Rebecca's miracle

Ten (Late July 1992)

Rebecca Pov

School had finished for the summer holidays, (and we were all very thankful for it), so naturally Levi, Opal, Jake and I were celebrating with a trip to the corner shop, (the one that was by school and not Levi's Dad's shop), it was just for junk that we could consume before we went home, (like teenagers and preteens do).

"So what's everyone's plan for the summer holidays?"
"I honestly don't know Opal, I just know that I won't sleep all that much"
"Rebecca that is a plan"
"Opal do you not listen?, Rebecca's a literal insomniac"
"Levi when did she even mention that?"
"Like her second week of school-"
"Not you too Jakey"
"Don't feel bad, you remember the important stuff"
"Like what?"
"Like the things with my Mother"
"I guess"

We were just hanging out in the park, which doesn't sound great as a bunch of 12 year olds, (though there wasn't much else we could've done at 12 years old), but honestly we just enjoyed being outside instead of being stuck inside, ya know, (well maybe you don't, but I hope you know what I mean), (being out of school could've been a part of it but it's so long ago that I'm not entirely certain of that).

"What's the plan after this then?"
"Do we have to have a plan Bex?"
"We don't have to have a plan Li, I just like knowing what we're doing is all"
"You'll be back for 6 like Leo wants you to be"
"Ok"

Hearing Levi say that was all it took for me to feel less panicky about what we were actually doing, which was weird considering that it wouldn't have worked half as well if anyone else had said it, ya know, (it will be explained later on, I promise, just not right now, as I would have to essentially side track a whole novel to get there and then continue and I'm not in the mood for that right now).

Anyway we were just out and about, since it was a half day at school, so we had hours to kill yet, (because ya know, hanging out and stuff), and we were mostly just sitting around and chatting shit about anything and everything, (as you do), and honestly it was nice just to not worry about life, as I worried about a lot of shit man, (I mean I still worry about a lot of shit as an adult but I'm not medicated for it).

"I wonder how much harder school's gonna be in September?"
"Opal don't look at me as I started off with Catholic education until January, I don't know how non religious schooling works, just that there's way less Nuns trying to teach me and I am so fucking glad about that"
"(Snorts), Lottie has told me that year 8 isn't too bad, it's year 10 and year 11 is the one that we all have to worry about"
"Isn't Lottie like a super genius though Levi?"
"Yes Jake, Lottie is a super genius, but Amy backed her up and Amy isn't a super genius, anyway Opal why ask us when your older brother Tony is a literal teacher?"
"Because he's in London and whenever I ring him, Dad just glares at me"

Yeah I at this point hadn't met Opal's Dad, (and for both mine and Opal's sake, that was a good thing), and the more I heard about him, the more and more that he reminded me of Jack, which wasn't a good thing really, as he was an angry drunk, so I had already made a mental note to avoid meeting him if possible, (I know I can't avoid it entirely as there's such thing as accidental meetings and all that jazz, but a girl could hope, right?).

"Ok that makes sense now, your Dad's a right git"
"I know Levi, I live with him"
"Rebecca, you really don't seem that worried about it compared to us, is Catholic school really that hard?"
"It's not necessary 'harder' than non religious school Jake, but it's stricter and less room for error"
"So Catholic school is harder than normal school-"
"It's non religious Levi as normal is fucking subjective, you of all people should know that"
"You say that like you believe in the Church"
"Oh I don't, but I also don't believe in 'normal' if that makes sense"

No, I'm not explaining the entirety of my problems with the Catholic Church, as we'd be here for all eternity and I don't want to give the Catholic Church that much of my energy, (or even a smidge of it), as it doesn't deserve my time or attention, so take that as you will, (or don't, I'm not the boss of you here).