Aisle Thirteen

Chapter 1

"Cal! Let's hide over here!" I heard my friend Madison hissed.

My friends and I are playing hide and seek. I'm still not hiding because I can't think of a good place to hide. My best friend, Micaela, is the one who'll do the seeking.

Madison is hiding under my bed. So overrated. I bet she's the first one who'll gets to find by Micaela.

Chloe hides inside my closet. Another lame idea of a hide out.

My eyes went heavenward. I smirked. I know where to hide. And I'm sure, I'm gonna win this game.

I climbed through my window and opened the thing that was being used whenever my dad goes to my ceiling.

I laughed softly while hiding in my ceiling. I bet Micaela won't find me unless I show myself.

"Ready or not, here I come!" Micaela shouted.

My hunch was right. Micaela found Madison first, then Chloe.

"Where's Cal?" I heard Micaela asked the two, but none of them responded.

After a while, I heard the door closed.

Maybe they left?

I peek through the small hole from the ceiling, there's no one in my room.

I decided to come down in my room. I left my room when I realized that my friends really left me.

I was about to go downstairs when I heard my mom crying, she's in the master's bedroom.

"Cal is already eleven. She'll understand." That's my dad.

"No! No! Please, don't leave! I'll do everything! Just... don't leave us!" My mom pleaded.

The door wasn't locked so I peek through it. There, I saw my mom. She's crying, while she's on her knees, begging my father to stop leaving.

For the first time, my heart was broken.

I can't bear to see my mother like that. She's a soft-hearted, happy go lucky woman. She's all I ever look up to.

I hate my dad for making her cry.

"I can't do this anymore, Lana!" My father growled at my mother.

My mother stopped crying, she faced my dad.

"Don't you love Cal?"

"I love my daughter more than anyone in this world, Lana."

"Don't you love me?" My mother asked.

My dad sighed, "No. I don't love you anymore. And I'm seeing someone else."

Unconsciously, my tears started falling.

My mom seemed so heartbroken. She didn't said a word after what my father told her. She let him leave. And she didn't beg anymore.

My father saw me crying and he tried to hug me but before he can even hold me, I ran.

I ran outside. I ran as fast as I could. Hoping that I can getaway from this pain. I had no certain place to go inside my mind but what I'm certain about is that, I'm hurt. I'm broken. I'm in pain.

I don't think I'll ever be broken like this again.

Days passed and I must say that I have been different. I became aloof. I don't want to talk to anyone, even my mom.

Luckily, my best friend, Micaela, was very understanding. When she asked why I was cold, I told her about my situation and she fully understands of what I'm going through. She told me that when I'm ready, I can talk to her anytime.

She also told me that they heard my mom and dad fighting the day we're playing that's why they left immediately.

I'm glad she's like that. Unlike my other friends, they don't understand me. Of course, they won't. They have their own beautiful and happy families. They won't ever understand my situation.

My mom was upset. She barely even talk. I know she's very hurt, that's why I understand.

I am on my fifth grade and before, I was surrounded by a lot of friends, but after what my father did, I chose to became an introvert. All I have was my best friend and my mom. You can't blame me, though. I don't want any more attachments to people.

I don't want to invest feelings on people when I know they won't stay forever.

Less people around you, less chances you'll get hurt.