Golden Birds

Chapter two

The loud bell rang to signify lunch, the buzz of everyone leaving the class room was rather uplifting. No one really knew about my mum bar my friends and Vaughn's friends, plus the teachers; as I slowly walked out the door the teacher stopped me- great what now!

"How are things?" She said. "You know at home, with your... well mum?" Of course I know. I swear she thought I was made of glass, it was annoying.

Trying to stay polite I replied: "She still trying to fight it as best she can do. I've got to go meet my friends, they're waiting for me. See you later Mrs Evans." I turned and walked out the door were Lizzie and Dakota stood, waiting. We started to head outside, towards a wooden bench were we had all met on the first day of secondary, we were all gossiping about the latest couple news.

"So whilst you were skiving..." Lizzie giggled. "Josie and Peter got together, they are so adorable..."

"Oh and did you hear about Rubie and Danielle last night at the park." Dakota interrupted.

"No" Lizzie and I said in interest.

"Basically, Rubie texted me last night saying Danielle ask her out. Not knowing what to say she ask to meet her at the local park and that's when it all happened! ..." I pulled out my sandwich and listened in ore.

After completing the story and finishing our lunches we headed to the library were my friends helped me complete the catch up work. But really I was doing the work and the girls were cheering me up, Dakota was making weird statements and jokes whilst Lizzie was complaining about her hair. Lizzie wasn't like Dakota, she didn't stand out for perfect skin and hair or for pearl white teeth perfectly aligned; she stood out in a completely different way, in a scruffy way, dyed hair messily tied in a loose bun (when she started secondary school her hair was moose brown colour tied in a French plait, it was extremely neat). Lizzie had crystal blue-green eyes that would sparkle when light caught them and rough porcelain white skin; at the age of 15 her hair was Brunette with Blonde highlights. She never liked her hair it was always: 'the colour of my looks crap' , 'my hairs so flipping greasy and oily' or  'everyone else's hair is so much nicer then mine'; so when she turned 13 her mum let her try dying her hair. And if Lizzie wasn't complaining about hair it was how pale her skin was or how rough it was. 

Fifth period was Geography with Mr Brown and first thing is registration, the teacher announced that he will checking for homework that he set last week, when I wasn't in. I sit there in my seat expecting a telling off; as at my school they expected you to catch up any homework straight away especially when you were older- e.g. 14+. However when it came to me in the register he walked over and explained what I had to do then told me 'try and catch up as soon as possible but if you don't feel up to yet that's ok', that was it, he just walked back to his desk after that. We proceeded with the lessons, learning boring things about the earth's core and stuff like that.

All that was left of the day was the bus journey home, I hadn't been on the bus for months, it was my first time being on since my mum got ill. I sat with Dakota near the back, our heavy bags crammed between the chairs in front and our legs; I would of sat with Liv (Lizzie) but she got a different bus. Dakota offered me an ear bud and for the most of the journey we listened to music, just like the old days; my stop was before hers so when the bus came to a screeching holt I got off. The next village along was Dakota's, the bus stop was a 10 minute walk away from my house, as I set off down the street- Vaughn walking along side me with both ear buds in- this guy runs up behind. I knew him of course, he was in my year and to me he was the cutest but besides that I didn't know him enough yet, to know whether he was nice or not. He was a more reserved bloke  compared to the rest, he tapped me on my right shoulder then stood to my left, his hair a gorgeous blonde neatly gelled in place- but it wasn't too much gel  that it looked fake and wasn't too little that it didn't hold shape, it was just right. His eyes were hidden behind shades and his skin was olive tan colour, however his friends, I knew them enough to know they were horrible.

"Hello, haven't seen you in a while!"

"That's because I was at home."

"I see still have the attitude." He smiled. "Anyway, you left your pencil in science, I came to give it back."

"Oh and there was me thinking you came over to me just so we could have a talk." I grinned.

"..." he stood there wanting to say something but he had no idea.

"Well thxs. For grabbing my pencil." We exchanged smiles and he turned around and left. Vaughn turned to me and pulled a face as if to say really, for the rest of the walk home we remained in silence. We turned into our over grown drive way, and straight towards the white door; we entered, my mum coughing up stairs and my dad rushing around. I walked up the stairs to the right of the hallway, then through the door to my right and straight to the wooden desk in the centre left of the room, pushed against the cream colour wall. I dumped my bag to one side of the desk, sank into the beanie that I used as an alternative chair and pulled out my school planner.

By the time I had finished all my homework our dinner was ready; Vaughn rushed down the stairs and into the dinning room, I just walked down like a normal person but then, I suppose, my brother  wasn't normal. My dad took my mum up some dinner on a plastic tray, my was staying in the spare room located opposite mine and my parent's room was next door but one to me; all that lay between us was the airing cupboard/storage room. The bathroom was next to the spare room that my mum was staying in and my brother's room was next to the bathroom; I had the biggest room by far and I was great full for it. Our dinner was dad's famous chicken pasta, if you had some of this you would never know that he couldn't cook.

"After dinner..." dad said walking into the room. "I would like you to say goodnight to your mum. I will make sure that you are not disturbing her." My dad now-a-days was very picky with us visiting our mum, as he would say that she needs her rest and that if we just charge in when ever, we could disturb her. So now dad would tell us when we could visit and say hello.

It was great to see my mum home again but she still didn't feel like she was all there, she asked me all about school and Dakota and Lizzie, it was a nice little conversation, nothing about her illness or the fact that she wouldn't always be here, just a normal conversation. It was as I was leaving she stopped me, she was reaching into the drawer next to her, she pulled out a little black box with my name on it and said, "I want you to remember me by this." I hugged her and whispered thank you into her ear. I opened it as I left the room; inside the box was the prettiest golden bird attached to a gold chain, it lay peaceful and beautiful like my mum did.

I loved it.