Chapter 6: Chapter 6

Up to this point, everything is going as planned. The dress is liked by everyone. I put a stamp on a letter I wrote to my mom, but I haven't sent it yet. I thought it would be more personal to write her a letter instead of just calling her. I don't want to call you until you answer.

I told her I wanted to catch up with her and was interested in the wedding dress. I didn't tell her that I'm getting married or anything similar. I just let her know that I wanted to talk to her.

I have to send it today because it's Monday, I just got engaged a week ago, and the wedding is in less than seven weeks. I chose to do it on my way to school.

I'm nervous when I get to school and think about what she might say. I'm lucky that my first hour is spent at the gym. I like going to the gym, which might seem strange. I usually do well in school and get good grades, but that doesn't mean I'm a "jock." I'm not a "nerd" just because I like going to the gym. Then I'm a jerk. When Maya and I were in high school, we made it up. We think that, even though it sounds so cliche.

We only have one week left of school, but there are still things we need to do. Still, most of it is fun. It looks like we're going to play kickball today. This game is only played when a sub doesn't know what else to do. It's still a favorite, though.

Now, let's talk about being nervous. Going to the gym is fun for me because running there helps me clear my mind. As the past has shown, I tend to forget things. But I can't do it well unless I'm drawing, cooking, or talking about something that makes me think a lot. When I heard about the bet, for example.

Someone or something is moving. So, running the bases helps me calm down when I play kickball. It also helped me when my mom moved out. After she left, I ran around the neighborhood. Dad didn't like that very much, and he was always afraid I would run away. I didn't want to, though. I just lose track of time, which at the time was the only thing I knew would help. Before I learned about art class.

Lucky for me, my team goes first. Lucky for me, most of the people in my gym class like it and do it. Still, they try their hardest. Both my team and the other team have a football kicker. Since he goes first, I go back to get ready to catch the ball. I want to run, so I don't want to go too far.

He throws the ball left. I will try to leave. The ball bounces off the wall when I get to it. I run away from the ball and then jump or dive to get it. The other team sighs and tells the kicker to do better next time while my team cheers.

I'm fourth to kick and only have a short time on the field. I hope there aren't three outs at the same time. Again, just my luck. Out. Out. Out. One person got out on the first kick. The second one got to second base, but the third one kicked the ball into the air, and someone caught it. Because he didn't turn around quickly enough, the second kicker couldn't get back to first base fast enough. Two-for-one.

I'm crazy and nervous, but I try to hide it. I'm pretty good at it. I do everything I can to find as many ways out of the situation as I need. We have to kick five times to get all three outs. There were two runs.

I always try to come out on top. I want to win as much as I want to run. You might think I'm the next one to get kicked. Wrong. I'm number 4. Again.

Now, all three of them are at base. I'm up. We only have about five minutes left until we have to go change. We can win if I kick a triple or better. I wish I could get home by running.

As I step up to the plate, I get ready to kick. The ball is coming towards me at just the right speed. I go up with a BANG! Not even close. Well, we are in a gym, so not really. Still, it's a home run. My team won, so I got to run all the way home.

The rest of the day, I wasn't as scared. I felt good. People stopped asking about the wedding and just went with it. I don't have any more finals. The last week of school will be great.

…

"It looks like we won't even have to plan our own wedding." We are at Mark's apartment, so I tell him this. "Date night" is what we're going to do:

"Yes, everything is being taken care of by my dad. We only have control over the cake, the rings, the color scheme, and your dress." As he turns off the stove, Mark says.

"Yes, about the dress. "The letter went out." I say.

"Really? How do you feel?" Mark asks to make us plates.

"Honestly." I stop. He sees me and tells me to keep going by giving me a nod. "Very nervous. What if she doesn't answer, doesn't want to see me, or-" Mark stops me.

"Don't think that way. It's ok." He puts his arm around me as we take our first bites of the meal he made for us.

There is an awkward silence until I ask, "So, when do I get to meet your mom?"

He gets a little nervous, but then he relaxes. "My uh. Mom died nine years ago." "Don't look at my eyes," he says.

"Oh my gosh, Mark! I apologize for not knowing."

"It's ok. Almost no one does it. My mom didn't like being in the spotlight, so she didn't spend much time there. So, Dad told almost everyone not to talk about it. She was written about in the newspaper, but not on the front page. He breathes in deeply and smiles a little. "I think she would have liked you."

This gives me a little grin. "If you don't mind me asking, how did she die?" I ask. I felt bad as soon as I heard my question come out of my mouth.

"Cancer. Lung, to be more specific." He says. I felt something when I heard that. I had been in a similar situation before.

"I apologize." I say.

"It's ok. You were only curious." He says.

"You know what they're saying."

Because it was too curious, the cat died. I try to make it hum a little bit. He makes me laugh a little.

…

BEEP' BEEP' BEEP'

"Oh my god, kill that fool!" When I yell, I don't have anyone in mind. What's wrong with me? I don't know. I rarely find it hard to get out of bed in the morning.

I'm heading for my closet. "Ok, it's Wednesday, so I can't wear that, that, or that." I say this to myself. Mean Girls' line "On Wednesday, we wear pink" keeps running through my head.

I decided to wear a touch of pink. Nothing. Just a pink shirt under my leather jacket and dark blue jeans.

When I go downstairs, I see my dad sitting at the table with a newspaper and a cup of coffee in one hand. I kiss him on the head. "Bye dad. Have a good day." Then I grab an orange and head out the door.

So do you, hon. Love you." He is looking up from his paper and at me as he says this.

"I also love you." Then I stand up and go.

The school is fine. Even though I didn't get to run as much as I wanted to, this was still a lot of fun. We had a dodgeball game.

The other classes don't matter.

After lunch with Maya, we went shopping for bridesmaid dresses. So far, Charlie, who is a man, is my Maid of Honor. I can't think of anyone better than him to be my friend. Then Maya is a bridesmaid because Mark's cousin, who is more like a sister, is the only other person invited.

My favorite class is the next one. Math. It's easy, I get all my work done without having to do homework, and I get to draw almost the whole time.

Even Mr. Martian doesn't notice me as much as he used to. That's alright. He's not the best teacher, in my opinion.

Right now, I can only draw people from the shoulders up, with really dark contrast and light highlights. I'm working on that right now as I wait for the bell to ring.

I see that the class is getting ready to leave, so I know that the bell did go off. "Until next time, Mr. Martian." I say. Even though I don't like him as a teacher, I have to be nice to him.

I hope the rest of your day goes well, Yanna." He says. I don't say anything back. I just got out of my house to get in my car and drive home.

When I get home, Mark and John's cars are already here. I don't think my dad looked at the mail, so I do. As I walk up to the front door, I see a name that looks too familiar, so I stop.

I quickly turn around and open the door, but I can't believe it. She answered. I don't check on them by going into the living room. I just put my things down with the rest of the mail and opened her letter.

It says. "Hey Yanna. I'm glad you wrote me because it's nice to hear from you. I've always hoped you'd try to get back in touch with me. I've been thinking about what to say. First, I want to say, "I'm sorry." "I shouldn't have left you at all." She didn't say that she shouldn't have left her father, which I found interesting. She said, "I still have the dress." I thought about the tradition and hoped that it would be what brought us back together. I was right, as it turned out. Even though it's short notice, you and one of your friends need to come up. I sent two round-trip plane tickets to New York. Sorry, but I can't make it. I hope you come. "Love, your mother."

When I open the envelope and look back inside, I see two plane tickets. At that point, Dad, Mark, and John all come into the kitchen.

"Hey. How was school kiddo?" My dad asks. Not knowing what to say, I just gave him the letter. Each person gets a chance to read it. "Do you want to go?"

I nod. "Well, sort of."

"The plane leaves on Thursday," John says.

The plane leaves on Thursday." John tells us.

"I know. I'll leave school during lunch." I say.

You're not going to school." Dad doesn't want me to go, he says.

"Dad, the last day of school is in two days. I'll be fine." He starts to say something, but then stops and nods.

"I'll come along." "I hear," says Mark. I don't see him. I can't stop looking at my dad because I can see how much pain he is in.

"Ok." I can't believe I quickly said yes to that. On the other hand, I'm getting married to him.

"Great. It's already decided. Mark and Yanna are going to New York the next day." This is what John says while clapping his hands. "Well, I've got to go. I'll see you guys later."

When he leaves, I go back to my dad. "I have to get back to work:. Before I can talk to him, he tells me.

"Ok see you later." I also try to sound as normal as I can as he walks away.

"You ok?" Mark wants to know how long it will be before his parents leave.

"No. I could tell from the way he looked at me. The look of pain." Almost made me cry.

"I apologize." Mark hugs me and tries to make me feel better.

"What for?"

"I'm not sure, to be honest. I just felt like saying it." He says. When I think of him, I laugh.

"Thanks."