Pious

Chapter 1.

“What is religion? How did it come to us now? Where did it begin? Those questions are asked by many. No one knows for sure the answers to those questions, but we do no one thing,” Hymer, my history teacher, smashed his hand down on Josh Nicklens desk, where josh had been sleeping, and yelled out, “No one knows the truth! Only the dead can know.” Josh slowly raised his head and smiled at Mr. Hymer.

“You seem to fall asleep every day in class Mr. Nicklens. Two-hour detention! Starting tomorrow, class, anyone who sleeps will have detention.” Hymer looked sharply at Josh and luckily the bell rang and the class ran out the door. Of course I’m the last one in class, still packing my stuff up into my back pack.

It isn’t easy walking to my next class. Everyone is always standing around in the halls and making out against the lockers, blocking the way. My next class is called passages. It’s mostly about telling your past and learning what you could have down and what you could do in the future with; relationships, death, life, and jobs. It’s a very interesting class to take. I absolutely love it. I’ve had my share of relationships and they’ve all ended badly. I’ve had a death in the family, but I barely knew him. I only have a memory from when I was a kid, about grandpa pushing me while I was on my bike. Life isn’t all that easy either. It’s hard to find, maintain, and keep and job within life and well yeah nothing more to that.

Class went by fast. We talked about death and how to help yourself react to it when it happens. It was really interesting. It’s good to mourn and talk to someone about it, but you can’t dwell on it forever. “Anna! Anna! Where are you?” My friend, Jessica Knolls, cried out with joy!

“I’m over here Jessie!” I yelled back to her.

“What are you doing here? Well I can’t say I’m still surprised that you’re still at school. You’re a school girl aren’t you?” Jessie chuckled at me because of course I am a school girl. I like school and I hate to leave it. Life at home is different than life at school.

“You know it!” I laughed back. “So? What’s up?

“Guess who just asked me out?” The grin on her face was huge and I could only guess one person, Josh. He’s definitely very attractive, but terrible in school. He sleeps in all his classes and yet he passes every test. The school thinks he’s a cheater, but I’ve never seen him cheat. He never talks about cheating and well he doesn’t talk much anyways. His brown hair that sticks up like the vampire, Edward from “The Twilight Saga,” makes him a definite guy to die for. I guess. He does have wonderful dark brown eyes and he has a great thing of fashion. At first everyone thought he was homosexual, but he proves them wrong by dating the hottest girls in the school.

“Oh I know. Mike?” Jessica doesn’t like it when I guess right. I don’t know why.

“No silly! Josh!” Her smile grew bigger. She is also a definite girl to die for according to the football players at the school. She has beautiful red hair with green eyes. Jessie always gets the guys and I end up the one that she cries her eyes out on when they break up.

“Oh the baseball player Josh or the football player Josh?”

“Both this year! He’s playing football now and will try out for the baseball team during spring! Isn’t it great?” She jumped in joy.

“Oh Josh Nicklens. Got it. That’s awesome!” It’s hard to be her friend when I’m just some girl that no one really cares about compared to Jessie. Sure I’ve had relationships, but they weren’t real ones. I’m just some girl with brown, curly hair and hazel eyes. I’m 5’4’ and I’m in my junior year of high school, but no one wants to date me. I don’t even know why I care anymore. School is important. That should be my priority.

“Yeah dude! He’s going to walk me home today, so I’ll see you later,” she started to walk away, “Bye!”

“Bye, have fun!” I yelled back. Not to be mean to my friend, but she lets out to fast in relationships. That’s maybe why guys get with her then leave so fast.

“Anna!” My dad, Davis McCall, called me from his big, Ford 150, dark blue truck with four doors and tires lifted. I felt kind weird having a rich family, or what most call rich. I get $15 dollars per week for doing my chores and mowing the lawn. It sucks being the oldest of 5 and having to do all the chores at only 17 years old. My little sisters: Nicky (4), Maya (7), Sara (12), and my little brother is the twin of Nicky and they look somewhat alike with their green eyes and they have the same attitude that Maya has.

Hopping into the truck my dad asks, “How was school?”

“It was pretty good,” I replied. “How was work?”

“Boring as usual. Ha!”

“That’s good.” I smiled.

The ride home was quite. We only lived about 7 minutes away, but it still felt like a long time. I keep getting a sick feeling in my gut that something bad is going to happen, but I also feel safe at the same time. It’s very weird.

“Alright we’re home,” Dad spoke nicely as he was pulling into the driveway.

“You’re not coming?”

“Um. No I don’t think so. You see your mother and I are,” He stopped probably to think of the right words to say, “in a little situation right now.”

“Are you to getting divorced!” I screeched in the car.

“No. No. Now we’re just relaxing and giving each other a break.” He tried to calm me but it wasn’t working. “Now go inside and do your chores, please.”

After going inside to do my chores: swept the floor and moped it, swept and moped the bathroom, clean the toilet, and washed every counter; I eat some dinner, roast beef, and then went to my room. It was quiet and peaceful. Everything seemed at ease, but it wasn’t. I’m worried about my parents. They’ve been together for 22 years. How can someone just end that? After all that time and it’s almost gone. Hopefully they’ll see that it’s better to stay together. At least I’ll feel better if they stay together. Within minutes I fell asleep.

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In the dark room there was a door. A big, huge door for someone that has to be around 6 foot and 5 inches tall. It seemed really old and dusty, plus the wood on the door was splintering really badly. A bright light shinned from behind me and as I turned around it nearly blinded me. Then it slowly dimmed till I could see another door. This one was shinier and newer looking. More lights everywhere shined around me then disappeared, leaving behind doors with all shapes and sizes. One door was windy and another one was so thin that I would have to turn side ways to get into it. What is this place? Where am I?

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“Anna. Anna. Anna, hello? Wake up silly.” Mom stopped shaking me and whispered in my ear, “School. You need to get up.”

“Alright. I’ll be up and dressed in a second.” When she walked out I changed into some jeans and a white tank with a country jacket to put over myself when I get cold. I was so tired I nearly fell over while attempting to tie my blue and white shoes from the mall. I went out into the kitchen and eat some break feast waffles, then left for school on the school bus. I nearly missed it.

That dream was so weird. There was so many doors. I felt the need to open one, but which one and where would it lead me to?