“We’ve come to a decision, Evelyn.” My dad grumbled. He wasn’t happy with me, because he’s going back to work tomorrow and can’t “protect” me from Owen.
“And?” I nervously looked between my parents. This was either going to be very bad, or great.
“We still don’t think you should be allowed back into public school. It’s obviously a bad influence on you.” My mother had a scolding tone that made me want to punch her.
“You know what I think was a bad influence on me? The damn heart disease that look my life away for a year. Public school isn’t bad for me; it’s actually the opposite.” I was trying to keep my anger n check, because I know I’d cut off my nose to spite my face.
“As much as we don’t like the idea of you going to public school, we’re willing to listen to reason. If you can convince us that public school is the right choice, we’ll let you go.” My father ignored the rude tone I had spoken in.
“That’s it?” I stared at my parents in shock.
“Yes, as much as it displeases me.” My mother sighed.
“I’ll be right back.” It took me a total of five minutes to run upstairs and get a presentation ready. I grabbed markers, poster boards, and something to sit them on. I was going to make a sales pitch to my parents, and I’ll be damned if I didn’t go all out. Part of me almost wanted to go back for glitter and confetti to throw at them once I finished, but I held myself back. There was a fine line between a good presentation and an over the top one.
“Sorry, for the wait.” I huffed and set my stuff down on the table in front of my parents. I quickly wrote out ‘therapy’ in big, red letters on my first poster board and set it up.
“Evelyn.” My dad sighed; apparently I wasn’t off to a good start.
“When I first was diagnosed, the doctor’s recommended I attend therapy, but you knew me. You knew that I was strong enough to handle what life was throwing at me, and I could do it all with a smile on my face. You both understood that if there was anything I could handle, it was a tough situation. Even when things got worse, and I was put on the transplant list, you knew that the strongly recommended therapy wasn’t going to do any good.” I paused for effect.
“However, if you make me stay in home schooling, I’m finally going to need that therapy. I can feel myself slowly losing my mind being here. I was kept in a building for a whole year, barely being able to leave my room. I’m healthy now, and being stuck in the same situation I was in when I got sick, it’s poisonous. I can handle a lot, but I can’t handle two, possibly three, years of isolation.”
“Evelyn, home schooling doesn’t mean you can’t go out and be with friends once your school work is completed.” My mother gave me an ‘are you kidding me’ look.
“How can I make friends if I don’t interact with people my own age? We moved here, because I’d get the best care possible. I don’t know anyone in this town who isn’t in a hospital, because I was hospital bound when we moved. School gives me a chance to make friends.” I quickly wrote out ‘experience’ on another poster board in blue ink and put it in front of the ‘life’ poster board.
“I know that I’ve been in public school before I was diagnosed, but it doesn’t change the fact that I need the experience of interacting with people. Yes, I see three, some times, four people each day and interact with them, but you guys are family. I need the experience for future jobs and my future career. As you can tell, my heart disease changed me. I’m a different person, and I need to learn how to act in a setting with a lot of people again.”
“So dramatic, no wonder she’s your daughter.” My dad mumbled to my mother. In return, she hit him and they both laughed. The love they showed each other gave me an idea. I quickly wrote out ‘love’ in big pink letters and placed it in front of the other two.
“I know you both won’t want to hear this, but I think you should. I know the story of how you both met in high school, and fell in love at first sight. I want that, and I think I’ve found that. I don’t love Owen just yet, but I can feel myself falling in love with him. I want what you two have together with him, and if you take me out of public school I can’t have that. Sure, I’d se him outside of school, but I want to show him off to other people. I want people to be envious of us, like people are of you two.”
“I think I need to buy more bullets for my shotgun.” My dad mumbled under his breath, and I noticed my mom hand him a fifty-dollar bill from her purse. It gave me an idea again, so I wrote down ‘happiness’ in green letters and placed it with the others.
“You both love me, and I know all you want is to keep me happy. Public school would make me happy. My friends, my family, and my life outside of this house all make up my happiness. Keeping me from the one thing I want and need would only take away my happiness. I’m not asking you for this, because I’m a spoiled brat. I’m asking you for this, because it’s the thing that will make me happiest.” I finished and I saw them contemplating everything I said over. My mom whispered something into my dad’s ear and he nodded back at her.
“All we want is for our little girl to be happy, so consider this your Christmas gift.” My dad smiled at me. I squealed and threw myself into their arms.
Evelyn: 1 Family: 2
Only two more people to mend the road with, and then it’ll be time to get someone else’s family stitched back together.
Two chapters in one week to make up for the shortness of the last chapter. Enjoy. Oh, and i've written 12,447 words just for this book alone. Once i get to 15,000 i might add in a special treat :)
YOU ARE READING
Heart Stopping
Teen Fiction"You make it to where I can't breathe." "And that scares you?" "It brings back old memories." --- At the beginning of her sophomore year, Evelyn Stevens was diagnosed with a heart condition. Now, it's her junior year and a certain boy makes it feel...
