A_New_Life_in_a_Week

Prompt: Our relationships with others define who we are. A day to be forgotten Sunday,September 3rd, 2000 I wake up in excitement, today was a special day, not a special day for myself like my birthday, but a day that brings a smile to my face, Father's day. You see Father's day is a big day, this is because my parents are divorced, and so I live with my mum, this means I hardly see my dad. But today is different, I get to go over to his house and spend the whole day with him. I can't wait to see him, I've been excited the last two days. You see at my primary school, every year, before Father's or Mother's day, we get to create cards for them and the school also arranges a little stall for us kids to buy gifts for our dads. # “Good morning 5D,” my class room teacher Ms Danielle said as she walked into the class room with a smile on her face. “We have a lot to do day.” She walks to her desk and starts the role, as she goes though I start thinking to myself, what can I do on my Father's day card'“Jessica.” “Here,” she puts her hand up, people seem to do that during the role, like a signal of attention so the teacher knows your here. “Seth.” “Here,” I said, I also raise my hand. She continues with the role and finishes. The teacher stands up and walks to the front of the class room. “Ok class, this morning we are going to make Father's day cards” From under her desk she brings up countless amounts of papers, all different colours, for our cards. There was so many to choose from, red, blue, orange, I kept going through them, then came across a light green sheet, this was my dad’s favourite colour. I went back to my table and poured out the coloured pencils from its box in front of me. I choose all the green pencils. I didn't know what to write on the card, I don't just want to say "Happy Father's Day." I start with folding my piece of paper, I fold it half way, making sure it’s completely even, I turn the paper around and fold it half way again, making a little fold out card. I start to write “Happy Father’s day” in the middle of the page. Then “Dear Dad, I love you.” I stopped and looked, it was too empty, I added “Have a great day”. I draw a picture of my dad and I in the park with a smiling sun on the opposite side of my message. # My dad arrives at my house at 11 o’clock, the door bell rang and I got so excited that I jumped up from my bed and ran to the door. I yell out, “Dad’s here!” and it echoed through the house. “Let’s go Seth.” I picked up my bag and went with him to the car, running in front of him through the drive way. I was so excited. When we were in the car I thought about giving him his presents now, but I decided to wait. The car ride was quick and we shortly arrived to his house. I ran to the front door and almost tripped, dad pretended not to see. When we were inside I opened my bag and surprise him with the presents. Dad opened my card, surprised by all the colours, and I saw his eyes light up. # In school earlier I lined up from outside the gym waiting to buy his present. There were rumours from the kids ahead about the presents being sold quickly, but I knew exactly what I wanted to buy. Finally I was in the gym, the room was filled with lots of kids with two stalls on either side. I was scanning the presents along both stalls as the kids pushed and shoved to get in first. As I was nudged in the waist, I saw it, the mug. In big bold letter it spelled “No. 1 Dad”, I grabbed it quickly, the kids were going crazy. Next was the gift wrapping, we have to go to the lady to do that, we don’t have our scissor license yet. Most of the options were just one colour, but as I searched, eventually I found the perfect one. Blue, green, red and yellow. I paid and walked outside, I was happy for what I got my dad. # After dad reads the card, he hugs me, he’s really tall, I'm just up to his chest. I hand over the present to him. I feel good inside, I hope he likes it. My dad opened it, ripping it limb from limb. He smiles, that makes me happy. He enjoys having me around, we barely see each other. Sunday, September 2nd 2001 My alarm rings, I barely wake up, I'm so tired, why should I get up' Today is a horrible day, Father's day, why is there such a holiday. Today's going to suck, I've been feeling depressed the last two days. You see at my primary school, every year, they make such a big deal with Father's or Mother's day, we have to create stupid cards and also the school arranges some crappy little stall for us to buy gifts for our dads, what a stupid idea. #“Good morning 6J,” Ms Jacobs walks in the door with a smile on her face, why should she be happy. “You know what today is kids,” I wanted to punch her when she said that. She went to her desk just like every other day to do the role. “Jessica,” I hate her, little miss two-shoes she is. “Here” “Seth,” I look up slowly. “I'm here miss.” I don't even raise my hand. She continues with the role and finishes. The teacher stands up and walks to the front of the class room. “Ok class, this morning we are going to the Father's day stall,” I didn't want to go. We went to the gym to line up for the stall, what's the point of this, it’s just a bunch of two dollar shop items. I kept letting kids from the other classes before me, I didn't even want to see the front door. All the kids trying to push in to get the gifts first, I got angry as they kept bumping me as they ran past. Eventually I got sick of standing in the line, so I walked to the door and sit, curled up. Kids walk out smiling with their gifts, no one stops to ask what I'm doing, I felt alone. I was alone. After 30 minutes of my life wasted waiting for the kids to get their cheap gifts, we went back to our class room, we were going to start making Father's day cards, this is more time well wasted. The teacher brings out her coloured pieces of paper and places them on the front desk. The kids rushed toward the desk as I walked to the very back seat of the room, the kids made so much noise.“Which colour should I get'” “What should I write'” Too much noise, it gave me a headache. The teacher didn't even notice I was doing nothing, she didn't care, isn't it her job to take care of us' It felt like I didn't belong. I eventually made it through the day without killing myself, I arrived home and locked myself in my bedroom. I cried and cried until no more tears could drop from my face, I didn't know who I was any more, I just knew I was different. #