Free Falling by Tonya Shepard Page A

“What is going on, Abby? What happened at the fall festival?" I had to talk to someone, and so I broke down.
    “It’s just a guy, Mom. I overheard him saying some things about me,” I sobbed. She wrapped her arms around me and just let me cry. We sat like that for while, and I noticed she was rubbing my back trying to comfort me.
    “Honey, I know it hurts right now, but it will go away, I promise. Tell me, what did this boy say?" I told her the whole story and she just held me. After crying for what felt like hours, I am so exhausted, my mom tucks me in bed and kisses my forehead. “I love you, Abby,” she whispered as she left my room.

Chapter 10
     
    “Abby, wake up honey,” my mom says as she shakes me awake.
    “Mom did I oversleep?”
    “Well, kind of. I turned off your alarm clock last night. I have decided you needed a day off from school. Not just you, the whole family.”
    “What?”
    “We are having a family day. Remember you wanted us to. Your dad and I decided today was as good as any day. “I continue to stare at my mom with my mouth open because this is so unlike her.
    “So I was thinking, maybe we could go shopping to some outlets and get you a new winter wardrobe. You could use some new clothes. I also thought a movie would be fun. What do you think?”
    “That sounds great, Mom. Let me just text Leah and ask her to get my homework for me, so I won’t get behind." As soon as my mom leaves, I get up and feel much better than I did the previous night. I still hurt but it feels bearable today.
    This is just what I needed. My mom continued to hover over me and I think she did this because of my breakdown last night. Allie and I got some new clothes, but what I liked best was the talking and laughing as a family.  I was trying on a skirt my mom had forced on me when I decided I needed to be completely honest with my mom.
    “Why don’t we spend more time together? I know you guys are busy but if we love each other we should make time, right?" I ask.
    “Honey, I know that lately we have been busy, but I promise that from now on I am going to make more of an effort to be with you and Allie. This weekend when you were so upset, I realized that I don’t know that much about your life. I didn’t like the feeling and I want that to change. Now, we might not ever be like the Sparks and their family nights, but I want us to be close." She wipes her eyes as she looks at me. “I love you girls more than anything, don’t ever question that.”
    “We love you too Mom." My family spends the rest of the day together reconnecting. By the time, we return home that evening, I felt hope blooming inside of me that my parents might try to be more involved with Allie and me. Might is the key word. I don’t want to be negative, but I can’t help but wonder how long we can hold their interest before they forget about us again. I have been disappointed so many times in the past that it is really going to take more than one family day to fix my trust issues.
     
    ************
     
    Blake and I walk towards my locker together after running into each other after first period. He is being so nice considering the way I treated him, I don’t know if I could be that forgiving. I can barely pay attention to what he is saying because I am watching to make sure Connor is a safe distance from me. I haven’t seen him yet today and that is a godsend. I know that my luck will not hold all day. I always see him at school, usually several times. Then of course, there is pre-calculus, he will be in the same room with me.
    “Abby?” Blake is waving his hand in front of my face. “You okay? You kind of zoned out for a minute there."
    “Sorry, just having a hard time focusing today.”
    “So I really hope we win tonight at Mathletes. I hear Tucker High is tough,” he says with a scowl on his face.
    “Yeah, I think they are undefeated,” I respond as I see Connor heading down the hall in our direction. I knew I would see