With Love, Silvia. [✔️]

Chapter 14 Allies in the War

      "As much as I hate to tell you this, but you're going to have to get back to school." Erica said to me and Emma.

     "Moomm, please! There is no way we could ever be able to focus! Rodger is still in critical condition!" Emma begged.

    "Missing 4 days is enough. Pretty soon your brother will be moved back home, which in this case is a hotel room I just rented until we can get back into our old house." Erica said punching a straw through Emily's juice box.

   "I guess you're right." I said heading to the bathroom to change. It had been 4 whole days without anyone showering. Let's just say we didn't smell like a bouquet of roses...

    I plastered on some deodorant and some of my fancy Bath and Body Works lotion that I was able to salvage from the fire. I pulled on Mom's jacket, highly grateful that it wasn't burned.

  "Ok girlies, I think you're going to have to start walking. I have to stay with Rodger, but your school is probably only a 20 minuet walk from here." Erica said ushering us out of the room.

   Our backpacks had turned to ash, so the only thing I had with me was a pencil, same with Emma. We walked down the hallway and out of the hospital. I was good to get out of the sick environment of people puking and coughing, or maybe even bleeding everywhere. The air was cool and crisp, just like the day I arrived. The fall leaves blew around in the wind, the trees were becoming bare with winter fast approaching.

  We got to Emma's school and we said our goodbyes as I trudged on down the street to my school. I was a little late, but I regarded getting a tardy pass. I had Mr. Redson as my algebra teacher and homeroom teacher and I sincerely hoped that he would understand.

  I slipped in through the back of the room as he called attendance. I sat in the empty seat next to Iris who looked at me with worry.

  "Where were you? I was so scared you tried to kill yourself over Anika's mean words, then that fire broke out and I was just so scared for you!" She whispered hugging me.

  "I'm fine, it's Rodger who has problems." I whispered back.

  "SILVIA TRACK!" Mr. Redson called out.

  "Oh, Here!" I called back.

  "I know, word travels fast around here. Is it true that he has to have his lung taken out?" Iris asked in horror.

  I didn't like to think about it, but the doctors definitely had said that his lung might have to be taken out, because it was so damaged. Rodger was on such powerful painkillers that most of the time he was asleep, or when he was awake it seemed like he was sleep walking.

  "OK STUDENTS! LET'S GET OFF TO CLASS NOW!" Mr. Redson announced  before I could answer Iris's question.

  The day went on as usual. Annoying teachers, lots of homework. But lunch was when everything went down. Since I didn't pack a lunch, I had to get the cafeteria's bean and cheese burrito. It looked more like a tan colored Jaba The Hut. It smelled pretty bad too, but I guess that wasn't the worst of my problems. In case I didn't make this clear enough, I carry my journal everywhere. And I was so focused on my disgusting lunch, I forgot to pick it back up on the buffet table. It wasn't until I sat down with Iris when I noticed that I had left it. So of coarse I freaked out, and everyone was all,

What's wrong!? Silvia?

   But as I stood up and turned around, Anika held my journal in her hand with an evil little smirk.

   "No, no, no, no, no, no, NO!" I said ripping it away from her. Anika had just read about my life for the past 6 months and I knew this would only give her an opportunity to bully me more.

    I tried to blink back my tears, Mom always said that showing the bully you're weak wasn't a good idea. But when they flowed I turned and ran to the bathroom.

    I locked myself in the handicap stall and sat on the floor regarding every sanitary concern of the germs on a high school bathroom floor, but the  tile felt cool and it was a good place to let my tears flow. I couldn't believe it. Anika knew every detail of my life and I bet she was on a mission to make it even worse than it was.

  I sat in the stall for 15 minuets, until I heard a soft knock the door and saw Iris's Doc Martin shoes peeking under the door.

  "You done?" She asked playfully.
 
   "Go away." I sniffled blowing my nose with the cheap sand paper like toilet paper the school provided. 

   "I'm not leaving." She said gaining seriousness. 

  "Well then you're gonna have to join me in here." I said unlocking the door.
 
   Iris came in and sat I top of the toilet.

  "You know how germs it is to be sitting on the bathroom floor?" She asked laughing.
  
   "Sitting on a toilet isn't too sanitary either." I retorted.

   We sat in silence for a second, then Iris spoke.

  "I'm sorry." She said sadly.
 
   "Why are you sorry?" I asked confused.
 
    "I should've helped you out more. I should have marched straight over to your house when you moved in and introduced myself. I should have told Anika off the first time she acted rude to you. But I didn't do either of those things. I really want to. But Anika scares me, I don't know what would happen if I stood up to her. She did this in junior high too, she really hated my new friend Missy and she acted so rude to her, and I played along with it. I felt awful. I don't want to make that mistake again."

   I sat there suddenly feeling bad for Iris. 

  "It's ok. I understand, but no matter what happens between you and Anika, you can always consider me a friend." I said smiling.

  Iris didn't say anything, but I knew that she felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders. I felt that way too, almost like I had an ally in this never ending war I called life.