"Okay class, today we are going to write a letter to a person that we love. This letter can be however you want; a story about a fun event the two of you had together, or even to simply tell them how much you love them. This letter has to at least be three paragraphs." Mrs. White, the best fourth grade teacher, cheerfully sang. Mrs. White is always in a good mood, which rubs off on me. Which is saying a lot, under the circumstances.
I twirl around my pink pen with Cinderella on the top. My dad brought this pen home for me one day. He knew how much I like Cinderella.
"Hey, Teagan!" An excited boy asks me.
This boy, Roger, never talks to me. Since my dad died a month ago, everyone's been talking to me. They always ask me how I'm 'holding up', might I add, is very annoying.
"What?" I whisper back.
"Who are you writing your letter to?" Rogers whispers a little too loudly.
"Now, now. These letters are private! Do not tell anyone who you are writing to." Mrs. White adds.
I stare at the boring ceiling. Is every ceiling the same in every school? White tile, with little black specs. It's so-
I jerk out of my train of thought. I feel a warm hand on my shoulder. I look over to see Mrs. White giving me a concerned look. I pick up my pen, and begin my letter.
Daddy,
I really really want to give this letter to you. I can't though and it makes me very sad. I know your with the angels. But daddy I wish you were here.
The only thing that makes me feel better is how mommy says you love me very much and your watching over us. She plays Cinderella to and gives me a cookie. That was are faverite thing to do on a Friday night rember?
Rember when I learned a poem and sang it to you on your birthday! I sang it at your funeral if you didn't no.
I got to go now but I promise me and mommy will be ok.
Love,
T Bug.
I slowly walk over to the big round table and pick out a blue envelope. I kiss the letter before putting it in the envelop before sealing it.
It soon turned four o clock, which meant school was out. I got on the bus and rode home.
All I can hear is ambulance's sirens blaring through the air. It makes me cringe and sink back into my seat. I cover my ears and squint my eyes shut. All of a sudden, I feel a big hand tap my shouldar. I look up to see my bus driver, Mr. Al, looking at me with glossy eyes.
"Honey, it was your mother." Mr. Al's voice shakes.
I look down and see the letter I wrote to my dad. Tears fill my eyes. Now I have another letter to write, to tell my mom how much I miss her.
Pain. All I feel is pain. The doctors at the hospital have been giving me pain medicine every day. I have cracked ribs, and a lot of bruises.
I sink back into the hospital bed. I take a deep sigh and close my eyes. The only good thing about being in the hospital, is that I can finally rest. I never knew how much rest I needed to catch up on.
I can hear someone knocking on my door. "Come in!" I yell.
Michelle pokes her head in the doorway. "Can I come in?" She shyly asks.
I laugh, but I cut the laugh short because it hurts so bad. "Yes! That's what I said!"
"Oh, okay." Michelle didn't seem to find what I said very humorous.
"What's wrong?" I ask sincerely. I haven't see Michelle since I've been in the hospital.
"I can't believe he did this to you." She croaks out.
"So you know. He's an evil man, Michelle. You'd be surprised."
"To think you were falling in love with him!"
"What did you just say?" My eyes bulge in surprise.
"I thought you two were the perfect couple!"
"Who?!"
"You and Ethan!"
I fall silent. What did Mark tell everyone?
"What did you hear exactly?" I quietly ask.
"You were out with Ethan and you guys got in a fight. He beat you up and you managed to get a ride home. Then you walked into your house and collapsed on the floor, that's where Mark found you."
"Oh." I have no clue what to say.
"What's wrong?"
This might as well be the best time to tell her everything. I tell her what actually happened with Mark, how Ethan and Jeremy are drug dealers together, and my drug abuse problem.
"Whoa." Michelle stutters, with tears in her eyes.
"I wanted to tell you so bad, it's just that I thought things would get better. Michelle, I can't face Charice and tell her the truth."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Help me get out of here. "
****
Three weeks have passed and it's been a horrible time at the doctors. Charice, Mark, and Jeremy have visited me everyday. I haven't built up the courage to tell Charice about Mark.
I'm getting released from the hospital today. Since my rib bones were cracked, I still have to take it easy at home. That is, if I had a home.
I've been feeling very sarcastic about everything lately. For instance, my guardians betrayed me. Well, Mark did. My home, is the place I dread going to the most. My life is one big ball of lies right now.
"Hey." Michelle says as she swings the hospital door open. "I was thinking that we'll leave now." She dangles her dad's truck keys in one hand.
"Yeah, let me just get all my stuff into a bag." I stutter.
Michelle and I are doing it. We are running away. I never imagined my life turning out this way. I always thought I would end up being a teacher or a nurse. Not a teenage runaway.
I stuff all my belongings into a duffle bag. It's not much; just two shirts, two pairs of shorts, and four books.
"Ready?" I look at Michelle while sighing.
"Ready." She confirms.
I take a big bite of my beef jerky and lay back in the seat. "It feels so good to be out in the world again."
"Don't choke." Michelle snorts.
"Oh shut up. I know how to eat." I jokingly start choking.
"You're so immature!" Michelle laughs while slapping my arm.
"Where are we exactly?"
"Beats me."
"Well I'm starving." I grab my stomach while it growls.
"You just ate beef jerky!"
"Whatever. Want to stop at an iHop?"
"That's cool with me."
We pulled into the iHop parking lot and walk inside. The hostess shows us to a booth and we sit down.
"What would you ladies like to drink?" A redhead girls asks while she pops her bubble gum.
"Just water." I say in annoyance.
"Same." Michelle smiles.
The redhead disappears, then reappears with two glasses of water. Michelle orders eggs, bacon, and hash browns. I, on the other hand, order a stack of chocolate chip pancakes.
We finish eating and I get up to go to the restroom. "I'll be right back."
"Okay." Michelle says while scooping hash browns into her mouth.
When I open the bathroom door, I hear a lady hysterically crying. I walk further into the bathroom and lock myself in a stall. I just stand there and ease drop on the crying ladies conversation.
"She's gone Betty!" Crying lady shouts.
"Maybe she's just at Sara's sleeping!" Betty tries to calm crying lady down.
"No, I know she's not. She ran away with that damn Sara girl! Sara is nothing but trouble, I just know it. She probably talked my sweet little Sara into running away with her. I knew I shouldn't have let her spend the night when the girls were younger. If I didn't, then they would of never became best friends!" Crying lady refuses any rational explanations.
I stop listening and sink back into the stalls wall. This lady's daughter ran away with her best friend. That's what Michelle and I are doing. Michelle's mom might be in an iHops restroom crying over Michelle as we speak. How selfish of me? I never thought how this would affect Michelle and her family. Michelle can't throw her life away because of me.
I walk back to the booth and stand I front of Michelle.
"What's wrong?" Michelle's face saddens.
"I can't let you throw your life away. I love you." I toss thirty dollars onto the table and quickly walk outside, to my new life.
Hey guys! I just want to say that there are spelling mistakes, and grammar mistakes in Teagan's letter to her dad. For the flashback, I decided not to make it in a fourth graders style of talking, just so it would be easier to read.
Comment what you think! :)