Life In Ruins

  Here I was listening to another one of mom and dad's heated arguments over daddies unemployment, and bad drinking habits. "You're not going to come in here and think you can run my life". I wanted to hear what mothers response would be. "I'm not going to stand here and let you wash your problems away by drinking". "Mary just shut up about this whole thing will you". I knew something was on my mothers mind she looked scared to say what she was going to say next. "I'm filing for divorce and i'm taking everything with me". "Well you can keep the kids,but if you think I'm going to let you take everything else away from you've got another thing coming". I knew mom was pressing dad's buttons. Why was she testing him and she already knows what the outcome will be. "I'm leaving you Tim". The next thing I saw were daddies hand come across mama's face. He just kept pounding on her. Mom tried to plead with him. " Please stop I'll never bring it up again!". He couldn't stop his anger and emotions wouldn't let him. That's when I tried to intervene. "Daddy please stop it you're hurting her,but he just swung me off of him". Mom yelled "Heather go to your room and take King with you!".





    I was thirteen while King was three,but I remember that day as if it were yesterday. I'm fifteen now and the fights still happen it's as if they'll never just walk away and leave each other alone. I try to break it up,but my neighbor Minny told me to just stay out of it. So I just go to my room put on my headphones and write in my journal. "Mom may I please go to Jackie's house after school?" "Heather I told you that you have to watch King for me". "Why do I always have to watch him?". "I'm gettiing off work late today and your father is going to his friends bachelor party". "James getting married for the third time?" "He said it's serious this time". "Yeah right that's what he said about the first and the second wife he married". My mother and I both broke out in laughter. "I'm taking King to Minny's, and don't you miss the bus this time". "Okay bye mom love you". "Love you too sweetheart". My mother and I would have those special days when we would get along so well. I walked to the bus stop eager to see my two bestfriends Phillip and Jackie. "Hey Heather" Jackie said as if she couldn't wait to see my face. "Well look who didn't miss the bus today" "Oh shut up Phillip besides you almost missed the bus last Thursday". "Yeah until his granny came and picked him up" Jackie said in a baby like voice. "Oh shut up you two it's not my fault she likes to baby me".







    Jackie and I loved teasing Phillip about how over protective his grandmother was. As I was caught up in my thoughts Phillip punched me in the arm and said "I bet you didn't notice my braces were out". "Wow their so straight". As we walked onto the bus we all laughed about how stupid that sounded. What I really wanted to say was how cute he looked now since his teeth were so white and perfect,but that would just put me in an awkward position. As we strolled into the hallways of Kirkwood Highschool I looked to my right and saw that Jackie had tears rolling down her face. I grabbed Jackie by the hand and we rushed to the restroom together. "Why are you crying it's Thursday remember". "Yeah I remember it's the day Claire said she was going to put me to shame infront of the whole school". "You really believed what she said". "Come on Heather why would she lie about something like that". "Claire doesn't have enough balls to do something like that". "She said at lunch she was going to tell the whole school who I really was".



As I walked to my first hour class I thought who was Jackie? "Heather I need a pencil". "Ask Mrs. Martin for one". "Durk is a hottie,but at times he can be really cruel like when he talked about Zoey's braces. "Come on Heather are you going to give me a pencil or not". He looked at me wtih those puppy dog eyes. "Fine ,but give it back when you're done". "Thanks Heather". I looked over to see Claire giggling with her friends. She looked over at me and whispered something to the girl next to her. Finally I walked up to her. "Do you have a problem with Jackie". "Well actually it's more like a situation,but I figure you're going to tell me what a nice person Jackie is or do you also want to be put on front street at lunch time like Jackie". She gave me that what are you going to do smile".