I Am

Chapter 2

"2 scoops of chocolate chip cookie dough, please." I said as the lady started scooping ice cream into a small bowl.

"Same." Said Peter.

When the lady finished scooping our ice cream I got out my wallet to pay for my share but Peter wouldn't allow it.

"Let me pay for it." He said. What a gentleman.

We sat at a little table on the side of the lazy street in the small downtown and talked for hours. When the sun started to set he drove me home. When we got to my run down trailer out in the trailer park he walked me to the door. As I was about to go inside he stopped me.

"Briella," he said.

"Yeah," I said, turning around to face him. In the moonlight his face looked so beautful. His short blonde hair was parted to the side, his blue eyes full of love. He was about a foot taller than me so I had to look up at him.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" He sounded so innocent. Like a first grader passing a note to the pretty girl in front of him. It wasn't right. I wasn't good enough for someone like him. He was a different league.

"Oh, Peter, you don't want me. Look at me. Look at where I live. Peter you're too good for me. You have potential and I have nothing." I couldn't look him in the eyes. I was almost crying. I didn't want to turn him down. He was so nice! But I couldn't let him be with me. He deserved way better.

"Briella don't talk about yourself like that. You are so beautiful! When I look at you I see hope. Hope that you can have a better future. Don't cry, Briella. Please, let me show you this hope." He looked so concerned. He held out his arms and I fell into them. His embrace was so strong and warm. I felt so safe in his arms. He did make me feel like I could do anything; like I could get out of this situation.

"Ok," I said, barely above a whisper, as I pulled out of the embrace.

He wiped away my tears with his thumb and kissed me gently on the forehead.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow morning for school so you don't have to ride the bus."

I walked inside and found my dad lying on the couch drunk and yelling at the Oprah on TV. My mom was nowhere to be found but if I had my guesses she was probably hooking up with a stranger from a bar. Apparently neither one of them had cared enough to call to see where I was or if I was OK.