Meant for Something Bigger
Dreaming
Life was good. There was no denying that. Everything was perfect. They were happy for once in their lives, and such happiness just could not be so cruel and abandon the family the cried for it once again.
The joyful family huddled together around the dinning room table, a huge turkey set in the middle, a fire crackling in the background. The middle child, a girl no more than seven, sat on her knees, admiring the meal, and inhaled deeply. A perfect bird, she thought to herself, A perfect bird for a perfect day.
Perfection was a strange thing, never stayed long, and for this poor family, it disappeared at the sharp scream of the school bell.
15 year old Breanna-Nicole Hannah groaned in frustration. Her perfect nap, and her perfect dream were gone just like that.
"Miss Hannah?" the teacher snapped, as she slammed a meter stick against the young girls desk, "before you go, how does one find the area of a cone?"
From across the room, a student could be heard whispering "Breeni's so screwed!"
Biting her bottom lip, Breeni began, "You, um, well--"
"Hold that thought," the teacher said, pulling a green detention slip from her pocket, "why don't you ask your sister next September when you're in Grade 10 Math with her."
Breeni took the note from the teacher's hand and began to stomp her way our of the classroom.
"Bree!" a young girl cried, as she chased after her friend, "How's it go?"
With a defeated sigh, Breeni admitted, "I failed. No surprise. The old hag says I have to repeat the course with Madi next year."
"That must suck."
"Nadia, you have no idea." Breeni grumbled. She turned down the hall into the locker area. "Miss Comeau is probably going to ask for a parent to come in."
"Nick and Rina?" Nadia asked, her mind going to Breeni's foster parents.
"Like they'd ever come in. I'll ask her to call Brian, he might go easy on me." Breeni said hopefully.
Brian was her social worker, who'd been responsible for the Hannah children, after the mysterious disappearance of Mr. and Mrs. Hannah years ago.
"And if he doesn't?" Nadia asked nervously.
Breezily waving away the idea, Breeni said, "He's Brian. I'll get the 'don't do it again' finger wagging and then go to Mickey Dee's diner."
Nadia shook her head. “You can't keep getting away with this Bree. What are you going to do if we don't graduate together?”
A confident smile crossed Breeni's lips. “Don't worry, I'll clean up my act... Next year. For now, I'm going to continue my Breeni ways. After all, there's only two weeks left of tenth grade. No sense changing habits now.”
Bad habits; those two little words didn't even really describe what Breeni's problems were. Sleeping in class, losing her homework, fighting with her brother and sister when they tried to correct her. They were no longer “habits” but a way of life for the young woman. Nadia had, on many occasions, asked why Breeni chose to live in such a way, but had never really gotten an answer.
“Bree--”
“Nad, just drop it. Now come on. I'm going to miss my drive home.” Breeni snapped. She swung her book bag over her shoulder and slammed her locker door shut.
Jumping back slightly in fear, Nadia mumbled, “Bi-polar much? Bree, what's really wrong? You never snap like that! You know you can always talk to me,” Nadia grew quiet, and mumbled, “It's not the nightmares again, is it?”
Breeni was usually bright and happy, despite being lazy. Rarely ever did she truly lose her temper, and only once had she lost it with Nadia before. The last time, Breeni had woken up every night for three weeks with the most horrifying nightmares, and spent the days with only sweet dreams, and minimal learning, of course.
“I... I don't know Nad. Give me some time, kay? Let me figure it all out... But for now, I'll see ya later, kay?”
Nadia nodded as her friend turned away. “We're still on for chimmies and chocolate tonight, right?”
“Always Nadia... See ya.”
“See ya...”
The joyful family huddled together around the dinning room table, a huge turkey set in the middle, a fire crackling in the background. The middle child, a girl no more than seven, sat on her knees, admiring the meal, and inhaled deeply. A perfect bird, she thought to herself, A perfect bird for a perfect day.
Perfection was a strange thing, never stayed long, and for this poor family, it disappeared at the sharp scream of the school bell.
15 year old Breanna-Nicole Hannah groaned in frustration. Her perfect nap, and her perfect dream were gone just like that.
"Miss Hannah?" the teacher snapped, as she slammed a meter stick against the young girls desk, "before you go, how does one find the area of a cone?"
From across the room, a student could be heard whispering "Breeni's so screwed!"
Biting her bottom lip, Breeni began, "You, um, well--"
"Hold that thought," the teacher said, pulling a green detention slip from her pocket, "why don't you ask your sister next September when you're in Grade 10 Math with her."
Breeni took the note from the teacher's hand and began to stomp her way our of the classroom.
"Bree!" a young girl cried, as she chased after her friend, "How's it go?"
With a defeated sigh, Breeni admitted, "I failed. No surprise. The old hag says I have to repeat the course with Madi next year."
"That must suck."
"Nadia, you have no idea." Breeni grumbled. She turned down the hall into the locker area. "Miss Comeau is probably going to ask for a parent to come in."
"Nick and Rina?" Nadia asked, her mind going to Breeni's foster parents.
"Like they'd ever come in. I'll ask her to call Brian, he might go easy on me." Breeni said hopefully.
Brian was her social worker, who'd been responsible for the Hannah children, after the mysterious disappearance of Mr. and Mrs. Hannah years ago.
"And if he doesn't?" Nadia asked nervously.
Breezily waving away the idea, Breeni said, "He's Brian. I'll get the 'don't do it again' finger wagging and then go to Mickey Dee's diner."
Nadia shook her head. “You can't keep getting away with this Bree. What are you going to do if we don't graduate together?”
A confident smile crossed Breeni's lips. “Don't worry, I'll clean up my act... Next year. For now, I'm going to continue my Breeni ways. After all, there's only two weeks left of tenth grade. No sense changing habits now.”
Bad habits; those two little words didn't even really describe what Breeni's problems were. Sleeping in class, losing her homework, fighting with her brother and sister when they tried to correct her. They were no longer “habits” but a way of life for the young woman. Nadia had, on many occasions, asked why Breeni chose to live in such a way, but had never really gotten an answer.
“Bree--”
“Nad, just drop it. Now come on. I'm going to miss my drive home.” Breeni snapped. She swung her book bag over her shoulder and slammed her locker door shut.
Jumping back slightly in fear, Nadia mumbled, “Bi-polar much? Bree, what's really wrong? You never snap like that! You know you can always talk to me,” Nadia grew quiet, and mumbled, “It's not the nightmares again, is it?”
Breeni was usually bright and happy, despite being lazy. Rarely ever did she truly lose her temper, and only once had she lost it with Nadia before. The last time, Breeni had woken up every night for three weeks with the most horrifying nightmares, and spent the days with only sweet dreams, and minimal learning, of course.
“I... I don't know Nad. Give me some time, kay? Let me figure it all out... But for now, I'll see ya later, kay?”
Nadia nodded as her friend turned away. “We're still on for chimmies and chocolate tonight, right?”
“Always Nadia... See ya.”
“See ya...”