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{Chapter 2}

I woke up during third hour from my thoughts of Sarah. Oh Sarah, if only you could see me now. This emotional teenager falling asleep during class.

"Sorry Sarah." I said quietly, rubbing my eyes.

"Miss Surlwood. Would you like to repeat that for the whole class?"

I looked up, realizing that I was in a classroom with plenty of other students. I shoved my pencil off the desk without people noticing.

"I said sorry Darla." I leaned over and picked up my pencil from right near her desk. "I didn't mean to drop my pencil and interrupt her. Sorry, Darla."

"Anyways," My teacher continued with his lesson. That was close again. I need to pay more attention.

I kept my eyes focused on the board but slowly started daydreaming.

"Miss Surlwood. What is the answer?"

Think, Lucy, think.

"Say seven, Lucy." I heard a familiar voice say.

"Seven."

"Very good, Lucy. Now as I was saying-"

Who did that voice belong to?

***

I carefully walked along the curb and hopped down onto the sidewalk. I made vivid pictures dance in front of my closed eyes as I listened to the music pumping out of my ear buds and into my head. Something felt off though.

I looked around me and found nothing but the casual bushes shaped to form eggs. I looked behind me and saw only empty cars parked alongside the road. I shrugged and kept walking.

My grandparents house was only a five minute walk away from the school. One song and I was home. Three blocks, 57 sidewalk squares, or 392 steps.

As soon as I hit the end of my drive way, I sprinted to the brick house I called home. After my sister died, my grandparents took me in since the State of Oregon called my parents unfit to care for children.

I opened the large French doors and stepped inside. It was warm like always. My Poppa has diabetes and always keeps the heat on.

"How was school, Lucy?" My Momma called from the kitchen. I called her this since she filled the shoes of my own mother.

"It was good, actually. I enjoyed my day." I thought back to the voice I had heard and shook the memory from my mind.

"Do you have homework?"

"... Yes. I'll go do it."

"Thank you."

My Momma always worried over my grades, I assume it was because my mother never got good marks in school. Maybe she just wants me to get into a good college.

I walked down the steps to my bedroom. Well, I guess you could call it a bedroom. I had a kitchenette, living room, bedroom and another room for clothes or whatever I wanted really. My Momma and Poppa just stay on the main floor, so this is all mine.

I sat down at the desk I use to do my homework and got going on history.

***

After showering, I climbed into bed. I turned on my TV and flipped to the Music channel. I turned the volume down low enough to make it seem like the music was in the background of my life and started drifting off.

Before my mind was completely asleep, I swore I heard that familiar voice saying, "Goodnight."