One Detention Saved My Life

Chapter 7

     I'm walking into the library, unease filling my my stomach. I've never had detention, but I guess there's a first time for everything. Telling Dad about it last night didn't go so smoothly. I approached him just as he got home from work.
      "Dad, we need to talk."
    "About what?" Dad asked.
   I hesitated for about a second, but then I took a breath and let it all out.
       "I got detention."
    "You . . . Got . . . Detention? Dad asked confused.
     "Yes, I got detention. I can explain; I was---"
   "You hurt someone, didn't you? They mentioned your mother and you lost it."
     "Everything is not about Mom! I got detention because . . . because."
    I trailed off. I couldn't tell Dad the reason I got detention. He'd ask why I was late for class, and I couldn't tell him it was because I got bullied. He would've probably marched down to the school and filed a complaint, only not realizing that he made the situation worse. I decided that I was going to bend the truth just slightly.
     "Why did you get detention?" Dad repeated, this time more sternly.
   "I was late for class?"
   "Why were you late for class?"
   A genius idea struck my mind. Jason. The kid from the bus. I could tell Dad I was talking to Jason, and lost track of time.
   "I was talking in the hallway with my friend Jason. I lost track of time of time and was late for class. My english  teacher, Mr Kelsak wasn't too nice  about it, and wrote me up a detention."
    "Tim, talking in the hallways is not okay, especially when you have to get to class."
   "I know, but Jason is a freshman and he had some questions he wanted me to answer about high school."
   "Can I meet this Jason kid?"
    What the heck was a supposed to say now. I guess I could always tell him the truth. Too many lies can easily catch up to a person.
   "No, you can't."
   "And why not?"
   "Because I barely see Jason at school and the only place where we see each other is on the bus, and you took that away from me."
    "Speaking of the bus how are you going to get home."
   "Isn't it obvious? I'll take the bus."
   "The bus won't take you to Deer Creek."
  "Then I'll get a ride from you or Kelly."
   "Kelly works all of this week. And I'm busy with the bakery. I don't have time to pick you up right away."
    "I can ride to Mom's house, and stay with Mrs. Thomas until you arrive."
   "Okay, but if you're not there when I come pick you up there with be punishment."
   "I understand, but what would the punishment be if I disobeyed you."
    "You'll be working at the bakery everyday after school if you disobeyed me."
   I groaned. "I thought you said I only had to work on the weekends."
   "I thought you liked working at the bakery? And besides if you lie to me the bakery is the perfect place where I can keep an eye on you."
    "And F.Y.I  I like my job, although I've only worked there twice."
   "Very well then, Tim. We have ourselves a deal."

    I take my seat in a hard wooden chair, and pull out Something Like Fate.  Trust me it's not my first choice when it comes to books, but Mr. Kelsak had this crazy idea that we would write our favorite book on a piece of paper, place it in a hat, and we all drew each other's books, which would be later used for a book report that we had to write.
       Something Like Fate starts out with the main character, Lani, doing horoscopes on the computer. She beliefs that the month that you are born effects your personality. And her friend Blake isn't really into it that much, and Lani thinks that is ridiculous. She thinks everyone should believe in astrology.
      I end up reading all the way up to chapter three, when detention ends. I shove the horrible book in my backpack, and head out of the library to catch the bus. I'm almost there, when I feel someone following me. I turn around and instantly turn white.  Chad stares at me with his icy cold dark green eyes. Brett is scrawny compared to Chad. He is over six feet tall and his arms and legs are as big as basketballs. Chad's muscles have seriously gotten bigger since I saw him last year.
    "Tim, it's so good to see you. I was thinking about you all of last week when I was on vacation."
   "Chad, cut the act. What do you want?"
  "Tim, always cutting right to the chase. All I want to do is talk." Chad replies in a somewhat sweet voice.
   "About what? I've got nothing to say to you."
  I take a few steps back. "Brett."
  "What do you want to know about him?"
  "If he's doing his job?"
  I don't respond. I just look hopelessly into Chad's eyes.
  "I know Brett's been doing his job," Chad says. "You have pain written all through your eyes. Oh, and I heard about your pathetic mother. I'm so sorry."
   I feel my fists clench at my side. I want to punch Chad in the face so bad, but I know that will only make matters worse.
   "Leave me alone!" I shout in his face.
   Chad doesn't even flinch.
   "I'm wasting my time talking to you. Tim, you know becoming a senior has made me lazy. I'm not going to hurt you, instead I'm going to let Brett do all the work. And he knows that if he doesn't do it he's off the team."
   "You can't do that. That would crush Brett's dreams."
   Holy crap. Did I just defend Brett Miller?
    "I can do whatever I want. I'm the captain of the football team. And Tim, did you just defend the bully?"
    "No!"
   Chad grins. "Well, I have to get back to football practice. See you around school."
   He takes off running. I watch him go, and then I take off for the bus.
     When I get on the bus, I have a hard time finding a seat. Luckily I see a girl with redish-brown shoulder length hair sitting by herself.
   "May I sit next you?" I ask.
    She looks up at me and smiles. "Of course you can."
   I plop down beside her and the bus takes off.
   "So, what's your story? She asks as the bus travels down the road.
   "Story? I don't know what you're talking about."
   "Why are you on the activity bus?"
    "I . . . um . . . got detention."
   "What did you do? School just started and you don't look like a person who gets in trouble."
   "The truth is it's not entirely my fault. I got bullied and I was late for class three times, and Mr. Kelsak gave me a detention."
  "That's not fair. It wasn't your fault."
   "Life isn't fair."
   "I know the feeling. At my old school I didn't have a single friend. My classmates judged me for being different, all because of something I couldn't help."
  "I'm so sorry. . . Um. . . What's your name?"
   "Amy."
   "Well, Amy, I know the feeling. I'm judged because of my mom's past."
   "I'm so sorry."
  "It's all right. Hey, you never told me why your on this bus." I reply trying to change the subject.
    Amy's bluish-gray eyes light up, and she looks down at the Nikon camera around her neck.
      "I'm in Yearbook club and I just love taking pictures. Plus the yearbook staff is super friendly, and we all eat lunch together."
"Looks like your year has started off good."
   "Yeah, you're right. I guess with a new school I get a fresh new start."
   The bus halts to a stop and Amy and I both look out the window. I see her frown.
  "Well, it was nice meeting you---"
   "Tim," I say finishing her sentence.
  "Tim, I hope to see you around sometime."
  "Yoo too," I say as she heads into the aisle.
I notice that Amy walks with a limp, and has some kind of plastic things inserted into her shoes. Amy, is this what you were talking about when you said you were different?
  I get off the bus shortly after. I walk up to the Thomas's front door and ring the doorbell. Hannah, answers it.
   "What are you doing here? She asks.
   "My father told me to come here after school."
"Hannah, who's at the door?" Mrs. Thomas shouts from inside.
   "Tim, from across the street."
   "Well, let him in."
   Hannah glares at me, but reluctantly let's me.
  "Right this way. Don't touch anything."
   I follow Hannah inside the house. The house itself is huge with old hardwood floors, and family photos hanging on just about every wall.
  "Mom's in the kitchen cooking dinner."
   Hannah, leads me to the kitchen, where Mrs Thomas greets me.
    "Tim, what do I owe this nice surprise?"
  "Dad, couldn't pick me up after school so he told me to come here."
  "I see. Will  you be staying for dinner?"
  "Mom, why are you being so nice to him? He hurt Chelsea."
   "Hannah, I've told you a million times not to hold grudges. Now, apologize to Tim."
   Hannah, glares at me. "I'm sorry, Tim."
  I know she doesn't mean it but I play along.
   "It's okay."
   "Are you happy now? I'm going up to my room."
    Hannah, storms off. Mrs. Thomas just watches her leave.
   "I'm sorry about Hannah. She just really misses her sister."
     "I miss Chelsea too. I regret some of the things I said to her. I never meant them."
    "I know it's going to sound crazy, but Chelsea loved you. I found a letter addressed to you in her room."
   "May I see the letter?"
   "Yes, you may."
    Mrs. Thomas goes into the dinning room, opens the hutch's door and pulls out the letter. She hands it to me and I immediately begin to read.

    Dear Tim,
  Today is the day where Abigail is going to be gone for good. A priest is coming over to do an exercism on the house. Fingers crossed it will work. If it doesn't work I just want to say that I love you. I forgive you for all the mean things you said. I hurt you. And I only did it because I didn't want anything bad to happen to you. I hope you can understand, and I also hope that one of these days we can become friends again.
    Love,
Chelsea
     I put the letter down and begin to cry. Mrs. Thomas wraps her arms around me.
    "Tim, everything is going to be okay."
   "I often wonder what my life would be like if Chelsea were still living. And I also wonder what it would have been like to date Chelsea."
    "Tim, you cannot think like that. You can't change the past."
   "I know, but I can't stop wishing."
   "Tim, you have to move on. You need to start your life off fresh."
    "You're absolutely right."
  "I know I am."
    I hug Mrs. Thomas one more time before letting go.
   If Amy's able to start fresh than so can I.