Her Redemption

Chapter 1

I woke up with my hand hurting a little and I figured I must have slept on it. It wouldn’t be the first time seeing as I tended to go wild while asleep. I search around my bed for my phone with my hand that wasn’t hurting. When I finally reached it, I pressed the power button and saw that the time read 6:51 AM, which means I woke up twenty-four minutes earlier than I intended to. I don’t even know why I still set my alarm to go off since I don’t need it.

Deciding to get an early start on the day, I yawned, got up from my bed and made my way to the bathroom to get myself ready for school. I was so glad that we had just a few months till prom and I would be out of that school at last. Don’t get me wrong, the school is wonderful, the management and staff just as amazing, where my problems lied were with the students. The majority of them came from wealthy, influential homes unlike me so they thought it appropriate to put everyone below them “in their place” by bullying, spreading snide rumors, throwing insults, and other sick things. They don’t bully me because they’re scared of me, why? I have no idea but I’m glad. But I don’t miss the rumors they keep coming up with almost every single day.

I got ready and put on my school uniform which every single student of Ridgewood high was supposed to wear. It wasn’t my ideal comfort clothes but I wasn’t complaining since we all get to wear the same clothes because no matter how much I don’t let our status in life get to me, showing up in faded jeans and a plain t-shirt amid people who would most definitely be wearing designer clothes wasn’t appealing to me.

I got out of my room and made my way down the hallway towards my father’s room where he refused to leave for the past three days and I don’t know why. Normally he would be all over the house or sometimes even outside playing with the cat and talking to it or himself or just saying random words that don’t make sense but lately, he has been quiet, too quiet even and he doesn’t even want to talk to me. My father had schizophrenia which meant he couldn’t do normal things that normal parents were supposed to do. According to his doctors, he may be forty-two years old but he still had the mentality of a seven-year-old so I had to take care of both of us since my mother decided she couldn’t handle it.

I knocked seven times on the fragile door that led to my father’s room in a secret tune that only my father and I shared. I walked in and saw him laying on his bed, his back to me.

“Hey papa.” I greeted him as I sat next to his trunk and leaned down to kiss him on his cheek. He didn’t respond but I wasn’t surprised, he has after all ceased talking to anyone for the past few days. “I’m gonna go prepare breakfast for you and leave for school. What would you like to eat?” Still no reply so I just sighed and got up from the bed and headed to the kitchen. I made bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast for both of us. I took our food into his room and sat on his bed. I placed his food close to his head knowing the scent would soon attract him, after all, he did love bacon. Like expected, he quickly sat up and began to devour his food like a cave man which made me smile a little at the fact that at least he wasn’t planning on starving himself.

We ate in silence which was also a recent happening. My father loved to talk about anything and everything but now he would just keep to himself. When I finished eating, I gave my father sometime to do the same. When he was done, I took the dishes with me to the kitchen and washed them and placed them in the plate rack. I made my way back to my father’s room and saw that he was still sitting on his bed. I knelt down on the floor and took his hands in mine and began softly stroking the back of his hands, he loved when I did that.

“Papa?” I began as I looked him in the eye. “I don’t know why you’re not talking to me anymore and it makes me really sad but I will wait until you feel like you’re ready to talk to me again. I’ll always be here for you papa, please don’t forget that. I love you.” I took his hands and turned them palm up and then leaned down and placed a kiss on each of his palms. “I have to head out for school papa. I left food for you in the kitchen.” I got up and kissed his cheek and made my way out of his room and the house and began my fifteen minutes walk to school.

Thoughts of what could be wrong with my father kept going through my mind, he was really worrying me nowadays and I don’t know what to do. I would have long sent him away for treatment but I didn’t have the money yet and I was going to need a lot of it since john Hopkins hospital in Maryland in the US is one of the only places with really high recommendations. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair, I was getting desperate for money now. I already had three jobs but the money they all yielded wasn’t nearly enough to do anything. Right then, I felt like crying, I couldn’t keep on being strong when I knew someday, I was going to break.

I tried diverting my thoughts somewhere else but thankfully that wasn’t needed as I had already reached the entrance doors to the school and Riley came into view. She would either always pick me up in front the house and we would both come to school together or on days that she couldn’t, she would wait for me in front of the school. She was the only person that knew about my father’s condition and she still stayed; she didn’t treat me any less. She also didn’t use her or her parents’ status as a reason to treat me like dirt the way the others did and that was shocking because her family was the third richest one in that school seeing as her father was a very successful businessman and her mother a super model. There came many times that I wished I had her life but I ignored all those thoughts and was just grateful that I had her as a friend.

“Hey Ria.” Riley greeted as she pulled me into a hug. She always does this every day and I smiled at the thought. She pulled back and we started walking towards homeroom. We got there and took our usual seats at the back. “How’s Papa?” Riley always asked after my father and it warmed my heart to know that someone else aside from me cares about him.

“I don’t know Riley. He doesn’t want to talk to anyone, even me, and that’s making me worry. Papa always tells me anything and everything but for the past few days now he’s been keeping to himself and that is so unlike him. I don’t know what to do Riley and I’m so scared, what if his condition is getting worse?” I ranted on to Riley without even knowing it or giving a care that we were in a room slowly filling up with people.

“Ria please don’t worry, your father is going to be alright, I’m sure it’s nothing serious.” Riley offered me her words of comfort but I didn’t know what to say because I don’t know for sure if I should grab on to that little glimmer of hopes in her words. “You know my parents would be happy to take care of the expenses for his treatment in a heartbeat, even I could do that.”

I knew that. I knew Riley and her parents would be able to take care of my father out of the goodness of their hearts but I couldn’t let them. They’ve been too kind to me already but I couldn’t do this to them, it was my responsibility, well it’s not meant to be but I assumed it and I’m going to pull through.

Pushing all thoughts of my problems to the back of my mind, I stared at my best friend still surprised but grateful that someone like Riley decided to get stuck with me of all people.

“Enough about me Riley, how was your weekend?” Riley began to smile and it only took me a second to know why.

“Well, you remember Ethan?” Bingo! I knew it. Ethan was all she had been talking about barely two weeks after she broke up with her ex-boyfriend. Riley had a thing for diving headfirst into a relationship and I only hoped that one day she would sit and think things through before just jumping in and coming back out with a broken heart.

“Riley! You barely know this guy and you just broke up with Sawyer.”

“I know, I know but Ethan is sweet and I, really, really, like him.” Riley tried convincing me with a pout on her lips.

“That’s what you said the last time and the one before that” I paused for a few seconds “and the one before that.” I added knowing the effect it would have on her.

“Okay, I get it. I’ve been in too many relationships already but trust me, Ria, this one’s for real this time.”

“Whatever you say Riles, just hope I would be willing to lend a shoulder if it ends up going south seeing as I already have more than enough things to worry about.” I said as I leaned more into my chair and let out a sigh.

“Those aren’t the words you give to encourage someone.” She muttered under her breath but I still heard her. I didn’t mean to sound so harsh but it was the truth. I already have a lot of things to worry about and I know adding another thing to the list of items to worry about would finally make me go crazy.

Just as we finished our conversation, the homeroom teacher came in and as usual started saying things that we already knew.

Time flew so fast that before I knew it, school had already ended. School today was like school any other day. The rumors about me were still going around but surprisingly there were no new ones today which was a bummer. Those spoilt brats did have a colorful imagination that could make anyone laugh but sadly they decided to use it on me instead of in the classroom but I’m not even complaining, I could use a good laugh or two once in a while.

I hung around with Riley for a little while before waving her goodbye and beginning my walk back home. Riley offered to drive me home but I declined because I actually enjoy walking, it calms my fraying nerves down before I get home.

When I reached the front door to the fragile looking house my father and I lived in, I took out my keys and unlocked the front door and got in. I always locked the front door whenever I leave for school but I make sure to keep the back one open.

“Papa I'm home.” I yelled out in the living room before making my way to my father's room. I saw him on the floor of his room muttering incoherent words to himself so I sat beside him and placed a peck on his cheek. “How are you Papa?” He didn’t reply me but it wasn't surprising anymore so I stood up to go and get some food for him so he could take his medicine.

“Fi-fine.” I heard my father silently whisper behind me and immediately I stiffened. I went back to sit beside him on the floor and decided to test my luck again.

“Are you hungry?” I asked.

“Yes. Papa’s very hungry.” He said and shook his head a little.

“Whey are you very hungry? Did you not eat what I left for you in the kitchen?”

“N-no.”

“Why?” No reply. “Why did Papa not eat the food?” No reply again so I just sighed and gave him a hug before I got up again and made my way to the kitchen.

I opened the pots of rice and chicken soup I left for him but they were exactly the way I left them. I was still worried about him; he's been acting really weird but at least he has started speaking to me again even if it wasn't the way he used to before but he's started. I’m really sure something's bothering him and I hope I could make him talk about it.

I reheated the food for him and took it back to my father's room. When he was through eating, I gave him his medicine and asked him if he wanted to go outside but he declined so I left him alone and decided to go get ready for work.

I work three jobs when I'm not in school or taking care of my dad. I work Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in a restaurant close by, then I work Thursdays and Fridays in the local library and the weekends are spent in a coffee shop also close by. I barely ever have any free time to myself.

I sigh and walk myself to the front door and yelled a 'bye' to my father. I got on my old rusty bicycle, it was the only form of transport we’ve ever owned, and I rode down to Rosé, one of the many French themed restaurants owned by the Georges. The services are great, the food superb and the workers including myself are really nice. The pay is great but not enough to pay for dad’s treatments otherwise I wouldn’t be working anywhere else. I parked my bicycle in the lot allocated for bicycles, got down and chained it to the railings. I walked into the restaurant through the back door which led to the kitchen and immediately saw Dylan one of the chefs that worked there.

“Hey Vicky.” Dylan stopped to greet with a friendly smile like always.

“Hey Dylan. What’s up?”

“Running around the kitchen, as usual. I gotta go fetch some things for Harold and if I don’t get it now he’s gonna have my head.” I giggled a little at that. Harold’s the head chef and has a little bit if a mean streak so no one really wants to be on his bad side. “Oh, and it’s really crazy in there, just a little heads up.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks.” I said and made my way to the locker room where I kept my uniform. Dylan has always been nice to me, and I really appreciated it. I needed more people like him in my life.

After I changed into my work uniform, I grabbed a notepad and pen and walked to the main area of the restaurant where all the customers were seated and I began walking around taking orders after orders.

“Good evening. I’m Victoria and I will be your waiter for tonight. What would you like to order?” I asked an older couple with their daughter whose hair looked too blond to be natural who was sitting with her back to me.

“I’ll have a chicken confit with potatoes and broccoli.” The woman started then turned to look at her husband and he just shrugs. “I guess my husband will be having the same. Rebecca won’t you place your order?” She asked her daughter who was still sitting with her back to me.

I knew a Rebecca and boy she was not nice. Come to think of it, the Rebecca I know has the same shade of over the top blond hair as this chick in front of me.

The girl, Rebecca, turned around to look at me and my suspicions were confirmed. Rebecca Leigh, one of the girls who just loved to make up wonderful stories about me was sitting right in front of me with a very good-looking smirk on her lips. She was pretty no doubt but all the hate in her has covered it up. I could see where she got all the beauty from though. Her parents look like the perfect parents you would only find in a magazine.

“Yes, but I would like a different waiter please. I don’t like slobs handling my food, God only knows what she would put in it.”  Rebecca said while pulling a disgusted look on her face. But the surprised looks on her parents’ faces were priceless. They look mortified and just because I didn’t want to look like I’d lost my last marbles, I held back the laughter threatening to break free.

“Rebecca!” Her mother snapped “why would you say something like that. We brought you up better than that.” If I didn’t know better, I would have actually believed the stern woman’s words but since I know better, I know that what most of these rich kids lack is the love of both parents or any at all so with the little time this woman has used to bring up her child I know little morals has been passed to her.

“Mother you seriously cannot be siding with her! Have you not seen the clothes she’s wearing even look at-”

“Rebecca you will do as I say and will say nothing more after you apologize to Victoria.” Her mother said but Victoria opened her mouth to protest against apologizing to me.

 “Now.” Her father said for the first time in a low growl which actually made Rebecca and even me straighten up. He must be a really powerful man to hold such power in just his voice and something tells me Rebecca wouldn’t dare disobey him.

 “I’m sorry Victoria.” Rebecca said to me with a big scowl playing on her lips.

 It’s fine. Now if that would be all I would be back with your food shortly.” I say and begin to make my way to the kitchen to give only the older Leigh’s orders to the kitchen since Rebecca still didn’t place any order.

I attended to other customers and once the Leigh’s food was ready, I took it to them and continued around the restaurant taking orders and serving food and before I knew it, my shift was over. I went to the locker room and changed back to the clothes I first came in wearing. I waved goodbye to Dylan and the other chefs before I walked out the door into the cool February nights’ air. My walk home was fast as it seemed my mind was going faster than my feet as it went through different thoughts. Thoughts about my father, thoughts about how I was to get into college if I don’t get a scholarship, thoughts of how I was going to still be able to work when I get to college if I do get a scholarship.

I unlocked the door and got in, shutting it behind me and locking it. I walked towards my father’s room only to find him already asleep. I walked in and placed a kiss on his cheek before I went to my bedroom. I changed immediately into my old pajamas too lazy to bother taking a shower. I laid on my bed and pulled the thin old duvet over my body and before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.