Chapter 2- by Angel

Glory slowly forced open her heavy eyelids, swollen from the tears she’d cried herself to sleep with. She wondered how long she had been lying there and tried to focus her eyes on the clock beside her bed but could only make out the blurry pink silhouette of Hello Kitty.

She’d aged so much in the past months. Many parts of her former self were left behind in the wreckage, her bubbly youth included. The clock suddenly seemed ridiculous and childish. She raised her hand and slowly slid the kitten to the edge of her nightstand, and then teetering it with one finger, finally let it go and watched it fall to the floor.

11:39

Her mom would be home for lunch soon. She started to think of excuses, not because she was afraid of her mom forcing her to go, but because she knew her mom would worry. She’d caused her enough worry to last a lifetime, and suddenly running home seemed like a really stupid idea.

Just as Glory was about to slide into another slippery slope of self-pity and loathing, the phone rang. She let it ring until the machine picked it up.

“Glory, this is Eva Miller. If you’re home I’d really like you to pick up…”

Ms. Miller, another person Glory hated to make worry. She was the school counselor and she had been a friend even before the accident. She was not the old blue haired lady you normally associate with the title of school counselor, although she did have large tortoise shell glasses that looked misplaced on her chubby and youthful cheeks. She was probably in her thirties, but could easily pass for much younger. She had flawless caramel skin and a beautiful pair of matching caramel eyes if you looked through those bulky square frames. Glory had been on the dance committee last year and worked with Ms. Miller during those weeks every day. She even ate dinner with her a few times and enjoyed her company, immediately feeling like she was a friend more than an authority figure. She came by often after the accident and Glory was suddenly embarrassed for not having gone to talk with her, rather than running home.

Glory picked it up “Hello Ms. Miller.” She hated that her gruff voice gave away the fact that she’d been crying.

“Glory, are you coming back in today or do I need to come by and drag you up here myself?” She pretended to be serious, but Eva Miller wouldn’t hurt a fly.

“I don’t think anyone is really missing my presence, and I’m thinking of enrolling in...”

“Don’t even say it Glory! We’ve been down this road and the alternative school is not going to help build your character or help you grow. It’s just a way for you to bow out of life and I’m not going to let you do that.” This time the serious note in her voice was much more believable.

Glory wanted to be left alone. She wanted to lie back down in bed and pull the covers over her head again. She didn’t even care if she ever got a diploma, much less “growth” and “character”, but as much as she hated to admit it to herself, Ms. Miller had a way of making Glory feel better and feel as though her life was still important even though she had done horrible…she still couldn’t quite complete the thought, even to herself.

“If I let you take the rest of today off, will you come in tomorrow?” she asked in a hopeful tone and Glory could hear her genuine smile behind it.

She couldn’t say no to that, and besides, her mom would force her to go tomorrow anyway and she didn’t have the strength to fight them both off for long.

“Deal, but I’m bringing an ipod and I’m not socializing at all.” Glory said and meant it.

“Just one other thing then Glory and I’ll let you have your day off.” Glory definitely noted a hint of excitement in Ms. Miller’s voice.

“What is it?” she sighed with audible displeasure.

“This weekend, I am meeting my brother at the airport in Hartford and I need a friend for the ride.”

“That is almost a 3 hour drive? I’m not sure my parents will let me go.” Glory said, praying her parents wouldn’t let her go.

“I’ve already asked them, so see you Saturday morning. Actually, I’ll see you tomorrow morning bright and early in my office ok?” Eva said confidently.

“Ok, then what choice have I got?” Glory sighed.

“None! Bye Glory” Ms. Miller practically cheered.

“Bye.” And Glory hung up.

“How am I going to handle a six hour road trip?” She thought.

Glory was still a little uneasy riding in cars, and had only become used to riding to a few familiar places without feeling nauseous in the past couple of weeks. She still wasn’t driving. She planned on never driving again. Glory would have worried about it a lot longer, but the idea of facing everyone at school tomorrow was bothering her more.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard her mother pull up. She contemplated staying quietly in her bed until her mother finished lunch and went back to work. Actually that sounded like a great idea. Glory quietly curled up and pulled the blankets over her head.

“Glory!?” She could hear the panic in her mother’s voice as she yelled her name. Glory’s eyes closed a little tighter with every loud thud as her mom bound up the steps until she burst into the room.

“Hi?” Glory sheepishly said before lowering the blankets and peeking at her mom’s wide eyed, panicked stare. “How did you know I was here?”

“Are you ok? The door was wide open down stairs!” Her mom relaxed a bit seeing that Glory was ok, but waiting to hear why she was home early before she completely exhaled.

“I’m fine, it was just harder than I thought it was going to be today. Ms. Miller gave me the rest of the day off and I’m going back bright and early tomorrow ok?”

Glory hoped that was sufficient and the worry would wipe off of her mothers face, but it didn’t. If anything, it deepened. Looking at the furrows of her mother’s brow, and creases along the sides of her frown that had only recently formed, Glory felt guilty. A feeling that came easily now, and begged her to go back under the covers, but forced her to join her mother down stairs for lunch, make small chit chat and smile until her mom believed that Glory was really ok.