Reality

Chapter 4

I sit quietly as my mother receives a list of medications from the doctor. My arm is in a cast. There's a long scar forming across my cheek, left there at the courtesy of a piece of broken windshield. I've had better days.

The worst part? Lily is in a coma. And my dad- No. He is not my father anymore. He only has crutches. Lily is the one suffering from this.

My mom walks towards me.

"I want to see Lily," I say in a hushed voice.

"Dear, I don't think-" My mother begins.

"Mom.....Please. I need to see her."

My mother gives me a sad look, and a tear rolls down her cheek. She's silent for a moment.

"You have ten minutes."
***

I sit next to her bed, sniffling, and holding her tiny hand between mine.

"When you awaken, Lily, we can play Barbies, and have all the tea parties you want," I promise.

Tears form in my eyes once again.

You never know what you have until you lose it. Here I am regretting all the times I refused to talk to Lily's stuffed animals and drink imaginary sugar free tea.

I stare at her face. She's pale, with hollow cheeks, but other than that, she looks perfectly at peace. Her hands are cold and limp, but hers all the same, and I know that wherever her conscience is, she knows I'm here.
***

My mom doesn't speak on the way home. It's awful, it just gives me time to think about Lily.

"What's going to happen now?" I ask.

My mother doesn't answer for a few minutes, so I stare out the window at the trees. Their leaves are beginning to fall off, radiating gloom and sadness. Or maybe it's just me.

"Your father, he... he killed two people in this accident. The ones in the other car. He has no right to take you away from me anymore, and I'm not sure what his punishment is with the law, and I'm not asking."

I continue to stare out the window, watching two little kids playing tag on their lawn. I turn away.

When we arrive home, all I want is to lie down on my bed and cry, but my mom convinces me to watch some movies with her in the living room. She cuddles up with me and we try to lighten up. To hope for the better.
***

When I wake up, it's still dark outside. I lousily slip on some dark skinny jeans, put on a T-shirt, my converse, and a sweatshirt, which is kinda hard because of my arm sling. I brush my hair and leave it to flow over my shoulders.

People should be awarded bravery medals for waking up on Mondays.

I walk into Lily's room.

"Wake up Lily it's time for-" I begin.
And then I remember.

I walk around her room. Straightening her bedsheets, or any Barbie that has fallen over, and then I walk out, an ache in my chest.

I'm about to get the car keys, when I decide its best not to drive with my broken arm.

At school, I walk quietly to class, not wanting to be noticed. During 1st period, the principle, Mr.Reynolds, announces that we're having a pep-rally in honor of the soccer team.

Great, I'll be in a room full of happy people. That's the last thing I need right now.

So right before 3rd period, about half the school heads out to the gym. I sit in the back, and put in my headphones.

When I look up again, I realize the soccer team is already speaking, Ethan in the center.

Everybody is cheering, but Ethan isn't smiling, unlike the rest of the team. He holds up a trophy in one hand, which is bandaged at the wrist. Probably an injury from practice. He's holding a microphone in his other hand, giving a speech in a monotone. And a gloomy one.

"We would like to thank you all for your support, we couldn't have done it with out you, Edison Tigers." he says.

The coach walks up to him and whispers in his ear.

Ethan forces a smile and, with a little too much enthusiasm this time, speaks again.

"WE DEDICATE THIS TO YOU!"

The crowd roars, and the coach rolls his eyes. I stare at Ethan, and he meets my gaze. He doesn't smile, but he doesn't frown either. He just looks away.

The rally ends, and it's my lunch period.

I decide to go up to Ethan and try to explain what happened, but when I reach him, he walks right past me like I wasn't even there.

Okay then.

Then another player on the team, Zack, comes up to me.

"Sorry 'bout him. He's in a mood. Maybe he's on his week." Says Zack jokingly.

I smile weakly and keep walking towards the cafeteria.

So then, 3rd and 4th and 5th period go by.

During 6th, my teacher announces some sort of collaboration project with another classroom. And now I have to interact with people. Is it that hard to just be alone and watch Netflix? That's all I want.

Towards the end of the period, the other classroom comes in, crowding the room.

"Okay, class. As part of your teenage years, you all know many people who at such young age, take the responsibility of raising children," begins Mrs. Kingsford.

Few kids start laughing at that.

"So," she continues," We have decided to test you, and see if you can handle it. We will give you a doll. You must feed it, change it, and care for it, because it has a monitor. For every thing you do wrong with this doll, points will be subtracted from your grade."

I hear groans from many students this time.

"Partnerships will consist of a male and a female, and they will be chosen at random." Mrs. Kingsford pulls out a bowl with many pieces of paper. One for each student I'm guessing, so about 50.

"Zack Parker and Carly Sierra."

"Sweet," says Zack, wriggling his eyebrows at Carly.

"Scarlett Johns and Peter Rodriguez."

As the names are called, students begin to shift in their seats. This is like the friggin Hunger Games. All our teacher needed to say was "Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor."

After a few minutes, this happens:

"Catherine Archer and Ethan Chase."

I hadn't even noticed he was here. As soon as they announce his name, I her whining from like half the girls.

Ethan looks at me warily, then walks towards me, his eyes low.

"Hello.." I say.

He simply sits down next to me, without a word.

The odds are definitely not in my favor.