The Fire in Your Heart is Out

That night, sleeping was hell. I don't know what she wanted for a boyfriend, but surely I wasn't it. I was her fuck-up. Someone she stayed with out of pity.
Sleep finally came to me well past midnight, and I dreamt about her. Not about the mean her. Not the Kala who was always screaming and hitting me. I had a wonderful dream of the Kala from months ago, the nice and sweet Kala. Back then, I had underestimated the power of such a cute girl.

When I woke, I had only gotten a few hours of sleep. But it was time to wake up anyway, so I didn't bother with going to sleep.
The best thing about being a motherless only child is the space. I have a huge bedroom, with a balcony and bathroom connected. Plus a living room to myself, and basically whatever else space I need. I know families with seven children, who have to share rooms and bathrooms. Who seem to be always hungry, but never really saying anything about it. My life couldn't be more opposite from that.
Now, I'm not saying I'm spoiled. My dad knows how to bring up kids, and he taught me to work for what I have. Which is why I do the lawnwork, and odds and ends around the house.
It was tough growing up without a mother, but I managed. My dad's never really been the kind to express his feelings, or the cuddly kind of guy, but still I managed.

Then along came Kala. She was the motherly type that I never had growing up. So of course I took a liking to her. She was everything I never had. And for a while I had everything. Until she changed.

Well, after geting myself organized for school, I went downstairs to get some breakfast. Dad was sitting at the kitchen table in his buisiness suit, staring at his laptop and typing every few minutes.
"Hey Sport, you ready for school?" Dad glanced up for a second to meet my eyes, then back down to his work.
"Uh, yeah. Meeting today?" Judging by his wardrobe and the way he was focused on the computer, it was with someone important.
"Yeah, and I won't be home until 11. I'll leave some money on the counter for you to get some food. Just call Aunt Louise if you need anything, alright? You can have a friend over if you want, but no more than one. And I can't drive you in today, so you're going to have to take the bus."
"Alright, Dad. Good luck with your meeting."
I grabbed an apple and headed for the door.
"Just stay out of trouble, Hayden."

At the end of my driveway, Kala was waiting for me.
"Isn't your dad driving us again today?" Her voice had a bit of an edge to it, but she seemed otherwise calm.
"He has a meeting, and won't be home 'till really late today. He asked me to catch the bus."
"Alright, well we'd better start walking, then. You know how clumsy you are, we'll probably miss the bus anyway." She took my hand and we walked to the bus stop.

At the stop, there was a bench, next to a flowering tree. We sat down and waiting for a bus that didn't come for a good ten minutes.
And the whole time, Kala held my hand, or rested her head on my shoulder. Occasionally she'd kiss my cheek. She made me feel special, when she wasn't screaming at me to get things right.
When the bus finally showed up, we climbed on and waited for it to carry us to the school where neither of us really fit in quite right. The school that made my life hell.