The Heiau

School day

The school yard is empty in the small town of Honoka'a Hawai'i. The morning sun shines down on the playground. Fresh morning dew making the grass shimmer in the sunlight. In the second classroom of H building Mr. Corbin stands walks through his 4th grade class handing out papers. 9 year old George Delima sits in the second row second seat in. He grabs his paper from Mr. Corbins outstretched hand and looks at it.

"When you get your permission slip please write your First and Last name on the top line" Mr. Corbin tells his students. " On the next line where it says Location go ahead and write Pu"ukohola Heiau Visitors Center just like it is written on the chalkboard. Yes Miss Samuel.."

Jenny Samuel sitting in the front row has her hand raised high into the air. "What's a Heiau?" she says in her soft classroom voice. Red curly hair and green eyes Jenny is normally quiet in the classroom, but at recess she is easily found by her loud high pitched voice telling everyone whose turn it is on the swings.

"That is a good question. A heiau is a Hawaiian temple. The Hawaiian people used to worship thier Gods there like the volcano Goddess Pele. Each Heiau was built to worship or pay tribute to certain Gods." Mr. Corbin answers in his deep voice. "Now copy the date and time on the chalkboard and place it in your folder. If you are going on the field trip please have your parents sign it and return it to me monday morning."

George fills his permission slip out and pulls a folder from inside his desk. Opening his folder he places the permission slip in the left hand pocket where he puts all the papers that he must have his mom sign. After stowing the paper George puts the folder back in his desk, places his hands on his desk and waits for Mr. Corbin to start the next part of the class.

The day goes by pretty quickly. At 215 the bell rings signaling the end of the school week. George puts his belongings in his bookbag stands up and lifts his chair up onto his desk. He grabs his bag and throws it over his shoulder before heading out the door for the bus area.

When George reaches the area that the buses are parked he waits in line for his turn to board the Bluebird school bus. He steps up into the bus and looks around at all the kids taking thier seats. He makes his way down the aisle and to his assigned seat next to his classmate Jessica Benson.

"Are you going to the Heiau thing next friday?" 10 year old Jessica asks as she moves over towards the window and places her pink bag on her lap. Jessica is fair skinned with long black hair and deep brown eyes.

"I really hope so I want to see the heiau up close. Every time we go down to Kawaihae we never get close enough for me to really see it. Besides Mr. Corbin will probably ask her to chaperone again. I think he has a crush on her."

"Ewwwww that would be weird. What if they were dating and then they got married he would be your stepdad." Jessica says playfully. Her father left her mom before she was born so she is always joking with George about dads. She constantly asks what its like to have a dad whether it be real, adopted, foster or step.

:"No thank you. I don't think my mom likes him that way. Besides he would have to fight Don for her." Don Hamilton a tall muscular man has been dating his mom for almost 2 years. He is the third man to come into his moms life since his real father left him and his sister. Don is the closest thing to a father that George has and the only other man that his mom has been with that he and his sister have liked.

"Yeah that would be funny to see. Don" Jessica puffs out her chest "fighting Mr.Corbin" she tries to make herself look skinnier than she already is. "Come on he is so small compared to Don. I wish I had a dad, maynbe mom wouldn't have to work so much and I wouldn't have to stay with my grandma as often." Jessica says putting her head down. Her long black hair falling in front of her face. Having been friends since they were 2 George feels bad for her. She often tells him about her grandparents who call her fat and ugly. At times they tell her that she isn't worth anything because she is going to be just like her "worthless deadbeat" father and that her mother should have aborted her when she had the chance. As well as the physical punishments that she recieves without any reason for them.

George places his left hand on her back and starts rubbing her back in small circles trying to comfort her. "One day when we are all grown up you won't have to worry anymore. You won't have to deal with them." George whispers in her ear so nobody else can hear him. "I will protect you evein if you do marry someone else like Brad Smith."

"Ewww shut up you jerk Brad's nasty." she says as she elbows george in the arm. "he is such a nerd and he pick his nose."

"Hahaha Well I got you to smile for a second didn't I?" George knows that Jessica isn't lying about thier other best friend. Brad Smith has been thier friend every since kindergarten when Jessica took his juice box from him and the next day he brought one for each of them. Short red hair and freckles all over Brad is always reading or talking about documentaries that he watches on television. "I wonder if we will be able to go inside the heiau. Can you imagine...."

"George"

"Yeah"

"You're about to miss your stop again" Jessica says pointing out the window at the houses going by.

"Oh crud, Okay.... um you gonna come over after dance class?" George says grabbing his backpack while the bus slows to a stop.

"Yeah we can hang out after that stupid class." Jessica says rolling her eyes. She hates dance class. She thinks most of the kids in dance class are snobs but her mom insisted on her taking lessons saying that it will help her be more like a girl. There are only two reasons that she has stopped fighting about taking dance class anymore. The first is because it gets her away from her grandmother. The second reason is that she takes class with George's younger sister Elizabeth. Most of the time she catches a ride back from dance with Elizabeth and stays with George until her mom picks her up after work.

Please stay tuned more updates to come. Please vote or comment and let me know what you think so far. Thank you