The Oak Tree

The Oak Tree - Chapter One

It was a perfect day. Birds were chirping, the sky was bright blue, it was warm out. I can't help but smile. These kind of days make me feel like nothing bad will ever happen, it makes me so happy. I continue to walk alongside my best friend Danielle, who was focusing on where we were going. "Why are you smiling?" she questioned, noticing the big dorky grin that was plastered across my face. "Oh.. No reason...." I say sheepishly. I stop smiling. She shrugs, and goes back to focusing on getting to our destination.

A little while later, we arrive. Danielle skips ahead, and rushes over to the trunk of the oak tree that we visit after school everyday. "Slow down!" I yell to her while giggling. She leans back onto the tree, as I finally make it over. The smile on her face quickly turns into a frown. "Whats wrong?" I ask her, as I plop down onto the soft grass. "My parents are getting divorced..." she muttered silently. I look down. When ever I would visit her house her mom and dad would always be fighting. It wasn't too surprising that they would split up. I think Danielle and I both knew that this would eventually happen sometime down the road. "Oh.." Is all I manage to say. I would have never guessed this happened today, Danielle looked so cheerful earlier.

"But, it was probably for the best," She continues, "I mean, they did fight a lot." I nod, and look up. We're suddenly interrupted by the ringing of my phone. I look down at the contact name. "Its my dad, one minute." I tell Danielle. "Hello," I say to him. "Hey, you gotta come home now." He tells me. I can hear my brother in the background. "Why?" I ask him. "Your mother is working for longer tonight, so you have to help make dinner," Dad replies. "Can't you and Gabe do it?" I argue. "We have no idea how to really cook..." He says. "Can't you just order pizza?!" I say, tucking a strand of my blonde hair behind my ear.  There's a long silence.... "We had pizza last week! I'm sick of it!" My brother, Gabe, yells. Guess I'm on speaker phone then. "Ugh. Fine." I tell them. Before any of us have the chance to say good bye, I hang up. 

"Sorry Danielle..." I say to her. "I gotta rush home. My Brother and dad are attempting to cook, and I have to get there before they burn down the house." I giggle. "No, I understand." She tells me smiling. "Thanks for understanding, Dani," I say to her. "Bye!" I say quickly. "Bye..." She says quietly. I start heading home, but before I turn the corner I catch a glimpse of Dani. She looked so sad. I can't help but feel bad for leaving, but I have no choice.