M83- We Own the Sky

Every You...Every Me...

Hi,
I really appreciate that many people have read Chapter 1 of my novel thank you so much for giving my novel a chance to blossom in my blog. I decided to post Chapter 2 "Another Morning."
Enjoy Everyone and don't hesitate to leave me a comment.

Another Morning

The alarm goes off it is 6:30 a.m. I wake up in the middle of my watercolor set. Leon’s box looks very colorful. I jump into bed and press the snooze button for another fifteen minutes.

“Get up Violet. It is time to get ready for school.”

“Can I skip the first day of school and go back tomorrow. I am not feeling well.”

“You didn’t even unpack your clothes?”

“There’s no one to impress.” I said as mom pulled the covers away from me.

“Give me five more minutes.”

“I am going to start breakfast already and you better hit the shower. I forgot to tell you yesterday that Stephen is picking you up; he got his license during the summer.”

Mom walks out of the room and I just close my eyes. I get up and put my suitcase on my bed and looked for the black dress with the bow on it. I hit the shower when mom knocks on the door.

“What do you want now!” I yelled.

“I’m leaving. Have a fun day at school. Love You.”

“I will try.”

I get out of the shower and I quickly get dressed up. When I hear a honk and I look out the window it is Stephen and Ingrid is in the passenger seat. I grab my red messenger bag and run down the stairs. I go to the kitchen to get a bagel and I run out the door.

Ingrid sticking her head out the car. "Hey Violet! What's up with your outfit? It seems like you got it from Wednesday’s wardrobe."

"I don't even get a good morning."

"Violet get in the car already. I want to go to the donut shop." said Stephen.

I sit in the back seat. Ingrid turns around. "Violet did you get any of my messages? Why didn’t you call me to tell me you were coming back home yesterday."

"I did get your messages and sorry about not telling you when I was coming back home."

"Your dad didn’t give you access to a phone. There’s a thing called the internet and email you know."

"I didn't see him throughout my trip. I was backpacking through Spain with my step sister and her boyfriend."

"Did you bring us souvenirs to make up for your unwillingness to keep in touch with us?"

"I did. I haven't unpacked. By the way Leon died last night."

Stephen was not paying attention to our conversation. He was focus on driving and getting to the donut shop.

“Why didn’t you call me?” asked Ingrid.

“It was late.” I said as I took a bite of my bagel.

“He finally did it right, so many times that he pretended to be dead.” Ingrid said.

“I am burying Leon after school would you guys join me to say good-bye to him?”

“I’m baby-sitting today, but I will try to make it.” Ingrid said.

Stephen arrives to the Donut Shop and he gets out of the car.

“Violet did you check your messages that Ethan left for you?”

“No, I haven’t checked.”

“Let me tell you Priscilla dumped him on the last day of school.”

“She did?” I asked confused.

“You were not there to see him fall apart. The good thing you had left school early that day.”

“No wonder he asked me last night if I had heard my messages.”

“What could you have done postpone your trip to be by his side.” Ingrid laughed.

“Hey isn’t that Tecladito Girl walking out of the Donut Shop?” I asked Ingrid.

“It is. Here comes Stephen. He doesn’t look too happy.”

Tecladito Girl gets inside the car that is parked next to us. Stephen gets inside the car and slams the door. He starts the car and heads to school.

"I should have just left you Violet, instead of waiting for you."

"Why are you getting mad at me? Didn't you see Tecladito girl in the donut shop? That should be enough to make your day." I said.

"She must be thinking that I'm a creep." Stephen said.

"Why do you say that?" asked Ingrid.

"You know how cranky I get if I don't eat my cherry filled donut in the morning."

"What happened in there?" I asked.

"Let me tell you girls that when I got to the counter and asked for a cherry filled donut they had sold out. The girl told me that the last one was sold to the girl with the turquoise beanie. I decided to approach the girl to see if she would sell it to me. But guess who it was…

“Tecladito Girl!” Ingrid and I said at the same time.

“That’s right.” Stephen said.

Stephen continued telling us the story:

I couldn’t back out from not talking to her, so I said Hi and I told her we went to the same school. She looked at me a bit puzzled. I got nervous then I told her that the girl in the counter told me that they had sold her the last of the cherry filled donuts and that they weren’t going to make any more until tomorrow. She replied and said, “Too bad for you then you will have to wait until tomorrow to eat one.” You know how I can get when I don’t eat my cherry filled donut in the morning. So I told her, “Can I buy it from you. I will pay double for it. She said, “No and I am not going to share with you either.” Then I asked her if I can get one tiny piece of it. She said, “Ewww! and ran off. That is not how I had planned our first conversation to be.

“You are such a Romeo Stephen with your lines.” Ingrid said laughing.

I couldn’t keep a straight face and I started laughing, “At least now you know that when you ask her out on a date, instead of taking flowers you can take her a box of cherry filled donuts.” I said.

“Laugh all you want. But when one of you has a boy crush I’ll remember your jokes.”

“Don’t take it personally at least she knows you exist now.” Ingrid said.

“I will share a piece of my bagel with you.”

“No thanks, if it was a cherry filled donut it would be a definite yes.”

I sat back into my seat enjoying my bagel, while Ingrid applied some red lipstick. We arrived to school and Stephen entered the parking lot.

“Ingrid tell me if you see an open spot where I can park.” Stephen said.

“What happened? Did everyone get their license this summer there’s no parking at all.” Ingrid said.

I rolled the window down as I saw Ethan in the parking lot. He was looking nice in a blue sweater, brown pants, and black converse. I wanted to call out his name so he could wave at me. My thoughts get interrupted by Ingrid yelling, “There’s a parking! Can you squeeze between that Toyota Corolla and Mazda.”

“It will be a little tight for us to come out, but will manage.” Stephen said.

I open my door carefully and I try to squeeze out. Stephen has a bit of a hard time getting out.

“I think I got to lose some weight.” Stephen said.

We walk through the parking lot when Ray approaches us.

“Hey guys first day of school. We are Junior’s now!” Ray said excitedly.

“Calm down boy.” Ingrid said.

“I’m just so happy to see you guys.” Ray said.

“What is your first period Violet?” asked Ingrid.

I looked inside my bag to find my class schedule and I couldn’t find it.

“I don’t know. I am going to the office to get a copy of my class schedule.” I said.

I headed to the office and there was a long line. I stood there when I see Ethan coming down the hallway with Priscilla. I pretend to be looking inside my bag so he wouldn’t see me.

“Violet, Violet.” Ethan said.

I tried to ignore him, but I couldn’t help it and looked up. He was walking ahead of Priscilla and waving at me.

“What happened last night? You never called me back. I waited for your call.” Ethan said.

“I was too sad to call you and I got busy painting Leon’s box.” I said.

“You should have called. I would have helped you paint it.” Ethan said.

“It was late.” I said.

“I’m an artist. I’m sleep deprived.” Ethan said with a smile.

“If you are not busy I’m going to bury him after school in my backyard at 4:00 p.m. You are welcomed to come and say good-bye to him.” I said.

“Ethan hurry up we are going to be late to class.” Priscilla said as she approached us.

“I’m going.” Ethan said.

“Is that your lady friend Ethan?” I asked with a smile.

Ethan laughed and said, “No.”

“I’m his girlfriend.” Priscilla said.

“I know.” I said.

Priscilla just rolled her eyes at me and walked away. Ethan went after her and he turned around and waved good-bye to me.

Every You...Every Me....

Summer’s Gone

Flipping through the pages of my journal trying to remember the reason why I ran away to España for the summer. I reread all my journal entries about a girl who falls for her best friend. The poem I wrote about unrequited love. I thought running away from my feelings for him was going to make my heart heal faster. My heart just made me miss him a lot more. I will explain about Ethan later.

“This is your captain speaking I wanted to welcome you back to Los Angeles. We will be landing approximately in 10 minutes. I hope you have enjoyed your flight and we hope to see you soon.”

I am dreading the fact that I am back in L.A. I decided to return home on Sunday night one day before school starts. I wonder if my friends missed me this summer. I had a bit of a hard time keeping in touch with them, since I was backpacking through Spain with my step sister Lucia and her boyfriend Paco. I just wanted to lose myself in the adventure of exploring a foreign country. I even learned to miss home. I hope my mom is in the terminal waiting for me. There are so many people reuniting with loved ones’. I don’t see my mom anywhere. I’ll just sit by the seats that are next to the automatic doors. I’m pretty sure my mom will rush inside looking for me. Terminals are places that connect people together and at the same time pull them apart. I went from terminal to terminal memorizing the routine so well. I saw families saying good-bye and children clinging to their dad’s because they were going on a business trip and it was uncertain how long it was going to take them to return home. I was just the silent observer traveling and no one was waiting for me on the other side until today when I returned to L.A. I’m going to give my mom five more minutes to walk into this airport before I call her. I don’t even know if I have change to call her.

“Violet welcome back!” said mom as she hugged me.

“Mom what took you so long?”

“I lost track of time when I was revising the course syllabi for the Art History Class I am going to teach. Violet let’s stop talking about me. I want to hear all about your trip in España with your dad.” I didn’t want to disappoint my mom, but I didn’t spend one moment with him. I just left my suitcase at his house, because he had forgotten that I was spending the summer with him. My dad had made plans with his family to go to Sweden and that is how I ended up with Lucia. Perhaps I could give my mom the fictionalized version of the trip.

“Violeta did you practice tú Español en España?”

“Sí mama.” I responded.

Mom and I walked to the parking structure. She had her arm around my shoulder as I held my blue green suitcase. She was parked on the third floor of the parking structure. We found her black suv Tiguan and she opened the trunk for me so I can put my suitcase and bag pack inside.

“Violet did you take a lot of pictures?” asked mom as I sat in the passenger seat.

“I did.”

“Perhaps I could borrow some of your pictures for my lectures.”

“I don’t think that would be a great idea.”

“You are a great photographer and I would like to share your photos with my students,” said mom.

My mom went on with her pep talk about self-esteem. I decided to look out the window and pretend I was listening to her. I like looking out the window when my mom is driving on the freeway especially at night. I like seeing how the streaks of light beam through the headlights of the cars that pass us by. I always wonder what other passengers are thinking about when they are looking out the window. Maybe the woman that is in the jeep next to us is, thinking if that guy who is driving her home is the "one."

They are probably lovers and she is feeling nostalgic about how she will never be the true one for him. And that is why she is looking out the window than engaging in a conversation with him.

"What was it like hanging out with your dad all summer?" asked mom.

"Huh."

"Violet you didn't hear a word I said to you." said mom.

"I'm still in European time mom."

"Here we are. Home sweet home." said mom. She drove into the driveway. She turned off the car and got down. I sat for a second longer and then got down. I went to the trunk of the car and got my blue green suitcase out and my bag pack. I walked slowly up the steps took a deep breath and walked inside.

“Violet do you want a lite snack?”

“No, I’m fine. I am going to my room to unpack.”

“Okay sweetie, but if you want anything I will be in the kitchen preparing myself a snack.”

I went upstairs carrying my suitcase like if I were a stranger to my own home. I went down the hall and opened the door. Everything was in the same order as I left it in. I put my blue green suitcase and bag pack near the closet and lay on my bed.

"Ring, ring, ring, ring." I should let the machine take the message. "No, I should just get up and answer it. What if it is Ingrid wondering what I’m going to wear tomorrow to school." I get up and walk to the book shelf and answer the phone.

"Hello."

“Violet your back it's so great to hear your actual voice again.” Ethan said.

"What a surprise that you called." I said.

"I guess you haven't checked any of your messages."

"I just got back home. I haven’t checked. Ethan were you having a relationship with my answering machine while I was gone?"

"I called you all summer in hopes of getting a call back from you,” he said.

"Aww you missed me.”

"Of course I did. What about you?"

"I wish I could say the same about you."

"You didn't miss me one bit."

"Just kidding, I did. Ethan I want to hear all about your summer."

“Hey, Violet I'm going to put you on hold for a second. I'm getting another call."

"Okay."

I decided to feed my fish Leon. He was swimming upside down like usual. I decided to play with him and tickle his belly. He wouldn’t move, but that was not unusual, because he liked playing dead and a few seconds pass and he starts moving.

“Violet are you still there?” asked Ethan.

“Yeah, I am just playing with Leon. Who called you anyway that you had to leave your best friend on hold.”

“My girlfriend Priscilla,” Ethan said. There was an awkward silence between us.

“Violet are you there?”

“You guys are back together again?” I asked. A second pass by and Leon was not moving.

“Your voice sounds a bit crackly.” Ethan said.

“Oh no Leon is dying.” I hanged up quickly and tried to save Leon.

“Ring, Ring, Ring,” the phone went. I ran downstairs to tell my mom what had happened.

I couldn’t stop crying. I don’t know what hurt the most the passing of my pet Leon or the fact that Ethan was again Priscilla’s boyfriend.

“Calm down sweetie.”

“He probably felt so lonely”

“You had Leon for 6 years that is a pretty long time.”

“I know. I should have comeback earlier and this would have never happened to him.”

“Don’t blame yourself. You didn’t know this was going to happen. Do you want me to stay with you and keep you company?” Mom asked.

“No, I’ll be fine.”

“Okay, honey I’m going to bed now. Feel better.”

“Thanks mom.”

I went back to my room and decided to check my messages.

I had two hundred and the most recent call was Ethan.

“Hey Violet it’s me Ethan. I’m sorry about Leon do you want me to come over. Give me a call when you hear this message it doesn’t matter what time. I will be waiting for your call.”

I am not going to call him. I need to find a box that fits Leon perfectly. I search in every drawer until I found a little white box. I take out my watercolor set and I start mixing colors. Tears are falling down my cheeks as I mix the colors to make a yellow-green. What an awful welcome home this has become.

Hey Everyone,

I hope you enjoy chapter one of my novel...If you accidentally bump into this blog. Please leave your feedback of what you thought...Thank you so much for reading...