(ON HOLD, READ BIO) I'll Be There For You.

2: Today's the day..

(EVELYN)

        Dear Journal,

        School is making me keep a journal now. We are supposed to write about things that we do during the week, write about different topics, etc. I could lie and say everything's okay and that I spent the day sitting at home, watching television or hanging with friends like everybody else... But I feel like I should just be honest. This could be a good way for me to cope with stuff. I'm going to use it as more than an assignment. So, let me tell you about me and my week.

        My name is Evelyn Rose Ecstasy Torres. (Don't ask about the Ecstasy part, its a family thing.) Nicknames I go by are Eve, Rose, Stacy, Elyn, and Evel. I prefer Eve and Evelyn from most people. I am 12 years old, as of 26 days ago. Big vocabulary, right? Yeah, my mom loves books and dad used big words around the house all the time. I like that about myself. Well, lets see. My dad was in a band with my uncle and a bunch of other family friends. My mom met him at one of their shows about 15 years ago, and the rest was history. People would say that my dad looked weird, but he just looked like dad to me. He has a bunch of tattoos and poofy hair with gray streaks in it. It's not that he;s old or anything, its like a silver-lavender color. He likes it that way, and I thought it was neat. My mom looks like most other moms, and I hear my friends' moms asking how she could like my dad. All people really saw about him was his appearance, not the person inside that we all knew. Anyways, I have a few regular aunts and uncles that we see on holidays, but then there's my uncle Jayy who I see about 3 times every week. He acts more like family than anyone else I'm related to, and I'm technically not even related to him. Him and dad say that they're "blood brothers," which was something back from the band days. I also have an aunt Haley. I don't see her as much as uncle Jayy, but I see her enough. She's one of my best friends. Okay, back to me. My hair is naturally brown and curly, like my dad's was like as a kid. I have a blue streak in my hair too, because I wanted it and dad said he wouldn't mind doing it. I have pretty pale skin, which I think I get from my mom. My eyes are wide and brown, and I have lips that could be smaller. I get told that I look like my dad more often than my mom. People say I should be offended for being told I look like my dad, but I don't mind. I like his face.

        I've been pretty busy this week. The only friends I've seen were family friends, and we keep the TV off because of the news. Today's one of the most important days this week. My teacher knows, so she said I could work in my journal all day until my mom comes to get me. Its funny how we started journals today. So, what I'm doing today is going to see my dad for the last time. He was hit by a truck over the weekend, and mom told me he didn't make it. Today is his funeral. Mom and Uncle Jayy should be here in a few minutes, so I'm going to stop writing for today. 

        ~Evelyn

        I close my journal and hand it to my teacher. "Here you go." She opens it up and is surprised that I've written more than five sentences like everyone else probably has. She pats my head and I walk over towards the cubby holes. 

        I wanna talk to my friends, but I don't know what to say. I haven't talked to really anyone today except for my teacher. Mom was stressed out with the arrangements at home; she has to deal with newspapers, magazines, and fans from dad's band. I didn't feel comfortable talking to her this morning, since I knew she didn't have time to listen anyways. Other than today, the only people I've talked to since dad left are aunt Haley and uncle Jayy. Family members call and ask to speak to me, but I only feel comfortable talking to those two people. 

        Mom and I have been hugging a lot, but we haven't really talked to each other since that night.. The house is quiet and sad without dad. Mom hasn't really been herself without him, and people cringe when they come over to visit. Jayy, Haley, and I have been going out together, just to talk and stuff. I can tell that its a distraction, though. They don't want me to focus on my dad being gone. I don't want them to focus on their best friend and brother being gone. 

        I'm beginning to hate that word. "Gone." When people say that something's gone, that usually implies that the object will come back. I know dad isn't coming back. He's up in heaven now, and I'll see him up there one day. I miss him.

        I look at the door and my mom and uncle Jayy walk in. My mom walks over to my teacher in one of her old black dresses. Uncle Jayy walks over to me in his suit and picks me up. "Ready to go, Eve?" I nod and hold on to his neck. Uncle Jayy likes to carry me around, even though nobody else really does anymore. Dad used to..

        Mom walks back towards us with one of her fake smiles. She's been using them all week with anyone who visits, so I don't see why she uses it on us. Uncle Jayy gives her a sigh, catching the smile, too. Mom walks past us and towards the parking lot. Uncle Jayy carries me to the car. I see aunt Haley in the back, so I get to sit next to her. I get in and give her a hug. "Hey, lil Rose." We are wearing similar black dresses. We both went out to get them yesterday, and we decided to both get these ones with long sleeves and a knee-length lacy skirt. It makes me feel pretty. 

        The car ride to the funeral home is kinda tense and quiet. I saw Uncle Jayy look back at me and almost cry. I feel worst for him, he knew dad the longest. We finally arrive to the funeral home, and we're the first ones to get there. Uncle Jayy and Aunt Haley get out and take both of my hands as we walk in behind mom.

        Time for the longest day of my life...