Love, Pain and Bam

Chapter 3

Over the next few weeks I spent a ton of time over at Bam’s house hanging out with him and Jess. I was even getting better at the whole skateboarding thing, though I was no where near as into it as Bam was. For being only 6 he was amazingly talented. I loved to just sit and watch him do tricks, he was always so excited about them and always pushed himself to be the best he could be. He had a determination I had never seen in anybody else before and I was proud to call him my friend.

When I got sick of skateboarding with the boys I would spend time with April. I loved to help her cook and bake. I had a lot of fun doing it and I wanted to learn and become as good as her because if I ever had a family I wanted to know how to make a home cooked meal for them and not always give them frozen stuff or fast food like my mom always did. They were just gross and I much preferred eating at Bam’s house.

Bam’s family became like a second family and in a lot of ways I felt like I was becoming closer with them than my own family. Jess acted like an older brother to me with the way he liked to tease me, but unlike Tommy he didn’t mind when I followed him around and he didn’t mind me hanging out with him. I almost never saw Tommy anymore. I don’t know what he did all day but even when I was home I never saw him and he never wanted to come hang out with Bam and me even though we always asked him to.

As summer started coming to an end I got more and more nervous about school. It was going to be my first day after all. Mommy told me to stop being a baby when I told her I was scared so that was the last time I mentioned it. I just did my best not to think about it and to enjoy the last two weeks of summer hanging out with Bam and his friends.

On the first day of school April drove Bam, Jess, and I to school. Tommy didn’t want to come with us and I was sad because I had really wanted him to come with me. When we got to school Jess ran off to go find his friends but Bam seemed to know I was scared and he walked me to my classroom. I was happy he did, it made me less scared about the day. When we got to my classroom he gold me he would come back at the end of the day and walk out with me. I didn’t feel as nervous anymore.

The day was sort of boring, the teacher seemed nice enough and the kids were fine, though none of them really talked to me. I didn’t mind though because even though I didn’t have any friends in the class I still had Bam and his friends to hang out with as soon as the day was over. Besides it was only the first day of school after all. I was sure that eventually I would make some friends in my class.

At the end of the day when class was dismissed I walked out the door of my classroom and found Bam waiting for me just like he promised he’d be. I ran over to him and gave him a big hug before walking out of the school together and found April waiting for us with Jess already in the car. “How was your first day?” she asked as we climbed in. “Good.” I answered.

“Boring, I can’t wait to get home and skate.” Bam said excitedly. I was excited for that too. I did have fun skating even if I wasn’t very good at it.

            Neither of my parents was home of course, so I stayed at Bam’s house. While Bam was outside skating I sat at the kitchen table doing my homework while April made dinner. “Are you joining us for dinner?” She asked me.

“Yes please, if you don’t mind. I don’t know what time mommy’s supposed to get home.”

“I don’t mind at all you can stay here as long as you’d like.” She told me smiling at me and I smiled back. I loved April, she was the greatest mom ever and I was glad she let me spend do much time with her.

            We all ate dinner together and at 7:30 my parents still weren’t home. “Bam, why don’t you walk Emma over to her house so she can get some clothes for tonight and tomorrow. I think she should spend the night.” April said.”

“Okay, come on Emma.” Bam said jumping up off the couch and taking my hand. We walked over to my dark house and I gathered some clothes before heading back over to Bam’s.

            We all took showers, then April let us have some cookies and milk then sent us all to brush our teeth and after that Bam and I crawled into his bed together. April and Phil came in and tucked us in before turning out the light. “Where are your parents?” Bam asked a minute later.

“I don’t know.” I answered him honestly.

“Does it bother you that they’re never around?”

“Sometimes, but I’m used to it. They used to leave me and Tommy alone all night sometimes.” I told him, embarrassed about my parents’ actions.

“At least you’re not alone now.” Bam said. It was nice not to be alone and I’m very grateful to have the Margera’s in my life. 

As the school year continued not much changed. April would drive the 3 of us to school in the mornings and pick us up in the afternoon. I would spend the afternoon at Bam’s house and then go home for dinner. The nights my parents didn’t come home, I would spend the night with Bam. I felt bad. I was there so much but April and Phil always assured me they didn’t mind, I still felt bad though.

            When mommy and daddy were home all they did was fight. I would mostly stay in my room because if they saw me they would yell at me, even if I hadn’t done anything. Tommy told me it was my fault that they were fighting so much. He told me that before I was born they never argued or fought and that it was the best five years of his life. I was sad that I made them so unhappy they had to argue and fight all the time.