When Will This End?

After dropping Emma off at day care, I arrived at school...unfortunately.

I parked the car in the student parking lot and got out, making sure all the doors were locked, the lights were off, and that everything else was okay. I slung my bag over my shoulder as someone bummed into me. I wasn't in a very pleasant mood so I looked up with a very pissed off look only to see that it was Dez. Her upbeat look changed to the complete opposite.

"Whoa grouchy grouch! You're here early. " She said nicely trying to break my mood.

"Hey." I simply said.

Today was gonna be a tough day...I just knew it. Dez and I talk about everything! She's gonna want to know what's up.

"Hey, where were you yesterday? Are you okay?"

What do I tell her? Do I tell her the truth? She's gonna find out eventually.

I smiled a fake smile towards her. "Yeah every thing's fine."

"Oh really? Because from all these stupid rumors going around everywhere about Maddie dying, or being pregnant or something...I just didn't know what to think and... you weren't here for the last half of the day, I got worried. Are you okay?"

I stopped dead in my tracks. Did she just say what I think she just said? Oh my gosh! Does everyone know? ...This really is gonna be a bad day after all.
Dez walked up in front of me and looked at me questioningly.

"Are you? I called you, you know. You didn't pick up your phone, not once..."

"Yeah sorry. What'd you say before? About rumors?"

"Oh yeah I kept hearing Maddie's name everywhere about getting into some fight and I kept hearing crap about her and stuff..." She said with a slight laugh.

I looked back down at my feet on the ground as Dez looked at me weirdly.
Wha-what am I supposed to do if they ask me about it? Ignore them? If I'm lucky not too much people would know that I'm the sister or their beloved Maddie Thompson who was in fact knocked up, but lost the baby. I am not cool with keeping trash locked up inside me but I won't go around telling people about it.

"Look... Dez. About what everyone's saying...-" I couldn't find the courage to say this.

Just then I heard my name. Dez and I both looked up to see Jake headed towards us with a huge grin on his face as usual.

"Hey lovely ladies." He greeted both of us. "Hey where were you yesterday?" He whispered over to me as he embraced me in a hug which I half returned.

"I was wondering the same thing." Dez agreed.

I gave a little smile unsure of what to say back. I should just tell them. They're my best friends... I gulped loudly as I proceeded to say "Maddie..."

Just then Mr.McCormick interrupted . Gawd! What's up with all these interruptions!?

"Anna may I see you in my office, please? "

I nodded slowly and followed the principal into his office after I glanced grimly at my two friends with quizzical looks on their faces.

As we stepped in front of the office, Mr. McCormick held the door opened for me. I smiled nicely to him as a gesture of a thank you.

"You're here awfully early, are you always here this early?" He asked.

I figure he was just trying to make small talk, but I just wasn't in the mood for it, but me being me, I had to be nice. "No...actually I had to drop my younger sister off at a day care...so yeah..."

"Oh I see." He was quiet for awhile as I took a seat in a chair in front of his desk.

He smiled a smile of sympathy towards me "Ana, you look very tired...would you like to stay home today?"

"No, why?" I asked.

"I just thought, considering the situation your family is in."

"No I'm fine, it's my sister who belongs home."

He smiled again "Ah, well yes... how is Madeline? "

"She's...well. I know she has been better."

"Right, well I called you in to ask you to keep us updated on her and her health."

I nodded. "Most definitely." Feeling a bit uncomfortable. "Um...may I go now? I need to get ready for the day."

Mr.McCormick was a middle aged man with wicked mustache. I could tell that when he was my age he was a total metal head who'd rock out on the bass guitar and wear flip flops...he probably even had a mullet. But now he's my principal. He walks around with a gloomy look on his face all day telling kids to tuck in their shirts every five seconds.

He nodded and moved his hand in a shewing motion "Ah yes, go ahead. Have a nice day Ana."

"Thanks...you to." I said as I walked out the door and opened it only to end up hitting someone....or someones in the head.

I looked up to say sorry when I realized that it was Dez and Jake, listening in on the conversation I had just had with Mr.McCormick.

"OUCH!" They said in unison

"You guys!" I said disappointed.

"So...that was awkward..." Dez said.

"Yeah pretty much."

"So what's going on? What'd he want?" Jake asked.

"I'll tell you later." I said as I kept walking.

Jake tugged on my arm. "Are you okay?" He asked worried.

I only nodded.

I made my way out of the office and to my way locker with Dez and Jake in tow. I heard them whisper behind me.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"She said she'd tell us later." She said.

"But is she really okay?"

"I'm not sure Jake."

As my locker came into view I saw someone standing by it. I've never really talked to him before. It was that asshole Maddie would hang out with when Frank wasn't around.
Luckily he was by the locker two lockers away from mine. I walked passed him to my locker and ignored his presence.

"Your Maddie's sister, right?" He asked as he approached me.

I opened up my locker slightly."And you care, why?"

"Wow! So you can talk!" He said in a bit of astonishment just as Dez and Jake caught up to me.

"What do you want Luke?" Jake said.

"Shut up emo bitch, I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to...Maddie's sister."

"Your talking to me and you don't even know my name." I said as I saw Jake getting angry through the corner of my eye.

"Whatever. I just wanted to know what happened to your sister."

"Step-sister." I corrected him as I exchanged my books and took off my sweater. "And she's fine, why do you care?"

"No reason." He said a little too quickly.

"Uh huh..." I said before I threw my sweater in my locker and slammed it shut then began to walk away.

"Hey I'm not finished talking to you yet! Don't walk away." He grabbed my arm and tugged me back.

"Hey!" Jake interrupted. He pushed Luke back a bit breaking me loose from his grasp. "Don't touch her."

Luke didn't appreciate this and I could tell by his face turning a shade of red.

"You guys stop!"

Yeah...like I really expected THAT to work...

Luke flung towards Jake and Jake only moved back letting Luke fall in front of him. Luke quickly got up.
I didn't know what to do. I couldn't stand it when people fought. It always brought back bad memories...
---------------------------------------------

"SHUT UP!"

"Bill please lower you voice." My mom whispered.

It didn't work. "Shut the fuck up! Don't tell me what to do!" He slurred just before he shoved her to the couch.

My dad had just come home from a night of hard liquor and who knows what else. I was sleeping but got up quickly as soon as I heard the front door bang open. Still in my room, I heard the commotion downstairs and decided to see what was up. I got out of my room only to see my mom slowly getting back up from the couch she caught a glimpse of me peaking through the banister. With a look of fear she told me "Ana go back to your room."
I heard her but my mind couldn't fully comprehend after what I saw next. My dad stepped closer to my mom, pushed her onto the couch and straddled her as he placed his strong masculine hand around her neck, attempting to choke the air out of her. He then proceeded to punch her repeatedly and slap her.
I can't even remember how old I was, all I can remember was how scared I was watching my mother suffer like this...watching my own father put her through this.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just then Dez stepped in the way a pushed Luke back a bit to try to separate them. I went over to Jake and grabbed ahold of his hand and brought him away from the scene.

"Come here." I simply said. As I brought him into the library.

"What's that guy's problem!? Jeez" He said.

"Look...about what happened yesterday..."

I was cut off by Dez jogging over to us. "Gah! That guy was a jerk! He told me to tell you, to tell Maddie that he said 'Hi', in a REALLY creepy way..." She told me.

"What happened yesterday!?" Jake asked loosing patience.

"Maddie's pregnant!" I almost yelled "...Well she WAS pregnant." I said much quieter.

They both looked at me confused.

"She was in that riot yesterday at lunch. I don't know what happened but she and some other chick went head to head and the other girl must've punched Maddie really hard to the stomach or something because...Maddie lost the kid."

They looked astonished...in a bad way.

"What?" Jake finally spoke up. "Are you serious?"

"And I didn't tell you the best part." I said sarcastically. "Frank is ... or was the father."

"WHAT?!" Dez yelled.

"Shhh..." I shushed her.

"What?" She whispered.

I only nodded. I looked over at Jake as he looked back at me with a surprised look on his face.

"So what happens now?" He asked.

"I don't know. I'm just as confused... "

"Holy crabcakes..." I heard behind me.

I squinted my eyes as I turned around to see who had said that, hoping that it wasn't some random person who had just heard everything I'd just revealed. I did a 180° turn and was faced with...Mikey. I sighed in relief that it was only my friend.
He stared at us wide-eyed.

"Did you hear all of that?"

"Yeah..."

"Good, I don't have to repeat it." I sighed just as the first bell rang indicating that it was time for us to head to homeroom.

"I'll see you guys later..."

Jake and Mikey both gave me a slight smile before they walked off.

"When do you have lunch?" Dez asked.

"Fifth, you?"

"Same here. We'll talk more, kay" She said.

I was grateful to have a friend like Dez...