Among the crowd of students sprawled in front of board, Niel stood in the midst of them, surrounded by his friends. Lenny's eyes were on them intensely. Niel didn't notice her of course, as he kept chattering away with his friends, but Lenny could hear everything there were saying.
One of Niel's friends pointed towards Lenny's drawing and they all burst out laughing, including Niel.
"That drawing took third place in the competition? How did it get third position when it looks so weird." One of them piped up.
"Yeah, it's really weird." Niel agreed with him.
Lenny felt her heart sink to the bottom of her chest. She could hear her heart shatter into a million pieces. The same person, that always loved to watch her draw and always complimented her art, was here berating the same art with his friends. Lenny couldn't believe her ears.
Lenny didn't confront him. It was something she was never good at. She bolted away from the crowd, her heart heavy with shock, grief and a pensive sadness, one she could not shake off.
Niel, the only person she considered a friend, had slapped her in the face using his words. It hurt, a feeling she had never experienced before. Lenny hated the feeling and never wanted to feel it again.
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"That...was the reason why you started ignoring me?" Niel asked, his face filled with shock.
"Yeah, it hurt a lot. I considered you a friend. I thought you understood me because you didn't call my drawings weird like the other kids did. I thought...."
Lenny trailed of as she bit her lip. It was a subject that made her feel bitter. She didn't want to talk about it anymore.
"Look, Lenny, I can explain."
"Explain what? The fact that you didn't want your friends to know that you were friends with the class weirdo?"
Niel grimaced. Bingo. She was right. Lenny scoffed and snarled at him.
"You know I was such a huge dumbass. I don't know why I didn't notice it sooner. The way you'd always ignore me at school, but act all chummy when we're back home."
"Len, it's not like that." Niel tried to convince her as he walked closer to her.
Lenny took retreating steps back and glared at him.
"Oh it's exactly like that Niel, it's exactly like that. It's as plain as day. And it's so ridiculous how you show up, preaching how much you're in love with me and how you want us to get back to being close."
Niel frowned. He looked he was about to cry, but Lenny felt no ounce of pity for him. The pain he was feeling now was nothing compared to he made her feel.
"But, I really am in love with you Len."
"Stop calling me that, I absolutely detest it." She spat.
Niel walked forward again and grabbed Lenny's arm before she could step away from him again.
"Len, I'm really sorry, I was younger and dumber then. I thought my reputation was more important than our friendship, but I finally realise how wrong I am."
Lenny gazed at him, her eyes empty and her face blank and unfeeling.
"And? It doesn't matter if you apologize now, I don't want to have anything to do with you anymore."
"Youre serious?"
"Dead serious."
Lenny felt his grip on her arm loosen and he let go of her. Niel looked defeated, unable to utter a words.
"And don't come find me in my class room anymore, I would hate it if I were seen with a popular guy, and I'm sure you wouldn't want to be seen with the weird girl."
Lenny bolted away from him, down the streets without looking back.
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Lenny swung open the front door and stepped into the house. From the doorway, she could hear her mother talking to someone in hushed tones. Was she on the phone? Curious, Lenny past the stair case and walked into the living room. Her mother was indeed on the phone, her face filled with worry.
She glanced up at Lenny and said a few more words before hanging up the phone.
"Hi honey, how was school today?"
"The usuals. Are you okay?"
Evelyn nodded and threw herself up from the couch.
"I'm okay honey. Are you hungry? I made some meatloaf stew and casserole." She said and walked over to the kitchen.
Lenny threw her bag pack on the couch and followed her mother into the kitchen.
"Mom, are you really okay?" Lenny quizzed as she plopped down on one of the chairs beside the kitchen counter.
Evelyn grimaced and gave her daughter a weary smile.
"You're too perceptive for your own good." She said with a small chuckled.
Evelyn dropped two plates on the counter and sighed.
"Well, you know mother isn't feeling too well."
"Grandmother?"
Evelyn nodded.
"She has Alzheimer's disease. She's had it for a while, but it was at the early stages. But I got a call from the doctor saying her condition has gotten worse. She can't stay on her own anymore." She said sadly.
Lenny hadn't really seen her grandmother once. She had only interacted with her once, and that was during the family's Thanksgiving when Lenny was eleven. From what Lenny could recall, her grandmother was a nice person, but Lenny couldn't sympathize with her mother since she didn't feel the same way.
"Why can't she stay on her own? Will her condition get worse?"
Evelyn placed a meatloaf on the plates and reached for the bowl filled with casserole.
"She has severe memory loss, she can't do things herself. Someone has to be with her and take care of her. Mother could get hurt if she's by herself."
"Oh."
Evelyn placed the casserole neatly on both plates and handed one over to Lenny. They walked over to the dining table and sat down to eat.
"But the thing is, I don't know who could take care of her. I'm busy all day so I can't do it." Evelyn pondered out loud.
She stopped with her fork mid air and gazed at her daughter wide eyed.
"Lenny, you're on summer holidays starting tomorrow, right?"
"Yes... why?" Lenny asked curiously.
"Would you mind taking care of your grandmother?"