July 3rd 2012
Dear Diary,
As I write, I am standing on the cobblestone pavement, and have been for the past twenty minutes. Waiting. Ruby was going to the school dance club like every Wednesday Night. The soft summer’s breeze was blowing around my dancing chocolate curls. My hazel eyes glaze over with the serenity as I bend over to fix my shoe lace. It hadn’t even come undone- it was just something to do. My phone was out of charge as per usual so I can’t even escape into that. I scowl. Why does Little Miss Ruby get to do all of the fun stuff whilst I am lurking outside Jenny’s Café? I never (and I mean ever) got to go to clubs- I was lucky to have a friend round for tea. Well, I suppose she is the youngest. Or was, if you class The Bump. Mum and Dad are having a baby. Mum is almost 9 months pregnant - so the baby is expected anytime soon. Lucky me…
Resting on the wall, I re-apply lip stick. Well, I might as well look pretty doing this. I would go join in with her little group in the dance hall, but it is only for Year 2’s. Being in Year 6 does have its drawbacks. I sigh and ponder upon how wonderful it was to be blissfully ignorant and young. Still, I have had my toddler years and I have officially moved on from that. I don’t think I would have many friends if I turned up to school in a nappy! I should be happy as it’s the last day of this term yet there is a feeling of unease floating like a storm cloud, above my droopy head. Every day that passes is one day nearer to getting yet another younger sibling. Have Ruby is really enough, it’s amazing how annoying a small person can be.
I manage a feeble smirk at Mrs Jones to keep up my spirits as she saunters by. She returns it with a glare. Well, I’m not exactly a star pupil! It might be something to do with the time last month I kept on asking stupid questions in Science, just to annoy her. You see, Mrs Jones likes us to ask question as it will ‘improve our learning’ but I took it to the extreme. I asked what water was, what frozen water was, what evaporated water was and as a joke, what liquid water was! And that was in the first 5 minutes of double science, which I only saw 1 hour of before being sent outside.
The sun is hot. OK, I know that it is a gargantuan ball of fire but still! A sweltering July inferno has hit the quiet town of Maytown and it seems to be focussed on getting me more and more agitated. I guess that I am getting a taste of my own medicine when you think about it! I really can’t imagine being good. How can people live like that without getting bored stiff in French? I sigh. If it was more interesting being good then I would be good, simple as that. But it isn’t so…
Kelly Newman saunters by next. My face breaks into an infectious grin. What on earth is that girl wearing? A striped pink and red pinafore dress with purple tights and bright blue brogues is what. Someone call 999 please and ask for the fashion police! And her leaf green summer hat seriously clashes with her yellow cardigan. OMG she is coming over! I don’t want to offend her but someone needs tell her that she has committed a major felony, punished by a life sentence of social rejection.
I let her know but surprisingly, she does not take it well. In fact, she storms of down the road.
~~~
It is thirty two past four now and Ruby is standing next to me. Dad is late as usual and I am still bored stiff. I cough to clear my parched throat. When the man in question arrives we both wait for Dad to lock the car and cross the road to pick us up. He looks both ways and the road is clear.
Until, that is, Aaron’s Dad’s car (with Aaron inside) comes screeching out of the car park. I can see what is going to happen seconds before it does. I know I can’t save dad, nor stop the car but I can save Ruby. My hands reaches to cover her eyes just as they collide. Dad flies through the air and I know that he is already gone. I want to scream, but I am paralysed, like a rabbit caught in the headlights. I clench my eyes shut but I can’t blot out that sickening image, my dad’s last moments on Earth. Aaron jumps out car and comes to my side but I can’t keep my hatred down.
“YOU!” I scream, “YOU AND YOUR PATHETIC EXCUSE OF A DAD HAVE JUST, JUST…”
I run away into Cookie Crumble, towing Ruby, unable to hold back the floodgates. Ironically, the James Bay song Hold Back the River is belting out from the jukebox whilst Thalia’s mum and Thalia herself are serving luxury hot chocolates. They immediately stop when Ruby and I. In fact, the whole café seems to stop and stare.
Thalia is Ruby’s BFF, by the way, and as such runs up and puts an arm round us both. I sneak away and tell Mrs Lucan everything. She grabs the phone and first calls and ambulance and then our aunt.
Her kind words cannot shadow the fact that Ruby and I are now officially orphans.
ns 15.158.61.20da2
