23rd, just 2 months ago. The day before, November 22nd, everything was normal she gave me a ride to school that morning and hung out with me after school. She went home around 7:00 that night and that was the last I had ever heard from her. The next morning, the morning of November 23rd, I went outside at 7:40 because that was the time she normally picked me up for school. She wasn't there though. I thought it was strange that she wasn't there, but we also did get snow the night before so I thought maybe she had just been driving slower than usual. It was then 7:50 and she still wasn't there. I was starting to get worried but I tried not to think that much of it. Then before I knew it, it was 8:00. It was too late for me too walk to school since school had just started so I just decided to stay home that day.

I still don't know what happened to Lydia. There are countless rumors about what had happened to her but nobody knows for sure. I miss her more than anything, but I try not to think about her too much because I will cry if I do and I don't like to cry. In my mind, crying means weakness, and I am not weak. I work harder taking care of my sickly mother and my grades than anyone realizes. So no, I am not weak so I must not cry.

My other friend in my group was Grayson Davis. We weren't as close as Lydia and I were. It did hurt to lose him though. After Lydia went missing, Grayson and I drifted apart. We both became different people and it just didn't feel right for us to keep being friends without Lydia. Grayson made some new friends, though. I never even attempted to make new friends, I was to hurt by what happened to Lydia and I knew I was never even going to become that close with anyone else so I just didn't see the point in making new friends.