We'll Make It Through

I lay in my bed starring at my My Chemical Romance cut out on my wall. I had stolen it from a magazine in Borders, because I never have any money. I listened to my dog, Oreo, softly snore from under the covers. The house was quiet except for the occasional "foot steps" in the hall, which was really the refrigerator making noises, but I used to say that ghosts were walking in the halls just for the fun of it. Come to think of it, why did it sound like it was coming from the hallway when it was really from the kitchen? I digress.

My dark hair was draped over my face, and I liked it like that when I sleep. I'm the only one with dark hair besides my dad in my family. It's a really dark brown, that looks black inside. My little brother has chocolate brown hair that looks like it has some red in it in the sun. My mom is a blonde and my dad has dark brown hair like mine. But another weird thing is, I am the absolute only one in my whole huge mexican, and white family with hazel/golden eyes. Another strange thing is that I'm actually pretty short. I'm only about 5'2, and my dad and mom are pretty tall.

I guess it's possible that I got those traits from someone in my family's past or something like that. Today was Friday, and we had today and tomorrow off. I had planned to go to the mall with some of my friends to go catch a movie or just play pranks on people. I rolled over on my back and sighed. Oreo growled at me to stay still so she could go back to sleep.

"Hey, it's my bed," I whispered to her. But not to her, everything was Oreo's. I laughed and closed my eyes and rolled back onto my side, making sure that my hair was covering my face.

I woke up and sat up in my bed. I hated my room. It was a bright pink and the sun always shone in it. I wasn’t a fucking princess or anything but I lived in one’s room. I got up and threw my bathrobe on and opened my door to let Oreo out. My little brother was already on the computer blasting A.F.I. I let the dog out and turned on the t.v. I looked at the clock hanging on the wall. It was already eleven. I felt very MCRish, so I took out “Life On The Murder Scene.” DVD and put it in. If you ask me, the beginning where it shows the bloody couple, Gerard sounds like John Lennon. I put on the diaries one because it’s just funnier and I liked it more.

About half way into the DVD, someone knocked on the door. I didn’t get up I thought Justin, my little brother, would get it. But at the third knock I realized he was in the bathroom. I sighed and got up, eyes still glued to the t.v.

“Um, hi, is this the, Reese, family?” the guy asked. I laughed as I watched Frank Iero on the screen kick Gerard in the balls.

“It’s Reyes,” I corrected.

“Oh, well, may I talk to your parents?” the guy asked.

“Either they’re still asleep or taking showers and getting dressed,” I replied.

“It didn’t hurt at first, but then I was like, what did I do?” Gerard said on the screen. I smiled and laughed.

“What’s so funny?” the guy asked.

“Huh? Oh nothing just the music video thing,” I said. I was ready to close the door and tell him to come back later but he sighed,

“May I come in?” he asked. I knew better than to let strangers in the house but what’s the worse he could do? Everyone was home.

“Eh, yeah, I guess,” I said and sat back down on the couch and watch the video. I heard him go and sit on the couch. From the corner of my eye I could see his arms hand tattoos on them. I looked back at the screen.

“Is My Chemical Romance your favorite band?” he asked. I nodded.

“One of them,” I replied quietly. I heard him sigh. I turned around to look at him, and gasped. Either my new neighbor was an exact look alike of Frank Iero, or Frank Iero was in my living room. He saw me looking at him and smiled. My mouth was hanging open.

“ I was waiting for you to actually look at me,” He laughed. I was speechless. I got up with out saying anything and went into the hallway as my brother came out of the bathroom.

“What’s up with you?” he asked.

“Frank fucking Iero is sitting in our living room!” I said excitedly.

“Were you in mom and dad’s wine collection again?” he asked.

“Justin, I’m fucking serious! Go see for yourself!” I said and spun him around in the direction of the living room. He shook his head and muttered something along the lines of “Drunk again.” But he didn’t say anything like that when he came back to me.

“Okay, maybe Frank Iero is here,” He said. I nodded my head. My mom came out of her room holding the news paper.

“Mom! Frank Iero is sitting in our living room!” I said quietly but at the same time as if I was going to explode if I didn’t say those words.

“Who?” she asked and continued going down the hall.

“Oh, hi,” I heard her say as she sat down the news paper. I tip toed to the end of the hall to watch Frank get up and shake hands with my mom.

“Hi, I’m Frank Iero,” He said politely.

“I see, do you need something Frank?” she asked.

“Um, yes, a few minutes of your time,” he said, and handed her a piece of paper. I saw my mom mouth the words on it as she read it. I only caught my name. Did I win some contest or something? I didn’t enter one, unless they did for me, or Justin had something to do with this.

Mom came back down the hall with a grim look on her face.

“Mom, what’s up?” I asked.

“Just go to your room,” She said quietly and called my dad’s name.

“Chris,” She said.

“Huh?” he called.

“Someone’s here for us,” She said. My dad opened the door and went back into the front room with my mom. Or course I didn't’t go back to my room, I did what I always did when I was little. Sneak under the dinning room table, and stay there and listen.

“Well, I guess you know why I’m here,” I heard Frank say. I saw my dad look at the piece of paper from under the table cloth.

“We didn't’t know you’d be here so, so soon,” My dad said.

“It’s been fifteen years,” Frank replied. What the hell? Fifteen years? Did my dad used to work with him or something? What the hell is going on?

“We understand, but you just can’t take her so suddenly,” My mom said sadly. Take who? My dog? Wait, fifteen years, my dog’s only nine. I’m a girl, I’m fifteen. Take me where? Wait is he even talking about me?

“I know this is hard, but the papers say I may take her back when the court sees fit, I had them inspect my home and everything, I have the papers that say I can. I won’t take her away for good, I’ll still let you see her and everything, you can come over any time you want, and she can come back here if she wants to visit,” Frank replied politely.

“We know, it’s just, we’ve grown so attached, we’re her parents,” My dad said. I guess it’s safe to assume they were talking about me. But why did Frank Iero want to take me away?

“Liddia technically belongs to us,” My mom said. I could here her voice shake in sadness, and see the teas drip to the floor.

“Until the court saw fit, they’ve given me the okay,” Frank said. He put a hand on my mom’s shoulder. I swear if anyone starts to cry, I always cry. I tried to get up from my hiding space, but hit my head on the table.

“Ow, damn!” I said pretty loudly. All eyes turned to me.

“What the hell is going on? Why do you want to take me? Where are you taking me? Why do I TECHNICALLY belong to my parents? What court? Fifteen years of what?” I asked. Frank got up slowly and put his hands into his pockets.

“Lidia?” He asked

I raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?” I asked. He came over and tried to embrace me. I pushed him off of me.

“What the hell is going on?” I asked.

“Lidia, I’m your, dad,” He said quietly, looking me up and down. I laughed.

“Okay, jokes over. So did I win a contest or something?” I asked.

“No Lidia, this is not a joke. You’re adopted,” My dad said.

“Told ya!” my little brother called.

“Shut up Snot Face!” I yelled to him.

“And just when were you planning to tell me this?” I asked.

“We didn't’t have the heart to tell you. We thought it would be better to tell you when you got older and would understand,” My mom said

“Oh, because that’s just working out so well, isn't’t it?” I asked sarcastically.

“And you!” I said looking over at Frank.

“What the hell?!?” I asked.

“I was young at the time. Me and my girlfriend were fooling around, and she just left me a month later. I didn't know where she went or why she left. Just about a month ago the court called me to say she had passed away, and if I wanted the paper work for my daughter. You can imagine, it was a big shock. I read it and it said my then girlfriend had signed this paper where the court could inspect her home to see if she could take you back, but she never took it,” Frank said. I felt as if a professional football player had knocked me to the ground.

“You’re going to take me back?” I asked in shock.

“Yes,” he said. My parents were in tears.

“And if I don’t want to go?” I challenged.

“Please Liddia, None of this is anyone’s fault, I just want to get to know my daughter. You can see Chris and Michelle,” He began but I cut him off.

“You mean my parents?” I said. He got a sad look in his eyes when I said that.

“You can see them any time you want, I won’t cut you off from them, just please,” He begged.