Second Chance by Annamere Jones (feel good books to read TXT) 📕

The girl opens her eyes and looks around. "Oh, baby girl." her aunt says. "You're awake."

A tear slips down the girls cheek. 

"Everything will be okay. Your brother woke up a few days ago and he's going to take care of you. He promised." she says and touches the girl's cheek. "You don't have anything to worry about."

"They're gone." the girl whispers.

"Shh. Baby, it'll be okay. I promise. You and him are going to stay with me for awhile and everything will be fine."

The nurses and doctor come in and take the girls temp and blood. "She is going to have to stay here for the night, but she can go home tomorrow." the doctor tells her aunt then he leaves.

"You've been in a coma, baby." her aunt tells her quietly. "Your dad lost control of the car and got in a wreck. The car was totaled."

The girl frowns. "Mom and dad are gone," she states.

Her aunt nods. "I'm so sorry, baby."

Something flashes in the girls eyes and she looks out the window. A black bird rests on the snowy tree outside. "And Daniel is okay?" the girls asks in a whisper.

"He's perfectly fine. He's at my house sleeping. I'll call him in a bit to let him know you're awake." she stands up and kisses the girls forehead. "Everything is going to be okay."

 Three months later

"Ame! You hungry?" my brother yells through my door. 

I set down the picture of my parents and shake my head. "What did you make?" I ask opening my door.

He smiles and hugs me. "Lilly made tator tot cassoral for dinner." he says and lifts me up.

"Daniel, I dont..."

"Hush, Ame." he says and makes me go downstairs. We moved into a house about a month ago and his stupid best friend moved in and took mom's cook book and she makes food every night. Daniel tries once in awhile but he always forgets he's cooking and burns it.

Aunt Maria sits at the table with Grampa. I smile a faint smile and hug them both "Its good to see ya up and movin about, sweet pea!" Grmaps says and hands me a fifty dollar bill.

"Thank you," I smile another faint smile.

"And. And! Happy birthday, Amepoo!" Auntie Maria says and hands me a key.

I frown. "I don't want a car.."

She shakes her head. "It was your dad's baby before he had you. They had lots of adventures in it."

I put the key in my pocket. "Okay. I'll keep her." I whisper.

Gramps kisses my head after I sit next to him at the table. Daniel puts a plate in front of me and a fork. Then a glass of milk. "You've lost weight, sweet pea. Eat. Or I'll feed you like I used to when you were a lil baby." he says and I laugh weakly.

Daniel serves everyone and I stare at my food until I see the flash again. Its been happening since I woke up from the coma three months ago. It happens a second time. I stand up really fast and walk to the door. I slam it open and stare at the bird.

"What the hell, bird? Why the hell are you always around? GO AWAY!" I scream. "Leave me alone!" I fall to my knees. "I can't handle this..."

Someone pulls me up. Its gramps. "Why you screaming at the poor bird, little one?"

"My eyes flash," I cry. "And this stupid bird is always outside, watching. And it pisses me off and makes me sad! Shoot it!" I cry.

He picks me up and closes the door. "Calm down, honey. You're okay. Maybe it's your pop watchin over ya?"

I shake my head and he lays me on the couch. I grab the tiny square pillow and cry into it. He rubs my back.

"Hey," Daniel says, sitting on me.

"Get off me!" I scream at him and thrash around.

"No. Chill, baby sis. Wanna play some Modern Warfare?"

I shake my head, still crying. "Someone shoot that fucking bird. I want it gone!"

It becomes quiet. "Alright, baby girl." Gramps says. I look at him. He walks out. Daniel gets up and lifts me into his arms.

Then he walks outside to see Gramps grab a hand gun out of dad's old camero. "This was your daddy's gun. Now its yours, okay?" Gramps says then he points it to the bird and shoots.

I fall unconsious.

 I wake up in my bed. Cold and sweaty. Somthing caws outside my window. I stand up, almost falling back over from the lightheadedness. I open the curtain and stare into the darkness. I finally see the stupid fucking black bird. I open the window. "Are you hungry, bird?"

It gave me a look then spoke. "Come with me..."

My breath got caught in my throat. "No. No." I close my window. "Birds are dumb. They can't talk. Shh. Just.. calm down, Ame. You just need to eat something." I laugh as if I'd lost myself. "Yeah." And now I'm talking to myself. I shut my mouth and walked out of my room. I knock on Daniel's door til he opens. "I need to eat food."

He nods and walks downstairs with me. "Anything you in the mood for, kiddo?"

"Dinner," I tell him. 

He smiles. "Its three in the morning, baby girl." he says putting my bowl in front of me. He sits scross from me. "How you doin?"

"I was talking to myself!" I tell him. "I'm hysterical, Daniel. And I'm scared."

He stands up and walks around the table and hugs me tight. "I know. I'm here though, hon. I'll always be here for you, ok?"

I start crying again. He rubs my back. 

"Hey, stop crying." he says tickling my sides.

I start giggling uncontrolably and backing away from him. "Okay. I won't cry anymore." I tell him.

"Good. Now eat your dinner, missy."

I sit down again and he sits in his spot across from me. 

"Do you wanna go see a movie later on?" he asks. "We could go see Big Hero 6 like you wanted to." he suggests.

I nod my head and smile. "I would like that very much, brother." I say.

"Okay. Andy came by while you were sleeping." he says.

I take a bite. "I don't want to see him anymore." I say around my food.

He rests his chin on his hand. "I know. But he's worried about you. And you still haven't gone to school! You can't stay in that room forever, kiddo."

"I know. I'll go tomorrow." I say. 

"Promise?"

I nod my head and smile at him.

Monday I went to school. I told Daniel not to come with me. I drove dad's camero to school, parked it and went into the office. I asked for my schedual and went to my first class. Robbie smiled when I walked into first period. "Hey, girl. Nice to see you not so mopy." he says and hugs me.

He's gay. And he's been my best friend since we were ten. "I just needed to get out of my house. And Daniel was bitchen bout Andy." I tell him.

"Aww. Well, I missed you. And guess what!"

"Huh?"

"I'm with Jake."

I squeal and hug him. "That's great, Rob!" I tell him. 

Jake, meaning the ex quarterback for the football team. He quit the football team last year because of Robbie walking into the locker room and grabbing his ass and some other stupid shit. He's super hot.

"Oh. Happy birthday, doll face!" he says handing me a box. I put it in my bag. 

"Thank you." I say and hug him. "I'll open it later."

When lunch rolled around, Robbie and I were sitting at our usual table. Jake put his tray down by Robbie and sat down. "Ooh. Looky, Jakey. Missy Ame is back."

Jake gives me a genuine smile and I put my hand on my chest. "Oh my freaking marshmellows. Is that even Jake? What the hell happened? Like what the hell is this, Robert?" I say.

"Isn't it cute?" he asks.

"No. Its fucking scary."

Rob shrugs. "You'll get used to it. And why are you freaking out on marshmelllows?"

"Oh. Hi, Jake! I'm glad you're making Rob happy." I say.

"Hi. I'm sorry about your parents." he says.

I wave it off. "Life is just beautiful that way," I tell him.

Rob gives me a look and I shrug.

"No way to get better if I'm always moping and crying about it." 

"Yeah, but there is nothing beautiful about death." Robbie says.

"He was torn apart seeing you while you were in the hospital." Jake says.

My eyes flash again. I twirl around and stare at the bird. I turn back around. "Rob, you see that fucking bird out there?" I ask.

He nods. "What's wrong?" he asks.

"My eyes fucking flash, then that fucker appears. Saturday my gramps killed it, and I passed out. I woke up at like three in the morning and it was outside my window. I opened my window and asked if it was hungry or something. And it fucking talked! and then i started talking to myself."

"Aww. What did it say?" Rob asks.

"You believe this?" Jake asks.

Rob nods, eyes glued to me.

"It told me to go with it."

Rob throws his hands up. "Adventure Time!" he yells.

I put my hands over my eyes. "No. Kill it again!" I cry, eyes tearing up.

"Wait, did you pass out as soon as your gramps kill it?" he asks.

I nod.

"Uhm. No bueno, girly." he says. "Lets ditch school and follow it. Wanna come, Jakey?"

Jake shrugs. "Sure."

"No, Robbie." I whisper.

"Why not?"

"I'm scared. It talked. I couln't breathe." I whisper.

"Hey," Jake says and I look at him. "lets just see what it wants. And I'll be there to protect you two if something bad happens, alright?"

I slowly nod.

"You're so amazing, Jakey!" Rob says and kisses his cheek. Jake looks at him and smiles. A lot has changed since I've been gone...