Young Writers Society

Chapter 5: Unexpected Surprises

Alexis grabbed a bowl and a glass. Setting them on the table she turned to get the Lucky Charms. She saw her mother walk into the kitchen.

“Morning mom.” She greeted, her fingers searching for a spoon in the drawer.0

Rosa walked to the coffee maker and began to make a fresh brew. As she poured in the water she asked, in a motherly, strict tone, “Did you finish your homework?”

Alexis poured milk into the cereal bowl, replied, “You know me better than that mom. Of course I did; Art isn’t that hard, ya know.” She spoke with a teasing tone, her eyes filled laughter.

Watching Alexis carefully, she saw that she was forgetting something again. She tooked hold of Alexis’s hand and reminded her, “Alexis, your medicine.”

Alexis scowled, snapping, irritably, “I don’t to take them!! There’s too many!!!”

Rosa gave her a pointed look and rebuked her, firmly, “Your medicine, Alexis! Do not use that tone with me, young lady! I do not want you to get worse.”

As she ate, she found herself wondering back to her visit to the hospital just two weeks before. She could distinctly remember the doctors telling her to be careful with overtaxing herself. Wincing, she pushed her now bowl away and glared at the pills. She knew she had to take them. After she took them, she felt a hand pull on her sleeve.

It was one of the newer additions to the Orphanage, Hope. She looked up at Alexis with somber brown eyes, asking, tearfully, “Will you be okay sis?”

Alexis smiled at her and let her hand stroke Hope’s blond hair, saying, “Of course I will. You don’t need to worry.” She spoke reassuring, not wanting her new sister to worry about her.

Hope continued to look worried, “But you got so sick sissy.” Her voice was sad, tears filled her eyes, as she looked at Alexis with a questioning look.

Alexis winced, remembering the awful medicine the doctors had used and said, “Don’t worry sweets, I’m fine now. So how about you go get dressed so we can head to school early.”

Hope grinned and ran out of the kitchen to their room. With a smile, Alexis shook her head. Pushing her chair in, she went into the room behind Hope, albeit much slower. As she entered she saw Hope. She was rummaging through the closet, tossing clothes this way and that.

Chuckling at that, she picked up a red shirt and a pair of black jeans and said, “Here you go. I say it’d look cute with those pretty eyes of yours, sweets.”

Hope turned and stared at Alexis and beamed. She took the clothes and changed. As Hope was dressing up, Alexis pulled out her school uniform and look at it closely. This was her second year going to the private school, only six blocks from Hope’s own.

She didn’t have that much of a problem with the uniform. Its black skirt and shoes seemed to bring out her eyes. The red shirt with the school emblem seemed to fit naturally with the school’s colors. She situated her mother’s pendant on her chest, on top of her clothes.

Hope was now dressed and shouldering her bag onto her back. She looked up at Alexis and said, “Do you think I’ll make a friend today sissy?”

Alexis smiled at her, “Of course you will! You make friends everyday Hope.”

The two walked together down the stairs. Alexis was teaching her to speak some simple Spanish. She was currently teaching her to say “Hello.”

“You pronounce it Hola. The h is silent.” Alexis explained, as she waved goodbye to Rosa. The two were heading outside, when Rosa called out, “Alexis you forgot your journal!!”

Turning, Alexis saw Rosa waving her green journal. Eyes widening, she ran back. Grabbing it from her, she smiled, slightly sheepishly, “Thanks mom.”

Kissing Alexis on the cheek, Rosa said, “Go and have a great day, sweetie. Tell Hope I say the same to her.”

Alexis grinned and ran back to where Hope stood, waiting. Together they crossed the street. Alexis, taking hold of Hope’s hand said, “Will you be ok, Hope?”

Hope looked up at her sister and said, her eyes lost, “Of course I will. Why wouldn’t I be fine?”

Alexis hummed quietly to herself, knowing she could think of many reasons, but didn’t want to tell her sister. So instead she said, “I was just asking you, silly.”

Hope beamed up at Alexis. Alexis glanced down at her, and felt her heart lighten, confusion swept through her. ‘Why am I feeling like this? I feel so...so content by having her here? Why does she affect me so?’

They had reached Hope’s school and Alexis watched as she ran up to the door. She stopped and turned to Alexis. She waved happily, a bright smile on her face. With a grin she shouted, “Have fun at school, sisie!”

Alexis walked off, lifting a hand in goodbye as a response. As she walked down the block she felt thoughts trying to consume her. They swirled and clouded her. Closing her eyes she kept walking, breathing slowly. Focusing on the main problem she was surprised to find it was Hope.

‘I hope she’s ok’ Was her first thought, with a deep breath she began to focus, ‘She’ll be ok and if something goes wrong, which it won’t, she will get a teacher. Or the teacher will get Mom.”

‘But why does she affect me so much? I haven’t gotten this close to anyone sides Mom...’ Alexis closed her eyes and let out a soft sigh, knowing the truth to that, but just didn’t want to admit it.

‘Face it you love her, she is important to you. If you lose her you won’t know what to do.’ a voice deep inside her whispered, as she finally felt the truth crack the armor she wore. Opening her eyes, she entered the gates.

‘I do love her. She is my little sister.’ Alexis thought, as she tried to slip quietly back into the school. only to be announced by her best friend, Lucy.

“Hey everyone Alexis is back!!!!” Lucy shouted, running up to Alexis, her ponytail bouncing. Her green eyes glimmered as she hugged her.

Alexis hugged her back, muttering darkly in her ear, “Thanks for shouting my return to everyone in the world, Luce.”

Lucy smirked as she pulled back, saying, “No problem, darlin’. It is my job to embarrass you.”

Rolling her eyes, Alexis smiled, “Sure, sure. So what’s up? Any new teachers I need to know of?”

Lucy chuckled as the two went to their lockers. Which they were luck to by side by side in the alphabet. Lucy’s last name was Anglei. Lucy already had her books but filled Alexis in on what happened, since her two weeks absence, “Beware, Mr. Anderson, he gives you a lot of homework.”

Alexis winced as she pulled out her math and science books muttering, “I hate history...can never seem to grasp the point of it. Its in the past. I don’t want to know what happened. I only want to know what to do to move forward. History is a waste to me.”

Lucy stared at her and said, hotly, “History isn’t a waste!! It teaches us the mistakes we made so we can learn from them. So we don’t make the same mistakes.”

Alexis rolled her eyes and muttered back in exasperation, “Yeah well we will still make mistakes. We are humans, ya know.”

The two friends chuckled, the long standing argument between them ending. They entered the Science room when a girl stepped in front of them. Her foot caught Alexis’s, sending her crashing down to the floor.

Laughing, the girl sneered, “So where has bookworm been? Hiding at that stingy Orphanage you call home? You’re even worse than the orphans.”

Lucy glared at the girl and hissed, angrily, “For your information she was in the hospital!”

“For being crazy, surely. Anyone who loves to read must be insane.” The girl sneered as Alexis got up, her face red, tears streaking down her face.

“I’m not crazy and for your information the reason I was in the hospital is none of your dang concern!” Alexis snapped as she picked up her books, and walked to her table.

Lucy glared once more before following her to their table. As they sat down the teacher walked in and began to take roll.

As she called out the names going from bottom to top, Alexis opened her sketchbook and flipped to an empty page. She was just sketching out the dream she had had when she was five. The one where there were different colors. Even now she could remember it vividly.

“Alexis Angemon?” The teacher called her name from the list.

“Here.” Alexis returned, lifting her head to face the teacher.

“May I know where you’ve been these pass two weeks, Ms. Angemon?” The teacher asked, his eyes narrowed at her. She could practically see his mind placing her in the group with the bad kids, the ones who don’t care about work.

Her eyes flashed, indignantly as she said, her voice tight but respectfully, “Forgive me, sir, but I was going through chemotherapy.”

Her voice was cold, burning with rage. Her blood boiled at the fact it was her first day back and yet she had to explain once again, what she was gone for. It bugged her that he didn’t ask the other teachers or that no one had filled him in. She scowled as his eyes turned wide, shock clearly written on his face.

“Um, well I’m sorry for intruding. Now we shall be learning about the different types of kingdoms....” He said, awkwardly as he went on with the lesson.

Alexis kept one ear opened, as she took notes. When the teacher began to give off topic she continued her sketch till it came back to the previous topic. Slowly she felt herself drawn into the memory of that horrible day she found out what she had. It had been only a year before.

Alexis sat in the waiting room. Her hand clutched Rosa’s tightly, fear clouded her eyes. On her lap sat her photo album. It was open to the page where her father was sitting down on an old window. The castle wall seemed run down and falling apart. He was holding chocolate covered pretzel and laughing. Behind him there was a young man with brown eyes and hair. The man was holding a snow ball.

Alexis smiled as she looked through them, Rosa on the other hand, was worried. She had gotten up and was currently pacing. Back and forth. Back and forth. Her face was tight with concern and stress. This was the third time the doctor had told them to come in, only this time he sounded distant on the phone. As if there was something he needed to tell them, something important.

Rosa turned as the nurse asked, “Alexis Angemon?”

Alexis softly closed the album and stood up. She took Rosa’s hand, as they followed the nurse. Every step brought them closer to her doctor, Karasu. It also increased her fear and nervousness. Shaking she pressed herself against Rosa, seeking the comfort.

As they got into the room, they saw Dr. Karasu looking at her blood tests, a frown on his face. He looked aged, as if the week had passed in years. He glanced up at them, eyes holding an indescribable emotion.

“Sit down on the table, Alexis.” He said, as he set the charts down. He stood up and closed the door, and Rosa’s worry grew, her guard rising.

As Alexis got on the table, she gazed at Dr. Karasu with eyes full of fear, she spoke softly, “Is there something wrong with me?”

Dr. Karasu sighed, his eyes turning away from her, sheilding her from the pain that was written in them. Rosa saw it and felt fear creep into her heart.

“When I saw your blood tests I had wanted to make sure I ruled out every other option that could possibly be causing the symptoms Alexis was having. That is why I had called you in for more testing a few days after I had received the blood results. It is clear now that you have what we call Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, or ALL.”

The bell rang, jarring her out of the memory. She glanced around to see that most of the kids were up and moving. She saw Lucy tugging on her sleeve, whispering, “You dozed off there. Are you sure you’re ok?”

Alexis sighed, saying, “The first days are always the hardest. I promised Mom I’d go to Nurse’s office if I got too tired. Sides, I’ve been through this before I can do it again.”

Lucy stared into her friend’s eyes. The rock hard determination practically blew her away, but by now she was used to the stubborn side of Alexis. Smiling, she took Alexis’s hand and dragged her out of the room and down the hall, to math.

“Lucy!! You don’t need to drag me!!” Alexis complained, good naturally. Her eyes were mischievous as she dug her heels into the floor, causing Lucy to fall forward.

With a huff, Lucy said, “What was that for?”

Alexis simply grinned impishly and walked into math. As she sat down someone from the back passed up a note, her eyes took in the suspiciously folded note. With a frown, she stuffed it in her backpack.

The class began to pass slowly, as the 3rd graders continued to learn multiplication. As they worked Alexis and Lucy huddled together in the far corner. With a smile, Alexis finished, saying, “I wonder if we will have homework in Art...”

Lucy groaned, saying, “I hate Art. I don’t see the point, I can’t draw anything.”

Alexis smirked, “That’s cause you lack creativity! Sides, all you have to do is draw!”

“So says you.” Lucy sulked, as she continued on with the homework.

Alexis soon drowned out all the noise around her and began to look out the window. Sun was streaming in. It heated Alexis’s face as she watched the wind blow the leaves off their branches.

A young gray squirrel was running across the telephone wires went it gazed upon her. It stopped and watched her with its brown almost black eyes. It chattered at her and fluffed its tail before running on. Alexis watched the spot it had previously vacanted.

‘I wonder if it was looking for its family.’ She thought, absentmindedly. She allowed her thoughts to wander and found her thoughts flying back to that of Hope.

‘I wonder what’s she’s doing. I hope she’s ok.’ Alexis frowned, trying to understand why she worried so much; Hope had been fine this morning, right?

‘You saw the look of fear she had when she turned away from you. Something’s not right there.’ the voice whispered, sprouting out the truth. She had seen the look on her sister’s face and felt her stomach clench, that look of fear. She knew something was wrong but Hope had said she was fine.

“Ms. Angemon! Can you so kindly tell the class what you are thinking about since you can’t seem to focus on your work.” Mrs. Hudsin shouted from the front of the room, her voice was strict.

Alexis glanced up at her and said, a bit coldly, “I have my work done, ma’am. Since I do not have anymore homework I decided being silent! As I figured it best than disrupting the class who are currently still working.”

The teacher scowled, her eyes drilling holes into Alexis, as she said, “Very well hand it in. Then I shall see if you truly know this subject as well as you think you do.”

Scowling, Alexis moved up to the front and laid the packet on the desk before turning back to go to her seat. Suddenly the classroom spun, and Alexis felt her legs give out. She could see dimly, Lucy kneeling over her, her face worried.

“I’m fine, just moved too fast.” She whispered, her face pale. Her eyes were foggy and distant.

Lucy carefully helped her back up and said, “Please Alexis, go to the Nurse’s until you’re feeling better.”

With a sigh, Alexis nodded and Lucy grabbed their bags. Together the two walked in silence, Lucy stealing worried glances at her every few seconds. She buried her sigh of frustration and reminded herself, people would continue to be like this.

As they entered the Nurse’s office, a wise middle aged woman turned from her paperwork and smiled up at her, “Back here again, child? How about you go lay down. I’ll be there in a few seconds. Thank you, Ms. Anglei for bringing her down here.”

Lucy smiled and said thanks before turning to Alexis. Giving her a tight hug she whispered in her ear, “Get better soon, I want your help in Art.”

Laughing, Alexis shooed her out the door, grinning. As she turned, she felt dizzy. Quickly she leaned against the door, waiting for it to subside. Taking in deep breaths, the voices in her ears finally made sense. It was the nurse, Ms. Springs telling her to breathe.

Slowly it faded and she moved towards the couch in the corner, away from the sun. As she layed down, she felt herself deep in thought once again, about Hope. She couldn’t shake off that something was desperately wrong with her.

Pushing the alarm bells out of her mind she focused on her breathing, allowing her mind to calm. Feeling the sickness in her stomach move away. Time passed slowly and unnoticed. She was soon lost in the rhythmic exercise. By the time lunch was about to start, she was feeling far better than when she had woken.

Getting up, she turned to Ms. Springs and asked, politely, “May I go now, ma’am?”

Ms. Springs looked at the intelligent seven year old in front of her. The child looked a healthy pale and her eyes were vibrant and clear. With a smile she said, “Yes you may. As long as you promise to eat and take it easy, alright?”

Alexis grinned, her respect for the nurse growing, as she answered, “Yes, ma’am.”

Chuckling the nurse opened the door, admonishing her gently, “Call me Ms. Springs, Alexis. You are the only child I have ever worked with to call me, ma’am.”

Alexis shook her head, her eyes staring at her with disbelief and astonishment, “I can’t do that. I always call elders by ma’am or sir. It doesn’t feel right calling you Ms. Springs.”

She spoke the name, awkwardly. Her eyes stared at her, pleading her not to make her call her that. Finally the nurse chuckled and said, “Alright then, now come along, its lunch time.”

Alexis opened her mouth to protest that the bell hadn’t rang yet, just when it rung. She just stared at the nurse, her mind trying to comprehend just how she knew that. With a laugh, she dismissed the impossible question and headed to the cafeteria.

As she entered, a voice called from behind her, “Alexis!!”

Turning, she saw one of the more popular kids running up to her. She frowned, irritated ‘What does she want?’

The girl, Amber, grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the line, saying, “I felt so sorry for you when Sofia tripped out. I didn’t know you were so sick.”

Alexis yanked her hand away, her frustration finally burst as she shouted, “You don’t feel sorry for me!! You only want to act like your sympathetic but the minute that it comes down to true friendship you will slink away! I don’t need your pity!”

She grabbed her lunch tray and went to get her food. Her rage, boiled when she heard Sofia muttering to her group of friends, “What a selfish brat.”

Her friends were comforting her and trying to make her feel better. She felt something deep inside her surge as the window beside her cracked, sending glass flying out. It was if simething was thrown at it from inside the school. She closed her eyes as Lucy placed a bowl of blueberries and cherries on her tray.

She looked at her and smiled, she picked up a bowl of rice and chicken and headed to the drinks. Grabbing an apple juicebox she scanned the room asking Lucy, “How was History?”

Lucy spotted an empty table close to the doors to the English room, their first afternoon class. The two walked there and sat down. As they ate they started to talk.

“So what did you do these past 2 weeks Alexis?” Lucy asked, curious.

“Had to go through chemotherapy and bone marrow tests again...was in the low stage but they said if it had gone on another week it would’ve been in the high risk stage.” Alexis said, grimacing, her eyes pained.

Lucy winced in sympathy and asked, “So do they think they got it all this time?” Her tone had gone quiet, worried.

Alexis shrugged and muttered discouraged, “They can’t tell. If I manage to last five years without another relapse and they considered it cured. Until then I have to keep coming in for bone marror tests and take the medicines.”

Lucy grimaced and smiled at her friend, encouraging, “Don’t worry you’ll be ok, Alexis. You always are!”

Smiling at her friend’s loyalty, Alexis finished her lunch and dumped her tray. As she waited for the next class to begin she went to her locker. She was pulling out several textbooks when she heard her English teacher, Mr. Harasy call to her, “Alexis, may I speak to you for a moment?”

Turning, her hand holding the English textbook just halfway out of the locker, she saw him walking towards her. In his hand clutched a couple of sheets of paer. She was confused, ....did she get into trouble?

Mr. Harasy glanced at his student, who was currently looking at him, fretting. She obviously thought she had done something wrong. Smiling at her calmly he said, “You’re not in trouble. I just wanted to ask you how did you think up this idea for my writing assignment?”

She glanced at the papers in his hand, and saw it was the writing assignment she had written in the middle of her first week at the hospital. She saw the grade on it and was shocked. In bright red marker, the letter A was printed in the right hand corner.

“Well, I don’t know how I wrote it. I just wrote it. After the first sentence another would follow. I don’t know how I thought of it.” She struggled to explain, looking at him pleading, for him to understand.

Chuckling softly, he reassured her, “I understand Alexis, I just wanted to tell you to keep up the good job. You might enjoy this subject if you put your heart into it.”

Alexis nodded, her eyes gleaming like jewels. They were filled with the drive to prove herself, “I will, sir! I want to do my best at everything!”

He smiled as the bell rang and told her, “Well we better hurry to class so you’re not late.”

Alexis grinned as she pulled the book out and closed the locker, shifting her books and rushing off to class. She pushed past the group of kids that were flowing out from the cafeteria, taking the shortcut.

Classes dragged by slowly, she learned about the wonder world of run-on sentences. She also learned different notes on the flute and of singing. As she grew closer and closer to Art Class she began to get excited, not only for the end of the day but for the mere class itself.

‘I hope she lets us draw for homework!’ She thought, hopefully. She slid into her seat and gazed longingly at the colored pencils to the side of her corner of the room. Her fingers drummed on the table, a steady rhythm of impatience.

She was fidgeting, she wanted nothing more than to draw as the teacher came in, as the second bell rang. The teacher surveyed the class and said, “Well since there is only four of you here today, I’ll just have you draw a picture for tomorrow.”

Alexis grinned, and flipped open the sketchbook to the page she had started earlier that morning. She was sketching in the tree with its branches looping and twisting their way to every corner of the paper. She was so consumed in the drawing, she didn’t notice the teacher calling out to her.

Alexis glanced up for a moment and the connection to the picture broke. With a sigh of sadness, she looked up and saw that it was already time to go. The kids were packing up and beginning to move out. Frowning, she placed the sketchbook into her pack and ran out of the room, knowing Hope would be out in five minutes.

As she walked down the block towards the school, she saw kids huddled around something. Dread began to consume her. ‘Please, oh please, don’t let that be Hope!’ Alexis thought, desperately as she ran the rest of the way, her heart thudding.

She ran into the playground and saw her sister’s small body between the legs of the other children, they were jeering and making snide remarks. Alexis watched as her eyes saw red.

“Where are your parents, freak? Did they leave you like that so called sister of yours? If she loved you then why isn’t she here?!” One of the girls sneered, her green eyes glaring coldly into Hope’s tear stained face.

“Right here.” Alexis growled, her hand gripped one of the girl’s tightly. Yanking the girl in her grip away she stood protectively over her sister. Her eyes wild with rage.

‘How dare they?! They had no right to touch her!’ The fury swept through her as the girl who spoke rushed at her.

Alexis lunged, kicking and clawing. Anything, anything to fight off the girls that had hurt her sister. She snatched a girl’s hand away from Hope, shoving her hard into the ground, her eyes blazing. She could hear Hope’s sniffles and her cries. The energy seemed to vanish like a mist, when she stared at Hope. Her brown eyes red and puffy. The terror and desperation inside them.

She saw one of the seventh grade teachers run up to them, her eyes cold. The strict tone she used as she hollered at her, “Alexis Angemon! What do you think you’re doing, beating up six kids that are not only older but stronger than yourself??!”

Alexis turned to her. She gave the teacher a cold glare, that seemed to freeze the teacher in her tracks. She spoke, her voice barely containing the anger that boiled her blood, “What I was doing was protecting my sister!!!”

The teacher shook her head and sighed, saying, “You will wait here until I have a note for you to give to your mother. As for you six, to the Principal's office NOW!”

The six girls got up, wincing at the pain from the bruises and scratches. They walked to the office, their shoulders hunched and their heads down in disappointment and chastisement.

The teacher gave Hope a searching look but Alexis stood in front of her. Still guarding. Her eyes were still filled with rage and contempt. She watched as Alexis picked her sister up. Her eyes were beginning to tear up when she saw Hope’s tattered clothes and the blood seeping through her shirt.

She proceeded to her office, wondering how she was going to explain to Rosa what had happened. She truly didn’t know all of the story but by the time got to the office she had her mind made up. The two had been silent, with the occasional sniffle from Hope.

She began to write and watched the two carefully. As she wrote she could hear the soft murmurs of Alexis.

Alexis pulled her sister tightly in her arms, allowing her to cry. As she rested her head against Hope’s shoulder she muttered, “Things will be fine, sweets. They won’t hurt you again, I promise. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here sooner.”

Hope simply clung to her, crying. The pain in her side seemed to take the words away from her mouth. She buried her face in Alexis’s chest, feeling overwhelmingly relieved that she was here now. She was safe. Closing her eyes she heard Mrs. Wares giving Alexis a note telling her ot make sure Mom got it.

Alexis nodded and stood up, still holding Hope. The small five year old was still much too thin. As she walked out of the school and on the path home, she said, “What started this? When did they start?”

Hope hesitated, she unburied her face from Alexis’s chest and whispered, “A few weeks ago. They started making fun of me cause I live at St. Lakes.”

Alexis sighed, remembering the times people had treated her and the others badly for being orphans. Quietly she began to form a plan. Meanwhile she spoke, her voice hushed but comforting, “Ignore them, sweets. There are always going to be people that won’t like you. Just don’t forget that you have people that love you! Like me and Mom, we love you very much Hope.”

Hope was silent, as Alexis tried sneaking them up the stairs before her Mom saw them. Alas fate was not on her side as Rosa looked up to see Alexis carrying Hope, who was crying.

With fluid movements Rosa had crossed the room and taken Hope from Alexis and ordered strictly, “What happened?”

Alexis scowled, darkly and snapped haughtily, “Some kids were hurting Hope so I beat them off.”

Rosa’s eyes flashed, dangerously as she reprimanded her sharply, “You know better than that Alexis Angemon!!! This is the third time this year you have beaten up someone for hurting one of the children here. I’ve had it. You should’ve gotten a teacher!”

Alexis felt her temper flare as she shouted angrily, “They were hurting her!!! I can’t just go get a teacher!!! What if something HAPPENED? What if she got really hurt!!”

Rosa had set Hope down and taken off her shirt. The wound to her side wasn’t very deep, nor was it very dangerous. She held Hope’s hand and spoke to Alexis, her voice filled with the rage and disappointment of a mother, “Go to your room, Alexis. I will deal with you when Hope is better.”

Alexis glared at her mom, her anger still over ruling her sense. She spat back, defiantly, “No! I”m not leaving her!”

Rosa turned from Hope, and grabbed Alexi’s arm tightly. Her eyes bore into Alexis’s defiant gaze with steely disapproval. With a firm grip she marched up the stairs, leading Alexis with her. As she entered their room, she spoke, “I’ve had enough Alexis Elizabeth Angemon! I will not stand for this attitude nor the constant fighting other children.”

With a glare she pushed Alexis to the corner and spoke, “You will stay there until I come back to deal with this properly. I want you to think of what you did, young lady.”

Alexis scowled, ‘She hadn’t done anything!!’

She waited until Rosa had left and moved from the corner. Without a second though she went to her bed and glanced at it. Seating neatly on the blanket, sat two letters. It was addressed to her and Hope. She placed them on the table and sat down. Suddenly she realized what she had done and what her mother had told her. She had promised to make the next time she got into a fight a punishment she would remember. Slowly guilt began to eat up at her.

‘What have I done? Why did I treat mom so rudely?’ Tears filled her eyes as she quickly took her spot in the corner. Waiting, with butterflies in her stomach, for the punishment she would receive for disobeying her mother for the third time.