Pepsi

Pepsi: Chapter Two

Two months later...

"Mom, I'll be fine!" I said. I bounced in my seat to the beat of the music as we pulled into our church parking lot. People were walking around the lobby entrance.

"I know, I'm just going to miss you a lot. Same with your brothers and dad." she spoke. I rolled my eyes, but I smiled lovingly. I know that she cared a lot about me, she just doesn't need to worry about me! She pulled into a parking spot.

"I know Mom." I said. She smiled. I kissed her on the cheek, and swung out of the car and yanked open the back sliding door. I grabbed my Adidas duffel bag and my pillow and sleeping bag. My mom then pulled my second duffel bag and car bag from the car and slammed the door shut. Geez, I thought. I do carry a ton of stuff on trips!

"Will you be okay without me?" I asked, starting to walk to the doors of the church.

"Yes, we will tell everyone that you wished that you wanted to be there at the funeral, but you couldn't be." she answered. Just three days ago, New Years Day, I woke to find that my grandfather on my Dad's side died. He was one of my biggest role models and inspirations. I didn't expect him to go, and I wanted to learn so many piano pieces for him. I started playing not only out of my liking for the instrument, but I wanted to play for him anything that he and my grandma wanted in that dreary nursing home. Then, when I got older, I wanted to play the most beautiful pieces that I could find at their funerals, to wish them love in Heaven, and to let them know that I love them. For my grandpa, though, I never got to do any of that. You'd think the least that I could do would be to show up at the funeral. But no, I've already paid for this Districts trip to Green Bay, Wisconsin, and the funeral has to be that weekend. My dad and his siblings had helped my grandparents pre-plan their funerals. I felt horrible. But, knowing my grandpa, he didn't want a funeral. He'd rather have me connecting with The Lord than attend his 'death ceremony'.

I bounced on my feet impatiently as she took her sweet time to walk to the church lobby doors. I was so excited for this trip, that I was speed walking everywhere without trying.

I opened the door and held it for my mom. we walked through another set of glass doors and into the lobby. From walking in, you could already feel the excitement buzzing through the air. Middle schoolers, high schoolers, church leaders and parents crowded the lobby. Every space was filled with people: checking in, talking, dropping off stuff to the luggage car, etc. I couldn't help but smile a little. My church was my second home. Going on this trip is like going on the best family road trip ever!

My mom and I squeezed through the crowd, and got behind a semi-jumbled mob of people that appeared to be a line for the check-in. My smile was still there, but I still felt horrible about my grandpa. I needed a big hug. From Brandon. I missed him too. I wasn't even able to give him a hug before leaving school early today! This is true, I thought. January 4th, 2013, is one if the happiest and saddest days of my life.

As we waited in line to check in, I saw many of my friends. May, Clara, Kerina, Bella Kyrner, and Katrina waved from the leather couches about fifteen feet away, and Bryaen, his name pronounced like Brian, stood by Liam, Ty, and John. I smiled and waved to both groups.

"Sarah!" someone called. I turned to look at the glass doors.

My friend Cyle, pronounced like Kyle, waved. Unlike all of the other kids at church except for Bryaen, we lived on the north side of town, by Lake Michigan, and go to the same school. His dirty blonde, shaggy/flippy hair hid most of his forehead. He was short and scrawny, with his brace-face smile always making his green/blue-green eyes flash. Today he was wearing a red Nike shirt with black jeans and white socks with white+gray+black Nike flip flops that bridge over your foot.