I stepped out of my school into the chilly fall air and pulled on my Yankees sweatshirt. I looked down the road, and sighed. I would much rather ride a bike home but since I live in New York City, my mom is afraid I would get mugged or something. As I walked home, I thought about my parents. We live in one of those little skinny apartments and my mom doesn't earn that much money as a office building janitor. My father has been in prison since I was nine. We write letters, and on my birthday we visit him, but it still isn't enough. Finally, I reached the house. I sprinted up the stairs and opened the door to our house. My brothers and sisters were watching America's Got Talent and my mom was checking out the mail. I set down my book bag, and took off my sweatshirt and shoes. "Hi Mom!!" i yelled. "Mmm-hmm." my mom mumbled. "Keep it down, Aidan!!!!" my sister hissed. By the way, I'm a girl. My parents thought I should have a unique name. My brothers and sisters are named Daisy, Dean-Wallace, Maria, and Jamie. So y'know, at least I'm not the only one with a crazy name. Anyway, I went to my room to do my homework. I smoothed out my homework, but before I started my homework I looked at the calendar. October 17. My eyes move to the to the next line of dates. My birthday is October 29. Then my eyes move to the picture of me and Dad. We are at the beach. I am only three in this picture. My dad is smiling in the picture but i am looking something else. "I'm coming to see you, dad. Soon." I whisper. "Give me a present, okay?" I laugh to myself. Actually, he does bring me a present, usually. He smuggles a book out of the library for me. I don't think the security guards know, but if they did, he is DEAD MEAT. Tearing myself away from my daydreams, I began my homework and finished it just in time for dinner. Chinese take-out. I grabbed some stir fry, crunchy noodles, and dumplings. "Wow, you were hungry, and it's good that you're eating, because if I didn't know better I would think you were a toothpick." Maria cackled. I started to stand up to grab her, but my mother grabbed my arm and made me sit back down. I am so mad at her, even though I know what she said is true. I am absolutely as skinny as a rail. "Girls, calm down. Maria, watch yourself." My mother scolded. "So, mom how was work?" i asked."Not so great. The company is closing, which means I don't have a job now."
"Crap." I said.
"Poopoo?" Dean-Wallace asked.
Chapter 2
When I came home the next day, Maria was packing her suitcase.
"What are you doing? I thought we were visiting Dad on my birthday and that is... one week, four days, 3 hours, 21 minutes, and 14 seconds away." I am very skilled with math.
"No, stupid loser." Maria handed me a letter. 'FORECLOSURE' it screamed in big red letters on the front. I dropped the letter. My hands got sweaty. I opened my mouth but nothing came out of it except a rusty squeaking noise. Maria said,
"Pack up!"
I quickly pulled out my duffel back and stuck my toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, clothes, flashlight, teddy bear, parka, and family portrait in it.
i shuffled back to Maria's room.
"But where will we go?"
"Mom found a homeless shelter online. I'm going to stay with Jerry, though. I need the proper medical care when the baby comes." Jerry is Maria's boyfriend. Maria is only 16, so Mom got real mad when Maria announced she was pregnant. Mom said she took that road when she was 15, and she had Maria, and Mom had to skip college to take care of Maria, so now she's plunging toilets in an office building for $20 a day, and how would Maria like to go that way for a change?!
"What are you going to name it?" I asked.
" James Robert Brians Jr. if it's a boy, and Eliza Jennifer Dorothea Brians if it's a girl."
"That's too many words." I criticized. "You should name it Aidan the queen of the world Brians if its a girl and Super awesome jetpack Brians if it's a boy."
"Actually, no, Aidan queen of the world is my name. Name her FLUFFY princess kitten Rainbow Brians if it's a girl."
Maria stuck her tongue out at me.
Chapter 3
The Next week, we took our possesions to the front of the house and said goodbye to Maria. Jerry pulled up in his car and took her suitcases and said he was sorry about the foreclosure. Jerry is nice, his only problem is that he's stupid.
Then he pulled off. Mom cursed under her breath. We took a taxi to the shelter, and when we got there there was a room full of cots, with 4 just for us. The girl next to me was about my age. She had a nose ring and wore a black hoodie. She rocked back and forth and said to nobody "I don't want to..... Go away.....I don't trust you...Please.."
"hello?" I said.
" My name is Danielle Isabella Woodrow. That's D-A-N-I-E-L-L-E space I-S-A-B-E-L-L-A space W-O-O-D-R-O-W the end and I approve of this message."
"My name is Aidan."
"A-D-I-N. Aidan."
"No, it's A-I-D-A-N. Aidan."
"oh" she whispered, and stopped rocking.
"Why do you talk to yourself?" I asked her.
"People in my head are talking to me..... so many people telling me things I should do..... but I don't want to."
"What do they say?"
"They tell me to hurt someone and say they will protect me if the cops come. Other things too...... tell me I should break windows but I don't want to. Very unpleasant, so very unpleasant. makes noises too loud for my brain..."
I was scared. Would I end up like Danielle?
the boy on the other side was Maria's age.
"Hello." I said.
" Hables es espanol?"
Crap.
Chapter 4
That night I woke up to see Danielle babbling and staring at me. She grasped a baseball bat.
"Danielle, what are you-"
BOOM! She whacked me on the side of my head. "Fuuu- Fudge." I rubbed my head.
