Painful Beauty

Chapter 8:

Chapter 8:

“School, school, school.” Avlon sings bouncing on the bed beside me.

“Avlon.” I complain not wanting to get up so early and not understanding how she is so hyper at six thirty in the morning.

“Braylee.” Avlon says mocking me. “Come on its your first day.”

Dallas went to the school board yesterday right after my parents signed the papers and enrolled me into the school that’s thirty minutes away from here. “I’m taking you today.” Avlon informs me and I open my eyes giving her a no duh look. My car is at my parents house and they said that they arnt giving me anything that is there so if she didn’t take me I would have to walk.

“I set you a dress out. It’s yellow.” She beams getting off of the bed. I sit up also and wipe the sleep from my eyes. “Hurry hurry before your breakfast gets cold.”

“I’m up. I’m up.”

“Your not up until your standing.” She recites and I grown standing up carefully. She beams at me and then goes out of the room shutting the door behind her.

I change my undergarments and then throw on the bright yellow sundress with a white cardigan to go over top. Going into my closet I get out some white flip flops and my book bag full of note books.

My tired feet pad down the stairs and I yawn wishing I could just go back to bed. When I get to the kitchen Dallas is sitting at the table drinking coffee and reading the paper. “Your read the paper?” I ask confused because not once have I seen him drinking coffee or reading the paper and especially this early in the morning.

Dallas scoffs and spits his coffee back in his cup with a ripe expression on his face. “Never ah day in ma life.” He says setting it back on the table.

I give him a confused look and cock my head “Well what are you doing?”

“I figure since I’m now a father I ought ta do what fathers do. On the television they’s read the paper and drink coffee before sendin their children off ta school.”

I grin at him shaking my head. “That’s old people Dallas your not even thirty yet.”

Avlon puts a plate on the table and tells me to sit. I do a quick prayer thanking God and then I dig in.

“Why thank ya ma’am.” Dallas says with a grin tipping his imaginary hat. “Reckon I wont read the paper when I’m old neither.”

“I reckon not. It wouldn’t be you.”

“So are you ready for your first day of school?” Dallas asks getting serious.

Swallowing I sigh loudly and shake my head. “Their going to judge me.”

“Let it roll off ya back.” He tells me with a small smile. “The only one that can judge you and it matter is Jesus.”

“It still hurts.”

Dallas nods and says “I reckon it does but they don’t know ya story B. If they did they’d probably still make fun of ya. That’s how people are in the word taday. They need to pick on someone ta make themselves feel better. You just be the bigger person and not feed the fire. They’ll get burned while your protected.”

“Thank you Dallas.” I say smiling at him because its true people only pick on other people so they can be seen and herd and known.

“Alright come on Braylee.” Avlon says rushing out to the car and I give Dallas a pleading look.

“She never got ta go ta school.” He informs me and I nod sadly because I know. “Give er this.” He says and I sigh standing up from the table. Dallas opens his arms to me and I give him a hug. He gives me a gentle squeeze and lets go saying “Have a good day at school.”