31. Flowers

31. Flowers

A little blond haired girl sat quietly in the back of her school classroom while the teacher began showing all her students how to add numbers together. Her frame was thin, almost sickly looking, her hair was slightly tangled and greasy and her clothes were wrinkled and dirty and smelt strongly of cigarette smoke along with whatever else.

The girl had her hands clasped tightly together in her lap with her head bowed down. It was almost as if she was trying to appear invisible to the rest of the world however, she failed. "Heidi," her teacher said softly while walking up to the girl, "your not falling asleep again are you?" The little girl shook her head then looked up slowly but made sure to avoided eye contact. "No," her voice came out in a quiet little squeak before bowing her head once again. The teacher flashed a tiny but worried little smile as she patted Heidi's shoulder and returned to the front of the class.

Later the lunch bell rang and soon most of the class lined up at the door waiting to get their hot lunches from the cafeteria. The other half made their way to their book bags and pulled out their lunches from home, everyone but little Heidi that was. Instead of retrieving a lunch bag she continued to sit in her assigned seat with her eyes squeezed tightly shut. She figured that if she couldn't see her fellow classmate's food then she wouldn't feel hungry but yet again she failed. Heidi's stomach began to growl as the smell of mashed potatoes and corn filled the air. It all smelt too good.

"Here," her teacher's voice echoed through her ears once again, "why don't you take this sandwich." Heidi shook her head no, "I'm not ch-charity," she said. This brought a tiny smile to her teacher's lips. "Oh I know," she said, "but I accidentally packed myself two sandwiches instead of one and I just thought maybe you'd help me out but.. if your not hungry I understand." Heidi's teacher began to walk away slowly, very slowly but was soon stopped by Heidi. "Well.. if you n-need help.. I can do it.. just this once," her weak voice squeak. "Thank you," was all her teacher said after setting the sandwich down on Heidi's desk. What her teacher did not see, for her back was turned, was the little girl quickly unwrap the plastic with shaky hands and nearly swallow the sandwich whole.
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As Heidi's house came into view she saw his new shiny black car in the driveway. The little girl wasn't sure if she should be happy or sad but either way her feet began to walk at a much faster pace hoping to at least get a glimpse of his face before he left them once again.

Very quietly Heidi entered their house and not a second later heard two voices talking in the back room. Instead of heading straight up to her room, as she was always told to do, she tiptoed down the hallway until her tiny beady eyes were peaking through the crack they left with the door.

"Daisy, please try to understand," Heidi heard the man say with a heavy sigh, "I've told you before. I just can't."

"Why not?! You don't love her anymore. Just leave her. I can make you happy again--"

"--But we have two children together. I can't just leave my wife like that."

"What about our child? We have one together too."

"It's different..."

"How so? Because she was a mistake? She wasn't suppose to happen, right?"

"YES!!" the man yelled so loud that he caused Heidi to jump which in turn caused her to hit the door making it open up the rest of the way.

Heidi's mother and father just stood there both staring at her until he broke the silence. "Daisy, I have to go but here," he held out a bouquet of daisies, her mother's favorite.

"Wait!" her mother nearly screamed as she lunged towards him and clasped tightly onto his arm. "I love you.. you love me.. you can't just leave like this."

With as much force as he could the man pushed Heidi's mother off his arm. "Goodbye Daisy," he said before leaving the room walking right past Heidi and soon left their home.

Heidi's mother began to sob right there on the floor where he had left her, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

"Mommy," Heidi whispered while reaching out a hand to her mother and gently touched her arm.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" she yelled, "Its all because of you.. YOU!!" Daisy pointed a finger at Heidi before she pushed her away. "Go! Get out of here! I hate you.. I HATE YOU!!"

In all her frustration the woman picked up the bouquet of flowers and chucked them at her daughter. Heidi however moved fast enough to dodge the flying daisies and soon disappeared into her bedroom before flinging her small body upon the bed. It was now Heidi who shook uncontrollably as tears began to stream down her face as she remembered the hateful glare in which her mother cast upon her, which now burned into her memory forever.