When Life Happens: A short story by Adi
I sit in class, watching the birds outside the window. Next year I will be in middle school.Will I be able to watch the birds in those classrooms? Lily, a light pink robin. It's rare to see in other places, but it likes to perch on the the tree branch outside our classroom window all the time.
I take out my sketchbook, ignoring Mrs. Briggs's lecture. She's talking math. I think. I sketch down a river and Lily on a tree branch, flowing down the gentle waters. I also add a small outline of a smaller bird behind the bushes in memory of Lily's sister, Lilith, who passed away from an angry guy walking on the street who shot her with his mini gun in the back of his car.
"Ooooo, look who's makin' a drawin'!" Jason says, looking over my shoulder from his desk behind me.
"No I'm not! Shut up!" I say, jamming my sketchbook in my desk.
Mrs. Briggs looks up from the board and stares at me.
"Is this true, Bea?" She asks.
Bea. Yeah. My full name is Beautiful. Who names their kid that? I'll tell you who. My stupid Dad. He was drunk the night my mom had me, who died from losing to much blood from the sea section. The doctors said I was a beautiful baby, and my Dad decided that was my name. And it stayed. Unlike him. He left me with my step mom when I was 4. At least she's nice to me.
"Bea?" Mrs. Briggs asks, startling me out of my thoughts.
"What?" I ask.
"Is that true? Were you drawing?" She asks.
I shake my head convincingly.
Mrs. Briggs looks at me skeptically and then turns back to the board, deciding to let me off the hook. I hear Jason murmur something under his breath and I just watch Lily again, who is singing a song I can't hear from inside the glass. Another new bird lands next to Lily, and starts singing with her.
After a few seconds, they fly off. I wish I was like Lily. Being able to fly free wherever and whenever I wanted. Being free. Free of homework. Free of Jason. Free of worry. Free of anything and everything. Having wings to fly away when things get hard.
To fly away when things get annoying.
When things get terrifying.
When my worries become reality.
When life happens.
