Opal

Whispering

Opal's POV

It was drizzling softly today. I was not inside, but OUTSIDE, dancing in the rain. That sounds weird but I love, love, LOVE the rain! I laughed as the raindrops prickled on my face, my wet hair and clothes sticking to my skin. It was days like this that seemed perfect, that nothing could ever take me out of such a good mood.

I lay down in the grass as the drizzling began to stop. The sky was gray, but a blue sky was coming in. Sunlight peaked through the clouds.

"Opal! If you want some lunch come and get it!" my mom called.

"K I'm coming" I replied.

I got up, ran inside, and walked down the hall to my room. I was sorta hoping mom wouldn't see me, because she hates it when I'm wet and drop water on the floor. But she saw me anyways.

"Oh Opal! Not again." she said with a sigh. "just go dry off, change, and dry this off."

"Ok" I replied.

After drying off I put on an old neon yellow tank top and some faded capris. I didn't really care what I wore. I sometimes liked to design fashionable outfits, but meet really wore them myself.

I came into the kitchen to the smell of lasagna. Mom always goes all the way with meals. I could just make myself a ham sandwich, but she always insists on something better.

I look out the glass door, and see that the rain has stopped and the sun is out. I'll probably go back out after I eat.

As I'm eating, I notice some papers spread out all over the counter.

"Mom what's that stuff for?" I ask.

She looks to where I'm pointing, and her eyes grow big. She scatters to pick them up and shuffle them back together "They're umm....nothing. Don't worry about it." I could tell wasn't nothing though. It's always obvious when mom is lying. Her eyes are big, her face is red, and she says "um" between her sentences a lot.

But I let it go. I went to put my flip flops on, which were in my room.

As I was in there, I heard my dad walk in. He was home early! I was about to run over to say hi, but then I heard my mom start to whisper.

"She saw the papers Richard........"

"What?" Dad replied. "I told you to put them away, she could've seen them and immediately figured it out!"

What was going on?!

"I know, I know, I'm sorry. She didn't figure it out though!" Mom said.Their voices lowered into an even softer whisper.

"We have to tell her. We've waited too long. Imagine her reaction!" Dads said. but after that I couldn't hear them.

I walked into the kitchen like I hadn't heard anything, and gave my dad a big hug when I saw him. "Daddy! you're home early!!" I said.

He smiled and said "yep, they gave me a little break today!"

"That's awesome!" I said pulling away from his arms. "well, I'll be outside if anyone needs me." I smiled, but I wasn't happy. My parents conversation scared me. What were they keeping from me? They acted as if they knew I wouldn't like it.

I stepped outside to a glorious day. A rainbow from the rain arched over the clouds. The warm sunlight felt amazing on my face.

Instead of running, like I usually do, I walked slowly down the the treehouse. I tried to think of what my parents were keeping from me.

"Maybe... they're switching me to that hard dance class I didn't want to be in!" I thought.

Although I didn't go to an actual school, or have any real friends, dance class was something I'd always loved. I go to a little studio downtown, called Madame Rosa's Dance Academy for Girls. (BTW I made that up, not a real place.)

The girls in the classes I'd been in we're always nice to me. I mean, we weren't like, BFFs, but I did sorta count them as friends.

Anyway, I thought that must be what my parents were doing, moving me up to a higher and harder class. I didn't want to do that at first, but now it seemed like a nice change, and I was up for the challenge.

I tried to move the concept out of my mind, but some part of me just didn't believe that was the answer.

I stayed outside all day, mostly writing. I switched spots for it a lot. One minute I was in the treehouse, then up in a tree, then sitting by the stream. I always loved to write, whether it was journal writing or making up a story, As I was in the middle of a new story, mom called me in for dinner.

This was it. I was really hoping they weren't going to tell me the secret, because I still wanted to believe it was just a new dance class.

I walked into the house and sat down at the table. Dad was already sitting, looking at a newspaper. He looked up, and said "hello sunshine." He's called me that since I was five. Gets and little annoying sometimes.

"I see you've even writing more." He said nodding at my notebook.

"Yup". I said.

" I bet you're really gonna be a writer, Opal.

What? They've never said that to me before. It was almost like they were buttering me up.

By the time dinner was done they sun was starting to go down. I wanted to go out again. Get some fresh air, plus I wanted to get away before they tried to tell me something.

But right as I was about to walk out the door, dad said, "Wait, Opal your mother an I want to talk to you."

Oh No.

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