new story (not sure what the title yet)

Chapter One



For some people life is easy to figure out, everything is planned for them. What they are going to be, where they will go to school, what kind of friends they will have. As for others life is a struggle. You never know where you will end up. That was the case for Rebecca. She grew up in a small house, with her mother. She never stayed any place for very long, so making friends was never easy. She found it best just to stay to herself. She found even at a young age that life was like playing a game of cards. Some were dealt a lucky hand while others weren’t so lucky. Rebecca spent most her time alone, sitting watching the people walk by wondering why her life was so difficult compared to others. However one day her hand changed and Rebecca realized that there was no turning back.

________________________________________

         

         Rebecca sat in the classroom staring out at the trees that blew in the wind. “I wish the bell would ring already”, thought Rebecca as she watched a bird fly past the window. “Rebecca read starting from the third paragraph please” Mrs. Henderson asked. Mrs. Henderson was a short woman of 5”3 and looked like she could be Mrs. Claus in an upcoming children’s movie. She always wore a jumper dress in either black or brown no matter what the weather. You never saw her without her hair in a bun and a pencil, which she seemed to always forget she stuck in there, poking out above her head.

         Mrs. Henderson was notorious for picking the kids that she knew wasn’t paying attention. She was one of those teachers that got a thrill out of embarrassing students. She claimed that it was because she was making a point to all the others, that it is important to always pay attention in class. Even though it was hard because she seemed to just drone on and on about nonsense that nobody really understood.

“Attention students will Rebecca Mullins please report to the office, thank you” the loud speaker cracked. All at once Rebecca had 42 eyes staring at her, all wondering what she had done to get sent to the office. Rebecca slowly got up out of her seat, the room so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

“Please make sure you read the rest of chapter 4 and 5, there will be a quiz on it tomorrow” Mrs. Henderson said looking disappointed. Rebecca grabbed her books and hurried out the door. Part of her was glad to be out of the classroom but another part of her was worried why she was being sent to the office. She kept to herself, did her work and made sure to remain invisible at all times.

On her way to the office she saw a cop car outside; she wondered to herself what could have happened. Usually if something happens involving the police the whole school would be gossiping about it, including the teachers. Sometimes she felt like the teachers were the worst gossips of all. “Guess they have to do something to pass the time” she thought to herself.

Finally she got to the office door and walked inside. The office was surprisingly empty for being in the middle of the day. It wasn’t uncommon to see Johnny Little sitting in the chair waiting for the principal to dish out that days punishment. He was known as Connell High’s troublemaker.

Rebecca had been to enough schools to know that everyone had “that kid” that all the parents said stay away from, and all the teachers saw them for detention.

“Excuse me I was just called to the office” Rebecca said in a quiet voice to the secretary. She was a woman that Rebecca had never seen before. It always seemed like every time she came in here there was someone new sitting behind the desk. But then again she didn’t really come to the office that much. “You must be Rebecca, yes go into Principal Johnsons office, he’s expecting you.”

Rebecca walked to the back of the office and pushed open the door. The principal’s office was a lot bigger then she expected. He had all dark wood furniture, with a long wall length bookshelf filled with books that he probably never even cracked open. Along the other wall were all the awards he won as well as pictures of his wife and kids. They looked like a happy family.

Principal Johnson sat behind the big wood desk in his executive chair, like he was Donald Trump. Next to him was an officer, he looked way too young to have gone through the academy already. He was staring at Rebecca with his bright blue eyes; Rebecca thought she saw a hint of sadness in them.

“Please have a seat Rebecca” Principal Johnson said pointing to the chair across from his desk. “There is something we would like to talk to you about”

Rebecca sat down but didn’t relax, she couldn’t understand why she was called here and why there was a police officer here. Getting in trouble was not her thing. That was not how to remain invisible in a world that moved along by her.

“Mr. Johnson, whatever it is I can assure you I did not do it” Rebecca said sheepishly, she hated feeling like she was the center of attention, and right now she was. Both Principle Johnson and the officer stared at her. She felt like she was an exhibit at the zoo.

“Rebecca we have something that we need to tell you” the officer said in a calm practiced voice. He said it like someone who has had to say it many times. “There seems to have been an accident, your mother unfortunately has been killed” All at once it seemed like the room around Rebecca started to spin. “There’s no way, Mom is at work like she always is, you have the wrong person” Rebecca couldn’t understand what the officer was trying to say. Her heartbeat was beating so loud in her head she could barely hear what he was saying. All she could do was see his mouth moving.

She tried to stand up, but as soon as she did the room spun faster making her feel even dizzier. She tried to hold on but there was nothing to grab. Before she knew what was happening she hit the ground and let the darkness consume her





 

Chapter 2

Two years later



“Child you need to get up, you can’t go around sleeping the day away.” As always Rebecca was woken up by the nagging voice of Ms. Sheppard the attendant that was hired to care for her needs.

“I’m getting up jeez don’t have a cow.” Rebecca exclaimed as she started to stretch. The sun was shining brightly through the open windows hurting her eyes. She had no idea how long she actually slept. Rebecca wished Ms. Sheppard would go find someone else to bother, because she just wasn’t in the mood to deal with her.

“Rebecca lets go, out of bed I have a lot to do today and you lying around just doesn’t help matters. You have already slept through breakfast, are you trying to sleep through lunch as well.” Ms. Sheppard turned and started pulling the sheets off the bed as she mumbled to herself. “This generation thinks they can just go around doing what they want. My if she was growing up in my day she would be getting up at the crack of dawn, chores to be done no time for laying around.”

“Ms. Sheppard, do you have any idea where Nan is? Rebecca asked as she got out of bed.

“Well child if you had any sense of what day it is you would know she’s at church, which in my opinion is exactly where you should be.”

“Well then I guess it’s a good thing no one asked for your opinion then.” Rebecca said as she marched to the bathroom that was connected to her room.

It had been two years since she had come to live with the grandmother she never knew existed. Guess her mom had more secrets then she had even imagined. Rebecca laughed thinking about her mom and all the things that were discovered after her death.

“Child what is it that you find so funny, because I sure don’t think anything is funny at the moment.” Ms. Sheppard yelled. “I tell you kids now days they just don’t know how to act. They need a good dose of Mama’s medicine. That would set them straight.”

Rebecca put her hand over her mouth as she tried to stifle another laugh. Ms. Sheppard was always mumbling about something and it was pretty obvious that she didn’t like anyone who was young.

“Ms. Sheppard do you have any idea when Nan will be back, I know sometimes she likes to stay and help out around the church?

“No child I really don’t, that woman comes and goes that’s why she put me in charge of you. Why do you keep asking about her anyway child.”

“Well I don’t know I was just wondering that’s all.” Rebecca said as she started the bath. She didn’t want Ms. Sheppard knowing that what she really wanted was to get to know her grandmother, and find out about the family she never knew she had. When she moved here two years ago, there was never really any bonding. Part of that was her fault she knew, but at the same time she felt like her grandmother really didn’t want to get to know her.

Rebecca felt bad for never really taking the time to try to get to know the woman that graciously opened up her home to her. Rebecca got in the warm bath and laid back relaxing, thinking back to that fateful day when she found out her mother had died and her whole world changed forever.



____________________________________________________________________________

Rebecca awoke with a start, looking at the clock she rubbed her eyes to try to get them in focus. “It can’t be this late already, great another late mark on my record.” Rebecca couldn’t remember when it was that she actually fell asleep last night. She had spent most of the night in the tiny living room of the apartment her mom was renting. Rebecca stayed there waiting for her mom to return home but as it got later she moved from the window to her bed and laid there staring at the plain white ceiling. Finally at some point during the wee hours of the morning she fell asleep and finally awoke at 10:00 a.m. She jumped out of bed and ran to the living room where her mom usually slept. Rebecca and her mother lived in a tiny one bedroom apartment. Rebecca’s mom let her have the bedroom and used the living room as a bedroom/ living area. She hated the fact her mother had to sleep on the old worn sofa every night but her mom would always tell her, “When you become a parent there are things you have to sacrifice in life.” I guess this is one of those things, Rebecca thought, I wonder what else she sacrificed for me. 

As Rebecca went around to the front of the couch she noticed that her mom wasn’t there. She also noticed that the thin blue blanket her mom usually used to cover up with was still lying folded neatly like it was never used. “Wow, guess she never came home” Rebecca said out loud, she kind of felt agitated that her mom stayed out all night instead of coming home to be with her. “Really Rebecca what do you expect for mom to have no life because of you.” She said to herself. Rebecca decided to leave a note for her mother then went and quickly got ready for school. Before she left she turned and looked at the old blue blanket her mother used. She couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy about her mom not coming home. Then she turned and walked out the door and ran the couple blocks to school.

“Child did you drown in there” Ms. Sheppard said as she banged on the door to the bathroom. Rebecca jumped up with a start, she had no idea how long she was actually in the bath for, and all she knew was that the water was like ice at this point. She got out and quickly dried herself off then looked in the mirror to make sure she didn’t have any loose tears getting ready to escape her eyes. Then she put on her long fluffy white robe and opened the bathroom door. There stood Ms. Sheppard looking like she was ready to kick the door down if Rebecca didn’t come out. 

“What in heaven’s name were you doing in there; this is what I mean about kids today. All they want to do is lay around here lay around there….” Ms. Sheppard had gone off on one of her rants again as she went into the bathroom to grab the laundry. Rebecca decided to just ignore her this time and went over to her dresser to find something to wear. Just as Rebecca put on her last piece of clothing she heard a car pull up in front of the house.