Josh Santos pov ( eight years ago)
I was at home.
sitting on one of the couchs which was in the living room.i was staring at the celling fan.
it was afternoon and the sun was hot.
for some reason.the celling fan had gone bad. grandpa was still at work.
I had refused to go to school today.rachel had refused to come visit me.
I was glad but also sad.
I didn't want to put her through the ordeal of going late.
it had been long I seen her.
grandpa didn't know I was home.I often went out early in the morning.just to sneak back in when he left home to work at the hospital. daily check is the name of hospital.
it is owned by John flickers.my friends father.Abel flickers.
we both attended the same school.
it's a private facility and he had helped my grandpa get the job by recommending him to his father.
he worked as a security man in the hospital.
grandpa had glady taken it.he had worked a couple of odd jobs before and according to him.this one wasn't that bad.
with his salary.
he could afford the bills.pay the rent and also pay my fees.
I often wondered how he coped with it all.
I spent most of my time thinking of ways to help.I couldn't do anything at this age and i was supposed to be focused on school.
he would be mad if he found out that i skipped classes.
I sighed.tired and frustrated.
everyone was at school now and I was here. all alone.
I stared at the clock which was on the wall.
the time was 1:32 pm.
it was Tuesday.
grandpa wouldn't be back till 6pm in the evening.
I was bored.
I began to search for my phone in my jean pocket. a smart phone which grandpa had purchased for me during my 6th birthday.
I put it on to see a message icon on the screen.
from Blake.
"where are you dimwit?
I shook my head and put off the phone.
Blake balde was one of the school bullies in my class.we had become friends.
he was unpopular.just like myself.
he was considered to be hardened by the other students.
so he was often left alone with no friends.
we had not been friends since the beginning of first grade.he often bullied me.
by taking my lunch bag or hiding my bag.
I wasn't the only one.
he did same to Willie and Abel.
However.he had changed.
Willie said that It was due to all the detention classes he had to go to.
they often locked him in an empty class.
separated from the other students.
he was often laughed at and no one wanted to be close to him.
it was during the end of first grade.
when I lost my parents that we became friends.
I had lost interest in almost everything.especially going to school.
grandpa did his best to give me my own space for the first two weeks that passed.
until he suggested that i start going again.
it wasn't fun.
I had been the topic of the day and I couldn't help but notice pitiful looks.
I couldn't help but feel laughed at.
the teachers all had that look on their faces and I hated it.
I was clearly seen frowning and numb to it all.
it was during break hour at the cafetería that Blake balde came toward my empty table. at the far end of the hall.
he had a smile on his face.he held on to a tray.
"hey."
"can I have a seat?
he asked.
I stared at him for a while before nodding.
he joined me and for the first few minutes.we sat in silence while the other kids were loud at their own table.
I guess no one wanted to hang with the depressed.
"am sorry." he said.
breaking the silence.
I looked at him.
"I heard what happened."
"to your parents."
"I know what it's like."
"sure."I replied.
"I didn't mean to be a dick to you."
"sure."I nodded.
not quite paying much attention.
"it's okay if you're mad and if you don't forgive me."
"I just wanted you to know." he said. we had eaten our meal in silence until break hour was over.
school had ended that day and I had gone home.
not bothering to speak to anyone else.
the next day was different because Willie and Abel came to school.
heard the news and joined my mourning table.
followed by Rachel.
Vanessa and Blake.
we began to eat our food and they tried to keep the mood going.
thet talked about thier own experiences at home and with thier families.
it was through the conversation that I learnt that Blake had no parents.
they had died. he lived with his uncle.
according to him.he was quite strick and harsh.
I appreciated my grandpa that day.
I had experienced what it meant to be an orphan but I was never alone because of my grandpa.
since then.
the gang and i had been best of pals.
but as time went on.
I began to withdraw from thier circle. from school. more problems were coming and neither grandpa or my pals could really help out. I was alone.
despite having friends.i couldn't cope with the daily abuse I was reciving at holy high.
my time of depression was just beginning and it all started when we all entered 2nd grade.