LOGINShare
Chapter 26: Mr. Davis
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56"Lily-kins, are you ready to go?"
My mother wakes me up. I don't know what day it is. I can barely remember my own name. It's been an exhausting turn of events. Seeking revenge on my bully is not something I ever thought I would do or could do. I can definitely not discuss my revenge plans with my mom. I could talk about this with a best friend in another life if I had one of those. But there will be plenty of time for that in college. If I can take a bully down, I will know I am prepared for college and being on my own.
"Ready for what, mom? Can't this wait? I am exhausted. I don't want to go anywhere."
"For your braces. Today you are getting them off," mom replies.
My mother forgot to tell me about the single most important day of my entire youth. It would have been nice to have this day carved in stone as a holiday. My own personal Memorial Day to commemorate that I no longer have to bear the name of Train Tracks. No more C
Related chapters
All the Feels Chapter 27: Bait
Worms are smooth and wiggly creatures. Birds love to eat them, and their pink heads look like their pink bottoms. They are slimy creatures that are great to use when one goes fishing. A fisherman takes his hook and pierces the side of the worm on the end of a fishing pole. The fisherman casts his line into the river and waits.That's what I've been doing with my parents. I've been like the fisherman. I've prepared my parents as bait for Kelly. After a while, a fish will see the wiggling worm and attack the bait. I can only hope that Kelly will go for the bait. Accept this time; it will be like me springing the trap and bringing her to justice. If I could get her to confess, to really confess to the murder of Gerald McLaren, then the world would be a much better place.Fishermen wait for hours to catch their fish. Fish are bullies who eat to survive. They go into the bellies of fishermen and never come out. This is where I am now, waiting in the river—hoping and w
All the Feels Chapter 28: Scarlett Death
My mother is dead. Her blood stains surround the base of the big tree. The big tree that once held my boyfriend in its branches now cradles my dead mother at its base.I'm in shock, and it feels like horrifying shivers going through my nervous system. Kelly has won. She's taken my mother from me. I always knew that my mother and I didn't get along. I always assumed we would have more time to apologize and understand each other. More time to become best friends in my post-college years when I would be married and have three kids. She would have been a wonderful grandma, but that future is no more.A future I thought I would have is ripped away from me within thirty seconds. I place my mother's head on my lap and let her blood drip all around me. I soak in this last moment I will ever have her beside me.My body has been shivering for five straight minutes. My head is spinning and asking questions like,why did she have to be murdered in a park?
All the Feels Chapter 29: Sparrows
Silence is the golden standard that surrounds our house. Dads decided to hold off on having a funeral. He doesn't know how to move on and how to process everything. I've removed pictures of mom around the house, so dad gets a break from seeing her face. I've transferred schools to an online high school finishing program.With mom dead and only one parent remaining, I've decided to watch dad like a hawk night and day. But, at least with dad alive and well, I will be able to move forward. Someday, my dad will do the famous daddy-daughter dance with me when I get married. It's sad to think that mom will never be there for the occasion.Mom will never talk to me again. She's never going to give me advice or take embarrassing photos of me ever again.Mr. Davis and my dad have become good friends. They've come to understand the absence of family members and have found a friendship through grief. Dad grieves mom, and Mr. Davis misses his son.The world doesn't l
All the Feels Chapter 30: Prepare to Die
Ringing in my ears like the hum of a thousand bees pollinating in summer. Ringing from my teeth clenching as tight as they will go. The grinding of my teeth has worn down my back wisdom teeth. Without my braces in the way and a fresh new clean smile...All I do is clench. I think about everything from the Lending Library carrying many stories to the books I donated to its collection. The very collection I once donatedThe History of Piratestoo.I would travel the sea and let my bullies walk the plank if I were Anne Bonnie. But instead, I clench my jaw at the very thing creating my panic and terror.Kelly's picture stares at me through the pages of my old yearbook. Her middle school photo had braces, but hers were invisible. People didn't dare call her names even then. If any girl said anything about that, she'd give you a horsey with your bra strap so powerful that your back would have whip marks until freshman year.Anne Bonnie would have pul
All the Feels Chapter 31: All the Feels
The ghost with no face wears a hood. He passes through fog and dances on the other side of the clouds. When he comes to earth, he sleeps in caves. Caves cast their shadows against the crackling fires of hope. Hope is all that remains for Jeremy Davis. The sun is a fleeting idea that hides behind the clouds in their dark black sky.I never knew what living in crisis mode was like. It sucks and hurts my skin. Everything hurts my soul, my heart, my spirit. Pain has many forms and many faces, and I can't bear to wear my masks any longer. I've become a castle with one bridge to the world on the other side. When Jeremy's father told me he tried to commit suicide, that bridge fell into the world of bullies.Armor can protect a knight for so long. The helmet protects his thoughts. Jeremy's helmet was tossed aside ages ago. To me, he is like theGreen Knight, tossing aside fear and worry.The keys to my car fall to the floor. Damn! Getting to Jeremy is all
All the Feels Chapter 32: Of Life and Death
Graveyards are the final resting place for the dead. They are where the endless souls dance for eternity under a moonlit forever. The souls of the cemetery held onto Jeremy but didn't take him down into the land of Hades. He fought, and he held onto life just for me. Death is where the ravens swirl in their endless circles. Hunger finds them, and nails dig into their prey. We are all called by death in the end. The grim reaper himself holds his scythe and carries it along as a walking stick. Walking sticks are used to guide souls on the path to Hades. If I discover Hades, I will find my mom. I will find her there beneath the bones of her final breath.All the feels take away my breath,When funerals approach and force me to face death,I think of the heavens parting like glass,Hoping her last days have come at last,The grim reaper is a soul deliverer taking souls away,If he walks too far into the depths, the souls will try to stay,There l
All the Feels Chapter 33: Jitters
"It's nice to kiss you without your braces on. I always knew you were pretty, but now all you are is beautiful," Jeremy says as we split up from our kiss.I say goodbye to him and head out of the hospital. Hospitals represent life and death. They are places where people try their best to cling to life. But life is a sacred thing, and the doctor, along with the angels, kept my Jeremy safe so he could help me out today.The drive home is terrifying. All I can think about is Kelly. I am at peace with everything else but her. I want her to be put in her place. She hides in the shadows and waits like an eel ready to strike. I haven't been to school in weeks. I can't stomach the KAT trio. All three girls have been arrested and are suspects in the murder trial of Gerald McLaren. It puts my mind at ease that they are being held accountable for something they have done.But I still can't go back to that school and finish what I've started. I can't return to tutoring. I c
All the Feels Chapter 34: The Trial
Time has slowed down. All my dreams are in red. Red is the color of roses and the color of blood. Both describe my mother. Blood for her death and roses for her grave. Blood at her murder scene and roses at her funeral.When I dream in red, I don't sleep well. The dreams always end with Kelly laughing. Last night, I didn't dream about my mother. Instead, I dreamed about Gerald McLaren. He was standing in the ruins of the Vineyard church, holding eggs. He threw the eggs to the side and hugged me. He apologized to me for bullying me. I forgave him, and then Kelly entered my dream. I woke up panicked. Being covered in sweat in my bed is a horrible sticky feeling."Lily, are you okay? I heard screaming," dad says, rushing into my room.His coffee spills a little on the side and moves around in his mug. Since mom died, dad has been sporting an ugly red bathrobe that retired in the 1960s. Pretty sure my dad inherited it from his old man. It hasn't been washed since th
Latest chapter
All the Feels Chapter 39: Graduation Day
The following week flies by. And despite taking classes online to wrap up my senior year, I will miss Mr. Cronkwright. He will be the speaker for our high school graduation. In addition, he's been nominated to win the teacher of the year award. I am sure he will win.Our graduation gowns are black with a maroon-colored tassel. My dad has been acting emotional around me since prom ended. With one week between prom and graduation day, I can't say I blame him. This has been hard without my mom to help. It's been an adjustment for him. Her absence won't disappear overnight.I put my graduation gown on. It's a long sweaty thing. I look like a Hogwarts student. If you gave me a wand, I could teach magic in the fall. Dad has this habit of taking photos on my mother's behalf. So I promised him I would finish my high school scrapbooks in mom's place.The doorbell rings. It's Jeremy in his matching outfit. Both of his parents are with him. They've managed to set aside the
All the Feels Chapter 38: After Prom
My dad was right. I needed a girls' day after all the shit that has happened over this last year—especially these last few months. I'm not a good dancer. I can't be as bad as dad. It's rumored he fell during his wedding day dance. I'm not sure I believe him since there are no photos to back up the story.Knowing mom, she would have insisted on photos being constantly clicked and taken. Every angle and every moment would have been captured. I've seen the wedding photos. There are no pictures of dad falling during his wedding dance.I hate girl shoes. They go between your feet in unnatural ways, like flip flops, and make your heels ache. Beauty is painful. We have years of human history to back that up. My mom told me about the ancient Chinese performing a foot binding on their women's feet. I didn't understand what she meant until she showed a thirteen-year-old me the pictures of tiny shoes and broken feet. After she educated me, I was terrified of wearing lady's
All the Feels Chapter 37: Dressing Shopping
Prom has arrived. I don't have any girlfriends to go prom shopping with, and that's fine. Prom seems stupid to go to. It's not that I haven't thought about prom before. But I never imagined myself being pretty enough or worthy enough to go. Prom is for the lovely girls who get dolled up and look like models.I'm the sexy librarian type. Sporting glasses and a romance novel while dancing is more my speed. I haven't told dad that I don't have a dress. I didn't want to give him one more thing to worry about. I've considered wearing one of mom's dresses and using her hair straightener. But, going into mom's closet will be hard because she is gone, and all the things a girl is supposed to do with their mom before prom is gone too.The doorbell rings. It must be for dad since Jeremy is out with his mom today to have their'come to Jesus-meeting'about her abusive boyfriends."Hi, Lily." It's Mrs. Norris, my old bus driver. I saw her at the funeral b
All the Feels Chapter 36: The Funeral
It's time for the funeral. I've prepared a poem in memory of my mom. I'm nervous about sharing it and have asked Jeremy to read it if I start crying too much.I'm glad Jeremy can attend the funeral like it's normal again. No police or criminal ankle bracelet. Mr. Davis will be attending the funeral as well. Amy and Tia had their own trials and are facing jail time like Kelly. Kelly got the longest sentence for life. Amy and Tia got twenty-five years if I heard the judge correctly. The KAT trio is all behind bars. This means there can be no disrespect at the funeral.I put on the only black dress in the house. It's a black sundress. It's fitting that it belonged to mom. She was more into shopping, beauty, and vanity than I ever was.I put my hair in a long French braid down my back. I haven't felt pretty in a long time—the sparrow pecks on the windowsill with its beak. I put birdseed out for it the night before. I'm glad to hear it and see if feeding today
All the Feels Chapter 35: The Ashmore Tree
Now that the trial is over, my life is a dream. Dreams exist above reality, just a little below perfection. The only person missing is mom. I will never hear her voice again. I will never listen to her say she loves me except in old voice mails and old videos.The funeral is in a few days. I haven't cared about the funeral. I haven't wanted to plan anything. Planning the funeral means she really is gone. The way she died is so horrendous. I wish she fell asleep one night and didn't wake up. That would have been more tolerable.With the trial being over, I have to face the parting clouds. When the clouds part, the truth is revealed. Sometimes truth is beautiful and sets us free. That's what the heavens did for Jeremy. They set him free above the angels. But for my mom, she dances with the sparrows, and I am here on earth to witness it.Destiny lives with Father time. He can either change your fate, or he can let the cruelness of night rule with its blackness. The
All the Feels Chapter 34: The Trial
Time has slowed down. All my dreams are in red. Red is the color of roses and the color of blood. Both describe my mother. Blood for her death and roses for her grave. Blood at her murder scene and roses at her funeral.When I dream in red, I don't sleep well. The dreams always end with Kelly laughing. Last night, I didn't dream about my mother. Instead, I dreamed about Gerald McLaren. He was standing in the ruins of the Vineyard church, holding eggs. He threw the eggs to the side and hugged me. He apologized to me for bullying me. I forgave him, and then Kelly entered my dream. I woke up panicked. Being covered in sweat in my bed is a horrible sticky feeling."Lily, are you okay? I heard screaming," dad says, rushing into my room.His coffee spills a little on the side and moves around in his mug. Since mom died, dad has been sporting an ugly red bathrobe that retired in the 1960s. Pretty sure my dad inherited it from his old man. It hasn't been washed since th
All the Feels Chapter 33: Jitters
"It's nice to kiss you without your braces on. I always knew you were pretty, but now all you are is beautiful," Jeremy says as we split up from our kiss.I say goodbye to him and head out of the hospital. Hospitals represent life and death. They are places where people try their best to cling to life. But life is a sacred thing, and the doctor, along with the angels, kept my Jeremy safe so he could help me out today.The drive home is terrifying. All I can think about is Kelly. I am at peace with everything else but her. I want her to be put in her place. She hides in the shadows and waits like an eel ready to strike. I haven't been to school in weeks. I can't stomach the KAT trio. All three girls have been arrested and are suspects in the murder trial of Gerald McLaren. It puts my mind at ease that they are being held accountable for something they have done.But I still can't go back to that school and finish what I've started. I can't return to tutoring. I c
All the Feels Chapter 32: Of Life and Death
Graveyards are the final resting place for the dead. They are where the endless souls dance for eternity under a moonlit forever. The souls of the cemetery held onto Jeremy but didn't take him down into the land of Hades. He fought, and he held onto life just for me. Death is where the ravens swirl in their endless circles. Hunger finds them, and nails dig into their prey. We are all called by death in the end. The grim reaper himself holds his scythe and carries it along as a walking stick. Walking sticks are used to guide souls on the path to Hades. If I discover Hades, I will find my mom. I will find her there beneath the bones of her final breath.All the feels take away my breath,When funerals approach and force me to face death,I think of the heavens parting like glass,Hoping her last days have come at last,The grim reaper is a soul deliverer taking souls away,If he walks too far into the depths, the souls will try to stay,There l
All the Feels Chapter 31: All the Feels
The ghost with no face wears a hood. He passes through fog and dances on the other side of the clouds. When he comes to earth, he sleeps in caves. Caves cast their shadows against the crackling fires of hope. Hope is all that remains for Jeremy Davis. The sun is a fleeting idea that hides behind the clouds in their dark black sky.I never knew what living in crisis mode was like. It sucks and hurts my skin. Everything hurts my soul, my heart, my spirit. Pain has many forms and many faces, and I can't bear to wear my masks any longer. I've become a castle with one bridge to the world on the other side. When Jeremy's father told me he tried to commit suicide, that bridge fell into the world of bullies.Armor can protect a knight for so long. The helmet protects his thoughts. Jeremy's helmet was tossed aside ages ago. To me, he is like theGreen Knight, tossing aside fear and worry.The keys to my car fall to the floor. Damn! Getting to Jeremy is all
