Before The Storm...

The New You

Miley...

     I opened up the front door to Denny's were my mom worked as a waitress in the late afternoon's. I walked in the restaurant, holding Frankie's hand. I said hello to some other coworkers, then went over to bar stool tables were my Mom was. "Hey Mom. Just wanted to let you know, we made it home."

   "Thanks for telling me sweetie." She kissed my cheek, and kissed Frankie's. "There is dinner in the fridge already." She said, before hurring of to help customers. We said our goodbyes and left Denny's.

    We walked a little farther down the street, until we came across our condo. Once inside, I told Frankie to take a bath, while I warmed up his dinner. During his bath, I took out my homework and began working. For homework, my English teacher wanted the class to write an essay about were we would see ourselves, in the next ten years. I have no idea, were I'm going to be in the next ten years. I don't even know where I'm going to be next year, when I graduate. It's not like I can go to college, and leave my Mom and brother behind. They need me. And my Mom is working so hard, because she knows how bad I want to go to college, but even if I went who would be there to help Frankie? Pick him up from school, make his meals, tell him to take baths. I can't be in two places at once. Superhero..        

     Frankie's essay. I just remembered. The New Jersy writing contest. What if Frankie won, and we got the prize money. My Mom

wouldn't have to work so much, and could be there for Frankie more. I could go to college. I ripped open my back pack to look for the essay, Frankie wrote. But I couldn't find it. Maybe I left it in Mr. Hess's class room. But no, I remember putting it in my backpack. I don't know where it could be?..

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   Nick was sitting on his bed, with.papers everywhere, and texts books opened. He focused was completely lost in the paper in front of him.

  "Nick, hunny?" Denise, Nick's Mom knocked on his room door. Demi, Joe, and Selena are here to study.

   "Hold on." Nick shot up and put the paper he was reading under neath his pillow. "Yeah, let them in Mom." He said sitting again.

   "Thanks Mommy!" Joe smiled while chewing a cookie. Joe loved Nick's Mom. Nick and Joe have been best friends since they were kids. Denise was a second Mom to Joe.

   "Joe, she's not your Mother."

   "Oh, shut up Nick." Denise teased.

    "Yeah, shut up Nick." Joe said with a mouth full of cookie. Nick rolled his eyes. Demi sat on Nicks bed and pushed some papers out the way, and Selena gave Nick a kiss on the cheek and sat next to Demi. Denise left the room, as they studied.

    "Woah? What is this?" Demi held up a paper showing it to Nick. Joe grabbed it.

    "Talent show?" He looked at Nick. "Your running a talent show?"

     "I have to if I want to graduate. Apparently not showing up to 'some' classes add up." Nick said.

     Demi gasped, "What are kidding me?" She sarcastically said.

   "Yeah, whatever little Miss Perfect."

    "Hey am I the only one hungry?" Selena asked them.

     "I am!" Joe said.

      "We know.." Demi, Nick, and Selena said in unison.

     "My Mom has food for us down stairs." Nick said standing.

     "Cool, I'll come with you to help bring it up." Selena got up with him.

     "No.. Me!" Joe said running down stairs, "She's my Mother.."

     "Okay, I guess I'll sit here, by myself." Demi pouted.

     Selena laughed. "We won't be gone for long."

      "Yeah chill Dems," Nick said, "Make your self comfortable, but to comfortable, you are a guest.."

      "Yeah, whatever Jonas.." They left. Demi made her way to the head board of the bed, and got comfortable. She grabbed a pillow to postion herself when a paper flew

from under it. She watched the paper slowly float to the ground. Then in wonder, she grabbed the paper.

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Nick..

  "Hey Demi, my Mom wants to know if you want mustard or ketchup on-" I froze as I saw her with the essay. "What are you doing?" I asked her.

   "It fell from your pillow." She said without even looking up at me, still reading. "I can't believe this." Her voice cracked. "I'm such a jerk."

   "Your not a jerk.." I said quietly.

   "No, I'm a jerk. How did I even turn into this person?,I'm a bully." She paused. "We're all bully's."

    She was right. That was the exact way I felt after I read the essay. Guilty. "I know." I agreed with her.

   "To be honest with you. I don't hate her." She said looking at me. Waiting for me to respond. But I have no idea what to say. "Are you going to show this to Joe and Selena?" She asked the pause.

    "I don't know?" I shrugged. "Why should I? Its not any of their business. It isn't any of my business. It fell out of her backpack. I don't know why I took it. I just did.."

    Demi was quiet again. She stood up and gave me the essay. "You should give that back to her." She grabbed the talent show flyer. "This too. Who knows maybe she's a good singer."

    "She is. I heard her playing the piano and singing." I smiled remembering the moment when she started singing. She was a different person. She seemed so soft, and innocent. Her singing made me get goosebumps, and feel all warm inside. I wanted to tell her, but she left me speechless. All I could do was smile at her.