Chapter Two

Mikey said that day was the worst day of his life, he said he thought I was dead. He quit drugs that night. My mother was put into jail for a long time, and Mikey filed a restraining order against her for both of us. So once she does come out, she can’t come anywhere near us. Sometimes he smokes and occasionally he’ll go out to a party and have a few beers, but he always comes home.

I love Mikey and he loves me, he’s all I have left and I’m all he has. Even for siblings we look a lot alike. We share the same dark curly hair, thin body type, tan skin, and face features like nose, eye shape, head shape, and ears but other than that we probably couldn’t be more different. He has green eyes always twinkling, while I ended up with dull brown ones. His body is sort of like a muscular square, and mine is hourglass like.

Our personalities are a lot different too. He is extremely outgoing, loud, happy, loving, and never without his amazing ‘brighten the world’ smile. I’m on the shyer and quieter side which can make me appear snobbish and unhappy, while really on the inside I am smiling and chatting away. Mikey loves girls and they love him. I have somewhat of an interest in boys, but most of it just goes on in my mind, and as far as I can tell the boys at my school haven’t given me a second glance.

Right now we’re both making extremely good grades. If Mikey keeps his grades up, which he will, he’s going to graduate with a 4.0 GPA in December. We’re currently living in a small two room apartment building which we’re able to pay for with money we get from the government. The money he makes from his job at Publix buys our groceries, clothes, and other items we need for survival.


My thoughts stopped and I snapped back into reality as I realized I was standing outside the office’s door. I took a deep breath and once again searched my mind for anything I had done wrong. Nothing. My fingers tips gently tapped on the office door. No answer. I twisted the doorknob and walked in.

I stared at Miss Wilson. She was sobbing. Usually when I entered she smiled brightly revealing her perfect teeth and greeted me warmly. Last year Mikey had attended this school and had become one of her favorite students, so it was only natural for her to like me, his little sister.

Mrs. Wilson looked up at me and looked back down. She started sobbing harder. I wanted to know what was wrong, but I was afraid to upset her further. So I didn’t say anything at all. I just went straight into the principal’s office.

I had been inside this office once or twice before. Never for punishment, I was usually running an errand for one of my teachers. The principal liked me. On the first day of school he stared me down. I guess he assumed I was going to be a miniature Mikey but once he discovered my perfect attendance and near perfect grades he liked me.

Secretly I think he liked my brother a lot too. He just didn’t want to admit it because of all the trouble Mikey caused. But if anyone on the school staff knew Mikey well, it’d definitely be the principal. Last year almost every day he had come home with a different colored slips requiring a parent’s signature. Mom had been drunk or asleep, so he forged her choppy signature.

The principal likes my brother now, he doesn’t even have to pretend he doesn’t. A couple of weeks ago Mikey took Miss Wilson and the principle out to eat, as an apology and a thank you dinner. It wasn’t a fancy restaurant or anything, but I think that meal meant the world to them. Guess bad students don’t usually straighten out as well as Mikey has.


Other times I had been in the office it was lit up. Pictures of the principle with his favorite old students and teachers filled one wall. The last time I had been here I found Mikey’s picture on that wall. Usually I was greeted by a smile. I was not expecting the face of unbelievable anger he sent in my direction.

“Sit.” He commanded.

I sat down in terribly uncomfortable plastic chair. He just stared at me. I stared at the plaque on his desk, Richard Alverez. He sighed. I looked up and met his gaze, I tried to read it. Anger, confusion, maybe a little sadness? Whatever I had done, Mikey was going to be pissed off. Not angry, pissed off. Goodbye internet, goodbye phone, and hello boredom.