Big Dreams

You Have to Realize That What You Have Will Always be Enough

I went back umhome and sat on our bed. I was proud of my decisions and thought that she would love them too. Which she did. She opned the door and I walked downstairs. I kept my head down and she gasped. She walked over to me smiling brightly.she held my chin and pushed it up. She looked so proud. I flicked my nose with my finger. She gapsed again and looked at it intently. "You did all of this today?" She asked. I nodded and she hugged me tight. "You didn't have to you know..." I answered woth a yes and we stopped hugging.

We went out out for a dinner date that evening. Hannah told me that I needed to be in a good mood for tomorrow. Because tomorrow, I would attempt to send my parents to jail for what they did. We went home early and went to bed. I could baely sleep through the night, but the feeling of Hannah's warm breath on my skin soothed me. I eventually fell into an "on and off" sleep, filled with nightmares.

I woke up the next morning because Hannah was tugginh my sleeve. I groggily opened my eyes and whispered "goodmorning..." As she kissed my forehead. She tucked some lose hair behind my ear, loking worried. "Are you sure you don't need my help today?" She asked sincerely. I shook my head. I had completely forgotten until that very moment. The thought made me feel sick. She looked at me and held my face, smiling. I finally sat up at the smell of bacon. We rushed downstairs and sat at the dining room table. We weren't going to school that day. We ate breakfast in silence, all the while holding hands. When we finsihed cleaning up the plates, we got dressed.

We sat on the couch watching TV. We had some time left before we were summoned to court. Hannah had my head in her lap and she was mindlessly playing with my hair. I glanced at my phone zand saw that it was five p.m. "Hey, Han. We need to go." I told her. "Ok then. You sure you're gonna be ok, doof?" she chuckled, attempting to lighten the mood. We called her mother and we decided to meet at the courthouse.

As we stepped in and sat near the front, I could feel many prying eyes. Hannah gave my hand an affectionate squeeze. I heard the door open behind me again and I clenched my eyes shut. I new exactly who it was, my parents. I was called up to the seat next to the judge, after he gave his speech. I walked towards it,my head facing the floor. I sat on the seat and waited for my questions. "Excuse me miss, you're going to have to look me in the eye." My lawyer said. I looked up slightly and he smiled. I slowly set my head completely straight and looked behind him. My parents were sitting next to eachother. They were both chained and they looked furious. I gasped as I faild to conceal a sob. The lawyer looked at me again, with a more sincere smile and said "ok, tell us your side of the story. And tell us everything." I nodded and began.

"Well, for as long as I c-can remember, my parents were never fully l-loving or prou-proud. They wanted me to be different. After a while of getting frustrated, I met Hannah. I remember staying at her house, against my parents wishes... W-when I came back they yelled at me and my father slapped me. After that, I came home with my graded schoolwork. Th-they wanted to see it. When I showed them they got ang-angry and the-they hurt me. My mother sl-slapped me and I fell. My dad th-then kicked me on the back and my r-ribs. Hannah found me and br-brought her to her house and they took me to the hospital. I was told that J could either go into foster care or stay with Hannah. I stayed with Hannah."

I felt tears leak out of my eyes freely and I wiped at them, leaving my cheeks bright red and sore. The lawyer began to ask me yes or no questions like "are these your injuries?" He would ask, showing the room pictures of my bruised body. I winced and nodded touching the bandage that was still on me. "Do you still have the bandage on?" I nodded. He gestured for me to stand up and show them. I shakioy stood on my feet and gently lifted myvshirt slightly. I sat back down. He asked me a few more questions and finally, I sat back down, next to Hannah. Wen I sat down, I silently cried on her shoulder as her mother comforted me from my other side.

Next, my father sat where I had just been and he answered some questions. I didn't listen much after the first two. He disgusted me. He wasnt even trying to sound innocent. He answered truthfully and insulted us (Hannah and I) in between. And so did my mother. They were ruled guilty. I thought I would be jumping for joy, but I wasn't. They would have to spend years in prison... Because of.. Me. I was allowed to speak to my parents if I wished. I was brought into a room where they sat, handcuffed and there were bodyguards around us.

"I didn't come in here to say anything important. I just wanted to say that I always wanted you to love me. But you didn't. But I'm going to be the bigger person here. I forgive you. You're my parents after all... A-and I love you. I love you..." I said the last sentence and watched their reactions. Their mouths turned into "o" shapes. My mother began to cry. I nodded at them and smiled weakly. I left.

The only thing I could think about all day was that, they realized something. They realized that I loved them. It pained them, I could tell. I was just sad that I never got to hear it from them.