Broken Ballerina

Chapter Three

Attached is a photo of Isaac and Tamara.

I had to tell my friends the next day in school. I somehow manage to hold back the tears telling Kat, Samuel, and Tara. However, when I tell Isaac, I can fill up the Nile with my salty tears.

"It's okay Ro, I know how you feel." Says Isaac, pulling me into his arms for a hug. "I was twelve when Mum was diagnosed. She was given six months and she lasted another two years. The estimation isn't always correct."

"But it's still going to happen some day." I cry into Isaac's shoulder.

"I know hon I know. But he's going to keep fighting. You just need to make the most of the time you have." Isaac holds my cheeks and pulls me out of his shoulder. His gentle thumbs clear the tears away from my face and he gives me a bright smile. "I know it's hard. If you need to talk about it, I'll drop anything alright?"

"Okay. Thanks Isaac." A wobbly smile appears on my puffy face.

"No problem Ro. This week is Mum's two year anniversary actually."

"How have you been over the years?" I ask, sniffling every ten seconds.

"Well of course it was really hard at the start. My Dad didn't accept my sexuality for a while, and she died a few months after I came out. She was really the only one who fully accepted me. But then Dad realised that this is who I am at Mum's six month anniversary. Now he's so supportive of me." Isaac's smile is still on his face, but there's a look of sadness deep into his eyes. "So of course the start is hard, but I had the added thing with my dad. But after a while, I obviously missed her, but I was getting used to a life without her body, and with her spirit."

I smile. Isaac went through such a hard time when his mum died. I begin to think hard about it. I'm so lucky I don't have that added pressure from my mum. Isaac must have been really uncomfortable at home. His two older brothers are the most sporty, buff guys I've ever met. It must have been so hard not to be accepted, and the one person who did accept him was gone forever.

I wipe my face to clear the extra tears. "Thanks again, Isaac." I pull him in for a tight hug.

"I'm glad I could help." Says Isaac, resting his head on my shoulder.

We head down the corridor to the cafeteria, where the rest of our friends were eating their lunch, and chatting away. Everybody is staring at me when I hobble in. A look of pity on all of their faces. Okay, I get it, I was in a car crash and now my leg is fucked up. Can you not remind me every thirty seconds?

I glance to my right, and see Eric getting up from the table with his new group of friends (seeing as all of his old ones pretty much hate him now) and making his way towards me. I turn my head in the other direction, turn on my one good heel, and begin to hobble to the sandwich bar. Eric follows.

"Rosie!" Eric calls from behind me. I keep looking at the list of sandwiches for today on the pin board of the cafeteria. "Ro!" Eric pulls my arm and spins me around. If I hadn't been clever and put all my weight on my good foot, that could have ended terribly.

I give him a stern look. I was not in the mood for the I-want-you-back speech. "What do you want Eric?" I rest my hands on my crutches and lift my shoulders. My thick lips have become thin, and are pierced to show my irritation.

"I heard about your dad. I'm so-"

"You heard about my dad? How?" I can't believe it. One of my so-called 'trustworthy' friends has gone and told Eric about my dad's illness.

"Tamara told me."

"What? How the hell does she know?" I grow so angry I'm positive steam is coming out my ears.