Buffalo Sem.

chapter 9

I donno how I got put in this predicament… my parents came unannounced and caught Iris and I. Now I sitting here trying to explain to them that I wasn't a normal teenage girl, I never was really. My mother was furious; her face was as red as an apple. She winced every time I looked at her. Now my father when I looked at his eyes it was like staring into a deep black hole. He was calm; I was definitely surprised by him. When my parents walked out the door my mother didn't say one word, but my father tapped my shoulder and whispered. "I'm happy for you. I'll talk to your mother." I shook my head at this and watched him leave.

Graduation was in a month… this school year went by fast. I finally decided that I needed to tell them all. Our last concert was tonight and that is when I would announce it. I went to go and get some lunch. I sat down next to the girls. Iris stared at me, I smiled back.

"So, what happened?" Joni asked.

"I told them. My mother wasn't too happy about it."

"What about your father?" Iris asked.

"He's happy for me, though he pretty much showed no emotion the whole time. He said he would try and talk about it to my mom."

"Wow, I thought…"

"That my bags would be packed and I'd be outta here. Naw my dad's pretty liberal. It's not something we should worry too much about." I said taking a bite of my sandwich. I was a Saturday so I had no problem taking as much time as I wanted to, to eat. When I finished I got up to walk to the trash and then put my tray back. I walked back to the table. "Imma go and practice some on the piano. I'll be back in the room in about an hour."

"Alright, then we can…"

"Yeah we can go there, I need to relax some anyway." I replied. I waved to the girls as I walked away. I headed to the choir room. When I got in there a girl was banging haplessly on the piano. I shook my head. "What're you doing?" I asked.

"I'm irritated and I can't understand how to play this piece. Mr. Mercer wants me to be ready for next year."

"Why's that?"

"His pianist is graduating this year."

"Ah. Well scoot over let's see if I can help you." I said sitting down next to her as she scooted over. I began playing the song she had up there. "What part are you confused on?" I asked. She pointed at it. I put my hand out as if telling her to join in. she did, I didn't have one complaint as she played along with me. She stood as we finished.

"You're Riley?"

"Yup, if you don't mind I came in just to practice for tonight."

"Oh, alright I'll just leave you then." She said leaving the room.

I began playing. But once I got into it I change the tune of the song and just kept playing. A while later I noticed it was time to get back to the room. When I got to the room Iris was curled up on my bed reading a book. I laughed and she looked over her book. She hopped up and put her shoes on. She dragged me back out the room. We walked up the stairs and to the top of the building. We lay on our backs and just enjoyed the quiet.

-Later that night-

As I walked to the auditorium I thought about all the things I was going to say. When I got there the whole choir looked at me as if I was the greatest person in the world, really though I wasn't. All these people that I came to know will hate me. I kept it a secret for too long. As seven a clock rolled around I sat down at the piano, the curtains opened up. It was quiet as I began to play and the choir soon joined in a little while later. The time came closer and closer.

"Now that our choir has sung to you, we've all looked forward to this day for the past couple of concerts… Riley will now play a piece she came up with on the piano. I heard her play this and she told me there would be no words to sing along. So please listen up." Mr. Mercer announced.

I began playing. This song described who I was in all about five minutes. It's a piece that no one should ever know what it was about but all of them will know after tonight. They'll know because I'll be the one telling them. I soon finished and the microphone was given to me. When everyone was finished clapping I spoke. "This song was written the day after I came out of the hospital two years ago. I perfected it by now. This song was describing how I lost my hair, spent a couple of months in the hospital. I was told that I am going to die sometime between graduation and when I turn 21. I was diagnosed with leukemia. Dealing with cancer is the hardest things I have to overcome."

A/N: I know horrible ending of chapter nine. I also wanted this story to get to graduation already, I have some plans. Don't get mad but there's a reason why I gave Riley cancer, it's also breast cancer awareness month so to anyone that has breast cancer I support you. My aunt has breast cancer and is a survivor. Anyway look for the next chapter for this maybe sometime during the week.