The Advice Column

Chapter 3

Tara

The girls name was Willow. She was nice, but she probably just came over to see if the little loner was okay.

The lessons at school were easy enough, some stuff I did the year before in Ireland. I liked the idea of a "cafeteria". At my old school we got big crates of food from a nearby restaurant and we had to leg it to the main room after class to get some decent food or else all you would have to eat was a sandwich rubbed into the floor with only a couple of footprint on it or an apple with suspicious teeth marks all over it. 

I bit in to my chicken roll and looked over the room. Willow was talking to a group of people, who I presumed were her friends. She caught my eye, said something to her friends and walked up to me, sliding on to the chair opposite me. 

"Hey, Tara!" She said. "How was school?"

"Good, thanks." I said. 

I felt guilty that she went to see if I was okay instead of hanging around with her mates.

"Ya know that you don't have to keep me company. You should hang out with your friends." 

Willow looked confused for a moment. "Oh them! No, no they are definitely not my friends!" 

"Oh sorry." I said opening a packet of crisps named Cheetos. "Want one?"

I hoped off the bus and unlocked the door of my house. I dropped the keys on to the table and called out for Dad. He was work so I deiced to make a snack. 

I made a Cheeto sandwich and got out my homework. I was half way through doing my English homework and my phone vibrated and ticked me, making me laugh hysterically.  It was a message from Willow: Hi Tara :)

I was just about to text back when Dad walked in the door. 

"Howiya?" I said to Dad. He didn't answer and flopped on the sofa. I cleared my throat and tried again. "Howiya??" 

"Aww.... Okay." Groaned Dad, picking dirt out of his fingernails.

Seeing as I wasn't any good answers I decied to finish my homework.