Lizzy Sharpmen

Chapter 3

    Sitting in our favorite spot at the park we watched people walk by. Nicole was complaining about comments left on the posted video.
"And look at this one!" Nicole says obviously upset. Andrew was reading a book and mindlessly agreeing to whatever Nicole said. "The nerve of these people! If it weren't for Lizzy's kind nature I would have socked Amber already."
"Nicole I don't want you to get suspended over me." I say looking down at my feet. "It really is not worth it."
"What do you mean not worth it! Lizzy YOU are worth it!" She rests her hand on my shoulder. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt my Lizzy!"
"Since when was she all yours?" Andrew says looking up from his book. "I care for her too."
"Not as much as I do!" Nicole says with a slight pout.
"Oh yeah? Who's known her the longest? Hm?" Andrew says putting on a smug face.
Between the two, I have known Andrew the longest. We grew up together. Back then Andrew was bullied a lot for his orange hair. He never let it bother him, he is strong and I admire him for that.
Nicole stands up gives, Andrew a wicked smile and grabs the front collar of his shirt. "Then let's fight for her Huh? Come on nerd fight me!" She says ready to punch him.
Andrew cries out, struggles out of her grasp and flees behind me. "Gah now I've done it." He says seeing the fiery passion in Nicole's brown eyes.
I sigh and shake my head at their childish behavior. Giggling as Nicole charges after Andrew, chasing him around the park. Just when she finally catches him, my phone goes off.
"Ah! It's my sister!" I answer the phone. "Hello?" My sister on the other side of the phone goes off on a tangent about my absence at school.
"Do you understand that you are damaging your future?!" She continued her scolding. My sister Jessica is a college student studying in business. She is all about organization and hard work, this often lead to her teaching me the importance of education. Jessica also is a mifwa but she resembles our mother more.
"Jess calm down I'll go tomorrow I promise." I say trying to get her off my back.
"Oh you better! Or I'll call again!" She threatens on the other side of the phone.
"Yes, yes. I know, I know. I'll call you later now bye." I say hanging up the phone with a sigh. I look back at Nicole and Andrew who were now staring at me. "What?"
"What was that about?" Andrew asks with concern in his voice.
"Nothing really my sister just found out about my recent absences." I say shrugging it off. "It's getting late I think I'll start heading home." I get up ready to head home.
"Your right! I didn't even notice how late it has gotten." Nicole says shocked at the empty park and setting sun. She runs a hand through her short brunette hair. "I guess it's time to take you home. Right Andrew?"
Andrew nods in agreement.
"I can get back on my own. Really." I try to reassure them but Nicole would not hear it.
"It's dangerous to walk the streets alone. No matter what time it is!" She looks me in the eyes. "I'll keep you safe!" She beams with heroism.
"I'd like to see you try." Andrew says under his breath just in earshot of Nicole.
"What did you say!" Nicole glares at him ready to pounce.
"Nothing~." Andrew says in a smug tone.
Nicole continues to glare at him making, what I presume to be, growling noises. We turn a corner and can finally see the baby blue building. Passing the white fence and bed of flowers, I stop at the staircase reaching towards my front door.
"It feels as though everything that has happened was all just a dream, a bad one, but a dream." I say looking towards my bestfriends.
"If only..." Andrew says looking down at his feet.
"Thanks guys." I look at them feeling the dread of the day ending.
"You don't need to thank us-" Nicole starts but I interrupt.
"No really... Thank you." I give them a small weak smile before turning and heading inside. As soon as I closed the door I'm hit in the chest with a foam dart. "Ah?! Grr JACKIE!" I yell at my laughing kid brother on the other end of the hallway. The thirteen year old aims his toy for another shot, but gets bat in the head with a rolled up newspaper.
"Jackie what did I tell you about shooting your sister with those things?" My mother scolds my younger brother.
"That it's not fair to hit her when she is defenceless." He says like he had heard it a thousand times.
"Good now run along before I make you clean your room." My mom says jokingly. Jackie sprints down the hallway, turns, and makes his way up the stairs. "That kid." My mom says with a sigh. "How are you feeling?" She asks turning towards me.
"I'm better..." I answer feeling the pain in my chest at the thought of Amber... and David.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" My mom asks clearly concerned.
Thinking on it I answer. "Yeah... but promise you won't over react?"
"I promise." She answers in a sweet motherly tone. We both move to the kitchen and I explain what Amber did. "Lizz..." She looks at me. "You can't let this knock you down... If you let something like this affect you... you're going to be afraid your whole life..."
"I know that but... It-" I feel tears forming in my eyes. "It hurts..." I say sobbing.
"Lizzy..." My mom holds me while I cry in her shoulder.
     I am woken up by the alarm that has always woken me up before. In the room I have always seen first thing in the morning. My uniform ready in waiting for me to change into. This is the sight, the sound, the mornings I am greeted by everyday. This one however packed the pain and fear of facing my nightmare once more. 'I know I said I would go but...' The doubt started to set in and I felt as though the world was turning around me. The voices of people could be heard all around me. Breathing heavily I hid my head under my pillow and cried out. I screamed for it to stop. I kept yelling and crying, till I felt the embrace of  someone. Their sent and their voice were all so calming. Looking up my gaze met my mothers.
"M- Mom?" I ask for reassurance that she was real.
"Shhh." She hushes me, holding me softly. "It's ok, It was all just a dream."
'A dream?' I look at the room around me. The world was still dark and resting. Slowly I started to calm down. My body relaxed and I drifted off to the sweet sound of my mother's humming. A tune she would often hum when I was younger.