Once I got home, I quickly took a shower. There was no way I was going to tell my parents about this. I actually never told them anything about Daimon and yet the ass would even have the nerve to show up in front of my house to take me to school. He knew the other girls who had crushes on him would come after me, but nonetheless, the guy still did what he wanted, thinking he was protecting me.
Everyone knew I was a charity case, but only he knew about my situation. Those around me cared very little. If I wasn’t rich, then I was of no use, unless I was an obstacle, which most of the girls in school thought I was. They hated the amount of attention he paid me. I tried to explain it wasn’t what they thought, but they continued to bully me to no end. I never told him or anyone. They all did it behind his back, knowing he claimed me as his personal toy to play with, and if anyone would bother me, they would have to deal with him.
Darren, who was another charity case, was the only one who helped me. He made sure that no one went too far. The funny thing was he was one of Daimon’s friends. It didn’t make sense to me how a charity case could have Daimon as a friend, but then again, I didn’t really want to know. The less I knew, the better it was for me.
I finished washing up and was glad that part of my life was over. I looked in the mirror and smiled. In a few months, I would be in Yale, and then I would apply to pre-med; everything was going to go perfectly. No more bulling and no more Daimon.
“Hey!” Sofia said as she walked in from being dropped off by the school bus.
“How was school?” I asked.
“Boring, it’s always boring,” she huffed.
Sofia was ten years younger than I was. I loved her to death. While my parents worked at the store, I was the one at home taking care of her and our house. Sofia was like me, an overachiever, but she was beautiful, too. She had the looks in the family and I was proud to be her older sister.
“When is mama coming home?” she asked, her small voice sounding excited. Sofia was happy that Mom was coming home early for once.
“Soon, I think. She asked me to start cooking,” I offered.
“Okay, I'm going to go do my homework,” she answered back, running up the stairs.
I started to prepare for dinner as I didn’t want my mom to feel too tired after she cooked for us, she did wake up every day at four in the morning. I waited at the kitchen table, the onions and garlic peeled and ready for her, but my mother still hadn’t come home. I called my dad, but he said she had left hours ago. Maybe she went to the market or to a friend’s house and forgot the time. Sofia became worried and I tried my best to calm her down. I started to feel badly that I had pushed her into cooking for me, but I wanted to be treated special even if it was only for one day. I sat in the kitchen watching TV when I heard a knock at the door. I walked over to the door and there stood two police officers.
“Yes?” I said through the window.
“Hi, I'm Officer Jeff. I'm with the New York Police Department. Can we come in?” He asked, showing me his badge.
“Sofia, go to our room,” I said as I reluctantly let them in.
“But I don’t want to,” she said defiantly.
“Sofia, now!” I ordered.
“Yes, what can I help you with?” I asked, once I heard Sofia barely making it up the stairs. I could feel my nerves unhinge as I waited for the officer to continue.
“Is your mother named Nikoleta Sakis?” he said it slowly as he butchered her name.
“Yes, why?” Fear began to set in.
“Well, there’s been an accident,” he said rather carefully.
“What kind of accident?” I asked, not realizing I was crying.
“I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but your mother passed away this afternoon. It was a hit and run. I'm sorry,” the officer said sadly.
I could hear Sofia gasp as she began to sob. I ran to her as she slowly made her way down the stairs. I took her in my arms as we both cried.
That was the day… the day that changed everything in my world.
TEN YEARS LATER
“What are we going to do, Addie?” My dad’s beautiful hazel eyes were sunk in now. He used to be strong and could do anything, but after my mother’s death, my father’s health started to decline. The long hours at work didn’t help either. My heart broke the day we found out he had Crohn’s disease.
Yale was no longer an option for me. I gave up on everything I dreamt of and went to work at the restaurant. I needed to take care of my family. Sofia delved into her studies, wanting to forget everything that had happened. I couldn’t blame her. All her work did pay off when she received a partial scholarship to Yale. I was so proud of her.