The Summer Of The Storm

Chapter 2

A few days later going to school seemed weird the people I use to hang out with didn't hang out with me anymore. I felt something weird is happening, everything started to change after Mr. Mennettie came here to substitute for Mr. Lix. Bringing her idea to her mother, she looks at Alice as if she's going crazy.

" Mom, I'm not joking somethings wrong with him. Why did he let me out of that class, and that class only? Huh?" Alic asks, in a serious voice.

" Because you have potential." She says back.

" Mom, ugh forget it." She says storming into her room, plopping on the bed. Her mom looks at her room, and shake her head in disappointment, and mouths, 'She just doesn't Understand.' Alice mouths 'She just doesn't understand!' into her pillow. 

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The janitor had the look of one who had expected greatness from life and been sorely disappointed. According to schoolyard gossip, his father had been a banker and his mother a big city lawyer. They'd sent him to the finest schools only be informed of his failures, his intellectual deficit, and inherent laziness. Apparently, when he reached the age of nine they simply gave him up as a bad lot, threw him into a public school and had another baby. They say the little sister lived up to expectations and is already a surgeon. 

" McKenzie, you were told to do the sweeping first, not the walls. If you make this mistake again your fired." A man with the last name Mennettie wells at the janitor.

" Who do you think you are?" McKenzie says as a gives Mennettie a hated look.

" The world's ruler..." Mennettie says in a lower voice, lie a crazy person as he puts a smirk on his face.

" If you say so. Let me do my job and you do your okay?" McKenzie says as he turns his back and finishes the wall.  Mennettie leaves with a walk of a winner, McKenzie looks at his back and shakes his head in disappointment. " What a crazy person..."

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A man walked towards the pond. It was as silent as any normal morning and the sun was barely higher than the trees. Yet, he was up. His big boots made a rhythmical noise against the causeway, solid and regular like a soldier. 

His face was stern, yet peaceful as he swung the gun from his shoulder. Smooth metal glimmered. Callused fingers wiped its surface, feeling cold. He stood at the shore, no wind, no waves. His muscular upper-body stretched backward and then suddenly sprung forward. The gun flew, spinning in the morning rays, before splashing into the water and sinking; finally vanishing from sight. The waves broke the eerie mood and another man looked back at him from the water. His face was filthy but there was a relief in his eyes.

His name was Parker, for years he tried to become a soldier. His life had been a series of obstacles, any one of them would have derailed a less spirited child. Yet here he was still kicking, smiling and gunning for his future. 

He was born into poverty, yet he still believed himself equal to any other. He was malnourished, but he still gave it his all in sports. He worked jobs to supplement his family, but his homework was always on time. Now his home was being foreclosed and they were off to the shelter with his kid sisters in town. 

Whatever happened next he knew he couldn't allow himself to beat, that would mean bowing to what fate told him would be his lot and accepting a life no better than his mom. But he knew he was the master of his destiny. He had already learned that there was help in the world for a hard worker with the right attitude.

With his one main goal to become a soldier, but having this one letter saying that he couldn't become one, it destroyed him. He threw what he wanted the most away, that's wy he went to the pond, his favorite place. Considering not going on with his idea of becoming a soldier he walks away that Saturday morning. 

Walking home, but taking as many detours he could not go home right away. Standing in front of his house, he couldn't enter. Walking away he passed this girl, with long brown hair, simple but she looked like she had potential. Walking passed her he stopped in his tracks and she stopped in hers, slowly turning their heads their eyes met. Parker looking at Alice's eyes without knowing it was her she gave him hope, hope to continue his dream but to protect her.