Memoirs of an Outstanding* Teen

Chapter 25: Out of Control | Heartbroken

That same day, because we had spent so much time in town doing all the shopping, it was past three o'clock when we eventually turned around to go home for lunch. I had missed my scheduled lunch time, and the full-blown hunger pangs apparently also missed me too much.

My head felt as if somebody had laid a 50-kg bag of cement on it. I had to lay back on the seat to ease the pain. I folded my arms on my chest so no one would notice the trembling. My stomach felt as if someone with painfully long nails was scratching it. And when we got home and I had to step out of the car, I chose my steps slowly and carefully to walk as straight as possible despite the dizziness.

I walked up to the front door and tried to open it. It was locked. I walked around to check the back door. It was also locked. I asked if anyone had the keys. Nobody did. My heart started pounding. I was panicking again.

I didn't want anyone to see the freak out so I went to stand by myself at the corner of the yard. "How could nobody have the house key? I'm so hungry!"

It must have been just five minutes that passed, but it felt like 5 hours. Again, do you remember how you felt when you had your heart broken? The love of your life broke up with you or maybe someone you cared for died? That's how I began to feel. I couldn't hold back the tears anymore. I decided to rush out of the gate quickly while no one was looking. And there, in the safe cover of the empty street, I let the tears flow. I sobbed. I wept. I wailed. I did all those synonyms for crying.

After a few minutes, I wiped off the tears and went back into the house. Someone had found the key, at the bottom of some handbag. And when I finally got my bowl of rice and set to eating it in my room, I felt pathetic. Crying like a little girl just because you're hungry?