Living Like A Rock star

Chapter One: The Worn Out Wheels on the Bus

                  Willow awoke in the middle of the night with Super Mario, her golden retriever pup, on her lap.

                 "Mum??" Willow called.

                  No answer.

                 "She's gonna come back. She's gonna come back. She's gonna come back. She's gonna come back. She's gonna come back. She's gonna come back," Willow began to chant.

                  Super Mario began to stir and Willow ran her fingers through his fur reassuringly.

                 As she did so, she realized that her mum could be in one of two places. The club where she would drink herself into a stranger's bed. Or on the streets where she would be sober and still willingly go into a stranger's car for a little cash.

                Willow wished that her mother could see that she was already making so much money at her bus job. Unless you count $323 every week so much money. 

                Things had been so bad that rent was late and Willow along with her mum and her pup moved into a bus. You got that right. A bus.

                It was her mum's bus from her job and since mum usually had to drive it back to the station at night, that seemed like the perfect place to live. Or at least to sleep whenever the day got rough.

                Willow usually had to walk to her aunt's house, that was a couple blocks away, to take a shower and to get dressed. She wasn't a complete hobo. She still had a shower and fresh clothes to look forward to.

                It was mum that Willow and her aunt usually worry about. She hardly changed clothes (unless you count the uniform), she never ate, and mum always seemed depressed.

                Even while talking to Willow, she sounded depressed and tired and exhausted. Maybe it was her two jobs, maybe it was her own life that was sad enough.

                Willow hoped that wasn't true.

                Willow liked her life despite its...obstacles. Willow believed that life was all rainbows and unicorns. Life was always happy and grand.

                That was Willow's reality.

               Just then, Super Mario began to whine and Willow began to get scared. Super Mario only whined if he felt intruders. Which wouldn't be a surprise. Homeless people would sometimes try to sneak onto one of the buses and it would bother Willow.

               There was a knock at the bus door and Willow ducked from the window. She didn't want to be seen. Stay as hidden as possible as they'll leave.

             "Willow! Willow! It's me! Your mom!"

               Willow looked up and saw her mom in a stripper looking dress, holding a bag of McDonalds.

               Willow put Super Mario on the ground and ran to the door. She opened it as fast as she could and hugged Mom.

              "Oh Willow! I brought you something," Mom said.

                Willow let go of her mom and took the bag. Eating french fries as she sat on one of the seats.

              "I missed you so much," Willow replied.

              "I know, baby. I missed you too. You don't know how much I want to stay with you. But I gotta make money for us," Mom said.

              "This is all so stupid! I wish money didn't exist!" Willow exclaimed.

              "Hey now. Don't think that," Mom said.

              "It's true. I want you to be here with me!" Willow exclaimed. 

               "I will be. Soon enough," Mom said. 

               "I love you," Willow said.

               "Love you more," Mom said with a smile.

               "Not possible," Willow said.