Rejection: Guitar Hero Fan-fiction

Judy Duchelle

Judy's POV

My sister was straightening my hair. If she didn't, it'd be a huge curly mess. And she knew if it was straightened into something easier for me to take care of, it wouldn't be (taken care of). But I always whined when she combed it out when curly, or flinched when she accidently burned me. She tried not to, but she was only sixteen.

Her name was Janelle. She studied hard in school, had many friends (and boys) who adored her, and was basically my mom. Not that we were orphans. My mom, Jillian Duchelle, was alive, but not really living. If you call sitting on the couch staring at the television while eating your feelings, and only going out on weekends to gamble away my sister's hard earned cash living, then that's just sad.

Janelle was always working on something. When she wasn't working on grades, she was working at the diner, or out with friends, or helping me with whatever I needed. I was only five. But she took responsibility over me, and worked hard at it. Though she was sixteen, she was a senior, going to college soon. This upset me more than anyone could ever know. The colleges in the town we lived in were terrible. No one who went to them got a degree. They'd quit and work at a fast food restaurant or some other low paying job. Nelle didn't want this. What added to it is there were many out of state four year universities willing to pay her to go to their college. 

"Nelle, why do you even want to go to one of those dumb universities?" "One: cause they aren't dumb, and two: so I can get a good job and be able to support you and I." Nelle's life long dream was to be a better person than our mom. Though she loved our mom, once she got a well paying job, she promised to have me live with her, and never waste her money on mom again. In the mean time, she had to be a great student and waitress and give her day's pay to mom on pay day. Mom saved a little for groceries, which she put in a jar in the kitchen for Nelle to get when she went out shopping, when the rest went to her gambling problem. Nelle always hid what she needed to pay the rent so we wouldn't be evicted.

"But you're going to leave me..." I grumbled. She smiled and hummed a little song to calm me down. Music always helped me. "It's for the better, Judy Nails." I received this nickname not that long ago. I was playing around with a nail gun, and let's just say an accident happened. So now everyone I know calls me Judy Nails. I just sighed.

"I need to go shopping for groceries soon. How about you stay here and bond with mom?" "She'll just shout at the T.V.," I replied glumly. 

"C'mon! You need to get used to being alone with her." "I'll get used to it when I have to," I snapped. She patiently smiled. "Judy, if you do it, I'll get you some licorice." "Red licorice?" "Red licorice." I smiled. "Gosh, you know my weakness. Fine. I'll try with her," I grumbled, but with a smile.

She took the money out of the jar in the kitchen and, putting it into her wallet, headed towards the door. "I won't be gone long," she reassured me. "Bye, mom!" "Bye, sweetheart. Don't forget hot dogs," she noted grisly, not taking her eyes off the screen. Nelle nudged me in the direction of mom with a smile as she said, "Bye. Love you." "Love you..." Then she left.

I went in my room and played with my dolls for awhile. When I got bored, I decided maybe I should try to talk to my lazy mother. Dragging my feet roughly against the carpet, I made my way over to the couch and sat beside her. She looked at me and gave me a quick smile before continuing watching the soap opera.

During the commercial break, I was just about to try and start a conversation, when the doorbell rang. "Do you think you can get that, sweetie?" she asked. I got up and ran over to the door. I was too short to look through the peephole, so I just opened it. There were two policemen. "Hello, little girl. Is your mother home." "Mom!" I called rudely. "What is it!?" she asked. "There's cops over here!" I yelled.

She got up and made her way over to the door. "Yes?" "I'm Officer Amter, and this is my partner, Officer Kiuk. You are the mother of Janelle Duchee, correct?" "...yes. What's wrong?" They took off their hats. My mom and I stared in shock. "I'm sorry to say this, but we believe your daughter was killed in a hit and run." "I'm sorry," the other cop said. "...but this can't be...... She just left for groceries! Watch! She'll come walking down the sidewalk from Food 4 Less!" "Ma'am, I know-" "My baby!" she broke down.

I ran to the back yard, falling to my knees and crying. You know how in the movies how there's rain when someone dies? The violin plays a calm sad tune? Well it wasn't like that at all. Now I knew how mom felt. Maybe she watched T.V. all the time because she would get to see something better than her own life. Because the sun was shining, a baby was laughing, and the soil I had dug my fingers into was soft, without Janelle...