Chapter 5: January 15, 2012
Daniel wasn’t at school yesterday. I think I was the only one who was really worried about it because Daniel NEVER missed school unless something serious came up. So what could it be? I woke up this morning and got ready for school but I was really hoping that he would actually be at school today and he would tell me that everything is alright and he just wasn’t feeling well. It was flu season and it wasn’t hard for Daniel to get sick. If Daniel wasn’t at school there was no reason to really go to school. The only reason I really went to school anymore was so the school board wouldn’t take away my license. Everyone that went to my school got a letter in the mail saying that if a student missed any more than 60 days of school, our drivers’ licenses would be revoked. That’s the last thing I wanted.
I got to school and Daniel still wasn’t there. So what did I do? I left. The only thing I would be missing out on at school would be the other girls bullying me, so what’s the point of staying there? I snuck out of the side door, got into my car, and drove home. When I got home the first thing I did was call Daniel, but it went straight to voicemail. That’s when I started to really worry. This wasn’t like Daniel at all. He would never disappear for days without letting me know what was going on. I had no one else I could call to check on Daniel besides well… Daniel. Why won’t he answer? I need him to answer and tell me that he was alright. I just had to believe that Daniel would call me back.
And he did. Later that night. He tried to trick me into thinking that everything was okay when he told me he just needed some time off of school, but I didn’t believe him for a second.
“Why won’t you tell me what’s actually wrong Daniel?”
“I don’t want you to worry about it so I will see you at school tomorrow.”
“Daniel, don’t you dare hang up that phone. If you don’t tell me what’s going on, I’ll just worry more. So what’s wrong?”
“It’s uh…” I heard him sniffle like he was about to cry. Daniel never cried. “It’s my grandfather. He’s sick Bon, he’s real sick.” Daniel choked on his words and I couldn’t figure out how to call him down. I tried to tell him that everything would be absolutely fine, but he wouldn’t listen. It wouldn’t work.
“He had a stroke Sunday morning, and then the doctors said he started having seizures on Sunday night. I couldn’t get down to the hospital until Monday morning. I was told to hold back my tears when I went to go say hello to him, but I couldn’t do it. I had to leave the room to keep him for becoming emotional as well. I can’t get through this alone Bonnie.”
“I’m here for you Daniel. I’m always here. Okay?”
“Thank you so much Bonnie. I really need you. I-I love you Bonnie.”
“I love you too Daniel... Ehm… Call me if you need anything. Okay?”
“I will Bonnie, thanks again.”
He hung up the phone and then I started thinking. Daniel and I never said “I love you” to each other over the phone. I wasn’t sure if Daniel really meant it in a friendly way, or if he really meant it. He did kind of hesitate when he said it.
Wait… Did I really mean it?
