I woke up to the sun shining and the birds chirping. I sat up in Micahs bed and looked over to see him still sleeping on the floor. I looked over to the alarm clock and it showed six-fifty five, he'd be up at seven surely since school starts at eight and it took thirty minutes to walk to school.
I got up out of bed and stepped out of Micahs room and into the bathroom, carrying my bag of clothes with me.
I hopped into the shower and felt the warmth of it running down my back.
I stepped out of the shower and threw on my clothes and put some black eye liner along with some black eye shadow.
Stepping out of the bathroom I ran into Micah and smiled down at me.
"Sleep okay? " he asked still a little sleepy.
"Yea I've Sept better than I have in weeks." I replied and returned the smile.
"Go ahead and go down stairs and make yourself at home. Get whatever you would like for breakfast." He said.
I stepped out of his way so he could enter the bathroom and get ready. I stepped down the stairs and went to the kitchen finding Micahs mom cooking eggs and sausage.
"Good morning Eva. How did you sleep him." She asked as she turned and looked at me giving me a warm smile.
"I slept great, thank you Mrs?"
"It's Gail dear just call me Gail and it would be Miss. Micahs father ran out on me after Micah was a year old."
"Oh I'm sorry." I replied.
"Its fine it's better off that way. Why do your parents fight?" She asked me.
"Oh umm Steve isn't my father. He's just my mom's boyfriend for a week. He's probably already gone and my mom will find someone else this weekend at the bars. She won't be home until Monday Night and as for my father... well.. he's in prison." I replied looking down.
"Oh hun I'm so sorry. Why don't you stay here this weekend? I'm sure Micah would enjoy your company." She said and not pushing the issue on my parents.
"Thanks, I would like that if it won't be a bother."
"Of course not silly, why would I invite you if it was going to be a burden? Will you get out three plates and three glasses?" She asked as she pulled the pan from the stove and pointed at the cabinet with the dishes.
I got the plates out and put them around the round table. There was four chairs with wheels on them. We didn't even have a table.. or chairs for that matter.
"There's milk and orange juice in the fridge, would you mind pouring me some milk and Micah some orange juice and yourself which ever you prefer while I dish out the food?" Gail asked still smiling her warm smile.
I got out the milk and orange juice, I didn't mind helping out, after all She was welcoming me into her home.
Micah had come down and we began to eat. I don't think my mom had ever cooked me anything like this, just oatmeal or frozen dinner meals. Mrs. Shannon would cook for me from time to time but mostly she just had meals brought to her that she paid for.
"We better get going if we are going to make it on time. " I said to Micah.
"Don't worry about it my mom will give us a ride. The only reason she couldn't yesterday is because our beat up ol' truck was packed with our stuff." He replied.
I walked into the living room and saw a T.V. My mom never owned one so I sat on the couch and flipped it on.
Micah came and sat by me. I couldn't help but wonder why they were in such a crappy part of the city.
"Micah?" I said in question.
"Yeah?" He said still starring at the T.V.
"You guys have pretty nice things, why do you live on this side of the town?"
"My mom had lost her job and pretty much hit rock bottom. She found a job here at last minute. We couldn't even bring all of our things." He replied.
I didn't say anything. I felt like I had over stepped my boundaries a little bit but he didn't seem to be bothered by it.
All the sudden the door bell rang. Gail went to the door and opened it and I heard a familiar voice. It was Mrs. Shannon.
I walked over to the door and said hello to her She greeted me with a warming smile.
"Hello Eva, I was just bringing this cake over to our new neighbors to welcome them to the neighbor hood." Mrs. Shannon said.
"Well thank you ma'am, would you like to come in? I have some more eggs and sausage left over." Gail said.
"Oh well thank you darling girl." Mrs. Shannon said as she slowly walked into the house with her walker.
"Micah why don't you take the truck for today. Just come straight after school. I have to. Work the night shift tonight." Gail said.
Micah nodded and we grabbed our back packs and headed out the door.
***
We arrived at school and the same old routine, going through the metal detectors and getting patted down.
Micah didn't have the same homeroom as me so we parted our ways until second period.
I sat in homeroom thinking. Thinking about Micah. He was such a nice guy so far and I can't believe I stayed in their house The same day of meeting him but it was better than the alternative and I guess I was staying there this weekend too. I felt at home when I was with Micah and Gail. Its something I've never felt before.
***
Micah drove us home and we listened to the radio. Singing all the rock and metal songs that came on.
When we arrived at our houses my mother was on the porch with a big black garbage bag.
"Mom? What's going on?" I asked her confused.
"We are getting thrown out. I couldn't pay the rent." She said bluntly.
"What are we going to do?" I asked kind of worried.
"I don't know what your going to do but I'm moving in with my boyfriend, Tom. I'm waiting for him to come pick me up now and he don't know I have a daughter and I want it to stay that way. You have till noon tomorrow to get your stuff out before they change the locks." She said coldly. She didn't even care about me.
I didn't say one word to her I just turned away from her and walked back over to Micah.
"What's wrong?" He asked with concern.
"Oh nothing, I'm just going to be homeless because my mom couldn't pay rent and she's moving in with her new boy toy and don't want me their." I replied a little numb.
"What the hell? Are you serious?" He asked. I could tell he was getting mad.
He ran inside and ran back out with his mom.
"Tell her what you just told me." He said.
So I told her what my mom had just did to me, what she said.
She didn't say anything She just walked next door to my house and Micah and I followed behind.
"Where the hell do you get off abandoning your sixteen year old daughter like that?" She said with a harsh tone that I didn't know she had.
"Excuse me?" My mother replied.
"You heard me." Gail replied.
My mother put a smirk on her face and said, "where the hell do you get off telling me how to raise my daughter?"
"You call what you do raising your daughter? From what I hear you bring a different guy home every week and fight like cats and dogs. You don't care for your daughter, you care for yourself. Can you tell me where she was last night?" Gail said bluntly.
"She was up in her room like she always is."
"No, she was at my house. She didn't want to here you and your fling fighting all God damn night. Eva go get your things. Your moving in with us." Gail said and Micah went with me to help me gather my things. I didn't have much though. Just clothes.. the little make up I had was at Micahs and I was already wearing my worn out sneakers.
We cane back down stairs with a black trash bag full of my clothes in Micahs hand.. it was only half full.
"This is all you have?" Gail asked in shock.
"Yupp.." I said looking down a little embarrassed that I was so poor that I couldn't even afford a lot of clothes.
"See this is what I'm talking about your daughter barely has any clothes. You call yourself a mother?" Gail said and walked away. I could tell she was heated.
Then a car honked. It was my mom's new boyfriend and I only knew that because she got up and hopped into the car with him and they drove off.
Micah and I entered his house.. well I guess it was my house now too.
"Are you okay Eva?" Gail asked as she hugged me.
"I'm fine. I just can't believe she would do that to me.. even after everything she does.. I didn't think she would stoop that low." I replied.
I was sort of relieved that I didn't have to listen to the yelling and fighting and hearing my mom Get the shit beat out of her.
"I'm glad your okay, this is your home now too but I have to get to work. I have a lasagna in the oven and it should be done in about an hour." Gail said and ran out the door.
"I'm going to go visit Mrs. Shannon. Want to come?" I asked Micah.
"No that's okay, I better stay here since the ovens on just in case." He replied.
I walked out of the front door and walked across the street to see Mrs. Shannon.
Before I Could even knock she hollered come in. She always seemed to know when I was at the door.
"Hi Beatrice (Mrs. Shannons first name) do you need me to do. Anything?" I asked smiling at her.
"Well if you wouldn't mind there's dishes in the sink from the cakes I made dear, but first will you sit and talk to me." She asked.
I sat down and was quiet. Usually when she wants me to talk to her She just wants me to listen.
"My granddaughter, Paisley is going to be moving in with me tomorrow, her parents perished in a car accident last week and she's being sent to me. She's your age and she could probably use a friend." She said.
"Of course I'll be her friend Beatrice. I can come back over tomorrow and help her get settled in." I replied.
"Oh that would be great." She's aid as she slapped her hands together in joy.
I walked over to her and hugged her. Then I went into the kitchen to find the dishes. There was only two cake pans, a mixing bowl, and a whisk.
***
Micah and I sat on the couch watching a movie. I wasn't sure what it was called but I was enjoying it.
Micah finally broke the silence and said, "I'm sorry your mom is like that."
I turned my attention away from the screen and looked at him, he was already looking at me.
"Its okay, Thank you for taking me in. Do you could walk around with me while I get applications in the morning." I said.
"Of course."
"Oh and would you come over with me to Mrs. Shannons tomorrow? Her granddaughter is moving in with her and I told her I'd come help her settle in."
"Sure thing."
I smiled at him and went back to watching the movie.