Flower Child

Prologue

When I was 5, I found my love for sunflowers. My father bought me a sunflower dress and took me to the mall for the first time. We spent the whole day shopping and looking around at everything. My father took me out for ice cream afterwards. Mama told him not to, but he did anyway. It was our little secret.

When I was 7, my father brought home an entire bouquet of sunflowers. That day my mother had sent my little sister and I over to Ally's house for dinner. Ally was a couple years older and in college for nursing. I remember hearing lots of yelling at my house. I was sitting on the front porch with Ally when I saw my father leave. My mother stood on our porch with an angry look on her face as she told him to 'never come back'. He left a note on the flowers that said: "keep growing strong and tall, just like a sunflower".

When I was 10, my mother married a new man. He didn't like flowers, or me. I lied to my mom for the first time that year. I said that the bruises on my arm were from falling off Ally's trampoline. The same night there was lots of cops that showed up and I was sent to Ally's house for the last time to say goodbye. I never saw Ally again. Mom said she moved for college, but i knew that wasn't the reason.

When I was 13 I started high school. We moved to a bigger city and making friends seemed like the hardest thing to do. My mother was never home, and i was left to take care of Sofia, my younger sister. That was the year I met Dinah Jane Hansen. She punched a kid who said I looked homeless- we've been friends ever since. Sofia and I spent a lot of time over at Dinah's house when my mom was gone. Dinah's mom bought me flowers every week to put in my room so that I had something nice at home.

When I was 14 I met a girl who changed my life forever. She reminded me of sunflowers. Her name was Lauren. She was a year older than me, and her boyfriend was awful to her. My teacher knew what was going on when Lauren came into class crying one day. I didn't know what to say to her, but i moved all of my stuff over and sat next to her for the rest of the semester. Lauren, Dinah, and I became close. We were best friends. 

When I was 15, I had my first fight with Lauren. For the next two years we fought constantly. Some fights were worse than others and we'd go weeks without speaking to each other. She graduated and moved to California to start up her career and we rarely talked. I didn't really fit into her life anymore. I missed her and I wonder if she missed me. 

When I was 17, I graduated high school. I  sat in the group of teenagers waiting for the start of the rest of their lives, but I was more concerned about finding my best friend. Lauren had come home just to watch me graduate and I was so excited to see her. This was a huge part in my life and I wanted her to see how much I've improved. The ceremony was mainly a blur up until I was waiting outside to meet my best friend. I saw her come through a crowd of people holding a bouquet of sunflowers in her hands and a huge smile on her face. That day my love for sunflowers grew even more, but it was also the day I learned that the best of things don't last forever.

Tomorrow is my 19th birthday. I don't remember anything from the past 19 years I've been alive. I don't know who my family is, or if I have any friends. I've been told I have a good job...or did. I'm in college with 3 majors, whatever that means. I guess I was in a relationship, but with who? Maybe this Lauren person can help me...