Rebellion Strikes (Part 2)

Sister sternly pulled my arm, "Didn't you hear me? I said you were next." I hadn't even realized the line had moved in front of me. How long had I been gone lost in my own thoughts? Obediently, I walked over and sat beside Father, Mr. Grumpy himself. I went through the motions quickly and emotionless, and then stopped in mid-sentence. "It's been…" How long had it been since I was last at confession? "Who really cares?" I thought and said, "A week since my last confession" knowing full well it had been much longer than that. Father nodded.

I knew I was supposed to pour out my indiscretions at this point but wasn't in the mood. I toyed with how to proceed and Father eyed me curiously out of the corner of his eye. Feeling dangerously mischievous I proclaimed, "I don't have anything to confess, Father."

He shifted his weight and turned so I was looking straight at him. "You have nothing to confess?" He didn't sound like he believed me, probably because he didn't. I always had lots to say.

"No, I took a break from being a bad sinner this week, Father. All of us have to be good some time, don't we?" Part of me was thinking, "Have you lost your flipping mind, girl?" but the other part of me didn't care. For some reason, I felt like I was challenging him, probably because I was!

I could feel the tension growing between us as my defiance never weakened. "Get out of here now!" he bellowed. Oddly calm, I thought, "That took longer then I thought." I got up and walked out with Sister and everyone else staring at me. As I strode past Steven, he looked up with an odd smirk on his face. I knew I was going to be in deep trouble this time, but I didn't care. I don't even know why. I just didn't.

In the schoolyard I stood quietly gazing at the rose bushes, feeling anti-social, and not at all happy. My trip to see the principal had gone about as well as I had expected. I got a long lecture and a promise to call my Nan, which means I would be in deep doo doo when I got home. Still I didn't have any regrets. I was tired of this place and most everyone in it.

I felt warm hands wrap around my eyes. "Guess who?" I couldn't help but smile. "Hhhhmmm…Steven?" I asked trying to make it sound like I wasn't sure. He turned me towards him with a big grin. "What were you thinking?" I shrugged. He laughed, "I would've loved to have been a fly on the wall in Sister's office this morning. What happened?"

Not wanting to get into it, I shrugged again. "Okay, I get it. You don't want to talk about it. Meet me after school. I'll walk you home." The bell rang and we watched as everyone ran to get in line. "Well…?"

"Well, what?"

"Are you going to meet me?" I noticed he was holding my hand and realized I didn't even know he had taken it in the first place.

"Well, yeah, of course." He smiled, and we walked over to join the rest of the clan. He had never walked me home before, usually he disappeared as soon as we got out the doors, so it made me wonder why now.

A Day in the Life of Me, Part Two

I rolled my eyes in response and huffed and grumbled as I yanked my bedclothes off and threw on my uniform. "I don't know why I have to go to this dumb school anyway. I hate it!" I pronounced vehemently.

Nan seemed tired and distracted as she thrust a bowl of cereal at me. I swirled my spoon in it, not feeling very hungry. Bobby plopped himself into the chair next to me, not in a much better mood than the rest of us. Only Kevin, who sat in his high chair feeding Fruit Loops to the dog, seemed cheerful and oblivious to whatever was affecting us. I guess at 2 his life was still pretty simple, although mine never had been even at that age. Watching Kevin as he giggled playfully, I felt a tiny bit envious.

My mom rushed down the steps calling out, "Bobby, let's go or we are both going to be late." I looked at Bobby sympathetically as he shoved down one last bite of his cereal into his mouth and washed it down with a gulp of his juice. Kevin wiggled in his seat, chanting, "Ma ma, ma ma" excitedly. Hearing him she ran into the kitchen, passed by me, and kissed him goodbye. "Be good for Nanny," and off she went with Bobby not far behind her.

Nan, having observed the whole thing, put her dishrag down, walked over to the table, and kissed the top of my head. "She was in a rush that's why she forgot you." I sometimes wondered if Nan knew how ridiculous her excuses sounded for my parents' weaknesses. I shrugged, deciding it was better to let her think I believed her, and in a low voice I mumbled, "It's okay. I know."

As I trodded off to school, dragging my schoolbag behind me, and my tin lunchbox dangling from my other hand, I felt a presence beside me. I didn't look because I knew no one I could see would be there, I always walked to school alone. It didn't speak this time, but its silence spoke volumes and suddenly I didn't feel so all alone.