I stared out of my bedroom window, watching the birds perch on the tree outside my room. I watched as they suddenly flew off into the gray sky, probably looking for a telephone wire.
It had been almost four weeks since the diagnostic test, just to give you a clearer understanding of what exactly is going on. We have already had two math tests, and we have recently been assigned a geography project.
Today, (Sunday) had been a day filled with work, homework to be specific. I had finally caught up with all of our homework and our project, and now I guess I'm just staring out of my window. Great.
"Hey! Amy, we're watching a movie! We're starting it now so come down if you don't want to miss it!" My sister, Taylor, yelled from downstairs. "Coming!" I yelled back, swiftly pulling myself out of my bed and racing down the stairs.
As I stepped hastily down the basement stairs, I was quickly blasted with the aroma of butter and a certain something that one would eat at the movie theaters. Popcorn... I thought. I suddenly noticed that I was actually pretty hungry.
"Wait, you guys made popcorn!?" I asked excitedly, sitting on one of the futons near the television set. "Yeah. You want some?" Taylor asked, handing me a small bowl. I reached for it. "Ah, ah, ah!" She chided, waving her finger in my face. I gave her an irritated look.
"Why can't I have any?" I whined, pouting. "And why isn't mom here?" I noted, seeing my dad still trying to get a movie on. "Oh, she went to the grocery store to pick up some stuff." He answered, a ghost of a smirk playing on his face.
I decided to ignore it and I turned my attention over to the popcorn. "OK Taylor, why can't I have the popcorn?" I asked, my expression still irked. "You have to say please.~" She told me. I grumbled.
"May I ple-e-ease have the popcorn bowl?" I pleaded in a mock tone. "Fine. Here you go." She placed the bowl onto my lap. "Yes!" I said, pumping my fist into the air as I grabbed a hand full of buttery goodness (the popcorn).
"Thank you!" I told Taylor, my tone still mocking and my mouth still full of popcorn. My older sister laughed and stuck out her tongue playfully. "Hey, dad?" Taylor asked as she popped a piece of popcorn into her mouth (See what I did there?). "Are we going to watch the movie soon?" My dad struggled a little bit, trying to get the movie on.
In a matter of a couple seconds, the movie "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" appeared on the screen. "Who's ready for a movie?"
* * * *
"Oh my gosh. Amelia, that is amazing!" Ella complimented my painting of a blue jay. "Thanks, Ella! I really like your cardinal." I told her, staring at her painting of the bright red bird. It was currently art class (Monday), and in about an hour, be would be free from the horrible prison we call "school."
Ella then smiled at me thankfully. "Hey! What about mine?" Charlotte protested, holding up her painting of a starling. We both laughed. "It's really good as well! I think starlings are really pretty." Ella commented. "Then why didn't you paint one?" I asked her, puzzled. She shrugged.
"Mrs. Berkley said that she favors birds with brighter colors as opposed to birds like crows or blackbirds, so I chose a cardinal." She responded as she got out her paintbrush once more.
Charlotte suddenly slammed her hands down onto the desk. "What!? She really said that!?" Charlie exclaimed as Ella nodded. "Shoot. I guess if she doesn't like starlings then I'll just have to win her over with-" She spun around. "my absolutely outstanding painting skills!"
At that point, we all burst into fits of laughter. The class continued on with silly comments and more laughter, and surprisingly, we didn't get called on by the art teacher, Mrs. Berkley, at any time during the class.
Eventually, the bell rang and we all exited the art room. Unfortunately, mine and Charlotte's lockers were the opposite directions than where Ella's locker was (plus Ella didn't take the bus so we couldn't walk to the bus lines with her), so we ended up saying an "early goodbye" to Ella as we all headed to our lockers.
"So- your alexia doesn't bother you that much anymore?" Charlotte had asked when we were lined up in our proper bus line, worry and hesitation lacing her tone. She sounded as if she didn't want to rekindle some dark old memories. I didn't either, but regardless, I smiled.
"Nope. My parents have told me that they've been looking for a course to help me to cope with my alexia, and maybe even cure it bit-by-bit. At least that's what they told me." I announced. "That's awesome! Do you think it will work?" She asked a smile spread wide across her face.
I opened my mouth to say something until a loud whistle interrupted me. "Bus six!" The teacher yelled, holding up six fingers high in the air. We all got the message and we started to line up in front of the teacher as he led us to our bus.
Once we got on, we didn't talk about my alexia, Charlotte started talking (non-stop, may I add) about Panic! At the Disco; her new favorite band. She even got out her phone and started playing "This Is Gospel" or whatever it was called. I had to be honest, they were pretty good, but I liked Twenty One Pilots better.
Once I got to my stop, I waved a "goodbye" to Charlotte as I got off. I walked for a bit, thinking about what would happen if this "course didn't work. What if my alexia lasts for the rest of my life? What if- I stopped.
Something didn't feel right.
Think of a person standing at a beach, and a wave the size of a mansion started to consume that person. Metaphorically, that person was me.
And the wave was a wave filled with dread.
I quickly looked up from the sidewalk. Oh my gosh. My eyes were suddenly met with a huge ball of red, orange and yellow. Fire.
Fire.
I suddenly felt weak at the knees when I noticed what it was engulfing. It was my house. Without thinking, I bolted
I ran as fast as I could. It was faster than I had ever run before. I didn't care. I might've bumped into someone on the way there but I still didn't care.
I don't care. I don't care. I don't care. Gotta get to the house. I thought as I reached the house.
There they were. My eyes focused on a huge red truck, a fire truck, and my mother and Taylor sitting down. "Amelia!" My mother called as I gave her a big hug, along with Taylor.
I then hesitated. "Where's dad...?" I asked. I was a little surprised to hear myself speak. I sounded raspy... and depressed.
I looked at my mother's face. She had been crying. No... I thought. "No. No, no!" I screamed, running my hands through my hair as my mother frantically tried to calm me down. "I-If I didn't know about the fire before the bus dropped me off then the fire didn't start too long ago... he must still be in there!" I yelled.
Without a second thought, I bolted towards the house. "Amelia!" My mother screeched. It was crazy, I knew, but I was in too much shock to think. Some firefighters noticed me and dragged me away, all while I was kicking and screaming.
"No! Please, no!" I yelled, tears streaming down my face in a constant waterfall. I had never felt like this before. Never had I ever experienced this much sadness and hopelessness.
My father is gone...
And that was my last thought before darkness consumed my vision.
YOU ARE READING
Who I Am
General Fiction"This, dear reader, is how I overcame my biggest challenge ever. This, is how I became Amelia Levy." - Amelia Levy, Epilogue * * * * Amelia Levy was a normal girl, who had talents she never really knew of, or that she didn't pursue enough. But Am...
