A Second Chance at Life

Chapter 2

Ch 2- Hello, Goodbye

   The two weeks came, and went, this was the last day, and it was also my parent’s funeral. After the funeral I was going to pack my bags, and board the plane to go to Chicago. Life was flashing right before my eyes. I was awakened by that stupid alarm clock, and not my mother’s melodic voice. I barely used the alarm clock, heck I never really knew it existed; I was so used to my mom just walking into my room, and telling me to get up. “Five more...” I began, but then I stopped, and burst into tears. Mom wasn’t here why couldn’t I get it through my thick skull.

   Today was the day; I spent thirty minutes lying in my bed, while my alarm clock just buzzed. I thought about just staying there under the covers, not coming out to face reality. After 40 minutes I forced myself out the bed, putting both feet on the cold bamboo floors. I turned the alarm off, and frowned at how quiet the house was. I was so used to the sound of sizzling bacon, and the smell of freshly baked biscuits. My father was the cook of the house, and my mother wore the pants in the family.  I never had the chance to eat Dad’s food on school mornings though because I was always rushing out the door. I mean really I hate on shows how the kid has time to eat a whole breakfast, and do just about everything, pfft as if that really happened.

I moved slow that morning, I just couldn’t face going to that funeral. For some reason in my head I thought that maybe if I went slowly I wouldn’t have to face what was to come. I sat in front of my vanity mirror putting on my necklace, and staring into my lifeless eyes. There was a knock on the door I knew it was Aunt Maria coming to pick me up, so I ignored it, and then there was another knock. After several knocks, and a couple of doorbell rings I got up to open the door. “Morning Arin.” Aunt Maria said, she gave me a smile then kissed my cheek. Why is she smiling? Did she suddenly forget what today was? I just nodded, not really caring; I didn’t care about anything anymore.

*Funeral*

I cried when they closed Mom, and Dad’s casket, I even stood up, and told them to stop. Oh you think that was bad, when they went to bury them I clung to the casket begging them to wake up, while they tried to pry my fingers off. I sat there on my knees in front of their grave everyone was gone. There were clicks of heels as someone came up behind me. Someone placed their hand on my shoulder,

    “They’re in a better place now Arin.” I shrugged her hand off my shoulder, and stood up. “Don’t! Don’t you ever say that again! What is wrong with you! You weren’t the one to lose your...” I took a deep breath, and burst into tears, “To lose your parents.” I finished, barely. I was choking on my tears; my heart was beating so fast I thought it would burst from grief. “Why do things like this happen?” I asked through sobs. My aunt just held me, “I don’t know Arin, I don’t know.” My aunt said in my hair, but yet she didn’t cry. I pulled away from her. “What’s wrong with you?!” I demanded, why didn’t she cry? Didn’t she care? I ran off before she could answer.

      Everything else was just a blur; there were a lot of tears, anger, and pain. A few cuts which I decided were stupid, so instead I wrote poetry, and songs, and played my guitar my parents got me. A lot of people called, and texted me, but I ignored it, my few hours were up it was PM, and time to go. I packed my bags into my Aunt’s rental van, “You ready?” She asked. Inside I was screaming no, I grabbed my locket, and nodded my head. I hopped into the passenger seat.

        The whole car ride was awkward, and silent, "I think you’ll love Chicago, and you’ll get to meet your cousin Zoe I remember…” At that moment I stuck in my ear phones blocking her out as I turned the music up to the most it could go. I must have fallen asleep sometime because my Aunt was shaking me awake. “Wake up sleepy head. You slept a whole 13 hours.” I covered my pounding ears; word to the wise, never turn music up the highest it could go, and leave them in for hours. I wonder how I even slept with those things in; well Mom always said I was a heavy sleeper. Mom, I sighed, this was going to be hard. I grasped my necklace 'oh dear God give me strangth' I thought.

        I got out my bags while Aunt Maria fumbled with the keys, “Mom is that you?” A girl that looked almost exactly like me said. She was holding a bat, “What were you going to do beat them to death.” I said sarcastically. “Oh, hi, I’m Zoe.” She held out her hand for me, but I ignored it. I looked around the place, “Your room’s upstairs to the right, I’ve arranged for the neighbor’s son Jason to take you around, and get used to Chicago.” Aunt Maria said. I nodded, and headed upstairs, looking around the place. I took a shower, and got prepared for sleep. That night I took out something I never thought I’d ever use in a thousand years; a bear that my ex- bestfriend got me in middle school. It’s funny because his name was Jason; I hugged it tightly, and cried myself to sleep that night.

*next morning*

I woke up to the sound of pans moving around; curiosity got the best of me. “What are you doing?” I asked Zoe who was holding a pot, eggs, milk, self rising flour, and baking soda. “Making pancakes.” She replied setting everything down on the granite table. “That’s not how you do it, give me a bowl, some regular flour, and ditch the baking soda.” I ordered, “IYI captain.” She pretend saluted me, and did as I said. A smile twitched at my lips, and I rolled my eyes.

     Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad, I was wrong. I basically told her what to do, and watched as she did it. She accidently spilled some on me. “Oh no you did not.” I said, “This was Armani.” She tried apologizing, but I simply ignored her. I took some pancake batter, and put it on her. “Now we’re even.” I said giggling; it soon turned into a pancake fight.

      We were both coated in pancake batter. We both burst out laughing when Aunt Maria, came down to see what all the noise was. She was angry at first, but held it in probably because I was still a bit emotional. We began cleaning up; I paused while whipping the floors, and looked at Zoe. “You know my Dad actually taught me to make pancakes. My mom, and I wanted to make him Pancakes for father’s day. Unfortunately we failed, horribly. He got tired of us trying to make him pancakes every father’s day, so he taught me how to make them so he wouldn’t have to eat extra watery pancakes with egg shells.” I looked off into space, and laughed at the memory. I shook my head at how much of a horrible cook I was then.

      There was an awkward silence, “Come on let’s get you dressed, you have a date with Jason later.” Zoe said helping me off the ground. She helped me get dressed, she was silent the whole time, and I was thankful for it. I was dressed, and not so ready, why couldn’t Zoe show me around? Why did I even have to go visit around? There was a knock on the door, I sighed “Well looks like he’s here.” Zoe said. She walked with me downstairs so we could open the door. I just stood in front of the door, “Well aren’t you going to open it?” Zoe asked. I took a deep breath, and nodded.

        I opened the door, “Arin’s not here.” I quickly said, and slammed the door shut. I ran upstairs, and hid under my covers. “I want my mommy!” I shouted to the world, why did they have to get taken away from me? There was a knock on my door, “Don’t come in.” I said, but Zoe walked in anyway. “What was that?” Zoe asked. “It’s just I don’t know I miss them so much, it just hits home sometimes.” I said with a deep breath. “I understand, I felt the same way, but you can’t avoid sometimes you just gotta live, now get down there.” I nodded at her wise words. I threw off the covers, and moved one foot at a time watching my feet as the carried me down the stairs. When I got there no one was there, "Oh well." I said with the shrug of my shoulders.

Jason’s POV

I was sure that I’d be ready the next time I saw Arin De La Rosa, but I wasn’t. Seeing her again opened up some old wounds, and scars. The memories flooded back to me as I stared into her hazel eyes. I knew that moment that I was definitely not ready for this. Nah, that couldn't be her, I barely saw the girl, it probably wasn't. I sighed in relief, I had no intention of finding out if I was or wasn't, so I exited the house unknown.