My Crush; Or, As I Call Him, My Best Friend

"Lovely News"

•°•°• Saturday, October 24, 2015 (10 seconds later or so)

"Lon-Lon-London?" I managed to choke out. My sister was in freaking Chicago. I hadn't seen her or my mom since the divorce, nor did I want to see them. Before I stutter anything else, I was choking on black hair. It took me a few seconds, but I finally realized that London was "hugging" me.

"Dad? London? What's going on here?" I said after London finally let go. Rico grabbed me shoulder and squeezed it, scaring me slightly because I forgot he was there. He understood how hard it was for me to see London; he knew the story.

##Flasback##

""Darrion?" London, my little sister, stuck her head in my room, her wide green eyes watery with tears. I looked up from my place on my bed, and smiled shakily. I patted the bed next to me.

"Come here Lon, don't cry," I said, me trying to be a big ten year old, watching out for my 9 year old sister. Mom and Dad finally broke the news to her: after Billy dying and Mom losing her job and all the fights they have had lately, they had decided that they were getting a divorce. London was crushed. She didn't know the worst part yet either.

Mom could only support herself and one other child. She chose to take London with her. Both her and Dad agreed not to see each other or the child with the other person without permisson from their "gaurdian". I was staying with Dad and London was leaving with Mom.

"Dare, I don't want Mom and Dad to leave each other! I want our family here, together!" London wailed, throwing herself in my arms. I held her close and comforted her. When she stopped crying, I took a deep breath.

"London? I need to tell you something. Mom is leaving... and you're going with her," I began, not meeting London's eyes.

"And you're not coming with us, are you?" London whispered to me, looking me dead in the face. London was always a smart little cookie, I loved her for that. I nodded my head. She got up and left the room, not looking at me, but I saw a tear run down her face as she closed the door.

That was the last time she said anything other than her last goodbye to me.

##End Flashback##

I told Rico what happened, as well as another friend, Jeri, a girl in the marching band's color guard that was very lovable and loud. Jeri became close to me about the time Anne did, and understood growing up in a divorced home. I loved her to death, she was always there for me.

"Dare, Darrion... your mother has recently died, and now London will be moving in with us. The social worker in Maine called me while I was driving and a drunk driver hit me while I was... surprised to hear of your mother's death. I am fine. The doctor's are releasing me tomorrow morning, and me and London will be down then," my father said slowly, watching my face. I nodded, then made a hand signal that he taught me meant "I love you", and walked out of the room.

Rico said something, but I wasn't paying attention. My mother was dead. Lovely; I didn't really care, the hoe had left me alone and without my sister. My sister was moving back to Kentucky; wonderful, I missed her. My dad was getting out of the hospital tomorrow; that's perfect.

"Dare! Dare, please calm down!" Rico yelled at me, flipping me around by my shoulders. I didn't notice before, but he caught up with me and had apparently been yelling at me.

"No Rico, I won't freaking calm down you damn son of a basket-weaver! I'm mad!" I screeched at him, hitting him with every word before storming outside. I went to the car and climbed in, Rico had unlocked it from further away.

I will be honest; I cried. I sobbed. I bawled my heart out. They were angry tears. I was mad: mad at everything bad that's happened in my life. I just let it out. And once again, somehow Rico managed to show up kinda suddenly, and pulled me into his arms. I cried, but this time tears of sorrow. My mother was dead, just like my brother. My dad was hurt and my sister was back from basically disappearing.

Lovely news to be told don't you think?

Rico buckled me in, and started the car. We went to McDonalds, then headed home. Everyone was texting me, asking how I was, how my dad was, but I didn't answer. My "Lovely news" was making me too upset to talk.

I hated my life right now. This crush was going on the back burner, I have too much family shit to deal with right now. I couldn't take all of it at once. I turned up the radio loud, listening intently on the song trying to distract myself. I realized quickly it was a rap I wrote a long time a go for one of my friends, who learned it. I didn't know Rico had it recorded though.

**Well my mom's 39,

And my dad's a deadbeat,

My sister's 19,

And I'm 15

My momma's got cancer,

Aint getting better,

Daddy done stepped out,

Only left one letter

My sister's a slut,

Been stripping for the money,

Then there's me,

No sugarcoat and honey

Doctors' been talking,

Saying the chemo's killin',

I'm all alone,

And sure ain't feelin'

Suddenly standing,

Lookin' at a grave,

Momma's dead now,

Don't feel so brave

Well my sis's a whore,

And my mom's long gone,

I'm just a lost kid,

And my dad's moved on

Yeah, I'm just a lost kid,

And my mom's long gone!

Yeah, I'm just a lost kid,

And my dad's moved on!**

It was a song that fit my friend's life perfectly, at the time anyway. It's better for her now, she's in foster care with a nice lady who cares. She even might get adopted soon, even though she's almost 17. She really wants a family who loves her. I smiled as I thought about her rapping. Who knew she of all people could rap so well?

I checked my phone again and saw a message from Jeri. I immediately checked it.

"Hey girl, you okay?? I heard about your dad, and then Rico told me London's back??? Is it true?" My smiled dropped a bit, thinking of my 'Lovely News' of the day. The my phone buzzed with another message from Jeri.

"Smile! I know you're not right now! I love you!" I grinned and decided to text back. After all, Jeri deserved to know out of everyone since she actually knew what happened.

"Hey dearest. I'm fine, Dad's fine... I think. He said he's coming home tomorrow with London. Apparently, Mom's dead, so she's with us now. And yes, I'm smiling now. Not because I'm happy, but because I need to. I'll text you later, I'm trying to... process everything right now. I love ya. Bye." And I pressed send. She texted moments later, saying if I needed anything she was there. And I knew she would be.

"Feeling better Dare?" Rico asked, keeping his eyes on the road. I sighed. I knew he would ask.

"Yeah, I guess. Just not sure about anything right now. I'll be fine in a while," I replied, turning the music down a bit. I looked at him. He looked at me, and gave me a little smile before turning back to the road.

"Good," he said, and we didn't talk for the rest of the ride. 'Lovely News' will do that.