The Secret Life of Usha [Being Rewritten ]

Chapter 2

Hey, guys. I'm so sorry it took me so long to update. School started about 2 weeks ago, and my geometry teacher is giving me piles of homework. On top of that, my language arts teacher gave us a summer reading project, and I'm failing awfully at writing it. I finally got a weekend free of homework, so I wrote this for you guys. It's longer that the first chapter to make up for the delay. Oh and ShaylynOlger made the new cover. :) It looks awesome, right? 

My mom helped edit it a little. So, thanks mom. :)  Now for the story.........

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Chapter 2

The sun peers through the trees, and its bright, warm rays hit my closed eyelids. My eyes shot open only to receive pain from the very rays that woke me up.

“I guess I fell asleep.” I say aloud, recalling how I couldn’t fall asleep yesterday.

Looking down towards my knees I notice that my weak arms are clutching my messenger bag. Yummy, food, I think, remembering the sandwiches and goodies I pack yesterday. After I unzipped the bag, I grab a chocolate chip cookie dough pop-tart instead of a PB&J.

I carefully stand up, as I slowly eat my delicious food. Well then, what to do? What to do?

“I can… wash up, and then take it from there.” I say to myself for no apparent reason.

When I finished washing up in the stream, I pulled my hair back into tight, high ponytail.I look down at my watch to see it read 6:47 A.M. Gathering all my stuff, which was only my bag and a hoodie I put on in the middle of the night, I turn around and begin walking in no specific direction.

I keep walking deep in thought when I hear a twig break. In one swift movement I was crouching behind a bush, as I search for the source of the noise. Looking around, while still crouching, I spot Clarinda slowly walking in the woods with her head down. Her eyes are puffy and red still glistening with reminisce of fresh tears spilled earlier. My eyes automatically track toward her arms where I see purple and blue splotches everywhere. She must have looked too much like her mother earlier today.

Before I knew what I was doing, I step out from behind the bush, and start to walk toward her. Hearing me approach, she stops dead in her tracks, and hesitantly glances up.

“I’m sorry I didn’t know anyone else walked here.” She says, while desperately trying to cover her bruises. “Um… I can go somewhere else if you want to be alone.”

“I’m so, so sorry, Clarinda.” I say, almost immediately regretting saying her name.

Her eyes shot to mine. “How… how do you know my name?” She asks quietly as she takes a step back.

Oh, no. Should I tell her? If I do tell her about me, she will probably think I’m lying. She’s gone through too much, however she deserves to be told the truth for at least once in her life.

“Um… it’s a long story. Are you sure you want to know?” I sigh, and sit down waiting for her response. She took her time debating with herself before she replied.

“Yes, I want to know.”

“Ok, then. You might want to sit this will take a while.” I cautioned, patting the empty space on the ground beside me. She sat, and then I continued. “It all started after my 6th birthday. I was outside, in the woods, playing hide-and-seek with my brother. Then, I saw one of our neighbor’s hamsters, which was roaming freely in the woods where I was hiding. When I saw it I had a thought. How cool would it be to have the freedom of a hamster? The next thing I knew a burning sensation enveloped my body causing me to pass out for a second. The funny thing is the word shit came out as nothing but a high pitched squeak. Stalks of grass towered around my body and there were skyscrapers for trees. Not to mention I had freaking fur on short, stubby appendages.