Until The Day I Die

Chapter 2

After getting settled into my new home, it was time for me to go back to school. I thought that since I'm living in a nice place, I would meet nice people. That was not the case though. I got enrolled to Beachtown Elementary. We moved from Detroit after the end of the school year, so I was about to start 4th grade. I was eleven years old though. I got held back in first grade and in third grade.
I was older and much taller than everybody when I started 4th grade. It was September 3rd, and the first day seemed like any other day. Everyone made fun of me and I was always alone. I accepted the fact that my life wouldn't be any different. When I got home that day, I was planning to go straight to my room and never come out, but David heard me walk in and called my name. I still wasn't used to the house, so I was just trying to follow the sound of his voice. He was in the living room, which I believe is the biggest room in the house. He threw me the pack of cigarettes that I gave him at the airport. Mom was at her new job, as a nurse, so we didn't have to hide our secret.
I went out back to smoke. The house had a back porch with a trail to the beach. I saw the beautiful ocean, seagulls flying around, and the beach was empty. I knew that hanging out on the back porch was going to be a new thing for me. I loved the sound of the waves crashing, and the birds singing, and just the breeze that I could feel from this distance. I wanted this feeling to help me feel better since I didn't have a good day. After a couple minutes of feeling depressed, I saw someone walking on the beach. It was a girl. It was a really pretty girl. Her pink dress and long brown hair was flowing in the wind. She had fair skin, and from this angle, it looked like it was gleaming. She looked my age. I wanted to meet her, but I was too upset to think anything of it. I assumed she would just laugh at me or ignore me, so I just finished my cigarette and went back inside.
Before I went to bed that night, Mom came back home with new clothes for me. They were so clean with no wrinkles or holes in them; no stains and they were just the right size.
The next day I wore a clean, plain white shirt and some blue shorts. It was 92 degrees, and I was ready to have another crappy day.
When I got to my class, which was like 5 seconds before the bell rang, so I was pretty much late, I sat in the very back where I thought I wouldn't get noticed or called on. It worked yesterday. No one ever sat in the back of the class. It was empty and quiet, and I loved it. No one ever talked to me, or even cared. Today was different though. A girl walked in the classroom. It was the same girl from the beach yesterday. She was a little out of breath, and her clothes were a mess. She spilled something all over her cute dress. Did I say cute? I just meant dress. It was white with blue and yellow flowers on it. She spilled something red all over it though.
When she ran into the classroom, everyone started laughing at her and telling her mean things.
"She's always late."
"Why is she so stupid?"
"Aww, did someone start their period?"
Literally everyone was laughing. I wasn't laughing though, it wasn't funny so why laugh.
She then glanced at me, and probably noticed I was the only one not laughing. She rushed to the back of the class and sat down in the seat next to me, laying her head down. I think she started crying. The teacher wasn't in the classroom, so no one got in trouble for anything. I tried to make her feel better, but I don't think it helped.
"Hey, don't listen to them, they're stupid."
"No," she said, "I'm stupid!"
I thought it would be best to just speak my mind at this point. Besides, I didn't like how everyone was treating her. I had to say something.
"Look, I know exactly what you're going through, and I want you to know that I got your back." I told her this just to be nice. I was never usually a nice person when I didn't know someone. She must have thought I was lying to her and ignored me.
I started to think to myself that I really needed to make new friends, so I invited her to my house after school. She obviously knows where to find it since she loves the beach there, and I told her that I lived in that mansion.
She thought I was joking at first, but I convinced her to come, and she agreed. She was no longer upset. She was smiling the rest of class. I kept glancing at her because she had a really pretty smile. I didn't pay attention to anything the teacher was saying.
When the bell rang, I was about to get up and leave, but the girl stopped me.
"My name is Chloe Gray, by the way. Hey that rhymed!" She introduced herself in the cutest way. I guess I had no choice but to introduce myself as well.
"I'm Brandon Miller." She kept smiling every time I spoke. I noticed that. It was weird, but so cute.
She gave me her number on a little ripped piece of paper. I told her that I didn't have a phone. She said to take it anyway just in case I got one. Since I'm living in a freaking mansion now, I'm sure I'll get one at some point.
After school, around 3:45, Chloe and I were at home on the back porch, and I was smoking again. I planned for this to be a daily thing. Everyday after school, while Mom was at work, I would chill out on the back porch, staring at the white sand, and looking at the beach waves. I could hear the beautiful sound of the waves crashing, and the amazing scent. Life was good.
Chloe ran into the yard and picked a flower. She approached me with the flower. It made me smile, but I tried to hide it. When she came up to me she frowned. I asked her what was the matter. She didn't know I smoked, and she didn't like it.
"Don't you know what that will do to you? You could get cancer. I don't want you to get cancer!" She seemed worried at the fact that I smoke. I knew what cancer was and the many different types of it. I had a lot of family members who had died from different cancers. I knew she was right, but I was addicted, and I told her that, but then she told me that she was going to help me get over my addiction. I almost wanted to laugh because there was no way I was going to believe I could get out of this addiction.
"You could never fix me! I'm a mess already, and there's no going back. I've done so much in my life. I've been through so much in my life, things that I can never reverse, things I regret. I'm thankful for the life I have now." She sat down in the chair next to me. She looked at me, grabbed my hand, and put the flower in my hand.
She said, "I know exactly what you're going through. When I was five, I was diagnosed with leukemia. I was at stage two. I fought my battle for three years. I almost died about six times. I'm 11 now. The reason why I'm so old in fourth grade is because I got held back twice for being absent so many times since I was in and out of the hospital constantly. My battle ended three years ago, and I am also thankful for the life I have now." I told her that I was 11 too, and that I also got held back twice. I wondered to myself how much we had in common. I got up and threw my cigarette out in the yard. I looked at the flower in my hand. It was a daisy. I smiled a bit. I then looked at Chloe. She had her head down, and it looked like she was about to cry.
She said, "People always bullied me, laughed at me, and made me feel so worthless. No one knew why I missed school so much. I honestly don't even think they noticed. I just wish I had someone there for me. I feel so alone..."
There was so much about Chloe that I could relate too. I felt like there was something about her that just made her kind of special. I had to be there for her. I had to be her friend. I walked up to her, and grabbed her hand, pulling her up from the chair, and I gave her a big hug. She cried on my shoulder, and meanwhile, I tore off the stem of the flower and placed the flower in her hair. I held her tightly for a long time, and I told her that I will always be there for her. I then went to my thoughts again, and I knew that I had met someone special.
"Chloe, what happened to your dress?"
She wiped her tears. "Some girls poured juice all over me in the hallway this morning, and I went to the bathroom to try to get it out, but it was no use. I then lost track of time, so that's why I was late to class."
"I'm sorry, Chloe." Hearing what she said made me start to hate school a lot more than I already did.
"It's alright, it was just a little incident," she said.
No, I mean, I'm sorry that people treat you this way. You are a nice, pretty girl who deserves so much. You don't deserve this." She hesitated to reply. She had a serious face that completely turned into a big smile. Her smile was so cute, I'm telling you.
"You...think I'm pretty?" I then realized that I just called her pretty, and I couldn't help but cover my face from embarrassment. She then laughed and leaned onto me, and it kind of made me feel good.
We went inside after awhile, and Chloe's mom came to pick her up. I kind of felt sad to see her leave, but I couldn't wait to see her again.