Saved Myself {Riarkle}

Chapter 8

It's been a few weeks since the incident with the others and my life couldn't be better.

I don't let anyone stand in my way anymore.

No. I'm not some total mean-queen who will hurt you if you even look at me. I'm just a force to reckoned with is all. If you try to hurt me or take away the things I love I will not hesitate to dig dirt on you and use to my advantage.

This is the person I need to be.

It's the person I've always been on the inside.

And now she's out to play.

I step into my dad's classroom and he just glances at me before quickly turning away. Him and my mom have been fighting for some reason and I can't figure out what it is, but not to worry since I've gotten pretty amazing at finding things that people want gone.

The last person comes in and my dad closes the door.

"Today we have a lesson that will be taught by Ms. Hart since she would like a little extra credit. Please take the floor," he says while pointing to his spot and moving to the back of the room.

Maya looks at everyone but her eyes linger on mine. They look tired and sad. I glare to let her know I'm not going to back down.

Her eyes shift away and she pulls up a board that people use for science experiments. On it in big, bold letters reads, Does Talking to Plants Help Them Grow?

I stare at her and then look to my dad for an explanation. He puts his hands up and explains, "This made a small wave in the teaching community and I want to make sure you all know this."

We all turn back to Maya who's look really embarrassed. "This experiment sounds pretty dumb and, it is, once you get into the details. So I'm not going to do that. I'm just going to tell you that scientists have found that plants grow better when you tell them positive things versus negative things. They found that plants tend to thrive and have less of a chance of dying.

"I believe that the same could be said for us people too. We need a good environment and positive reinforcement for us to learn, grow, and thrive.

"Keep that in mind next time you're talking to a friend or fighting with a sibling. Positive words are important to keep us alive."

Maya sits back down leaving the board on the desk and I look closely to see that it's pictures of me and her before and her with her new group. I guess she's all good with her new people and can thrive without me.

My dad walks to the front and begins to add on to the lesson, but I zone out.

It's just way too boring.

When class is finished, it doesn't take long for the rest of the school day to be over. I grab my stuff and head home as quickly as I can. School has become a place that I really don't want to be at anymore which sucks because I used to have such an amazing feeling of belonging.

I enter the apartment and I hear my mom crying. Even though I don't feel like talking to her I go over to see what's going on. I find her in her room where I figured she would be.

"What's wrong?" I ask sitting on the edge of her bed.

My mom is sitting in the middle with tissues all around her and I know something is very wrong.

"Your father and I are getting a divorce."

I gasp because this is not what I was expecting. I never thought that this would happen. My parents are the Cory and Topanga. Everyone loves their love story because it is realistic and has a happy ending.

This can't be happening.

My mom takes a breath and continues, "I'm telling Auggie tonight, so don't tell him. I've decided to move to Alabama."

My brain can't seem to process what my mom just said. I ask, "When will Auggie and I get to visit you?"

She looks at me with sad eyes. "Honey, Auggie is coming with me because I'm getting custody of him."

My heart shatters into a million pieces. My mind can't wrap around this. I'm not just losing my mom. I'm also losing my baby brother.

"But what about me? Am I not that important?"

My mom looks wearily at me and shakes her head. "It's not like that. Your dad and I agreed that we'll both get one and-"

"You chose Auggie," I cut her off. I get off the bed and look away from her. "I get it and everything I just... I can't do this right now."

I walk out and am almost down the hallway when I turn back. I look at my mom from the door and ask, "When do you leave?"

My mom looks at me and tries to wipe away most of her tears. "In about a little less than a month."

I turn away without giving too much away. I run to my room and jump on the bed crying.

I can't do this.

I run out of my room to go the one place I can to think.

A bridge.