A Little Miracle in the Neighborhood

Hey, I’m Hailey and I guess you’ve decided to read about my life, huh? It’s my story, a mystery that’s still being written into never ending chapters. It’s a romance novel with teenagers that have no idea what they’re getting in to. It’s an adventure, hills and hills overflowing with mazes that they eventually get stuck in. It’s a friendly humor with modern 21st Century talk that surely you will understand. 1

Hey I’m Hailey and I’m the terrified fourteen years old who lives in that one dirty one bedroom house that no body ever seems to notice. I’m the girl who everybody gets along with and always seems happy on the outside. I’m the only white girl in the Chicano. I’m the very girl that fits in with people very different from me. I really have no idea how I did it, but they seem to like me. I’m always watching my back though, just in case of a drive – by or a random knifing. 2

Hey I’m Hailey and I hate my REAL life. I’m the girl who has to clean up after her father when he comes home at five in the morning from the local bar Tony’s. I’m the girl who loves to go to school where I can be my sparkly outstanding self. I’m the girl whose mom ran off because she couldn’t stand a potbelly man living in the claustrophobic one story house so she had to get some fresh air and go “get some bread.” I guess that grocery line was nine years long. Wow, I bet her feet hurt big time. 3

Hey I’m Hailey and this is my story.....4

**(((__)))**5

Granddad left out of the house in a hurry. I don’t blame him. I would do the same thing if I were able to drive myself. Granddad gave a wave without looking back. I didn’t bother waving back; he wouldn’t see me anyways since he was already speeding halfway down the little dirt road in his spiffy silver Cadillac. I slammed the swing door shut with a deep and annoyed sigh. Jerry was already digging in the back of the refrigerator for a beer. He was still drunk, always 24/7 now. It’s become his sober look and his official breath. That’s why we’re swimming in depths and fines from tickets and DWIs. 6

Jerry’s my dad by the way. But I call him by his name because I don’t see him as the same dad who helped me with my science project or taught me how to shoot hoops or how to ride my bike. He doesn’t even bother to correct me when I call him by his first name. 7

Jerry really is a handsome guy if he would brush his teeth and shave and lose a few pounds and maybe take a shower. He was the high schools famous linebacker and now he’s got a criminal record that’s about three pages long. He even knows the bartender’s birthday. 8

“Thank God,” he grunted as he fell into the torn up chair; a cloud of dust formed in the greasy atmosphere. “I thought he would never leave.”9

“I wish he didn’t leave...” I muttered under my breath. 10

He looked over to my direction, glaring at my face. “What did you say to me?”11

“I said,” a little louder “I wish he didn’t leave.” I looked up and glared right back. “All you ever do is scare off people! I can’t even have my friends here without choking on your pathetic cigar smoke!”12

“Do you think you could breathe better in the polluted world?!”13

“The streets would be better to live in then here!!!” And with that I ran outside and pledged to myself that I would never have to deal with him for long. 14

**(((__)))**15

Remembering that Tanya said her little brother Travis was playing baseball down at the fields, I thought I would pop by there ‘casually.’ I stopped by Pico’s first to wipe away the tears and hope nobody will realize I had been crying. I don’t really like to show any serious emotion like that, because I don’t want everybody knowing I have big problems like my dad at home. I know that everyone else has problems to, but I choose not to brag about them. Only Tanya and Jake know what really happens. 16

**(((__)))**17

“Hey Tanya,” I said, patting her on the back as I stood beside her. I leaned on the fence with a sigh. 18

“Hey, girl, are what you doing here?!” She was always so peppy, and I usually felt better around her but her being so happy made me feel worse. I ignored her excited tone though.19

“I’m here to watch some softball –”20

“It’s baseball.”21

“Yea, baseball; same difference.”22

She laughed, “Okay.”23

A hard finger tapped me on the shoulder; a scruffy face looked down at me. “Jerry?” His eyes were bloodshot and foggy; his breath stunk of the usual beer stench and smoke. He swayed a little and gave me a couple of dollar bills.24

“Go get me a hot dog, girl,” he ordered.25

I grew angry and my face reddened and felt as if it were on fire, hot lava trying to burst out of my skull. “What?” I snapped, glaring at him as he made himself comfortable on the bottom bench in the stands. 26

“You heard me!” he yelled, his eye becoming lazy.27

I clenched up my hand into a fist. The money crackled as it crumpled. Then I threw it at him. “Go get your own hot dog!” 28

He squinted his reddened eyes up at me, slapped his knees and stood up. Pointing his fat index finger at me he said, “You will do as I say, when I say it. You will give me what I want, when I want it. You will NOT boss me around!”29

That’s when I cracked up laughing. His eyes flattened with evil and his hairy nostrils flared. “Do you think I would really bow down to you?! Did you think I was worthy of you? Did you think I would do what you wanted me to?”30

He stabbed me in the shoulder with his finger, “As long as I am alive.” 31

I snorted. “Well okay then. I can wait a month.”32

“Excuse me?”33

“With all that acid you’re drinking down you can’t really expect to live as long as Grandpa.”34

“Well then as long as you live under my roof –”35

“You roof?! I pay the bills!”36

“But who picked out the house?!”37

“Mom did!!” Jerry flinched. He’s always tried to forget she ever existed. She broke his heart. I don’t blame him for being upset. She hurt me to. She left me to. But I can’t sober up now and forgive him just because he’s sad now. Sitting back in his place slowly, hunching over a little bit, I know the tears are soon to come from his wet eyes. And I knew they weren’t from being drunk. He missed her.38

I bent down to talk to him face to face. I didn’t yell this time. “Dad,” the word stung in my heart; I haven’t called him that in so long. “I can’t live like this anymore. I need to be able to breathe without chocking. I need to be able to go to sleep without having a feeling in the pit of my stomach, scared that the house will burn down. I need to be able to wake up early and not smell the familiar beer fumes. I have to get away. I’ll visit. I’ll move somewhere close.”39

“You’re just like your mother.” His words were spit out into my face, burning me and setting me on fire. ‘Calm down Hailey,’ I told myself. ‘Don’t lose your temper.’40

“No, she left for good.” I squeezed his shoulder and walked away. But I would be back.41

**(((___)))**42

Crying was a big deal for me. I like to cry, but only if it’s for use; like letting go steam from stress. But this was ridiculous! I can never release the tension in my stomach. I couldn’t breathe right and I had to clutch my throat. I knew it didn’t do any good but it was all I could do. 43

I felt a presence and saw a tall, shadowy figure in the corner of my eye. I flinched away, startled. “Oh man, are you okay?” His voice sounded friendly enough – deep and strong, sweet and seductive – so I looked up at him. 44

He, Joseph I knew, was very handsome. He was tall with a mysterious attitude. A beautifully dark skinned Latino Chullo. His black brown hair blew lightly in the small breeze. Surrounded by his posse he looked confident and noticeable.45

“Yea,” Nathan said. “You seem kind of upset.” I rolled my eyes at his humor. Nathan, or Wedo, was the scrawny, lean muscle punk rock guy. Always making jokes and known for a good time. Joseph slapped his shoulder and Nathan pretended to be insulted. 46

I sniffled, embarrassed. “I’m fine.”47

Joseph just stood there, looking down at me; his hands sunk into his front jean pockets. Everybody was quiet and waiting for his response. “You know what?” he finally decided. “I’ll catch up with you guys later.” I was a little shocked, blushing though. I rubbed my eyes, hoping to dry them out. Joseph sat down beside me on the ground, bumping his back into the wall and sliding down. The guys walked away hesitantly, waving at me ‘bye.’ 48

“Just go Joseph. You know you would rather be with your friends than a depressed girl.” 49

“I would like to help out with the depressed girl. I’ll always have time for the guys. So what’s wrong?” I stared at my feet, holding my legs. “Oh, you don’t have to tell me –”50

“No,” I interrupted. “It’s not that. I just wouldn’t know how to begin. It’s a long story.”51

“Begin at the beginning.” I still hesitated. Maybe I didn’t want to tell him? Why then did my mouth open to speak? Still, no words were released or even breathed. “Well I’ll at least stay for company.”52

It was rude of me to impatiently force out my sentence, but because of how harsh it sounded. “My dad drinks.”53

Joseph sighed in fake disappointed. “It wasn’t a very long story at all.”54

“It’s a short statement but it means more.”55

It was a long silence. The birds talked instead of us. The wind tried to encourage me to speak. The sun beat down on me, trying to get me to unfreeze and eventually my heart warmed up to Joseph. 56

“So it bugs you then?” he asked.57

“Yea, it bugs me. He drove my mom away, and now he’s driven me away.”58

“You’re moving?” He almost sounded... sad?59

“No,” I shook me head. “I’m just moving to a new house somewhere around here.” I looked at all the houses in the neighborhood that overlooked the crappy town. They weren’t much but I admired how they were still standing. “I’ll go to the same school. But I don’t know what to do.”60

“Look in the classifieds.”61

I smiled, giggled even. “That’s a good beginning.”62

It was another silence, but it was short. “Well I don’t think we ever ACTUALLY met before.” He raised a hand to me. His skin was so soft... warm... relaxing... “I’m Joseph.”63

I smiled again, “I’m Hailey.”64

“Hailey...” he whispered. “Uh – well, you want to come with us to Skylers? You look like you need a good time.” 65

Still smiling, “I would really like that.”66

We were still shaking hands.67