Valid

Valid Chapter 2

There was a boy that visited her everyday while I was over there. Now that I think of it, He was always such a nerd. He had braces and glasses and was always so clumsy. I never played with him, but I was nice enough. I offered him a cookie and he never even said thank you when he took it out of my hand. I decided to leave him alone after that. I remember that my uncle lives with my Aunt: he's the one who owns all the horses. He's always coming up with random ideas and schemes. The thoughts coming all from that single picture made me shake my head in shame with a laugh. I realized that I wanted to go back desperately. I wanted to lie in my dream field and burn my skin in the sun.

I wished I could take Sandy with me. Sandy. I didn't want too think about him because it made me think of him leaving this world. It seemed as though the whole town would be dismal without Sandy brightening up people at his restaurant or out on the streets. I closed those nasty, ridiculous thoughts. For now.

Three weeks later...

The kitchen was brighter now. I guessed that the sun had come up as I looked out the window and it had. The chorus of purples and blues faded as they made way for the shades of pinks to gather across the sky's horizon. I walked over to the fridge and gathered random leftovers to chew on for breakfast.

"I would've made you a nice breakfast if you let me Riley." My mom called from behind. I turned to face her in mid bite of a turkey leg.

"I didn't want anything big today mom." I assured her. I sat down at the table with my turkey leg and chewed slowly while I thought.

"How's Auntie doing mom?" Mom was busy starting the dishes and stopped with annoyance to answer my "pointless" question.

"We aren't talking dear so I really wouldn't know."

"Oh." Was all I could utter.

I continued my exotic breakfast and started to think about the morning when my father came in through the front door all cold and wet and shivering. I never really found out what he was up to.

Right at that time he came through the door the same way I remembered him from the previous morning.

"Dad what the heck are you doing out so early?" I was determined to know. He glanced at my mom and she nodded back to him.

"Riley if you must know I was getting some paperwork done with the place down the street. They are booked every time of the day except in the mornings. "

"The place down the street?"

"Yes. I needed your traveling papers."

"Traveling papers? What for? I'm not going away. We already talked about this! We aren't going any where."

"We aren't Riley but you are. We just don't know where yet." It was silence in the kitchen nook and I set my turkey leg down rather dramatically onto the table.

"So you guys don't know what to do with me? You're just gonna send me away?!"

My mom tried to comfort me. "We've been planning this trip for you ever since we started hearing about your fights in school and all the homework you've been missing. We just thought it would've been nice for you to get a fresh start. We do have a few ideas on where to send you..."

"I don't need a fresh start! I meant to do what I've done here and I don't want to change any of it!"

"Even though you might think you don't need one, we're your parents who know what's best for you and we say you do. You're going away Riley whether you like it or not."

"Sending me away from Sandy?"

"Yes, away from Sandy. It would probably do some good for you."

"No. It would only do bad mom. I know that for sure!"