The Darkness in her Eyes

5

The mornings are always cold in Indiana. The crisp air never scared away the birds from chirping. I loved the mornings; I loved hearing the birds and the morning train that vibrated my bedroom.

Music is blaring in the living room. My dad must have left earlier than usual. I walk out of my room and mom is sitting on the couch crying and staring at the music videos.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

She looks at me with such despair in her eyes, I almost want to hug her, but I'm wondering if I am the reason she is crying.

Was there something I did to make her feel this way?

"I just miss your grandma; we were always so close and sometimes I just feel alone." She takes a drink of coffee and lights a cigarette. "It isn't the same without her, least with her I would know what to do or say. I feel like I'm failing you and your brother".

"You are not failing us,".

The phone rings.

Mom is tuned in to Aunt Theresa and completely ignores me. I head to the kitchen and slip out a mountain dew from mom's hiding spot in the fridge.

Sometimes I felt cheated with my parents. I understand that they are doing their best. I still felt our family was not normal compared to other people in my school. I knew I wasn't allowed to do most things, and they expected me to do a lot more than my fellow peers.

Too many serious thoughts this morning.

I head to the shower and let the water soak away my thoughts. I quickly got dressed and brushed my hair. Mom is still tuned into the phone unaware as I slip out the door.

I swear I sleep more in my first period class, than I do in my bed. Physics. Who has Physics first thing in the morning, anyway? As morning classes are done, I head over to Bree and sit down beside her.

"Huge Favor", she says as she gives me a mischievous look.

"What did you do?".

"Stop Annie, it's not that bad". She walked me over to a quiet area. "Andrew wants to ask you to come home".

"He doesn't look like the type to go to stuff like that, you know I can't dance".

"Yes, you can, just say you'll go and let me handle the rest?".

"You know dad will not let me go". I shrug it off.

"I'll handle your dad; I'll tell him you're helping me with something".

"We'll see if it works".

"Good, now let me handle Andrew,'' said Bree as she skips to Andrew and throws his book.

Maybe that's why he holds his book tightly. No wonder he finds me annoying.

He never came up to me during the whole lunch. I bet he didn't even want to go with me. It was probably one of Bree's schemes.

Homecoming was next Friday and over a week away, heck it's only Wednesday. Hopefully, he'll say something soon.

Quite worrying, Annie.

I walk through my last class and I notice a younger brown-haired girl with thick glasses, continually dropping stuff through the courtyard. She has a My Chemical Romance button pinned to her backpack.

"Do you need some help?" I say as I kneel and help gather her stuff up.

"Um, yeah thanks".

"I'm Bella,'' she says as she takes her glasses off and wipes them on her shirt.

"I'm Annie, nice button".

"Button?" She looks confused and looks down at her backpack. "Oh!!!! The Band button!" Bella says as she holds up her backpack and drops her stuff again.

"Bad day?".

"No, that's just typical me, Klutz Bella at your service."

"I have to head to choir, but it was nice meeting you,". I walk towards the music building.

"Hey wait a minute!'' said Bella.

I turn around and she is running trying to catch up to me.

"I have choir this period too!" said Bella as she tried to catch her breath.

We sit together in the back. Her voice is amazing, strong Alto, if she could quit knocking over the music book in front of her.

I laugh and she looks at me and smiles.

"I told you I was a klutz".

" Looks like you got a friend there, klutz.". I say laughing.

All the other kids just looked at us, like we were crazy. I didn't care. I knew I had made a friend, finally, without the help of being labeled as "Bree's little cousin".

We goofed off most of the class; it wasn't like anyone wanted to be there, anyway. It was easier than the band and it fulfilled the requirement, choir was always an easy grade.

As I get through my last class, I see Andrew scurrying off to his car in a hurry. I walk to my car and get in.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

I look up to see Andrew by my car. I roll down the window.

"Hey".

I try not to look him directly in the eye. My heart is beating fast.

"Are you seriously wanting to go with me to homecoming or is this some little prank by your airheaded cousin,'' said Andrew as he taps his foot demanding an answer.

"No- I want to go with you,'' I mumble out. "It's not a prank. Well, maybe I'm the one that was pranked". "She said you would ask me".

His eyes narrow. "Annie...." he stops and pauses, taking deep breaths between each word. " I do want". "I do want to go with you."

"Good, I think. " My face is red, and my heart is beating so fast, I'm shaking. When I finally look at him, his face has some color too.

"So, would you like me to pick you up at your house?" said Andrew as he shuffles his feet and stares at the ground.

My eyes light up with pure terror, the thought of my dad finding out, scares the crap out of me.

"No!". "No, I'll be at my cousins, so you can pick me up there".

"Pfft. Great." he said as he walked away abruptly.

What the hell. I think as I stare at him walk away, my mouth wide open.

I concluded; I will never understand Andrew.