Grace+B

=lillin = My mom, she was always happy. I never felt so stressed when I talked to her. She died of breast cancer. She was always calm and herself when I saw her. As if nothing had touched her. Like nothing could ever harm her. My dad was more affected by the cancer than she was. I had nothing to hold on to after my mom died. My dad was angry and threw I everything out. Now the only thing I have is a picture. A picture of when she was holding me as a baby. I hate it. She's in the hospital holding me. I hate seeing her in the hospital. Ever since she died I've signed up for everything I could. It's not like my dad minds, he hires people to drive me around. My weekly planner is overflowing with notes and dates to remember. My dad couldn't tell you two things I am in. I have no one ever to talk to anymore. I used to always talk to my friend. She's really short and black. My dad warned menot to lay with her but I thought she was a true friend. That was before she stole my idea for the garden. My dad was right, I should only play with my kind, American.

I was on my way to the gym for my daily workout when I saw it. This garden. The last time I went this way it was a lot of junk. Now its a lot of beauty and sweet smells. I wanted so badly to stop, but all the driver let me do is roll down the window. On the way back from the gym the driver let me stop for a few minutes. I smelled everything. Sucked everything up. When I saw the sign for twenty dollars for a water system. I had to do it. It wasn't for the money but to make my mom proud.Before she died we had the best garden ever, Normally my friend is never so interested in what I have to say but when she heard twenty dollars it was like she was a sponge soaking up everything I had to say. That's were I made my mistake. When I went to the garden the next day, the day the competition was being held I was waiting in line listening to everyones ideas. Then I heard my dad being described and I stepped out of line to see my best friend since I was four stealing my idea. Eight years of being her friend she had never been like this. Instead of storming out of there like I wanted to I began to make my own area. It was like something came over me and I had to do it. I was taking everything useable to make a border. Then I went to my driver and told him to take me to any store that would sell seeds for planting. I had no clue where we went but it had watermelons and cucumbers on sale. Done! While I was roaming I look at the clock and saw I was fifteen minutes late for student council. So I just voted to skip it. I've never skipped anything before! It felt so good to not have anything to do for a whole hour. I quickly bought the seeds, a shovel, a stick, and some water proof paper stuff. I told the driver to go to the garden and step on it. He did as he was told. When I got to the garden I started to the soil. I remember reading a book on gardening. Turn the soil then read the directions of the back of the packet and if the package didn't have directions, plant the seeds six inches under ground and water it everyday. I didn't find any directions so I did what the book said to do. I came back everyday at my normal student council time and sat there just relaxing and adding to the waterproof paper I bought. Then when I had to leave I put the paper back on the stick and went back to my regular life. The next day at school while I was thinking, some girl bumped into me. At first I was really angry, but then she said sorry and it actually sounded like she cared. I decided to be nice to her. Her name is Nicki and she is fourteen. We both were walking in the same directions so we decided to walk together. I had been in the garden for almost two months until I really became truly happy. My watermelon had sprouted!!!!!! I remember jumping up and down as everyone watched me. Right then and there I promised myself to always take time to relief from the everyday stress I carried around. I promised to stop signing up for everything and only do what I truly want to do/try. I promised to take some "me" time. I think my mom was proud. Written by: Grace Brackman Colors in honor of Breast cancer.