The Colors of Change

Chapter 3

I walked over to my dad's car. He was leaning against it straining his eyes to see me. I looked around trying to find J to say bye. When I finally saw her, she was talking to Aiden. I watched them for a little bit as they were talking. I furrowed my brow and then ran over to my dad. 

"Clemmy!" He yelled. 

"Daddy!" I yelled back. I ran up and hugged him. He spun me around. After our hug he took my backpack and put it in the back with my overnight bag and violin case. I sat down in the passenger seat and he sat down in the driver seat and began to drive away from the school. 

"How was school, Clemmy?" He asked. 

"Okay." I said. Please, please, please don't ask. I thought. 

"Okay? How was it okay?" He asked. 

"Uh.. I was getting teased again." I muttered. 

"Clemmy. You've gotta tell a teacher or the principal." 

"They don't believe me though. They just think it's innocent sarcasm." I retorted. He sighed. 

"Your aunt from Arizona called and was telling me about the suicides in the local High School because of bullying." He said. "Your not considering that are you?" He asked. I shook my head. 

"No, why do you ask?" I asked him. 

"No reason." He said. He turned out onto the highway and started to drive to Charlotte.

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*

I ran out of the car and hugged Henry and Nicole. "HI!" I yelled. 

"Hi!" Nicole responded. "You ready for the surprise and our trip to Lansing later?" Nicole asked. I nodded fiercely as dad handed me my stuff and we walked into their house. "Alright dinner is almost done so I'll tell you then." She said walking into the kitchen with a weird gait. I shrugged and ran up to my usual room and put my stuff in there. I ran back downstairs and sat on their counter chairs and spun around in circles. 

"Weeeee!" I said. Nicole laughed. Henry and Dad walked in as I spun in cicles. 

"I swear. She never grows up!" Henry said. Suddenly he started to tickles me I squealed with laughter and started to run away from him.

"Neither do you!" Nicole yelled. I was still laughing when Nicole finally said it was time for dinner. By the time I stopped laughing was when everyone was almost done with dinner. Mine was left untouched because of my laughing. Finally I got to eating. 

"So, whats your surprise Nicole?" I asked. 

"Alright. So for a couple months I've been feeling sick to my stomach. I just thought I had a bug and went to the doctor's office. Just to be safe they decided to do an ultra-sound. After they got the test back they said that I am..." She paused. "Pregnant." She said. I squealed and hugged her. 

"I'm going to be an aunt!" I said. She laughed. 

"Thats why me and Henry asked you to come here. Plus I wanted to go shopping for maternity clothes with you Clem!" She said. I smiled. 

"When do we go?" I asked sitting back down. 

"Tomorrow." She replied. I smiled and finished eating my food. After dinner I helped Nicole with the dishes while Dad and Henry were watching football. After I finished putting some of the dishes away in the dishwasher and handwashing the rest then drying them off. I was putting them away when I heard the phone ring. 

"Hello?" I heard Henry ask. "Clem! It's for you!" He yelled. I grabbed the phone. 

"Hello?" I asked. 

"Clem! I'm so glad I got you!" J said. 

"J. How did you get Henry and Nicole's number?" I asked.

"Your mom." She replied. "Anyways. I was talking with Aiden tod-" She said.

"I saw you, what were you guys talking about?" I asked interrupting her.

"Well. We were talking about family and school. And well Christianity." She said.

"Really? Never thought that Aiden is Christian." I said.

"Yea, he was telling me about his church and invited me to go with him on Sunday." She said.

"Cool. You going?" I asked her.

"I don't know. Thats why I called you! Do you think I should?"

"Well do you want to go?" I retorted.

"Good point. I do want to go but what do I tell my mom I'm doing? It's not like she'll allow me to go with a guy I barely know. She probably won't let me go if I think about it." She said.

"Just tell her your going out. She's always staring at that wall." I said.

"Yea, I guess I'll go. I'll see you on Monday!" She said.

"Bye." We hung up and I sat down in between Dad and Henry.

"Who was that?" Dad asked.

"My only friend at school." I replied. He nodded and went back to watching football. Nicole sat down on the other chair and read through the newspaper to see if there are any new sales at the stores in Lansing. I smiled and continued to watch football.